The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 11

[HairOfTheDog]

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread TEN

New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Did you notice the trees? I’m starting to worry that that freeze we had may have killed some of them. It’s funny how some didn’t get affected at all, some have started putting out new leaves now, and some just look dead.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I see the trees now... Oh dear. I hope they’re just behind.

[MissTargets]

Pasture looks good. We opened up our yesterday. Bodie and Jody went out for a few hours, then it was PJ and Biscuit's turn. The grass grew pretty well, but not like the lawn does, so I didn't worry too much about them being out there for long.

The greenhouse was packed and we got there a half hour before they were suppose to open. Over 30 big greenhouses! They must supply a lot of other vendors, because there were row after row of plants that had "Sold" signs on them. I bought a quite a few large Geraniums pots for my front porch and quite a few other plants. You could just go crazy there.

[MissTargets]

HYPP N/H horses, solid or with little color that he wins with at the Nationals and the World.

It is sad, but those are the bloodlines that win at the big shows. Especially, the halter lines. Not too sure about ApHC, but the AQHA is banning registering the HYPP horses in the near future. Amy had to send in hair samples for Biscuit before they registered her.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I’m thinking the trees not leafing out yet may be the ones that don’t have a good root system. Solid rock is so close to the surface that the roots on most of them don’t go to far down. I’m wondering if that has something to do with it. I would sure hate to lose that many.

Well I’ve used a full tank of gas, so I’m done for the day. If I do a tank a day, I can get it mostly all done in about 4 days.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

That’s a pretty good measurement. A tank of gas is about the right amount of exercise for one day :~)

[Duchess47]

Odd about the trees. I’ve got several in my yard that haven’t even started to leaf out. They look dead and they aren’t new trees, a couple of them have been in ten years. It’s the coldest winter we’ve had in a good while but they should have been able to handle it. Hoping they are just slow.

[Duchess47]

The ApHC is also planning to do that. The biggest problem are breeders that breed that consistantly (like the guy in Georgia and a breeder near here) and judges that pick them over anything else. Very depressing.

[Beaker]

I’m an ex 4-Her so I know oodles about fitting and showmanship. (And actually, they don’t all get ribbons) ;-) Fitting and showmanship is exactly like a halter class. You’re judged on turnout (fitting) and how you show your animal and how he moves (showmanship) With horses, it’s manditory that you clip/braid your horse’s mane and tail yourself. Of course, plenty of people cheat. :-p Is she a Cloverbud, Jr. or Senior? The cloverbuds all get ribbons, that’s true. The seniors and Jrs. place 1-6.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks for the details :~)

I don’t really know... She’s 9 or 10...

[Beaker]

Hi there everyone.

Just got back from the barn. Had a great ride, and the boy that I took is going to start taking riding lessons the weekend after next. Score! We stuck him on a horse today and he was in heaven, then we had him do odd little things around the barn and he couldn't be happier.

Then the barn group went out to lunch, and that was nice. We also went to look at properties because my trainer rents hers and there's rumor about the people who own it selling. We're all worried and the thought of having to leave makes me physically ill. Properties around here are astronomical, and if my trainer still teachs, she'll have to do it out of someone else's barn at worst, which has me worried because if they don't have lesson horses, I don't know what I'm going to do. This is all "what-if" but it's going to happen eventually, and argh... just... argh.

[Beaker]

She’s a Junior then. Competition can be pretty stiff. :-)

[HairOfTheDog]

Don’t panic.

Glad the kid had a great ride today :~) That’s not nice of you :~D

[Duchess47]

Sounds like you had a great day :)

As my grandmother used to say - don't borrow trouble. Maybe the rumor's are just rumors and they won't sell. And it's possible that you might end up with your own horse, and you and your trainer end up at a barn that's just as nice as the one you are currently at.

[Beaker]

That’s not nice of you :~D

What's not nice of me? (confused) :-)

[HairOfTheDog]

Getting the kid hooked on horses!

You said yourself the boy’s mother was less than enthused about the whole thing :~)

[Beaker]

As my grandmother used to say - don't borrow trouble.
There's been talk of it for a while, but this is the first time we've ever gone to look at properties, so it has everyone alarmed because it makes it more real. But for now I'm just going to enjoy things while they're still here. I've come up with two ideas as to where we could go if we had to up and move. My trainer is going to call about them next week.

[Duchess47]

It sounds like you’ll end up with a small helper wherever you go - at least provided the mother agrees to pay for the boy’s lessons. You might end up being the mentor for a future champion.

[Beaker]

Getting the kid hooked on horses!

I feel pretty good about it... is that wrong? (grin) He was hooked before I had anything to do with it, I'm just enabling it now. :-) Mom was a little more enthusiastic once she saw the place/met the trainer and saw that her kid was still in once piece when she picked him up.

[Beaker]

Actually he's paying for his own lessons, so I'm really impressed. He wants this really badly.

You might end up being the mentor for a future champion.
That's fine by me! :-)