Shopping for men’s breeches sucks.
Don’t like form fitting breeches. REALLY don’t like knit breeches, much prefer woven.
My ideal would be pleated front, woven, relaxed fit full seat breeches.
Guys guys guys! I tried a horse today! I think I might share a lease with my friend with her. It’s at a gorgeous barn on a horse that will take care of both of us – my re-rider once-intermediate self, and my beginner friend. She’s smaller than I was originally looking for but completely bombproof, very smart, a great listener, very honest, and not too forward. I’m SO excited!!! Videos would be up except the weather was crappy today and it was getting dark out.
Wooo hoo! Can’t wait to see video!
Shimmed up my saddle yesterday and had a quite lovely ride. I even “jumped” a crossrail. I say “jumped” and not plain old jumped because it was so tiny that the pone sort of just oophed himself over it.
I was hoping he’d land cantering away so that we could have a nice canter rather than his current transitions (which are still rough) but…he wasn’t even impressed enough to canter away. Guess I’ll have to get stronger so that I can impress him.
In other news, I’m thinking of changing barns. Not that I’m not happy at my current barn, but I just added up the feed costs (all extra) that my guy needs, and it works out to almost the board from the “fancy” barn that has the beautiful outdoor (instead of the rock hard undragged falling down arena), the great trainers, the individualized and paired paddocks and other amenities. I still wouldn’t move, but for the fact that there would be the opportunity to clinic and ride with “the greats”. Oh, and there’s an indoor heated wash rack, vacuum and heated tack room and lounge.
I’m a bit depressed about it because I really like the people where I’m at now, but it doesn’t make sense to pay as much as I would at the barn with all of the amenities to be the sole hunter rider amidst a barn full of pleasure riders.
As for breeches, I like the Tuffriders. I also have a few pairs of Platinum Country Figurefit breeches. Since I’m tall, I have to order long and…er…wider sizes. I have another pair of schooling breeches that I adore, but I’m not sure what label they are. They are a nice thick material, black, not frilly or pleated or anything…just…thick breeches.
Thanks for the breech input! I guess I’ll have to give the Tuffriders another chance. I can’t even imagine shopping for men’s breeches…what a nightmare! Ugh.
I have a video on FB but is there any way I can put it on another site where it won’t be turned sideways? I’d just like to keep my facebook out of it, that’s all.
The mare is a 15.2 hand 8 yr old QH who is really, really cute. She’s smart and very responsive to vocal cues, the leg, and the rein. She like contact (which I like). She’s perfect for me to get my basics more solid, and she can even jump a little. Wait till you see her go! We don’t have any lofty aspirations, just to have fun and for me to regain my basics and get back into shape. My friend who will be co-leasing is interested in the same, basically, and this mare can take care of us both. It’s awesome.
That sucks, OGP, about having to move, but it sounds like the right choice for what you’re getting for your money.
[QUOTE=mildot;5932470]
Shopping for men’s breeches sucks.
Don’t like form fitting breeches. REALLY don’t like knit breeches, much prefer woven.
My ideal would be pleated front, woven, relaxed fit full seat breeches.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, there aren’t many choices for men, are there? Have you tried emailing the manufacturers?
Still getting back in the swing of things after not riding for two weeks. Time off REALLY sets me back. Had a decent lesson today but just wasn’t seeing distances. Horsie dear packed me around like a good boy. We did trot/canter the cloverleaf and managed get through it. It wasn’t pretty but at least we followed the correct track. Homework for the weekend from my trainer was to canter, canter and canter.
Pancakes- exciting about the new horse!
In personal news, it is now officially over with the guy I’ve been seeing on and off since February. Not really a surprise, as he had pretty much been MIA for over a month. Still when he’d said he didn’t want to do anything this weekend because he needed to winterize his house… I told him I wouldn’t bother to call him again. So… a weekend with horsie dear!
Had a lovely ride on the back roads this morning - hard to believe 3 days ago was the snow storm - most is melted - some remaining on the edge of fields.
It is now the 2nd week of Adequan for B. He also now is getting his full compliment of vitamins, supplements, & meds - and has had his Back on Track & new Rambo blanket for a week. Even on the hard dirt road, he was bouncing along today. (Well, it is a beautiful day.) I haven’t been able to canter him yet, and the couple of brief times I had before I took him over, he was so uncomfortable it was not fun. Today, he put in a few canter strides when he could sneak them in (and a couple of bucks, too!:eek:). Those few strides felt lovely. 
