Do You Ride Horses?

[LissaJo]

Least fav chore? Gelding beans

I almost forgot about that!! Its been a while since ive had to do it.. Ah well... refresher course in the spring since i just got my gelding this fall...

[Hanoverian]

Read everything and will answer asap, I have to go eat dinner... but the new topic caught my attention, haha. I must answer.

@least favorite barn chore:
Cleaning sheaths. Is nasty. D:: But it's rare that I have to do that.
Pretty much every week I get to dump every single horse's water buckets, scrub them with apple cider vinegar, rinse them, hang them, and refill them. During the summer all of the horse's have 2 buckets, and when they dump their hay in their it smells SO nasty and gets slimy. But during the winter, my fingers freeze to death and slopping water down your pants in 20 degree weather is NOT pleasant xD

But those are the only chores that I "don't" like. I'll still willingly do both.

So, new topic:
What's your FAVORITE barn chore?
I personally LOVEEE it when I get the opportunity to exercise some of the horses. But I also love grooming, handwalking, and even doing some of the smaller medical things. I know that sounds weird, but I like being able to care for the horses in small ways - cleaning out their cuts, packing hooves, treating thrush, wrapping legs, cold hosing, worming, etc.

[opal.]

@Favorite Barn Chore
I actually love taking in/putting out horses, but obviously, my favorite chore is excersizing extra horses. I mean, no matter how much time we have, my mom and I can never stay long enough the ride/work with all the horses we're aloud to. We can work any horse as long as they are not being boarded by someone (Who has not said we can/can't excerize their horse) or any horse that is owned by one of my trainers direct clients. It's pretty crazy o.o

[stirrupirons]

@Gam Gam: Thank you so much D I'll definitely shorten my reins. This was his first ride coming out of 3 week pasture rest & a sickness about a month ago, so he's not 100% yet. He's still building the muscle to properly collect at all times, a few strides after this pic though I got him collected and on the bit. I'll shorten my reins though, they look too long in that picture, especially since he was pulling on them. During our last trot around the arena he was really pushing from behind, his strides were HUUUUGE, and he was in frame it was perfect. I'm so proud of my boy! And thank you, he is beautiful <3

@Milo: I think you meant to reply to Wibeke ^^

@Silence: Glad you've had good hacks and lessons I'm in the same boat with the confidence thing. Since I switched from a 16hh QH to a 17.2hh TB, there's a huge difference in their canters, and I'm still working on learning Thinker's canter. It's really difficult to sit, and we have to be able to sit it no-hands on the lunge line before we can be let off it. I still haven't gone no-hands with Thinker's canter, and it's really hampering my confidence since everyone else is cantering around on their horses and I'm just trotting Hope your confidence gets up! You're a great rider

@Wibeke: Sully sounds so cute There's a grey Mustang at my barn who does the same thing. He always begs for treats, and when you walk away, he nickers after you and it's pathetic </3 but he's such a little demon. I've tried catching him in his paddock and he leads you on a chase around the paddock. He's such a little jerk xD

@Favorite barn chore: I love grooming! And for some reason I love scrubbing out the water buckets xD Mainly because of the faces the horses make at me. I also like lunging or round penning the horses that aren't ridden, it's so much fun

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My stuff from Dover came today I got this polo, a navy quilted Riding Sport vest (I have the hunter green and they're fantastic), navy SSG All Weather gloves, purple Zocks, and a hunter/navy lead rope for Thinker My white/hunter saddle pad is back ordered since it's out of stock, I don't know when it'll be here. Hopefully soon.

Making treats when I get up tomorrow morning I found a recipe for carrot, oat, and honey horse cookies. I figure reaching down and having Thinker bend his neck towards me while riding will give him a good stretch, which is what he needs right now. Plus, I'll need them when I ride him twice Monday to encourage him to power through drill practice after our lesson xD

Oh, forgot to mention I'm signing up for schooling dressage shows tomorrow

[Mr.Milo]

Favorie barn chorse: Tacking up the horses for pony rides. I just remember when i was younger and saw people tack up the horses for trails and i have just always thought it was cool...i dont know why!XD

@mochele: ahhh sorry, its just that Thinker and the horse Wibeke rides look similar at a first glance and i think i was looking at another post you mayhave made and was just thinking you answered my post!XD

[~stories untold.]

Least favorite chore:de rocking the field.Doing it when the horses are out makes everything really difficult

Hate that, too! AND the arenas! One time, I was picking rocks out of Rowdy's pasture and he came over to say hi. I did one of his tricks where he reaches around and hugs me, but he bit me on the back. ;-; It was bleeding.

Horses in Mojo(my horse)'s pasture just charge you.They love the people as soon as you enter and will do anything to get attention. Once they're in the barn, though, they don't like a lot of people. Don't get his group...

[Blank Canvas]

I got a horse!I got a horse! I got a horse for my birthday!yayayayay!
sorry I needed to do that cuz I'm excited!!!
this is him!
http://www.equinenow.com/horse-ad-319381

[Hime]

@Blue: Some crit. Without stirrups it seems you lean forward, and your leg swings back, or then you try to cling to the horse with it. With stirrups on there's maybe very minimal forward leaning as well, but your leg looks good to me. Then your hands. They are kinda inconsistent, from what I can see in the pictures. Sometimes too low, sometimes further appart than other times, fist are not up etc. At least in one picture they were looking mostly okay, but you need to pay more attention to keep them in steady position. Your arm is othervise looking okay in most of the pictures.

