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!

[CindyDawg]

That sounds like Texas weather.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh does it? If you don't like the weather wait 15 minutes?

[CindyDawg]

More like day to day but I have seen it nice and sunny and then storming 15 minutes later. 40's one day and 80's the next.

[Inge_CAV]

Thank you! Remember the brakes problem I had with the firetruck? The guy I traded with added brake fluid to the master cylinder, and pumped the brake pedal a few times. Cranked up the truck and drove it home. The car has been parked since 1992. I put a new battery in it, added fresh gasoline to the fuel tank and put a few drops in the carb. It cranked up and after adding a few more drops several times it ran on it's own. This was a good deal all the way round. I do not make many good deals like this one.

[CindyDawg]

I've been meaning to tell you and I remembered when I saw estrogen's post that I understand what you were telling me the other day about instincts and spooking. That was a good point. My problem that day with SL that I was talking about was after the spook and her deciding she didn't like something and acting up. I just want her to know if I tell her something isn't going to hurt her for her to check it out. Slowly and in stages if necessary but to go on.

[Beaker]

But I think "They should do the hill at the speed YOU say they should do it" is something of a power trip if you're only doing it to enforce who's in charge.
Sometimes, you gotta use your horse sense and let them take charge. :-) I usually let my horse bound up a hill if he wants, because I know that he's doing it just to engage his rear end, like you said. The only thing that makes me leary is if they try to rush going down hill.

[CindyDawg]

Sounds like you both got a good deal. I have got to find some land. I'm running out of room to park these autos that we seem to be collecting lately. We now have two trucks, a car and a van. There is a flat bed somewhere and my camper is at a relatives.

[Beaker]

That is so cute! Did you get any pictures?

[HairOfTheDog]

I understand... what did she do exactly, and why?

Sometimes it's a fine line knowing which things to de-escalate and avoid, and which things to have a fight about.

[HairOfTheDog]

I've never had a horse try to rush down hill. I think they can tell how top heavy they are too :~D

[Beaker]

That sounds like Texas weather.
Sounds like New England weather too. We have a saying. "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

[CindyDawg]

We have mini hills and Sarah Lee puts ump into it. I figure she just needs the speed to get us both up. (We might have a problem on a big hill:') It feels like she almost has to spring with her back legs. As long as she's going where I want I have pretty much let her get up as she wants. She tends to be lazy so I figured she wouldn't do it if she didn't need to. Is it wrong to let the horse choose? I mean , when you let someone do something you are really still in charge.

[Beaker]

I think it's momentum, or eagerness to get the hill over with. Usually if I steady them, they check themselves. Mostly I try to stay out of their way and keep myself balanced so I don't screw them up. ;-)

[HairOfTheDog]

The important safety issue is to anticipate and be ready for it. Bring your weight forward and grab mane not saddle... and try to stay off the reins unless you really need her to slow down, because she needs her head :~D

[Inge_CAV]

Good luck, land is always going up in price. Rarely does it drop.

[Beaker]

Is it wrong to let the horse choose?
Not all the time, no. Like Hair said, sometimes you have to let them do what they feel is best for themselves on hills as long as they approach things with a level head. If they start getting riled and excited, and start blundering up and down them, then it's time for you to step in. Sometimes when I'm riding, my horse gets a bit of a running start just before a big hill to help get himself up it (and by running start, I mean a stride or two at the trot) Sometimes I'll let them trot up it if that's what they're comfortable with. It all depends on how much strength they have in their hind end. Don't let them get quick going down hill though.

[Inge_CAV]

Thanks, I did but they are so out of focus you cannot make them out. My digital camera will only focus on the side of the cage they are in. Now both are asleep inside the milk carton.

[CindyDawg]

I always remember the first time I went down hill. It was on Okie. It seemed like we were on top of a rocky mountain. I nudged him and closed my eyes for a second as we started down. I figured he didn't want to fall either and since I didn't know how to help him, there was no sense in getting in his way:') We were completely off track but he walked us down very slowly and out of it like a champ.

[CindyDawg]

What does she do? She warns me to hang on. She gets all tense real fast and freezes for about 5 seconds then jumps back.

[CindyDawg]

???????/