I had to look that one up, but I bet I will hear that a lot of you suffer from it!
Due to my busy vacation schedule :-) I had to ride the VLC early yesterday morning. We have had a cold snap here and it was only in the 40's. Well, needless to say the same VLC that is semi-catatonic in 70 degrees is a very different creature at 7 AM at 45 degrees when he hasn't even had his breakfast yet.
(For the record, he is pretty sure riding before breakfast is against the terms of his union agreement, and I caught him calling AQHA on my cell phone to see what sort of penalties I am subject to for this grievous violation...)
I always turn him loose in the arena before I ride but this time he put on a big show. Galloping, bucking, bucking, bucking. When it seemed like it was over, I went to get on. He trotted off when I was halfway on. I pulled up hard and he shook his head violently.
This is the point at which the Right Brain starts talking.
Right Brain: Um, he is going to launch your ass. It's 7 AM, nobody is around. You are gonna die. You are finally on vacation and now you are going to die and not even get to enjoy it. A smart person would get off and just longe him.
Left Brain: MEOW MEOW, you know what I think you are if you do that! Cowboy up or whatever and make him work. What are you going to do next winter? The World Show is in November, ya know. Bet it's not always toasty warm in Oklahoma in November.
Right Brain: But what if I get hurt?
Left Brain: You have health insurance, which is more than you had all of those years you were doing this for a living. Work the damn horse.
Left brain, as usual, won and I decided we would do a lot of circles and figure 8's and bending to keep his brain occupied. That kinda, sorta worked. He definitely had mischief on his mind and threw several defiant little head-shaking fits. Fortunately they never escalated into anything more and after we trotted for about 5 minutes, I felt the hump come out of the back and he flattened out. He actually rode really well, with no balking episodes or rubbernecking moments, and I wound up being happy I didn't wuss out. It's nice when luck is on your side! I've got to ask though - who else gets nervous the second the temperature drops because you just know they are going to be feistier than they are when it's warm out?
So how's everybody else? I know there were a lot of horseshows this weekend - how did you all make out? I will be back to my normal blogging schedule on Tuesday!
All about training a three year old stallion the size of the Sears Tower as a scaredy cat, 40 year old re-rider. If you feel like I do, you are not alone!
"I don't need to prove anything, except that I'm not stupid." ~ Robyn, blog poster
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- Love is in the air...
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- You never can tell...
- Could I have your attention, please?
- I love my horse, I love my horse, I love my horse!
- I have to ride how many horses after work?
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- Scary Places to Ride?
- I totally deserved it, and I didn't even get it!
- Time Management 101
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- One step back, two steps forward!
- A very productive evening!
- Do you have a plan?
- Frigophobia!
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81 comments:
I didn't ride. I guess I sort of wussed out. Mike and I wrestled the filly (almost 2 months old) on Thursday night and got the halter on her. I know...should have done it LOOOONG ago. I ended up re-injuring my finger. (The one that was broken when I got bucked off)
On Friday, we had detal appointments and a meeting our Insurance agent to go over home and car ins, and I mowed the pasture.
Saturday, we help my son and his wife move, then spent that afternoon watching the grandson. He fell of a chair and landed on the tile floor on his forehead. It was more traumatic for me than for him. I also mowed the lawn before the wind came up. I won't ride in the wind. I just won't.
Sunday, I had a migraine and spent the day until 5:30 pm in bed waiting for death. As it turns out, I'm going to live and I'm off for the sleep aid since I have to work tomorrow.
Tomorrow evening, I'm GOING to ride. I AM GOING TO RIDE!!!
Ahhh... I moved all the ponies to the new barn. It is a pain in the you-know-what to move three horses. I can't imagine how you moved all 7 or 8 of yours.
I had to separate Jack and O'Hara because they were fighting over their stall doors (the doors are next to each other, so they can reach around). I had to put Chanel in between them.
I figure that since the view from my new arena is spectacular, I might be inspired to ride more. :)
What a day! I'm ready for a margarita! It's been a crazy busy month! I hope I never have to move horses again (knock on wood).
I didn't ride. Unfortunately too cold, and windy.
I did however muck out the dogs runs, clean up the horse paddock and spent hours oiling my new western saddle.
And continued my hunt for a new equine member of the clan (I wont just pick any fish in the sea :o)
A riverting weekend (not!).
The guys cut down the hayfield and round baled it, so I had a nice place to work. Took PH over (by herself) in big hayfield and did serpentines and figures of eight and stuff with lots of transitions, spent about half an hour on that.
Bending kind of iffy, but this is a new thing (besides just 'steering') so I wasn't expecting perfection. Also there was eyeballing of round bales (they weren't there last time we rode in the hayfield, after all...) but she got over that. I can get her to pick up a trot just by sitting more actively, but stopping still requires some reins. We'll have to work on that for later. She's still very steady at a given gait and doesn't rush or change tempo.
Yesterday, I worked really hard on using my shoulders/hips/seat to help turn her and she picked up on that right away. Upside: if I weight right seat bone, horse bends right, same for left. Downside: to go straight, horse must be evenly weighted on both seat bones. (I am more lopsided than I thought...)
Ha! I have the opposite problem. Since I live in NORTHERN minnesota, when it warms up, so do they! When it's 40 degrees, they would rather bask in the warm sun or move very little.
I got my little mare home yesterday!!! She trailered like a champ. She wasn't crazy about backing out of the the trailer, so when I'm not in the middle of a skeeter swarm, I'll be working on that. I just turned her and she came right out.
I DID get to put some time on her before loading her yesterday. She's carrying her head way too high and keeping her off balance. I'll work at softening her in the neck, shoulder and poll. That will help a lot.
Her other quirk: Mounting. She gets nervous and throws that head up and back. I'm going to give her a couple of days to adjust to being home and then mount and dismount a bazillion times until she's falling asleep for it.
My old gelding put her into heat the second she got off that trailer. He even mounted her. The big galoot. So she'll have to adjust AND come out of heat before I start putting the miles on her.
I'm hoping to bathe the SSP this evening and get some ground work going so she gets in the "Okay, you're my boss now" brain. I forgot how beautiful she is!
Sounds like you had a pretty good ride despite the wild start! It always makes me nervous when the temps drop as I just KNOW Diago is gonna be a big bundle of energy! Wish I had that problem but it's usually the opposite for me...LOL! Cooler temps (under 50 or so) make me want to curl up into a ball on the couch and nap the day away until it's warmer...warm days make me want to be outside and work...work...work! But anyway...I didn't get a chance to ride this weekend. :( I had hoped to get in our sixth ride BUT that didn't happen...grrrr! All I managed to accomplish was giving Diago a spa day and spend a few minutes with the new youngster we're "adopting" from the barn owner. :)
I don't mind cold but good golly, when it's really windy! Leaves are rustling, branches are blowing and things are blwoing around in front of you, that's what makes me nervous! I usually opt out of riding on very windy days. (We have no indoor.)
