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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.
So, true. We certainly don't want to make matters worst.
Ah...we are getting better! Look at you, running barrels.
Oh yeah! I'm back on Sarah Lee:')
You rode her? Tell us what happened, what you did and how many pictures you took!
No pics. Only one for Becky of her bit. I went to get her. She came to me about half way across the pasture. I tied her (and Okie) to the outside of the round pen and groomed them. I groomed as long as I could, putting it off. The owner came out and she rode her in the round pen first. She said she checked my blanket and saddle and they were fine. She watched me tack her up and said all ok except I'm giving her way too much slack on the reins when mounting and if I let her drop her head like that I'm setting her up and not going to be able to control her if she started. Anyway she rode her awhile and Sarah Lee did just fine. Then gulp, my turn. No problems though. The owner said the horse was as scared as I was. Of course all this done under Okies watchful eye. The horse acting like her regular self. No fussing touching her back side or anything Go figure. I did stay in the round pen. It was getting dark and I wasn't really so interested in riding than making myself mount up.
Well, good. I have always admired your courage! Play it cool for awhile, ride in the arena and be conservative till this is a faint memory.
Something did happen though with Okie. He was on the wash rack. He always watches everything I do. As I made the turn with Sarah Lee he tried to move and the lead rope checked him. He started sitting back and popped the rope and momemtum took him back and he slowly sat back on his butt in the grass with his front legs up. He looked like a big dog begging. He seemed alright though. No limping or skin tears. Eddie gonna go check him again in the morning.
It has not been a good week for tied horses!
Is five considered mature or is it more of an individual horse thing?
Anyway, I would love to get in the arena. It's been closed for the longest time. It's clay and can't dry up. Sarah Lee needs lot's of ground work with cones, barrels etc. On a trail she was fine. In an open area and she wants to walk all over the place.
I better let Becky and Hair take this question. This confuses me sometimes too:')
That's what courage is, silly.... doing something you are scared to do!
Well, if you don't have the arena.... then the round pen will do. Stay in an enclosed space with the fewest number of potentials for awhile. Confidence builder for both of you.
The owner and I talked awhile tonight. I'm going to start back on lessons and she wants to be around the next couple of times I ride her.
You have an exceptional 3 year old. Many 3 and 4 year olds I would consider very green. 5- can still be green if they haven't been really ridden a lot and ~trained~ well. It really depends on what has been put in them. A horse can be 10 and still green broke if that's all that has ever been put in. I think it takes a few ~years~ of riding in varied terrain outside of the arena to consider a horse really experienced and predictable in new situations.
Maturity difference, 2 and 3 year old quarter horse types are much more physically mature than an Arabian of the same age. Many Arabians aren't broke to ride until their 4th year, they are just slower in maturing. Breeds vary.
I wouldn't work any horse in hard work until 4-5, which sometimes mean they can't do the miles it would take to make me consider them 'finished' until then.
Sounds good to me if it sounds good to you.... How do you feel about that? Why did you quit before.... I seem to recall some differences in style or opinion or ~something~ that didn't work for you and this trainer in lessons before.
I'm not realy good at neck reining yet and I need to work on my balance so I think it will be good for awhile. Won't hurt to try for a month or so anyway. I'm calmer now and she has more confidence in me. There is a lot I can learn from her. I'll be training on Sarah Lee so she will have a vested interst.
The advice I was given was to look for a ten to twelve year old horse that has been around the block a few times. One other thing I have heard is that it takes around 250 hours of in the saddle riding time to reasonably consider a horse safe.
Of course you only hear this after you have already bought a young greenbroke horse. I chose to ride it out and it worked but they have a lots of energy to burn.
FrogInABlender and I have ridden in several Christmas parades where there were loud marching bands, flag waving girls, firetrucks with sirens wailing and lots of cops on motorcycles with flashing blue lights that pass right under the noses of our horses. Also throngs of children that would press against us on both sides and grab thrown candy literally right out from under the horses.
We considered our horses bomb proof after those experiences.
Well, I did it. It wasn't fast but it was correct. Our turns were good. Ran a 28 something.
Rusty was a bit edgy, new arena, lots of horses. We warmed up good, but when it was our turn to go into the arena by ourselves, he really didn't want to do that. Not sure if it was trying to get out of work, or leaving Harley and Rowdy. I'm going with he was trying to get out of work. I think I have babied him because of health problems, and have developed a habit of stopping and going sidewise. He's done that out on the trails before too. The boom is fixing to be lowered on him, because I know he is well know, playtime over.
Anyway, Harley was great for Kristy. Better then Rusty as a matter of fact. His only problem was being tied to the trailer again. I can't figure why he will stand tied all day to a post or tree but sits back when tied to a trailer???? Once Kristy had rode him tho, he stood there tied the rest of the night just fine. It was just when we first got there, so maybe it was nerves on his part too.
You know, I almost didn't make it there last night. I had stopped to get gas in town, and when I got back in my truck it wouldn't start. Luckily my son-in-law showed up and knew what to do. Something is wrong with the starter. Mack thought he had it fixed, not....He's getting a new one today. But I just really wanted to come home. With the way my luck has been this week I figured I wasn't suppose to be going.
Rocky may have pulled a muscle in his hip, I think it was more just a cramp. He slipped pretty good going around the 1st barrel. I gave him some bute, and will check him this morning. If I think it's serious I'll run him to the vet. Monday is fair day, and he is suppose to team pen and run barrels. I really don't think it's serious, tho, he's not limping. Jenny just felt a difference in him after the slip, and when he came out we ran our finger tips down his hip and he really flinched. But he did win first in the 4th division, and Jenny got $61.
Jenny's 4 year old Dot, was the best one of the whole bunch as far as staying calm. She even ran a pretty exhibition. I can't wait to get another baby out of Belle. I hope they are all like Dot.
It was fun once it was over:), next week is the last week at this particular place. A new series is suppose to start in Oct. sometime. Hopefully by then I'll have the few bugs worked out of Rusty.
Becky
Good morning.
Cindy, way to hang in there. Are you going again today?
Becky
It really is more an individual horse. General rule is around 10 year olds are usually good for beginners. But if you get a 10 year old that has not been ridden much, or not been ridden sensibly, they're not going to be much different then a horse young in age.
Breeds can make a difference too. I think Arabs are hotter then Quarters, but that doesn't hold true all the time either. Some Quarter horses can be idiotic, and some Arabs can be very calm and easy going.
My daughers 4 year old, already seems bomb proof. Although I worry that she is lulling us into a false sense of security when we put her 6 year old step son on her. Jenny's hauled her to some differnt arenas to do playdays and then to some trail rides. But it doesn't seem like it's been enough to make her as good as she is.
So yes, I would say it is an individual thing. But putting lots and lots of miles on any horse in different settings helps any of them young or old.
Becky
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