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Horse talk for mature people over 40

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#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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#18,761 ·
CCG, so nice of you to drop by.

NS, have a great time at the cabin and on the trails.

Koolio, lovely peonies! Just learned a new word. "Pivoines" in French!

Ellen, thanks for asking!
I took this picture thinking of you yesterday, as I was exploring on foot a possible access to provincial trails (ATV trails, few users). I found an access last summer but the land owner blocked it against ATVs. She gave me permission, but I can't climb those rocks-blocks, so I'm searching for alternatives.
You mentioned hemlocks: we have some, but most evergreens are fir or spruce around here. This was likely an old flooded area from beaver dams. When dams are damaged, water drains and nature grows back fast.

TJ, hang in there, you're taking some actions and I'm sure something will come out of it, for the better. Horses are great, but it's suddenly so hot and humid, that energy levels are quite low. Like riding a turtle? I have a lesson on Alize tomorrow morning, so I groomed the ring before the rain: looking nice with the new fences. The coach (nice filly Stan would say, she does modeling) will train Rafale, DH's horse, after my lesson. That horse needs to work, for body and for mind.
 

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#18,762 ·
Hope everyone is doing good,

CCgirl I love orchids, beautiful plants and blooms. Always glad to hear from you. Have a good evening.

I got some vidallia onions today when I went to get chicken food, horse treats, and mineral block. When I got home, I decided to fix some country soul food. You know the ritual, corn bread and fresh veggies. Miss Peggy taught me how to skillet cook the veggies and add cornmeal for that crusty effect. yum:):):) It was getting dark when the cornbread came out of the oven.. Well, I buttered it and left to secure the chickens and give Red some more hay. But, when I came back, I inhaled it all. Now I am too full to keep my eyes open. Skipped my bloodthinner tonight and will tomorrow night. Hopefully the swelling will be reduced. Boy, am I a wimp:-(
I set some t posts and plan to make a round pen at the back of the barn. When my knees get better, I am going to work that ole buzzard and make him take me for a ride. He has got to earn his grub. Last night I was the dominate herd member. I went out and gave him hay and then used horse communication and ran him away from his hay. I just stood there in front of it. He tried to come up, but I gave him an aggressive look and wheeled around. He retreated and looked at me. After a while and after making my point I left him to eat his hay. Just making a statement before roundpenning him.

Corgi I sure hated to hear about your mom. I hope she will have a speedy recovery. Keep your chin up. I know seeing them hurt is no fun.

Nickers That is a beautiful picture. So glad you had a good time.

Natalie I will bet the country where you are is beautiful.. Hemlocks, spruces and fir trees. Sounds gorgeous. I know you enjoy being there.

TJ Hang in there. Will be wishing good things for you.

I hope everyone has a good evening.
 
#18,763 ·
Good evening everyone and Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians!

The stomach flu seems to have departed and everyone is feeling much better. My daughter and I celebrated Canada Day with a trail ride on Sam and Cheeky Pony. This was Cheeky's first trail ride ever and she was a SuperStar! She loaded in the trailer like a pro and while she looked carefully at everything around her, she didn't spook or fuss once on the trail. She rode through the trails at a walk, trot and canter and didn't miss a beat. We even crossed some huge mud puddles and met a scary dog and some other horses on the trail. I think she really enjoyed herself.

Here are a couple of pics from the ride. With recent rain, warm weather and long days, the greenery has filled in dramatically since we were there last.
My daughter on the pony looking curiously down the trail.


Classic Sam.


Tomorrow, DH, DS and I are off to Drumhellar to the Royal Tyrell Museum of Palenontology and the largest reptile museum in Canada. Drumhellar is only about 2 1/2 hours away, so an easy ride on the motorcycles and an easy one night destination. We have been to the Tyrell museum many times before, but it is fantastic every time as it is a world class facility. DD is working and looking after the farm.:-(

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. My peonies are out even more today and look spectacular in the sunshine. I found out they are a combination of single and semi-double flowering. The single flowering variety is considered the "wild-type" or "parental" phenotype. Here is one more pic.