I am with you there, I have wussed out many a time when the wind is up and the temps have dropped. Plus, I don't figure I will accomplish anything as they aren't being bad per se, just reacting to the weather, so don't figure scooling with accomplish much except the very good possibility of me eating some dirt.
I did ride this weekend, in the one window we had between thunderstorms. I hopped on my TB to show him for a pony clubber, and I had forgotten how narrow and light TB's are (it has been probably 10+ years since I rode one) I also hadn't posted on anything in months, LOL! He was in a mood, not wanting to flex, screaming for his buddies, etc. Needless to say, said pony clubber passed. Then I took my horse out, and with hubby and another couple decided to explore a trail we haven't ridden in a year. Less than a mile from home going up the ravine of death, hubby's horse got tangled in a vine, and pulled a muscle. He walked him home, and since the wuss' I was riding with were afraid to go back down the ravine with him, I had to take them around the trail (1 1/2 hour ride) the whole time fretting about Hubby and horse. When I got back I found out Hubby's horse had spooked, broken away from him and run home shredding a set of reins, but not any worse for the wear. Liniment and bute for a day or two for him. (horse, not hubby)
So, interesting weekend...
Mary-- that's really interesting about having the opposite problem in colder climates. I never thought about that...
I think I've already confirmed I can have weather-phobic moments in my "old" age. Brisk, windy day = forget about me riding any greenies.
I didn't ride yesterday. I was planning on running errands in the morning and riding in the afternoon. But of course as soon as I was done everything and ready to ride, a thunderstorm and rain rolled in.
I did have three great rides on Saturday, though! And I plan on riding after work if it doesn't storm.
I rode at my new stable and it was great. Living around here, I ride through the winter, in the indoor, of course. The only time we don't ride is when it's actively snowing,or icing, or probably a bad thunderstorm. Otherwise, if it's 30 degrees or warmer we ride. But the temp. in the indoor is often lower than outdoors. I guess living here, you get accustomed to the cold. Oh, and some horses spook when the snow comes off the arena roof.
Congrats for getting through the youthful hijinx, Cathy!
I took Dude to the sand arena again. When I asked for the canter I got the old head down, head shake half-hearted buck, but it didn't even scare me! If he would have done that last week he would have probably won life pasture potato. How lucky am I? Yesterday, I just said, "Oh, that's right, you don't like to start on this lead, let's do the other one for awhile." I put my two cones in the arena and kinda worked on stake race. I think we got stuck trying to change leads because a couple of times we "countercantered" sideways all the way to the fence with his nose practically smelling my boot. LOL. I'm happy to say I got to the point of being able to actually sit up and steer and actually look where I was going instead of staring down at the dirt. Some rounds he steeered fine and other rounds he seemed to have no steeering whatsoever. Needs lots of work bending to the right, which is his stiff side. I need lots more practice, too, but I am planning to go enter at least novice barrels next Saturday!! I'm back to being confident that he is not going to unseat me on purpose and I just need practice (ouchy groin muscles today!)
I rode my friends QH for all of 10 mins. there was no shaking or nerves after so I'm proud of myself. He doesn't steer or bend so well so I'm helping her with just re-connecting and opening lines of communication with him again. I did a trot a little. and I SURVIVED!!! Holy cow I'm alive
All this talk has got me thinking semi-stupidly! I want to ride my little mare so badly! She's come so far from being a 100% unhandled 4 year old to a very relaxed, yet still a bit of a bitch, 5 1/2 year old that would walk through fire if you asked her to! She JUST came home yesterday, but I think I might take a little nap after work and go take her for a stroll.
Ya'll got me in the mood!
Question! I've been riding for 30 years now, and except for when it's deemed maditory, I don't wear a helmet. Even in my younger teens when I would ride the meanest, rammiest, most nutso horses in the area I didn't wear a helmet (or shoes, often enough! Barefoot and shorts) well, my 14 year old is riding now, too and has been for about 3 years. He's balanced and great, but I don't ask him to wear a helmet. I think I'm being a hypocryte if I do. Plus, I got landed on, trampled, stomped, kicked, bucked off, rubbed off and so on without a helmet and it didn't do anymore damage to me then being born blonde and polish! How many of you anti-helmet wearers ask your teenagers to do something you never did? I know the RIGHT THING would be to have him wear a helmet.
Up to this point, he's only rode super duper unbelievably dead broke horses. Now, he's going to start riding SSP...the greenie...with pep in her step...
Before breakfast is a bigger problem for my crew than cold, except for my TB/Ap gelding -- he's cold backed, and cold brings out the TB in his little pea brain as well.
Mine do a very fancy and energetic "breakfast dance" every morning -- lots of head flinging and bucking and galloping about, and I'd just as soon that was OVER before climbing aboard. My indoor arena has an open side (I'm both claustrophobic AND cheap), so there are heffalumps and woozles to contend with on wild and windy nights for sure (particularly the horses on the other side of the creek, who can be heard but not seen when they gallop about en masse like banshees). It's good for the horses, and I usually don't get TOO scared.
My indoor arena had gutter problems and is now an indoor pond, so riding has been limited, although Dealing With Mud and Water is a good lesson for those broke enough to have balance to be safe to ride in it. Fortunately it's drying up.
Little Hot Tamale Morab is beginning to relax a bit better --lots of long and low and bending for her. TB/Ap is back to "hopping" into his transitions, so we're doing lots of them, along with bending lines and looking for the outside rein.
Cute Little Gelding is kind of on hold until I get the footing straightened out, as he doesn't have the balance to make it through the slick footing right side up if he got silly on me, and horses falling on me is my big oogie boogie. And we're SOL on most of the longeing until the footing improves as well -- I have some tinkering to do on my tractor but will be able to drag it soon and that will help. It's always something....
mary - put a helmet on the kid... what's it going to hurt? Even if you are a hypocrit if something does happen that a helmet would have helped save his noggin won't you beat your self silly over it? Tell him you were young and stupid... and now you're old enough to decide for yourself, he's not.
Wind is what gets me... cold eh, that's okay but they are surely froggier. It puts a bit mroe pep in my guys step but he's not TOO bad... if we're in the ring and it's windy though the hefalumps are hiding in the woods, he says, and I just don't know it.
