Baby Greenie Support Group now open: Share Your Pain!

[Lord_Helpus]

I need to brag about the Mikester – he was a STAR today. We trailered for 90 minutes to this busy trainer’s barn to have a customer look at him. He gets off the trailer, gets tacked up and walks into a ring, the likes of which he has never seen (people/horses/ many strange jumps). In 5 minutes he is trotting quietly and in another 5 he is cantering on soft contact. THEN we start to jump: a log jump, a roll top, a Westminster gate, a wishing well, another wishing well, [did I mention the ROLLTOP???] He never blinked. Never overjumped. Made all the strides down the lines. Made ever lead change…

Conclusion: I am not asking NEARLY enough for this priceless gem of a horse. (The trainer knows it and is dying to get him. She is going to twist some serious arms to get parents to find the money. His price is going up quickly )

It is days like today that make all the bad times worth it… And if it were not so HOT here right now, I would lug Mikey to some local shows for mileage. But I am old. I do not do one day shows in the heat. I will no longer hold a horse for more than 15 minutes at a time and trailers are too hot to keep them in all day. So Mr. Mike will have to get mileage in his dreams.

Delighted: Re your post on jumping: I never jump babies until I have lunged them over verticals and oxers of 2’9" or so. If they are going to trip or need time to figure out their various body parts, I want to make sure they do it without me in the saddle…

[Hopeful_Hunter]

Yeah, Bumpkin!!! WONDERFUL to hear you felt good enough to canter alone warming up! And a great lesson to boot! Sounds like you’re well over your alternative sporting try out .

DMK – Good point about the batting for a leg wrap. I guess I was just thinking of it as being the same as the stuff they put INSIDE the quilts, so… Uh, duh?

Laurie – If it makes you feel any better, I was once knocked across the barn, saw stars and had my glasses smashed by a 17.1hh wb/tb cross I owned. I too tried the track method of foot cleaning – with my head stupidly in front, right at knee level. He was ok with that, but when a fly landed and he lifted his leg, his knee connected with my temple and almost knocked me out or worse. I’d LOVE to say I never do that now, but sometimes I catch my head positioned at perfect knee level At those times I try to remember “what do I want more, more lessons/horse stuff or new glasses?”

[Merry]

With regards to Splendid’s description of her pogo stick, who among us has ridden the equine version of Pepe Le Peu? You know, the cartoon skunk with the French accent who, madames, is always in love, so he kind of springs and bounds around with stiff legs, his nose up in the air, and his tail up over his back? When I feel Pepe coming on, I just get off and lunge some more.

As for Pam: You mean, I have to put up with this “attitude” for a while longer? Like, forever?

“Charter Member of the Baby Greenie Support Group of North America”

[Coreene]

I have never read this thread before. Oh sure, I saw it, but since I don’t have a greenie … well, you know. And now I read about Sam and I HAD NO IDEA!!!

Congrats, Beezer!

[TrickOfTheTrade]

I bring down the average a lot… I’m only 17. My baby greenie is 5 and soon we will be going to our 2nd over fences show!!!

[DMK]

Uhh… Laurie? You rode a greenie today??? You are a braver person than I!!!

Fortunately RV has a week off due to an annoying little tendon bruise (no lameness, but just enough swelling to take some time off), and Robbie was already scheduled to have Sunday/Monday off (he jumped me out of the tack EVERY time Saturday when we schooled through a gymnastic with a 3’6 oxer on the way out ).

After checking the weather reports, I am pretty sure I won’t be hopping on RV until Friday, thank you very much!! My new & improved winter motto is no sense choosing a battle you can’t win!

Mucho congrats to Duffy and Bumpkin!

*** Speak yer mind… But ride a fast horse… ***

[Merry]

… I am starting a new one about my current Hammie situation. See: “Someone just shoot me and put me out of my misery now.”

Anyone have some spare kleenex?

“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”

[Seven]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wtywmn4:
Yeah Serendipity Sorry haven’t been to the horse care forum
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the support!! And…in re-reading my post, I hope it didn’t sound snarky!! I certainly didn’t mean it that way…I was trying to convey that I won’t re-post all the boring diet questions I had over here, as concession to those who were kind enough to read and respond to them the first time!

=^+^=

I just haven’t been the same since that house fell on my sister.

[Duffy]

Oye, Merry! It’s a conspiracy, plain and simple! These guys are just too smart. I just KNOW mine will start limping the day (or hours) after I wire the rest of the money…

Pam - I WANT your place!!! We had a show schedule meeting the other night and KY WAS discussed as an option to our regular grind… hmmmmm … ponder, ponder, ponder…

[Lord_Helpus]

Hey guys, Just checking into my favorite thread – could not stand to see it on page three!

Don’t have anything to add re baby greenies – I seem to have this mystery problem in legs and arms – numbness and weakness. Makes riding impossible. Cannot post once around on the old man Bear 'cuz legs are too weak. Can harly climb stairs and cannot carry things. Even have trouble driving (holding steering wheel with arm outstretched – have to alternate arms and let the other one rest).

Been seeing lots of Doctors. Back to Neurologist on Tues. for a wicked test called a Needle EMG (anyone out there had one? How bad is it really? I have to have it on both arms and both legs… Dr. Sadist has not prescribed any tranquilizer – I sure want some. Any input from the crowd out there?), then off to either a back doctor or a Neurosurgeon, depending on what level we think the problem is in my back.

It was probably exacerbated by the fall last July, originated by breaking my neck 12 years ago. So I am guessing it is probably nerve root compression in my neck. Will know more in a week or so.