 
#18,764 ·
Morning all! Home again, home again....jiggity jig!:D

Sitting on my balcony, three hours sleep, drinking coffee, drinking in the GREEN, and checking in with you.

so glad to be home. That's the thing about vacations huh? Bittersweet, hate to leave, but love to get home....at least that's me.

Was so nice to see DH, just briefly, as I didn't get home until after 2;00 am. But did get up to see him off to work and chit-chat a bit......:D

Stanley, he did go peak in on the horses for me while I was gone! :lol: That's a start, huh?

His family is in town for a nieces graduation, so starting tomorrow, he will be gone doing family stuff....yes I am invited, but he siad, "I'm sure you want to stay home with your horses since you've been gone, so don't feel the need to go do the the 'family' thing." That is also a good DH who is considerate of my horsey love, huh?

I wonder what order of the herd I will be in when I return to the barn this morning?:lol: A week with M's DH may have changed things....we shall see.:D i wonder how badly cleaned the stalls will need....he said he 'doesn't do stalls'. LOL

Ellen, I am concerned about your knees. Are you sure you should stop the blood thinners? I first thought when you said you fell was blood clots!:shock: Could you call the doc to double check? I'm concerned b/c of the swelling in the feet since you landed on your knees.

Eole, great looking area. Are you looking to ride your horse there? I feel like I am missing something.

Koolio, looks like and nice ride, and happy to hear Cheeky Pony did so well! Yea!! How's your daughter liking her gig at the riding stables? Does she feel like she is leanring? how are YOU feeling now...still feeling overwhelmed? If so, is there a way to push the grad work to fall? Just postpone it a bit until you get yourself rested? Also, beautiful peonies! I LOVE the single bloom ones. So unique! Peonies have such a great scent.

Not sure if I'll ride today, but the next two are looking good weather wise. Itching to go saddle shopping! Especially since I now know....I'm looking for a bigger seat! Eureaka! LOL

Ya know...M has several 16 inchers....maybe I could borrow one of them to ride Jay with for a day, just to see the difference in seat size! Hmmm, not a bad idea.:D

I believe today is Hump Day....right?:? I've now officially lost track of my days! Summer has set in!

MR, good looking family. :)

Have a GREAT day all! Ride strong!:D
 
#18,765 ·
I've had enough of biting critters!

The other week a horsefly and ground bees twice.
Now I am laid up on the other leg, huge mess.
Doctor said spider bite for sure, now I can't walk!
I am taking Doxycycline for bacterial infection prevention.
I think the affected area has quit growing now, round as an apple.
I noticed this spot Saturday evening that itched just below my knee.
Sunday before our ride it was as large as a dime, by night it was growing.
Didn't think it was all this though.

Will definitely hurt my weekend of riding.
I could still camp and lounge around, I don't think I can ride.
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content
Skin Hand Close-up Scar Flesh
 
#18,766 ·
OH my:shock: MR! Does the doc think it's a brown reclus (sp) spider? I know someone who got bit by one...looks like it could be. That's bad stuff! Good thing yo went to the doc!! Holy smokes.

I think the bugs are bad this year. With the winter we had, you wouldn't htink so...but gosh, I think worse than ever!

My bite and rash from...whatever it was is not as inflamed as it was, but definitly still visable...it's been nearly a WEEK. I was afraid i would have to seek out a doc too.:-( Scary stuff......
 
#18,768 ·
MR - :shock: That is a terrible looking bite! I hope it gets better soon! Scary stuff.