Rode through the weekend (except yesterday): more trail with Merlin and schooling ring for Molly, the latter was really nice and I hope she keeps up the good work through my next lesson. I was ready to ride yesterday too, Molly was in the barn waiting for me and I was on my way there when I bumped into Mi, Pi, and Velvet Brown on their way to Aintree and so stood there on the verge for 90 minutes watching that instead, for the umpteenth time. I know how it ends but with no commercial interruptions I couldn't turn my back on it. If it came on today I'd probably do the same thing again. England has a remarkable resemblance to Laguna Beach and the San Marino area of the LA basin, same coast line and Eucalyptus trees.
S
I have an antipathy towards being told what to do and rarely wear a helmet, nor a hard hat except as required. They are hot and a bother and a felt lid offers more of type of protection I need on the trail. It doesn't bother me that others wear helmets nor do I think less of them for doing so. To each his own. But I do feel that our society is obsessed with safety. A cogent argument can be made that it would be safer to wear a helmet in the shower and while driving a car but I don't do that either, though it won't surprise me when that becomes , first, recommended procedure and then law.
They have a new helmet out that looks like a cowboy hat.
I do wear a helmet, mainly in appreciation for having gotten away with the many years I rode without one, and I DO insist that everyone who rides on my place wear one, because I'm supposed to know better, and the insurance company will more likely back me up in a lawsuit if I've done what I KNOW was best safety practice and required helmets. As I put it when I hand a rider a helmet, it protects their heads and my ass.
OK, so no show for me this weekend. We had to postpone until the 7th due to lack of trailer space this weekend. Good thing we did though, my grandfather had to have open heart surgery and I wasn't going to not be there for him. He's doing well, thank goodness, he's the one I got the horse gene from. =)
On the other hand, we're now a week behind in training and I might not be allowed to ride in the show. I have an elbow injury from last Sept that never really healed, and I purposely planned my ortho appt for after the show so the Doc couldn't pull me off before the show! Course, now the appt is tomm and the show is on Sat.... so might get pulled anyway. Which means I'll just be riding with a bum elbow, since I doubt I can covince anybody to pinch ride PITA in his first show, even if I could doubt the BO/trainer would allow it.
Uggh... one thing fter another, but sooner or later I might actually get him into a show!
Glad to hear VLC was good for all of his chilly morning friskiness! Apparently it's also against App Sport horse rules to ride before breakfast, at least according to PITA
Haha...I definetely have frigophobia. With the wacky weather we're having (45 at night, 78 during the day...huh?) it's especially scary. The last time I went for a ride, it was unusually cold. So, I spent extra time lunging and letting the horse run around in the arena to get the sillies out of him. He seemed fine, until 15 minutes into the ride when he spooked and was off like a shot. I only broke a rib falling...my knees survived intact. :P
You'd better believe that next time, I am thinking twice about the whole "Oh-he'll-be-fine-even-though-we-just-had-a-drastic-drop-in-temperature" factor...
Enjoy your vacation!
So she's not back to posting on the regular blog, but finds time to here with VLC???
And everyone on the FHOTD blog is going through withdrawls!
No riding for me but I did work the Arab filly on Sunday. She thought she would throw some kicks in my direction, and at random...
That all ended when I told her if she kept it up I would flip the longe line and 'catch' those feet and drop her not so smart little ass on the ground.
She stopped dead and gave me the "You can do that?" look as well as the "You would do that to ME?" look.
Pretty funny but the bucking stopped, then and there.
Cold isn't that big a deal, after all I live in Saskatchewan! The ponies and I would miss a LOT of riding if we only rode when it was warm.
Don't ride out in the wind though... that's just asking for trouble.
And although I have to haul to ride in an indoor, I agree with Buckdoff that the snow sliding off the roof can be a bit of an issue. Most horses are fine after they've heard it happen a time or two.
What's the word for "fear of wind", please? I'm a wind-wuss. And living where I do, where the AVERAGE wind speed is 14 mph (yeah, that's average, year round, day in and day out!), I'd better get over it and soon.
I did ride this weekend...too bad it wasn't my own horse! I tried out a lease horse for a beginner friend of mine. I've never encountered such a trot! HUGE stride, but no "bounce" - just mach 10 around the arena. Not sure that's the best for a beginner's nerves. Sure don't want the girl ending up like me, scared to get on her own horse, lol! For what it's worth, it didn't bother me much, even though I could neither sit nor post it. Weird, huh?
I agree with no riding on windy days. Especially on the greeny's. Anything could go flying past you and you could end up going flying yourself. As in flying off the horse and landing in the dirt.
It has been windy here lately too. Last week 30-40 mph winds. Talk about a PITA!
A slight breeze is fine, but gusty blowing wind really sucks. Good for getting dirt and dust in your eyes, nose, ears and mouth. No Thanks!
For thoe of you interested- www.city-data.com lets you put in a city & state in the US (Not sure about any other countries) and it gives you all sorts of demographics for the area. Including weather- highs, lows, humidity, rainfall, snowfall, wind speeds, etc.
We were looking at one area (out of state) and everything was checking out fine until it seemed the wind blew all the damned time there. Nope, sorry. Gotta pass on that one...
Icepony;
That would be anemophobia.
My only real problem with cold is if i have to ride in the indoor, which Buddy abhors. Other than that, i like him to be a little fresh since he can be so lazy. I've never ridding the SLM in the cold, so we'll have to see on that one.
They were both great this weekend, yesterday nothing really extraordinary other than super simple lead changes for buddy and really sharp down transitions on voice command from the SLM. Saturday was awesome though because i got to jump the SLM!! (extended comment re: that on the previous post but i thought i would say it again since i was so excited) hopefully we can have a repeat tomorrow :)
I don't like riding in the wind and often find excuses to opt out, but I also believe that it's important to ride in all weathers through the year. However, out of consideration for the horse, the one condition I more often make exception for is too hot. Much over 95 degrees and I either don't ride or take it real easy. I believe that the best weather from the horse's standpoint is 20 degrees or a bit less to about 60. As for me, 30 to 70 is delicious. I'm a wuss about the cold but have developed clothing and practices to stay warm. Ask me about keeping your toes warm sometime, glad to share.
S
I'm actually thrilled when the weather cools down. My boy is an absolute beast when it's hot - he's a miserable tricky jerk who bears no resemblance to my usual sweet natured mount.
This weekend we hit the trails for the first time and he was amazing! On Sunday we did about ten miles without a problem (that may not be a long ride for some of you but for a former arena princess it was a big deal). He is actually much steadier than my companion's horse who has lived and worked the trails for years. He even tolerated his air-headed arab buddy running directly into him after the arab threw his rider! There were definitely some things that made him nervous (cows, trees) he stayed fairly steady and just needed a firm hand and leg to keep him focused. Apparently he believed my pre-ride conversation in which I explained to him that I am meaner and scarier than anything he could encounter on the trail.
