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The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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

[HairOfTheDog]

Aw that’s a shame. And I agree with you on overfeeding babies... You don’t want them growing too big too fast at all. You’d be better to try to slow them down.

[FrogInABlender]

Well, I hate that! She sure was a pretty thing.

I agree about the high-powered feed for babies. I guess it’s just too much of a temptation for some people who have high-dollar halter horses to try to cash in and win with them as early as possible. You don’t want to stunt them but you don’t want them doing an Incredible Hulk on you either.

[MissTargets]

They do have a new filly (out of the same mare in the pic) a few months old now, that they have high hopes for. She is a really cute and I need to get some pictures of her. Such a pretty head, I told them she looks like an Arabian. :)

In other news, we went to a AQHA show yesterday. Alison did well with a first, second, two thirds and a fourth.

[BladeRider]

Well have fun today. It should be interesting.

Boy scout thing went well. I shows them how to feed, brush, comb mane and tail, clean feet, clipper, saddle, bridle. Showed them teeth covered shoeing, worming shots. Then ponied each boy (about 10) twice and 2 of the dads once each. I would walk them down about 50 yards then run back with Blade in a rack. Blade was so good. He loved all the attention. I had everyone tied but Blade. He just stood there while they brushed him, cleaned his feet and while each boy climbed (some not so gracefully) or plopped in the saddle. Only one boy had ever been on a horse before. They just could not believe how smooth the rack was compared to the walk. I spent 3 hours with them and when they left I was wore out. Gary said my face was beet red from all the running. I had a pretty good headache going by the time they left so when they were gone I showered and laid down for a couple hours, then got up and groomed two terriers. I am pretty sore today. I was so proud of Blade, he was everyones favorite. Have I told you lately how much I love that horse?

[BladeRider]

He (trainer) was feeding her the same as he does the other horses, but I think pumping those young halter horses up with high power feed, alfalfa hay and all those supplements is just not a good thing for some.

That is so sad to hear. We have to be very carefull with Irish Setter puppies (Great Danes and GSD have this also) if you feed them a food to high in protein, fat and calories causing them to grow to fast the develope a problem called H.O.D. which is inflammation in the joints and can prove to be fatal. I switched from puppy food to an adult maintenance food around 12 weeks. Let these animals grow like mother nature intended, rushing it will almost always cuase problems.

[BladeRider]

Has anyone used or heard of this before?

http://www.airliteusa.com/algaetamer.html

I went to Tractor Supply for more feed buckets, etc this weekend and saw this, thougth I would give it a try. Our water tank is already getting slimey.

[FrogInABlender]

...Have I told you lately how much I love that horse?

Only every time you ride him! ;o)

[FrogInABlender]

Interesting! You’ll have to let me know if it works.

[Duchess47]

A beautiful picture.

[Duchess47]

Oh I am so sorry for her. The babies can not be pushed in growth with high feed without serious or in this case, fatal damage. It seems the trainers go from one extreme to another - massive protien and supplements to halter and very low, only maintenance to riding horses.

We have decided to list Tuffy for sell along with most of the others. Bob and I just don’t have the energy any more for showing and I really, really want to retire - which means not spending my paychecks supporting horses :)

[HaveFaith]

Thanks.

I hate to hear about the filly. So sad when things like that happen. I didn’t realize loosing horses was so common till lately. Horses are going to get even harder to keep with this economy getting worse all the time. The horse magazines are full of stories about that.

ALL:
My baby is eating grass and nibbling at Mama’s feed out of your hand. We are progressing at leading and getting the halter on him is not real hard. He can run step for step with his Mama which is amazing to me. He is a month old already. I am fixing to have to go up to the next size halter already.

[BladeRider]

Only every time you ride him! ;o)

Well if you are tired of hearing it......

[BladeRider]

You’ll have to let me know if it works.

I will, if I can keep Blade from taking it out and eating it! I tied it to a concrete block in the center of the tank.

[FrogInABlender]

Nah, I like it when folks brag on my kids!

[FrogInABlender]

You'll have to be careful and not let the water level in the tank get below 3/4 full or he'll be able to reach it. I had to do the same when I had that stock tank heater in mine or they'd apparently go dunking for it and grab it and bend it. The aggravating little cusses!

[BladeRider]

had to do the same when I had that stock tank heater in mine or they'd apparently go dunking for it and grab it and bend it.

Oh yeah. I know, they trashed ours in February, we will have to buy a new one before winter. The one we had floated on top, next year we will get the one that goes in the plug at the bottom. They are always into something.

[HaveFaith]

I think you did a great service not only for the boys and their dads, but to horses. Every back yard horse owner want-to-be should have to have a class like that to let them see that being a horse owner is much more responsibility and work than most of them know. It is not all petting, feeding cookies, and perfect rides and behavior (not that yours weren’t) all the time. They need to know the cost of all those things you went over with them, too. There would probably be alot less uncared for, unwanted, unable to afford horses out there that you can’t give away in a horse sale. Also, the ones that went ahead and got one would know what all they needed to keep done for them instead of waiting till they were sick or down.

[BladeRider]

Every back yard horse owner want-to-be should have to have a class like that to let them see that being a horse owner is much more responsibility and work than most of them know.

Teaching responsibility needs to happen when they are young. So many people KNOW what needs to be done but either "forget" or just don't care enough. Same thing with dogs. Animals rely on humans for most everything, so if you are going to have them their care needs to come first. First thing I do in the mornings is let my dogs out, then feed the horses, then feed the dogs, then I take care of me.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

It’s a terrible disease and I sure hope they find a cure or treatment for it soon.

Just checking by - have been so busy with family stuff - but I heard a news report about a new (old) drug that has shown some promise in Alzheimer's treatment. It is a Russian antihistamine. I heard the whole report but it's been about two weeks so i can't remember the name of the drug.

Frog - reading how you learned all that stuff about which shoe to correct which problem, etc., all those details you can remember! I would have forgotten the first shoe issue the minute he started discussing the second!

Well, I've got to go to UAB this morning for younger daughter to get a new retainer at the orthodontist school - she broke the first one. Oh- I'm gonna be a grandmother again. The older daughter is expecting # 3 around Christmas and her dr. told her she can ride after the 12th week. HUH? "Grandmother" is going to discourage that.

I hope you all have a great rest of the week and fun riding this weekend.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning.

30-40 mph winds are forecast for today...

I just about have my house finished being painted, just the office, utility room, and closets left.

Kristy has taken Harley twice to ride since I was here last...he is doing good but yesterday tried a bit of bucking after turning the 1st barrel. She thinks it was more he was having fun, rather then being mean...she has started pushing him a bit for speed and thinks he likes it..

Becky