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Thread III: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311311/posts |
Posted on 09/18/2004 6:56:23 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?
A few of us thought it would be interesting and informative to have a chat thread where we can 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. In the last thread we had a great time and were a great help to each other working through lessons and training, horse lamenesses and illnesses, questions and challenges and always just our stories we like to tell.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.
So... like the last thread, 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. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
I usually base a price on what the horse knows and it's attitude. I wouldn't give a nickel for an unbroke horse. I would like to try to break one, but at this point I never have, so an unbroke one, especially anything over a 1 year old is useless for me.
REally well broke good natured horses are hard to come by. Most all the ones I've dealt with have some problem, usually man made problems. That's one reason I won't just give Harley away. He has no physical or mental problems I've found yet, is young, and very well trained. I'd say he is the best horse I've ever owned and I've owned alot:). Another reason I'm not in a hurry to part with him except at a price I could replace him with.
I'm going to be trying the breaking of one on the one that my mare will have this spring. Looking forward to it.
Becky
LOL.
I've been thinking of trying a chriopractor on myself:) If that works well maybe then on a horse.
Becky
You aren't kidding well broke, good natured horses are hard to come by. I have 4 right now but it took me years and lots of mistakes to accumulate that many. Another thing, people slap huge price tags on the good ones and I haven't seen a horse yet that I thought was worth $30,000. (somebody quoted that price to me)
I had a race bred colt that I sold to a barrel horse trainer. I did all of his training but chickened out when it came to getting on his back. I sent him to a professional trainer at that point.
I must admit I've had chiropractic work done. It was many, many years ago, when I used to have debilitating cramps. One day a month I was always out of commission. Out of desperation, I went to a chiropractor. I kid you not, it lessened the severity of the cramps. I hated going, though. I thought it was gross and painful.
Since having children, no more cramps.
That's pretty much my experience too in breaking one. I've done alot of ground work with youngsters, but never had the courage to be the first to climb on one.
The filly that we got out of my mare four years ago tho, has kind of given me the courage to try. Then too, in the last few years I've rode some that were very very green, but had been raised with alot of handling from birth. I think that makes a world of diffence.
The horse I sold to CindyDawg was that way. He had not had much riding experience, just in his own pastures a handful of times. Lots of ground work and handling tho from birth. I knew the girl who raised him. He never offered to buck at all even when she got on him the first time. He was very laid back too, not spooky at all which I think comes from all the handling and experience of being around humans.
My son bought a 2 year old 2 years ago, that had been turned out from birth, very very little handling. He's turning into a pretty good horse, but doesn't have that "Oh, well" attitude. He has bucked, and still will buck for seemingly no reasons. I don't think he will ever be one of those types that can go for a while and not be rode for awhile and not be stupid.
Becky
I think my problems are just old age:), and the fall I took a year ago.
My farrier had lots of back problems, result of his occupation and a tractor accident. He finally went to a chiropractor and swears by them.
Becky
I didn't know you sold a horse to CindyDawg! That's wonderful.
You are exactly right, some horses are so gentle and laid back that they give you confidence. The colt I sold was NOT one of those horses! Tuffy, my paint, is laid-back, lazy, loving and acts like a lap dog. He did wonders for my confidence after I had a couple of bad buck-offs. I bought Tuffy when he was a 3 year old and he was exactly the same at that age. He does need to be ridden a couple of days a week to keep him in shape but if I don't get to ride for a month, he's fine but a little annoying (a little too lazy). No buck, no spook, too lazy to run off. I ADORE him. Don't get me wrong, he does have his problems. He has lousy feet and allergies. He's not very good at crossing water but he's so willing that I think if I worked more with him, he'd cross more readily.
One other thing, Tuffy isn't good with inexperienced riders, like my kids. He takes advantage of them and just does what he wants. He won't hurt them, he just won't do what they want. He can size up inexperience real fast, too.
I sold Okie to Cindy:) She was looking for one, and came here last Feb. and took him home. Cindy and I met on The Neverending Story thread in the religion forum.
I bought Harley purely with the intentions of reselling him. Now, with the problems that Rusty has, I'm more inclined to hang on to Harley till I know how Rusty is going to do. Rusty sounds a lot like Tuffy. But that just makes him fun, and one reason I WANT to keep him. But I'm tired of worrying about his health issues. I wouldn't sell him to a beginner altho I don't believe he would ever do anything bad, he'd take full advantage of someone leary of pushing him. If he doesn't get rode consisitently he acts, and it's just an act:) spooky. He might scare a a unsure rider. And once he got by with something I'm not sure how far he would go with his act. When he does it to me I just nail him with a spur and he stops the games.
