# The Horse Thread, chapter 2



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Penny's Mom said:


> What did everyone do with horses this weekend?
> 
> No riding. Too wet Saturday. Today we put up tails and clipped bridle paths.


I didn't get a chance to get out to the barn.... 

And I have to put up Z's tail and I'm still driving around with his blanket. <- It doesn't fit in our locker at the barn and I can't decide whether it's cold enough at night to put a blanket on him yet. 

It felt COLD today.... and I felt guilty, even knowing he's inside with a bunch of other horses.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I was out yesterday and it was 28 degrees!!! Warmer than it's been all summer! All the horses who had already grown in there winter coats were melting hot so lots of them got clipped this weekend. It's supposed to be nice for the next few days anyway so it worked out great. Luckily Virgil doesn't grow much of a coat so he was fine. He's still between summer and winter coat right now. I put some hipitane on a wound he's sliced open a few weeks ago and it finally seems to be healing up.

I also sorted through blankets. Apparently the new barn has a rule of how many blankets you can have at the barn at once!! I didn't even have half my selection out there! I donated one rain sheet to the community blanket pile (for the schoolies) and tossed an 8 yr old bug sheet that was ripped to shreds. All that's left out there now is his heaviest winter blanket (since you never know when you need the one for minus 30 weather), a lightweight winter blanket, a rain sheet, and a rain sheet with liner which is what he's been wearing this fall where it's cold at nights but nice during the day with rain and snow happening sporadically. The rest are in my truck or in my brother's garage. 

That's about all I did this weekend. I really need to pull his mane before his hood goes on...I still have a few weeks but it's getting long and bedraggled. I'll probably head up there tomorrow to de-worm him, too.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I guess it is time to blanket. 

The temperature ticker says 37 degrees?


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I said good bye to Pete last night. My heart is breaking. I told him he truly is my dream horse and to take as good of care of Sarah as he has with me.  I packed up all my stuff at the barn, and left a good bye message on the board. Hard after 38 years to walk away. However, I think my un-realized dreams, and financial frustrations made it easier to make the decision. None of my hopes in the horses (realistic or otherwise) came through. Other than having the opportunity to own the horses I had. My first horse was the nicest I will ever get the opportunity to know, and my last two Sayler and Pete, well they were the real deal too. 

Noticed Petie was getting fuzzy when I was there last night. He will like the weather in Savannah. Lot warmer in the winter than Michigan.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Oh Ann, that's so heartbreaking. It's so hard to move away from the hopes and dreams of our youth, even when we know it's for the best. I understand how hard it is to close that door. Maybe in time the right horse will find you just the way the right Goldens find us. ((((((((((hugs)))))))))))


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Ranger, I have to keep remembering that YOUR 28 degrees is not the same as OUR 28 degrees.:doh:

Forgot to say we took winter blankees to the laundromat Saturday and got them washed. Hung in the barn to dry. One needs a lot of mending because Harry chewed the binding off both back, lower edges. :doh:I've got about 2 feet on both sides to put back together and put binding on.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Penny's Mom said:


> Ranger, I have to keep remembering that YOUR 28 degrees is not the same as OUR 28 degrees.:doh:
> 
> Forgot to say we took winter blankees to the laundromat Saturday and got them washed. Hung in the barn to dry. One needs a lot of mending because Harry chewed the binding off both back, lower edges. :doh:I've got about 2 feet on both sides to put back together and put binding on.


I have to do the same mending on Z's turnout blanket. Somehow or other he managed to tear the one flap. :uhoh:

And now I think about it, I have to make more tail socks because he manages to tear those too. :doh:

Ann - I'm so sorry. I had a dream that my barn lady had sold my horse to somebody else... or something like that. That was a nightmare that woke me up with a sick feeling in my stomach. When you are a partner with a horse for X amount of time, even knowing you are doing the right thing doesn't stop the loss. 

Think about Gabby coming in a month.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Megora said:


> Think about Gabby coming in a month.


I did get some new pictures of her last night, talk about perfect timing. Kept me from crying my self to sleep. 

Thanks guys... It does hurt. I am grateful for my dogs. I do know Sarah will keep me posted about him. I am SO glad I am not losing touch with him. She will send me pictures and emails. She knows he is still my boy too.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Ann, if you want to ride I've got a nice dressage/hunt gelding just sitting there who would love some company. Anytime, just let me know. No strings attached.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Thanks Penny... we will see. Probably come spring I will get itching to ride. 

Means a lot, thanks.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Aw, that's so hard Maxs Mom. I had a hard time when I had to stop showing (my horse lame for life and the other mare sold) and riding...and especially hard when I had to stop teaching after 6 years of loving it. It's hard at first and though it does get easier...it's never the same. I no longer watch any equestrian events on tv or go to spruce meadows...I just feel cheated somehow. 

At least you can stay in touch and know how's he doing. It was very unselfish of you to give someone else the chance to experience his love and the joy of riding him. 

Penny's Mom - It probably would have helped if I'd put Celcius, eh? 28 degrees here = 82 F! I swear, one of the only times it made it over 80 degrees here all summer.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Naw, I knew it was C. Because 28 ISN'T warm down here!!!

It's so hard on them to get that kind of heat in the Fall. They sweat with their winter coats and that attracts those nasty little gnatty bugs. Hershey came in one day with his eye swollen nearly shut. Vet said it was just irritated. Harry's sheath swelled up to the size of a baseball from them.

Speaking of which: do you guys clean sheaths? Do it yourself? Pay the vet? I'm wondering if I should have all 3 boys done before winter to get rid of summer's crud. Or have it done with their spring tune up.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I had to clean Ranger's in the summer when he showed. The shavings in the stalls irritated him so much he'd rub his tail constantly during and after shows. I'm sure I never did the best job possible but I figured anything was better than nothing. I stopped using the sheath cleaner they sell at stores (excalibur) and started using mineral oil. Glob it up there, and then wipe it out. I also scratch Ranger's belly and inner thighs so he relaxes and let's "Mr. Happy" drop and then I peel off what smegma I can until "Mr. Happy" realizes what's going on and makes a quick getaway. 

The one time Virgil got done by the vet I wasn't there but he was walking and trotting funny afterwards so I figured the vet had been rough with him. Not impressed. I really do need to get it done again but I still can't wear my paddock boots and there's no way I'm doing it in rubber boots. I think I'll find out if anyone else at the barn needs to get it done and maybe get the vet to come out and git'er done before winter. 

Did you ever read the "do it yourself" version? God it's funny. I'll find it and post it.

Here it is:

*Sheath Cleaning*


Stick my hand up _where_!? One of the joys of owning a gelding is periodic sheath cleaning. This is a mysterious topic to some, so Pat Harris wrote these instructions which she posted on Equine-L. 
Step 1) Check to make sure there are no prospective boyfriends, elderly neighbors, or Brownie troops with a line of sight to the proceedings. Though of course they're probably going to show up unexpectedly ANYWAY once you're in the middle of things. Prepare a good explanation.

2) Trim your fingernails short. Assemble horse, hose, and your sense of humor (plus, ideally, Excalibur cleanser and perhaps thin rubber gloves). 
3) Use hose (or damp sponge) to get the sheath and its inhabitant wet. Uh, that is, do this in a *civilized* fashion with due warning to the horse; he is apt to take offense if an icy-cold hose blasts unexpectedly into his personal regions ;-) 

4) Now introduce your horse to Mr Hand. What I find safest is to stand facing the horse's head, with my shoulder and hip snugly against the horse's thigh and hip so that if he makes any suspicious move such as raising his leg, I can feel it right away and am in any case pressed so close that all he can do is shove, not really kick. The horse should be held by an assistant or by your free hand, NOT tied fast to a post or to crossties. He may shift around a good bit if he's not happy with Mr Hand's antics, but don't be put off by that; as long as you are patient and gradual, and stick close to his side, he'll get over it. 
Remember that it would be most unladylike of you to simply make a direct grab for your horse's Part. Give the horse a clue about what's on the program. Rest your hand against his belly, and then slide it back til you are entering The Home of the Actual Private Part. When you reach this first region of your destination, lube him up good with Excalibur or whatever you're using. 

