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Horse talk for mature people over 40

2M views 29K replies 352 participants last post by  Blue 
#1 ·
I thought I would start a new thread for people over 40
who love horses.
This thread is open to owners leasers an people who
love horses

I will start I am 48 years old and I never yet owned a horse
mainly because of finances.
I have been around horses most of my life. I have ridden
all kinds of horses first ponies then horses
I have ridden Arab, Quarter Horses, Morgans, Appendix Quarter horses.
Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, American Saddlebreds and Paints and lots of mixed breeds too and all sizes 14hh-17hh
I have ridden both English and western
here is are pictures of me riding my friends Pinto 14hh
and my friends Half Arab

My husband knows how much I would love my own horse so in the spring we are looking in to leasing a horse
 

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#27,521 ·
NM- Woohoo good job! Did you get contact info for the older woman you rode with? Wonder if she may be available to ride with on occasion.

I just got a text. I have a new grand nephew! We are a family full of boys! I have one grand niece. Other than that, I was the last girl born to the family!

I got a couple pictures from tonight but they are on my phone, so I will post from that in a minute. I tried to get a pic of Nike's forehead cut but I was holding his bucket in one hand and the phone in the other. No hands left to pull his forelock out of the way. It's looking ok though.
 
#27,524 · (Edited)
Happy Tuesday
NICKERMAKER71 - YAHOO for you and Jay - what a great read, I loved every sentence of your trail ride adventure - look how great you did !!!! You so underestimated yourself and Jay. - Way to go today !!!! YAHOO YAHOO YAHOO
And, a couple of pages back you mentioned you showed WP and Showmanship - me too - loved it (way back when). I love the little nuances of both; no movement between horse and rider - oh what fun (and ribbons too) ha ha ha
TWALKER - I'm anxious to hear about your horse test-drives; and I'm glad the seller was at least honest with you about the fact that the Appy bites as he's being cinched up. I, like you, think that's something that can be worked around (with).
SUEC - thanks for the link about the Magnesium - tomorrow morning with coffee, that's my read. I'm excited to learn if maybe it's a good fit for our old mare.
CORGI - go for it! POWER BLUE in color and name !!!! I had to take a double-take at your pic; your Blue looks very similar to my Barstow. You are gonna have such a fun time. Is the show this coming weekend?
Good night all, just wanted to sign in and congratulate NickerMaker, what a great day for you!!!!
 
#27,525 · (Edited)
HAPPY PLACE - I forgot to say I could "kinda" see Nike's ooowie under his forelock. It looks pretty good for being so fresh.
Let us know if the Corona works for you (when I originally read the posts about Corona, I was reading out of order, and thought we were talking about beer) ha ha
 
#27,526 ·
O I forgot I wanted to say that SOMETIMES, a horse that turns and gets irritated, cinchy, or tries to bite could have something hurting. I had a horse that was bothered by ulcers off and on and when they would flare up, he'd get real cinch. On the other hand, some horses just need to be worked out of it. Just a thought. If I get in a hurry and start cinching Lacey up faster than she likes, she'll revert back to her cinchiness.

Phantom, those pics look great. I'm a little jealous.

Happy, I could swear Nike is looking just a little better! His haunches look a little under muscled. Any way you can start giving him light exercise?

Stan, How are you doing?
 
#27,527 ·
Blue is right. There could be an underlying case of ulcers that cause the reaction to cinching. I know there are pressure points on the sides you can test to see if that may be it, but for the life of it can't remember them right now.


MN17, CONGRATS on successfully riding with this new terrain and group!!!! one of the young girls that has ridden with me in a couple of group rides is like that. She will take off to jump a fallen limb while right in front of me as I'm about to take a drink of water. Little Man jumped to follow and after catching him up I was able to wipe the water off my face. She doesn't do that anymore.

Dawn, glad/sorry for the extra hours you are about to endure. The extra pics are great. You look great in the saddle and smiling as if you were actually enjoying yourself. You faker you. lol


Ladona, good luck on the upcoming show with Blue. You will have so much fun. Please say you will have someone taking pics for our viewing pleasure.

Terry, glad you and your friend were able to spend time together and get caught up.


HP, that window idea sounds great and congrats on getting in after all the upgrades are being done in technology.

Tracey, I would love to take you up on that, but aren't you typically warmer and muggy in your part of the country similar to some of us this time of year? I want highs of 70*F max and lows calling for a small fire to be comfortable type of winter haven. lol


Well, no ride yesterday. I got home to find the inspector still inspecting the house for the couple who have a contract bid on it and the family still at the hair salon getting their ears lowered. We finally left the house around 5 then realized we had a Posse meeting at 7. By the time we got out to R's and fed the boys it was near 6 so we stopped for a bite to eat and went to the meeting.

We all decided to download the What'sApp on our phones then created a group for the posse. This way they can update everyone with meetings, upcoming activities and posse call outs. That group can only be used for Posse dealings and all personal use of it must be done outside the group. Several of us took advantage of playing with it while in the meeting. It's basically just another text venue for the cell phone, but if any of you have it you are welcome to add me.