The only really enjoyable time to ride is when the temp drops below 80. If it's not going to get out of the 50s during the day, it's too damn cold for me, never mind how the animals act!
We had a butt-load of stuff going on this weekend as well: car repairs, dinner plans, martial arts activities, etc. Plus it was in the 90s with a heat index over 100. Yech. So, no, no riding.
Me, me, me! I'm a nervous nelly when the temps get low. Especially when my usual calm dead head starts running around bucking. That REALLY makes me rethink riding in the cold.
I'm glad VLC only throws his head when he's annoyed. He sounds like a good natured boy AND he has his balls. Isn't that amazing? That's what good quality breeding does for you, haha!
My Hormonal Mare went lame on Saturday. Looks like am abscess so we're waiting for the farrier to come out tomorrow and find it (let's hope).
No shows until the 21st. Let's hope we can still make it considering the new issue.
Oh, I have more updates at http://www.outofshaperider.blogspot.com
The cold and windy combo has always meant that I do not get on my now 21 year old OTTB gelding. He is insane on days like that. Luckily, I live in S. FL so those days are only a few a year.
The 7 year old OTTB mare I would ride through a hurricane, she doesn't care.
I too have had those days where I am arguing back and forth with myself. LOL-you can tell you're a grown up when health insurance becomes part of the argument!! Glad you talked yourself into it.
The weather in my neck of the woods was beautiful, sunny breezy and 75. I rode both mares this weekend (mine and my aunts) and they were both great. I rode from her house (where they are kept) to my house for a lunch break and back. I rode my VGM (very green mare) on saturday without any issues and my aunts PAM (previously abused mare) on sunday with the only issue being the new hackamore... which took all of about 5 mins to get over. They both got to meet my dog and cats (who couldn't believe I was ridding those monsters!) and they (the horses) didn't bat an eye.
I am still in "wait and see" mode but Foxy did get her feet trimmed today and so hopefully that will get her on the right road. The lady had me walk and trot her and doesn't think she is navicular either....we ended up deciding that one hoof rolls under somewhat and so possibly the heel is being pinched or something like that? Contracted? She however did not respond to any sort of frog or real heel pain test.....and she did not think she had thin soles. Who knows! She brought her toes back and so yeah. That's that.
She gave her a nice trim and we are going to trim regularly and hope that improves things.
So we'll see.
Starlette was ouchy until Sunday, so I rode her for about 15 mins. I went to ride today and she's ouchy again...but it's supposed to rain all week/weekend so she'll get a long break and I'll see what happens. I'll keep her in the small pasture by the barn so she can't gallop around and hurt herself again...she gets all worked up with the other horses going in. I just have to find her a companion...but my husband just got cut back to possibly 35 hrs, so it will have to wait.
My good neighbors have a horse trailer, so we went over Sat to practice loading..she was not afraid of the trailer, but is used to 4 horse slant load w/ramps, so we just worked on almost getting in. Her teenage personality showed about halfway...she put her foot in, then backed out, I asked her to step forward again, and she decided she was *done* with it all. I had been lightly tap,tap,tapping her butt to get her to go forward, and she started to kick. So now I have a "you can't kick with me tapping your butt/legs" battle going on...she had a total temper tantrum! She kicked first with one leg, then the other, then both...and she backed up, did little hop-rearing (I *love* my rope halter...she pulled on it and quit real fast!!). So, I continued tap,tap,tap until she finally stopped acting up and let me tap her butt, hocks, legs without even flinching. The only time I had to wack her harder was when she tried to swing herself around to kick at me (something she would do when I first started riding her when I would go to mount until I let her know clearly she was not allowed).
Now, during all this she made some decison..when I lead her back home, she walked quietly beside me, no trying to get ahead of me. Hmm...sometimes the battles seem to have positve affects in other areas, too...
Damn...effects, not affects!!!
They are always friskier in the cool weather! The wind drives them kind of nutty too.
This was a hilarious post!
I'm getting very frustrated with the schedule of my life. I can make time to get on my coach's horses, but it's like every weekend that we get out to the farm, we have to cram six things into about 20 hours (including three hours total driving and attempting to sleep) and I can't get free for riding time!
I keep telling myself that at least I get to see them and adore them close up. I'm starting to think maybe instead of grooming and hoof picking I should tack them up, even if I end up pulling the saddles right back off again... Just so they don't start thinking they're in, like early retirement!!
Eastern Colorado equals 15 to 40 mph winds every stinking day. The good part? I don't worry about it and neither do the horses. I just pretend I'm an extra in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
The cold gets me though. I get stiff, and 75 layers of clothes make it hard to crawl up.
Gotta love those Carharts...
Did any of you used to race the wind as akid?
>>Did any of you used to race the wind as akid?<<
Mugwump;
I'm not sure I understand, but I've certainly noticed that a 10mph breeze is reduced to near zero riding out, and turns into a stiff 20mph wind in your face on the way home- something to always bear in mind on a cold day.
S
I didn't ride the SSP last night. Last week, something bit a chunk out of Lex's (the gelding with the sarcoids and underweight) face. The vet said there was nothing he could do other then antibotics and letting it drain on it's own. It's right on his right jowl. Talk about UGLY! That poor horse is going through hell. I flush it out 3 times a day with the hose, then put a water/peroxide mixture on it, let that sit while giving him whatever medicine is needed at that time, pull off all the dead and dried up stuff, then blukote it(I think my hands will be purple forever) then finish with treats because he's getting harder and harder to catch and where it sits is right were the throat latch of the halter would sit, so, no halter for him! I put use a rope around his neck for treatment.
Anyway, the skeeters were so dang bad and it took me a long time to get that wound cleaned up, by the time I was done, you could barely see through the swarms of skeeters.
I did lay across her back in the pasture and have her going through some yielding out there. No halter, no lead rope, she just stayed with me and did as I asked.
As for the wind, I find that each one of my 4 legged kids has a problem with it blowing down into their ears which sparks head tossing and naughtiness. All I do it put on their cute little ear bonnets with the crocheted forhead flapper thingy-mah-jigger and I have much fewer problems in the wind.
Last year I made the Project Kid wear her helmet for conditioning miles and obviously, it was required at the CTR we went to. Her mother (doesn't ride) would prefer she rode with it all the time, her grandmother (who owns the horses and goes riding with the kid) doesn't care. Without enforcement, Project Kid 'forgets' the helmet or 'doesn't know where it is'.