5) If the outer part of his sheath is really grungy you will feel little clods and nubblies of smegma peeling off as you grope around in there. Patiently and gently expedite their removal. 
5) Thus far, you have probably only been in the outer part of the sheath. The Part Itself, you'll have noticed, is strangely absent. That's because it has retired shyly to its inner chambers. Roll up them thar sleeves and follow in after it ;-) 

6) As you and Mr Hand wend your way deeper into the sheath, you will encounter what feels like a small portal that opens up into a chamber beyond. Being attentive to your horse's reaction, invite yourself in. You are now in the inner sanctum of The Actual Private Part. It's hiding in there towards the back, trying to pretend it isn't there. Say hi and wave to it. No, really, work your finger back and forth around the sides of it. If the horse won't drop, this is your only shot at removing whatever dried smegma is clinging to the surface of the Part itself. So, gently explore around it, pulling out whatever crusty topsoil you find there. Use more water and more Excalibur if necessary to loosen attached gunk. 

7) When Mr Hand and the Actual Private Part have gotten to know each other pretty well, and the Part feels squeaky clean all around, there remains only one task: checking for, and removing, the bean. The bean is a pale, kidney-shaped accumulation of smegma in a small pouch just inside the urethra. Not all horses accumulate a bean, but IME the majority do, even if they have no visible external smegma. 
So: the equine urethra is fairly large diameter, and indeed will permit you to very gently insinuate one of your slimmer fingers inside the urethral opening. Do so, and explore upwards for what will feel like a lump or "pea" buried no more than, I dunno, perhaps 3/4" in from the opening. If you do encounter a bean, gently and sympathetically persuade it out with your finger. This may require a little patience from BOTH Mr Hand AND the horse, but the horse will be happier and healthier once it's accomplished. In the rare event that the bean is too enormous for your finger to coax out, you might try what I did (in desperation) last month on the orange horse: Wrap thumb and index finger around the end of the Part and squeeze firmly to extrude the bean. Much to my surprise it worked and orange horse did NOT kill me for doing it and he does not seem to have suffered any permanant damage as a result ;-> I have never in my life seen another bean that enormous, though. 

8) Now all that's left to do is make a graceful exit and rinse the area very thoroughly in apology for the liberties you've taken <vbg>. A hose will be MUCH easier to use here than just a sponge and bucket, IME. Make sure to direct the water into the Part's inner retreat too, not merely the outer part of the sheath. This may require you to enfold the end of the hose in your hand and guide it up there personally. 

9) Ta-da, you are done! Say, "Good horsie" and feed him lots of carrots. Watch him make funny faces at the way your hands smell. Hmm. Well, perhaps there is ONE more step... 

10) The only thing I know of that is at all effective in removing the lovely fragrance of smegma from your hands (fingernails arms elbows and wherever else it's gotten) is Excalibur. Even then, if you didn't use gloves you may find you've got an unusual personal perfume for a while. So, word to the wise, do NOT clean your horse's sheath just before an important job interview or first date ;-) 
and of course, there is that one FINAL step... 

11) Figure out how to explain all this to your mother or the kid from next door, or the meter reader, or whoever else you've just realized has been standing in the barn doorway speechlessly watching the entire process.
) 
Now, go thou forth and clean that Part  Copyright 1999 Patricia Harris;


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I spent the weekend getting a winter's worth of hay for my two.

My 22 year old arab gelding is a pervert! He will turn in front of me in the paddock and lift his leg while trying to nuzzle his sheath and give a deep whinny just about daily. Thorough cleaning of Mr. happy does require a more delicate touch than just a sheath scratching.:doh:

I recommend using K-Y jelly because it does not cause an irritation if you don't get it all off like Excalibur. Of course, try explaining to the pharmacist why you buy the extra large tubes all the time.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I cleaned my own horses. Never needed drugs. I used "phisoderm" a mild antiseptic soap you can get at almost any pharmacy, but the mineral oil is a good idea too. I always choose something I didn't care if it got completely rinsed out since it is hard to know. 

I never cleaned Pete's sheath in all the years I knew him (12). I would be afraid he'd kick my head off. He is VERY ticklish. However in the summer I made a point of running water in there frequently. Never saw discharge or build up on the inside of his thighs either so he was pretty clean himself too.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Yeah some geldings are uber dirty and some are okay to go years without. Virge had to get it done yearly when showing due to the shavings, but since he's been retired I've only done it once. He is definitely due for another one though. I may or may not attempt it myself. He's not kicky, but he's definitely ticklish!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Ranger said:


> Yeah *some geldings are uber dirty and some are okay to go years without.* Virge had to get it done yearly when showing due to the shavings, *but since he's been retired I've only done it once.* He is definitely due for another one though. I may or may not attempt it myself. He's not kicky, but he's definitely ticklish!


That makes me feel a bit better... 

The last time I cleaned him up there was four or five years ago when he had some obvious crud build up. <- I've always thanked goodness that I didn't buy a mare as they need to be cleaned off every day it seems like to prevent infections. 

Maybe I should bribe my vet to check it out...


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Sheath cleaning?? 

OMG - here I am asking all kinds of questions at the barn, trying to learn for when we get a horse. Wait until I ask them this question!!!!

My little daughter a couple weeks ago was grooming a male horse for the first time, the horse she usually rides is a female. Well, her face is pretty much right at the same level of the horse's privates. The expression on her face when she saw him was priceless. "What is wrong with him?" she screamed!


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

We had a young horse YEARS ago, his name was Gossamer. Our trainer had traded a couple horses and the dealer gave this one to him. Said it was a 3 yr old colt. Well, my trainer thinking all horses under 4 are referred to as filly's or colts, got a surprise grooming him one day. He told me "I was brushing Gossamer, then realized he had something most geldings don't have!". LOL 

He was a very well behaved colt, of course we treated him with respect and taught him to behave as well too. Nice horse. I can't remember if we gelded him or after we sold him he was gelded.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Hahaha, oh god. I used to teach riding day camps at my old stable and sometimes the horses would do the most awkward things and I'd be stuck trying to explain them in a child friendly manner. I remember once I was standing with my employer, a very proper and British riding instructor, when our little pony mare started "winking" at a gelding. She was being SOOOO obvious about it that the kids couldn't help but notice and of course asked us what she was doing. I turned to my employer, thinking "Thank god she's here to field this question!" and she turned to me and said "Yes ----, what _is _Flicka doing?" Ah!

Or the time another school horse was bored and decided to "let it all hang out" which always caused giggles in the kids (and sometimes the parents). Then he decided he was REALLY bored and the best way to alleviate this boredom was to...um...flail "it" about so he was whacking "it" against his belly. Of course that got a lot of questions and I think I eventually answered something like, "oh he's just bored" and elbowed him so he'd stop!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Well, that little 'how to' description made up my mind to let the vet do it. :yuck: I'm just no that into it!

Harry was a stallion until age 5 and did some breeding so he's used to being handled 'down there'. Hershey came from a trainer's barn so I'm pretty sure he's had EVERYTHING done to him. Daz has been mine for 10 year and I don't remember ever having it done so he might be a little 'ticklish'. I think I should have it done before winter and get all the summer crud cleaned off. Nothing like a nice, clean weiny for the holidays!


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## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

Maxs Mom said:


> I said good bye to Pete last night. My heart is breaking. I told him he truly is my dream horse and to take as good of care of Sarah as he has with me.  I packed up all my stuff at the barn, and left a good bye message on the board. Hard after 38 years to walk away. However, I think my un-realized dreams, and financial frustrations made it easier to make the decision. None of my hopes in the horses (realistic or otherwise) came through. Other than having the opportunity to own the horses I had. My first horse was the nicest I will ever get the opportunity to know, and my last two Sayler and Pete, well they were the real deal too.
> 
> Noticed Petie was getting fuzzy when I was there last night. He will like the weather in Savannah. Lot warmer in the winter than Michigan.


hugs to you. i'm so sorry.


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Maxs Mom: I’m so sorry, too. ((hugs)) I also hope it’s only goodbye to horses for now, and that you’ll be back into it again when the time is right.

