Horse Talk

[ShrekDawg]

The horses split the herd on their own, one would go to the lower end and the other would stay closer to the barn, sometimes the herds would be about 10 feet apart, but if there were any issues, the herd leader of that particular horse or herd would handle it.


We had one like that, but both of my dominants were smallish old guys and this new one was a big dumb warmblood so he technically had the upper hand, funniest thing was one day Doodle (mine) got in a fight with Windy (boarder) and was holding his own but not winning, then Thunder (my other one) comes trotting around the corner and they both layed into him together, once Windy threw in the towel then Thunder went back to his herd...

That makes sense and is really cool. I guess I wasn't wording it the best though, I was wondering if they had like a big pasture with tons of room to split up or more like a corral/dry lot like some people use. I guess they could split up even in a small area if they wanted to though

And LOL that's hilarious! Were those the two that split up?

 

[Kusanar]

That makes sense and is really cool. I guess I wasn't wording it the best though, I was wondering if they had like a big pasture with tons of room to split up or more like a corral/dry lot like some people use. I guess they could split up even in a small area if they wanted to though

And LOL that's hilarious! Were those the two that split up?

I keep mine with lots of room, I don't exercise them often, so I want them to have room to move on their own, nothing worse than a stalled horse that is never worked, they explode eventually and start climbing walls, chewing on fences, even sometimes self harming (I've seen horses that would rip the skin off of their own chests if given half a chance). I don't have a TON of room, but they are in about 5 acres so plenty of room to mill around and group up however they want.

Yes, Thunder and Doodle were the ones I had that fought so bad when introduced, but they ended up being friends in the end once they realized that they didn't have to be #1 and #2, they could both be equal over different herds. I have had to put both of them down now, but, Doodle died first and when the herd went outside (all horses) and Doodle didn't go with them (he went down in a stall and couldn't/wouldn't get up even with help) Thunder was looking around for him because half the horses didn't have a leader, I grabbed Thunder and took him in to see Doodle's body, he looked at him, instantly relaxed from the worried and tense look he had had while looking for him, turned around, went outside and gathered up all of the horses that belonged to Doodle and took them with him.

When Thunder knew he didn't have much time left, he gave the leadership to Lolli, there was no fighting, he just slowly stepped down and Lolli stepped up. Thunder still had control of the herd until he died if he wanted it, Lolli didn't fight him about anything, but Thunder just stopped leading and controlling and let Lolli have it. Wings and Thunder were the first horses out there, so Wings has a weird dynamic with the herd because he's not a leader, but he was under Thunder's personal protection for so long, Wings can boss Lolli or any of the others around but he is in no way the herd leader, it's just that no one messes with him and they pretty much just shrug and move when he gets grumpy at them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I keep mine with lots of room, I don't exercise them often, so I want them to have room to move on their own, nothing worse than a stalled horse that is never worked, they explode eventually and start climbing walls, chewing on fences, even sometimes self harming (I've seen horses that would rip the skin off of their own chests if given half a chance). I don't have a TON of room, but they are in about 5 acres so plenty of room to mill around and group up however they want.

Yes, Thunder and Doodle were the ones I had that fought so bad when introduced, but they ended up being friends in the end once they realized that they didn't have to be #1 and #2, they could both be equal over different herds. I have had to put both of them down now, but, Doodle died first and when the herd went outside (all horses) and Doodle didn't go with them (he went down in a stall and couldn't/wouldn't get up even with help) Thunder was looking around for him because half the horses didn't have a leader, I grabbed Thunder and took him in to see Doodle's body, he looked at him, instantly relaxed from the worried and tense look he had had while looking for him, turned around, went outside and gathered up all of the horses that belonged to Doodle and took them with him.

When Thunder knew he didn't have much time left, he gave the leadership to Lolli, there was no fighting, he just slowly stepped down and Lolli stepped up. Thunder still had control of the herd until he died if he wanted it, Lolli didn't fight him about anything, but Thunder just stopped leading and controlling and let Lolli have it. Wings and Thunder were the first horses out there, so Wings has a weird dynamic with the herd because he's not a leader, but he was under Thunder's personal protection for so long, Wings can boss Lolli or any of the others around but he is in no way the herd leader, it's just that no one messes with him and they pretty much just shrug and move when he gets grumpy at them.