Going to do a quick feed of the boys and head for Reba this evening. Hoping to get another good workout with her tonight.
 
#27,528 ·
Morning all!

Again thanks for all the support! :D I woke up feeling proud of myself, and still shaking my head over that steep hill. I remember looking down it (once I got him callmed down) and literally taking a deep breathe like an Olympian prior to taking a dive. LOL

HP, I was also wondering if that older lady would want to ride with me. She's adventurous, but at a slower pace. Like me!

I am willing to try things, but if it's new....I want to go slow. I fear for Jay's legs (I always think of horses legs are being fragile, maybe I baby them too much), and remember I have a hip replacement, so I always try to be careful.

yea, Celeste, we have rattlesnakes in the mountains here. i worry most about groundhog holes. They are everywhere! One misstep and you have a broken leg. I have more respect for my horse than that!

I've been working on my seat and cantering, but I know sometimes when horses get together and gallop, they get that herd instinct in them and I fear an uncontrollable horse, or a horse that starts bucking. i need to take THAT at a slow speed.



TJ, so glad your lunch date went so well, and that you scheduled another. :D

Roaddy, my family uses the kakaoTalk app. Same kinda thing. Nice to have.

HP, have you received your Trail book yet? I finished it , cover to cover. There were chapters I thought I would skip, but as i browsed them, I found myself reading them and learned so much info.

I love the chapter about riding with groups. She starts it out.....beware of idiots! LOL Yep!:D

Ya know (sorry I digress) I wonder if L doesn't realize that although i have a ton of time in the saddle, much of it is competing and my trail riding is mostly roads and groomed trails. Am i the only one who rides like this? yesterday's terrain was a test of my courage.....which she didn't seem to realize....

Do you ever get the impression that people just really don't listen? is it just in my neck of the woods? DH and I wwere just havign that conversation....so many people are so self invovled.
 
#27,529 ·
Mornin'. I didn't need to get up this early, but husband came in to say goodbye and was upset that he'd forgotten to put the slide in the doggie door and Patch got out. He was late for work and couldn't get him back in the yard. So down the street I go in my jammies with a little bag of treats to call him back. Luckily for me he heard the rattle of the bag and came running. Didn't help his standing the husband at all, or me for that matter. But then, neither did the stuffing torn out of the couch, the torn up sandal and the floor and a chewed up boot. Ugh! This little guy is going to be difficult.:mad:

We have to be very careful disciplining him right now. It only takes the word "No" to make him hit the floor cowering and roll over on his back. If it's real bad he'll pee. Hundreds of dollars in toys all over the place and he chews up the couch. Time for the cayenne pepper.
 
#27,530 ·
O I forgot I wanted to say that SOMETIMES, a horse that turns and gets irritated, cinchy, or tries to bite could have something hurting. I had a horse that was bothered by ulcers off and on and when they would flare up, he'd get real cinch. On the other hand, some horses just need to be worked out of it. Just a thought. If I get in a hurry and start cinching Lacey up faster than she likes, she'll revert back to her cinchiness.
I also wonder if the horse has something out of place!

There was a horse that was cinchy at the university. They claimed he was always that way, but it made me wonder if he didn't need some massage or chiro work.....

Sometimes Jay is touchy, and my massage therapist said something could be out of wack!
 
#27,531 ·
Nicker, if this lady asks you to ride again, you need to tell her what you said in your post. "more respect for your horse then that." Is she aware of the danger of gopher holes, snakes, down limbs hidden in high grass? I'm all for a nice little run where the ground is acceptable, but you're right. In a group the horses get competitive. I've seen half dead old beaten down children's horses try to keep up with the rest of the runners.
 
#27,534 ·
I've just been journalling on free-range herd living for horses, and thought I'd share:

All the horses I have here used to be on daytime turnout to dry lots with hand feeding, with one buddy if they were a mare or gelding, or alone if a stallion (which two of them were). Romeo and Sunsmart had already been living free range for four years when the chestnuts arrived. At first the "new" horses didn't know what hit them when they saw all the space and weren't put into buildings for the majority of a 24-hour period, but now they are really taking to the whole thing with aplomb.

This morning, the whole lot of them stormed out together from their 4ha fenced area into the unfenced "Common" that makes up the other 58ha of our farm. They were kicking up their heels and wearing "isn't this great" expressions, and ran to and fro for a while for sheer fun, before settling down to grazing the lush ryegrass that is coming in on that part of our land. It was a pleasure just watching them.

This evening, after feeding, I was letting Romeo back in with the others as usual (he eats in the orchard as he has way more in his bucket), the others looked at him, looked at each other, and kind of went, "Well, we're all here, let's go!" - and moved up into the hill paddock as a group. They reminded me of this chamber orchestra I went to see, the way they all communicate with glances and act in unison as a result. It's really special to see these animals do this.

