Do You Ride Horses? V.4

[❧Emmylou]

Ugh, my horse came in from the pasture with a cut on his inner gaskin, and we had to wait the entire day for the vet for the best to learn that it can't be stitched and the most we can do is give him meds. The last time this happened he was lame for months... horses

[Hime]

@Amy Pond: Personally I do find tolt the hardest gait to improve at the moment, like trot and canter as so much more straight forward to me and since I'm often a visual learner there's just so many good examples out there to watch. But with tolt it's more difficult as each horse is bit different when it comes to what needs to be done to get them clean beated. Like with Heta I should go very very slow to get the beat cleaner, but with Tý there needs to be much more drive and I can't do as much with my hand as I can do with Heta. It also very depends on the horse, some are bit easier to get tolting clean while others are more difficult. Fundamentally you need the horse to really work from the behind and carry itself well, so before they have the strenght in their hind it can be difficult. Of course there are some who tolt clean just about anyway and form always with any rider, but those horses are bit rare. Unfortunately Tý's father by sound of it is lot like Heta when it comes to his gaits and apparently Tý is like a copy of his father when it comes to riding according to the trainer(who has ridden now both), so I'm expecting a good work load(and lots and lots of lessons) when it comes to making his tolt clean. Not to mention pacy tolt is so hard wired into my body I have difficult time finding the clean beat (one of my issues with Heta currently)...
Feykja is actually 2 months over a year old now. She's enjoying pasture life and pretending she's one of the babies with two foals of this summer. lol It's really cute actually to see both of the foals and Feykja sleeping at the same area while the mommys watch over them. <3 I haven't checked up on her much, since I feel like I've handled her little too much past winter and spring, so I'm kinda trying to let her be mostly. Her breeding show went travel vise really great, but she was soooo lazy and not performing at all when it came to the free lunging part of the evaluation. Which resulted in less than favorable evaluation (I mean I think the judges were bit too harsh with her conformation as well, since there were couple foals that I think looked much worse than Feykja did) and 2- prize. But at least she was behaving so much nicer than some other foals that were rearing at their handlers and just not nice at all. So in that sense I was really happy with her.
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So I thought I was just going to get one or two saddles to try out since Heta's back has been pain in the butt previously. But nope. I walked out with 6! saddles to try out. Okay one was out of my budjet and one I was pretty sure would not fit, but never the less 6 saddles to try out. And honestly 4 were not bad. 2 I flunked without even riding them since they just really didn't feel like good fit when put on. To my surprise Heta and Tý actually have quite similar backs, though Tý is little wider than Heta and obviously shorter, so I just might be able to get away with one saddle for both, which would be amazing. Out of the 4 I ruled out the one that was the over budjet one and it also slid forward when riding, plus it would have been too long for Tý so I didn't even try it to him. It was kinda weird to sit, like not uncomfortable, but like there was this edge just off your seat bones so if you would have moved your butt to one side or other you'd kinda fall out of the seat, sort of. But other than that is was really comfy to sit. Second flunk was super cheap saddle that didn't fit Heta, but was okay for Tý so I test rode it with him. It just didn't work for me... Like it felt too wide to sit, the seat didn't feel that great(it was quite deep) and my leg just wouldn't stay put in the stirrup, like they would sneak up or something. The two I sort of approved were Cliff Barnsby and Mustang. With the CB I loved to seat straight away and it just clicked with me. But I feel like it was borderline when it came to lenght(with Heta, which means long for Tý) and bit prone to rolling in the back which I don't think is good sign though it does have fairly new flocking so that might be a reason, plus on the second test ride with Heta it slid forward(which it didn't on the first test ride). The Mustang seemed to be pretty good fit for both of the horses, but I had similar issues with it as I had with the cheap saddle, though the seat was less deep and in that sense felt better. So both CB and Mustang I have for another testing period to figure out what's the problem. I also got two more to test out, a Sydney and Prestige. The Prestige was more of my own curiosity, as I was offered a pony dressage saddle of their once upon time, but I never got around to test it. This one I have now is 16", but looks sooo big I'm little worried it's again too long and big... The Sydney seems similar to the Mustang, so I'm little hopefull with it. With the Mustang though I'm not sure do I actually want to buy it from this dude brand new, since there are plenty going around used for less than half of the price of new one and apparently they are the same tree as the I've tried even if the name has Europa in it. So I'm kinda wondering how to say "Yeah, I'm getting this saddle, but not from you." I also have little trouble totally trusting this guy after talking to him today about the fit of the saddles. Basically I've send her picture of Heta and Tý's backs and then picture with the saddles on again. And looking at the saddle pictures he suggested I'd saddle more forward and he doesn't seem to have a problem with the saddle being on or very close to the shoulder, which I have an issue with and Heta certainly has issue with... And the saddle I liked but though was maybe bit too long didn't seem too long to him. So yeah, he's very good at picking saddles just by looking pictures of the back, but I'm not sure if I trust his fitting skills over all. He does ride western himself and fits western saddles, so I'm not sure if he's maybe not so up to date with english saddle fitting But he also does chiro etc. on horses, so I'd think he would know saddle caused issues and where they root from...

