The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN

See our "who's who" page! ^

[HairOfTheDog]

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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX

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

[Beaker]

I really want to take them to the ocean fairly soon. I'd like to see how they handle the big water and surf.
Now thatwould be interesting. :-) Pictures please.

[HairOfTheDog]

You forget who you're talking to ;~D

[Beaker]

That's right, how silly of me! :-D

[Duchess47]

:) This time I won (I think) no horse.

[Duchess47]

They were talking about taking it, training it and selling it. Hopefully - that's not going to happen. We can't sell the ones we have.

[Duchess47]

I'm sorry about your pay. That is really terrible.

I am glad the dog has a temporary home though.

[Rose of Sharn]

Te're having a great time, but we have very little cell reception here. The new place is everything we expected, and we are all having a blast. Rose will update you later.

[FrogInABlender]

I really want to take them to the ocean fairly soon. I'd like to see how they handle the big water and surf.

Let me put it to ya this way...it'll be an interesting experience. Just from my limited experience here riding along the Tennessee river, I've found out that big open water really freaks horses out, especially if has waves. They don't seem to know what it is and don't want it to touch them. Tennessee wanted to run backwards when the waves off of a barge came rolling in. I finally convinced him to step in the water but he was snorting and rolling his eyes the whole time. I guess if you take them there fairly often they get used to it, but he still doesn't like it.

[FrogInABlender]

CindyDawg was hanging out on the Hurricane thread last week, but I don't know where she is this week.

CindyDawg, we miss you!

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh.... I wonder about it! Easpecially because at the ocean the waves will come in, and then completely recede, and then come back at them again.

You see it on greeting cards, horses running on the beach!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I"ve had horses at lakes before, and that's my experience too. They don't like the waves at all.

Harley's been rode, very short ride because Chris showed up early and now it's too hot. Everyone is shod now:). Harley is still standing out there saddled, I need to go put him up and run to town. Seeya.

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

...You see it on greeting cards, horses running on the beach!

Yeah, and those horses were raised near the beach too! ;o) I've ridden horses on the beach when we were on vacation and it was really cool. We were on a dive trip to St. Anthony's Key, off the cost of Honduras, and one day they had a beach picnic and there were horses there. You could ride them in the water if you wanted to and of course I did. This was a really nice resort anyways because they had their own string of horses and you could ride any time you wanted. I went for a ride every morning before the dive boat left out. I had this one special horse that I always rode and she was great. Her name was Diamonte(Diamond). She had some Paso blood in her but she didn't exactly gait. I don't know what she was doing, it didn't feel quite like trot, but it was very fast and very easy to post to. It was a blast!

Dennis Reis had a show on RFDTV one time about teaching a horse to go in the ocean. It was pretty good. They had another horse there that was used to it and basically used the buddy system and lots of approach and retreat. I'm not a big fan of his, he gets on my nerves, but this method seemed to work pretty well and since his place is in California, he seemed to have a good bit of experience at it.

[squarebarb]

Hydrated lime. There is NO better application for closing a large wound.

I learned the hard way. When my darling dimwit Thoroughbred had her first, major accident, when she started fighting in a trailer and cut herself to pieces, she opened up her inside front right leg. I didn't own her at the time. I was leasing her. Her owner was loading her. Anyway it cut her artery and blood was shooting 12 feet at every heartbeat.

Her owner was sent TDY to Florida and I had her entire care. I put everything you can think of on that large open wound. And it would not close, this went on for 8 months. Until an old horseman (a wonderful black retired sergeant) said used slaked (hydrated) lime and gave me some. It closed it up within a week. A good solid scab.

I have used it for large wounds ever since. Keep it in mind. Many other experienced horsepeople have told me this also.

Tomorrow when I unwind (spent the day driving to Eagle Pass and back) will post a picture of Wantha Davis, first woman jockey on the quarter-horse brush tracks of Texas and OK. I think she is in the hall of fame. So glad to hear it is solid, well-done and good-looking!

[HairOfTheDog]

How's your mare doing today? Where do you get Hydrated Lime? It's not the same stuff as sold for lawns, is it?

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, Bay seems fit and sound to go for a ride tomorrow... I think Cyn is good to go too, though she didn't go when Bay and pony took a run around...

She prefers the shade ;~D

Think I need to get back to my mowing?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Nice pictures. Looks like they are doing fine after their ride:)

I'm riding in the morning with some lady. I've met her one time, but can't remember what she looks like, just that she has a buckskin horse. I guess the girl she always rode with moved and she needs a riding buddy. She is suppose to be here at 8:00.

It's suppose to be cooler tomorrow, only in the 90's:), chance of rain for the next few day.s Sure hope it does, we really need it. My yard is just brown.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning.

Very quiet here yesterday. Where's everyone at.

Hair, ecurbh: Have a nice ride.

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

Thanks for the tip about the lime. Sounds like it could be a lifesaver.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning!

~sip~

Hope you're having a nice ride too, and that you remembered the camera!

[Centaur]

Yesterday my 31 year old Walker showed some signs of colic and before we could get to him, rolled into a large multiflora rose bush and couldn't get up. We cut away the bush but at that time, in this heat, he was exhausted. We iced and hosed him, treated for the colic, but after a few hours, he seemed to deteriorate. Through tears I called to have a vet come (ours was out of town), being sure that I would have to put him down.