But, that is where I have been for the last couple of weeks (Sitting in doctor’s waiting rooms, reading old issues of Mother’s Day magazines). Horses have been turned out for the winter.

Only scary part is that some doctor will tell me that, if I ever fall again I might never get up… Now that will be a big decision… Ride v. wheelchair… Non horse people think I am crazy that I even would think twice about making such a decision, but you guys will understand, I am sure.

I guess I could always teach. I enjoy it and have been taught by the best, so I certainly know a lot – probably would make a better teacher than rider at this point in my life. Problem is, I don’t like bratty little kids, are there any other kind?

Pam

[Lord_Helpus]

Ms. Cool,

You sure know how to spend your $500! – What a cutie – How did you ever see a jumper inside a bucking horse? That took a lot of vision!

[Bumpkin]

I am not going to be a Long Stirrup lifer!!!

I keep saying that I am moving up as fast as my trainer will allow Elliot and I to move up
hahaha

My goal is A/O but not until 2003 or 4!!!
Until them I shall rise slowly through the ranks, L/S, whatever there is and then A/A to eventually the A/O where Bumpkin and I were.

Merry, Hammie is gorgeous, those are nicer photos than the ones in the last HI!!!
Hammie looks more filled out in these.

I cannot wait to see what he looks like all braided up “purdy”!!

Busters Mom, I will have to share with Mallory also, thank goodness at the moment she says she is quite happy just showing in the Hack classes.
But I suspect a few more lessons like the last two she has had over fences on Elliot and we are going to be like you and your daughter!!
Flipping for who gets to go!!! hahaha

[barngirl]

Great topic
Some many things to change…
Most obvious… leaving out strides down lines… Yes Mickey i know you can go the four in three… the six in five or sometimes four!!! but the judge ( and my trainer and ME!!) are not at all impressed.
Being a spook!!! the judges stand does not mysterious disappear and re-appear at the same spot. You can use your corners. and no it does not mean fall to pieces in the flat class when the judge asks us to reverse!!!
He use to buck, only got me off once… he would actually pause and let me reposition before bucking some more… They seemed to be quite ridable, but I was told they were quite spectacular with sometime 3ft of ground clearance. its is never good when i hear my trainer go…" oh my…" and " okay just hold on…".
I am hoping that the new saddle will help with a lot of problems we were having… i found out that my old saddle was sitting off to the left severly, which accounted for a lot of his behaviours and ring issues.

Can’t remember who mentioned that they took their baby green to two shows back to back , but I did the same thing…actually three ( the first two weeks were one day schooling shows) by the time we rolled into the third show a two day “C”… he was much calmer at least about the show grounds. By Sunday he even managed to behave enough to help me win a Inter. Adult EQ flat class and got fourth in the same over fences. He still is a spook, but I think he finally figured out he wasn’t going to die!!! If you can do it is worth it… don’t have to ride thier legs off just get them out!!!
Good luck everyone!!!

[daytimedrama]

oh he is sooo cute!!

~Christina~
“I don’t patronize bunny rabbits!” -Heathers
Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.

[Won2Keep]

I need a support group way below the Baby Green one! How about the Just Broke Support Group? Showrings, jumps, cantering lines are way in the future for this guy.

He has been very good because he does not have the muscle to misbehave! I tried to canter for the first time last night and sort of wound him up. I put my leg on… and what did he do? Stop dead in his tracks. Several times!

It is like being in a car with no brakes, no gas pedal, and no steering, but you are moving forward.

Anyone else want to join the “Just Broke” Support Group?

[Merry]

We do get a grass/oat/alfalfa mix straight from the grower in the summer, but this has been around most of the year. It’s alfalfa/oat/beardless barley/sweet pea. Go figure, huh? Sweet pea…I’m assuming the edible peas (they’re just sweeter), not the flower!

I’m thrilled you’re back in the saddle, Bumpkin.

Hammie got LTD’ed (lunged to death) at my trainer’s today. Her footing was great despite the recent rains. Then he jumped wonderfully! I mean, the best ever! So there’s hope, fellow greenie-riders!

“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”

[Anyplace_Farm]

My guy cantered like a real live horse last night. He was actually somewhat balanced.

Some of you might remember my OTTB woes. Well, he’s coming along so nicely now. I have someone longeing him for me on days where I can’t get out. Makes alllllll the difference for me.

[Janet]

That is what Belle had on Saturday. (AKA a dressage lesson). Butt it worked, We hacked on SUnday and I was able to keep the giraffe in=mitations to a minimum- even in the presence of strange earthmoving equipment, barking dogs, and new horses.

Lots of small circles at the walk, walk/halt transitions, and “vibrating” the inside rein.

[LMH]

Does anyone’s green bean WB suffer from the “Warmblood Statue”-you are in the ring casually walking over the SAME poles that have been there since the horse’s birth and suddenly NOOOOOOOO I CAN"T go over the pole. I can’t go back, or sideways or front ways. Not if you are on me, beside me, pulling me. I can NEVER ever move again as long as I live. I don’t care that it has been two hours and everyone is having dinner and you just missed an important dinner…I simply can’t move-oh but I can lay down and play dead-yes i am dead. Just leave me here…

Feel the pain

Life is too short to dance with ugly men

[Quinn]

Beezer, if anything can be said here, it’s that the Tig Man is one lucky SOM to have picked you for a mom.

On one hand, I am so sorry for your horrible luck but on the other, he’s so grateful I’m sure, to have you.