Having fun with my endurance horse in the snow - PICS!

[Romantic_Rider]

That looks like a ton of fun, A2. I should try something new in the snow with my pony. I’m just glad to take a spin on her bareback. (nothing like a round, fuzzy pony to keep you warm on a cold day). But that sure looks fun.

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;2903515]
:lol: Yup, you’re right. No concern at all. When we were done with this, I turned her lose in traffic on the highway. Thought it’d be fun to watch her dodge the semis. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Good one. Crabby, smart-alecky people like that really get on my nerves.

[katarine]

Coup, she didn’t exactly long trot the mare to Miami, you know.

Look, I do think she’s nutty over the foot drama and all that, and more than a little off, but some of you guys gut her for living, and loving horses. THAT’s scary too you know. :lol:;):no:

[hitchinmygetalong]

@gothedistance;2903479

You stop the traces getting caught around her legs the same way you would when you are pulling a drag.

Perhaps one of the driving experts here can correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t drags engineered with enough weight to stop when the horse stops, and not ride up into the back of the horse’s legs if the horse stops? I don’t think a snowtube that has lost its passenger would do that. Also, if a horse is pulling a drag, that usually means it is early in the training and there SHOULD be someone at the horse’s head. Period.

[quote=gothedistance;2903479]Your feet are your brakes. :rolleyes: Talk to anyone who ever attached a toboggan or sled behind a horse.
[/quote]

But if, as you must admit could happen, the “driver” came OUT of the snowtube, what’s left to stop it?

I think this is a case of someone who did take all the safety precautions she thought necessary. The problem is, that person knows just enough about driving to be dangerous. You hook this up to that and off we go! Woo hoo! That person doesn’t realize what a TRAINWRECK she chould have on her hands if one simple thing happened: She became separated from the rig.

I personally know of one horse (and I have very limited experience) that was rendered undriveable after his novice owners, having ground-driven him and judged him ready, hitched him up. No one was at his head that first walk around the arena, he reacted to the sound of the cart, kicked at it, and all hell broke loose.

For you folks who are so defensive about the OP, let me ask you one thing.

If someone posted a thread about “taking horse for first LD!” and had photos of a young horse, weighted down with inappropriate gear, wouldn’t you react because you were concerned FOR THE HORSE? That’s the situation here. The horse in the OP is is YOUNG, and because she has been conditioned for LD rides, I would assume very fit. I can’t think of a single driving person who would agree that tying her to a snowtube and having her drag it is even close to a smart move.

[pandorasboxx]

Christos.

It looked fun. Was fun I’m sure.

Pull up your pants folks. Your asses are showing and a few of you have rancid ones.

And at least one completely incomprehensible and illiterate one.

[hitchinmygetalong]

@pandorasboxx;2904450

Christos.

It looked fun. Was fun I’m sure.

Pull up your pants folks. Your asses are showing and a few of you have rancid ones.

And at least one completely incomprehensible and illiterate one.

That was rather uncalled for.

The “completely incomprehensible and illiterate one” happens to be a good egg who, if you took some time and read with care, absolutely knows what she is about.

If you are calling me an ass for pointing out a safety issue in which a horse could get seriously hurt, then I feel you are pointing in the wrong direction.

Yep, I agree. Looks like fun. Probably WAS fun. But it was dangerous fun. And I’m going to say something about it, and if what I post here makes even one person stop and think before mimicking it, then it’s worth all the handslaps I get.

[pandorasboxx]

[QUOTE=hitchinmygetalong;2904459]

If you are calling me an ass for pointing out a safety issue in which a horse could get seriously hurt, then I feel you are pointing in the wrong direction.

Yep, I agree. Looks like fun. Probably WAS fun. But it was dangerous fun. And I’m going to say something about it, and if what I post here makes even one person stop and think before mimicking it, then it’s worth all the handslaps I get.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I know I needed a big dose of sanctimony to start the new year off right.

