Horses!

[TJAnonymous]

@TJAnonymous Wow! Do you ever get the urge to outfit him in a western saddle and bridle?

Funny you should bring that up... DD was here yesterday for Father's Day and mentioned she is looking for a good Western saddle because she wants to do Western dressage with him.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Wish she wouldn’t sleep like this !

Well anyways, Wakie Wakie girl time to do chores!
View attachment 4149403

I had a mare who would lay down in the pasture like that for hours. I was constantly having to go check on her because I was convinced each time that she was dead...

She did pass away last year but not like that!

 

[ChickQueen77]

Wish she wouldn’t sleep like this !

Well anyways, Wakie Wakie girl time to do chores!
View attachment 4149403

my pony mare lays like that in the pasture all the time

 

[MROO]

Wish she wouldn’t sleep like this !

Well anyways, Wakie Wakie girl time to do chores!
View attachment 4149403

My Billy would sleep like this and wouldn't move until it he deemed it worth the effort. It often took a treat or hearing the water barrel being turned over (He LOVED playing with the hose) to actually get him upright again. He sure loved his naps!

 

[paintedChix]

Right? Check out how CHUNKY he is??? I swear he's 100% thoroughbred...but he sure doesn't look like it.
View attachment 4142433

He looks similar to Three Bars. A TB that was used to produce a whole line of AQHA working ranch horses!

Three Bars https://g.co/kgs/Fz3NFih

When I was a kid, there were many ranches in CO, WY & MT that used their "little ol' workin' hosses" for cattle sorting, a heavier sort for actually roping stock on the range (some prob had some amount of draft breeding - could take the weight of a wild 1200# + cow, steer or bulletin hitting the end of a rope) & a taller leggier sort who could long trot all day - "riding the fence" (checking fence lines).

Most cowboys would own or develop a favored mount that they could ride on to new jobs or country. Bigger ranches would provide each cowboy w/ a "string" of 4-6 horses - each often different so that they could do the different jobs.

There were also many a cowboy who would swap his western work saddle for a "postage stamp" one & his cowboy hat for a "skull cap". Then ride cross country on the TB or warmblood horses (both ranch bred draft crosses & imported). There were quite a few ranches that not only bred & handled cattle, but also bred 3-day Event horses.

Even well known ranches that bred specific "cowy" or "working horses" still had other horses for the work or the "cowboyin' remuda".

Also, there was a time when cowboys found they could train "runnin' hosses" & they swapped from ranch work to tracks. They trained TB, QH, Paints & Apps. They may have left their original trades, but their western attire stayed w/ them.

 

[paintedChix]

I had a mare who would lay down in the pasture like that for hours. I was constantly having to go check on her because I was convinced each time that she was dead...

She did pass away last year but not like that!

When we moved to a 9 acre property w/ ponies & a couple of horses, I fielded many visits from Animal Control in the first 6 months. Seemed I was leaving "dead horses" in the pasture that was bordered by 3 non-horse folk homes on one side.

It became a bit of a joke, until between our 5th & 9th year there, when we dealt w/ an injured & then several sick horses & ponies. One older Arab mare did pass naturally (Rhythem, the Arab who had been in a barn hit by lightning when a 3 yr old). In those instances, a vet &/or a guy w/ a back hoe arrived before Animal Control did.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hi

 

[Peaches Lee]

Funny you should bring that up... DD was here yesterday for Father's Day and mentioned she is looking for a good Western saddle because she wants to do Western dressage with him.

Oh, they'll be naturals, and what a picture of harmony I'm sure!

 

[paintedChix]

Thank you on the lightning. Honestly, thought we'd deal more w/ lightning in CO & MT, not in NC.

There are great horses in every breed. There are quiet ones who work w/ beginners & are "spouse" horses. Then there are the ones who consistently have "bad" or "dangerous" personalities & will pass them to their off spring.

As to breeding them on - i didn't ever want horses related to that particular horse. I do remember that not all of his offspring were like that.

There were working lines considered to be "tough" & notorious buckers, but I had lots of fun with the Hancock lines of ranch horses. A lot of trainers & riders did not. A few provided great rodeo bucking horses & were used heavily by rough stock contractors to produce relatively easy to handle horses on the ground that were awesome buckers in the arena.

I found this reel & comments QUITE INTERESTING after my previous write up...

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19XvLMqjTk/

ETA - Honestly, she looks nothing like the heavy, wide, great boned Hancock bred working ranch horses i remember. She doesn't even look like she'd last through a mountainous trail ride, let alone cattle work.

 

[Peaches Lee]

She does look very refined, perhaps she'd be better suited for the dressage ring! I also love her color; blue roans are just so pretty.