Do You Ride Horses?

[Ghostt]

@CaveyCave that's awesome! I've always wanted to play polo, it seems SUPER hard. Are the horses different in anyway or trained differently from say a lesson horse?

[CaveyCave]

Yeah, as the horses are trained in a double bridle and are turned using neck reining. Also you 'throw' your hands up their neck to get them to go into a faster gait. Also they have to have heck load of stamina! And run towards other people on horses, ride them off, run towards balls and stuff. And there are a lot of rules xD. Aaaaannnddd they have sooooo much stuff, martingales, gag bits and some other bit *is too lazy to remember names* and etc xD

It is pretty hard, but once you have the hang of it, it's fun c:

[opal.]

@Cavey
Aww that sounds tough on the horses mouths Have you ever had experience with people who handle their horses badly? That type of equipment can be devastating in the wrong hands

[CaveyCave]

It is tough on them, luckily they are slowly introduced to the bits and their mouths are strong, but yeah, there is a guy in my group and I'm surprised a horse hasnt cracked it's mouth yet *shudders*
Luckily I have natural soft hands, so I haven't damaged any horse/ no one has yet

Also

I have been stalking this horse for nearly a year and I dont think she has been sold
I'm just..

She's perfect for me

I NEEDS MONEH xD

[Ghostt]

@opal
I don't think she's stupid, she knows what can happen in the wrong hands. Why are assuming they don't know that? Also the bits can be harsh but with a soft hand that's ok. Don't be judgmental... Please.

[Ghostt]

@cavey
OMG SHE'S SO PRETTY

[CaveyCave]

Haha xD check out the horses on the other tab things,
There is one related to Kauto Star c:

But

I needs MONEH xD

[opal.]

@Ghost
I never called her stupid, and wasn't being judgemental. The question wasn't even directed at her riding skills. I asked if she'd ever met/seen someone who handles a horse badly with that type of equipment. Sorry to get passive aggressive, but I really don't like when people get snappy with me and they didn't even read the question right. The question wasn't directed at you anyway, and you don't know me, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions.

@Cavey
She's gorgeous and awesome over jumps and on roads!

[Mr.Milo]

@smokey: wow im so proud of Mary, 53 and this is her first NFR she is very inspirational to any rider! Its so awesome that both Trevor and Patrcik got third in the world, holding such a title as that is amazing! It stinks that Fred is leaving and i really like that he gave some of his things to his fans. Im excited for the next NFR. I wonder if there will be an unknown rsing star again like Mary.

@Cavey: wow what a beautiful horse, and its super cool that you play on a school team.

[opal.]

@Amy
I'm sorry Donny was off today I hate that, especially after you've been having so many good rides for so long.

@Dolphin
Awww I'm glad you got to see Mully again today and get to see him next Saturday too :3

@Hano
No, no! I could rant about the same thing. I HATE that, which is why when I invite people down to my barn sometimes, I never let them ride JJ XD It seems a little vain, but I don't want riders who I'm unfamiliar with messing with JJ's mouth or just generally riding him poorly because JJ's not really a lesson horse and I feel like he'd hate getting ridden like one XD I hate inconsistent people or when someone rides the horse your working with and COMPLETELY ignores what you've been working so hard with. Really, the only people I'd be okay with riding JJ is C, a girl from my school who started riding at the same place, time, and lesson that I did who's an excellent rider and does dressage and jumping (mostly dressage now), My mom obviously, and my trainers. JJ's pretty off limits for everyone else XD My boy <3

@Monochele
Aww that's good you might get to ride him tomorrow :3 I thought you said Thinker wasn't a jumper though?

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@Anyone who wants to hear about my ride

JJ was very compliant and good today :3 We were still having some counterflexation problems when I asked for the trot or the canter, but once he got into the trot/canter it was really nice :3 His caedance was amazing and was really soft in his mouth and collected REALLY nicely. He wasn't being chargey or trying to mess with me as much as he usually does. Anyway, my mom said that we had some "class winning moments" while I was riding, and after I was in the car, again mentioned that I had some "Really, really beautiful moments where everything came together; both your equitation and JJ" which made me super happy :3 Also, I had my mom watch how he counterflexed me when I asked for the canter, and we think we figured it out! Since my trainers told me that the best way to ask for the canter is to come off the rail, leg yield back onto the rail and then ask, that's what I was trying to do, but since I had my inside leg on him from the leg yield, I had to cue with my outside leg which was what was making him counterflex since I gave him nowhere to move. I don't know if anyone understood that, but I tried cantering him a few more times where I didn't give leg cues at all and he didn't counterflex nearly ad much. Since this little problem has been going on for so long, it's probably just a habit we need to train back out of him now. I'm more that relieved that we found a likely solution though :3

Sizzle was great today! I don't want to bore you anymore that I already have, but he was really starting to collect more and not be so "greenie-chargy" and slowing down a little-- well at least at the trot. He's still a pretty wild ride at the canter. His trot is so unbelievably smooth though that it's easy to sit (in a western saddle) at any speed so sometimes I don't realize how fast he's going XD. His trot is so nice to post, that between how easy to post his trot is and after riding JJ english for 2 months or so now, I habitually start posting after the canter and have to catch myself.

Oh right! Before You've died from boredom, my old english saddle that was too small for me sold, so now I have an extra 650$ to saddle shop with :3 My mom also not-so-secretly bought me some riding gloves for christmas today while we were at the tack consignment store seeing if my saddle was sold XD

This was a really long post, and I think it got missed in some of the hype. Regardless--

@Rain
Aww no need to worry about ranting. It feels good to get things off your chest, doesn't it? I don't have any real life friends, let alone equestrians my age, so I know that I'm lucky to have you and the others to come and talk to. Everyone here is like my little family, so you don't need to think your burdening us if you feel the need to rant. I'm actually in the same boat as you when it comes to the "I have good grades, a well-off family, ect" yet I still find myself depressed on an almost day to day basis just from sheer stress. Also, I'm a cross country runner so I'm in the same boat there with you too! If you ever want to talk about running experiences, I'd love to :3

This was for you too Milo since you asked :3