Nicker - happy to hear you are home and all is well. I'm sure the horses will be glad to see you. Best of luck saddle shopping! A comfy saddle should make a huge difference.
My daughter is enjoying her program at the stable. She works crazy hard but is learning a ton about riding, training, competing and managing crazy boarders. Her coach is Equine Canada certified, currently competes and was an Olympian, so she has a lot to offer. I can sure notice a difference between this woman's skill in instructing riders and other "coaches" we have had in the past. Around here, a person does not need to be certified in any way to give riding instruction or to train horses, and so there is a lot of poor riding and horsemanship developed.
As for me, I am trying to wind down but still keep up with my coursework. With being sick and DH being home on holidays, I haven't found a summer routine yet, but will. It will be good to get away today, even if only for a night. My course can wait. Hopefully once we are back, I will get back into it and enjoy it.

I hope everyone has a good week! I'm off to see the dinosaurs in Drumhellar.
 
#18,769 ·
Good a.m. everybody:)

Hope everyone is ok. It's hot here. I had to dig my last tator row this a.m.. It was skimpy and not too much to do. Getting ready to elevate my feet. After that, I will go check my chickens and plant 2 rows of butter peas where the tators were. That will give me 4 rows all together. May cut the grass at intervals. It's awful being a wimp. It's stuff like this fall and hurting my hand this winter that make me wonder is riding is a good idea.:cry:

Nickers First of all, welcome back:D Thanks for your concern about me. I duplicating what the doctor instructed me to do when I had a hemorrhage in my hand. Hopefully, the swelling and inflammation will diminish before any clots can form. When I had my hysterectomy, the inserted a net device in the vein of my leg. It should catch anything that might break loose. Glad your bout with the insect bit is getting better.

MR Wow, that looks awful. I hope it gets better. It's amazing how many biting things out there can do that type of thing. I have gotten really careful about putting on pants that have been sitting overnight (reuse pants for couple of days to feed in). Brown recluses are worlds worst about finding a good dark place to hide in.

Koolio Luv the pics:D:D:D Beautiful flowers. Old man Sam is in good form. Happy trails.

Corgi Hope your mom is doing well.

CCgirl Take care and don't over do!

Sorry to be so brief, but I have to elevate my feet. They are starting to hurt:cry:

Yall have a great day and be safe. Don't do like me and fall down.:cry:
 
#18,771 ·
MR, that bite is horrifying. Agree w/all; take care of that thing & make it go away. The horses will still be there.

And, Ellen, you recover well & fast too.

Welcome Home, Nicker!

Have to leave for work. More schedule changes, ScrewsLoose has left for good (yes, a good thing.)

Only 4 work days. Working on being in better shape for Monday.
 
#18,772 ·
Good Morning All,

I didn't have time to go look at that mare. I probably shouldn't. If I fell in love and she got adopted before I could get her, I'd be bummed!!

Yesterday I applied for unemployment (first time EVER) and a few more jobs. I don't expect any calls until after the holiday weekend at least. I got most of the property mowed last night and will finish up today. Funny how I have nearly 5 acres and the chickens like to hang out where I want to mow! I have a ton of things I could be doing but I am feeling so darn tired today. I'm not going to go crazy as I am meeting my son and his girl friend for dinner tonight. I don't want to look exhausted when I see them LOL. He is leaving for the UK on the 5th so this in my only chance to see him for another 3 weeks!

Have a wonderful day. I have a coop to cleaqn and more mowing to attack!
 
#18,773 ·
NM, welcome home! :)

MR, that's an ugly and painful looking bite indeed. I might "enjoy" over 6 months of winter, but at least I don't have to worry about poisonous spiders, scorpions or snakes.

Corgi, how is your mother doing?

Ellen, agreeing with NM, not the time to stop blood thinners. They unlikely cause the swelling and will prevent clots, especially after a knee injury. Your garden and cooking make me hungry. I never had cornbread. Do you have a recipe to share, I might try it.

HP, good luck on the job hunt. You're teaching, right? Are jobs scarce in that area?

Had my horse lesson on Alizé. She was great at first, then decided she had enough and went off track in any direction. Spent the last 15 minutes trying to get her to focus and felt like a total klutz. Horses keep us humble...
Then, the worse. The lovely coach saddled Rafale, DH's horse. He was a complete monster,:twisted: so much that she decided not to ride and do ground work. He got even worse, trying to bite and rearing. :shock: She said she didn't feel up to training him. He's a dominant horse and needs a strong leader. I never saw that horse acting up like this, a little scary.

