What a very handsome guy, Bumpkin! 
I see trees of green, red roses too. I watch 'em bloom for me and for you. And I think to myself … what a wonderful world. Yes, what a wonderful world." – Louie Armstrong.
I knew if we kept asking nicely we’d get a picture of Hammie eventually. 
He’s a real cutie!
You don’t have to drive me all the way into Seattle!!! haha
I mean if you really want to hop on Elliot the bronc, it would be had for easier than that at the moment.
I am going to look into the Skunk Helmets also.
Thank you for letting me know they are Ok to use.
I believe that with the Hambola Virus it’s the right to left lead that he becomes the most resistant, and therefore most demonstrative (i.e. he, uhm, occasionally kicks out at my leg just before he changes… or not).
On another note: Beezer rode the 3 yr. old, “Barbie Cow”, and it was the cutest thing you’ve ever seen! I swear, I’ve done such a good job (patting self on back now). 
Barbie (Hanoverian and Trakehner) is just this squat brown marshmallow with a white face and a silver tail. But man, can she move! I shant be riding against her in any hack classes…
“Charter Member of the Baby Greenie Support Group of North America”
I really didn’t mean to bring the whole dang thread down with my posts. 
So, please, everyone, fun this thread back up!
I see trees of green, red roses too. I watch 'em bloom for me and for you. And I think to myself … what a wonderful world. Yes, what a wonderful world." – Louie Armstrong.
We were up at the barn tonight, getting Rio clipped for the show this weekend, and my dtr decided to see if she could ride Shadow. Shadow is a 4 yr old ottb. We’ve seen him ridden by others, but my dtr has not ridden him herself. We’ve only had him a couple of weeks, and he last raced this past June. We learned a lot of things about Shadow tonight.
We learned that Shadow does not like the cross-ties. He kept moving around (back and forth, back and forth), but when you snapped a lead rope on, he stood still. He is also VERY ticklish. Could be that since he is so underweight it is exaggerated (he needs about 150 to 200 lbs). We learned that Shadow picks his feet up to be cleaned like a pro. My dtr no sooner stood up when he would pick the next one up for her. We learned that Rio’s 50" girth does not fit at all. We used the 42" pony girth instead. I might be able to find our old 48", but I’m afraid it might be too big right now. We learned that Shadow needs a cob sized bridle and a bit smaller than 5". So, does any one know how to tell what size bit to get? I think I still have a 4.5" loose ring at the bottom of my dtr’s old tack trunk. We learned that Shadow is very responsive to my dtr’s leg, and that he bends very nicely. And Shadow’s big floatie trot is smooth as butter, per my dtr. She mostly walked him, did some bending, then trotted once around the arena each way.
We also learned that Shadow loves to be scratched on his head. After riding, my dtr gave him some big scratchies all over his face and he just closed his eyes in esctasy. Awwwww…
One thing was a little weird: Shadow kept looking at the girth. He would stop and turn his head around and sniff at it. He did this several times. We figured that maybe it was pinching, or tickling him. Since he was so good for my dtr, she went ahead and dismounted. Once he was untacked, he didn’t do it anymore. I did think of colic at first, but since he stopped doing it after removing the girth, then it was something else. Maybe a fleece girth cover is in order. I think I have one stashed away somewhere. Maybe since the pony mare was wearing it recently, he was looking for her! He does like the ladies, and sometimes acts a little studdish.
Just wanted to share. No one was at the barn, but us. It was so thrilling to see my dtr ride this baby. He is much more difficult than her Rio. Rio is mellow and wants nothing more than to please my dtr (so he gets more treats at the end, I think).
[This message was edited by dcm on Aug. 17, 2001 at 12:21 AM.]
Beezer - good luck tomorrow and next Wednesday.
And, don’t hesitate to buy the first horse you look at if he is the right one. One of my finer horses was the first one I’d looked at and was advertised in the LA Times to boot.
Merry - the same person that described my horse as seeing dead people has also described him as being “a little quick with his head” on the ground.
Merry dearest, you got to have a full page in Horse Illustated!! With several smaller photos.
LuckyMe-
Folly is a cutie! Gotta love how greenies manage to hurt themselves…
So it looks like we’re going through with the Tot deal. I convinced my mom today that she’s the horse I want. After my “trainer” (she who does not call me back…) said that Tot is a horse I’d never be able to trust, stating, “She’ll pull her head right down and buck ya off”, my mom was convinced she did not want to buy this horse. Well, HA Trainer Lady! Today we trotted and cantered around on a nice little loopy rein giving Tot all the chances in the world to buck me off, and not one single buck occured. She loves me, she loves trainer not. So now what I have to do is sell my all-too-expensive clarinet. Know anyone in the market for a lovely 2 yr old Buffet R13? 
.:Erin B #2:.
You cannot stop us, you cannot bring us down,
Never give up, we go on and on.
Yes, Splendid, I am also trying to get our horses a little less fit for winter. Unfortunately all that’s happening is that I have to give them a big turn-out or a lunge before my lessons. Oh wait, at the last show, Hammie was turned-out BEFORE we left for the show, and lunged when we got there. And he still pitched when I first asked for the canter! It was rather embarrassing: I’m in the warm-up ring, which has no railing at the end, he begins to pitch and roll at the canter, and we just sort of sea serpent out of the warm-up ring, up to the backgate area where everyone’s awaiting their round, I smile and wave as the pitching continues, and we somehow end up back in the warm-up ring and get back to a nice canter. Hammie was like, “Ah, glad to get that out of my system.” So what’s wrong with my de-fitness plan?
