Search found 1681 matches
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:24 am
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
- Replies: 28
- Views: 711
Re: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
and horses only live so long. Get going :) I've always thought of horses as a much longer term project than what I could accomplish with one horse, which meant that I thought of each horse as an opportunity to learn more so that I could apply that knowledge to my next horse, rather than as the one ...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 6:04 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
- Replies: 28
- Views: 711
Re: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
I do not feel old tired and grateful that I am no longer young and energetic. Since you claim everyone who sticks with horses feels this way, I simply disagreed. That was "just about everyone", not everyone. Where my young/energetic/driven comment came from is that if you ask older people...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:48 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
- Replies: 28
- Views: 711
Re: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
Dressage? Horse riding in general? I think that observation might apply to horses in general, but maybe dressage in particular? The part I'm unsure about is how one 'earns' the success. Do they have to pull a starving horse off the feed lot and manage some success without instruction in order to ha...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:19 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
- Replies: 28
- Views: 711
Re: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
Chisamba wrote:Kande, I honestly do not think many people follow the path you describe.
So in an attempt to be more positive, how would you describe the path that you think most people follow?
IOW, instead of simply disagreeing, how about offering your take on the path that you feel most follow?
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:15 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
- Replies: 28
- Views: 711
Re: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
The trick, for me anyway, is figuring out how to be kind without losing effectiveness... I think one of the ways to be kinder is to take more time, so that each step is smaller and therefore easier to achieve. That often does involve a shift in the perception of what constitutes achievement, but wh...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:04 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
- Replies: 28
- Views: 711
Re: In a world where you can be anything..be kind to yourself
Fortunately, my attitude about my hobbies is that if I have to spend a large chunk of my assets to up my chances of being "successful" at them, then I wouldn't actually be successful because I would have bought that "success" instead of earning it. And when it comes to horses I'v...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:23 am
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
I'm in a similar situation. I don't know how to fix it though, and I think it may not be fixable. Trainer is gone now and I have no help. As much as I like my trainer, he wasn't addressing what I think needs to be addressed. Even though I'm just a lowly AA, I have in the past been right about thing...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:11 am
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
Ouch! Sporting a lovely bruise (partial hoof print) on my hip. Was working Rip in hand and he spooked bucked and kicked out. Caught me pretty good with his toe, not full hoof thankfully. Ibuprofen for the foreseeable future. Pretty sore in that hip joint. Not surprising, he is known to fling feet a...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:57 am
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Do you always tell you SO when you have an oops or a close call with the horses?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 430
Re: Do you always tell you SO when you have an oops or a close call with the horses?
He's had his share of close calls and serious horse related injuries too, and accepts that there's some additional risk associated with horses. His last significant injury wasn't even horse related (slipped on the ice), so whenever one of us gets injured we've just been grateful that it wasn't any w...
- Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:07 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
khall wrote:MC I do think Tsavo is banned, not just time out. She was given a time out and still was crying foul, Chancelor said bye bye which I took to mean she is banned.
One thing we can depend on in moderated groups is that the babies will be thrown out with the bath water.
- Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:37 am
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
Steady connection is the challenge. I also prefer that the loose ring gives me better feel. Really, she goes about the same in both if I ride properly! lol My horse's bridle was in the house so I put a different bridle on him the other day. It had some kind of a Myler snaffle on it, which was a lit...
- Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:46 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
After decades of riding by myself I recently started riding with a couple of friends, and I think I get what you mean MC, because when I'm on a roll I hate to stop even though I know I'm probably intimidating my riding partners. I keep telling them that they don't need to stop or get out of my way b...
- Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:33 pm
- Forum: Rider health and fitness
- Topic: Accountability
- Replies: 131
- Views: 4735
Re: Accountability
There is no help for loose skin, especially when older. Except of course, for the knife. I've heard that lifting weights can build muscle and help fill loose skin back out again, but I'm not convinced enough to start lifting weights. Nor do I mind the loose skin enough to do anything about it, alth...
- Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:23 pm
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Obligatory blanketing post
- Replies: 18
- Views: 517
Re: Obligatory blanketing post
The shortest day of the year is almost upon us. Wouldn't you think then that this is the thickest the coat is going to get? I think the shorter days may trigger more growth, but if so, there could be a delay between triggering and the production of enough additional hair to be noticeable? Or maybe ...
