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Posted on 02/24/2006 9:12:25 AM 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 MissTargets will now be pinging everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets 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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
LOL! My dog keeps trying! (the cats just scatter in all directions, leap up on the furniture, and despise her.)
He's not quite that flamboyant. ;-) Maybe when his coat comes back...
I always loved that commercial!
Twas a good one :~D
Tweek followed me into the barn when I went out to feed breakfast, and she was 'xplorin' around... she's been spending a lot of time out there during the day when the horses are out, I've seen her coming in and out of there.
So when I opened the lid of the grain bin, Cyn let out this big low "Muhuhuhuhuhuh" and Tweek just hit the deck! Flat cat! She was looking all around for what might have made a growl like that, but she was looking in her little low world.... she didn't look "up".
Hey, I have to brag a bit:), please forgive but this is really exciting to me.
I just got in from working Harley, only time today I can see where I would be able too. Any today, I tied a plastic bag on the hard end of the lunge whip. I didn't take the camera out with me today, 1. it's misting very hard, not sure how much wet they can tolerate, 2. I wasn't sure how the horse would act and I might not be able to take pictures with the new stuff going on.
BUT, he was great. He flinched and jumped around a bit, but I reached out with it and laid it on the ground, and he cocked his head and looked at it then finally reached down to sniff it then wiggled his lip on it. I picked it up off the ground (it's very windy today), and let it blow in the wind, getting closer and closer to him with it, he flinched a few times then just stood there. Then I started touching it to his legs. He didn't like that at first, actually tried to jump it, but then got use to it and would stand and let me run it all over him, I let it blow all the way around his front and back legs, on his back, neck, face, butt. He was fine.
This horse just shows a good mind more and more, I'm slowly getting over being apprehensive about him being an idiot over stuff.
Any, we lunged and did all the routine I've been working on the last few days, and he was picture perfect. Trotted, loped, whoaed on command, even went from a lope back to the trot on command. Just did really well:) ~big smile~
Becky
Great! Glad he's so good :~D
It's inspiring, I really should go work ours soon. I need to start Bay back to work with a plan to get back in shape, and I'd like to lunge Cyn some more just to make sure she behaves too after the winter off.
Ha! I can totally picture that. Tweek cracks me up...
That's really funny about Tweek! Cats are so goofy when they get spooked.
I truly never thought a horse of mine would tolerate a plastic bag like that. I've been programed by Belle:). i was expecting to be out there till midnight, which is stupid, I don't have till midnight today, and I know the very first/important rule of horse training is don't something you can't finish.
Becky
Wow, good deal with Harley. I'll bet you could ride him in a parade with no problem. He sounds like he really takes things in stride.
I guess you can tell by my posts, I'm a bit excited, leaving out words, no caps...geez:)
Anyway, you know what I mean, don't START something you can't finish.
Becky
Cyn would tolerate it fine. Bay would just think he was right all along, that someday I would inexplicably decide to kill him with a plastic bag. ;~D
Well, I'm inspired enough now to keep going with this and dream up all kinds of torture to pester him with:) I've always been nervous to even try this sort of thing, I just hoped for the best that I wouldn't run into that sort of thing on the trails:).
Becky
When I get my saddle, I plan on tying some to the saddle and lunging him with them.
The lady I bought the Arabs from years ago, has a very very long driveway from her house to the road. She use to tie her trash bags to her saddle and ride out to the end of it to set them out for the trash men. I thought that was the coolest thing, but just never knew how to go about training one for that. Tying this stuff on the lunge whip where you can reach out with it but keep some distance has just been wonderful.
I learned that from watching Clinton Anderson. I'd never thought of it.
Becky
Do some tarp work. Stretch one out on the ground and practice walking, then trotting him over it. Make sure you weight down the corners to start with so it won't blow up and scare him. After he's used to it, it won't matter. The next fun thing to do is to hang one up somewhere that's been cut into strips and send him through it. I always want to desensitize mine to gunshots too. Tennessee's pretty good about it since I've ridden him on field trials before, but I haven't done any of the others. You never know when you're gonna run up on somebody hunting when you're out riding. Bicycles and backpackers are another biggie. We run into them fairly often out on our trails.
Hey, thanks for the tips. I'm going to Wal mart today:). I'll pick up a few tarps.
Oh this is going to be fun:)
Becky
Hey, here's another idea. Tie Wal-Mart bags to your fence posts, so they blow in the wind, and work him around those. I've come up on bags hung up in tree limbs before and they can be a major booger-causer.
Hold on to your hat, sis! It's blowing a gale out there and they just issued a tornado watch for us.
I'm cleaning the house. I always do that when there's rough weather on the horizon. I figure if my house is going to blow away, I'd just soon it was clean when it did! LOL!
I think my mom always said "If you're going to be swept away by a twister, make sure your dishes are clean..." or was that clean underwear in an accident? I forget....
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