That's a lot more room than most horses get! It's so sad seeing so many just kept in stalls or a small area and never worked.

And wow that is amazing and those are great stories. Thunder seems like he was a very intelligent, very special horse.

 

[Kusanar]

That's a lot more room than most horses get! It's so sad seeing so many just kept in stalls or a small area and never worked.

And wow that is amazing and those are great stories. Thunder seems like he was a very intelligent, very special horse.

He was, he was in his early 30's when he got cancer in his jaw and it was uncomfortable for him to eat, so I let him go. I still miss him though, he wasn't my first horse and wasn't my special one, but he was the one that I could hop on in any weather and go for a ride, he wasn't perfect, he reared and bucked, but he was solid and predictable and would generally tell you before he pitched a fit. I don't have anything I can put a beginner on anymore since he died and honestly, it's been so long since I have ridden, I'm shaky and insecure and really miss having him around. My next best for ME to ride is Lolli, and he's a little spitfire of a large pony that no one but me can really ride...

 

[ShrekDawg]

He was, he was in his early 30's when he got cancer in his jaw and it was uncomfortable for him to eat, so I let him go. I still miss him though, he wasn't my first horse and wasn't my special one, but he was the one that I could hop on in any weather and go for a ride, he wasn't perfect, he reared and bucked, but he was solid and predictable and would generally tell you before he pitched a fit. I don't have anything I can put a beginner on anymore since he died and honestly, it's been so long since I have ridden, I'm shaky and insecure and really miss having him around. My next best for ME to ride is Lolli, and he's a little spitfire of a large pony that no one but me can really ride...

Awww that's really sad! Was probably the best decision though but still. And aw that's good he was at least predictable and not dangerous. Cause I imagine some horses have no warning

And what about Stud? I thought he was pretty gentle?

 

[Kusanar]

Awww that's really sad! Was probably the best decision though but still. And aw that's good he was at least predictable and not dangerous. Cause I imagine some horses have no warning

And what about Stud? I thought he was pretty gentle?

Stud is gentle but he is GREEN, he's not BAD because he doesn't really know any better, but he has some little quirks that make my heart speed up and that's not good when riding a greed horse. He drifts out at one end of the ring and will keep going in that direction even if I pull his nose to my boot, wouldnt' be a problem if there was a fence there, but I can't let him drift all the way to the fence. I CAN stop him, but I don't want him to get into the habit of stopping every time he gets to that end of the ring. At a walk he's a gem, but at a trot is when he starts drifting. We haven't worked on the canter much because I don't have control of the trot yet. Plus, with me being shaky and insecure from not riding in years, Stud is BIG, he's a good 4 inches taller than any of my other horses and he's FAST, he uses his entire body when he moves rather than just his legs, makes him a beautiful mover, but it just feels so big and powerful that it feels out of control. I know it's not completely out of control and he has great breaks, but, it's still like driving on ice, you're pretty sure you'll be ok but you aren't comfortable either.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Stud is gentle but he is GREEN, he's not BAD because he doesn't really know any better, but he has some little quirks that make my heart speed up and that's not good when riding a greed horse. He drifts out at one end of the ring and will keep going in that direction even if I pull his nose to my boot, wouldnt' be a problem if there was a fence there, but I can't let him drift all the way to the fence. I CAN stop him, but I don't want him to get into the habit of stopping every time he gets to that end of the ring. At a walk he's a gem, but at a trot is when he starts drifting. We haven't worked on the canter much because I don't have control of the trot yet. Plus, with me being shaky and insecure from not riding in years, Stud is BIG, he's a good 4 inches taller than any of my other horses and he's FAST, he uses his entire body when he moves rather than just his legs, makes him a beautiful mover, but it just feels so big and powerful that it feels out of control. I know it's not completely out of control and he has great breaks, but, it's still like driving on ice, you're pretty sure you'll be ok but you aren't comfortable either.