Here's is Rafale acting up with his "filly"
 

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#18,774 ·
Thank you everyone for the welcomes! It feels good to be back.:lol:

I was NOT :evil: a happy camper when I got to the barn this morning. The horses were IN, the stalls were deplorable, they were covered in flies....the list goes on!

Jay was NOT the horse I left! He was spooky and jittery. I walked in to grab his bucket as he ate his grain...which he usually eats with vigor, today it was normal, and he about jumped out of his skin. My DM even saw his reaction and looked at me:shock:. I said, this is not the Jay I left......:twisted:

I took him out to brush him and he again was dancing all over the place, didn't seem to like me brushing him....ears would go back, flinch....NOT him at all! He never moves a muscle when I brush him.

M's DH came out and said he chewed the door frame pretty good...I went to see. I said, there was no reason to leave them in at night. (as I found out he did.) He said..."I didn't know....and with Jay's foot, I wasn't sure. It'll be OK, kept his foot dry." Well...not really b/c standing in poo is worse than wet ground, and he was standing in lots of poo!

Well...first of all....you live here and see the horses are NEVER kept in the stalls at night during the summer. He gives them a teeny bit of hay prior to me arriving EVERYDAY. He DOES know....:evil:

So that makes me wonder...how long were they in the stalls that Jay would become that bored and chew the door frame? He is NOT a chewer!:evil:

I highly suspect when M's DH found the chewed spot he ranted and raved,
screamed, cursed, flapped his arms at Jay, if not hit him. The dude has anger issues and I've seen him in action with the goats. My Jay does not need to be yelled at...he is quite sensitive, and a little growl does the trick.

I approached my DM about it...and she can clearly see what I see in all respects. I don't want to be a trouble maker, and I don't need to come btw them....but I told her, if I go away with her again...he WON'T take care of my horses again if I can help it!

Rainn....has lost patches of hair on her shoulder, underbelly and bum. This
tells me they were never fly spayed. My other evidence is that there was very little spray used in the bottle ( I had just filled it up for him.) She scratches herself crazy bald when bitten with flies.:-:)-( It is also quite evident that she has dropped weight....maybe the lack of pasture at night. There seems to be more grain left in the barrels than I anticipated coming back to.....

She also has a mark on her back fetlock and it's swollen, and he has a mark
on his coronet band...they could have been messing around and did it to each other of course, and could have done it while I was home or not....but still.

It took me two stall cleanings to calm down. I was livid!!!

I sat with them a bit in the pasture, and we allowed them in a new pasture for some fresh green grass. When the time was up, Rainn allowed me to take her under the chin and guide her back to the old pasture....Jay and I had to do the dominant dance....just so very briefly....but he then too allowed me to take him under the chin and guide him ever so gently to the old pasture.:D Atta boy!:thumbsup: (they only had their fly masks on)

All in all, I believe they are happy I am home. I sprayed them real good, and put the fly masks on them. I think they were thankful for both those things.:lol:

Obviously I didn't ride. I was way to upset. I may take them for a walk tonight. We'll work on some ground things, get the repsect thing going again so we can have a nice quiet ride tomorrow morning...I hope.:wink:

Thanks for listening to my rant. :oops:
 
#18,775 ·
Thanks everyone for the thoughts. Mom's surgery went well. Ended up needing to replace the hip because it couldn't be repaired. Did a partial hip replacement instead of a full due to her age and health.

She is doing well. A little confused but the pain is nothing compared to what it was before the surgery. They hope to discharge her to a skilled nursing facility on Friday.

No horsey stories from me...I hope to go back home tomorrow night or Friday morning. I need to rest. It is amazing how much just sitting around a hospital can stress you out.

