Do You Ride Horses? V.4

[.Scarlet.]

Last night was a good lesson! Monchele I focused on sitting back at the trot. And it made a big difference! Sometimes she fought me, but that's normal for her. Cantering was messy because I'm still trying to anchor my seat and the arena area is smaller right now because the tractors inside do we lose a little of the arena. And her left lead canter age always feels the need to go really fast. She's just more off there. But trot was good and then we did a few poles. My goodness she was soooo good! she didn't overjump and the one she actually canter transitioned perfectly and we were so proud of her! It's very rare that she doesn't. My instructor was also very happy that I didn't move. My position was perfect :3 and I got her to be more soft. She was calm and not a crazy woman. She was relaxed and didn't try to run like a mad man at the trot. All and all, it was a good night!

[Namikaze~Sin]

Sorry for the short replies recently, got a lot on >.<

@smokey & June
I guess more than anything it's nerves! And plus, well, a lot of people are judgmental. I know they'll be like "Oh what is she doing, she's not experienced enough! She'll mess the horse up!" I do feel a little alone. The horsey friend that I always leaned on for advice and help was his owner and she's moving away. Otherwise its down to me (with help from my mum who loves horses but hasnt had that much experience) and a slight chance the new people at the yard (filling the other 2 boxes) might be friendly, but I'm not gonna depend strongly on that. I just worry that I'm gonna raise him wrong, let him get bad habits, teach him badly. Because that would break my heart if I wrecked him. I just have high hopes for the future, I want to show, I want to event, I want him to grow big,strong and beautiful. I want him to be as happy and healthy as possible, and love me as much as I love him. It's like a really new relationship where you don't know where its going and still have yet to get to know each other properly, I have such high hopes that they seem unrealistic. I just feel like there's so much I just don't know!

[wolflover47]

My favorite animal is horses! Thanks so much for making this! I used to ride horses, and I LOVED it! Riding horses was so much fun, i don't anymore sadly, but it was all good fun! Thank you again for making this so i can read about horses.

[Wolf Prints]

OOh, New thread! so i had a lesson last night, and i rode a great ex-barrel racer named Bey Shanay.(My first western lesson... X3) i was so surprised at how willing she was. i cantered her for at least half an hour after the lesson, just chillin with some friends. may i note that English, with Ruby, i cannot master the canter. I was sooooo happy!

[stirrupirons]

@Scarlet: I'm glad it helped! :) Lessons like that are great!

@Sin: Even if you're not as experienced, you have trainers around you. You go to an equine college, correct? That's the perfect environment for you to learn and learn with Frankie. :) You are a good rider and I think that since you have trainers working with you you'll be fine. You're very compassionate towards him and you only have his best interest at heart. I have faith that you two will be a great pair!

@Amy: Sorry Donny's not in work right now :( But I'm glad Sassy has been doing well! I love her name lol. That's awesome that the owner's daughter wants to start riding her! I can see that you'd be a bit jealous but that is a great compliment :)

@June: Darn! Well, if you have a strong core than not getting an angle in your heels isn't that big of an issue. :D
Haha, it's fine! There's so many people to keep track of c:
Yes!! I CANNOT stand the guy that rides Thinker! I mean he only rides him once a week, but he makes me so mad. He acts all polite and stuff but when he rides Thinker he literally kicks the crap out of him for no reason and yells at him. Thinker is an ANGEL and I've only had to kick him once, and that was because he was trying to bite the horse that we were next to, and I didn't have a crop with me to correct him. He's a tender, sensitive little baby boy and nobody needs to talk bad to him ;-; It's funny though, once he watched me ride him and all I have to do is squeeze my calves to get him to go forward and move my outside leg back a hair for canter, so he was in shock the whole time. xD I have a feeling Thinker hates him though and he doesn't listen to him on purpose. He's always a perfect angel for me c:
It was for $90 D: my parents agreed to pay for it as long as I buy dinner tonight, lol. I guess it's because my birthday is Monday that they're feeling so compassionate xD It sucks too because I haven't gotten pulled over since 2012 and only got a warning. Granted, I was going 70 in a 55, but still D:
Haha, Dover's the best <3 You should go! Except every time I go there I end up spending so much more money than I planned on and walking out with too many bags xD it's pretty bad
Yay for Grande having energy! :D That sucks about the saddle. I'm in a similar situation with Thinker's saddle; it's too small for me. D: I can't get my leg positioning right and since I have a big butt and it's only a 16.5 seat it's not the most comfortable thing. xD Are you going to get a new saddle when you buy him? c:

@Starting Out: I started out riding Chincoteague Ponies when I was 4. c: The first mare I rode in a lesson was a beautiful black pinto named Black Mist. I loooved her and rode her until I was 11, as well as a palomino mare named Twister and a chestnut pinto mare named Penny. I had my first fall off Penny! xD My saddle slipped off :c Anyways, I took lessons there for 7 years until I got my first horse, a black quarter horse gelding named Ceasar. He was my best friend and even if I had no clue what I was doing, we still had a bond. He passed away when I was 16 in 2012.