- Thu Dec 06, 2018 3:23 pm
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Obligatory blanketing post
- Replies: 18
- Views: 517
Re: Obligatory blanketing post
I'm in a fairly cold and snowy part of New England and don't clip nor blanket, but each horse has access to his own run-in so none of them are outside without shelter unless they want to be. What I've noticed is that the winter coats start out modest, but then get thicker, so even though it seems li...
- Thu Dec 06, 2018 3:04 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: In which I'm reminded how much horse shopping sucks!
- Replies: 301
- Views: 8954
Re: In which I'm reminded how much horse shopping sucks!
I wouldn't go out looking for a gray, but the one I had is now back at her breeders, is 24, and has a visible melanoma under her tail but is still healthy otherwise. Her dam was also gray and lived into her 20's, but then started having recurring colics which may or may not have been melanoma related.
- Tue Dec 04, 2018 5:20 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: Things you will never be able to do & Problems you will never be able to solve
- Replies: 60
- Views: 1962
Re: Things you will never be able to do & Problems you will never be able to solve
I never got anywhere close to 5', but when I look at some of the things I've jumped, I cringe. I now cringe at a lot of what I did when I was young and fearless, and am grateful that I survived it and got to a better place. I'm sure my horses would be grateful too, if they had any conception of wha...
- Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:54 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
...am I too protective to not want to haul her once a week? I worry about ulcers with that much hauling. And it’s not just the physical part of ulcers, but the emotional part. Welcome to my world. I never used to worry about any of this stuff, but then when I realized what had likely been going on ...
- Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:15 pm
- Forum: Young Horse Forum
- Topic: Class of 2013?
- Replies: 172
- Views: 16270
Re: Class of 2013?
Ponichiwa wrote:
I've also gone full-stock horse and just impulse-bought a dressage saddle with tooling
Had to google that.

- Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:26 am
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: Things you will never be able to do & Problems you will never be able to solve
- Replies: 60
- Views: 1962
Re: Things you will never be able to do & Problems you will never be able to solve
I guess someone showing cares, but since I don't anymore, I am resigned to be happy with what my horse is able to give me. My mule is 23 years old and he was born here, and in spite of the fact that he's out of a Halflinger mare who prefers to extend her trot rather than canter, he prefers to cante...
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 3:34 pm
- Forum: Rider health and fitness
- Topic: Accountability
- Replies: 131
- Views: 4735
Re: Accountability
Been having more trouble getting motivated to ride enough, so started walking and skiing more. Still consuming too much sugar, salt and fat, but added more veggies and beans to help dilute them.
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 3:11 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Have you ever found full siblings to your horse? How similar/dissimilar are they?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 828
Re: Have you ever found full siblings to your horse? How similar/dissimilar are they?
I have a pair of full sibling mules, born 10 years apart. The younger one has much better conformation than the older one, but pretty much the same disposition.
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 2:56 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
OTOH, I'm on a barefoot trimming FB group, and they're asking how to convince cheap owners that they need to come out more frequently than every 8 weeks. It is seriously disturbing how long horses can get with most people thinking it's totally fine. 7 weeks is nothing. I have trouble convincing tho...
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 2:47 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
I wouldn't ride all winter if I did that... neoprene ear muffs do a pretty good job, but he didn't get them yesterday! One of the many perks of being retired is that there's no pressure to ride until the snow is done sliding off the roof. If I really want to ride I can ride one of the calmer horses...
- Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:14 am
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
- Replies: 332
- Views: 9601
Re: The last sextal (bi month) of 2018. November, December goals and training orogress
Laddie was a wild man on the lunge for the vet's assistant this morning--especially once that foot was blocked. I don't lunge him often and it showed--especially with the roofalanches… I don't even put my horse in the indoor when the snow is sliding because I'm too worried that he'll hurt himself. ...
- Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:00 am
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: magnesium-- does it actually matter what kind you buy?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 389
Re: magnesium-- does it actually matter what kind you buy?