(A little background - I owned a share of B as a racehorse. His last race was as a 6 year old at Belmont. Early in his 7 year old year, it was apparent he had to be retired. I was asked if I wanted him (I had begged them to let me help if they ever needed to retire him). It was not good timing for me to take him personally, so I gave him to my good friend as a jumper prospect. After caring for him for a year, her vet thought he had arthritis issues in his L front and she was going to give him away as a pasture pony. Fast forward to September, when she gave him back to me so I could try to get him through his issues, and at the minimum have him as a pleasure horse. He’s been seen by a lameness specialist, and kissing spine has been diagnosed, although his legs are in pretty good shape. So we’re taking a conservative approach to riding, with revisits every couple of months. His vet is very optimistic about his future. He has been a joy to be around, very sweet and very smart. Returning to riding as an owner is the best thing I’ve done in years!) :yes:
I have a video on FB but is there any way I can put it on another site where it won’t be turned sideways? I’d just like to keep my facebook out of it, that’s all.
I’m confused by the “won’t be turned sideways” comment. You can put in on youtube but make it private so that you can “only” share the link here. But I’m not sure about sideways!
OGP - sorry you’re having to move, but the new place sounds to die for!
Pancakes - outstanding! So excited for you. Sharing can be a great way to own a horse. I’m kind of hoping if I get B in good enough shape in time, that perhaps I can find a junior that would like to share him as well. I had so many good to me as a youngster when I couldn’t have my own horse, I’d like to return the favor.
Sorry, about the beau, Iechris - I just recently ended 4 years w/ my SO. We’ll have to have a toast together in spirit!
Congrats Pankcakes! Even though I don’t share him, after almost two years, there are days when I am still surprised that Finn is mine! Such a great feeling!
Iechirs - from what you said - dumping him may just be a good thing in the long run! More horse time for you. The only man in my life is Finn and I love it that way. The last human male made the mistake of telling me that you don’t buy dishwashers, you marry them (and, no I did not!). And he wondered why I was a tad bit offended!
I love this thread!
Thanks everyone. Here is a short video I uploaded. OGP I think I figured out how to rotate it. I still can’t sign in through my iphone though…it won’t accept my login info, so you only can have a short clip. That’s ok, we mostly trotted this time, haha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_NCTBRUMUk
I wish I could get rid of the audio but I’m not tech savvy enough to figure it out! Please excuse my riding and the awesome instruction by the horse’s owner/trainer.
I think the sharing will work well as my schedule changes weekly and I work long hours, though I only work 3-4 shifts/week. This give us the flexibility to get out there and ride when it works for us and to keep the mare in work too. It’s going to be a good partnership. The mare has a lot to teach each of us and I think with more instruction/time I can help bring her along too.
I can’t imagine you guys who finally own your own horses…someday! It must be like a dream come true I’m glad you remember your roots too, and to give back. CVPeg we need more people like you! And Jaslyn, you should enjoy every day with your Finn you have
I rode both my horses this past weekend. I hate having to travel to ride my baby but I love riding two horses. Funny but I was not as sore as I thought I would be. I love my older guy, so well trained I love it ! The baby, well he may be my last baby, I’m loving a horse that goes on the bit and uses his hind end.
Mildot-breeches suck when you get older period. I stick with two types that work for me and I no longer waste time with all of the others. I will say that men who ride have great leg control early on and just look better at riding than us women. I have a few male friends who ride.
My horses really make life great right now, I’m going through some rough patches and horses heal everything.
Completely exhausted after my ride tonight, although it could be from walking up and down the hills at the barn packing stuff for my daughters show this weekend. My barn has 3 large hills you have to go up/down to get to the arenas, parking, barns, and round pen.
Managed to stay on for another lesson!
Pancakes, congrats on the new pony, I think you guys look great together!
… and to make things better the show for this weekend just got moved up a day! This is the championship show for the whole county circuit, with 100’s of kids and adults riding. At 9:30pm the night before, they move up the classes an entire day.
waaaaaaaahhhh!!! I went out last night for a lesson and my pony is lame 
No idea what happened, and its not horrible, but she’s definitely off. I was able to tell as soon as we started trotting. Seems to be something with her right front. Doesn’t feel the same as it did when she needed her coffins injected back in May. That was more of a stabby, painful trot, this was a gimpy, slight head bobbing trot. She was ridden earlier in the day by someone else who would have called my trainer if something felt off, and I last rode her on Sunday were we didn’t do anything complicated or hard (low jumps). So I am a bit confuzzled by this sudden lameness.
