The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!

[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.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL. Everyone has places that get sore. Alot of people have trouble with their knees. Are you posting at the trot?

Without haveing seen you ride, I'd say check to see how hard you are bearing down with your feet in the stirrups. You should be relaxing your ankle to let your heel drop, and grip with your knees. Takes lots of practice. I had to conciously think about that for a long time, I still do it wrong when I get nervous:)

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I'm probaly bearing down on the side of my foot. I know I need to work on it because at a walk she had me drop the stirrups. At first she was holding my left ankle. I'm getting better at walk but get into trouble trying to trot without them right now. It'll come but I strained something somehow. The sore shoulders, legs and back par now but this is a new.

Am I posting? HMM. I'm not sure. I feel like I'm bouncing all over the horse but the trainer says I'm not. She says I'm not leaving the saddle and I look fine. It sure feels like I'm coming up though. She did suggest I wear my sports bras though:')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Posting is something YOU do. If you were doing it you would know. You can sit a slow trot. If you're not bouncing out of the saddle then you're doing good. It all just takes time and practice....and lots of sore muscles:). Just part of the game.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

Yep. It feels like I'm going with her and trying to get into her rhythm , like I'm letting my body lift up in the saddle. I guess not though. The trainer says once I'm proficient trotting her, that other horses will be easy. She's fast and bouncy. She likes to do it too. You can just tell that she wants loose:')

[CindyDawg]

Anything happening yet? :')

[HairOfTheDog]

This is going to take some adjustment. I'm not use to being away from home so much:)

I bet! Take some pictures of the shop when it's all ready OK?

We're tired. Rearranged the pony's stall mats today that weren't laying flat, hard, gross job :~D I'm beat.

[deaconjim]

Nothing unusual. Thanks for asking.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning.

Hair: how did the ditch work?

deaconjim: anything yet?

Becky

[Beaker]

Hello everyone!
My trip to Maine went well. 2.5 hours each way, and the drive through Boston was smooth and without traffic jams, which was lovely.
I hope that everyone had a very happy thanksgiving.

[Beaker]

Hunters can keep deer skins. My dad has several, and I have one of my own that he gave me. My cat likes to sharpen her claws on it, sadly, and my dog pretty much leaves it alone. He also had one that he liked to drape over a hay bale or two and use for target practice just for kicks. Shotgun season starts on Monday here.

[HairOfTheDog]

The ditch worked good! dried up again now. I don't get standing water that stays long after the rains stop any more. :~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Shotgun season? What is being hunted?

Around here shotguns are used for birds, dove, quail. I will ride during any shotgun season. I'm not sure when those seasons are open except for dove season which opens in Sept. It is rifle season on deer that keeps me out of the woods on horses.

Becky

[Duchess47]

Good morning,

Snowing here, 3" and still falling. Beautiful since I don't have to be out in it.

[CindyDawg]

Snowing huh? How cool. I had to work today and stop by KMarts and the Toys R Us for a game for my grandoson. We definately aren't in the mood yet here:') I was planning on mailing gifts to Japan Monday. My son told me it still may be late and that I should have mailed a month ago!

[Duchess47]

I put up my Christmas tree yesterday, but haven't done much shopping yet. I did buy some books and got one son a gift certificate.

We got 5inches but the sun is back out now. Bob just left to ride with Mr. Glenbrook. He is going to try to get 6 or 7 miles closer to Carson City so he will have less ground to cover tomorrow.

[HairOfTheDog]

We had the sun come out late so I turned the horses out in the pasture without blankets to get some air and exercise. It's a good ten degrees warmer out there than it is in the shade of the back forty. Went out with the camera and sat there awhile.... hope ya don't mind, here's our lazy Saturday :~D

First thing Cyn did was drop and roll right in front of me ;~D

Sure glad I brushed them all so they would look pretty in pictures ;~D

Pony Pony... ;~D

Bay comes over to see why I'm sittin' on the ground...

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

[Duchess47]

Boy you can just tell that felt good :)

[CindyDawg]

The girls feeling good! Bay looks like he would roll his eyes if he could :')

[Duchess47]

http://www.rgj.com/news/printstory.php?id=86217 Lisa J.Tolda/Lisa J.Tolda Gene Glasscock on Friday rides Buddy, a gentled wild horse, along U.S. 50, west of Stagecoach, toward Carson City. Glasscokc, a 70-year-old grandfather of 39, embarked in 2002 on a 20,000-mile trip to all the state capitals in the lower 48 states. http://www.rgj.com/news/printstory.php?id=86217 70-year-old’s trek on horseback takes him to Carson City Gene Glasscock’s idea of a good time is to embark on a 20,000-mile journey on horseback that takes him to every state capital in the lower 48 states and consumes up to four years of his life. Glasscock, a member of the Long Riders Guild — an international association of equestrian explorers — is aiming to recreate a similar overland trip that was made from 1912 to 1915. http://www.geneglasscock.org/ Mr. Glasscock will be leaving Carson City on Monday, heading west to Sacramento, then north to Salem, OR; Olympia, WA; then east to Helena, MT. His journey will end in Columbus, OH. For any horsemen along the route, Mr. Glasscock will need host families for him and his horses. If anyone can assist him, please contact Gayle at his website. If you have the opportunity to meet him and ride with him for awhile, he is a wonderful gentleman with a wealth of stories.

[Duchess47]

I can't get the hang of formatting posts so that they are readable - If someone else can, please do so. Thanks.