FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 12

[HairOfTheDog]

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*

This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share, usually about our horses, sometimes about our dogs, gardens and other stuff we do. :~)

I have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and MissTargets will ping everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list.

So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends.

Previous threads:

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread TEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 11

New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!

[Duchess47]

I wouldn’t body clip him either, at least not yet. That way if they do take him they won’t have to worry about blanketing him.

Most of the snow has melted here and the sun is shining, but a very, very cold wind is blowing.

Bob is putting shavings in Friday’s stall so he can start shutting her up at night. I still think she will foal closer to March 6th than Feb. 27 but better safe than sorry.

I’ve spent the day making chili and writing a memo to my boss regarding the air quality test that was completed. I need to get Sam’s registration done but can’t get motivated on it. I really don’t like the pictures. Also need to ask the guy who does my website to update but I haven’t been able to use Outlook for almost a week so I can’t send him the pictures that I want used. Excuses, excuses :)

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Hi again. I'm reading through the latest posts trying to catch up. Seems as if some of you all have had some chilly weather.

We had some folks from church over for dinner Friday night, along with our daughter and her family. Yesterday we went up to Pisgah for my husband to work on the fence (picket) at the rental house. We just got home an hour or so ago.

I have a "bit" question.

The previous owner was using a "tom thumb" bit on Beau. From what I've read online those aren't great bits. However he is used to them. Any thoughts?

Oh, I'm still looking at that orthoflex saddle. When business picks up in the spring I would like to get one.

[Duchess47]

I used a Tom Thumb on my mare for ten years and she did very well in it. I neck rein and use mostly leg cues and voice commands (yeh, Bob really yells about that) though.

Tom Thumbs can be harsh bits, just depends on your style of riding.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Thanks for your input - my horse doesn't know neck reining, but he knows leg cues.

I guess I'll go shopping tomorrow :-)

[Duchess47]

Did you guys see the picture of this kid on the horse.com forum. Apologies to rockyridge - I snagged the picture - he's gorgeous.

[Duchess47]

Duh - forgot the link.

http://forum.horse.com/tm.asp?m=565009&mpage=31򔍼;

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

He really is lovely.

I'm sorry she's having such a hard time - she's out west, I'm guessing.

[FrogInABlender]

‘Mornin! Cute little water garden you’ve got there, and that’s funny about the rubber ducky making a run for it. I’ll bet it was a ‘coon, thinking he’d have himself a quick snack of some nice juicy pond fish. Don’tcha know he was disappointed!

You ought to see if you can find one of those fountain kits and put in there. I picked a small up one on sale at Lowe’s not too long ago for $15 or $20. It’d look and sound cool and would help aerate the water for the fish too.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - we’re thinking about it.... they had a cute frog that spits water, and we thought we could put the frog in the bird bath and he’d spit into the fish pond :~)

The issue is getting power out there. There’d be a cord across the lawn. We might do that though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Lots of snaffle people hate the tom thumb. I don’t have personal experience with them, riding mostly english they aren’t a bit I’ve used. But I sure have seen a lot of them in use by friends and on trail by people, so they must have some virtues. If you aren’t having any issues with it, I wouldn’t change just because people tell you so... Or you’ll have to change everything you do eventually, because everyone has an opinion about everything in this business :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

Very pretty duchess! Seems she’s still got a few horses left. I wish she’d gotten good money for all of them, some were just given away.... good horses too.

[FrogInABlender]

Duchess, your snow sure is pretty but it sure does look cold. I feel for ya! At least it’s sunny though. And I used to have a couple of barn cats named Mama and Sister too. Small world!

[FrogInABlender]

That really sounds promissing for a home for Harley. I sure hope they take him! {crossing fingers}

[FrogInABlender]

...There’d be a cord across the lawn...

Lord knows I'm the Queen of the Extension cord, so don't let that hold you back! ;o) You could get a 100 foot one and bury it a couple of inches and nobody would ever know. Do you have an exterior GFCI you could plug it into?

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Something I read said that that bit confused the horse. My daughter took him out yesterday with a smaller snaffle -and he did much better.

You're right, though, about opinions. :-) I've taken riding lessons from two different people (the initial riding instructor, and then my horse's previous owner) and it was hard to remember what I was supposed to do.

[FrogInABlender]

Oh, and the part about the frog sitting in the birdbath and spitting into the fish pond, just keep in mind that you’d have to have a recirculating tube between the two or the frog would drain the birdbath in about 5 seconds. ;o)

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, it wouldn’t be the first extension cord... my barn is still powered by an extension cord, since last winter, if you recall... ;~). So it’s not that it would upset the fancy landscaping around here ;~)

There isn’t a good outside GFCI outlet though... none of the outlets in this old house are, not even the ones in the bathroom ;~\

I’d have to run it out a window, which is fine for summer.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh, and the part about the frog sitting in the birdbath and spitting into the fish pond, just keep in mind that you’d have to have a recirculating tube between the two or the frog would drain the birdbath in about 5 seconds. ;o)

Right ;~) It could be done though. The frog spits so far it's about the only way to do it. They had another frog that just floated on his back spitting nearly straight up... he was cute too.

[FrogInABlender]

Well, you really need to change one of them out to a GFCI before you try the fountain. It's not hard to change, y'all could do it yourselves, and they're not all that expensive. Wouldn't wantcha to get the living daylights shocked out of you!

Or, some hardware stores sell one for about $10 that's kinda build into a short cord that you can plug your extension cord into like this...

[FrogInABlender]

The one that spit straight up would probably work the best for what you’ve got.