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!

[CindyDawg]

Sorry to hear about your kids and on Mother's day too:'(. Have you called the doc about the one with high fever? Don't worry about the pics. She's ok. I was just wondering. Another time fine.

[Beaker]

I used to use a product called copper-tox or a spelling variation thereof. It's strong stuff though, and I only used it when we had long periods of wet weather, or the ground refused to dry out. It's green, smells a bit less than horrid and stains everything that it touches. :-)

[CindyDawg]

I forget the name of the one I have in stock. It looks like brown apoxy though.

[tuffydoodle]

No, I haven't called the doctor. Do you think I should? I gave her some children's advil, let her soak in a tepid bath and so far, it's down to 103. I want to get her through the day so I can go to her pediatrician tomorrow.

Sometimes my kids like to be sick, being babied is a treat. My other kids get jealous.

[CindyDawg]

The best thing for them seems to be shoes:')

[CindyDawg]

Yeah, that high I would call my doc.

[HairOfTheDog]

They won't [shouldn't] get thrushy from having a mud spot they visit, like near the water trough, when it's super dry out. Up here in the NW, we ~really~ know how to grow fungus!

They get fungus when their feet are wet ALL the time, standing in mud, no dry spots, never a chance to dry out completely. Part of the good in letting them in stall when it's wet outside is to let their feet dry out and harden again every day. They get soft in wet, just like our nails do in a bath.

But Bay hasn't gotten thrushy yet, even in pads that might act to trap moisture.

[HairOfTheDog]

Sorry your kids are sick on a weekend and mother's day and everything! They're supposed to do this during the week!

[Beaker]

I'd call my doctor right away. What was it before it was down to 103? Having a fever that high is really dangerous.

[Beaker]

They won't [shouldn't] get thrushy from having a mud spot they visit, like near the water trough, when it's super dry out.
Oh no, then they should be good. A favorite mud spot is probably good for them in that case. I'm talking about when the ground refuses to dry out and they're up to their ankles in mud and wet and muck and their feet don't get a chance to dry out.

[CindyDawg]

Yeah, that's what I'm seeing too. The stuff that sucks my boots off and takes a screw driver to remove after it dries on their feet. No lie, I have had to take them to the wash rack 2 or 3 times to soften in up enough. I thought about soaking in buckets but that's one of those things I would run by my trainer first:')

[CindyDawg]

When the boys were raising pigs for 4H they made them a mud hole to roll in. Ever seen pigs sigh in bliss?

[HairOfTheDog]

Here are some pasture pics today to see the horses and the state of the pasture.... See what you think. If you look in the background of the pics you can see that much of it is a red-topped weed grass that they don't particularly like. Some parts are lusher than others. We watch them eat, and they eat the leafy bases, eat around the red stuff to get other grass, and avoid the red seed heads. I think I'll probably mow it just to knock down the tops and the weeds they don't eat anyway.

But the question is... is this a place they'll founder or not? I'd worry about Pony in particular, though her weight is fine, and I think Bay next. Cyn, I think, is not one I'd worry about.

Current plan is to bring them in around 8 PM and feed hay, leave them in till after breakfast, let them out 8-9 AM. so they'll be on it 11-12 hours. Is that OK or too much? Anyone think they'd just leave them on it 24/7 and vacation from stall cleaning for summer?

These I thought were funny of ecurbh and Cyn... She loves to come right up to ya, pick and sniff ya, but doesn't particularly want you to touch her. Here, she's annoyed at the interference and debating with ecurbh.

Here, I caught them both with eyes closed, "Lord, lets pray for a better attitude in the future"

[CindyDawg]

Seems you might have a rider for pony lol. Sarah, my 4 y/o gd says she wants to ride the "baby horse" She thinks it's hers and even named her. She told me "you can ride , Sarah Lee and I can ride MEGAN , my baby horse" (everone Megan. I don't know where she got it. She even calls her baby sister that).She's got her boots and hat on and going around "heehawing"

[HairOfTheDog]

Bring 'er up! Heh....

[squarebarb]

Yes but where are you?

Are you looking for horse property?

[Beaker]

I'd just keep doing what you're doing. If your horses were going to founder, I think that they would have done it by now. It's not like you're suddenly throwing them out onto lush grass that they've never been on before. Can you throw them into the paddock at night instead of putting them in their stalls if you don't want them in the barn?

[CindyDawg]

You would have to lunge her too though. She a very, er "independent" little girl. I can not take her to the stables with me unless Eddie there. My trainer says she's a natural in the saddle though. That seems to be the safest place for her IMO.

[squarebarb]

Yes, it used to be like that at the military stables where I kept my horses before I moved here.

What I am saying is, a little hooflex or some kind of grease before they get into the mud, seals it, and the dried mud should be eaiser to remove.

I used to have to chip it out with a screwdriver!

[CindyDawg]

I'm looking in the Hill country.