My suggestion would be to try a month or two on something else and see how your horse does. If he doesn't respond well, go back to magrestore. Or better yet, get your BO or someone else to randomly feed the MgO for a couple of months, switch to another form of it, and take the horse off it without ...
- Thu Nov 29, 2018 7:22 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Saying no without being a jerk. Or not.
- Replies: 31
- Views: 915
Re: Saying no without being a jerk. Or not.
I am sorry, but there is being nice and offering help when you can, and being taken advantage of. I know this from experience and having to learn to say no was very, very, hard for me... I've been so tempted to take in a boarder so many times, and especially when I'm spending a lot of time with som...
- Tue Nov 27, 2018 11:21 am
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Saying no without being a jerk. Or not.
- Replies: 31
- Views: 915
Re: Saying no without being a jerk. Or not.
Course you probably should have taken the opportunity when he was unwilling to turn your horse out and said, "Well if this isn't going to be a symbiotic relationship then don't keep asking me to help you with your horse".
- Sat Nov 24, 2018 3:58 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: Good video on tense horses
- Replies: 17
- Views: 696
Re: Good video on tense horses
This video reminds me of my post - No Walk. It certainly has taken me more than a week to get a walk and now a nice trot. luckily, my mare did not buck, she just jigged and jigged. We are petty much past that, but when I first get on, she still wants to Go. What has worked is really bending her and...
- Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:21 am
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Laminitis
- Replies: 9
- Views: 372
Re: Laminitis
Soft Ride boots!! They're a life saver for laminitis, and can really help prevent rotation. Get the turquoise/purple gel inserts for laminitis. Act fast, if you delay it's too late. The advice used to be to tape styrofoam pads to the bottom of the hoof immediately, because when it comes to preventi...
- Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:11 am
- Forum: Senior Horses/Senior Riders
- Topic: Seniors...will you buy another when....
- Replies: 136
- Views: 23116
Re: Seniors...will you buy another when....
Srhorselady wrote:I’m waiting to ride until I get back from an out of state Thanksgiving trip. It’s quite exhilarating!
It is, which I suppose is why we keep finding ways to continue to do it!
Congrats on the new pony, and I'm looking forward to hearing more as you get to know him/her better.
- Mon Nov 19, 2018 6:56 pm
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Laminitis
- Replies: 9
- Views: 372
Re: Laminitis
Anyway, what's the latest scoop/treatment for laminitis? I don't know if they still do it, but it used to include sole support, to help prevent rotation. A friend's horse had Lyme related laminitis last summer and the vet confined the horse to a stall, with bedding, but never suggested taping on Li...
- Sun Nov 18, 2018 10:50 am
- Forum: Senior Horses/Senior Riders
- Topic: Senior progress thread?
- Replies: 273
- Views: 57453
Re: Senior progress thread?
We started some canter work, focusing on transitions..I'm really bad at down transitions .but alas winter is upon us and I haven't ridden since.. I had a brief lesson recently and realized that I need to work on transitions more, too. Not that I don't do any transitions, but for lack of imagination...
- Sat Nov 17, 2018 4:30 pm
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: Interesting read re learned helplessness
- Replies: 13
- Views: 621
Re: Interesting read re learned helplessness
Side reins are teaching contact, there is a certain kind if submission we *do* need in dressage, however, the horse should feel that it is being allowed an opinion and option. (now I don't like side reins as there is no give and it's not like the rider's dynamic contact) but to lump all things toge...
- Sat Nov 17, 2018 4:10 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
kande, I will be seeing a friend tomorrow who spends a lot of time out observing the wild horse herds around here. (She takes amazing photographs.) I will try to remember to ask her if she's seen horses run themselves into a lather and how they cope with it--I suspect that, for one thing, they are ...
- Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:40 pm
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Why acupuncture is complete nonsense
- Replies: 92
- Views: 2641
Re: Why acupuncture is complete nonsense
Chancellor wrote:
The stupid comment is what I draw from the "financial darwin awards" comment that Tsavo made.
So it was inferred rather than stated?
- Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:37 am
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
So Gallie's heavy coat did exactly what a cooler would, wick the moisture away from her body and dry her off. I'm sure the breeze helped. Gaila could not do this with the blanket on. I ended up putting a cooler on her to wick the sweat off. Juliet I left alone. I can see how putting anything on the...
