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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.
Yup.... Can't disagree with that.
It depends a lot on the circumstance and the horse, and how they behave when they are stressed. Million judgment calls about a thousand variables!
Good morning..... very tired this morning, was up really late.
I ride my horses down the road when I have to, instead of leading, but I don't like it. I usually try to go as fast as possible if there are no cars coming, hoping to get off the road before one comes, but slow down to a walk if there are cars. I'll get as far off the road as the terrain allows, but most roads around here have pretty substantial ditches on both sides and fences on the other side of that, so sometimes you HAVE to ride the edge of the road. Another point of consideration is whether to ride with or against traffic. I always used to like to ride against traffic so I could SEE what was coming toward me, but a riding buddy of mine said that if you do that and an accident happens, it's considered your fault because you were on the wrong side of the road. I don't know if that's true or not. Also, when you can see something scary coming towards you, you've got more time to tense up and communicate that fear to your horse and he's got more time to scare himself about it and it usually becomes a self-fullfilling thing. But then seeing it gives you time to get off the road if you can, so I don't know which way is best.
Since we were talking about ground driving, I went out and drove the pony around a bit and took some pics. I usually drive her just like this, because my circingle is too big for her. She can be bitted with a snaffle, but she is plenty responsive in just the halter too. The important thing for her is just somebody doing ~something~ to her.
You can walk behind, or off to the side, or even stand in the center and lunge them this way. You have a lot more lateral control than with just a single line, and you can do both walk and trot without so much running!
This is the other thing I'll do with the pony.... walk right along side her and rein her both directions as if I were a rider. I let the lines flop on her and press on her with my arm and sometimes lean on her.... everything but actually climb on!
ecurbh lunged Cyn a little too. She's been a little snotty of late, and I wondered about how she'd be after all this feed and no work, but she had the same quiet almost lazy attitude about working, so we were happy for that.
Lunged Bay a little too.... he was hot as snot ;~D Glad to see him feeling good.
After being turned back out they ran around a bit and Cyn showed her oats. ;~D
Wow:')
Judgement call, I guess. I think one of the reasons I like to walk it out first is so that I can get a heads up of what's out there, in addition to seeing how the horse is going to react.
Kind of like riding a bike. I have always wanted to see what's coming.
Those are some great pics. The pony looks relaxed.
Great pictures:)
Cyn looks good.
Becky
Good morning
Becky
Good Morning to you too! It's still pretty chilly here. Got down to 25 last night, but it was 17 the night before so I ain't complaining. At least it's not raining! It's so nice and quite around the office here. All the bosses are off on vacation so I get a vacation at work. Yippeeeee!
Nice pictures Hair. I love the one of Cyn showing out. Kinda like a kid coming out the door at recess..."I'll show you...You can't make me work now!"
Good Morning! Rather cold and bitter here.
Good morning everyone! need coffee and need to feed horses... in that order.
Boy! We are quite today. Nothing much going on here either.
I have no horse stories to tell! I am kindof focused on my other life... the LoTR fanatic, at the moment. new extended DVD being out and all.
Hehehe
My dad e-mailed me today asking me what I needed for Christmas.
I wrote back: "A pony"
His response? "In the immortal words of Mr. Ed: "Naaaay, Naaaaay"
Oh - every girl needs a pony
Cold and drizzly here. My grandson and DIL going on a field trip to the zoo tomorrow. I hope this clears out.
I 2nd that:')
You know we've been watching Cyn since she got here, and we are seeing her gait change distinctly. I think she is just now really learning how to move. She came from only a small paddock off a stall, they had no pasture area, and so she would otherwise only move under saddle I think, most of her life.
When she got here and would run with the others, she had kindof a pacey shuffling kind of trot and clumsy canter that just wasn't really pretty to watch. We joked about her having these big cloddy buckets for feet.
Now, I think she is moving freer and freer when she runs loose. Either because she now has the opportunity to really open up and go, or because she is mimicking Bay and the pony? whaddaya think?
A bunch of yellow jackets chasing my a$$? :') Reminds me of the time my horse and I walking by a crazy stallions stall. He started screaming and the stall door was bowing. I was leading my horse and we both high tailed it out of there. He stayed in step right behind me :')
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