@Favorite chore: Taking horses in/out, IF there's no rugs involved especially no itch rugs thank you. XD I don't mind throwing hay too much either or grains etc. Though everyone at the stable gives out grain to their horses on their own, so don't have to do that. Though I actually don't have to do anything to be honest(since full board), but I usually in winter end up refilling Heta's water bucket or at least break the ice. Though same deal in summer, but no ice. Sometimes I might throw her some hay, if I was riding at feeding time, or clean stall or two if I'm bored.
Tacking up/grooming for others is pretty nice too. For some reason groups are kinda fun to work/hang out with too, and campers. XD New people, who have never ridden before, or have but never been on an Icelandic. Usually I don't really care for new people, but new people at stable are somehow different.
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Riding today, with stunning weather.

[Plan on it Oliver]

@Tobinkhan: Cool! Have you riden him a ton already?
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I went riding yesterday but not long because I got a side cramp... Which was weird because I had just eaten before I went riding like I normally have to but I still rode and thats all that matters. Before hand Rainy was playing a game with me and I think I know why. I missed my lesson Thursday because earlier that day I wasn't feeling the greatest. When I went to get her everytime I got within grabbing distance of her halter she would move so I had to go around a horse so I wouldn't get kicked. She would look at me, smile then trot infront of another horse so I had to go around then push the horse's head out of the way because they wanted me to get them. Finally she let me get her. And when I put her back out the other horses looked at her like you coming over here? But Rainy stood facing the wind and sun acting like she was too 'cool' to be with them

[Dolphinlover~]

Hey guys, just co,ong on quickly again since I have homework and stuff I need to do...but I like the topics so I will answer those and I can talk about my lesson. I did read everything else though, I'm just short on time and can't reply.

@least favorite barn chore: Probably when I had to sweep the aisles at my old barn since it got super dusty and then it would get in my face and eyes and make me cough. I am really open to doing any barn chores though, really.

@favorite barn chore: Definitely when I get to exercise horses or ponies. My new barn is great about this because they have so many, so they let some of their good riders hack them (: That's what I'm hoping. To do today afte Rey lesson and all day tomorrow!

Ok so now about my lesson...I'll try to make this short and quick (no promises though lol). We just had a flat lesson last night, since I'm coming back for another lesson today. Bottom line: Shadwell was phenomenal. Hands down our best lesson ever and even my trainer said that. He said that this was the best he's seen me ride Shadwell which is a huge compliment from my trainer! At first Shadwell was a bit stiff, but after we trotted around for a little while I got him to loosen up. I also got him to frame up the whole entire lesson, and yesterday I felt was a huge milestone in our carrier together because we really understood each other. It was amazing. I can't even describe what it was like, that's how awesome it was. I learned to just totally relax, which I know sounds really simple but when you are riding a Grand Prix horse that is strong enough to pull you around the ring, it is a really hard think to do. Especially because your first instinct is to choke up on the reins, be stiff, and be tense not soft and relaxed. Well yesterday I was soft and relaxed and was just a part of him. The feeling was amazing. At the trot I got him to lower his head and be in a stunning frame and my trainer was in awe of how well I rode him last night. He was like a completely different horse from the fresh, crazy, and fast Shadwell. I think my dad got a few pictures. I lost count of how many times my trainer told me that we both looked beautiful and stunning and how we were just "perfection!" now that's not something you hear a lot. Then it gets better. Canter transitions were flawless. I went right from a beautiful sitting trot to a nice and collected canter. He wasn't all strung out like usually and he wasn't dragging me around the ring. I sat the canter like I've never had before and I just "melted into the saddle and into him" as my trainer said. I still kept him in a frame at the canter and it was an amazing feeling.
Then we did transitions from canter to posting trot and to sitting trot and when my trainer told me to transition to sitting trot, he could believe how beautifully I made the transition. He said that he's never seen me go from canter to sitting trot that well (; He was just all around stunned by how I rode and how I controlled this massive Grand Prix horse. I actually made him look like a children's hunter and eq horse, and like an easy ride. So this was a huge milestone to already (after only 6 lessons) establish a connection. I am already understanding him and he's understanding me. It just came so quickly. I remember my first lesson on him, which again was less than a month ago, he was dragging me around the ring and I had trouble getting him to stop cantering. I didn't think I would ever be able to ride him like I did last night, and look I already did ;D My trainer told me to just wait until the spring, then I will be really impressed with what we can do together. So this was big, actually huge! Now that we've already established this connection, and me being to really relax and be a apart of him, things will only get better from here. I just can't believe that what I did last night was real. I mean not every rider can just hopmo. A Grand Prix jumper and be able to handle him, especially someone as small and tiny as me. My trainer said that even the owners daughter (who they bought Shadwell for) couldn't really ride him. So my trainer was beyond impressed, and so was I. Even though it was just a flat lesson, it was still phenomenal. This is why I love flat lessons, you are able to work on the basics, and flatwork is the basis of everything even though a lot of people think its boring and hate it. That lesson couldn't have been better ;D I couldn't even dream of me riding him like that...already after only 6 lessons.

Sorry for the novel guys! You don't have to read it if you don't want to, I just had to post about it.