I was watching the western channel today on Directv and really noticed all the old time horses. My thoughts are they aren't the best put together horses but didn't they all look substantial and therefore, hopefully sound?
I just read where a lady went back into her horse's pedigree and found all sorts of horses that looked like a 'committee horse' but yet her horse was a very nice horse. I'm wondering if these old time horses had as many soundness problems as you hear about today.
From my experience with the older types of committee horses, they were pretty much sound and stayed that way. They weren't pretty by todays standards but if they stayed sound, that's a pretty horse to me!
Just one of those wondering things I think about... :-)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Legging Up Your Saddle Horse
Welp, it's that time of year again when it's actually FUN to go to the barn and not freeze your buns off or sweat with the oldies.
So, it's been over a month since I forked my crabby mare and today I threw the saddle up there, untracked and hopped on. Well, 'hopped on' might not be the exact way I did it but I clambered up there, much to my mare's annoyance. Deal with it, sweetie...
Anywho, she was a little like riding a hay wagon that needs a tune-up. Knowing my Princess the way I do, when she's uber fresh, it's not a good idea to take off cross-country unless I have an ambulance following fairly close behind so I stuck it out in the large pen I keep her in.
After about 15 minutes or so, I saw a hint of sweat in the triangle of her neck. Good. So I egged it up to a bit of trotting and then back to walking, mainly walking. Most of the time she was a good girl, a bit of the time she was the Wicked Witch of the West. We had a couple of 'discussions' of which I came out the victor and she capitulated. I admit, I called her a few unladylike names and questioned her ancestry, such as was there a donkey in there somewhere??
By and large, we did well though. I had to really work at keeping her ear on me as she found untold things to look at on top of the mountains. I did so many figure 8's and stops and backs and serpentines that I lost count. Bending was practically unheard of as she preferred to dive into turns and my inside leg got some good workouts. As an aside, I don't wear spurs but use lots of my calves.
When I felt she was doing well and had a nice sweat going, I quit on her and just sat there. She tried to count and I popped her one and she didn't try again.
When I went out to feed this evening, she was definitely subdued. Tomorrow we'll go again and if she's a bit better than today, we won't do as much and it'll be an easy day. Since she's not cooped up in a stall and can romp and play as much as she likes, she's in decent shape but needs to strengthen her legs and back muscles.
It'll come, it'll come. Now, get out there and ride, everyone!!
So, it's been over a month since I forked my crabby mare and today I threw the saddle up there, untracked and hopped on. Well, 'hopped on' might not be the exact way I did it but I clambered up there, much to my mare's annoyance. Deal with it, sweetie...
Anywho, she was a little like riding a hay wagon that needs a tune-up. Knowing my Princess the way I do, when she's uber fresh, it's not a good idea to take off cross-country unless I have an ambulance following fairly close behind so I stuck it out in the large pen I keep her in.
After about 15 minutes or so, I saw a hint of sweat in the triangle of her neck. Good. So I egged it up to a bit of trotting and then back to walking, mainly walking. Most of the time she was a good girl, a bit of the time she was the Wicked Witch of the West. We had a couple of 'discussions' of which I came out the victor and she capitulated. I admit, I called her a few unladylike names and questioned her ancestry, such as was there a donkey in there somewhere??
By and large, we did well though. I had to really work at keeping her ear on me as she found untold things to look at on top of the mountains. I did so many figure 8's and stops and backs and serpentines that I lost count. Bending was practically unheard of as she preferred to dive into turns and my inside leg got some good workouts. As an aside, I don't wear spurs but use lots of my calves.
When I felt she was doing well and had a nice sweat going, I quit on her and just sat there. She tried to count and I popped her one and she didn't try again.
When I went out to feed this evening, she was definitely subdued. Tomorrow we'll go again and if she's a bit better than today, we won't do as much and it'll be an easy day. Since she's not cooped up in a stall and can romp and play as much as she likes, she's in decent shape but needs to strengthen her legs and back muscles.
It'll come, it'll come. Now, get out there and ride, everyone!!
This Is Not Training, This Is Abuse
This post is especially aimed at the newbie horse owners out there. I can't tell you how important it is to know about this.
Anytime you send a horse out for training of any sort, if you get the horse back and he's skin and bones, looks like something out of Ethiopia, then your horse has been severely abused. If you sent feed with him to the trainers and he still looks like this, then the 'trainer' fed his own horses with the feed.
