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.

[CindyDawg]

I can understand the Pony. I had to drag myself out of bed and push me out the door too. Morning:')

[HairOfTheDog]

shucks...

[HairOfTheDog]

So when do you start new job? Is it full or part time?

[Duchess47]

I remember - don't you just hate that attitude? :)

[Duchess47]

:) I remember the southern cowboys fondly - just as long as I remembered my place. Guys just sometimes can't believe that a woman might actually know what we're talking about sometimes.

I have to admit, overlooking the "honeys" the old cowboys in Alabama taught me how to back a horse trailer as good as the pros.

[CindyDawg]

I start orientation Feb 28th. Good benefits and a raise:') M-F 8-5 :'(((. My last day here is Feb 14. I'm going to take a couple weeks off to do some personal stuff.

[CindyDawg]

have to admit, overlooking the "honeys" the old cowboys in Alabama taught me how to back a horse trailer as good as the pros.

I was wondering. Most of the men around here seem to enjoy training their women to be helpers. They do tend to fuss when we decide to move up to journeymen though:')

[Grzegorz 246]

[AnAmericanMother]

I'd sell the horse.

I once helped throw somebody else's horse to get a broken horseshoe off her foot in a hurry. It was an emergency, the shoe was broken in half and hanging loose, she was bucking and cutting her legs up. It was the quickest and dirtiest mess I've ever been involved in - we managed to get a rope round the saddle and snag one foreleg, then snub it round a post and drag her head around. I sat on her head and she shook me off -- so TWO of us sat on her head. My husband got pictures -- it makes me shudder to look at them. Amazingly, she wasn't hurt (other than the cuts she already had from the loose shoe.)

But seriously, I'd never throw a horse I owned as a disciplinary tool. If the horse needs that kind of stern measures . . . good horses are not hard to find if you're patient, sell it and find yourself a better one.

[AnAmericanMother]

Polish Cavalry?

[AnAmericanMother]

Finally scanned a pic of self and son on the Shamrock Hounds Junior Hunt. First time my 14 year old son was out -- he had a great time but will not smile so folks won't think he is uncool . . . . < understanding mom grin >

Son is riding Magnum 44, who belongs to our trainer. He's a great hunter, just goes straight ahead and stops when told to do so. Only thing he's funny about is his ears - he had a severe ear infection when he was young and he goes nuts if you touch his ears. Getting a bridle on and off him is an adventure -- there is a way to do it but you have to be quick and he has to trust you --

Sad news from this hunt, by the way. The Master has some health issues and is thinking about giving up the hounds. And one of the major landowners of the hunt country is involved in a divorce . . . which means the hunt may lose a major portion of its country . . . so unless the members can figure out a way to save the pack and the land, the hunt may be no more in a short time. < sniff >

[MissTargets]

Barn transformation. It was originally a car shop/garage. Cement floors, which molded hay in no time, no matter if pallets or anything else was used to keep it up. The sliding front doors were there and the large glass windows were removed.

The White Motor Freight Company in the Cleveland area tore down a large stable. They auctioned off the stalls and we were able to get 3 very nice solid oak ones with iron bars. The blue trailer in photo 2 has the old roof on. 400 lbs of aluminum brought over $200!.. :) This was done about 15 years ago.

[MissTargets]

Is is possible to put a set of photos side by side on here? I hate taking up that much "dead" space.

[Grzegorz 246]

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[HairOfTheDog]

Great pics of you and your son... understand about it being uncool to smile ;~D

Sorry your hunt is at risk... it is probably a pretty hard thing to keep going nowadays.

[HairOfTheDog]

If you don't put < P > between them, they'll go side by side if people have their windows wide enoug.... but the space vertically is not a problem.

Great new look for your barn.... did you do something other than concrete for the floor? We have concrete here, and it stays pretty dry. During the super wet season deliveries, I put two layers of pallets down.

[CindyDawg]

I was just in a bad mood yesterday and upset that no one wanted to tell me that my horse got "frisky" like I would trip. My trainer had already called the horse trainer. I had already decided, nah, not a good idea after Hairs post but, I didn't tell the trainers that. (Wicked of me, I know).

I would never intentionally hurt my horses. Somehow I had got the idea that this was easy and they just gently laid over. Brain fart I guess.

Anyway, It's one of those do you are don't you questions regarding the horses. I have only had a problem with her once and the other rider once. I know this sounds dumb (maybe not as much as rubbing her nose in poop:') but I was actually relieved she did this again. I now can expect her to get comfy in the barn and protest working a little bit if she hasn't been rode in a week or two when it's cool. Before I had no idea what happened or if I had done anything to cause it. My trainer didn't even seem to believe me. She probably thought the horse was just taking a dump and I overreacted and thought it was a buck or something. (I don't have a good track record so I could hardly blame her :')

99% of the time Sarah Lee is a sweetie. Yeah she may test me again but I have a personal trainer for me and one for her. (a year ago saving money a piece of cake:'(. I pay them good money to help me and they both think she's a good horse for me and if I sell her and get another I'm starting over with unknown baggage. I could act whiny and I know my husband would give me back Okie but that wouldn't be right either. He offered but I said no.

Anyway, they have set a program where she gets rode 6 days a week in good weather, and she now gets lunged first. My trainer working with me and saying under the right conditions any horse can and will buck and my job is to recognize behavior precipitating and not let myself get caught off guard without good rein control. She also has a stronger bit. I get watched like a hawk and really, I like it better now because instead of just "sit up etc (which I know is important) she's teaching me horse behavior too.

They all tell me this horse has bonded well with me and we work well together. She always watches me and follows me like a puppy. I think it was a delayed imprinting. I took her out of the stall and started grooming and caring for her the first day. She was brought in at night and I really had first contact. She's gone from scrawny/whipped looking to pretty and trusting. As you can tell..., I like her. She's graded and not showy but just something about her.

If I can't work this out I will sell her but I want more time with her. I hope I don't regret it, and pray about it. I've looked at the pros and cons and made an informed choice. I hope I'm not being foolish and taking unnecessary risks. I don't think I am but one of my problems (I have a few:') is recognizing and accepting that I do have limitations:')

[CindyDawg]

That turned out really well. I'm going to mark this post number so I can find this later. Thanks.

[CindyDawg]

OOPS. Sorry. I didn't mean to be so chatty)Probably my longest post!

[AnAmericanMother]

When you've got that much invested in a horse (time and affection, not money), it's hard to just give up.

If you have pretty positively identified when the problem comes up, I'd longe her (on a line, not in a pen) for 20 minutes before you get up and see if that helps. Some horses just have a buck in 'em when they're fresh or it's cold outside, once they get it out they're ok.