The last 15 months of my life, I have spent a horrible amount of time sitting in hospitals. March- June of 2013, Dad was in a coma, then multiple organ failure, then had ICU psychosis, and then rehab. Then he hemorraged and died in October. One of my best friends was in a coma in December and then ended up dying in January. And now this...

But this is different from the other times. Mom isn't in critical condition. She isn't even hooked up to any machines. This hasn't been as stressful as the other times and I am so thankful for that. We just need to get her to understand that she needs to go to a nursing home for a little while for rehab but that she will be able to go back home when she can safely take care of herself. We had a very bad experience with Dad's rehab last year. The place we are trying to get her into is much better.

I have no idea how long she will be in rehab. Hopefully, not too long because I am afraid she will give up. Luckily, her sister lives here and she can make sure Mom does what she needs to do in order to be released home.

I have been reading everything but haven't been able to respond. Just wanted to give an update and thank you all for your concern!

And MR- Omigoodness! Ouch!!!!

Nicker-I would be so mad! Hope Jay is back to his normal self tomorrow.
 
#18,776 ·
corgi: I hope your mom has a speedy recovery.

NM: What a mess with the horses, a little p'd off I'd say. I would be too.
Do you really think within such a short time our horses trust changes?
I am not as fortunate as you with all the winter riding.
I also do not appreciate the cold very much, I may not ride for 4 months in winter.
When I throw a saddle on in the spring and hit the trail nothing has changed.

TJ: A horse Monday is coming this week, right???
Even when things are tough, horse time is good for the soul.
I know every time I go for a ride, within the 1st 1/4 mile I say to myself,
I belong here.

Koolio: Things are really getting green your way compared to last pics.

Thanks for any good wishes toward my affected limb.:D
I think antibiotics are already working, can feel a little relief, not much.
I'm hoping my leg doesn't get black, healing would then take quite a long time.
Affected area doesn't hurt unless I walk, after 100' or so the ache subsides.
Walked about a 1/4 mile this morning, getting stiff from the couch.
Weekend camping is still unknown at this time.

Anyone know where Roadyy is??? MIA for a bit hugh!

If I don't get to ride this weekend make sure you all do!
Good Evening.
 
#18,778 ·
Sorry I have not been around much since Friday. We have been running pretty good during this vacation week. Here are some pictures from the week so far. We are going to the caverns tomorrow and will have picks to share from it.

I hope all are well and will try to get caught up a little at a time when I get back to work Monday. I have averaged getting to bed around 11pm and up at 6am. Lol

Horse Bridle Mammal Rein Animal sports


Horse Bridle Rein Mammal Vertebrate


Leisure Fun Water Recreation Pond


Nature reserve Leisure Water Tree Vacation


Horse Mammal Halter Rein Vertebrate


Vacation Beach Summer Fun Sea


Child Toddler Product board short Fun


Fun Bathing Sea Vacation Swimming


Horse Bridle Animal sports Mammal Sports


Child Toddler Play Snapshot Fun
 
#18,779 ·
Corgi, glad to hear mom is feeling less pain after surger than before...I kinda figured she would. :wink:


MR, not sure if Jay lost trust in me...if that is what you meant, but he sure was a bit skittish earlier today. SEriously, I'm not over exaggerating...mom saw it too!

Anyway, spent some time out there this evening and he seemed better....but honestly, the sparkle he had in his eye has disappaited a bit....

i've read where QH especially, once they have been treated harshly, they learn to revert into a 'robotic' mindset. When I first brought him home, he was like that....I got him to come out of his shell and be a joyful horse. Based on his eyes and ears....he's reverted back to his robotic self.

I've seen a change already since I've been home, so he'll come around...it will just take time.

Hear from my horse friends who were riding out west. They are going to sell their Tucker...and.......it's a 16.5, which is the size, according to Tucker charts I should be riding in.....It is semi-quarter horse bars, which I think my circle Y is, and it seems to fit him well. Will need to look into that more. They said i could try it out. :lol: Cool!
 
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