That's my saddle update. Horse update vise. I think Tý's absolutely fed up with the saddle fitting business and I'm starting to feel like he's getting little bored of the arena. And also the trainer's tuning is starting to wear off and he's figuring out I'm not that great rider. So past 2-3 rides he's been starting to lean more to my hand(which I can't fix with my hand too much as that he doesn't like) and drop to trot from tolt and not always turn in trot or tolt how I would like. Though some maybe due my riding as well. I think on Friday we went for short trail walk with the leaser, so that she was walking her horse and I walked Tý in hand after them. We just walked down to the lake and then back up and along the barely used road over dried up ditch and up a grassy near over grown path back to the stable. It was pretty easy to tell Tý was bit nervous on the paths he hadn't been before(so 90% of the trip) and we had one minor spook at who knows what and the grassy things we also bit scary as *gasp* they brush under your belly and the bushes/small tree saplings make noises. But the lake probably got the most reaction out of him. I swear he looked at it like it was a giant puddle(which he doesn't like and think horses drown in). And we weren't even on the beach part, just the shore bit where I think used to be a pier of somesort as there's some concrete and lots of round pebbles. I think we were first about 5 meters away from the water when he started huffing and staring the lake and then I got him to about 0,5-1 meter away after little time. Like he wasn't panicing or super afraid, just very very vary of it. Though he was pretty happy to move away from it and tried to even rush a little. The ditch he how ever crossed pretty nicely and with only slight hesitation.
I took him to that same trail, minus going down to the lake, on Sunday after super quick saddle test ride. In hand again, since I don't have the confidence I can quite handle him from the saddle so well if he were to spook. That went little better, like he was little less skittish, though he seems to be the type that keeps looking around and over his shoulder like there's something going to jump on him... But good news is that with just couple repeats he seems to get more used to things, so I think he will be at least partially trail proofed in no time. We just have quite bit of trails and of course you need to go through them from both directions as well...

[Luzien]

@ Hime
that sounds like a big adventure with the horses and als the saddle testing

so many saddles, wow ....when the saddle is right for you and you fin a used one for half the prize then go for it, test this saddle out and when all is alright buy the used one... you dont really have to tell them that you buy somew´where else, just let it stay open and say that you Need to think more on it as it is much money..... so you still could try out saddles from them or even buy one.

i would not push the saddle more to the front, you are right with this....not good for the horse.

So Feykja can be foal for some ore time,, that sounds so cute^_^ i really like a pic of them sleeping together
give her time, with some more freedom and some easy show training later she will do well. it was a first try...some Need more time.

Ty is testing you, bad guy...but it will be alright with more rides and training, maybe put a bit more heavy shoes on his front than his back hooves, that will help with balance and tolt and such!

Do you use groundpoles or cavaleti for him,?? maybe this does help... he will need to watch what he does, and watch you more.
and other things^^

the lake visit did sound like fun, but he did not spook and did try to run, so that is really great sign, and when it did go better the next time going the trail then it really is good!! so maaybe next time you can go while riding him.... who knows maybe after four times to the lake he will play in it^^

[obsessivehoarder]

Amy Pond: I'm pretty sure it's behavior as she has days where she is great. It's like she only wants to do what she wants to do and nothing else. Asking for anything else and she acts out

[squonkasaurusrex]

I don't ride, but I really love horses. I am an equine artist, but that is about as close as I get to horses. Sometimes in the spring/summer we go to the local farm zoo thing and look at their horses. Their equines are gorgeous! They are all mares, except for a chestnut pony, who I believe is a gelding. I do not know the genders of their shetlands. My favourites are the only two actual horses there. X3 A palomino mare, and a pinto mare. They also have a miniature donkey that is super cute. X3

I hope to own a horse of my own sometime in the future. <3

[buckskin.]

@ Hime, it's sounds like you're had quite the adventure walking Tý on that trail and sounds like he is doing great. How old is he?