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Oh gosh guys! I haven't mentioned this because I wasn't sure if I was doing it, but I just got a confirmation text from my trainer...
I'M RIDING IN A CLINIC SUNDAY! It's one my trainer's holding called a riding yoga clinic, but still, I've never ridden in a clinic before! Apparently, there's going to be a lot of auditors because it's a new barn and people want to check it out and see E's teaching style. I'm SO nervous! I'm riding Seren, so she'll probably be a butt and embarrass me xD but poor bb can't help it so I'll try to stick it out. I'm so excited! :D
I'm riding four times this weekend o: Tomorrow I'm riding Seren at 1 as usual at work, then I have a lesson on Thinker at 3. Then Sunday the clinic at 10, then I either have a lesson or I'm hacking at 1. And then Dover for my birthday on Monday <3

[ξƞçɧαƞtєđ]

Namikaze~Sin: Nerves are normal...very normal. I wanted a horse of my own since I could talk (though when I could talk, my idea of a dream horse was a pink Clydesdale. xD lol). But in the year 2013 in April, when it was made real that I was getting my own horses, I was tossing and turning all night thinking of all the things I could end up doing wrong. It was like I never had the 10 years of experience beforehand with Ex-race horses and all those Arabians. But when the trailer with Sky and Hoss drove up the road and they arrived, all of it melted away. Trust me, the more time you have with owning him, the better it will get. He is your horse! You don't need to worry about schedules of other riders riding him and you can do what ever you want. Don't worry about the critique of others unless you trust them and know that they know what they are talking about. I've received some critique on Sky's half-rearing issues a lot and some of them I listen to and even try out, but others, I automatically let in one ear and out the other. It will take time and some trial and fault before you know who means business and who is just trying to look superior to you, but that is all about the learning experience. This will all pay off in the long run as I haven't regretted a single day of owning my two boys as when I get up at 6am in the morning for their breakfast and I hear them nickering to me, that makes it all worth it. When I'm galloping in the field next to my house with absolutely nothing to worry about but staying on Sky's back, that makes it all worth it. When we finally accomplished join-up after 6 months of trying it with Hoss, that makes it all worth it. Trust me, there will be a whole lot more good memories then bad memories when it comes to owning a horse. Trust yourself and remember, you always have horsey people not far from you to help you out when you need advice.

will reply to everyone else soon...


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Well drill team was cancelled last Tuesday due to a impending snow storm. We got 5 inches and my family lost power in our home for 35 hours. But while everyone else was sitting around the house bored, I went out and spent much more time with my boys and re-braided Hoss's mane & tail and I cleaned up the tack once or twice. xD lol. Went on a hack with Sky yesterday as well and he did pretty well besides one spat where he just wanted to back up and not go forward. He came back strong though and we practiced a bit more on voice cues which went brilliant. This Monday me, Sky, and Hoss are going for a trip to a 4-H horse and pony club clinic! yay! And I'm excited for March 15th as well because we're going to a clinic for some discounted vaccinations! (15$ for coggins and rabies; strangles is only 35$; Fluvac 5 (eastern, western, rhino, influenza & tentanus) is only 26$; Fluvac 6 (eastern, western, Venezuelan, rhino, influzenza & tentanus) for only 28$; and Prestige V+WN (west nile, western, rhino, influenza & tetanus) 46$). So we're going to get all up and ready on our vaccines before show season starts.

[Bluebird22]

Sin: omg, I'm so happy for you! You have a huge support group who will help you with anything that comes your way. No owner is perfect or completely ready. Ever. But you already know so much and have Frankie's best interest in hand that you will be fine.

Equine: go ahead! I love seeing other people's barns. I am sure it is better then mine (but my barn isn't hard to out beat. I'll take pictures of the inside of it tomorrow, you all will see why lol)

Cincinnati: I am going through that with Ace. I used to be his only leaser but I couldn't take on more then three days so his owner found another girl to ride him, however they don't click, and I feel like she undoes what I have just done with him. It's really hard, but like June said, they taking to someone about it and see if they can fix the situation. On a completely different note, your username is the name of my city xD

June: if that saddle is giving you so much trouble could you have it adjusted or buy your own ?

Monchele: happy early birthday girlfriend! Mine is on Tuesday and I'm hoping to have a lesson with D then go on a hack down the drive with my friend.

Starting out: I first started lessons when I was 12-13 on a big chestnut TWH named Rico. I stayed at that barn for about a year and road a ton of different horses and entered two of their shows. Right before I left that stable I road Daily for about 16 weeks who I bet a few of you old timers remember. He was the best and was that first horse there I had a connection with <3. After I made the decision of leaving I went over to my current stable and leased Robert for about 6-8 months, but his health was declining quickly and couldn't be worked. And that brings me to Ace, who I have made leaps about bounds with, but still have a long way to go.