And you all have no idea how much better I feel, knowing I’m not the only one doing mid-ride lunging sessions.
“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”
A little plea for help here guys…
What do you do when your horse spooks? How in the world do you convince a horse, especially a baby, that its not going to get eaten by the scary thing in the corner?
And I’m not talking little spooks, I’m talking bolting sideways to the other end of the arena kind of spooks that come absolutely out of nowhere.
My filly is dead quiet on the ground, and for the most part she is under saddle. But man can she spook, and the most difficult part about it is that I can’t predict them-- they come out of nowhere. One minute she’s plodding around as quiet as can be and the next she’s spinning and bolting/running sideways/etc. I’ve always found the best way to cure spooking is to ignore it, nto react at all, and just carry on with your work as if the spook never happened. but when she goes flying as violently as she does, we have to totally re-group.
I’ve had her since she was weaned and trust me, she has had plenty of time to become desensitized to just about everything under the sun. Its the things that ARENT there that she THINKS are there which are the worst!
Any suggestions? She’s been thoroughly examined by the vet, eyesight and everything…
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bumpkin:
Tell me Beezer, does Tigger change the minute he sees Merry come in the ring and talk, or coach you?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
He does, Bumpkin!! It’s like, “oooooohhhhhh nooooooo, the ‘mean’ Merry lady is here!” Merry always tells me I’m too nice. Which I probably am. But it’s often more a case of, “I’m not allowed to take hold so he doesn’t learn to pull,” so then Merry gets after me for not using my hands. Those kinda things. I get so focused on NOT screwing my baby up that sometimes it’s just better/easier to get off and say, “You do it.”
Which is probably why I’m going to have/make Merry show him this weekend when he makes his “debut.” While I’d love to, I also really, really want him to have a positive experience. And she is just so much better at it than I am.
(But I DO have to share this funny moment from a recent school. Tiggs is drifting left; I know he is drifting left, I can feel him, so am using my left leg to push him back over. But Merry is yelling, “Right leg! RIGHT LEG!!” So, only wanting to do the right thing for my boy and knowing that Merry knows best, I take my left leg off and use my right leg. We about took out the left standard. 
I pull up, look back at her and say, “You know, he was going LEFT, so why are you telling me to use my RIGHT leg?” I get the giggle, the sheepish grin. “I got confused,” she says. “I meant your right hand.” SIGH. )
Bulletin Board Goddess
So, someone else’s baby greenie squeals like a pig when they canter? The Barbie Cow ALWAYS does this scenario: You tack her up, lead her into the arena for either a lunge or a turn-out, and she just begins squealing in anticipation of being allowed to “go”. So I persecute her by making her stand for oh, three or four minutes. Every few seconds she just emits this squeal. But I just stand there until I decide it’s time for her to exercise. This is just such a lovely, endearing habit…
“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”
It sounds like a great first show. I had to laugh when you described Tigger’s reaction to lining up in the hack. Tess was much the same in the beginning. Hmmm, this must be the Social Hour portion of our day. Let me see if I can reach around and touch a few noses, maybe get a squeal going…
Greenies are so much fun.
Happy Tot. She tends to be quite a mare sometimes.
.:Erin B #2:.
“When you get to the end of all the light you know and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly.”
Whoopee for BustersMom and LuckyMe! So your “kids” are going to private school!
The Buck Branneman guy may work wonders. I had to giggle about your daughter going to a little open show “complete with barrel racing.” LOL, that sounds exactly like the first shows we take our babies to! We always get these stares. People will ask, "What kind of a horse is that?"
So, Lucky Me wants Barbie Cow pics. Hmmm… Guess what? One of the equestrian photographers that I work with loves Barbie. She’s shooting photos for some trail riding journal (is there such a thing?). Anyway, guess who is going to be in the spread? Me on the Cow Beast in our western get-up, out on the trails! Hopefully, her warmblood brand won’t show. sigh
“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”
Ah Beezer, I am imagining that sound “boing boing boing” As Tigger goes happily along
Silly Beezer, thinking that 40 degrees and a slight chill in the air would unflag that tail. Ahhhh, the wonderful night time rides…
Ah, Merry, LOVE the picture of you and Hammie — you look so casual, just out for an everyday hack in your breeches and immaculately polished boots. Tell the truth, is that really your everyday outfit for around the barn?
Hammie is a handsome sucker – but JUMPING pictures! We want to see JUMPING pictures!
Pam (back from caps lock hell…)
PS You are the only person who is longer from hip to knee than I am… Makes riding in the economy section of airplanes fun, eh?
How was the ski trip?
I plan on going and trying that helmet before Thursday.
I asked Mr Bumpkin, Mr Design Engineer, about the helmets.
And I was so shocked how easy he explained why it is a good idea to replace my olde helmet. Also the whole theory of what happened to it when I was a lawn dart.
I want him to write it down and I shall post a new thread about it.
If no one minds a new helmet thread.
This is not about which one to purchase, but what happens and why.
Okay, here’s a story from when I was teaching my greenie to jump (a year ago now.) She was sooo delighted by the opportunity to fly through the air–over, it should be mentioned, an approximately 12" crossrail–that she would land bucking and galloping.
I was supposed to be stopping straight. Heck, I was supposed to be stopping anywhere I could get stopped. Our ring wasn’t fenced, but there was a barn along one side. Finally my trainer said, “stop trying so hard to pull her up, just let her hit the barn” thinking, of course, that she’d never do it.
Next fence: wheee! buck, play, toss head, scamper, sidle, snort, THUNK!
Did we learn anything from this? I think not.
[This message was edited by LaurieB on Jul. 31, 2001 at 08:14 PM.]
