Can we have an adult re-rider support group?

[OneGrayPony]

Very glad you’re feeling better ballisticgirl.

Spacy, I’m sure your lesson will go just fine!! Think positive! It’s SO important (particularly on these greenies).

Hinderella, I’ve rearranged my entire work schedule around my riding schedule - isn’t that silly? I’m still not sure how I’m going to do it when they switch turnouts. I don’t want to ride in the evening/early morning in the winter, but they do daytime turnout during the winter here. I suppose I could fight the geldings at the gate to get mine out of the pasture, but that adds another 20 minutes to the time it takes me to get him all ready. Blah!

We had a lovely hack twice around the big field today on a LOOSE rein!!! Yay!! We even trotted in the big scary field. Not a real intense workday but it was nice to get out, for sure. I love how responsive my boy is getting, and how it’s all mellowing him out.

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=ballisticgirl;5916612]
Here’s a question. Is there such a thing as feeding too many treats and then ruining one’s horse? I spoil too much, but my horse is a baby and a growing boy at that. (17 hands and hopefully not growing too much more!)

I know GM doesn’t like to give treats and if so, “only in the box”. Should I stop giving so many in an effort to have a more focused and quiet horse under saddle?[/QUOTE]

You know, that’s a good question. I think it depends on the horse. I know some horses get demanding and mouthy if they are given treats all the time. Not all, though. I don’t have my own horse, but I ride two nice mares for a man whose greatest thrill in life is watching people work with his “girls.” He comes every day to the barn armed with a bag of baby carrots and feeds the mares constantly while they are in the cross ties getting groomed, untacked, etc. I have thought of asking him to wait till after I am finished working with them, but they are his horses, not mine, and he adores feeding them. The mares know that he is the carrot guy, and they do a little begging, but neither one has gotten out of hand with it, so I think it’s OK in this case.

[shelliblue]

[QUOTE=ballisticgirl;5914682]
Okay…I am thinking in an effort to get ahead and fast, taking a sabbatical from work and being a middle aged working student for six months. Has anyone else thought about doing this? I’d get to ride five/six horses per day and decompress from the rat race. Housing is paid for. Oh, and I would be around much younger folks all day.

Anyone so obsessed as I and think this a good idea? I love riding so much and could see myself making a career change, albeit a major lifestyle change as well! : )[/QUOTE]

This sounds like a fabulous idea! Go for it!! I have only been back to riding for a few months after many years away and it would be wonderful to spend even a few weeks concentrating on riding and horsemanship - to speed up the progress!! (I am not patient!)

[iechris]

The weather was good today, so had a lesson after the previous two weeks being rained out. And… I rode about as expected with two missed lessons and 1 1/2 weeks since I’ve been on a horse. Did I mention the horse I part lease is called “The Cadillac” around the barn!!! Anyway, he was very kind and lovely as usual. I definitely think it was a “that horse is a saint” day today! Two new college girls have joined my lesson and they both were fun to ride with. One is just a tiny bit above my level and the other is going to show in the A/O jumpers in two weeks.

Also found out that the fields are almost all harvested and the trails are being smoothed over, so we are going to have essentially a galloping track! We also have permission to walk (NOT gallop) over the coastal hay field. Should be a fun winter as long as the Wednesday morning rain curse doesn’t hit us too many times.

Hope every one is healing up well. Broken ribs and/or collarbone are pretty much my nightmare.

[ballisticgirl]

iechris…so jealous of your ride today! Sounds like too much fun. loving’ the name Cadillac. I need a horse like that.

I went to visit my 4 year old 17 hander today to see if his winter blankie from last year would fit his growing bod. He saw me in my ride and came trotting over to the fence line…then I came to him in the field, he wanted to play and began kicking in the air, galloped around me taunting me. Does he know he inflicted this pain and Mama can’t play or ride right now?

I swear he knows he has a hall pass! Boy am I in for it when I get the nerve to jump back into the cockpit.

[LuvMyRide]

Climbed on the Beastie today for a lesson. It was good, finally got her over this one jump that she wanted no part of last week, and this week it took about 4 tries. Came off again and landed on my butt, (least it wasn’t my shoulder) and the little monster knew she was in biiiig trouble. All in all, it was actually a great lesson, but I think I’m going to have to get my helmet replaced again.