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I will give a full update soon, but for now I will just you all know we are going great. I am still full leasing him and have started conditioning three days a week to help him build muscle. He has the stamina, but not the muscle that we will need for showing, long trail rides in the summer, or schooling down at the horse park.

[June Bug]

@Sin
Let people think what they want and prove them wrong. Before you know it, anyone who might have had their doubts will be jealous of your little guy. If you love him, he'll love you. It'll be a bit of a process, but you want this so I know you'll make things work. :]

@monchelle
It probably also helps that I'm not all that interested in jumping. xD Dressage doesn't have that level of emphasis on deep ankles so I should be alright unless I suddenly gain an interest in jumping, haha.
There's so many of us!
Dude, it's also fun to see other horses act up for people you don't like. :'D That chick who wants to event with my baby finally got the chance to ride her favorite horse today after two months off. He was a total butt to her and I laughed so hard. xD I was never a huge fan of that horse, but he earned my respect today.
Haha, you're lucky you've got your birthday to soften the blow then!
See, that's my fear. xD I'm broke enough as it is and I know I'll dig myself into a money-sucking pit if I go. I'll have to wait until I've got a comfy amount of spending money.
Definitely going to get a new one. Well, technically new. New to me. xD A friend of mine offered to sell me one of her old ones that she thinks will fit him. She's also good at fitting saddles, so I'm going to have her test it out on him before I buy it from her. I'm thinking I'm going to do that the next time she's visiting from school rather than wait until we've bought him.

Wow, busy weekend! Sounds like a lot of fun though. 8] Do tell us how it all goes~

@Bluebird
I can't have it adjusted since it's a school saddle, but, like I told monchelle, I'm going to be getting him a new one. I just have to wait for my saddle person to come back from school. x]

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I love snow~ Grande's feathering is actually clean and sparkly white for the first time since ever because of all the running around in the snow. 8D I've been fighting those stains for almost a year. Now all I have to do is maintain them! He's actually looking a lot nicer in general lately. That one leg's still groty, but that's going to be a battle I'll never win since he lays in poo on it every night. ID
I found out he's got skill today though. An odd skill, but a skill nonetheless. Apparently, he can poo quite easily even without both hind feet on the ground. I was picking out his right hind when he decided it would be a good time to drop a load. xD He also demonstrated some nice flexibility by resting his face along my back while I was doing his front right. Goofball <3
He got a nice little treat today too. Someone bought a bunch of 'alfalfa cubes' for some of the horses. One of the horses who's supposed to get them doesn't like them unless they're dry, but he can't eat them dry, he needs water in everything he eats or he colics. He wouldn't eat it wet so Grande got some nice alfalfa soup since we know he'll eat anything. :'D
I finally cooled off enough about last Thursday to ask about his escape since I'd only heard that he'd gotten out and into the nearby neighborhood. She said he made her chase him before going back home. :'D Good boy making the mean girl run around after you~

[obscure.]

just had the most terrifying half an hour of my life ;u; this lesson didn't
go well at all! i was riding danny again with a group of about seven/eight
other horses and ponies, but we only had half an arena between us all
which i didn't think was very good, because there wasn't enough room
and all the horses were misbehaving. xD i don't think the weather was
helpful either, it's going to storm where i live so i think all the horses
were quite jumpy and nervous because of that, too.

anyway, i started out fine, i got him to walk/halt/turn but when we got
to the trotting, danny got too close to the little pony, squeaky, in front
[despite my cues to halt and slow down] and there was a bit of aggression,
squeaky was going to kick danny in the face and i was so scared, if it wasn't
for the instructor squeaky would have kicked him for sure ;u;

after that everything went wrong, danny was really tense and i was
constantly afraid of getting too close to the other horses again. danny
started to ignore my cues and then he kept throwing his head down
suddenly so i completely lost control of the reins, he was pawing
the ground and snorting like he was about to charge or something.
i'm a beginner and this was my first time controlling a horse independently
and i was petrified. :c i had no idea how to control danny! but then, one of the
horses in front got spooked [because one of the parents was chasing her and
trying to hold her reins] and ran off into the other section of the arena where
somebody was having a private lesson, the horse there got spooked too and
was going to bolt but the runaway horse was stopped just in time. after that
all the horses were really nervous :c

to be honest it was just scary, i've had my first experience with out-of-
control horses and i'm just so glad danny didn't decide to run off too,
but when squeaky nearly kicked him in the face it was terrifying :c
but it's not all bad, because today i learned a lesson in control. instead
of showing control over my horse and staying calm, i panicked and that's
where everything went wrong, because when i panicked danny got upset
and didn't listen to me. so next time i have to control my horse better and
show more restraint over him, instead of getting panicky. xD

[spiderfish]

Anyone heard of the Freemax synthetic treeless saddle?
Found really, really mixed reviews on it, so I don't really know what to think.