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Thread Six: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1414401/posts |
Posted on 03/21/2005 7:18:04 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
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!
Good morning everyone!
Actually Beaker, I was looking forward to him maybe taking lessons when we got the trailer just so that he could take them on ~Cyn~. If he were to ride a school horse, he could do that now, and I'd feel awfully strange leaving these two horses home that don't get rode enough, to go ride another one somewhere else ;~D
I'm in the NW corner of Alabama. It takes me about 10 hrs to get to New Orleans.
Haha, ok fair enough. I thought that the lesson idea was an immediate thing, and since you don't have a trailer right now, I assumed that the would be riding a school horse. But hey, it works just as well if he does it on Cyn :-)
I'm with you Hair. I don't wanna ride somebody else's horse, I wanna ride MINE. It's kinda like working with a dance partner. Over time and with enough work, you get to be almost like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. You know what the other is going to do before they do it.
I've let mine graze dragging a lead rope. I'm not real comfortable doing that anymore. Several reasons. When they have a halter on, and especially a lead rope I don't want them to be trying to eat, if the horse is haltered, it's work time for them. and two, the saftety thing worries me.
I let my mare graze alot with the halter and lead rope. She was very bad to try to stop to graze then when I was trying to lead her. I learned with her not to let them eat when haltered.
Becky
I know it's still pretty far, but they have some good rides in Shreveport, and Marshall Tx. which is just across the border from Shreveport.
Becky
So what do you guys thing of hobble training a horse?
Becky
That's a pretty good mental conditioning strategy. Can't argue that.
I don't have a problem with other people using hobbles... though I've seen and heard of the 'introduction' of hobbles experience being pretty risky and the potential for them getting hurt is high.
One friend hobbles his horse on the front when tied at camp because she paws.
Another hobbled hers for while at pasture when a new horse was introduced who was a kicker.
So they were corrective. I don't think they eliminated either behavior, only lessened the amount of damage done.
I'm not sure why I ever would.
Are you thinking of doing that for Rocky no- Harley instead of tying him to the trailer?
Can you explain a little more? mental conditioning????
Becky
Sorry your gelding came up lame... abscesses can be real painful if that's what it turns out to be. Was he recently shod?
Oh - that your strategy of not letting them graze on halter as a matter of discipline is a clear mental conditioning for them, especially for horses who are a problem reaching down to graze when you don't want them to. I thought it was a reasonable distinction to make that if they are haltered they can't graze. Sortof like the rationale with guide dogs that they are working whenever they wear the harness, and can't sniff or pee or do other dog things until it's off.
Of course, there are exceptions, like being tied at camp, when they will eat when haltered, at least you can be reasonably consistent with them that if you are there and leading them somewhere, it is not the time to eat.
Maybe on Harley, but it won't be to avoid tying him to the trailer.
My son is here and we are discussing letting horses graze with the lead rope dragging. I know he hobbles his horses, and asked him if you could hobble one to let them graze, I've seen that done. He is telling me he uses hobbles to minimize movement on a young horses when tied up. He also told me he knows how to hobble one that won't stand for mounting. He can hobble one with the tail end reaching the saddle, mount the horse then pull the tail and it all comes off. I thought that was cool:)
He says the first time you hobble one put them in the middle of a big area, and keep an eye on them. He says he has never seen one fall. The ones he has seen, tried to walk around, then would hop around a bit then just stop. He does not leave them long loose with hobbles. He doesn not want them to learn they can walk around with them on. They are to minimize movement while the horse is tied up.
Becky
Someone recommended hobbling on Tiffney's mare, the one who absolutely freaks out if she gets hung up or feels claustrophobic when tied. A cowboy type said... "hobble her and let her fight herself until she gets tired." I talked her out of it. Her mare is so violent about that kind of thing, it seems a very dangerous lesson for her, one where she won't stop fighting until she can't fight any more, might likely throw herself down and/or get hurt, and I am not sure she wouldn't become even more phobic. I just thought for her it would be too dangerous. If I put hobbles on Bay, I'm sure he'd just stand there. Big difference.
One of my cousin's hobbles her horses when on break at a trail ride. She also has a short length of rope with a loop on one end and a snap on the other. You run the hobbles through the loop, then put the hobbles on the horse, then hook the snap end of the rope to the halter ring. They can graze, but can't raise their head above knee level. It eliminates the problem with them learning to run off with the hobbles on. I've never seen anyone else do it that way though.
*waves to the Saddle Club*
Hi everyone! I lurk here all of the time, but since I don't actually own a horse (much to my sadness), I really have nothing to contribute. :(
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