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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 23, 2008 9:14:05 GMT -5
I know we have at least one other person on the board that is 'horsie' (right Stephanie  ) and I thought it would be nice to set up a thread where we could chat about all things horse. Horses and dogs very often go together, so it's likely that there is more than just a few of us who are into horses. |
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Post by AmyJo27 on Apr 23, 2008 10:39:48 GMT -5
I LOVE horses, I had a horse named Pilgrum when I was little! He was so sweet! We won a purple ribbon in 4H! I was so proud! I would love to get a horse again some time but with the cost of feed its hard to do!
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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 23, 2008 10:58:30 GMT -5
Actually I think it was cheaper to feed my horses than my dogs! LOL I miss having a horse, too. My Appy mare passed away a few years ago. I always boarded out (I live in the suburbs), but if my dream of having a small farm ever pans out, you bet I'll have another horse or two. I really miss being around them!!!! I haven't ridden in about 2 years. Sucks, fer shure.  |
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Post by AmyJo27 on Apr 23, 2008 21:30:14 GMT -5
Yea dogs are expensive too! Between buying food(plus the other little things they need) for 4 dogs, 1 cat, 1 goat, and about 30 pidgeons I kinda wonder sometimes it seems like the money just flies out the window!!! Every thing is expencive these days! When I was sad I would go out to Pilgrum and he would push his head on my shoulder like he was hugging me!! He was so sweet! Yea, I havent rode for a long time either! I miss it so much! You should look into getting an acreage! I live on one and it is so nice! I take the privacy for granted! Plus my dogs can run loose and I dont have to worry about much! Its great!
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Post by bullymommy25 on Apr 26, 2008 21:17:40 GMT -5
My biggest regret is that Stella has never really been around horses! I wonder how you would condition a mature pit bull to accept horses and go on trails with you!!!
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Post by AmyJo27 on Apr 26, 2008 23:56:53 GMT -5
Oh im sure you could just Gradually introduce her to horses!
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Post by AmyJo27 on Apr 27, 2008 0:00:54 GMT -5
Just see how that goes!
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Post by bullymommy25 on Apr 27, 2008 10:59:28 GMT -5
I'm nine months pregnant right now... I quit teaching and riding when I was about 2 or 3 months along and I miss it so much! I don't know if I will go back to teaching full time, because it doesn't pay very well and I want to be at home with my kids for a few months at least (tho my husband doesn't want me to work for at least a year... yuck). Anyway I can't wait to ride again, hopefully by July I'll find somewhere to ride and go for a hack!!
The few times my dog has seen horses she's been a little freaked out and barked at them, so we'll see!
Do you guys ride English or Western?
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Post by tbluverjumper on Apr 27, 2008 18:49:11 GMT -5
I will definitely agree that teaching doesn't pay to well..usually if you stick with it though and pick up quite a few clients it works out.
Horses are my world, i'm lucky enough to work with them all day pretty much every day. I train/ride dressage, finally out on my own schooling horses and such. Worked under a lot of trainers for a long time..ugh. It's been nice to kind of relax and be able to enjoy my riding again instead of having it just be a "job"!
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Post by AmyJo27 on Apr 27, 2008 20:15:51 GMT -5
I prefer western! i dont know why i guess since i was little ive like the big leather saddles not the smaller english one. Also, i dont really know much about english riding!
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Post by bullymommy25 on Apr 27, 2008 20:37:09 GMT -5
My passion is jumpers, but I also enjoy hunters, and to me dressage must be a foundation for every rider... I regret that I didn't get enough of it as a novice!! More than anything I like to go out on the trails with my girls... I've only ridden western a few times and I can't resist the urge to jack up my stirrups! The barn where I worked was big on Centered Riding and I was fortunate to attend a clinic by Susan Harris which included the Invisible Horse presentation.
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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 28, 2008 13:17:46 GMT -5
Do you guys ride English or Western? I ride both. I started English/Dressage, and went to Western Pleasure, then to Hunter/Jumper. H/J is by far my fave. ;D |
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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 28, 2008 13:19:35 GMT -5
I will definitely agree that teaching doesn't pay to well..usually if you stick with it though and pick up quite a few clients it works out. Horses are my world, i'm lucky enough to work with them all day pretty much every day. I train/ride dressage, finally out on my own schooling horses and such. Worked under a lot of trainers for a long time..ugh. It's been nice to kind of relax and be able to enjoy my riding again instead of having it just be a "job"! Yes, you are lucky!!! Horses will never be my job, but I would hopefully like them to again be a serious hobby. I may eventually do some behavioral consulting for horse people, but that will depend on many factors, the biggest being I NEED MY OWN PLACE FIRST! ;D |
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Post by RealPitBull on Apr 28, 2008 13:22:19 GMT -5
My passion is jumpers, but I also enjoy hunters, and to me dressage must be a foundation for every rider... I regret that I didn't get enough of it as a novice!! More than anything I like to go out on the trails with my girls... I've only ridden western a few times and I can't resist the urge to jack up my stirrups! The barn where I worked was big on Centered Riding and I was fortunate to attend a clinic by Susan Harris which included the Invisible Horse presentation. I agree on dressage being such an important foundation, and I am thankful that I initially learned being taught by someone who is into dressage on a horse trained in the discipline (an Arab mare, btw, who was the love of my life at the time, and why I still love Arabs to this day, probably more than just about any breed...well, with the possible exception of certain bloodlines of Appaloosa - Ara-apps rock my world!) |
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Post by bullymommy25 on May 1, 2008 7:57:38 GMT -5
Today you can REALLY see which riders are riding and which have skipped their foundations. There are so many people using draw reins to get their horses in a "frame" instead of using their aids properly, so the horses never develop proper muscles in the neck and are actually in danger while jumping.