Just so no one gets the wrong idea, I can usually stick with most horses, this one just seems to have my number. She will come in nicely to a jump, get just to where we are going to take off, and then she shifts her weight to the left and then the right, and then turns on her butt and goes the opposite direction (perfect reining turn). No matter how much I sit up and try and stay with her, I just can’t seem to get it!

[CVPeg]

Not entirely horsey, but you’re my friends here…my ex boyfriend (we broke up in June) just left and we are really, really done for good. At least this time, in June I was smart enough to realize what a nice 4 years we had together and suggest after the “break up fight”, that we look back on that, and remain friends. For logistical reasons, visiting family, and “sharing the kids” (cat & dog, especially the dog!) we have seen each other from time to time, staying at each other’s places platonically - we’re 5 hours apart. He immediately got back into the dating scene. Has dated several & finally found someone with his passion, which is sailing. (Which I also enjoy, but not as much as the four leggers…)

He was under my skin while visiting, as he swears up a storm, constantly whines about his practice, leaves his crap all over, shut the cat out in the rain, and couldn’t even drive the stick shift on his new Mini when we went out to dinner. We admitted we both thought we might have reconciled - but as this break up continued, it was apparent to me it wouldn’t. But I am very happy for him! (Think I’ve grown up finally!!)

So, I’m also a little bit wistful…but giddy because I just got a big shipment from Smartpak, and am about to go bring B his new blankies, brush all the dried mud off him, work out a bit in the indoor using my new girth and my own half pad:cool:, then try to bring him to a shine so he’s all handsome in his new gear, and he stays snug as a bug in a rug while the snow hits this afternoon.

TG for our babies…

[OneGrayPony]

Just so no one gets the wrong idea, I can usually stick with most horses, this one just seems to have my number. She will come in nicely to a jump, get just to where we are going to take off, and then she shifts her weight to the left and then the right, and then turns on her butt and goes the opposite direction (perfect reining turn). No matter how much I sit up and try and stay with her, I just can’t seem to get it!

Oooh she’s got you figured out! Darned mares!!!

Does she go in the same direction each time?

TG for our babies…

Sorry to hear about the boyfriend, but he doesn’t sound like a good match…I can empathize though…it can be HARD to let the wrong one go. There’s all this attachment even if they are a total stinker and no relationship is 100% bad…so you tend to remember the good stuff.

I am in love with Bit of Britain right now. They sent my new paddock boots (last pair I bought in 03…maybe? and are all holey and ugly) and the man’s new breastplate/martingale combo so I don’t have to worry about sitting on his loins due to his build. I ordered them and they got here in TWO days!!! Yay!!!

He’s got ginormous withers and a HUGE shoulder, so even despite being in a med-narrow-tree the saddle ends up wayyyy back. And I don’t like sitting in the back seat. His neck is already too long to begin with.

Today it’s ugly and gray and rainy. I might set up some “jumps”. I guess I could ride out, but I don’t have good rain gear. sigh

[spacytracy]

OneGrey - I pm’d you re: saddle fit. Still having trouble finding something to fit. Last night I rode in 2 different Natural’s - an older model and a newer. Both were ok on him, one was not good on me.

This is me in the newer one, which was better on me, but too wide for him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWW4M6nbe8I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1VP49MT1uc

[OneGrayPony]

PM’ed ya back! Happy to help if I can - at least to narrow down the search since it took me forever to get something that I liked on my guy.

They are just all built so differently. I need to get my saddle gauge out again today because I think something has changed again as he’s putting on muscle and weight. So this thread popping up to this conversation is incredibly helpful.

I like where the bates puts me, but I got an extra long forward flap since I’m all thigh and no calf. I am so seriously built like a platypus. Most saddles stick me into a chair seat for some reason. Oh wait…just thinking through that…it’s because of my thigh. I’m always going to be fighting that… sigh Anyway…

[CVPeg]

Not all girths measure the same…

Well, put the new blanket on B (with a free cap for me!) and pulled away from the barn just as the snow started coming down. Ground is now covered!

New tack lesson learned today - lengths of girths differ from nylon to leather. I had picked up our 1st nylon girth guesstimating. A couple inches too short. Have been borrowing a leather elastic end lesson girth, and it read 48", so I ordered a 48" nylon. Too short! All this new fangled stuff!

[LuvMyRide]

@OneGrayPony;5919770

Oooh she’s got you figured out! Darned mares!!!

Does she go in the same direction each time?

She does, not matter which direction we are going. You would think that would make it easier, but I think she just throws me too hard when she shifts her weight. Almost spins right out from underneath me.

