Horse Women Unite!!!

Thanks for all comments about Appys, while I love the coloring I agree, temperment should come first.  Also looking at Halflingers, supposed to be very good temperments.

Hi Girls,

Haven't been on this thread lately but thought I'd say hello and give you an update.  I FINALLY got out to that place I mentioned a while back called Great Strides that combines psychotherapy along with horses!  LOVED the place and the owner/counselor and horses (one had been trained by Monty Roberts) were wonderful.  The only down side is that even though it is considered therapy it's out of network for me so I'll have to see what my expenses would be.  I really want to do it!

On another note has anyone watched Lucky on HBO?  VERY traumatic ending to the first episode.  I have very mixed feelings about horse racing.  I've always thought those animals are SO beautiful, powerful and amazing, but it seems so cruel in many aspects.  And I know there is a dark side to racing too.   They even mentioned in the first show about a previous horse whom the owners took out a $30 milllion insurance policy on him, then "broke" his legs.  AWFUL!!!!   I grew up reading Man 'O War, then as an adult read the Man 'O War: A Legend Like Lightning and Seabiscuit books.  Amazing animals!

Take care all,

Sharon

OMG, just got back from seeing War Horse.  I must have sopped through my husband's whole handerchief(should have prepared w/tissue better).  I got the most votes for crying the most during the movie, even though I knew some of what was about to happen.  Such beautiful animals.  Just tore me up!  But a very incredible movie!

Sharon

I hope to start riding again next week. 

The smell of horses and hay and the sound of them munching in the stable in the evening when all is dark outside and quiet ought to be bottled and prescribed by oncologists. 

It's medicinal.

Didn't read all of the notes.  Just saw the topic on the list and put in a note.  I think I'm out too.  Thanks all the same, Good Ladies.  Enjoy your horses today.  They are therapeutic.

I don't know if you ladies have heard yet about the Australian thoroughbred sprinting mare, Black Caviar. She just won her 18th race from 18 lifetime starts a few minutes ago over 1400 metres (7/8 of a mile) in Melbourne. She will be trying to beat Zeynetta's record of 19 from 19.

pupfoster, I follow horse racing, both thoroughbred and standardbred. I marvel at the athleticism of the horses, the same as I do in regard to human athletes.



Your mention of psychotherapy with horses reminded me of a book I have called 'It's not about the Horse'. It's about a horseman named Wyatt Webb and his Equine Experience horse therapy ranch in Tucson. Have you heard of it?

Hi girls,

Racy, I haven't heard of that book, but I am always looking for a good read.  I'll check that out.  I went and saw Great Strides and really liked it.  I think I might wait for the spring thaw though to do some therapy there though.  Guess I'm too much of a wimp in the cold weather.  I give you ladies credit with your own horses braving the cold every day.  Although I suppose if I had enough property to have horses I'd be doing it too!   I'll Google your Black Caviar.  I don't know much about thoroughbred sprinting, just regular turf and dirt racing round here.  Sounds impressive though!

Good to see you all back!
Sharon

I meant "your" as in a general "your" Racy, but wouldn't that be awesome????? 

Hi horse people:

 I've always loved horses, never owned one - was a dream of mine - used to ride English, mostly flat, did some very small jumps.  I had a BMX last April, still having issues with pain on the cancer side.  I'd love to get back into riding, even maybe sometime owning a horse, but I've now terrified of getting hurt, especially on the side where they took the lymph nodes.  I've thought of trying Western and found a trainer who does natural horsemanship.   Any suggestions?  Oh, and I'm 59.   

I haven't been on BCO for awhile. Just got caught up with you ladies. I was hanging out with the herd and I swear that my Nellie girl knows the real me is back. (The last 3-4 years the Tamox really kind of messed with my head.) I have been riding MyKey some even tho the footing around here isn't great. But it is getting better and I am soooo looking forward to starting to condition for endurance & to ride Nellie again for the first time since her injury last June. That could be quite a ride. ;o)

I'm thinking I will be body clipping the wooly mammoths soon. Let the riding begin!