The vet felt that it was heat exhaustion and colic, although not sure which came first, and treated him, saying that he didn't feel he needed to be put down.

On the vet's advice, we let him lie down and he slept/rested for another three hours. By dusk, he seemed better though weak and we turned him out in a paddock with his girlfriend of 15 years. Checked him through midnight and satisfied he was on the road to recovery, slept.

This morning, he was not in the paddock. Apparently during the night he made his way under the fence to the pasture. We found him in another bush, banged, bruised and weakened, but eating. I called our vet at 6 and she arrived to recheck him. The most dreaded news we had feared...a twist. It couldn't be repaired and we had to put him down.

I've had Stash half my life with never a sick day. I am too tearful to type anymore so I'll just post a journal peace I wrote about him 6 months ago:

"For the third day in a row, aged Stash has broken through a weak gap in the fence behind the ring, only this time without his entourage. Not seeing the horses this morning, G thought perhaps they were all out and went a-looking. Stash was standing at the ring, alone, with the babies. A brief walk-around and G assured herself that Stash made the trek ex parte, the others standing grouped at another spot on the fence line, apparently also baffled at how he did it again. No one leaves without Stash and he needs no one's permission or joinder to wander. There's not a fence that can hold him or a stall gate he can't dislodge when he wants out. Fixing fence from Stash's leaning his massive body into the boards is a weekly chore.

His 31+ years have earned him seniority in the herd, despite his oft’ gimpy gate. Although his large ebony body, with his still straight back and full muscle, belies his advanced age, it’s starting to show in his face. Despite all the aches and pains of his senior years, Stash is still the only horse that can turn completely over, uphill, when he lies down to take his regular dirt bath or scratch an itch.

His partner of the last 15 years or so is the just as oft' miserable Jem, who protects him from being caught when the two are not so inclined. She's a 15.3 gorgeous chestnut Morgan with an attitude, probably about 13 years his junior. She's loyal to a fault except where his night escapades are concerned. For whatever reason, she is not adventurous preferring rather to stay at the fence, calling for him like a wife whose husband has been barhopping too long.

When the horses that comprise the herd are all or mostly corralled together, the usual vying for prominence occurs, with the thoroughbred geldings posturing as though balls intact, rearing, charging, kicking and the like. Although close to 17 hands himself, Stash's advanced age, stiffness and cooler blood make him no match for the younger wanna-bes. During this ritual, we watch in fascination; the first few times were with concern for the elderly guy, but no more. Stash occasionally will simply walk away, Jem close beside, but will more frequently ignore the advance that stops short of contact and is immediately redirected. One wonders if it is age, free spirit or frailty that earns him the right of disengagement.

G was concerned about him this morning, calling me out into the cold in pajamas;that's what horse moms do. Her concern was that his usual detachment was lacking and he actually came to her on sight. That was of no concern to me as after his exploratories, he is always ready to come back to the group;we sometimes just don't know his timetable for any given spree. Of more concern was his apparent desire to be attended to with caresses and whispers;not like Stash. He didn't have an elevated temperature and no heat in his legs. His gums were pale-ish but not overly so. His breathing was labored; no congested, but it has been for the last few years. His eyes were saddened, but not an indicator of trouble as I've noticed the sadness of his smallish eyes since his retirement (though I have to say that I've only noticed it when he was stabled or approached by me). Does he have memories of what used to be?

Stash, a well-bred Tennessee Walker was a premier scout's horse when my ex and I heavily campaigned our field trial dogs in the eastern half of the country. He was quick, tolerant, with endurance beyond belief and had an outstanding dog-sense. If I was puzzled which way a dog had turned at a hedgerow, I learned to trust Stash and gave him his head. We were responsible for many a National Championship (one for a dog owned by someone else who asked me to scout;cold ride home THAT night, I tell ya').

Although my ex, Stash and I were a pretty in-sync team at the time, Stash and I were in much demand, meaning that we rode the better part of each day, sometimes three hour braces back to back. Nothing stopped this group of bird dog enthusiasts;we rode in rain, sleet, snow, heat, mud, ice and the occasional nice day. Stash took me through all and through briars and brambles, corn fields and woods, creeks and around ponds, only quitting once when we had ridden hard for the best part of an hour scouting a big running youngster who we found, on point, probably 2 miles from the main riders.

On that particular windy and bitter cold afternoon, Duke was working a strip of sorghum when we finally found him. I knew it was a pheasant by the way Duke worked each end of the patch in shortening lengths;the bird was moving and he was cutting him off at each end;it's delicate work to set a pheasant on the run without flushing him. Duke was a marvel to observe. Once I was assured that the cock was set, Stash and I had to find the handler, my ex, who I heard calling in the distance from a direction I wasn't all that sure of with the changing wind and echoing hills. Stash galloped his heart out not only to find and alert the pack of the point, but also to lead them back quickly, hoping it was as we left it. A perfect day I'll remember not only for the show, but also for my horse's heart; big as they come.

Following the successful flush of the still set bird, Stash was done and told me so. He wouldn't move on with more than a walk and glanced back at me. Although we were several miles from the base camp, it really didn't matter if I walked home on foot in the dark;the brace was over, he had been magnificent and I wouldn't ruin my boy for anything.

I often wonder if the sadness in his eyes is a memory of what was; if his attention to the babies today was an attempt to recapture youth or tell old war stories to someone who'd listen. I wonder if my caresses to which he eventually submits relay to him that I too remember, miss and am forever thankful."