*sigh*
This year, again, the helmet will go on for conditioning miles -- those, I am in charge of. They're my rides and take my time, so I get to make the rules. My rule is "no helmet, no ride". (It's amazing, absolutely amazing, how well she can keep track of the helmet if it has to be on her head before she gets on a horse.)
Since I actually own a helmet now (had to buy it to go on the ride last year), I will wear mine on conditioning miles with her (it'll make my mom feel better, too). We're starting next week, 3x a week, with me on PH, whose breaking-to-ride you have seen here. Hooray! (She's not done, but she's done enough to ride walk/trot for conditioning miles. I'm even pretty sure she won't kill me.) We will canter by July. We will. (I am so damn chicken.)
For me it's not cold, it's wind.
We had other things on this weekend, but the other weekend we'd promised ourselves to ride out beside the (fairly quiet) road ... first time since moving to that agistment and that was a long time ago.
My Arabian might be 18 but he can be a spooky devil. My daughter was on her paint horse who is more quiet but she's more novice.
Anyway it was windy and we came close to piking out but we didn't.
They were a bit spooky and my horse did NOT like the autumn leaves blowing around his legs, but we did OK. The most we had was little jumps in place, but no spinning, no running, no humping, etc. They didn't want to go past an evil large white bit of quartz on a plinth outside a cemetery, but were able to be persuaded.
So I reckon if we can ride them out in the wind, we should be right when it's not windy.
Regarding helmets
I never used to wear one except when I had to (like at pony club).
I also had to wear one when I started doing trackwork with racehorses.
I have to say, galloping a racehorse with those rails flashing by and the wind causing tears to stream from your eyes brings an appreciation of what might happen should your head hit one of those rails at speed.
Since then I have always worn a helmet when riding.
My daughter has always worn a helmet, as I now have a policy of helmets when riding.
Next will be a body protector for each of us, I've decided. I have had long term back problems from a horse tromping on my back when I was 13. More alarming, I knew a girl who came off and was impaled on a star picket. Lots of internal damage.
Pretty good incentive.
It's funny, I hear 95 degrees and I'm damn envious..I always ride with a helmet because, I am UNLUCKY and accident prone. I bought the black velvet IRH and it doesn't seem to be quite as bulbous as some of the others. If I had a child riding, I would insist they wear one. Head injuries are a bitch, I've seen quite a few. But as adults, you can make your informed choice, people and animals depend on me, so I wear one. No preaching, really.. But we need some warm weather here.
I -always- try to wuss out when the temp drops. Even if it's a dead-broke horse I know really well. It's because my bully of a horse can become an astounding asshole when he's feeling frisky, so I'm automatically on my guard no matter who I'm climbing on.
I work trotting and transition patterns till we both are warmed up, but if I still feel a coiled spring under me, we don't canter.
I RODE!!! I'm so dang sore! It was a little windy, but I got two ridden.
My new red horse has a probable stifle injury. Doesn't THAT figure. Snookered again. But I didn't get bucked off. YEE HAAAA!
The helmet issue:
I personally hate them. Hot, uncomfortable, and one more thing to grab before going for a ride. They do keep my hair from flying into my face... but any good hat would do that.
Having said that, I do wear one sometimes. Last year my new horse bucked me off twice, and the second time I may have sort of grazed my cheek just a little on the grass. Just a little. Enough to make my husband bitch his head off. Awww he loves me...
So I'll be wearing a helmet with that gelding until I feel I can better trust him.
I grew up so redneck with horses. Twine string instead of a bridle, no saddle, that kind of thing. Um, didn't hurt me none, nope. Only them fancy rich people wore helmets, right?
WELL. When my oldest started riding at 4, ten years ago, it didn't even occur to me to put one on her. Our saddle club started putting the pressure on, so I did it. The kids are fine with it.
We've had the discussion -- you're a kid, you don't get to ride regularly, like I did when I had ponies in my backyard, and you're going to wear it. When you're an adult, like me, you can make that decision.
One thing that really helps is FINDING THE RIGHT HELMET. The absolute only one that I like is the Troxel Laredo. It feels good on my head, has a little visor, a turnbuckle adjustment at the back, which is much less frustrating than those crappy slide adjustors, and it's got a little leather trim with silver buttons, like the chicago screws on my bridle.
It just looks slightly western enough that I don't feel stupid in it. Sorry, but yeah, that's part of it too!
And since we were talking about windy cool days... It ain't a bad idea to put on the brain bucket on days like that. I know freak accidents can happen any time, but let's face it, you KNOW when the chances go up...!
Just to be clear, I do not belittle helmet use and occasionally wear one even when it's not required by the rules of the game. I usually do so when starting a horse under saddle and had planned to use mine when I first backed Merlin. I had it in the corral with me but one thing lead to another and I was on his back sooner than expected. I did however wear my cross country vest on the first two rides. I guess I had my brains knocked out of me when I was thrown on the pavement and knocked unconscious as a kid, but I just don't like them for everyday riding.
Horse sports generate many injuries every year. One very able instructor of my acquaintance- retired military, law enforcement- hardly a wuss, strongly recommends even pleads with riders to wear them. He is a professional and has seen his share of accidents that he feels could have been avoided by their use, and, I believe, requires his dressage students to wear them.
Because of the different risks that obtain to various disciplines it would be difficult to compile an accurate comparison of the statistics representing the injuries incurred when riding with and without helmets, but it would be interesting to see if such a thing could be fairly done. Most of what I have seen has been anecdotal or observations along the lines of "if, then".
One thing is certain: there is no consistency in where and when they are required. Jumping yes, endurance sometimes, gymkhana sometimes, rodeo events no, kid's rodeo seldom, cutting no, western events no, dressage no, CTR no. If the injury rate leaned heavily against non use I would expect that a marked correlation would be apparent.
S
sagebrusheq had an interesting thought, to look for correlations, and so I just did a quick search on Google Scholar with the keywords: horse riding helmet injury
There have been a number of studies that look at helmet use and injuries. Much of the data is obtained via hospital admissions. A look through the abstracts of the articles is instructive.
Overall it seems that helmet use is associated with fewer severe and/or fatal injuries. Most fatal injuries are associated with the head.
One article mentions something I think is important, and that is that helmet use is a part of a raft of safety strategies, including riding with appropriate gear in an appropriate environment, knowledge of horse behaviour, falling techniques, and so on.
Thanks Sidoney;
I'll look into that. You're last paragraph implies the sort of difficulties I see in constructing accurate comparisons.
I had a terrible ride last night. I am becoming more and more aware that I (apparently) ride like an ineffective sack of potatoes.
Tonight will be better. (I hope.)