 Alexandria, I say, " if you want to do it, do it. There's no better time than the present." If you're located anywhere near the Black Hills you can come ride with me.

Has anyone seen the move BUCK?  (Buck Brannaman)  I've seen it twice now and it is awesome.  I audited one of his clinics in the spring before the movie came out.  So glad I did.  Four of my friends rode in it.  He's the next one down in the link--Tom Dorrance/Ray Hunt and it goes from there.

Hi everyone, sorry I was absent for so long!  I just got back from visiting my family in Florida; it was LONG overdue.  Really the only reason I had the time (ok, TOOK the time) is because of my horse's injury making me have to cancel our planned two week trip to Aiken for training and competing. 

It also caused me to move him to a different barn (not sure if I had mentioned that earlier) and in doing that, I learned about a house available for rent ON the farm.  I did some negotiations with the farm owner and we've worked out a deal for the rent and horse board, in exchange for doing some riding/schooling of one or two of the sale horses, and doing night checks, and some basic vet stuff.  I am SOOOO excited; it's a really nice farm and it's really close to town and the clinic where I work.   Not only that, it's going to save me a lot of money, because now I live in an old farmhouse and the cost of oil to heat it on top of the electric and propane is just killing me financially.  Big problem is that I'm mid-lease.  My current landlords did say they would release me from it at soon as it's rented out again.  But I'm afriad I'll end up paying two rents for a bit and I don't think I can swing that.  So I'm not sure exactly when I'm moving. Nothing is simple!

Em's fracture on the xray is hard to see.  It showed up better on the MRI, which I don't have a copy of.   He's currently wearing a glue-on shoe on that foot, and the fabric/acrylic are connected around the back of the shoe (doesn't go up over his heels) which prevents extra expansion; as well as a plate on the bottom of the shoe. 

For a week or two after his MRI and new shoes he was still taking lame steps at the walk.  I didn't take him out to graze more than twice a week.  I also had him on a calming supplement (from Platinum Performance) because he was moving to a new barn, and not used to being in al the time, and he's an obnoxious young warmblood...  He was doing quite well and I weaned him down off of it, and everything seemed great, and he's been totally sound at the walk and once when he jigged in the indoor. WELL.... yesterday his obnoxious self came out again.  While I was grazing him he decided he didn't want me hold him anymore, and he reared straight up (hi-ho Silver style) a few  times until I couldn't hold him anymore.  A 16.3 hand horse straight up on their hind legs is pretty tall, and waving his big feet around my head was unsettling!  So the bad news is that he RAN on the driveway but the good news is that he was sound while I saw him trot, and he was still sound at the walk at least after his antics.   I'm just about to go out there so I will be thrilled if he is not limping today! 

Sorry I rambled.  I need to catch up with everyone!

Good article on the effects of rollkur:

http://horsesforlife.com/*DrHamblinOxygenDeprivationandtheRidersRole

FWIW

Finally back from Dallas and trying to catch up!

Horsedoc - so get the "hi ho silver" stuff!  It is scary and like you said with a 16.3 hand horse - they get up really high in the air!  Luckily I haven't dealt with that behavior for the past 6 months but Jazzy is always good for it at least twice a year and never under saddle - only when I am walking her.

The new barn is great - Jazzy is so very happy.  I started working with a new trainer this past week.  I had Jazzy out of training for 2 months to decompress from the last trainer.  Now Jazzy is liking her job again and is so much more relaxed.  Although she still gives me crap with her spooking - oh and it is not because she is scared - it is her testing mom to see if mom will keep working her or get off of her and lunge her.  The good thing is now I am always sticking the bucks but then if Jazzy really wanted me off of her - she knows how far to push it.

So the horse side of my life is going great - I couldn't ask for more!