In traditional stable/turnout situations, the horses spend large proportions of their day basically waiting for some human to come and do things for them - what they eat, where they go, who they socialise with is determined so closely by the humans. Free-ranging over a large area they can actually explore, our horses can make so many decisions about their daily lives independently, more like wild horses. Other than getting a bucket feed from us, they totally fend for themselves with foraging and can choose what, where and when to eat, and they decide who they hang out with (including other herbivores like donkeys and cattle), where they go on that range, and what they might like to see. They are so comparatively independent of humans this way, and have a far richer life for it. I see them look at each other sometimes in one of those "orchestra moments" and then all of them suddenly canter off onto the lead-out track behind the house to run down the forest track to the western boundary, from which they slowly make their way back along the pasture fence, grazing as they go. The house is central to all these goings on and has windows facing in all directions, so I see lots even from inside the house... and I just find it thrilling that these animals have so much liberty.

:loveshower:

Also, as I was coming home from a ride around our tracks this evening, I passed the donkeys. Don Quixote started running along with us in his comedic rocking-horse canter, kicking up his heels, then doubling back to his girls and running loops around them, making little braying noises (I stopped my horse to watch). Next, they all started running and circling and kicking up their heels. It was so funny... they do this every now and then. We call it going "cracker-donkey". :smile:
 
#27,535 ·
Topper- show isn't until July 11 so I have some time to work with Blue to get him somewhat prepared. He is still a little green so it will be interesting. He is hubby's horse but hubby has zero interest in horse shows and Blue prefers the trail. We shall see how it goes. Could be very amusing.

Rick- hubby is going to be my photographer. They also have a professional that takes pics you can purchase. Of course, this all depends on Blue being willing to even enter the show ring. I could end up with some pics of him tied to the trailer!! LOL

Nicker- when we were in Montana, moving cattle that one vacation, we needed to cut down a side of the mountain. It was soooo steep that I didn't think there was any way a horse could go down it safely and I have a horrible fear of heights. The wrangler told me to lean back, grab the back of the saddle, and drop the reins and let the horse do his thing. I have never been so scared on horseback in my life, but the horse ( his name was Roanie) did his thing and didn't even blink an eye, but I know he was probably thinking "someone get this shivering, nervous human off my back!""
 
#27,536 ·
Recent donkey photos!





Don Quixote in all his glory. He's continuing to lose weight gradually - he and long-hair Mary Lou have been in grazing muzzles for two years whenever they go "out" to the large paddocks during the day. The donkeys were everweight when we got them in 2012.



Sparkle, our blind donkey (who gets around very well!).
 
#27,537 ·
Love the donkeys Sue!
Nicker, you did well to keep up! I don't think I'd be keen to ride with her again though, she seems a bit reckless.

Looks like we are putting our ride on hold for a bit. The weather has gotten cold and wet and one of the friends I was going with has just moved house and isn't up for it this week.

DD is pestering me to take her to more horse riding lessons. We've had a bit of a break from lessons for the last couple of months. But she hasn't ridden in a while and I won't let her get back on Rose at the moment. I'm happy for her to try Boston, but she is a bit worried about riding him because you have to be so firm with him at times. I'd dearly love to lease or buy another horse for her, but hubby and the inlaws don't want another horse in the paddock eating all the grass... Personally I think one more will be fine, they really need to get rid of the two old cows that share the pasture. The poor things are only there because they're too decrepit to get on a cattle truck. I really think they need to be humanely shot, but it doesn't seem to be high on the priority list at the moment.
 
#27,538 ·
O I forgot I wanted to say that SOMETIMES, a horse that turns and gets irritated, cinchy, or tries to bite could have something hurting. I had a horse that was bothered by ulcers off and on and when they would flare up, he'd get real cinch. On the other hand, some horses just need to be worked out of it. Just a thought. If I get in a hurry and start cinching Lacey up faster than she likes, she'll revert back to her cinchiness.


The understanding I got was the previous owner used to take a knee to her gut when cinching. I can see why they try to bite.
 
#27,539 ·
SueC- I love reading your posts! So insightful. I was just looking at an ad for a standardbred who had tons of trail time and was a real gentleman. Trotted and racked, no canter yet. He sounded great. The one caveat was that he is aggressive towards other horses. He always needs to be turned out alone and should wear a red ribbon if trail riding so no one runs up on him. Have you experienced that? Is this a horse that is a candidate for living solo on a farm? I'm just curious about that behavior.

NM- I got that book really quickly! I have just begun reading it.

I really think Nike needs to work. I can't get DH out there to repair the round pen! It rained so badly that there is ankle deep mud everywhere but in the pen (it's slightly uphill from the rest of the property). If Buster is disinterested and walks away, I may try to lunge a little. I am not yet sure if Nike knows how. Should be interesting.
 
#27,540 ·
Nicker, what a great ride!! Sounds like you did amazingly well (all the while I'm reading thinking oh heeeeellll no, no steep ravines for this old lady). The last time I rode with friends, we had a similar situation to the leader taking off on a run without warning the rest of the riders. I was in the middle on a mare I had never laid eyes on before that day, let alone trusted. I was NOT ready, but managed to hold my seat & only lose my sunglasses that were perched on top of my head.

I love that you looked at it as a learning experience and overcame your fear! :cowboy:
 
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