As for sheath cleaning. I use good old fashioned warm water, gloves, and plenty of towels. Then again, that’s for my older gelding. I’ll let the vet do the new guy. 

What did I do this weekend? Well, let me back up a bit…

I was just crazy enough to purchase a professionally trained five-year-old maiden Western Pleasure gelding this year, and just stupid enough to think that three months off via a series of unforeseen circumstances wouldn’t phase him. After all, he is being housed outside 24/7 as a pasture mate to my retired gelding, so there’s no reason why I couldn’t just step on him and ride, right? 

Wrong. 

He gave me my very first ever “out of saddle experience” about three minutes into it. With zero warning. At a jog. And not because he spooked but because I had been foolish enough not to have lunged him beforehand. What was I thinking? Then again, should one really need to lunge a five-year-old who is at home in his own corral, even if he hasn’t been ridden in three months? Maybe. Never had to lunge any of my other ones, though. 

Although three hours in the ER thankfully revealed only severe swelling, severe bone and superficial bruising, and a dump truck full of pain, the ordeal has all but shattered my confidence and trust in him and myself… which makes me curious. Has anyone here gone through something similar, and if so, how did you get your confidence back?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> Although three hours in the ER thankfully revealed only severe swelling, severe bone and superficial bruising, and a dump truck full of pain, the ordeal has all but shattered my confidence and trust in him and myself… which makes me curious. Has anyone here gone through something similar, and if so, how did you get your confidence back?


Behind every good rider is a history of 'out of the saddle experiences'. 

I haven't fallen off in the last five years... er, but I've taken plenty of spills. My favorite one was the time I was thrown hard against the wall at our arena and remember doing the slow-mo cartoon slide down to the ground. 

The worst one was when I was riding a mare who was afraid of shadows. She saw her shadow and came to a complete stop while we were doing a road trot. I went over her head and had the wind knocked out of me for a few minutes. I wasn't hurt, but really thought I was because I couldn't breathe. 

Anyway - 

Get back on the horse.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

First of all hugs and Tylenol to you. :smooch:

Yes, I went through a similar experience about 3 1/2 years ago when my big dressage horse threw me. I had a good landing, laid out on my side with my arm pinned under me = slightly broken upper arm. A very lucky landing.

This is a horse who I'd raised for over 7 years, who'd been shown, who'd never given the slightest inclination to even shy, let alone whirl and bolt. None of us thought he had it in him. 

I was able to go point by point over everything that happened and see all along the way the mistakes I HAD MADE which put us in that situation. He was among strange objects (trail course), he was snorting and warning me he was upset and I KNEW I wasn't a good enough rider to stay on if he spooked even a little. I should have backed out of the situation and stayed in my competency zone. So, it was all my fault. Therefore, preventable. The other big factor was that I had no core strength and was a basic passenger.

The first time I rode him after that (in the indoor) I was nervous. what if, what if, what if. That's when I learned what "ride in the moment" really means. He was falling in on his right shoulder and I couldn't get a round circle. So I concentrated on inside leg to outside rein...meaning I started to think and ride. At that moment I had a horse who needed the aids to help him go; THAT'S the horse I was riding. Not the one who dumped me. 

I had a couple of successful rides after that but in the end decided I was way over-horsed on him and got myself a nice, proven western pleasure horse. I still have him and he's a sweetie. Darling Daughter went on to show him a whole season and rides him occasionally at home. Mostly I lunge him or line drive him. I'm 63, have had very complicated heart surgery, bones removed and it's just time for me to make sure I have a mount that doesn't test my skill. Even at that, last time I rode (last week), I lunged my w.p. guy first just to get him paying attention and warmed up a little.

Now I can get on without a care in the world. A far cry from when I got w.p. Harry and I'd be AT HOME feeling ill at the thought of riding and finding excuses why I couldn't ride that day. Lovely to have made the passage through fear. I even showed him for the first time this year. Another passage through fear. LOL

I hope you feel better soon. Just lunge him first, there's no shame in getting a 'read' on his mood, getting to know him better on the ground, getting some of the excess energy out and getting him warmed up a bit balance-wise before you get on. Every ride should be fun. (((((((((hugs)))))))))


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

AW poor Walker.. hope you feel better soon. The ground sure gets harder as we get older too.... 

My dearly departed Sayler, he was an incredible horse. My trainer told me she thought he was a 6 figure horse if he didn't have....THE BUCK!!! Let me tell you that horse had an ejecto button like no one I had ever seen. The first person to get bucked off him was my trainer, he threw her 180 feet. I am NOT exaggerating, I saw it with my own eyes. He put more people in the ER. The irony, was the girl who owned him her dad was the Chair of the ER Dept at the University of Michigan. 

Anyway, Sayler and I had an agreement, I wouldn't piss him off and he would not buck me off. A deal that lasted the rest of his life. One spring, I was boarding him at a friends. She didn't really have anywhere to ride or lunge, so I just climbed on. He had not been ridden in several months. I thought about taking him on the roads, but realized bad idea (he didn't like things coming up behind him) So I rode him around where I could and laughed to myself about how when I got him I would not consider getting on him with out lunging, here I was swinging my leg over. He was a nice horse, just did not like to be pissed off. 

I did experience his buck once early after I bought him. He did not get me off but let me tell you, I have never been so high in the air on the back of a horse, let alone stayed on the power of that buck! The person helping me after the buck looked at me and said "wow... I can't believe you stayed on". I said "I want to get off now... ". Normally that was why he did it, your quarter was up and you must get off now. He was the one horse that if you got bucked off you did NOT get back on. He would just buck you off harder the next time. 

I miss you Sayler... Pete was my dream horse, Sayler was the horse of my dreams.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I'm assuming that there was a huge difference between getting bucked by a dressage/jumper horse and being bucked by a morgan. 

My guy does buck when he feels good. Or he bucks and runs if somebody gets on him and immediately takes a hold. <- He was the one who threw me up and slammed me against the wall.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Morgans only do mini-bucks, and not really bucks. Most often kicking out behind. They rarely get their feet higher than their belly. 

Mine wasn't a buck. It was a spook from touching and moving a ground pole, 180 degree rollback which left me hanging off the side. THAT spooked him even more so he reared and leaped out from underneath me. I went SPLAT!!! That's when we asked ourselves "haven't we done ground poles before?" "I thought we had...." "Guess not". :doh:

So far all Harry's done is jog down the rail while practicing at a show. He saw that killer sliver of sunshine on the dirt and hit the brakes. More my speed.  He rationalized it quickly and eased around it. Next time around he was fine with it.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> Morgans only do mini-bucks, and not really bucks. Most often kicking out behind. They rarely get their feet higher than their belly.


I don't really know what it looks like from the ground, but I do know that when my guy feels good he will kick out from behind, leap all four feet in the air, and rear up... and sometimes all of that at once. I'm used to it now and go with the flow (and it's a little fun). 

But if he only does mini-bucks, then I pray I never ride a horse that does major bucks.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Hitting the ground is hitting the ground in my book... A "mini" buck just might mean you don't go to the ER... .

My trainers husband is a cowboy, and a farrier. He rode Sayler's buck once... Anyway he had this kid interning with him for shoeing, this kid 'claimed' to be a bull rider. I am fan of the PBR so I took that with a grain of salt. Anyway one day, trying to impress myself and a friend, he said "there isn't a horse on earth that can throw me off!" At the end of that statement, Tom quietly put Sayler's foot down, pat him on the neck and said "you best be careful what you say in this little chestnuts presence". LOL I was ready to have him put on 'the spurs' and take a ride on him... Sayler had self preservation.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I've had a few bad falls...luckily, my horse didn't buck much. His thing was bolting. Don't want to work? Bolt. Something in the corner? Bolt. Something he's actually scared of? Drop the shoulder ,180 spin, and bolt.