Unfortunately you may be tilting at windmills to go after “dangerous” fun on a horseboard. A horseboard that specializes in sports that are inherently so. ymmv…

But be my guest. I hear the eventing forum may have some scandalous photos.

[Rodeio]

The funniest thing about this though is if the OP would have showed all this and then stated the person who did it got hurt in the process I bet at least half of you would then be ripping them apart at how unsafe this whole rig was. I have been driving horses for holy crap nearly 30 years and I still wouldn’t hook something like this up! And I have all the proper equipment too. This is something that could have gone horribly wrong and had a completely different ending but oh well…

[Thomas_1]

[QUOTE=pandorasboxx;2904450]
Christos.

It looked fun. Was fun I’m sure.

Pull up your pants folks. Your asses are showing and a few of you have rancid ones.

And at least one completely incomprehensible and illiterate one.[/QUOTE] I presume that name-calling substitutes for intelligent conversation in your part of the sand-pit.

I think you’ll find that one of the contributors is quite severely and obviously dyslexic. Perhaps you were too stupid to know or too ignorant to care about ridiculing a disability?

The thing that strikes me most of all about this posting is that its most often those who are messing about with pet horses and full of opinions about how they “love” their little pony who do these stupid things! They’re the first to jump up and down when a professional does something they don’t like.

Seems to me they know nothing! They don’t even know they’re risking their horse! This sort doesn’t have the capacity to learn and spend their life bitching and moaning how the pro’s have some sort of privilege or connection or dirty tricks or cruel practices. They don’t want to or aren’t able to see or hear that they actually DO things different! The OP is constantly passing opinion on what others do but clearly can’t stand the heat of the kitchen.

I’ve been driving and training horses for decades and have been told that I have no fear but I’ll tell you straight I wouldn’t do anything like that. And its not because I’m a party pooper and sanctimonious, its because I like my life and I like horses and value and take responsibility for their safety.

So the OP went out and did something risky and had fun. Could have been entirely different and its just good luck, not good management that it wasn’t. So still no accolades or words of support and encouragement from me. Just a strong sense of needing to urge others of caution to the risks.

[pandorasboxx]

I think you’ll find that one of the contributors is quite severely and obviously dyslexic. Perhaps you were too stupid to know or too ignorant to care about ridiculing a disability?

Aww…actually I don’t give a rats ass. And besides, she wasn’t the most egregious offender. She just gave me the worst headache.

So, I see your ham-handed sanctimonious prattle and raise you a middle finger.

Cheers~

[gothedistance]

Geez Louise! :rolleyes: The OP isn’t promoting that other people do this, isn’t advocating this as a driving sport, isn’t saying everyone should try this, isn’t even saying this is driving! She told us she took careful precautions to ensure her mare was comfortable, and frankly, her mare shows that with a relaxed, happy demeanor. The OP is wearing a helmet (which I never did in my snow adventures), her traces are secured carefully up high to not be so low as to let a leg get caught, she has someone nearby to assist if necessary, and she’s being cautious to make sure her horse has no problem sliding the tube behind her, and her horse is totally nonplussed. Kudos for that! Best of all, she is having fun.

I’m sure glad that what I’m doing with my endurance (former tandem leader) horse isn’t causing such raised eyebrows and outcries on how stupid I am and how I could get myself badly hurt, etc, etc. Frankly, what I’m doing is tons more dangerous – I foxhunt. Don’t think that the thought of what could happen if something goes wrong isn’t far from my mind everytime we fly over an unknown fence in a dead gallop behind the hounds. However both my guy and I get a huge thrill out of it, despite the many JC moments.

Heck, if we would get some snow here, I’d throw some harness on one of my guys and be out there tubing in the snow in a heartbeat. Since we don’t, I’ll just keep on foxhunting.

We all chose our own levels of risk, and our own definition of fun. Viva la difference.

[Dalfan]

I presume that name-calling substitutes for intelligent conversation in your part of the sand-pit.

I think you’ll find that one of the contributors is quite severely and obviously dyslexic. Perhaps you were too stupid to know or too ignorant to care about ridiculing a disability?