A lot of substandard 'trainers' will starve a horse down so the horse doesn't act up with them. They are basically afraid of the horse and this is a power play to get the upper hand with the horse. Ok, so the horse runs out of energy and doesn't feel like pitching or acting up, but when you get him home and pour the feed to him, guess what will happen?? That non-training will show up and you'll have some bigger problems than you started with.
A true trainer actually TRAINS the horse to do something, not starve him down so he won't do something.
After you've sent a horse to a trainers (hopefully, you checked references and did a site check), he may come back a smidge thinner but way fitter, not a sad sack of bones. When you start riding a colt, they do tend to lose ONLY a little due to the extra work and some stress. That's normal. The breed may have something to do with it but it's not a breaking point. Even if he loses a bit, when you get him home and settled him and keep on riding him, he'll come back to normal but fitter.
I couldn't WAIT to post about this. I just found out today that a filly I used to own is in this predicament right now. There is a back-story to this and suffice it to say, I've straightened everyone out properly!! I don't think I made any friends today at all but I don't give a damn. Poor filly!!
My main point today is to let newbie horse owners know, this skin and bones stuff is NOT normal and a decent trainer will not do this to any horse. Please check trainer references and do site checks. Really, really look at the horses in training. Don't fall for a plethora of excuses such as 'he was thin when he came' and 'he's been sick for a few weeks' and so forth. There might be a horse or two who doesn't look spiffy but by and large, the majority of horses-in-training will look good.
If you have a problem with an ignorant wanna-be, refer their butts to this site. I'll straighten 'em out!!
Anytime you send a horse out for training of any sort, if you get the horse back and he's skin and bones, looks like something out of Ethiopia, then your horse has been severely abused. If you sent feed with him to the trainers and he still looks like this, then the 'trainer' fed his own horses with the feed.
A lot of substandard 'trainers' will starve a horse down so the horse doesn't act up with them. They are basically afraid of the horse and this is a power play to get the upper hand with the horse. Ok, so the horse runs out of energy and doesn't feel like pitching or acting up, but when you get him home and pour the feed to him, guess what will happen?? That non-training will show up and you'll have some bigger problems than you started with.
A true trainer actually TRAINS the horse to do something, not starve him down so he won't do something.
After you've sent a horse to a trainers (hopefully, you checked references and did a site check), he may come back a smidge thinner but way fitter, not a sad sack of bones. When you start riding a colt, they do tend to lose ONLY a little due to the extra work and some stress. That's normal. The breed may have something to do with it but it's not a breaking point. Even if he loses a bit, when you get him home and settled him and keep on riding him, he'll come back to normal but fitter.
I couldn't WAIT to post about this. I just found out today that a filly I used to own is in this predicament right now. There is a back-story to this and suffice it to say, I've straightened everyone out properly!! I don't think I made any friends today at all but I don't give a damn. Poor filly!!
My main point today is to let newbie horse owners know, this skin and bones stuff is NOT normal and a decent trainer will not do this to any horse. Please check trainer references and do site checks. Really, really look at the horses in training. Don't fall for a plethora of excuses such as 'he was thin when he came' and 'he's been sick for a few weeks' and so forth. There might be a horse or two who doesn't look spiffy but by and large, the majority of horses-in-training will look good.
If you have a problem with an ignorant wanna-be, refer their butts to this site. I'll straighten 'em out!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Does A Horse's Color Affect Their Temperament?
Okie dokie, I've been doing a bit of research, yes, even with my friggin' dial-up internet. I hope you appreciate my efforts on your behalf for this blog! (Do you feel appropriately guilty yet? hehehe...)
Okay, that's out of the way. That's my lame excuse for a joke, back to business...
I googled and did an ask.com search and it appears to me, that it's 6 of one and half dozen of the other about whether the color indicates temperament.
In my experience, I say, 'yes, it does' but a lot of the official research that I found refutes that. Usually I can find all sorts of experts in the horse field who know better than the rest of us but my personal findings differ greatly...and this is sure one that does!
It seems to me, overall and not in every case, that the wilder colored Appys with a base color of chestnut or red are a bit more opinionated than the subdued colored Appys. Of course, you have to take into account the bloodlines and how they've been raised/trained but overall, that's the way it seems to me.
