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Things that make you cringe...

Off Course
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#61

  • People who “lead” their horses by just draping the rope over the neck and not holding it. Sure, Dobbin may be the calmest thing since stoned grandmas, but that will end the moment ________ scares the manure out of him.

  • People who use community items and don’t put them back or clean them.

  • Most horse sale ads.

  • PETA being in the news.

  • People who don’t turn there horses out, ever. Sometimes I will stall mine for a day to keep them used to it for the random show we do but we believe that horses should be out as much as possible.

  • Kids without helmets.

  • Non horse related: People who put their dogs on craigslist because __________. Allergies I get, 90% of the time they are losers.

  • People who pull right in next to my trailer while we are out trail riding, only to get back to the trail head and have no where to tie our horses because there are 2 feet between us and them.

I need to stop.

Things that make me happy!

  • People who take responsibility for their mistakes and find ways to address it.

  • People who are willing to listen to others.

  • People who love their horses in a healthy way.

  • People who pay their bills on time.

  • People who help one another out in a hand up not hand out fashion.

  • Well behaved dogs.

  • Cute ponies.

#62

  • People who “lead” their horses by just draping the rope over the neck and not holding it. Sure, Dobbin may be the calmest thing since stoned grandmas, but that will end the moment ________ scares the manure out of him.

  • People who use community items and don’t put them back or clean them.

  • Most horse sale ads.

  • PETA being in the news.

  • People who don’t turn their horses out, ever. Sometimes I will stall mine for a day to keep them used to it for the random show we do but we believe that horses should be out as much as possible.

  • Kids without helmets.

  • Non horse related: People who put their dogs on craigslist because __________. Allergies I get, 90% of the time they are losers.

  • People who pull right in next to my trailer while we are out trail riding, only to get back to the trail head and have no where to tie our horses because there are 2 feet between us and them.

I need to stop.

Things that make me happy!

  • People who take responsibility for their mistakes and find ways to address it.

  • People who are willing to listen to others.

  • People who love their horses in a healthy way.

  • People who pay their bills on time.

  • People who help one another out in a hand up not hand out fashion.

  • Well behaved dogs.

  • Cute ponies.

#63

And Facebook posts with little kids on horses without helmets. One feed was “Vote for a saddlery model” and some kids were astride sans helmet. An adult can make that choice, kids should have helmets.

#64

Happy Monday!!
We have owners who like to let their horse “loose”, with their lead rope still attached to the halter, in the front yard of the farm. Sometimes with the front gate OPEN!! Oh, he won’t go anywhere!?!! Ask the young girl yelling my name for help to catch Dobbin as he goes galloping down the road!
Same owner likes to tack Dobbin up in his stall. She frequently leaves his stall to get something from her trunk or go down the aisle & leaves Dobbins door open. Then she wonders why he goes flying down the barn aisle partially tacked up, sometimes barging past her to get out. (Yes this has happened on multiple occasions to the same owner & she still does it.) She even does it at horse shows!!

#65

[QUOTE=Texarkana;7950760]
One that gets me is a thermometer! I’m talking about extremely knowledgeable horse folks that don’t even own a thermometer. I can’t tell you how many horse friends casually ask me stuff like, “Dobbin isn’t acting quite like himself, would you call the vet?”

The first thing out of my mouth is always, “Does he have a temperature?” To which I usually get blank stares and hear, “well… I don’t have a thermometer…” Digital thermometers are less than $10 at Walgreens and can tell you SO much![/QUOTE]

I just want you to know that I have had this on my to-do list forever SO I bought me one yesterday! Thanks for the reminder! :blush:

#66

They do that on purpose to slow the horse down even more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEO-19PWilE
http://gohorseshow.com/article.cfm?page=4&articleID=37778

#67

[QUOTE=triple;7949861]
Always good to hear it can be done… on the upside, I haven’t murdered anyone for looking at me crooked and I’ve been off them a week, so I consider that a bonus. :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

I was a pretty die-hard smoker… I was smoking about 1 1/2 -2 packs a day about 3 years ago. Haven’t had a cigarette in just over a year. Thanks to horses (the initial seed planting was trying to get pregnant, the final touch was wheezing while riding).

You totally got this. Ride these emotional waves out and you will be happier in the end.

#68

Ooh! I have a good one.

I went to check out a barn and two teenagers were riding in the indoor. One in draw reins…as in, with no regular reins at all. (I just went back and saw others have viewed this wonder as well).

Another–had to intervene when some horse newbies at a H/J barn a friend rode at had the bridle curb chain over the horse’s nose.

Just take some lessons people. Please.

Another, people who bring their dog to the barn and let it run.

People talking about being the “alpha.” Dogs or horses–I’m tired of it. I’m not saying there aren’t legitimate ways to use the term, it’s just never the case when I hear it.

#69

People that let their feral kids run around playing with the lunge whip.

People that will ignore the sign that says HORSE bites and get upset when the horse lunges at him.

People that pat my horse on his head. Thankfully he is a good boy and doesn’t get crabby about it but I find it annoying.

People that want to give me training advice when they have only owned a dead broke horse. Yes my OTTB is strong when we are walking. He walks with purpose and sometimes is rude. I am getting another chain for his halter. I only use it when it is needed. He just needs a reminder sometimes that I am alpha mare.

#70

[QUOTE=gaitedincali;7953754]
They do that on purpose to slow the horse down even more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEO-19PWilE
http://gohorseshow.com/article.cfm?page=4&articleID=37778[/QUOTE]

it never amazes me how tolerant horses are - of anything. if I was a horse I would not let you do that thank you very much :no:

I didn’t want to be negative, but I always cringe when people get intimidated by their bullying horse to the point that they avoid doing things with the horse. I worked at a barn where one of the boarders had a TB that would try to kick you when you brushed him – and would also kick out at you if you tried to pick his feet. He wasn’t in pain (vet’s verdict? ‘He’s just an ass’) but if HE didn’t want you to do it, he’d try to convince you not to. His owner would never brush him or pick his feet. :mad: I would do it for her, when asked to - after a sharp smack to his flank when he tried to kick me he was a very polite boy for me.

