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!

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning! Rain here today, and my clock seems fast, doesn't seem like 8:30 already. I never sleep till 8:00!

Bay is shedding horribly... now I can't even pet him without getting a hand full of hair. ugh!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

OOOOOO:), how long till you move in?

Belle hasn't started a bag either yet. She's at 5 wks to go. Still doesn't look very pregnant tho.

It is an absolutly beautiful day here. I am going to work in my garden, ride Harley and Rock.

My son is bringing me some cavalettis tomorrow so Rusty starts tomorrow. I may have Charlie make me a couple of sets of those cavletti holders too. But to start I'm just leaving them on the ground. I told him to bring me 5, but may start with just 4. How far apart do you put them?

Becky

[choctawsquaw]

The guys that were here yesterday said that another crew will be here to finish the inside trim and other things that has to be done on the inside. But we can go ahead and connect the water, electric and sewer now. That will be next week, Bob is working all weekend and some of that stuff I can't do by myself. I am digging the trench for the water line and electric line today while he is at work. I will keep checking back in through out the day as I come to take a break. If you get a chance today come down and take a look, we can get inside now. Hopefully we will be in it some time next week.

CS

[HairOfTheDog]

If you are doing just poles on the ground at first, I would start him out with one, then two, then keep adding one as soon as he'll reliably do the previous ones. For the walk I would position them at every step, a foot and a half to two feet apart depending on his stride, so that he is stepping over them at every stride, five in a row (or more) then do a big circle and do them again. At first, he'll probably over-elevate his stride as he walks over. You can do the series of poles on the ground at both the walk and trot, but you'll want to space them further apart for the trot, according to his stride. You'll have to play with the spacing a bit until you learn what distance he needs to plant his feet between them at each gait. I'd do them the first day on the lunge so you can watch the spacing, unless you have an assistant to adjust them for you on the ground. The first day he might just spend a lot of time trying to go around them if he's never done this before. Position them all the way against the arena fence so he can't go around them on the outside, then you can better push him over them from the middle. He'll probably make a mess of the first couple attempts, and if he does, you just have to stop and reposition the poles again. Once he understands that he should plant his feet between them to avoid knocking them (and he'll strive to do that on his own) you can vary the distances a little to get him to either compress or extend his stride a little.

These poles look slightly too far apart for this pony... they may be trying to get the pony to extend and stretch. For Rusty, I'd position them at first so that his feet plant in the center at a comfortable stride

When he becomes accustomed to them and stops over-elevating his stride is when you'll want to elevate them because it's that over-elevation that you want. If you raise them on crosses, you'll probably want them at least a full body length apart so that he can effectively concentrate on each one. And then, probably only do them at the walk if you want him to step over. If you try to trot them, he'll jump 'em.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Ok Thanks for the info. I'll have Mack or Charlie watch him tomorrow to get the spacing right.

I won't be able to blame the "mess" entirely on him:) I've never done this either,

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'll be on my way down there in a few minutes.

Becky

[Beaker]

When you start with ground poles, you want to put them a stride a part, so that with every stride the horse takes, he has to step over a pole.

[choctawsquaw]

Thanks for coming down, It gave me a break from digging the trench. Oh by the way I forgot to ask you a question while you were here. Can I borrow your incubator, am trying to hatch out some chicks for a few people and I need another one to get more at one hatching.

CS

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Sure. I won't be using it till June.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh, BTW, did you get your ditches dug?

I really liked your house.

Becky

[Bojangling_countrygirl]

Wow...That is amazing...

I wish I had seen one of those during my stay.

I miss you all so much. Has Bay-man accepted you back yet? LOL

[CindyDawg]

Morning yall. The state is in today. If we clear, we open. No pressure of course lol. Oh well, regardless, I ride at 5:30. Yall have a good day.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning.

Another beautiful day here:) I'm riding all three today. I think I will take all of them over the cavaletti's for 15 minutes:), But Harley and Rocky will then go on trails too.

Hair are you doing Cyn on caveletti's today?

Becky

[choctawsquaw]

Thanks, I will come and get it later. I almost got them done, will finish them today. Bob does not have to go to work until noon today. So He is going to help finish them before he leaves. Well I am going to go get started, will check back in later.

CS

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Call before you come, I do have to make a quick run to town, but I won't be gone long. Otherwise I should be around, if I'm not out on a horse.

I've reconsidered about riding all three. Since I'm afraid all three are not in the best shape, I'm going to ride them each on alternate days for a while, so Rusty and Harley today, then Rocky tomorrow, and so on. That way I get to ride some everday right now while the weather is so nice.

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

Aren't Jet (choctawsquaw) and Truly (FrogInABlender) due about now?

Yes, Truly's due sometime next week. I looked at her this weekend and she's bagged up. I posted her picture last week and she looks like her belly's already dropped. No sinking in of the croup yet though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Hair are you doing Cyn on caveletti's today?

No... I don't have any... I used to have a bunch of 4x4's here that I used as trotting poles, but they've all been used up as fenceposts or other fixes for things. Good morning!

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning! Yes, Bay decided I was worth saying 'hello' to after a couple meals ;~D

I am glad to be reminded that I need to write your mom a note about your stay here... Don't worry, it'll be a good report card! :~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm going to go to town now, Charlie hasn't made it here yet with the cavaletti's so to kill time I'm going to run my errand now.

I should be back in and hour or so.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm baaaccccckkkkk:)

Becky