Needless to say, she’s getting the next couple days off and if no improvement, we have the vet coming out next week anyway to check on a couple other horses.
But if everyone could please keep your fingers crossed that its nothing serious it would be much appreciated!
KateKat, I hope your pony is sound again soon. We’ve had several ponies at my barn who have been “off” for no apparent reason. But they’ve come back sound within a day or two, maybe it’s the change in the weather?
Pancakes, your new mare looks lovely. Leasing and sharing is a great way to get back into horses and to find out just what will make you happy in a horse.
Ballisticgirl, I’m so sorry you’re hurt again. I have to say that the majority of my falls have happened at a walk, and one while mounting It’s those moments when you’re relaxed and think that nothing can happen that your horse decides to become another creature. I hope you can think of the down time as rest and recovery, and look forward to riding again when you’re healed.
I haven’t had much luck with getting in the saddle. I’m in CT, where we’ve had this awful early snowstorm. I’ve been without power since Saturday, both at home and at the barn. Even though we’ve had beautiful warm, sunny days since the storm, I haven’t been able to ride. It’s too dark when I get out of work, and our riding arena is a sodden, muddy mess of fetlock deep mud and even deeper puddles, with the nice addition of fallen trees & branches
I’m hoping that by this weekend it will dry out enough to allow for some decent riding. The pony’s feeling lonesome!
Hinderella, I feel your pain. just got power Tues night, paddock is a mess, property has at least 6 trees ruined, fence broke, ugh. So done with this!
I have a show on Sun, doing 2 dressage tests. I am SO nervous. I cannot for the life of me memorize my tests!!! Any tips???
I used to set up a mini dressage ring in my living room or in the back yard and do the test on foot, over and over. It really helped.
KateKat – so sorry to hear that your horse is off. Hopefully it is just a small “ouchy” and she’ll be better in a day or two.
Pancakes – YAY!!! for finding a horse that will work for you and your friend. What is her name? My boy is a Quarter Horse too, and while some people are a little snooty about Quarter Horses in the hunter ring, he does great! And his temperament is perfect for my re-rider self. Sure, he might not be able to make the lines in a 3 foot class (I don’t know - we’ve never tried!)…but my 40 year old butt isn’t going to be doing any 3 foot classes with him, so it’s really not a problem. He does 2’6" with no problems, and that is my ultimate goal. And as another poster said, after 2 years, I still look at him sometimes and can’t believe he is mine. He is my life-liong dream come true.
spacytracy - good luck with your dressage tests – I am sure you’ll do great! I don’t have any tips on test memorization. While I suffer from many deficiencies in the arena, I am grateful for my good short term memory (which also came in handy for the Bar Exam).
Raining in ATL now – hope it stops soon so the footing isn’t a mess at our show this weekend. This is the last show in a local schooling series we’ve been doing this year (7 shows since April), and we are in line to do well with year-end awards in the adult beginner divisions. I know “adult beginners” isn’t very impressive, with our little 18" cross rails in the O/F classes, but after my fall and broken collar bone last July, I am proud of us. I am nervous, because work has prevented me from riding since the weekend of 10/22, but hopfully I can get out of the office early enough to school at the show grounds tomorrow evening, and get some practice in.
Hope everyone has a great riding weekend!!!
Good luck at your show, Tarheel. I ride QHs as well, just because that is mostly what my BO has and uses as schoolies. I like them. The one I trained for her most recently is Mr. Personality and the smartest horse I ever rode. Tons of fun. He’s short-strided and a bit small but honest and can easily do a 2’9" course with perfect, easy lead changes.
The one I’m working with now is a QH also but a totally different type. She is a daughter of Sky’s Blue Boy, six years old and still very green. I have been riding her for less than a year. She is the extremely sensitive type–everything new (a rail in a different place, someone painting the fence in the ring, etc.) upsets her. She has a lovely jump, though, and this week we had a breakthrough…she trotted several poles to a rail with boxes under it. The first time I asked her to jump the boxes (Tuesday) she said, “Oh, no! I can’t! Those boxes are going to eat me!” Yesterday she was jumping them quietly. She has such a lovely jump. I hope she will become more confident over fences.
Dewey – at one point about a year ago, my trainer was considering buying a horse by Sky’s Blue Boy. It ended up not working out, but it was a beautiful grey. I don’t know much about Quarter Horse bloodlines, but I think that line has a reputation for doing well in the hunters.