I rode a lot this weekend and week. On my own horse who was a rescue and is 12 yo now and was first backed by me at 8yo I love when he gets frisky. I trust him with my life. He would never hurt me on purpose and we are totally in synch with each other. With all of the crazy stunts like jumping out of the arena, galloping down wooded trails, cross country jumps, racing horses down dirt roads, walking across foot bridges, jumping 4'6" and riding on the side of busy roads I have never ever fallen off him (knock on wood)
But when I ride a new or very young horse I do get those twinges of anxiety. For the most part I try and gulp it down and reassure myself of my riding skills. Horses can sense that anxiety and fear and can feed off it ten fold. I remind myself that they are looking for support from me and guidance and reassurance that it is OK. I had a bad accident when I was 13 and I think that is where some of the anxiety is rooted.
So to summarize. On cold fresh days on my horse I eat it up. I love when is is punchy and raring to go. But on other less experienced and young horses I have to fight back those feeling of insecurity.
You know it's funny- when I was a kid I never gave a second thought to the weather. I never even noticed that horses seemed to act differently when it's cool. I just hopped on and rode off.
Fast forward 20 years...I give it a bit more thought, lol. Here in Texas it doesn't get really cold like it does in other parts of the US, but when it gets down around 50 or below I can definitely tell a difference in how the horses act. It does make me question my sanity sometimes. Fortunately, Pixie Pie is pretty obedient even when she's feeling a little frisky. She was in training over the month of February this year (typically the coldest month we have in Texas) and I rode her several times in cold and windy conditions. She did just fine. I think once I am feeling more confident in my abilities there will be no problem at all because quite honestly I prefer to ride when it's cool outside.
>>How many of you anti-helmet wearers ask your teenagers to do something you never did? <<
I do not have kids but when I taught lessons, helmets were required. I was also required to wear a helmet when I was under 18. I think kids should wear helmets until they are adults and able to make a reasonably educated choice one way or the other.
>>I'm glad VLC only throws his head when he's annoyed. He sounds like a good natured boy AND he has his balls. Isn't that amazing? That's what good quality breeding does for you, haha!<<
You don't know how true that is. I have never heard of any of his sire's get being bronc-y to break. You really can AND SHOULD breed for disposition.
>.The lady had me walk and trot her and doesn't think she is navicular either....we ended up deciding that one hoof rolls under somewhat and so possibly the heel is being pinched or something like that? Contracted?<<
YES! That's what I think is going on and I'm not even there. LOL. Sorry but your mare DOES NOT move like a navicular horse. If a shoer pinches the heels too tight, they can make anything look like it has navicular. I bought a very nice made polo pony that also jumped 3' courses once for $1000 because I recognized bad shoeing like that. Man was his former owner MAD when we had him sound in 3 weeks! ;-)
Karen V - HOORAY you rode. And I can tell you all about how to fix a stifle injury. We'll catch up on e-mail. I'm way behind, my home Internet went down for 2 days.
Deanna - Ah, but realizing it feels wrong is the first step toward making it feel right! Are you riding with a trainer?
Well, the first time I had real trouble with Feronia, it was cold and windy. I had to dismount and bring her inside (where I gave her a good workout, so she'd know that "airs above the ground" will not be rewarded!) But I suspect the issue was more that I was alone, there were no other horses nearby, and we've discovered that she's herdbound.
It's one of those odd things I wish I'd known before I got her, kind of like not knowing that she's always been sedated to have her teeth done. I just realized the other day that when she lived with ehr breeders, all her "work" training for dressage and jumping was done at a barn a couple of miles from her "herd." So she'd be loaded up on a trailer and taken away from them when her owners wanted her brain fully engaged. She was second-in-command in her herd and takes her "2nd herd boss" job pretty seriously. So if one works her near other horses she knows, but not *with* them, she gets upset.
My trainer's daughter rode her, by herself, from the boarding barn to my trainer's backyard barn where she now lives,a distance of about 2 miles. Or I should say, tried to ride her; Alice led her a good part of the way because she kept rearing when something scared her. In retrospect, that trip should have been done either by trailering or by riding another horse along with her.
Now she has a herd of one other mare -- not ideal, for a herdbound horse. But the other mare is much worse than she is, and I think that Feronia is getting better. We have been keeping them in adjacent paddocks because Minnie is a known kicker... but Feronia got into Minnie's paddock (through an unlatched gate, duh!) a couple of nights ago, and Minnie now sports the after-effects of *one* perfect double-barrel kick, with the wounds exactly as far apart as Feronia's back hooves! Now that Feronia has shown she is "top mare," she is much less concerned about being close to Minnie. Poor Minnie is used to dealing with geldings, where one cocked rear leg gets submission.
/long sidetrack over
I did have a wonderful ride on Feronia yesterday. It's not like we did much, but WTC in the paddock went well enough that trainer decided to saddle up old Minnie, who had not been ridden since late September, and take us for a walk in the woods. With another horse present, Feronia was very good and more relaxed than she has been in a while. She *likes* to be hacked out, but not by herself.
PS -- I always wear a helmet. It's a Tipperary Sportage, which is vented and not too hot in the summer. My trainer is a "no helmet, no ride" person, and just about every barn in my area requires them. I care more about my brain than "looking good" and the Sportage is actually not a bad looking helmet. It's not terribly expensive, either.
VLC - YEA! You're back! -ish...sorta
Somewhere there was a photo of a horse that was being rescued that looked like she had a hunk out of her spine, just forward of the pelvis, over the flanks. (I'm thinking I saw it on the SAFE board) Anyway, Redman has something similar to this deviation. I thought that perhaps this could be contributing to him being sore in the hind. Chiro work certainly wouldn't hurt!
But YES!!! Please! Send me some mail on how to fix the stifle when you get the chance. I'm not in a huge hurry! (Redman was such a good boy! Neck reins, backs, crosses over in front.) I wanted to ride more but I didn't want him to hurt.
Still ahven't ridden Kaci - Big Bay Boy. He's SOOOO in love with my husband's mare that he'll take a bite, go check on her, walk back for a bite, go check on her. It's pathetic really! But his boo-boos are healing nicely and he's gaining weight ever-so-slowly!
I'm so proud of myself! I actually got my butt back in the saddle! *me grinning stupidly to myself!* My butt was fine, but my hand still bothers me. Oh well, as long as they don't buck, it's all good. (Tubby little Honey's turn is coming....I'll have Mike take photos for PROOF!)
BTW - Welcome back! We've missed you! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed yourself!
Yep -- I'm a cold weather wuss.... Well, a cold-weather-when-it's- supposed-to-be-warm wuss, especially if the ponies haven't been ridden regularly. When it's actually winter, I'll ride when it's cold. I also don't like riding in the pouring rain, although a nice fog, or a lovely cool sprinkle when it's hot is great. I'm also a windy-day wuss, unless it's something like gathering cows, where there's work to be done and I can concentrate on that and ignore the weather.