- Fri Nov 16, 2018 8:39 am
- Forum: Dressage Training
- Topic: Interesting read re learned helplessness
- Replies: 13
- Views: 621
Re: Interesting read re learned helplessness
I just read the article and could hardly believe that the author was questioning whether it might be better to maintain a state of learned helplessness in a horse because that might make him more useful? I'm guessing that she doesn't really get that learned helplessness is maintained through punishm...
- Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:49 am
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
Ryeissa wrote:
I think you are really taking this discussion to a new level!
The point that moderator wannabes seem to miss is that it takes more than one to have a discussion.
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 9:27 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
You don't worry about airway damage? ;) I think they may regulate themselves when they have the choice. IOW, when their airways start burning they stop running. They may regulate cooling too, by choosing where and how long they move. Don't know, but if they damage themselves running it must heal, b...
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 7:05 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Winter is here....
- Replies: 23
- Views: 705
Re: Winter is here....
Real, fall out of the sky, snow not due until after Thanksgiving. I'm going to buy myself some decent snow shoes this winter and enjoy it when it comes! I started with snowshoes last winter, but then switched to X country skis, which are way more fun. We're flat though, so not as much danger of a w...
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 6:56 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
Ryeissa wrote:
This isn't even your thread, should we get back to the OT?
We certainly have that option.
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 6:45 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
Evaporation is a cooling process, it needs to be monitored in the winter/cold when we create a wet animal and then keep in relatively immobile. And I prefer not to put stable blankets on a wet horse = mold/mildew/skin crud. And, no, I would not turn a wet animal loose to run to warm itself up. Well...
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 6:15 pm
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Why acupuncture is complete nonsense
- Replies: 92
- Views: 2641
Re: Why acupuncture is complete nonsense
No, you won't. You are disagreeing with me that this was meant to be humor. Disagreement is fine. However, telling someone they are stupid because they don't agree with your point of view is not ok. Whether it was meant to be humor or not, I see nothing rude in any of it, nor did I catch the stupid...
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:29 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
Ryeissa wrote:
My horses' comfort is most important, I can't think that standing chilled is a positive thing. It's common sense.
My point is, are they chilled, or are we projecting?
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:24 pm
- Forum: The DDBB Cookbook Forum
- Topic: Potato and Bacon Soup
- Replies: 5
- Views: 238
Re: Potato and Bacon Soup
silk wrote:Excellent.
I shall be making this as soon as the pressure cooker is back in action (I make stock, never buy it).
I've got the neighbors (family) trained to bring me their roast chicken/turkey carcasses, which I then boil up for stock. We use most of it for gravy--which makes good soup, too.
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:12 pm
- Forum: Veterinary, Nutrition, Grooming & Farrier Questions
- Topic: Why acupuncture is complete nonsense
- Replies: 92
- Views: 2641
Re: Why acupuncture is complete nonsense
Well so what? I don't understand what appears to be animosity against someone that wants to post an opinion on a product, procedure, training method or anything else having to do with horses. All would be well and good if it was something most here accepted. After all, this is a 'discussion forum' ...
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 2:47 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
IMO it is not worth the risk of horse getting sick if you have the means to avoid it. My guy gets a thick coat so I trace clip him and apply blanket(s). A wet sweaty horse takes a while to dry - so use a cooler and avoid a vet bill is my tactic. But my point is, do they get sick, or are we just ima...
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 2:35 pm
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
Ryeissa wrote:
Nope, not buying it. Try this when its -10f like I get.
You get your horse all sweated up when it's -10F?
What do you do if the horse gets himself all sweated up running out in pasture and you're not home?
- Thu Nov 15, 2018 11:02 am
- Forum: The Observation Lounge
- Topic: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
- Replies: 73
- Views: 1639
Re: Drying and cooling out wet fluff balls
That being said, a human who is overdressed can strip down to their skivvies if they so desire, a horse with a heavy coat is still wearing a lot of hair, even when not fluffed. Hence the drying problem. . . Horses generate so much heat internally that the drying time may not be a problem for them, ...