Update
Saidee has been coming along greatly with the whole trying new things side of riding and has been very accepting of different pressures. I rode her in a rope halter two weeks ago and she did amazing, we only walked in the yards but for her first time going bitless she was an absolute dream to ride. I found that she was a little bit more willing to accept to pressure on her pole that from a bit and stopped, turned and walked on without fuss.

I rode her on the Saturday that just passed due to Pony Club being on the Sunday and damn was she feeling fresh, she is out of the habit of being ridden once or twice a week as during the holidays I rode her almost everyday for those two weeks as I had pony camp then the Junior Rodeo where she competed willingly. She had a bit of a spook out of the trail and had bit of a fit when the group left her behind but other than that she was alright besides a few other things.
On the Sunday that just passed we had Pony Club and I did Cross Country for the first time, it was only a small course that we made at the show grounds but it was very close to the real thing. Saidee loved it and took the jumps like a champ but she did get too hot and started bucking, I was also on her mouth too much as she just wanted to go. She has really improved with her jumping and doesn't shy and the jumps anymore, she is more than happy to jump them and there is no need to me to push her over them anymore.

[Hime]

@Luzien: I actually did try walking over ground poles once with Tý and he's pretty clumsy/really not caring where he puts his feet. Like I think once he actually stepped on the pole, but lucky for me he didn't stumble or spook much...

@MiloThePitBull: Tý is 4 years old and he hasn't been much out of the yard in his life.
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Hello from Feykja, she seems to be in growing phase again.

She didn't really care much for my attention, but at least she came to say hi to me before she continued to eat. Both of the little babies also came to say hi and they can be bit too nosy and friendly so I had to tell them to bug off couple times (L's filly likes to use people as rubbing posts and also likes to have taste of things and the shetland colt is bit mouthy as well >_< ).

Tested out the two saddles and also a curved girth I got for trial. The girth was major flop as it had elastics, which I couldn't see as there was leather covering them. Elastics really don't work with Heta and the buckles wouldn't stay in the direction I would have wanted them to. Basically I was using the girth the wrong way for it's ment way per the fitters instructions, but it just didn't work due the shape and elastics... Actually made one saddle fit worse as it pulled the saddle forward when I just tried to tighten the girth properly. One of the saddles I tried was 16" Prestige, but it was insanely long for 16" imo and also quite big for me to sit in as well. The front of it didn't sit nice enough imo either, so I didn't even bother riding it. The other one was 16" Sydney and I did end up test riding it out on the trails(since me and Heta both were quite fed up with the arena). It wasn't maybe as good fit at some areas as the top two options, but it was short and I found it more comfortable to ride than the Mustang saddle, even though this one also felt little too wide for me at the hip (R test sat it as well and was able to tell me what was the problem as I couldn't quite put my finger on it). At least with this one I didn't have hard time keeping stirrups on my feet and I could do half halts little better and I think with practice I could get used to it. It did end up sliding forward a little bit after one speedy gallop that I didn't two point, but I think the saddle could be tad wider and that might sort it out... But Heta seemed pretty happy with it during the ride, well until it slid forward. Now if only the panels were little bit flatter and the front little more spacious... Also my favorite to sit is tad too long, just as I feared. ;_; I marked the 'limits' on Heta's back (shoulder and last rib) with pieces of tape and surprise surprise the saddle did go little over the last rib... : P

I didn't ride Tý, just put the saddle on him for quick fit check, wasn't bad at all and somehow I think the front fit him little better than Heta. I ended up free lunging him little bit and then we took the same trail path again. Ended up having bit of a discussion at the ditch about is it okay to jump on me. -__- Like I went over the middle and then moved little more to left to make space for him, but nooo, he has to try cross along the left edge. I did get him to cross along the right edge eventually, but that ditch crossing needs some work and I'm pretty sure at fall when it likely has water at the bottom (it's not very deep at all) he will jump it. XP He's also silly in sense that he's pretty chill on the forest path and then on the grassy hill path, but the bit were we walk on the road he's soooo skittish and constantly looking back and to the meadow on the right... But other than that he's been pretty good boy, today he even stood totally still for several minutes when I groomed him and fitted the saddle.