[jaslyn1701]

[I]Originally Posted by ballisticgirl View Post
Here’s a question. Is there such a thing as feeding too many treats and then ruining one’s horse? I spoil too much, but my horse is a baby and a growing boy at that. (17 hands and hopefully not growing too much more!)

I know GM doesn’t like to give treats and if so, “only in the box”. Should I stop giving so many in an effort to have a more focused and quiet horse under saddle?[/I]

Last winter, the barn help taught my guy to like peppermints and, inadvertently, created a monster. He went from being Politeness Man to Gimme the Treats Lady or I’ll Chomp You. Nothing was too good to put in his mouth, leads, reins, my jacket sleeve.

It finally came to a head at the end of a ride. I had dismounted, was loosening my girth and running up the iron on the near side when I saw the Jaws of Death heading for my arm. Without even thinking, I grabbed the reins and backed His Mouthiness about half way across the ring. Think Giraffe TB with bug eyes. End of problem - that day.

He tried it one more time - the very next morning during turn out - grabbed his lead. Same thing - backing up.

Now he only gets treats at the end of the ride - as in after he has been untacked, hosed off, had a chance to graze a bit and just before he goes back to the pasture.

As was said - depends on the horse. Mine obviously has an addiction problem!

[ballisticgirl]

jaslyn…

I appreciate your feedback, and props to you for handling business with him. : )

I have an issue, I think it is kinda cute how he will grab my shirt when I am picking his hooves out. It’s our thing…well, my farrier says he does this to him as well. But anyone else around him and he is gonna get himself in trouble.

He knows how to push my buttons. Bizarre, but I love that he has his ADD moments and today, he was jumping the jumps in the indoor for fun during indoor turnout. What a show off!

[LuvMyRide]

CVPeg - Your problem was probably that the leather girth had stretched, and or the elastic stretched on the ends.

Ballisticgirl - I think treats are fine, I think it’s how you treat. I don’t like my horses to take things for granted. When I give treats, I give them either when I first arrive, and when I finish riding. Even then, they sometimes get them in the cross ties, or sometimes in the stall. The thing is, I don’t give them every time I get to the barn, and I don’t give them after every ride. I mix up the treats, some make noise (like peppermints) some they came see in my hand easily (apples, carrots) and some are a very, very special reward (Jelly Belly’s, always in the tack trunk). The only treat my horse gets excited about are the Jelly Belly’s, and she starts nickering like crazy.

I think in the end it depends on the horse, and on the owner/rider. Some horses are just going to be monsters, and some could care less if you have a 50lbs bag of carrots.

[spacytracy]

Count one of mine in the monster catatory, and one in the could care less catagory. And I treat their treating differently. My pony is a nippy little turd sometimes, if he is given treats by hand. So I put them in his bucket. My TB is a gentleman, and I don’t have to worry about him.

Ive decided Im going to take Dublin to a schooling horse trial next weekend, and do 2 dressage tests - Intro B and Beginner Novice A. I’m nervous just thinking about it! But it should be fun!

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=LuvMyRide;5921400]
The only treat my horse gets excited about are the Jelly Belly’s, and she starts nickering like crazy.[/QUOTE]

I think I would beg for JellyBellys myself!

[CVPeg]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;5921717]
Count one of mine in the monster catatory, and one in the could care less catagory. And I treat their treating differently. My pony is a nippy little turd sometimes, if he is given treats by hand. So I put them in his bucket. My TB is a gentleman, and I don’t have to worry about him.

Ive decided Im going to take Dublin to a schooling horse trial next weekend, and do 2 dressage tests - Intro B and Beginner Novice A. I’m nervous just thinking about it! But it should be fun![/QUOTE]

Best of luck with that! :yes:

One more rerider issue - all the new classes! Let alone that it’s USEF & not the AHSA. I’ve actually tried reading parts of the rulebook, but it’s so dry - better to just go in person for an entire day or show… not that I’m looking to head back there - just get the lingo! :winkgrin:

[spacytracy]

Oh, I’m a complete dummy when it comes to the classes. I wish they made a “horse show classes for dummies” book.

[Pasde2]

May I join, please? I’ve spent a lot of my teaching life working with re-riders and am now a re-rider myself. I would love to be part of the re-rider community, and I might even be able to help out a little bit, here and there…

My current horses are an older broodmare, a teenaged OTTB, and an alarmingly large five-year-old who is very sweet and would normally have been started under saddle at least one year ago!