Good to see VLC is back. We are all going through withdrawls on the FHOTD blog. I won't 'out' you over there though, even though a few of us know you posted here on Sunday...
Sent some pic's of the Pysndi Lou under saddle. The video wouldn't work. :-(
VLC - I love it when I find a nice breeding program that throws quiet, good natured babies. It makes me feel a lot better about purchasing one since you can pretty much see what you will get from the siblings.
We need more breeders that breed for disposition AND conformation instead of color. I like color, don't get me wrong ... but it's easier to ride a calm bay horse than a crazy pinto, LOL!
I am a fair weather rider:
cold - maybe (but not under 60 degrees - oh, that's not cold?)
wind - no way!
hot - drink beer
Good thing I live in sunny CA!
RE helmets -- always for me with bikes & horses
I've been tossed off both and have seen the inch deep hole from rocks afterwards.
"There's no bad color for a good horse" Anon (?)
Oh I do that too. Most of the time I man up and ride anyway, because I can't skip out on him all winter. For the record, he's never actually done anything but move out a little when it's colder. Which actually makes my life easier, because then I don't have to work nearly as hard to get his motor going and thus using his hind end like he should.
Our very first show went much better than expected! He was quite nervous and full of himself at first. I was afraid he was going to blow, but after a few circles in the hot sun he calmed right down. My only goal was to survive, and we ended up with a first in intro A, and a third in intro B!!! I was MORE than pleased! :D
There is a picture of us talking to the judge here:
http://phototato.zenfolio.com/p584999316/?photo=h07100456#118490198
I haven't ridden BCG this week but tonight I had a lesson!!! VLC you would be happy to hear they put me on a pony!!! I wouldn't have complained but I wanted to learn, not sit and kick and pound the sides off the little shit!!! In the end they said I did good but I still wonder if it was a test for me!! Anyone had this happen in lessons?
Barngal: It's happened to me and it's very frustrating.
At home, I ride kind of touchy arabs and arab crosses. As a result, I don't have much experience using a lot of leg/seat to get a horse going or to keep it going. I don't RIDE things that don't go forward. (I don't ride perfect horses. Some of them don't bend. Some of them don't stop. More than one bucks. However, they all damn well move out when asked and don't have to be nudged every stride to keep them going.)
At lesson, though, the lesson horses expect continual leg/seat encouragement or they *quit* on me. I don't do very well at going "canter-canter-canter" with my legs/seat for every stride of canter that I want... so if I can get halfway around the round pen at a canter, that's a victory of sorts.
All of this makes me feel like a stupid newbie, very frustrating. I can't get a horse to canter? For real? For real. I'm almost tearing my hair out over it.
Also, instructor says, "If you lost your balance or something, your horse wouldn't slow down for you." And this is true. But still, in my heart of hearts, if I had to ride horses that were just like the ones at lesson? I would never ride.
Ooooh, me and Spooky had a adventure.
It was chronicled on Horsedopia, but I shall repeat. Started the ride great, had her pick up both canter leads, she was doing really well. A friend was lunging fuglypinto in the arena as well, and Spook had an ear trained on the whip, but was able to function.
As she got tired, I decided she'd do a 20m circle at the canter on both leads. Left went fine, but as I went to pick up the right, friend chose to LOSE it on fuglypinto (he deserved it). Whip cracking and growly voice sent Spook off the deep end. She decided that the far arena rail was much safer. Her first bolt in almost a year. It was pretty half-assed, but I wasn't altogether "with it"(kind of trying to keep an eye on friend and fuglypinto). I bailed about 5' from the rail.
I have officially decided that bailing is only viable on horses 16hh and shorter. 17hh Spook led to this (appropriately dubbed the "tit bruise" due to the B-cup sized ball of fluid that rose up out of it)
Yep,I have giant thighs
This is after three days
I haven't had a bruise this kick-ass in a LOOONG time.
Sarcastabitch - OMFG! Yeah, see that is exactly why I'm afraid of riding!!!! I'm not entirely sure those pictures helped me any...but hey, at least you are standing in them, right? :)
I actually had 4 rides without a spook. No jumping, leaping, cantering, nothing. She was actually calm! And thank god for that because my confidence is back.
And guess what, now that I'm feeling better I actually make her trot when and where I say! She now gets the wimpiest kick ever when she doesn't go right off, you'd think I was beating her the way she gets her butt in line too.
Monday she did ruin my spook free streak by spooking 3 times. The first two were one right after the other over a parked tractor I've been talking to her about for two weeks. There it sits, the grass finally starting to grow over it a bit, and she's still jumpy. Snorting, hesitating, I'm babbling at her about the tractor and how great it is. And she jumps sideways, giving it the evil eye. Then she jumps again *eyeroll* We get back to the "safe" end of the arena, and of course a horse appears at the door suddenly, so we jump again.
But we proceeded to ride with another horse, which scares me because I'm just positive we'll run into the other horse, but it went great.
It might have been a case of peer pressure, when a younger, and not terribly more experienced rider comes along, I kind of have to suck it up a bit! Here this girl is riding a paint colt (he's 4), he's a bit hot, and I'm worried about my "do we HAVE to trot" arab? Yeah, time to grow a pair I tell myself =D
That scary spook from a while back is almost a distant memory now, YAY! Hopefully it isn't replaced with another any time soon either. Only good confident memories are allowed here.
Oh, don't be scared! These photos are more of a "what looks really bad can be absolutely nothing serious" :)
In the four (five??) years I've been riding, this is the WORST injury I have gotten, and I have bailed or fallen at least 100 times.
quietann said...
PS -- I always wear a helmet. It's a Tipperary Sportage, which is vented and not too hot in the summer.
snip I care more about my brain than "looking good" and the Sportage is actually not a bad looking helmet. It's not terribly expensive, either.
I have the Sportage, too. It's OK. I used to ride in a Lexington Lidlocker, but they are no longer made (at least not the way they were before). The key is the adjustment straps need to be COMFORTABLE (yes, I am yelling on that). I really wish that more helmet makers would design more for the way the common person rides. High end eventer helmets (anything over $100) is NOT affordable. Look how far bike helmets have come! The Sportage helmet is one of the first to start pushing the limits of reasonable design and ultimate comfort. For me, the Troxel helmets are CRAP! They do not fit my head shape at all. And come to think of it, the Sportage wasn't a great fit after a week of all day riding in 100°F heat in Wyoming, but I had the ability to swap it out with a different helmet. I had a slight pressure spot on my forehead.