Occasionally, he'd shake his head and hump his back a little when he jumped something "fun". He jumped me out of the saddle 3 times I can remember but they weren't bad falls. Once, was a 3' jump 2 strides off the wall and he was gawking around at his girlfriend and didn't see it til the base. He LAUNCHED himself into the air and I went straight up. I hit the ground before he did. Luckily, he jumped over me and didn't squish me (and then went on to jump 4 more jumps without me). The second was our first 4'9 jump - an airy vertical of one pole straight across. He got in perfect and jumped it like a dream...I just couldn't hang on! Hit the dirt and was completely winded. The last out of saddle jump was in the warm up at spruce. My trainer wanted me to get him right to the base - so deep it didn't seem possible that he could jump the fence. He got right up underneath it, jumped and freaking cracked his back SO hard, his withers cracked me in the sternum. Holy crap! He landed and was pretty proud of himself about it, so he let out a little buck. After the jump, the buck was nothing!

The other mare I rode was a bucker. She'd buck when she was mad, from a standstill, from a gallop, in the air, a stride after landing...before takeoff, flying changes. The first time she did it, I hit the dirt in the blink of an eye. She eventually got over it after a year of training and was trustworthy enough to be sold as a novice hunter/jumper.

I always longed when I thought there was even a chance of a crazy horse. Even 10 minutes to get the bucks out was worth it if it was a chance of me getting hurt. My other bad fall was a case of a time when I should have longed and didn't. We were at a clinic and my friend came down sick so I told her I'd ride her usually calm, well-behaved gelding in the morning. What I didn't know was that he hadn't gotten turned out the night before due to a stable management error. Mounted up, walked halfway around the ring and he EXPLODED. I slammed into the wall shoulder-first and ended up pinching a nerve. My shoulder still bugs me even 4 years later.

Of course, my worst fall was when I fractured my skull - wear your helmets people!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> Of course, my worst fall was when I fractured my skull - wear your helmets people!


I heard that from my barn lady when I went riding right after work today. I didn't stop for my riding pants or gym shoes (that's what I ride in because I hate my paddock boots). 

So I rode in capris and mary sue shoes. Add to that I didn't have a helmet. <- And it was probably the first time I felt like I needed a helmet. I have strong legs, but my capris were way too slippery. I felt like I couldn't get a grip. !


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Capris and mary sue shoes?? GYM SHOES?? Holy crap...my trainer would have shot me. For hacking it was jeans or breeches and half chaps or tall boots. We ALWAYS had to wear boots with a heel. For the more advanced riders, we had to had wear breeches and tall boots, shirt with a collar, and velvet helmets. I always had my hair up underneath my helmet no matter what but it was a requirement for clinics, for sure.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Heeeheee. If I were taking lessons or getting ready for shows, I would have been wearing my jodhpur pants (basically bell bottoms) and paddock boots (little ankle boots with a heel). For schooling - helmets. For getting ready for shows, not really. In shows it was the derby hats. 

I gave my schooling helmet away to one of the lesson kids, so I've been helmetless for years now. Probably not the safest thing. My barn lady and my mom are always lecturing me about getting my brains mashed. 

Anyhood. My capris rode up to practically my knees, so I did look a bit goofy. Especially with my girly shoes almost falling off my bare feet (something else that bugs my barn lady who heartily believes in socks). Except for when we were going full canter, I was perfectly comfortable. 

But my barn lady complained about the example I was giving to the 10 and 11 year old riders there.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I forgot to mention this yesterday - I've pretty much guaranteed that we will have a balmy October. 

I pulled Z's winter blanket out of my trunk and stuffed it into my locker. And I also instructed my barn lady and the help to make sure he's blanketed if it gets cold. 

I also reiterated that I don't want him left out overnight - and they promised me that's not possible. He goes outside at the crack of dawn and then by evening he's up and pacing in front of the gate. He doesn't like being outside when it's cold and dark, bless him. 

They won't blanket him until it drops into the low 30's. And since the blanket is now there at the barn, that probably won't happen for a while.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I call that the Murphy effect! I helped in getting a nice October: our blankets are clean and ready. We don't put them on until the wind chill gets below 10. Reminder: Morgan horses who get winter coats and look like Fell Ponies, Wooly Mammoths!

This year we're going to let them 'have' the barn yard so they have a windbreak. They have absolutely no shelter or relief from the wind, no trees or buildings...just frozen tundra.

Access to the barn yard will give them shelter on the sunny, south side of the barn and the east side. Plus we're going to back the trailer up a bit so it forms a windbreak on the north fence line on the east side of the barn. We've never had such a congenial herd before so we expect they'll share the space in a friendly way.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Penny's Mom said:


> I call that the Murphy effect! I helped in getting a nice October: our blankets are clean and ready. We don't put them on until the wind chill gets below 10. Reminder: Morgan horses who get winter coats and look like Fell Ponies, Wooly Mammoths!


I call them wooly bears. 

My guy has never really been an outdoor horse since he was 4, so of course I baby him. He doesn't have the built up cold tolerance that some of the mares have, etc... What? He doesn't. And doesn't have to. :smooch:

But I can imagine how thick his coat would get if I didn't blanket him. I do switch to a #10 blade or just plain scissors for his pull and I let the rest of his fur on his face and legs go long. And it does grow long.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

When I bought Daz, I wanted a tough horse. My darling Rocket has bug bite issues. So Daz came off a mountain in PA. He was 2, was turned out 24/7 with a mixed herd. Perfect!! I thought....

Turns out they had an old bank barn with the lower level accessible to the horses for shelter. Turns out he spent 24/7 at the back of the barn. He came to our 'desert' and went nutz from bugs/sun/rain/wind/snow/younameit. He was constantly pacing the gate so he had splint bones popping in and out daily. A lot of stall time and backing of training to stablize the legs.

He's better now since Harry came and best since Hershey came. You'd think the 2 North Carolina boys would have the problem but they love winter weather. Hershey came last from a training barn. His turnout was a couple of hours a day in a dirt paddock. He got here and saw all day turnout on 10 acres of manage grass pastures and was in hog heaven. Daz, 10 years later, is a different man. Because the other two tolerate bugs and heat much better, he's much better.

We don't have an indoor so we can't ride much, if at all, during the winter. Deep snow, ice, footing is a problem.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Where did the dressage vid go?? Lilly posted it and now it's gone.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I thought it was posted in the original horse thread...not Horse Thread V.2.0


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Thanks! Dan wanted to see it.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Got a text yesterday... Petie made ok to GA. He was screaming when they turned him out... He doesn't know anyone... where are his friends... Poor buddy... 

He does ship like a dream. Glad he still did that.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Oh at our barn you could not get ON a horse in tennis shoes UNLESS you rode without stirrups. 

Folks you are looking at someone who has ridden for TOO many years... in the 70's we NEVER wore hats, not even to jump. I never flat in a hat. Yes I wear it to jump but not an "approved" hat. Here is my argument though....
1 - My head
2 - Until they make all the western, dressage, Arabian etc show riders wear approved hats, don't even talk to me. 
3 - I have seen WAY too many improperly fitted approved hats fly off before the rider have hit the ground. Flapping chin straps and comfort are not what is important. 

My black velvet Charles Owen Ascot hat (no chin strap) stays on. The only time it came off, Pete hit it with his knee as I was falling off. Yup I was knocked unconscious, yup concussion... my first in 30+ years. Didn't change my attitude. I can't afford to pay the prices for an approved hat that fits well and is comfortable enough (in my book) to make it worth my while when I was riding. Part of the reason I never showed again. I have a funky shaped head. The only one I could find that fit proper, was the Charles Owen Professional, $300 yet you still have to replace it when you fall off.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Aww, I'm sorry Pete is missing his buds. Might have been kinder to tell you he was fine. He'll make new friends in no time, I'm sure.:smooch:

I wear a Troxel trainer helmet when I ride at home. I think rider's who jump and jr. riders are the only ones required to wear a specific helmet. When DD shows hunt seat, she wears a hunt cap with no straps. At home she wears a true helmet. And of course there's no helmet for western.

I saw one jr. exhib showing western wearing a western hat with built in helmet, with straps. Good ideas for kids, I think.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Must admit that those times I fell of my horse back when I had to wear a helmet (at my barn, riders under 18 and showing in academy classes had no choice), my hat always went flying.  

I always wondered a little bit why you need a heel for stirrups when you only put your foot in as far as the ball of your foot?


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

The heel is supposed to keep your foot from sliding all the way through the stirrup. Disaster if you come off!