I agree Arabs are great too! I rode a horse named Sinbad who was a little flighty in the ring but was the coolest trail horse you'd ever want to ride. Our App Rock It Man was by far the best horse for a teenage girl. I do have a passion for Warmbloods and was lucky enough to ride one that would have cost around 80,000-he was imported from Germany. I was going to show him two years ago but he was a sale horse and someone bought him the day before the show =( . I'll prolly head over to Watchung Stables to get back into riding even tho I HATE the way they manage their horses and riders.
Mary are you riding these days?
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Post by RealPitBull on May 1, 2008 9:00:42 GMT -5
I haven't been on a horse in about 2 years, sadly.
I agree that Watchung Stables is not all about the horses. I have ridden there off an on through the years, but all in all I really dislike it. Bad attitudes, as well, and I hate snobs.
I always enjoyed Somerset/Lord Stirling Stables, as far as hacking out goes, but in general I hate the life hack horses lead and don't like supporting that.
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Post by bullymommy25 on May 1, 2008 17:49:55 GMT -5
Yeah, Watchung horses: kept in a tiny tie stall, unclean facilities, overworked and improperly fed... the county has a continual hiring block so they are understaffed... i like the way Essex Equestrian center is as a FACILITY but the management leaves a lot to be desired.
I like where i last worked, Silver Dollar Stables. They have a HIGH safety standard and limitations on the amount of work the horses do, they're quiet and family run and professional, but they're in Cranbury! the time I rode at Lord Stirling, I was aggrivated because they didn't allow the students to interact with the horses before or after the lesson or go in the barn at all, which I feel is 50% of riding, but that was a long time ago. At SD, every student gets their own horse ready before the lessons and untacks after. I'd love to find a place closeby that combines the excellence and prestige of a large facility with the care of a smaller one!
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Post by tbluverjumper on May 1, 2008 21:16:58 GMT -5
My first horse, who I still have..thoroughbred gelding..now 23 and retired. Was a lesson horse, when I got him of course my dad got me the craziest cheapest horse in the barn. Which honestly, looking back it was all a result of working conditions. He sometimes did 5-6 lessons a day. 6 days a wk. He was a jumper, but he was very angry and overly sensitive. The trainer that had him taught a lot of beginners, which in itself takes a special horse anyway. Not usually a 12yr old hot OTTB. Gave him 2 yrs off shortly after I got him and started slowly bringing him back. TOTALLY different horse. It never ceases to amaze me how adaptable horses are and how much crap they can actually deal with.
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Post by RealPitBull on May 2, 2008 7:50:31 GMT -5
the time I rode at Lord Stirling, I was aggrivated because they didn't allow the students to interact with the horses before or after the lesson or go in the barn at all, which I feel is 50% of riding, but that was a long time ago. At SD, every student gets their own horse ready before the lessons and untacks after. I'd love to find a place closeby that combines the excellence and prestige of a large facility with the care of a smaller one! I wonder if they changed their policies at Lord Stirling, the last few times I was there I was able to get involved in tacking up and brushing - and I agree, ground work is SO IMPORTANT!!! I don't think there are any decent stables in our general area - its what we get for living in the city!  |
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Post by RealPitBull on May 2, 2008 7:56:05 GMT -5
My first horse, who I still have..thoroughbred gelding..now 23 and retired. Was a lesson horse, when I got him of course my dad got me the craziest cheapest horse in the barn. SO FUNNY! I'm sure you learned a lot from him, though ;D I think this sort of thing happens to a lot of people. My mom's first horse was a crazy TB, too It's really really sad. My first horse was being leased by a friend and being used as a lesson horse at our small, private barn. She was in back pain when the friend first leased her, but after 6 months of being ridden by children who didn't know how to ride and being in side reins to keep her head down (she would throw her head trying to escape the pain), she was a MESS! She would run into walls, or scrape against gates trying to get away from the pain. The friend (who really wasn't much of a friend, but that's a whole 'nother story), was disgusted with her and wanted to give her back to the owner. I had fallen in love with the horse (her name was Teko, a bay roan Appaloosa) and was devasted (I was very young at the time). My mom ended up taking over the lease and eventually buying her for me - we let her rest up, got rid of the effing side reins, got a saddle that fit her, and did lots of TTouch on her, and she was as good as new. Ended up being a great horse and I did so much with her. Horses IMO are one of the most abused animals on the planet. So much of what is 'normal' to do to horses is asbusive.  |
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) and I thought it would be nice to set up a thread where we could chat about all things horse. Horses and dogs very often go together, so it's likely that there is more than just a few of us who are into horses.
