The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE

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 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!

[Duchess47]

Time for me to hit the bed, another long day tomorrow. Have a good night - Congrats on the weight loss :)

[CindyDawg]

Thanks. Sweet retirement dreams.

[CindyDawg]

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:')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That kind that fits behind the cantle would be my choice. I've wanted to try one of those for a long time.

Becky

[MissTargets]

Good Morning all.

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.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning:)

We got several inches of rain thru the night, and it is still raining now.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

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

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

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

[HairOfTheDog]

During the night would be just fine!

Still getting cold here at night, when it's clear like this... 36 out right now. ~shivers~

[AnAmericanMother]

I highly recommend the splint boots. I always have them on the mare, front and back, as well as bell boots, when we jump anything and especially when we hunt or event.

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.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh, dang:(

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

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.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

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

[HairOfTheDog]

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.

[FrogInABlender]

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.

[AnAmericanMother]

The problem with the dirt and gunk inside the boots is interesting --

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.

[HairOfTheDog]

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.

[HairOfTheDog]

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

[MissTargets]

Well, you certainly are knowledgeable enough about horses,and have owned them for many years. You know what is best for them. I always look at it this way. You would not enter a marathon or do anything strenuous to yourself before getting in shape. Think of the horse in the same sense. Not you in particular Hair, but anyone reading this. Boy, do I need to get in shape! :')

[HairOfTheDog]

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.