Also I think haven't mentioned this already, but Heta will be moving closer to my school next month when my school starts. First I was supposed to move her to the school's stable, but it's DIY system with daily stable cleaning and rotating shifts during week plus rotational weekend shifts. And I kinda need y weekends off... So as lovely as it would be to have her literally 5 minute walk from my dorm and all the lovely roads along the fields to ride, plus trails, I don't think it would work. So funnily she's going to move back the stable where she first lived when she came from Iceland. It's no longer an Icelandic horse stable, but that's okay and I do love the place and the facilities are simply amazing and the boarding fee is even little cheaper than I now pay. X) I'm going to go over tomorrow to talk with the currect manager and probably sign the boarding papers if all matches. Tý will stay 'home' though as he doesn't need to be ridden as much as Heta and R has said she'd be interested in riding him, and I don't think it's fair for him to be moving around so much in short period. Like Heta's coming back home at the end of December. So it's only 4 months and when Tý came home last fall it took him long time to fully settle in again. This time he's been bit better, but I'd rather not stress him too much.

[tenturo]

alllrighty
i'm honestly horrible at keeping up in this thread but here i am.
i'll start with a small update before i get on with my main purpose for posting xD

i've ridden sassy more this weekend, but i honestly am struggling just a little. the first thing she does as soon as you get on her and signal for her to move - is back up. im not pulling back - sitting deep in the seat, nudging her with my legs, kissing/clucking, my reins are forward, but she backs up, and i'm not sure why. this goes on for a couple minutes before she finally decides to move forward.
i had someone film our ride, and realized that she really doesn't move as fast as it feels like - i think it's just because she's short, it feels like she moves really quick, but on video she looks perfectly normal 🤷‍♀️
aside from that, despite my extensive efforts, she's still terrified of flyspray and the water hose.
i honestly don't think there's anything i haven't tried <_>
she's much much easier to tack now, no issues with that, but there's just something about riding her. and of course, cues. ugh. she's difficult to control, if you apply pressure to the bit in the slightest she gets anxious (which she didnt start doing until recently) and i've never ridden her above a walk, i'm honestly too anxious that she might flip out and take off.
i'm gonna vent just a tiny bit here - i don't know why they got me Sassy. she's the first horse i've ever trained (aside from small things with other peoples horses) but i honestly don't fully know what i'm doing. but at the same time i've had her for years and love her to pieces, i couldnt imagine selling her.

onto gus.
he's fully recovered from his eye injury with no issues, so we're extremely happy about that. now back to work on his conditioning xD i'm not too sure why they got me him either, because he's been overweight and we can't really seem to work it off, and he's never been trail ridden. ever. and we don't have an arena, so i ride him around the pasture, which honestly gets kinda boring after about 30 minutes. he gets so anxious being on trails.. maybe its because there's trees here, and before he came to us he'd always been in a huge empty field or his stall, or an arena. but his pasture with us has lots of trees ?? so i don't really know what spooks him about the trails unless its because there's more trees...?

i'm contemplating selling one of them, which i honestly couldnt imagine doing because i love them both so much, but at the same time, i can't really do anything with them. i'm considering selling one and buying a new one who's accustomed to traffic, and trails, maybe even competing, i'm not sure, but i honestly don't know if i can bring myself to sell one, or tell my family that i'd want to... i'd like other opinions on what you'd do in this situation?

[Crow.]

I'm curious to know how everyone got their horses! Currently looking for mine but its nearly impossible to find one at my skill level of riding

[Luzien]

I'm curious to know how everyone got their horses! Currently looking for mine but its nearly impossible to find one at my skill level of riding

i think it will depend for what the horse will be used...
only as companion horse, trail horse, a jumper over 1.60m, western....
you could look into breeder of the breed you want or think is right for you and some you never would want but maybe woul be the right ones for you....
....you even could buy a foal from a mare and one of the stallion that a breeder has in hope that the foal is the right one, or race track, horse shows, breeding show, barn show, events ...some people want to sell there horses after a season... or even look into horse rescues...some found nice horses there...


@ Hime
most young horses are a bit clumsy...some older too when they still have not the right feeling for there Body...and muscle, but with some training they can get better, it can help when some poles are put into a x and different high...(did see one idea that id look like this:
I I X I X I I I II Ix ... some on the ground some in 15-30- one in 40-60 and so on.... and some will be always bad with poles but are nice with natural jumps or not at all..)....and some horse are better in trot or tolt than in walk, and other in walk than faster gait over poles)^^ .....poor pole stepped on by the big boy but he is a good boy!

Feykja Looks good^^

do you want to take this saddle that did sit not so bad, that heta did like?
That is great that you can take Heta with you for this 4month^^...and that it was the first stable she was in ...sad that they dont have icelandic horses anymore, but maybe they have some nice mares as pasture friends for her^^
That is great that R wants to ride him!