If I had my way, I wouldn't wear a helmet, I'd wear a cowboy hat. But I am a mother and need to stick around for my family. No, a helmet will NOT save me from everything, but it's one more protective device in my favor. It took quite a while to get used to, but now it's like a seat belt in the car for the most part. I feel unsafe without it (or without SOMETHING on my head). I hate that!
Oh Fugly, I feel your hesitation. My 5 year old Very Tall Gelding (17 Hand Appendix QH) flinched a bit as I mounted from the ground over the weekend leaving me with a broken tibia. I heard the snap on the way up! Always listen to the right brain!
Nobody can figure out how it happened. I've been riding for over 30 years. I work out 6 days a week. I always try to err far on the side of caution. Sometimes these freak things happen and totally blow all other plans!
Speaking of falling and/or bailing, (Sarcastabitch - awesome bruise - glad you weren't hurt badly!) Does anyone have any advice on how to fall properly? I can do an emergency dismount to the near side, but I haven't tried one from the off side. Need to practice that. And also, when I fall I always thump my head on the ground like a big old mellon so is there a better way to fall? Tuck and roll or something?
Go take some martial arts classes, Judo is best. The very first thing they teach is how to fall.
To minimize damage, you want to maximize the surface area contacting the ground (greater area, same force = less pressure).
You also, where possible, want to "take the elevator" not "the stairs"...basically crumple intentionally at your own speed rather than getting pitched to the ground.
I don't want to explain too much, because I definitely don't want anyone to get hurt trying this! But Martial Arts is where it's at for falling!
I have Ombrophobia (rain), because I havent met a horse yet thats had a better ride in the rain than a normal day. Theyre usually pissy, impateint and just want to get back to the feeder. Not that working in the rain is really fun anyways, it's just enough sometimes to make you really drudge working the more difficult horse on wet days.
I rode the little WB filly by myself yesterday! Our first completely lone ride, got on, rode, got off, all without a holder. When I first got on, she backed up a little, but I clicked, and she moved off easily. She's a little dead to the legs still, but I'm long lining her and shes starting to get it. I was practicing reving her up and bringing her back down and at one point she took half a step of trot, so I was pretty pleased with her. By the end of the ride she was starting to get it that you just follow the rail, not so wormy. I'm really happy with how shes going. She really hasnt pulled anything (yet) since we first started her (that was a bit of fireworks).
Oh Lordy! I just have to share this one with you guys!
Have you ever been a little over confident with your abilities? Decided to do something you haven't done in a long time just because you USED to be able to do it well? Yeah- I was there yesterday. I decided I was going to ride my mother's horse bareback. Fortunately she had enough sense to put him on a lead rope instead of me just hopping on and riding off in the bridle.
First problem- My butt is very large. Getting on him was a challenge so we finally had to lead him over to a stump (which I almost couldn't climb up on either). So I throw my leg over and get situated on him. My mother led him in a tight little circle and I almost slid off like a pat of butter on a hot pancake! Every step he took I was sliding. It was hilarious! I wish someone had gotten pictures of it. She did another circle with him and I nearly slid off again.
I learned that I have NO balance whatsoever. If not for a saddle there is no way I'd be able to stay on a horse. That kind of scares me. So it looks like we're going to be doing bareback leadline for a while so I can develop some balance.
whoa mare! -
Would riding in a saddle without using stirrups help you with balance? I know it was helpful for me and I slid right off bareback too!
Just thought maybe that might be a good first step to get some balance while having something hopefully a bit more secure to sit on, then move on to bareback.
Of course, I'm a novice so you know, take my advice with a grain of salt :)
Sarcasta, I recommend a margarita and a hot tub. :-)
>>I have Ombrophobia (rain), because I havent met a horse yet thats had a better ride in the rain than a normal day.<<
That was the sole quirk of my old show horse. He did not DO rainy shows. One time he tried his best to buck me off in bareback eq. I won the class. Pretty sure it was a mercy blue!
I am hoping actually outting it in print will motivate me to actually ride my mare. I have had some valid reasons and some not so valid. Where do I start? I have several horses that need to begin some training and I am having difficulty beginning. I am finally (hopefully) over the worse of the Lyme's disease and yes, have been busy with the rescues. And yes, my training knowledge is limited. Is there where I can come to whine, get kicked in the ass and get on to the training and riding at hand???
Cool that you worked thru it! That will do great things for your confidence w/ him!
I didn't ride. Haven't ridden in almost 2 weeks. Too much other stuff to do. And now it's raining, which is good, but I have a lesson on Friday which won't happen now b/c I only have an outdoor.
How many of you anti-helmet wearers ask your teenagers to do something you never did? I know the RIGHT THING would be to have him wear a helmet.
~~~~~~~~~
I'm not anti-helmet, but I have to speak up. After spending 3 years working as a nurse in a neurosurgery unit, and another 6 years working in the OR, I wear a helmet. Biking, riding, skiing, motorcycling, I wear a helmet. My kid wears one too. I've seen people's brains oozing out of their heads a few too many times to take a chance w/ my head, or my child's.
Whoa mare--try using a suede bareback pad. I think bareback riding is EXCELLENT for developing balance and an independent seat! Parelli did get that part right. I have done a lot of bareback, to the point where riding bareback is as comfortable as riding w/ a saddle for me. (Except on a mountain trail, where getting your privates shoved into the withers when you go downhill is not comfortable.)
The bareback pad will help keep you from sliding around. BB is also great for working your inner thigh muscles--getcha toned up in no time! ;)
I find that I have a much greater respect for a rider who is comfortable and balanced bareback. I think someone who can ride BB well at any gait fits my definition of a solid rider.
Hey,
My name is Abby and I am from the FHOTH blog as I noticed many of you are.
I just volenteered myself to work with 2 horses of an elderly lady.
They are both green broke.....kinda.
Noname is a 17hh fresian x QH mare, she is 6 and has not been riddin much, and has a lot of respect issues.
DeeDee is a QH, that has the same problems.
They are both parelli trained....kinda.
She wants them trained for dressage. I used to ride these horses, but I quit almost a year ago because of some disagreements between the owner and I. She asked me to come back, but this time on very different terms. I am going to ride these horses this time as I think they should be ridden, not how the owner thinks they should be ridden. I will respect the owners training wishes, but this time, I am going to ridwe these horses like they are my own. That means when they do something that is unacceptable behavior, IE running me over, bucking, rearing etc. I will handle it how I would handle it with my own horses.
I am a little afraid to get back on these horses after almost a year and them not being ridden more than 12 times since I quit. So I will keep you all updated on my adventures.
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