When I first got Harry, I was nervous and afraid because I didn't know how he'd react to leaves rustling, noises, etc. Everytime I wanted to ride daughter and Dan reassured me "He'll be fine. That's why you got a sane, calm, trained horses". Okay, I'll get on. Then they said: Don't forget your helmet, just in case". Whaaaaaaaaa??????????????


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

btw, if I had to ride without irons?? my shoes would be THE LEAST of my problems!!!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Penny's Mom said:


> The heel is supposed to keep your foot from sliding all the way through the stirrup. Disaster if you come off!


But gym shoes don't slide through the irons<: 

My Mary-Janes though - definitely, that would have been an issue if I had them in more. <- I had the opposite problem. Thanks to my capris and inability to get a good grip and keep my lower legs still, my toes kept slipping out of the stirrups. :doh:


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I always wear my boots and britches, SHINEY boots and clean britches. Nice top, fix my hair; even for riding at home. Turnout is EVERYTHING! It's a carry over from my carriage driving and dressage days. My riding is always better, more precise when I prepare for my ride, even just 'paddling about pond' riding. 

I have a bunch of rugs for western, all the brilliant patterns that I can't use for showing. I have matching gloves...the stretchy kind with the gripper dots. I'm used to being teased about my turnout. One instructor teased me because I had a lavender saddle pad with teal piping, teal gloves and lavender top. My helmet is purple. What a nice, put-together picture it was!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

^^ Agreed! Turn out was a huge thing in our barn. Once I started training, I had to up my turn out so I set a good example when kids would watch me hack. Polished boots and clean half chaps, polo shirt or shirt with collar. Rarely wore in jeans - though that was more because the guy who sold me my saddle said it might rub the the leather off with all the riding I was doing, and gloves. Gloves ALL the time. 

If kids showed up for lessons with poorly wrapped polos, they were made to take them off and re-wrap - meanwhile missing the lesson. (Of course, that was more of the horse's health). Straw in the tail, dirty bits, dirty tack...all meant you were probably going to be spending the next 20 minutes without your stirrups AFTER you fixed the lack of turnout. 

As for heels on shoes...after teaching/training/showing for only 12 years...I've seen some crazy stuff where having heels on shoes would have stopped some bad falls. And for the helmet thing? No one can change anyone's mind...I just know after having what was supposed to be an "easy" fall off a horse ended up being me hitting my head against the bottom of the jump standard and being hospitalized for a month and coming within a 1/2 inch of dying (that's how close my skull was to messing up my brain), I'm never going to go without a helmet again. If I'd been wearing one that day, I would have gotten up and walked away instead of having my mom crying over me while they loaded me up in the ambulance, only half conscious. But you guys are right: Your head, your decision.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

One thing I'll say... the highest jump I've ever done with my guy was a caveletti jump. I loved it, but um... would never have done _that_ without a helmet. And that was just my horse doing a 20" jump. Those jumps that you guys do? I'd be afraid to do it even with a helmet.

Same thing if I'm thinking about cantering bareback or doing drop a stirrup pick up a stirrup / 1 stirrup only / drop both stirrups canter drills. <- I have good balance and almost never lose my balance. But I tighten up when I do those and would not agree to do those without borrowing somebody's helmet.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

My old horse's cue to jump was me screeching YIKES as I cantered around the corner and saw the bale of STRAW I was using for a jump. After about 3 jumps, I quit. That day began and ended my jumping career. I'm a totally 'on the flat' rider.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Gave Virgil a special treat of grain, apples, carrots, peppermints and molasses to celebrate Thanksgiving today! Unfortunately for him, I also dewormed him. Unfortunately for both of us, I made him bleed accidentally.

He had a piece of chestnut hanging off his hind leg and I thought it was just a little layer so I pulled it off. Whoopsies. Turns out it was attached DEEP and it bled A TON. Any other horse in the world would have kicked me, but he just turned his head and gave me a nasty look. I was frantically trying to stop the bleeding and then sprayed it with some medicinal stuff I have. I'll go out tomorrow and make sure it's okay, PLUS put some baby oil on the other ones so they're not as rough. Poor Virgil!


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Thank you all so much for your advice, kind well wishes, hugs and Tylenol.  Yes I’ll ride again, once I heal up some that is. In the meantime, I’m lunging him every day, which at least is something. It’s also helping he and I develop some respect I think, and get a better understanding of each other, as in I own him, not the other way around. Not that he’s a bad horse in any way, it’s just that he and I haven’t meshed yet. 

Penny’s Mom: “I had a couple of successful rides after that but in the end decided I was way over-horsed on him and got myself a nice, proven western pleasure horse.”

Actually, that’s exactly the dilemma I’m facing right now. This new guy is gorgeous and tall and big and I can honestly say he has the potential to take the right rider to the top. Perhaps, though, that rider just isn’t me. 

As for helmets and proper riding boots. I’m so bad for not wearing either. Guess I can count myself lucky that bruises and such were all I got. 

Ranger: Poor Virgil! I think extra cookies are called for here.  Oh hey, how are those nasty bloodsucking little ear flies were you are? We've got a bumper crop of them here.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Your horse is young, don't give up yet. He probably needs lunging before every ride to get the kinks and explosive energy out. I would do it just to be on the safe side.

I'm REALLY BIG on lunging. I am more concerned with their minds and how they are thinking. When I lunge before I ride, I can get a read on their mood, level of interest, any 'off' ness. I use the lunging to give them the opportunity to go to work. I think it does more to prepare them mentally than physically.

I agree that lunging really helps you 'own' him. I'm able to get after a horse much better on the lunge where I would be timid in the saddle. It also gives me an opportunity to see how he reacts when I get after him. My Harry (w.p.) never offered up a hind foot to me anytime I lunged him. I keep him close to me because he likes to stop: Are we done, Mom? I keep him within range of the whip so I can bop him on the rump and keep him going. I've never had to hit him. Tells me he's a little lazy (good for west. pl.) but not ornery or contrary. He has to respect his person or he just won't do the work.

Both my horses lunge on voice command...Daz is better than Harry. You can use this time to teach that, if he doesn't already know it. I don't allow rip and tear on the lunge. After a little uncollected romping at the trot, I put them through their gaits, including walking and stopping/stand. I ask for 3 trots (not collected) but I don't let them 'run' at the trot. It has to be a slower trot, working trot, and trot on. 

When you decide to get back on tell yourself all you have to do is get on and then you can get off. Have someone with you. If you're concerned AT ALL, have that person put a lead on as a safety line. Take baby steps. If he's the horse for you, you'll get there.

I changed horses because I'm old (63) and don't have any bounce left. These kids fly off, dust themselves off, laugh and get back on. :no::no::no: After I heal, it's months of physical therapy. Plenty of time to sit and wonder if I really should be doing this!:doh:


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

_"Actually, that’s exactly the dilemma I’m facing right now. This new guy is gorgeous and tall and big and I can honestly say he has the potential to take the right rider to the top. Perhaps, though, that rider just isn’t me." _

Sometimes you just have to decide this isn't the right horse for whatever reason. I've been thrown only once since I started riding again after 15 years and I immediately went on the 2 hour trail ride I had planned, because I was pretty sure if I didn't fear would get the better of me and I would never ride again.
I have a 22 year old Arab and a 12 year old Arab/Qtr cross and sometimes wish for a more reasonable trail horse since either can get all hot and bothered. Yes - they all can, but a hot blooded horse is more likely to.
Penny's Mom - I like your description of your reaction to jumping. If it higher than a log in the trail I'm going around!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Can't even trust logs. I used to trail ride my first horse: a large pony, quarter-type mare. She was a pretty nice horse. I went out one Sunday morning, very early to ride around the block...about 7 miles. I told DH I'd be back by 9:30 or else come looking for me. And don't look in the middle of the road, look in the ditches. 