Becky
LOL....yep, that's Rusty too:)
Becky
Well, I'll be darn. I wish we all lived near each other. I don't have any lady friends to ride with. I've met lots of women who say they ride but when we make plans for a trail ride, they always back out at the last minute. One woman said she couldn't go because she had a headache. Her husband is a doctor, for gosh sake! Surely they have some meds in the house to cure a headache!
I was going to join a trail riding club but they only go on the weekends and I can't do that. I don't work so I only ride during the week. Weekends are taken up with kid stuff.
You know convincing an unsure rider to push a horse that you know won't do anything when pushed is the hardest thing. I think back on all the horses I've had and realized now that they weren't "crazies". They were just like Rusty and Tuffy.
I think that's what makes so many horses get crazy tho. They get an unsure rider on them who lets them get by with little stuff, then the little brattiness turns into major brattiness. But that's all part of the learning process for horses and riders.
Becky
Very true. Do you watch RFD TV? They had Chris Cox on there working a very spoiled, bucking horse. Probably the same scenario, he starts testing his riders, they let him get away with it and it escalates. I don't like many of those so-called "trainers" but Chris Cox seems like a real cowboy.
Bad thing about that horse, he was so bad that I seriously doubt he'll ever be a horse for your everyday, backyard rider. I think they can revert back to that garbage first chance they get and it will take a very experienced rider to keep him in line.
I wouldn't get on that horse for a million dollars.
Are you me:)
Even tho I now see that riding by myself is probably not the safest thing, if I didn't go by myself I'd ride about once every 2 months or so.
I have the same problem. Very few people really ride. We call them weekend warriors here. And even on the week ends IF you can get them to go, they only go for an hour or so.
I went to a trail ride this summer. A ladies riding club. I was a guest. Some of these ladies were there for 4 days and went out one time. The girl that I went with and I finally just took off by ourselves, and you could tell by the horse prints on the trail that the only trial rode were the ones that were about an hour out from camp. After that the trails were as smooth as a babies bottom. I don;t get that at all.
Becky
Is that the Austrailain guy?
I've seen his show once. I'm not into those big time trainers either. I think they're full of bunk. They do not take into consideration the riders. Yeah what they all say is correct and makes sense, but very very few people will do all that. Those trainers just set people up for big disillusiments. They need to be stressing that that stuff only works when it is done very very often.
Becky
What area were you planning to go into? Could you not do both? Chemistry and equine management aren't necessarily incompatable. You could do reasearch on your ranch:') The way you feel about horses, I know your animals would be treated kindly and very well while working on advancements to help the equine industry. Just a thought.
I'm riding and it's finally cold here:'(
Same problems, eh? I'm glad to know it's not just me. I was beginning to think I had B.O. or something.
I only ride by myself but not on the trails, just here at home. I'm afraid to go on the trails by myself, too many weirdos hanging around down there. (they are lake trails)
A ladies riding club that hardly rides? Too funny. They probably just get together to gossip and drink coffee. I know it takes alot of courage to get out in the open on a horse and I get scared from time to time but when you are with other horses, everything usually turns out ok.
I did go out with a group of ladies from a riding school about 2 years ago. Tuffy was lame and I took that little colt that I sold. He was only 2 years old and fresh from the trainer. He did fine but when I agreed to go I thought it was going to be an easy, fun, "enjoy the scenery" type trail ride. We trotted the entire friggin' time! It was about 95 degrees too! My poor colt didn't know what to think. I HATED IT and couldn't wait to get back to the trailer. We were out there trotting in that heat for about 3 hours. I can ride all day long but not at a trot.
One funny thing about that day, we stopped about midway and the ladies with saddle bags started pulling out drinks, which I thought would be water. It was beer!!! And they all pulled out cigarettes and started smoking!! I kept waiting for one of them to pull out a joint.
It's a little chilly here too. But the sun is shining. I may ride later if Mack and I don't decide to something. But then, it's the weekend, and hunting season. We get alot of weekend hunters out here this time of year. I haven't heard any guns yet today, but I usually don't till I'm out on a horse:) During the week it's not that much of a problem.
It may be only bow season tho.....I'll ride anything during bow season. The likelihood of being shot with a bow and arrow is pretty slim....I guess:)
Becky
Yes, he's one of the Australian guys. He doesn't have an accent so you wouldn't know where he was from by the way he talks. He lives about 100 miles from me, in Mineral Wells, Texas. I looked up his website to see if he did clinics, which he does. $1800 for a 5 day clinic.
The other aussie guy is Clinton Anderson. I'm not wild about him.
I think Dennis Reis is a total and utter fake.
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