#71
  1. People “borrowing” my stuff when I am about to use it - as in, if I am tacking up my horse to go ride in the indoor, please don’t “borrow” my cooler.
  2. People dropping their halter on the floor of the grooming stall so my horse can get his feet tangled up in it.
  3. Draw reins and a running martingale used with a 3 or 4 ring bit - with the regular reins on the bottom ring. And then jumping in it.
  4. Supposed experts who put on “de-spooking” clinics and have not one whit of useful advice to impart after two days of watching my horse spook like a fiend.
  5. Idiots like me who attend “de-spooking” clinics and should know better.
#72

[QUOTE=spotmenow;7953583]
Similar: People who take a horse that was turned out 24/7 and move them to a place where they are stalled 20 hours a day and they are STUMPED as to why their previously mellow mount is now a “horse bomb” going off every time they try to ride…it MUST be the feed/bit/saddle/color of the jumps in the ring… ;).

Then again, inadequate turnout in general is a pet peeve of mine…[/QUOTE]

The flip side of this is people who dump their horse in a field on 24/7 turnout and let him go feral for like five years, then jump back on and use him for the equestrian equivalent of motocross and then wonder why he pulls up lame! :mad:

#73

When people put pictures on Facebook of their tiny little kid sitting on a loose horse with no helmet on…to “prove that Ottb’s aren’t crazy”…just about died when I saw that one

#74

[QUOTE=Lady Eboshi;7954135]
The flip side of this is people who dump their horse in a field on 24/7 turnout and let him go feral for like five years, then jump back on and use him for the equestrian equivalent of motocross and then wonder why he pulls up lame! :mad:[/QUOTE]

Do we know the same person with the horse they didn’t ride for almost a year because they lost interest…only to decide they wanted to go to a SHOW 'cause their friend was going so the poor horse went from no riding at all to being ridden around the show grounds HARD (jumps and all) for three hours to “calm him down” by a “trainer”. Horse injured his stifle and hasn’t been right since. Owner is STILL lamenting “why do these things always happen to me???”

#75

[QUOTE=spotmenow;7954209]
Do we know the same person with the horse they didn’t ride for almost a year because they lost interest…only to decide they wanted to go to a SHOW 'cause their friend was going so the poor horse went from no riding at all to being ridden around the show grounds HARD (jumps and all) for three hours to “calm him down” by a “trainer”. Horse injured his stifle and hasn’t been right since. Owner is STILL lamenting “why do these things always happen to me???”[/QUOTE]

Close enough for jazz! :yes:

#76

[QUOTE=Lady Eboshi;7954135]
The flip side of this is people who dump their horse in a field on 24/7 turnout and let him go feral for like five years, then jump back on and use him for the equestrian equivalent of motocross and then wonder why he pulls up lame! :mad:[/QUOTE]

I refused to sell a horse to someone for just this reason. This was a horse that lived outside and they wanted to stall her but she’d be turned out in the arena while they cleaned her stall so for about 5 minutes. Would that be okay? NO.

We had some people in our trail club who were big into draw reins as in loop them around the saddle horn so there was no give at all and ride down the trail. That was just a wreck waiting to happen.

#77

Can we talk about OTTB Connect some more?

I posted on there the other day asking about some strange hairs on my horse’s coat that were longer than the others (kind of like guard hairs), only that they were WHITE (horse is bay), and they don’t shed in the summer. The rest of his coat is beautiful except for these random white hairs that stick out like a sore thumb.

Answers ranged from:
-Cold
-Worms
-Cushings

  • Someone who just commented “Cat hairs” (wtf??)
    -“He MUST be Sabino/Rabicano. Does he have a skunk tail?”
    -Cushings, cushings, more cushings.

So my 5 YO TB who has only chestnut/bay in his blood at least 3 generations back, is now a pinto, with cushings, who is wormy, and obviously covered in cat hair. Oh, and he’s cold, too.

:no:

So my answer is also “OTTB Connect.” Why I can’t muster the strength to click the “Leave Group” button is beyond me.

#78

What a great thread.
Cringe worthy:
people who sit on the ground while letting their horse graze on lead
horses left in stalls or turned out in nylon or rope halters
people who let their horses stick their heads out the window of a slant load on the highway
newby knowitalls or people who are just nasty
trainers who humiliate their students
people who ditch horses that have taken good care of them

On the other hand, these things make me smile:
people who rescue animals (like wolfgang2242 on instagram, my favorite)
sassy ponies
old horses
therapy horses
people who appreciate what really matters in life: kindness, helping others, gentleness, compassion

#79

[QUOTE=lachelle;7954452]

Answers ranged from:
-Cold
-Worms
-Cushings

  • Someone who just commented “Cat hairs” (wtf??)
    -“He MUST be Sabino/Rabicano. Does he have a skunk tail?”
    -Cushings, cushings, more cushings.

So my 5 YO TB who has only chestnut/bay in his blood at least 3 generations back, is now a pinto, with cushings, who is wormy, and obviously covered in cat hair. Oh, and he’s cold, too.
.[/QUOTE]

Cat hairs = extra long random sticky-outie hairs you find sometimes, especially after a bodyclip.

#80

Gossipy, malicious people who don’t have anything better to do in the bad weather, but make up snark and spread it via voice, email and social media. Put some warm clothing on and go fool with your horse, instead of making yourself look like a fool.

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