Ohhh that makes sense. Maybe there's a trainer or at least someone who would be willing to help you put some more rides on him? Or maybe you could put him on a lunge line or something so he can't drift away? I remember when I first cantered, I was kind of nervous so my riding instructor put him on a lunge line and stood in the middle holding it while I just cantered circles around her. Eventually I took it off and rode the whole ring but it was helpful doing that at first until I learned. Maybe someone could do that with Stud?

 

[Kusanar]

Ohhh that makes sense. Maybe there's a trainer or at least someone who would be willing to help you put some more rides on him? Or maybe you could put him on a lunge line or something so he can't drift away? I remember when I first cantered, I was kind of nervous so my riding instructor put him on a lunge line and stood in the middle holding it while I just cantered circles around her. Eventually I took it off and rode the whole ring but it was helpful doing that at first until I learned. Maybe someone could do that with Stud?

I probably just need to take some lessons on a steady horse just so I can get some time in the saddle, or get Lolli out and ride him, he's not steady, but I know his tricks and he doesn't scare me. The main problem is that I haven't ridden in so long that my muscles aren't where they need to be and I know I can't react quickly if he does something dumb.

He really is good other than the drifting thing, I mean, I was riding with someone and something in the woods beside the rind spooked the horses, I got Stud stopped well before she got hers stopped and the way he took off, I'm pretty sure he was preparing to buck, but I got him stopped and standing still before he could take 2 strides.

Your idea of someone longing me on him is a good one, but I don't really have anyone I trust to hold the rope sad as that sounds... I might be able to get my husband to help, but he's not a horse person.

I'm hoping when I get the horses moved that I can work with him some more, there are a lot of gravel roads out there that I can get to easily and the people are used to having horses in the road due to a few guys with draft hitches that go riding around in their wagons pretty frequently. The issue with my ring is that it isn't safe to get near any of the fences due to the ground near them, but with a gravel road I could make the rule that as long as he doesn't drift off the road I'll leave him alone and we can get some miles in at a steady trot without my having to mess with him much.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I probably just need to take some lessons on a steady horse just so I can get some time in the saddle, or get Lolli out and ride him, he's not steady, but I know his tricks and he doesn't scare me. The main problem is that I haven't ridden in so long that my muscles aren't where they need to be and I know I can't react quickly if he does something dumb.

He really is good other than the drifting thing, I mean, I was riding with someone and something in the woods beside the rind spooked the horses, I got Stud stopped well before she got hers stopped and the way he took off, I'm pretty sure he was preparing to buck, but I got him stopped and standing still before he could take 2 strides.

Your idea of someone longing me on him is a good one, but I don't really have anyone I trust to hold the rope sad as that sounds... I might be able to get my husband to help, but he's not a horse person.

I'm hoping when I get the horses moved that I can work with him some more, there are a lot of gravel roads out there that I can get to easily and the people are used to having horses in the road due to a few guys with draft hitches that go riding around in their wagons pretty frequently. The issue with my ring is that it isn't safe to get near any of the fences due to the ground near them, but with a gravel road I could make the rule that as long as he doesn't drift off the road I'll leave him alone and we can get some miles in at a steady trot without my having to mess with him much.

That makes sense. I think I'm going to start taking lessons again too but first I want to start walking and stuff just because I'm sooo out of shape. I need to get my lungs/cardio improved, I get winded really easily, but also just leg muscles too like you said. I think I might start back western at first so I don't have to post right away and can just get used to riding again. But yeah, lessons can definitely be good. Even if you're already experienced, I think they can still help cause you can always get better

Wow that's awesome! Seems like he maybe just needs more experience? It's interesting though that he stops then but doesn't with the drifting

Aw that stinks! But yeah, maybe your husband could help. I mean, all he'd have to do would be hold the rope. Not like hebhas to get hands on and groom or bathe them or anything. Might be worth trying

You're moving? That sounds like an amazing idea! But then of course sometimes they get really good on trails but then need ring work still. But maybe he just needs more experience and to get out of that bad habit and once he does, maybe he will be easy in the ring

 

[ShrekDawg]

How much room do you think two minis would need? Room in the shelter and the pen and of course the pasture