Line-back duns seem a little more 'forceful' to me. Certain grullas are working sonuvaguns on ranches and very workmanlike and don't tolerate 'loving and petting'. Bays seem to go along to get along a lot of the time. Their skin seems to be thinner to me. Sorrels are tuff little rascals. I'm not sure about true blacks.
Then again, if you read the stuff on the 'net, the articles say it isn't so. One old-time article from over 60 years ago says that color does indicate temperament. I have friends who prefer certain colors for whatever reason.
Certainly, I can't solve the quandry here but this is something that interests me intensely. I'll keep checking into it and report back anything I learn.
Okay, that's out of the way. That's my lame excuse for a joke, back to business...
I googled and did an ask.com search and it appears to me, that it's 6 of one and half dozen of the other about whether the color indicates temperament.
In my experience, I say, 'yes, it does' but a lot of the official research that I found refutes that. Usually I can find all sorts of experts in the horse field who know better than the rest of us but my personal findings differ greatly...and this is sure one that does!
It seems to me, overall and not in every case, that the wilder colored Appys with a base color of chestnut or red are a bit more opinionated than the subdued colored Appys. Of course, you have to take into account the bloodlines and how they've been raised/trained but overall, that's the way it seems to me.
Line-back duns seem a little more 'forceful' to me. Certain grullas are working sonuvaguns on ranches and very workmanlike and don't tolerate 'loving and petting'. Bays seem to go along to get along a lot of the time. Their skin seems to be thinner to me. Sorrels are tuff little rascals. I'm not sure about true blacks.
Then again, if you read the stuff on the 'net, the articles say it isn't so. One old-time article from over 60 years ago says that color does indicate temperament. I have friends who prefer certain colors for whatever reason.
Certainly, I can't solve the quandry here but this is something that interests me intensely. I'll keep checking into it and report back anything I learn.
Goldfish In The Horse's Water Tank
Yup, goldfish in the tank. I almost always have a small boatload of the cheapie goldfish in my horse tanks.
Didja know that if you put about 10 or so in a 100 gallon tank, they will keep the green ookie from growing on the sides and bottom of the tank? The little swimmers will keep your tank from looking like something from the Amazon or the Black Lagoon. The best part is you don't have to feed them. They have a smorgasbord right smack-dab in front of them all the time.
Actually, the green ookie (it's really algae but left to it's own devices will grow out of control) is good for your horse(s). It produces iodine. I don't know how and that's why google is your friend, so you can ask there.
I usually buy at least 10 fishies. Usually, about 5-7 will die quickly and the rest will thrive. It's sort of survival of the fittest or the strongest. I used to buy them at Walmart for about 10 cents. Now they are about 28 cents. The best place to buy is The Grange. I bought 20 for a 1000 gallon tank and do you know, not one of the boogers has died yet?? Oh, and they cost a whopping 8 cents apiece!! Bingo!!!
What you have to do is to buy them the last thing before you go to the barn. You have to tie the top shut so you don't slosh a goldie on the floorboard but it also limits the amount of oxygen for them to 'breathe'. So beat it to the barn as soon as you pay for them. Then when at the tank, set the 'balloon' in the water and carefully open the top. Let the water in the fish bag come/go to the same temp as the water in the tank. After about 30 minutes or so, gently tip the bag over and let the little varmints swim out.
If some are going to go belly-up, you'll see them the next morning. If you put them in too quickly and then dump them, you'll see the carcasses immediately. But, for some reason, in my case, not one has died!
Oh, and another thing, since it can be really hard to see the fish in the bottom of the tank, buy only the brightest gold ones you can. Or if you see some that are almost white. Then you can kind of judge where they are and just in case you lose a fish to a bird, you can still sort of keep count. The dark brownish ones are fine in a pinch, just harder to see. Actually, damn near impossible...except you might see something go squirting by, then you can assume it's the brown one(s).
They will grow if they survive. In my case, if they all survive and grow, I may have to thin the herd a bit but I was thinking of starting up my aquarium anyway. At 8 cents apiece, I think that's a pretty good deal!
As an aside, if your tank is smaller and it's easy to see the bottom of the tank, make sure your horse is A-okay with the fish in the water thing. At first, he might snort if he sees something finny swimming away quickly but he'll get over it pretty quick. If he has any sense, he'll know he needs water when he gets thirsty. I'm saying this because some horses don't appreciate your efforts but they will come to accept it. Don't panic on your part!
