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Posted on 02/24/2006 9:12:25 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
Time for me to hit the bed, another long day tomorrow. Have a good night - Congrats on the weight loss :)
Thanks. Sweet retirement dreams.
Morning.
Gonna be a busy weekend for me. My son and DIL going out of town and I have my 2 grandsons until Sunday. I doubt if I will be on here much. They kind of like my attention:')
That kind that fits behind the cantle would be my choice. I've wanted to try one of those for a long time.
Becky
Hair, your post about the can was funny. Sure glad it was not anything more than trash. Wrap Bay's legs for some support and do lunge him. As long as the circles are not real tight, he should be fine. He will not get the same kind of exercise in pasture, as he would by lunging. We use the splint boots when lunging and I used them on my gelding when riding, all the time when he advanced in years.
Bonus... can you save some of it up, for later? I always wish I could. I'd like it to rain once a week.... year around :~D
I wish that all the time, but I would add, I'd want it to do that raining at night:)
I just checked the radar, looks like the rain will end by this afternoon.
Becky
During the night would be just fine!
Still getting cold here at night, when it's clear like this... 36 out right now. ~shivers~
I have the heavy neoprene ones with the velcro closures, and they do seem to offer substantial support. They also keep her legs nice and warm.
Oh, dang:(
Becky
I also recommend splint boots for stuff like jumping, and sports where they are otherwise turning spinning and are likely to get splints or strike themselves. Reining, barrels, etc. Coming from jumping myself, I used to use them on all four legs. I think they are OK for short rides, when they are going to stay clean, or not wear them very long. BUT, I really got burned, or rather, my horse did, by using them on trail. In mud, or when they wear them all day in varied terrain going from wet to dust, they get grime and dirt down inside them that takes the skin off just like sandpaper. When they get wet in creeks, they stretch and slide down. So they aren't worth it. He doesn't strike himself, and upper leg support doesn't seem to be what he needs anyway.
The only reason I wanted to lunge him was to give him a good cardio vascular workout... get his heart rate up, get his breathing up, because I don't want to do fast work under saddle till he's in better shape. If he'd run himself, he can do that without the lunge. Then the other thing he needs is just to get his back back in shape by doing a lot of walking on trail. I'm going to try to ride today.
When you and ecurbh go ride somewhere you should map out a loop(s), and name them, so that sometimes you could go by yourself. Then he will know where you are in case... When I ride, I let someone know when I leave, and what time I will be back. (Carrying a cell phone is iffy on reception). I also have certain trails I stick to when I'm by myself.
I know it gets boring when you just have a small area to ride. Hard to get one in shape also. You need varied terrain. I enjoy riding by myself as much as with someone, sometimes even prefer it:). I do my best thinking then:)
Just a suggestion:)
Becky
The trails do all have names... he'd be able to know where I am, but I can't imagine trailering and going out by myself... Not even really out of fear... it just wouldn't seem right!
I used to ride all over town alone, back when I was a teenager and would ride on the road. My folks never knew where I was... Whether they actually had a grasp of how risky it was or not, they let me go. I marvel at that.
Pretty soon here we'll be able to go together twice a week. At least one weekend day and maybe one evening during the week when it stays light late. That's all we need.
Bay looks GREAT in that video! Not gimpy at all. I'd say that all 3 of your of your points are valid. He just hates lunging. If there is any way you can build yourself a little arena to free lunge him in, one that's about the same size as the circle he was lunging himself on, that might be the best way to keep tabs on him and get him a little more exercise too. You could just make it out of some of the non-energized electric fence tape and step-in poles, just so he'd have some kind of visual boundary. Just a thought.
I have hunted Gracie for an entire morning (from about 6 a.m. until after noon) through pretty wet country that included many stream crossings, some sucky mud, and plenty of galloping and jumping. I've certainly observed some dirt inside the splint boots when I take them off -- but never any rub marks or missing hair on her legs.
It may have something to do with the fact that I keep them scrupulously clean in between rides, and that they are a VERY tight fit.
I only had it take the hide off once, the last time I used them. I think the primary function of those boots is to prevent strike injuries, and I don't think having them on super tight is good for circulation. Anyhow... I think they're intended to solve a problem I don't currently have.
Thanks, I think he looks great in the video too... the brat. I should focus on that, and not on his faults lunging. Put him in a task he ~likes~ to do, and he's just fine :~D
One thing I noticed about the video, in the canter, he does a tighter circle, it's not hard for him... but once he breaks into the trot, he doesn't bend in a consistant circle, he does a series of straight lines, turn, straight again, around me more like an octagon than a circle. I think that's telling. The trot is a 'straight' diagonal gait, and bending during the trot puts a different stress on him than at the canter.
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