| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 12/30/2004 7:09:47 PM PST by Admin Moderator, reason:
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.
Hogs will eat a lot of stuff, including meat, and a sow with pigletts is aboug as mean as they come. If she ever knocks you down, your're hog food.
I never really thought about why horses don't like to be around dead things before, but now that you mention coyote and lion kills, it makes sense from a prey animal's point of view. The predator might still be around, so they want to be as far away as possible.
I imagine Alpacas and Emus would be pretty scary to a horse. They probably look like a pony that got it's neck stretched.
You're welcome! :-)
The emus in particular freak them out. They just don't look right, and they are 'flighty'. They run and dart around when they see the horses, too.
I had the experience of trying to help 'find' one once that escaped, we were riding and they were looking for it, and we said we'd be happy to help look on horseback. We find the critter though, which prevented us from finding out how easy it would be to 'herd' one.
Glad you didn't get hurt! Most dirt bikers haven't a clue how to behave around horses, nor do they care. The only time I had a close encounter with a pack (and I do mean pack in the rudest sense of the word) of dirt bikers on a trail resulted in my nearly landing on one of them as I fell from the sky after my horse suddenly disappeared out from under me. Then I hit the ground on a bunch of rocks, knocked a chunk out of my knee which required 12 stitches, and broke my glasses. AND my horse ran off and left me, along with most of the dirt bikers. I was house sitting for my sister at the time, so I was by myself, but the one I almost fell on went home and got his Dad who took me back to catch the horse, then to the hospital to get the stitches. So I kinda draw up a little bit when I hear them. Most of the trails I ride on now are horse only, although we do get some backpackers and mountain bikers on occasion.
LOL! Herding Emus is probably like trying to herd cats. I'm just not sure it can be done. One Sunday afternoon we were on the way to my in-law's house and saw two teenage girls on their horses out by the highway trying to rope a wayward goat. It was so funny. You could tell that none of them, goat and horses included, had any experience in the matter. The girls were trying to make their horses go after the goat and you could just see the horses saying "You want me to do WHAT?! UH UH, I ain't getting ANYWHERE NEAR that thing.!"
All I could think as we were rocketing away is "There is no way in hell I'm going to let myself fall off this horse!"
I like your trainer's attitude. I try to make meeting scary things on the trail more of a pleasant thing if I can. I usually carry a little bag of baby carrots in my pommel bag and if the people will, I'll stop a minute and get them to feed him one so he kind of looks forward to seeing strange things after a while. Most people are pretty nice about it, but some of them are afraid of horses, so I don't push it.
There's a new interesting oogie at the mouth of the trail. A brightly spray painted blazer. My trainer is a tough cookie, and you'll hear me complain about her, but I really like her a lot. I've learned more from her in the space of five months than I have in 10 or so years from my other trainer. Way more.
I'm in need of some advice. I've got two very pregnant mares. I expect the first one to drop Thanksgiving day, and the other about two weeks later. Unfortunately, I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!
Misty is in the "delivery room" (40' x 40' pen) now. Sugar is awaiting her turn in December. I only have 3 questions: What do I watch for to know it's about to happen, what do I do when it does, and what are the signs of trouble?
Some mares it's really hard to tell. My mare started sweating, didn't eat her evening feed. They may do alot of laying down and getting up, restlessness. A few days before some will get "wax" on the ends of thier tits. A gooey yellow substanse.
what do I do when it does,
Nothing. But as soon as you can after the foal is born spray their navel with iodine, and do that every day for a week or so. Keeps them from getting infection, like joint ill, thru the navel.
and what are the signs of trouble?
Once hard labor starts it shouldn't take more then a hour, and when the front legs appear try to tell if the hoofs are pointing down. If their up the foal is upside down, which "may" cause them some trouble.
Most foals are born at night, and very very few mares have trouble. If you want to see it born you will probably have to just sleep in your barn with the mare. I slept in the barn for 10 nights to see my mare foal. I realize now she was showing signs all day of being in labor, I just didn't catch it. If I hadn't been out there thru the night I would have missed it.
Know you horses habits, and watch for anything differnt. I finally realized she was in labor that night because she didn't eat her evening feed, the foal was born about 45 minutes after I realized what was going on. Mares are really pretty quiet about foaling and it's just hard to tell it's happening till it's happening:)
Be sure to let us know when it does happen and take pictures.
Becky
Good morning.
CINDYDAWG: Where you at?
Becky
I like your pictures:). That bridge is really cool.
Becky
I'm curious, did you breed your mares yourself (I can see the comments that will get:), but you know what I mean:), or did you buy them already in foal?
Wondering why, because it's a bit late in the year for foaling.
Becky
There will be 40% profit in the $5 shirts. It's the transfers I will have to be careful about watching the price.
Any "job" after a while is just that a "job":). But I'm just ready to get out and join the human race again. After this summer, I figured out that I don't really want to turn the horse thing into a "job". I had to put my own on the back burner. For a while I may not get to ride as much as I have in the past, but once I get this going, and my daugter joins me, in about a year, then it will just be a part time thing.
Becky
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.