About 3/4 through my ride, I walked her over a log that blocked the entry into a sod field. We ALWAYS walked over this log. Turned her around to walk over it and back to the road. I looked down in time to see BOTH KNEES coming up: OMG WE ARE NOW JUMPING THE LOG. Okay, off over the right shoulder, push against the shoulder to get distance from the horse, after hitting the ground roll to the right. Good. Oops, can't breathe. I got the wind knocked out of me. I was glad to be in the middle of nowhere, sitting there in the dirt heezing and gagging. Okay, breathing now. Get on? Walk? 2 miles? Heck no. Used THE LOG as a mounting block and got back on. Walked down the road about 100 feet when the leaves rustled in the ditch. BIG SPOOK and I'm sitting in the road in the dirt AGAIN! Ok, no doubt about it: I will not be seen leading my horse with black dirt on my back and brown road dirt on my butt. Back to THE LOG, get back on and walk home, both hands with fistfulls of mane, reins tight. Met DH coming out to look for me as I walked into the yard. 

I go around logs!


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Penny’s Mom: Agreed, agreed, agreed. And he does work with voice commands as well as click and kiss. The biggest concern of mine is my daughter. She’s a teen who, although a good rider, isn’t quite as dedicated as we horse kids were, mostly because she has Hypermobility and so is prone to joint dislocation; sometimes it seems like that kid can pop her kneecap out just by thinking about it. If she’d been me that day, no doubt the outcome would have been far worse. And with boarding and still owning our older retiree, keeping _three_ horses for two people would no doubt prompt my husband to get me a CAT scan for Christmas—know what I mean? You know, I really should have thought about all of this before beginning the search, not after the fact. Guess it’s true about hindsight being twenty-twenty. 

Coopers-mom: Ah, an Arab/QH cross—the best of both worlds in the show ring. One of the best WP horses I ever had was one of those. Had the face of an Arab and the body of a QH. Judges from both walks loved him. 

"Sometimes you just have to decide this isn't the right horse for whatever reason."

Exactly. I like him a lot, but...


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Penny's Mom - there is NO WAY I would have gotten back on twice.:doh: You are one brave lady.

Walker - hind sight is 20/20. I bought the huge Arab/Qtr mare for a teenager who was riding with me. Sigh. She found boys 3 months later and that was that. I like the mare and she is quite the looker, but she mostly sits in the paddock since I am more comfortable with the older guy I've owned for 9 years and she is buddy sour.

Quite an expensive pasture ornament, but I haven't been able to bring myself to sell her.:no: I probably only ride her once a month or so, but she is a fun ride. A bit rusty from no use, but full of power. A big, black diva for sure.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I hear you on the husband deal!! I remember the time his frustration hit it's peak. YOU'VE GOT 8 HORSES OUT THERE AND ONLY 2 RIDE. @#$%^&*( 

At one time I had 10 horses and 3 were in foal. The was my peak of insanity. We were training, showing, breeding. Wouldn't mind having THAT energy back!!

It's so hard to know what to do. When I went shopping for Harry, I knew I was going to be spending some money. I knew I had a horse at home that, although I love him to pieces, I really shouldn't ride. So I promised to sell him, figuring I could get half of what the new horse would cost. Dan said Good Plan. Well, only 1 person looked at him. She came up from Lexington, KY and decided he was too small. WHAT??? He's pushing 16 hand barefoot, he had just been trimmed that morning. We put the stick to him because she thought we had misled her and she wanted us to pay her for her gas and time off work. Turns out she's riding a Percheron who is too wide (no kidding). ANYTHING would seem small after that!!! I was so 

Then the economy tanked, horses really don't sell well in good times. And I won't let him go to just anybody. So he's in my barn. He doesn't eat much but boy does he make a crappy mess in his stall. He's goes through shavings at $4 a bag like nobody's business.


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

coopers-mom: And that's another trouble. Our retiree has a touch of arthritis in his hock (at twenty-eight, that's not surprising), so he's completely retired as in not ridden and 'livin' the dream' so to speak. Don't want two lawn gnomes. One has to be rideable, and more, one I'd trust with my daughter's life. As it stands right now, the newer guy ain't it. 

Penny's Mom: Eight? Holy smokes, forget the Cat scan. My hubby would blow a fuse!

This new guy is 16hh, so I hear you about being big. The woman who looked at yours, by the way, sounds kinda nuts. Better she didn't take him for his sake. I suppose I do have the option of calling the former owners and asking if they'd consider taking him back. No doubt it would mean a huge financial loss on my part, but a pittance to what my daughter's life is worth.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I agree with you on returning him. Better to take the small loss than risk the big one.

I gave away a 2 year old filly once. I trained her to ground drive and everytime I thought she was ready to hook, she'd go bonkers. I never even tried to hook her, just thought "Okay, she's ready. Next time". I decided I wasn't ever going to trust her and was facing at least $700 a month for full board and training. I contacted the stud's owner, she knew a person and that person took her. I figured at the end of the first year of her gone, I had saved $8,400, way more than I could have gotten selling her. And $8,400 for every year she would have needed to be in training. God only knows how long THAT might have taken.

So sometimes, just cut your loss and run.


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Yep, that's what I'm thinking. And all of this after already spending over $700 a month X three months for board and training, with (obviously) more to come.

Know your limits, right? At this point I think what we need is a bombproof, been-there-and-done-it-all completely trustworthy older type with zero issues or bad habits. A needle in a haystack, wouldn't you say? Heh. A younger version of any of the horses I've owned would be just fine.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

There are younger versions of what you had. I think 3 is a little young because they haven't had enough experiences to prove themselves.

When I looked for Harry, I knew I was nearly a handicapped rider in that one false move and I'm in the dirt. I was lucky that he kind of found me. DD has seen him about a week before I did on Morgan Showcase, a nationwide sales listing. She didn't say anything because of the price and distance. I'm in Michigan and he was in North Carolina.

Without telling DD, I called and talked to his owner. He had been born on their farm, raised by them and trained by their young adult daughter. An 80 year old man with double hip replacement occasionally rode him. At 6, he was bombproof, had been shown (trailered, bathed, clipped, etc) and had won some pretty big championships. He also came from a line of bombproof western horses.

I went to look at him and couldn't even ride him because at that time I couldn't get on a horse...not able to lift, swing and get in the saddle. But, I saw what I was looking for. His gaits were picture perfect, he was sweet on the ground and when he was ridden he looked like he never wanted to do anything but go western. I like a happy horse. So that, combined with his pedigree and resume, he was mine! 

So, yes, if you're leaning that way and can get out from under I think you can move on to something more suited to you both. BTW, who is the 3rd horse?


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Well, the good news is the newer guy’s former owners/breeders/trainers are more than willing to take him home, work with him to figure out what happened for free, and then resell him to recover some of my costs back. Might take a long time to resell though, what with the market and the economy tanked and all. I offered to give him back to them as a gift and take the full financial hit myself, but they don’t believe that’s fair, so… 

Seriously, they're good people. And honestly, the newer guy is a very good horse. We just aren’t meshing, is all. I suppose it happens. 

Penny’s Mom: There is no third horse yet. I just meant that if we happen to find a horse that suits us far better without doing anything about this newer guy, then we’d have three horses, which, I’m afraid, is out of the question.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

How the heck are we supposed to blanket for this weather?? It was sunny and hot yesterday at 4pm - a high of 24 degrees!! Today, I woke up and it's freaking SNOWING!! Minus 4 degrees, foggy, and windy. It dropped more than 20 degrees in 12 hours. That is brutally hard on a horse's system. No wonder the vets say most colics in AB happen in december during chinooks. Anyway, Virgil was naked yesterday and then this morning I zipped out to put his fleece lined rain sheet on. That was the best blanket I ever bought!! Waterproof on the outside, fleece lined with a little bit on insulation...he's worn it down to minus 10 and been warm, and up to plus 18 degrees without breaking a sweat. The best part? It only cost me $50!!


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I was at a trial with Belle this weekend. A dog friend who also had a horse and rehomed him was there. So a conversation was started about rehoming. She knew I gave Pete away. I really was not in the initial conversation as I was talking to someone else but "horse" perked my ears... With in only a manner of moments my eyes welled up with tears. I fought hard to hold them back. 

I wish I could convince my heart I did the right thing. But it is winning the battle, my brain is losing and I feel I have made a mistake. If I think about it, flood gates open. I really didn't have time for him, oh I made the time and rode 3 days a week but I don't feel like I have 'more' time now that is not on my agenda anymore. I don't really miss riding....yet, because I have been so busy, I just miss MY Petie.... 

:bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

That's exactly how I feel about Daz and I'm afraid if I go through with a sale, I'll be sorry too. Even sorrier if I hear it's worked out splendidly and they are riding really well. My heart says "that could have been me riding him very well" when my brain says "you're 63, you're never going to ride ANYTHING well". My hearts says "but I love him", my brain says "let him go". My heart says :no:

I'm so sorry you are hurting. ((((((((((hugs))))))))


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Ranger: A fleece lined rain sheet for only $50? Nice! Wish I’d run into a deal like that. 

Yep, the weather’s really been wonky. Sweat one second and freeze the next. Not sure if I should break out the t-shirts or thermals. Heh. It’s different with your guy than it is with mine. If I blanket my retired guy too early, he won’t grow enough hair to stay warm over the winter. Blanket him too late and he’ll shiver. Doesn’t help that it’s +20C during the day and -6 C at night. Eesh. 

Speaking of him… I guess we’re back to “they.” At least we will be by this afternoon, which is when we pick up the brand new guy. His barn name, oddly enough and for those who believe in omens, just happens to be my first and middle name initials. The big differences are that this guy not only has been shown extensively, he also comes with a one week trial to see if we’ll mesh and for pre-purchase vet and farrier exams. (Knock on wood it all works out.) I got an almost completely opposite vibe from him on first sight and first ride (Aren’tcha proud of me? I rode without hesitation and it felt so darn good, pain and all) than I did from the boy who went back. AND he’s touted as being kid safe with a temperament of 1 (bombproof). Here’s hoping.

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and excellent advice. Very much appreciated. 

Penny’s Mom and Maxs Mom: (((hugs to you both))) I hear you. I probably would have kept the one I sent back (I’ve never sent a horse back before and still feel very bad for having done it) and given him another go if not for my daughter, whose safety has to be my number one concern. But I’m confident his former owners/trainers will find him the perfect home—a win-win for everybody.

By the way, Penny’s Mom, sixty-three isn’t old. I read somewhere that the _average_ age of competitors at the World AQHA Select show is fifty-five, with plenty showing who are far older that sixty-three. As for me, I plan to ride/be around horses until I’m either dead or they put me in a home.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I plan to be riding when I'm 85. Happy Harry will be only 30. I hope to have 'the lope' down by then. lol

I said Rocket was my last horse, I'm getting too old. Then I said Daz was; then I said Harry was. I imagine there are still more horses in my future.  I've given up on quitting!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

walker - I'm glad you got a new "guy" and whoo hoo! with a trial to boot. "Rode without hestiation" sounds really good too.

My gelding I just lost was an immediate emotional attachment. He needed extensive training, but we clicked. We had come across wild hogs, a rattlesnake and bears (2X:uhoh on our rides and he faced them down. There can be a great bond and it doesn't come with every horse. I hope this guy is "it" for you.


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Penny's Mom: So glad you've given up on quitting! You know what they say. "A stitch in time saves horse blankets." Or is it "Only you can prevent an empty barn"? Or maybe...  

Coppers-mom: Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your gelding. (((hugs)))


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Well, Virgil's beautiful long mane is no more!! It was 13 inches long as of yesterday at 3:00pm. By 3:30, it was 6 inches!! I totally cheated and used scissors and a paddle brush (eek!) but I wanted to get most of it off before I start pulling it. He's grown it out since last winter but I'm putting a hood on him this year so it had to go. Even at 6 inches, his mane gets matted and snarled under his hood so I'm going to try to get back to 4 inches - his show length mane - to reduce the itchies and snarls this winter. I'll take pics when I'm done...right now it's pretty choppy and uneven. Not to mention I didn't backbrush enough and snipped off a piece of his mane right at the top! So he's got a funny little cowlick sticking straight up which i think is hilarious.

I'm also preparing for a blanket shift. His lined rain sheet isn't much good on anything below minus 5, so as soon as it stops getting up in the plus digits during the day, I'm swapping to his lightweight winter blanket. His winter coat is starting to come in...and depending on whether or not I can get him started back up again this winter, I may or may not have to clip him. Anyway, I'm just happy I got started on his mane! Oh, AND I did his mane with him standing loose in the paddock. A few girls walking by were amazed that I could do that to him without a halter. What a great old boy! (I almost teared up as I wrote "old"...he's 15 now and I've had him since he was 4...)


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Ah, fifteen isn’t old. Joe’s twenty-eight and looking great, and we lost Bear last Nov 24/09 at thirty-two. Here’s to many more wonderful years with your sweet and very handsome boy, Virgil. (Still waiting those pics you promised!)

By the way and speaking of manes, here’s a pic of the new guy (barn name PD) with his at the time unclipped mane.










I still have to get this boy a winter blanket, too. Have to wait until the shop gets more in though; the shortest they have in stock right now, a seventy-eight, is way too long on him.


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## molly12 (Oct 29, 2010)

he is wonderful, I am looking for a fresian horse at the moment


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

Thank you, Molly. I've never had a Paint before. Of course, I'm far more of an attitude/temperament person than I am partial to any particular breed. Knock on wood he's everything I hope he is. (He's still too new to me to know everything about him.)

Best of luck on your Fresian search!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Wow, he's gorgeous! What a looker! 

Oops, did I promise pics and not follow through?? That seems so unlike me - usually I post pics at every opportunity!! Part of the problem is that I haven't even seen my boy for over a week thanks to this stupid anke thing. I'm actually heading out there now but my mom's driving and I can't walk out to see him since the ground is so uneven. At least he'll get some attention and carrots/apples though! 

You're right Walker, 15 isn't really old. It just seems old since i've had him since he was so young! Plus he's been retired since he was 12 which makes him seem older. I'm going to try to get him going again this winter as soon as I can wear my paddock boots! There might be a rodeo or two at the beginning, but I don't care as long as he doesn't hurt himself while acting like a stampede bronc!

Hope your new one is everything you want him to be! He's just stunning!


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## molly12 (Oct 29, 2010)

I hope he will come up to be your dream horse  thank you for the luck


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Just sharing.... I'm not crazy about the weather right now. We are having a mini warmup this week. Not anything over 60's, but it's downright balmy for the horses who already have their winter coats (and fat) coming in. It's colic weather.  

That said, I went out to the barn yesterday and had to grin when it took me a good 20 minutes to catch my horse. 

I was doing my very best Horse Whisperer moves and trying to catch him without looking like I was trying to catch him and instead was getting all the _other_ geldings walking up and trying to go home with me. 

It was frustrating... but it felt wonderful. Because an evading and running around horse is a healthy and sound horse. <- Keep in mind that when I first "met" him, he was one of those horses who could not be turned loose if people wanted to ride him that day, this because like his mother (think the smaller version of Ginger from Black Beauty), he would not let himself be caught. But lately, because of his achy shoulders and sore legs, he's been a bit more eager to get back to his stall after a long day. 

He obviously was feeling good yesterday. The barn guys were saying he was jumping, bucking, and running when they turned him loose in the morning. This is a horse who gets to see a chiropractor every month to take care of his creaky shoulders. Thank goodness for chiropractors and msm.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

It's been brutal weather up here too. Sometimes plus ten during the day, and then going down to minus 10 at night. The horses are either sweltering or freezing. I hate when it's like this!

Up here, December is colic time. Chinooks blow in and it can go from minus 20 to plus 15 in 12 hours...incredibly hard on horses' systems. We keep luke warm water available at all times and give small bran mashes laced with salt to keep the horses drinking, plus blanketing appropriately. It's pretty hard, though.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

We're in the midst of delightful weather: sunny, in the 60s. I've been riding every day.


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## Luci (May 26, 2009)

Went to the Royal on Saturday and met a lady who wants me to come help ride some of her western stock (she has 26 of them!). They're all in various stages of broke and she told me that she has a really cute 5 year old bay and white mare who'd she'd give away if she could find someone to take her. My best friend's mom is into horses around here and knows her. I called my friend's mom to find out if this lady was normal or what she was like. Friend's mom gave the ok. So I'll head out there on Monday (she lives about half an hour from me) and see what's what. 

