The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE

See our who's who page! ^

[HairOfTheDog]

*New* The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - Who's Who *pics*

This is a horse chat thread where we 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 previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.

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 previous threads, 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.

Previous threads:

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR

New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!

[Duchess47]

Don't worry about it - a lot of mares aren't obvious at all when they are in season, especially if there is no stallion around. My mares, even with the stallion here aren't real obvious, just sort of obnoxious sometimes when you asked them to work.

[CindyDawg]

Interesting. Well the girl is back and I'm off duty (I can't sleep when I'm babysitting, even when Sarah asleep)so I'm off to bed. Night

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

This post reminded me. I saw some pictures of Dot when she was first born and her legs were marked just like the picture of Speed, and she is a bay with black points now.

BEcky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning

Becky

[mommadooo3]

Good mornin'! Hope all have a blessed day today!!

[FrogInABlender]

I love Speed's ears! I hope they stay that way, they make her look smart!

[1john2 3and4]

Well,Hiya'll! (and Good Morning PNAMBC, I know it's been awhile!) Thought I'd post a general query to the thread. Wife & I occ. talk @ getting a horse. On another thread, FReeper "racehorse" mentioned the Kentucky Mountain Pleasure breed, some can go for upwards of 150K (expensive!). I had been considering a Paso Fino, having gone to school in the old days with a breeder. He told me a story that stuck with me; about how he "picks up" the young horse after birth, so that "human larger than horse" is imprinted....

Anyway, is the gait of the Kentucky Mountain similar to the Paso? (We wanted an 'easy ride', and nice temperment). What a cursory search of the Kentucky's temperment revealed is that they're a mighty good-natured & intelligent breed. I don't know, maybe that's breeders talking/selling? How do the two breeds' temperment compare. I 'assume' there's variations within each breed....

Thanks in advance! FReepers are the best.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, hello to you too:)

Your really asking the wrong person about gaited horses. I'm pretty much an exclusive Quarter Horse person:)

Frog rides gaited horses, she may know the answer to your questions.

Have you ever rode at all?

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I like them too:')

[Beaker]

Pasos are very good tempered, and hearty, and smart. They can be smaller, though, about 13 to 15 hands. The average height is about 14.2, which is about pony size. The ones that I have seen advertised are from 14 to 15 hands. Have you ever ridden before or owned a horse?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

REad your post again, and I have a few comments:), imagine that...LOL

What a cursory search of the Kentucky's temperment revealed is that they're a mighty good-natured & intelligent breed.

I do think this is just a salesmans remark. No offense to the breed, but most people who have a favorite breed will say this. And in fact I think this fact can be said about all breeds truthfully. That does not tho, translate into this breed is for everyone or beginners.

My very limited experience/first hand observation with Paso Finos is they're wound pretty tight. The few I have seen would not make it for beginners. I've never seen the Mountain Horse breed you've refered too, but I think someone on this thread has.

When looking for a horse, if you are a beginner, look for an older gelding. At least 10, that has had lots of miles undersaddle.

IMO, you can't beat a Quarter HOrse for a calm dispostion:). I know gaited horses are said to be the smoothest for trails, but a beginner really needs to learn to ride first, lots of slow slow work, and for that any breed will do.

Becky

[squarebarb]

Good morning all. I have hardly been posting lately. Hope all you mad horse freaks are well and happy and so are your animals.

[1john2 3and4]

I have ridden horses, but surely consider myself a noob....

Mebbe the 10 yr. old 'seasoned citizen' would be the best. Good advice. Told ya FReepers were the best! :)

Owned a horse back when I was a kid in Ohio. One of my chores was to lug a bucket of hot water down to the barn early in the winter morns to unfreeze the pipes!

There just happens to be a Paso breeder just up the road from where we live here in Texas. I'll ask them about that 'lifting' story too. I know I better be prepared for alot....much I couldn't even guess, were we to do this. It will be in the future, if at all, as I'm at least partially cognizant of my ignorance on the whole subject. Fregards,
john

[cowboyway]

IMO, you can't beat a Quarter HOrse for a calm dispostion:)

No doubt about it. I got my young gray out yesterday afternoon. The wind was blowing purdy hard and my laundry was flapping on the line. A pair of my jeans had worked loose on one side, so just for fun, I decided to try to ride up to the clothes line and re-pin the jeans leg from horseback.

Rode right up to the clothes line and fixed the jeans on horseback with clothes flapping Cody in the face the whole time. He just stood there until I finished and we walked off.

[squarebarb]

I would think twice about a Peruvian Paso or a Paso Fino. All pacing horse breeds are fairly good tempered. Missouri Fox-trotters are also considered gnetle and amiable.

Here's the problem; if you are riding with other horses that don't pace, you are going to constantly be ahead of them, or they are going to have to constantly trot to keep up with you. People who ride non-pacing horses on trail call it "getting dragged".

Usually pacers ride with pacers, and the horses who just have ordinary gaits ride with others the same so your trail speeds are the same.

All horses who have that special, comfortable gait move the smae. It's called various names --- running walk, amble, etc. --- but essnetially the Peruvian, the Tennessse Walker, the Missouri Fox-trotter, Kentucky horse etc --- all have a special fast flatfooted walk.

Don't get it confused with a true 'pace', which is a horrible gait.

Anyway, consider what you're going to do with the horse. If you trail ride, ordinary horses and their owners probably won't ride with you.

I am sure that's all clear as mud!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Imprint training, IMO, does make a foal more manageable for training. I've never heard it put the way the guy did to you, makes humans bigger:), I've just thought it makes them less afraid of us, more trusting.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

But we must be honest. They are not all that laid back. But as a whole once they are exposed to something like your clothes line their fine with it from then on. Some of the hotter breeds, it's a new thing everytime they come across it.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Hope all you mad horse freaks are well and happy and so are your animals.

LOL.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

You have a clothes line? I hate those things.

[Beaker]

A good way to start with horses (again) is to get involved at an open and friendly barn, and take lessons, offer to muck stalls, as a sort of "refresher". That way you're in a learning environment, and if you attempt to make a mistake, there is someone there to correct it, or there's someone there that you can ask. In my humble opinion, it's very important for horse things to become second nature to you before you go and own one yourself. Horses are weird. They get sick easy, and you have to do things just right most of the time with feeding, and vetting, and shoeing. They're worse than little kids, and can give you twice the headache in worry.
I worked with horses for years before I ever owned one myself, all that experience made me very confident when I finally had one of my own.