Now, get out there and ride!! :-)
Didja know that if you put about 10 or so in a 100 gallon tank, they will keep the green ookie from growing on the sides and bottom of the tank? The little swimmers will keep your tank from looking like something from the Amazon or the Black Lagoon. The best part is you don't have to feed them. They have a smorgasbord right smack-dab in front of them all the time.
Actually, the green ookie (it's really algae but left to it's own devices will grow out of control) is good for your horse(s). It produces iodine. I don't know how and that's why google is your friend, so you can ask there.
I usually buy at least 10 fishies. Usually, about 5-7 will die quickly and the rest will thrive. It's sort of survival of the fittest or the strongest. I used to buy them at Walmart for about 10 cents. Now they are about 28 cents. The best place to buy is The Grange. I bought 20 for a 1000 gallon tank and do you know, not one of the boogers has died yet?? Oh, and they cost a whopping 8 cents apiece!! Bingo!!!
What you have to do is to buy them the last thing before you go to the barn. You have to tie the top shut so you don't slosh a goldie on the floorboard but it also limits the amount of oxygen for them to 'breathe'. So beat it to the barn as soon as you pay for them. Then when at the tank, set the 'balloon' in the water and carefully open the top. Let the water in the fish bag come/go to the same temp as the water in the tank. After about 30 minutes or so, gently tip the bag over and let the little varmints swim out.
If some are going to go belly-up, you'll see them the next morning. If you put them in too quickly and then dump them, you'll see the carcasses immediately. But, for some reason, in my case, not one has died!
Oh, and another thing, since it can be really hard to see the fish in the bottom of the tank, buy only the brightest gold ones you can. Or if you see some that are almost white. Then you can kind of judge where they are and just in case you lose a fish to a bird, you can still sort of keep count. The dark brownish ones are fine in a pinch, just harder to see. Actually, damn near impossible...except you might see something go squirting by, then you can assume it's the brown one(s).
They will grow if they survive. In my case, if they all survive and grow, I may have to thin the herd a bit but I was thinking of starting up my aquarium anyway. At 8 cents apiece, I think that's a pretty good deal!
As an aside, if your tank is smaller and it's easy to see the bottom of the tank, make sure your horse is A-okay with the fish in the water thing. At first, he might snort if he sees something finny swimming away quickly but he'll get over it pretty quick. If he has any sense, he'll know he needs water when he gets thirsty. I'm saying this because some horses don't appreciate your efforts but they will come to accept it. Don't panic on your part!
Now, get out there and ride!! :-)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A 'Plunk'-er Horse And The Older Rider
Oh, this is just about the last thing I want to think of but nature is forcing me, dammit all to hell!
Age is about the get the best of me and no amount of ibuprofen or Aleve will block the aches and pains on a body that has been abused and misused most of my life. Getting tossed off colts and jerked around by studs who thought they ruled the roost and having horses trip and fall down and foals who kicked me and falling off the barn roof (don't ask) and missing the fence that I was trying to bail over and falling down and getting pawed in the face by a bratty filly and that calf I was trying to brand didn't want to cooperate and...you get the picture, right?? All this stuff over a lifetime has really done a number on the ol' bod.
Now I have a nice mare who is well trained and will move off my leg and a smidge of rein and can stop and give you change...well, there are sure times I wished I had a plunker type horse instead. My mare has to be ridden, not passengered on. As a rule, I sneer, absolutely SNEER at plunker horses but the time is getting close that a plunker is looking pretty frickin' good. I think I'm having my come-uppance of sorts. The thing I despise is something that I'm realizing I may NEED. What a spot to be in!
I will deal with it though. I'll try to do it with dignity. I may not succeed but I'm going to try. I'm pretty sure, no, damn sure, there will be more of this as time progresses. My body is accepting a bit more than my brain wants to at this point.
Wouldn't it be nice, my body says, to have a plunker horse to go out and just slap a saddle on and boogey down the road without having everything perfect? Yep, it would, my brain is still in horsewoman mode and being proper.
So, without futher ado, I'll let this go for now and update when some new gem thought hits me about this. Maybe this is a progression that has to happen, maybe it happens to most other older riders too, although no one has said much. Maybe they are like me and slightly embarrassed to admit to physical shortcomings.
Sucks to be me right now...*sigh*...