I'm pretty excited! :bowl:


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Oh man, how did I manage to get a dog and horse with almost duplicate personalities??

I went out yesterday to see Virgeman and the lady who owns the horse in Virgil's paddock (a friend of my mom's) was dragging the shovel along the paddock and making huge piles of the ground up manure and dirt. She said she was tired of the horses standing in mud/manure when it rained. (To be fair, the paddocks were definitely not that dirty). 

Anyway, so she has three huge piles, almost up to the horse's stomachs, and she stops to talk to me. Virgil wanders up to a pile and sniffs the manure and my mom's friend says, "Virgil - don't you even think about it." Virgil keeps sniffing the manure pile while staring at us with his ears pricked, then deliberately picks up his front hoove and puts it right in the middle of the pile and drags it back towards himself - scattering manure and dirt! So the lady goes to chase Virgil away...she takes one step, and Virgil BOLTS off, bucking and squealing! She comes back to me, and Virgil goes right back to the dirt pile while staring at us again and did the exact same thing!

The funniest thing was that he was staring at us the whole time. Like, "Oh, is this what you DON'T want me to do?" and then proceeds to try to tear down the piles. I have a feeling when I go back out that the piles will be reduced to nothing. What a silly, funny horse.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

He likes his poopy pastures... LOL


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Hey, can anyone tell me why this horse would be tattoed like this??? Do you think he's a rescue horse????? Saw him on the beach this weekend in Lewis Delaware....


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Looks like a ranch horse - lots of ranchers brand their horses and I _think_ some western horses have it done for other reasons, but have no idea. Thoroughbreds have lip tattoos...just another way of keeping track of identification. Showjumpers and big show horses have "passports" that have photos and drawings of their markings.

EDIT: Looks like I'm going back to the barn tonight! A big storm is supposed to be blowing in so I need to go throw a heavier blanket on Virgil before the snow falls and the weather turns. Temps are supposed to start dropping soon. Welcome Winter!


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Thanks, Ranger's Mom, didnt know that.....learn something new everyday..:


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

No problem! Virgil is now all snugged up in his good winter blanket and a rainsheet thrown on top to keep him dry. It's going to be cooold this week and it's always worse at the start of the winter when no one's used to it yet (including the horses). He was pretty happy to get his blanket on and now I relax knowing that he's dressed for the elements!


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

This is going to sound like an advertisement (is isn’t), but have you tried a heavyweight, waterproof, Weatherbeeta Orican Freestyle blanket? I bought my new guy one yesterday after my older guy’s kept him as snug as a bug last winter. Like I said before, I didn’t use the neck part though, it being just one more thing to get hung up with. Seriously, I rarely recommend anything because so few work as well as advertised/expected. This is one I highly recommend. Just saying.

So I signed PD and I up for lessons, mainly as a confidence rebuilder and safe place for myself, and to use their massive, heated indoor arena in the winter. With the new surroundings and cool weather, I of course expected the worst. So what did PD do? Nothing. Seriously. Not a darn thing to write home about. Plus, it was literally pitch black, windy and raining when we went to leave, and PD kept his cool and hopped right into the trailer like it was no biggie at all. I’ll tell you, I’m liking this boy more and more everyday. 

By the way, we have snow. Jed is out-of-his-mind delighted. I, on the other hand, am not. Have I mentioned how much I despise winter? Hmm.

Ranger: Too funny about the manure pile!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Aw, what a sweetie!! I can tell you right now Virgil would have been auditioning for a bucking bronc at Stampede! He hates the wind!

Don't suggest a blanket to me!! I was thinking yesterday, mmm...wonder if Virgil will need a new blanket this winter...then had to snap myself out of it! He's got a few custom made blankets in varying weights so I layer them when it gets real cold. He's got a headless hood, too. I find he prefers the blankets with a seam down the back over the ones that look like big duvets with straps - I think he feels almost "stuck" in those ones. 

Just out of curiosity - how much is the Orican?


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

All this talk about winter and blankets reminds me that I have some major repairing to do on Daz's blanket where Harry chewed up the bottoms of the sides at the back. Wish Daz would aim a swift one at him!

Also have to spray no chew on Harry's and Daz's. If I go with my usual schedule, I'll be sewing like crazy at the snow starts to fly! :doh:


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I usually get all my blankets repaired at the end of the seasons. So fly sheets/summer sheets get washed and fixed now and winter blankets and hoods SHOULD have gotten fixed last spring. But they didn't. Imagine my dismay when I went out to put on Virgil's blanket yesterday to find a leg strap missing! Argh! Luckily I was able to put his rainproof sheet's leg strap through the other blanket and snap it on. Now I'm wondering how many other blankets are missing straps or have huge rips in them!


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

I got the Orican at our local UFA for $159 plus tax. 

EDIT: Just to say, I've spend what I consider small fortunes on blankets ($400 each and up), and the Orican is far superior. It was for my old fellow, at least.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I have to put leg straps on Harry's polar fleece blanket liner. I got them from SmartPak...pretty cheap, something like 6.95 I think. I like to get things cleaned up at the end of the season but I rarely get it done on time. My 'usual schedule' is almost always 4 or 5 months late.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Walker said:


> So I signed PD and I up for lessons, mainly as a confidence rebuilder and safe place for myself, and to use their massive, heated indoor arena in the winter. With the new surroundings and cool weather, I of course expected the worst. So what did PD do? Nothing. Seriously. Not a darn thing to write home about. Plus, it was literally pitch black, windy and raining when we went to leave, and PD kept his cool and hopped right into the trailer like it was no biggie at all. I’ll tell you, I’m liking this boy more and more everyday.


Excellent. It sure sounds like he might have a good mind to go with the good looks.:crossfing

I'll work with my Arab/Quarter mare tomorrow and decide if I still have the ability to bring her along to a reliable "ride alone" trail mount or not. I had to train my gelding when I got him 10 years ago, but I am definitely at least 10 years older and am not sure I am up for it again.
I sure do miss that little boy on so many counts. It was one month yesterday since I lost him.

Everybody have fun and be careful out there.


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## Walker (Sep 5, 2010)

You have fun and be careful out there too, coopers-mom. And again, I'm very sorry on the loss of your boy. 

I'd love to work with the new guy tomorrow. Unfortunately we have a good amount of snow and no indoor arena where I board, and the new guy still has shoes on all fours (idiot me). On the up side, both boys now have their winter blankets on so I can sleep guilt free, what with tonight getting down to a balmy -16C. 

I hate winter. 

Penny's Mom: I noticed the UFA here now sells those blanket elastic leg straps but didn't look at the price. I'm pretty sure nobody can beat $6.95 though.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

$8.95 I figured I couldn't buy the elastic and 4 snaps for that little.

Elasticized Leg Straps - Blanket Accessories from SmartPak Western


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Nash666 said:


> Hey, can anyone tell me why this horse would be tattoed like this??? Do you think he's a rescue horse????? Saw him on the beach this weekend in Lewis Delaware....


We had a quarter horse once we bought from TX, he had brands ALL OVER... He didn't have a name when we got him but he had a big "142" on butt, so we called him 142 or "2" for short. LOL He had a "D" on his cheek, and something on his shoulder but I do not remember what. 

So the thought of a ranch horse makes sense to me, yes ranches do still brand for identification. 

What was REALLY funny.... we sold or sent 142 off to be sold, he didn't cut the mustard for what we needed. YEARS later I am riding at the barn I was riding at when I had Pete. Jan my trainer says "go look in that stall", and points I walk over, look in and there in that stall is a gray quarter horse with a big 142 on him. Yup our old friend came back! I think our stall cleaner bought him. I don't remember how he ended up there but too funny.... small world. 

Another small horse world story... I used to work in Canada, at Jimmy Elder's farm. He had an old hunt mare that belonged to his father, whom he had bred. The mares name was Samantha, the foal Tabitha. She was a cute bay filly, white star, and some white on her ankles. This would have been in the early 80's. Fast forward, it is now early 90's and we have a 4H family at the barn who has a "Canadian Hunter" named Tabitha. Bay mare, white star, white on the ankles, age appropriate. I ALWAYS wondered if that was Samatha's daughter. They did not know the history on the mare. Both Jan and I think it was probably her.


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