Pot, meet kettle.:yes:

[Thomas_1]

[QUOTE=Dalfan;2904685]
Pot, meet kettle.:yes:[/QUOTE] Sorry I forgot that some readers might be TooStupid to know that that’s called Socratic Irony! Duhhhh.

Funny, she doesn’t seem to have the same problem over here;
:no: DUHHHHH

[Dalfan]

I presume that name-calling substitutes for intelligent conversation in your part of the sand-pit.

Thomas; DUHHHH,DUHHHH,DUHHHH. This is your statement, which applies to you perfectly.

But since YOU brought up the dyslexic issue, I was just pointing out a contradiction.

[Wallysfolley]

That is so great! Its fun things like that, that really build the relationship between you and your horse.

My TB would have died. Just flat out died. My new horse…we’ll see…she’s pretty level headed so I dont think she would care.

[Romantic_Rider]

OMG, this is totally unbelievable. :eek: What is wrong with some people? Whoever is so worried about it being a safe situation for the horse, did anyone tell you that everything having to do with horses is inherently dangerous?? I can think of a whole lot more dangerous things people do with their horses. What do you do when you ride to make sure your horse won’t do something stupid and hurt itself? Golly. Even going out for a short hack around the farm on a beautiful day could be a hazard to the horse if you want to think about it that way, let alone requiring a horse to do anything strenuous. Do you leave your horses in padded stalls all the time? (I’m assuming none of you critics are endurance riders) Horses are to have fun with, they aren’t made of china. A2 was just having fun with her horse, and I think she did what was necessary to make sure the adorable mare didn’t get hurt.

[Dalfan]

OMG, this is totally unbelievable. What is wrong with some people?

I agree. Those pics look like great fun. But you must be aware of the…dynamics between A2 and T1? As sure as the sun will rise, he will zero in for a personal attack and some poking and prodding of A2. All because she DARES to disagree with the master in all things equine. That’s my take on it, IMHO, of course.

[Huntertwo]

@Thomas_1;2903060

And because I could see it wasn’t a driving collar that’s why I asked the following:

I notice you don’t have a collar on. I also notice you have no trace carriers.

How did you attach the traces?

How did you prevent the mare pulling you from her mouth and the reins?

When you made your turn how did you stop the traces getting caught round her legs?

When she transitioned down from trot how did you prevent the tire going forward and into her?

Why do you put a numnah (saddlecloth)under her surcingle (you might call it a lunge roller?)? Or is it a driving saddle?? (difficult to see in the photo)

I thought you didn’t like bits in horses. Do you always use one now? And are you always using a riding bit for driving and longlining etc? How do you compensate for the extra length of leverage?

Or doesn’t safety for the horse matter when its snowing???

You know what Thomas? The Endurance/Trail riding Forum is probably the most nice, civil forum. So why don’t you go start your ridiculous rude dribble on another board, if your looking for a fight so badly. You’re boring already…

Go home!

[Mersy]

All horses are inherently dangerous in ALL situations. You take a risk whenever you handle, ride, drive, breed, train, pet, walk into stall, load into trailer…etc. Does it stop us from enjoying them? NO!

[Mendin_Fences]

That is so cute!!! I love the pink tack!

[hitchinmygetalong]

@Dalfan;2904903

I agree. Those pics look like great fun. But you must be aware of the…dynamics between A2 and T1? As sure as the sun will rise, he will zero in for a personal attack . . .

What personal attack? He asked a series of questions about the equipment on the horse.

And Hunterwo:

You know what Thomas? The Endurance/Trail riding Forum is probably the most nice, civil forum. So why don’t you go start your ridiculous rude dribble on another board, if your looking for a fight so badly. You’re boring already…

Go home!

Nicely contradicting.

I apologize for anything I may have said that ruffled all these feathers. And I don’t need a similarly politely worded invitation as that extended to Thomas, I will remove myself from YOUR forum and go back to the Driving Forum, which is truly the most civil forum on this board.

Happy New Year