Age is about the get the best of me and no amount of ibuprofen or Aleve will block the aches and pains on a body that has been abused and misused most of my life. Getting tossed off colts and jerked around by studs who thought they ruled the roost and having horses trip and fall down and foals who kicked me and falling off the barn roof (don't ask) and missing the fence that I was trying to bail over and falling down and getting pawed in the face by a bratty filly and that calf I was trying to brand didn't want to cooperate and...you get the picture, right?? All this stuff over a lifetime has really done a number on the ol' bod.
Now I have a nice mare who is well trained and will move off my leg and a smidge of rein and can stop and give you change...well, there are sure times I wished I had a plunker type horse instead. My mare has to be ridden, not passengered on. As a rule, I sneer, absolutely SNEER at plunker horses but the time is getting close that a plunker is looking pretty frickin' good. I think I'm having my come-uppance of sorts. The thing I despise is something that I'm realizing I may NEED. What a spot to be in!
I will deal with it though. I'll try to do it with dignity. I may not succeed but I'm going to try. I'm pretty sure, no, damn sure, there will be more of this as time progresses. My body is accepting a bit more than my brain wants to at this point.
Wouldn't it be nice, my body says, to have a plunker horse to go out and just slap a saddle on and boogey down the road without having everything perfect? Yep, it would, my brain is still in horsewoman mode and being proper.
So, without futher ado, I'll let this go for now and update when some new gem thought hits me about this. Maybe this is a progression that has to happen, maybe it happens to most other older riders too, although no one has said much. Maybe they are like me and slightly embarrassed to admit to physical shortcomings.
Sucks to be me right now...*sigh*...
No Need For The Vet...Yes!!!
Yesterday or so, I was watching RFD-TV and came upon Clinton Anderson's clinic from Waco.
Long story short...some guys horse decided to lay down with him and the guy just lets the horse lay down!! No opening a can of whoop-ass on the horse, just lets the horse lay down. The guy crawls out from underneath. CA (my pet name for Clinton) rides over, hops off his ride, practically shoves the guy aside, forks the downed horse and proceeds to whop some hair off the horse with an over-and-under movement of the reins...the horse is soooo surprised that he jumps up and lopes off. CA eggs him on and calls him a fat pig, the horse, I mean, not the paying customer.
Anywho, you can tell that CA is a bit annoyed but then he says this gem (not a perfect quote but close 'nuf), "Now some lady, if this were her horse, would be worried about the horse and wanting her husband to call the vet." Yep, I can just see that in my minds eye. Horsie doesn't want to do something and lays down. Panicky owner thinks something is wrong because everyone has been told for YEARS that 'horses don't lie' and so this horse is saying something is wrong.
You betcha something is wrong. Horse is a PITA and needs some whoop-ass out of a can! I'm telling you, I was soooo proud and finally HAPPY that someone actually, on TV no less, corrected a PITA horse in front of God and everyone. As an aside, CA got a good ovation from the crowd. That's great but really, an ovation for making a horse mind?? That kind of stuck in my craw but anyway, it was great to show people that you are the pilot and horsie does what YOU want, not the other way around and no vet is needed for a recalcitrant bratty horse.
Oh, Happy Day!!!
Long story short...some guys horse decided to lay down with him and the guy just lets the horse lay down!! No opening a can of whoop-ass on the horse, just lets the horse lay down. The guy crawls out from underneath. CA (my pet name for Clinton) rides over, hops off his ride, practically shoves the guy aside, forks the downed horse and proceeds to whop some hair off the horse with an over-and-under movement of the reins...the horse is soooo surprised that he jumps up and lopes off. CA eggs him on and calls him a fat pig, the horse, I mean, not the paying customer.
Anywho, you can tell that CA is a bit annoyed but then he says this gem (not a perfect quote but close 'nuf), "Now some lady, if this were her horse, would be worried about the horse and wanting her husband to call the vet." Yep, I can just see that in my minds eye. Horsie doesn't want to do something and lays down. Panicky owner thinks something is wrong because everyone has been told for YEARS that 'horses don't lie' and so this horse is saying something is wrong.
You betcha something is wrong. Horse is a PITA and needs some whoop-ass out of a can! I'm telling you, I was soooo proud and finally HAPPY that someone actually, on TV no less, corrected a PITA horse in front of God and everyone. As an aside, CA got a good ovation from the crowd. That's great but really, an ovation for making a horse mind?? That kind of stuck in my craw but anyway, it was great to show people that you are the pilot and horsie does what YOU want, not the other way around and no vet is needed for a recalcitrant bratty horse.
Oh, Happy Day!!!
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