Regarding the Horses in our lives...

[perchie.girl]

Wow, look how thin they were,

-Kathy

Many were starved to death... Or eaten.... I suspect toward the end of the ware there wasnt much forage.... I also suspect that photo was chosen for its shock effect...

deb

 

[seminolewind]

Wow! That's a lot of horses to feed. Or not.

Deb, my Dressage experience is from the 90's. I just really dabble now. Life did get in the way for me too. I haven't gotten to piaffe or passage yet, although my mare did take 3 real piaffe steps that felt real floaty. But nothing since then. It must have just been a good day, LOL.

Right now I'm pondering whether she can do a diagonal walk. She does a regular 4 beat walk (and gaited) but at some point I thing she'll have to do piaffe 2 beat. But some of the videos I've seen with regular horses do not start with clean 2 beat walks. It's a lot of fun.

Katee is sure a big beautiful girl!

 

[perchie.girl]

Wow! That's a lot of horses to feed. Or not.

Deb, my Dressage experience is from the 90's. I just really dabble now. Life did get in the way for me too. I haven't gotten to piaffe or passage yet, although my mare did take 3 real piaffe steps that felt real floaty. But nothing since then. It must have just been a good day, LOL.

Right now I'm pondering whether she can do a diagonal walk. She does a regular 4 beat walk (and gaited) but at some point I thing she'll have to do piaffe 2 beat. But some of the videos I've seen with regular horses do not start with clean 2 beat walks. It's a lot of fun.

Kaytee is sure a big beautiful girl!

Yep I read more about the horses in that war and the British were in charge of them all. The rations were ten pounds of oats and ten pounds of hay per day.... so sad but thats all they could provide for them.

Thanks Katee is the one that gave me Passage.... two miles of it... when she found out she was on the trail...... alone..... When she found out that our companion rider had just turned around and gone home.... We were about two miles out. As usual for me I ride English and with a Hollow mouth Snaffle... She did a bit "EEEWWWwwww" Twirled her head around and tried to go back..

I kept it together (first time in the saddle in ten years). And kept her moving outbound till I chose the spot to turn a couple of turns till we were heading back.... oh my GAWD.... Ever been to the drag races and felt the power of those engines just pounding the air.... Try riding a Percheron who wants to go HOME.....

But she was a good girl and responded to half halts I knew better than try to stop her... But.... after about three Half halts her jig became passage... or at least what I thought Passage felt like....

After that I found out the snaffle was not a good choice for her ... Very low pallet. because even the slightest pressure made her open her mouth. I switched to mullenmouth Pelham... and mostly rode on the snaffle ring.... Oh what a happy camper she was... so was I because I knew I had emergency brakes after that...

I even drove in a Pelham... or when I could afford it a Liverpool with a Mullen mouth.... I even went to a curb strap instead of a chain. They do make em for English curb bridles.... But I had to make one of my own because They dont make them for a six inch bit....

deb

 

[Cearbhael]

For the past 10 years, my TWH has always walked in place if she wanted to go.  She would also do it if I asked.  So recently I started incorporating that into our ring work.  Then I did some reading and watched some videos on You Tube.  I was most impressed with Lisa Maxwell's 6 minute intro to Classical riding.  So me and Prisma are working on Piaffe now.  As per Baucher and Racinet, I'm also incorporating the flexions .  Classical riding is based on the horse always having his jaw relaxed which leads to a horse doing all work eventually on their "honor" .  Instead of me holding collection, they do it on their own.  Makes for a happy horse.  And it's pretty easy.

A year ago I started her on shoulder in, and now it's to the point that I can adjust her angle/bend so easily. 
So instead of gaiting round and round in the pen all the time, we now go out and play with simple exercises and have fun.

I bought a bay foal from a day old pic of her in her owners lap gazing into his eyes. It was the most telling photo! She was a daughter of that Double Blacklord Arabi daughter (named Rashada) when my mother watched the video of Jamahla all she could see was the mother! Yes, she bought her, so we ended up Mother and Daughter owning Mother and Daughter. Jamal's, in her yearling year started doing the piaff and the one where the horse goes straight up with all legs tucked close to the body then te hind legs kick out and come straight down. She also liked to rear up and try to stay balanced up and try to walk forward on her rear legs. I know Dressage is based on ancient battle exercises that taught a war horse to fight ground troops. Obviously they are based on instinctual equine fighting techniques. Jamahla was a natural and was very strong and collected. Her body was right too, short back, deep chest, well muscled in the shoulders and hindquarters. Nicely arched neck, she kept her chin tucked... When she trotted she seemed to float. Yes, she lives with a woman who uses her natural dressage ability. She also does Arab good will tours to educate people about the Arab horse and get people interested. She is beautiful, powerful, gentle as a kitten. The perfect Ambassader.

 

[seminolewind]

Deb. No thanks, I don't wish to be on a Percheron wanting to go home, LOL. I'll bet the feeling of that "passage" on a big horse was breathtaking.

I sold off my curb bits (western) and ended up with a Pelham because I wanted shorter shanks. I think it's the best of the best. I need no effort with it to ask the horse something. And if I need to lessen the effect, I put a snaffle rein on it as well and can use both separate or together.

Cearbhael, some horses just do the most beautiful movements at liberty!

 

[perchie.girl]

Deb. No thanks, I don't wish to be on a Percheron wanting to go home, LOL. I'll bet the feeling of that "passage" on a big horse was breathtaking.

I sold off my curb bits (western) and ended up with a Pelham because I wanted shorter shanks. I think it's the best of the best. I need no effort with it to ask the horse something. And if I need to lessen the effect, I put a snaffle rein on it as well and can use both separate or together.

Cearbhael, some horses just do the most beautiful movements at liberty!

i started out learning to ride western with a curb bit... Cavalry style.. Long story... but Posting trot and very little contact on the reins.
My mare almost killed me our first year together.... Till I learned to sit her leaps sideways.... Then I got sick and tired of not having good communication and that's when i took my first dressage lesson. I went to a Pelham with my girl and used the snaffle for lessons... I learned how to ride with double reins then.

But my original instructor (cavalry style) always stressed if you are having bit problems go to a milder bit... back then everyone thought a snaffle bit was the mildest.... and then in dressage larger diameter was the softest.... So i rode with a hllowmouth egg but with my Half arab Gelding. He had alot more get up and go than his momma... So Rather than put a different bit in his mouth I did an odd combination.... Snaffle bridle with a mechanical hackamore hung over the top... till he was about eight when we threw it all away and just went with the hackamore.

Then When I got Katee I had to read up on driving bits. I realized from my dressage trainers instruction (she taught me how to drive and how to train a horse to drive) I realized I could drive in any bit that works... Some of the draft horse people thought I was nutzo. in a kind way byt the way... But the driving bits that were offered were NOT to my liking.

Liverpool your choice of mouth pieces Liverpools are interesting because they virtually can be put on the bridle any way... The mouth piece below is smooth on the other side.... so you have a choice. I bought a Mullen mouth so definitely have to make sure its put on the correct way.


Military


buttefly



Buxton...


While they were pretty and did the job... My goodness I had a horse with a butter mouth.

I finally found a Mullen mouth Liverpool in six inch. Katee has a small head and mouth for a draft.

Some of those bits come in sizes up to seven inches... But the liverpool could be found in a six. and I happened to find one of all place at Marys Tack room here in Del Mar....

I have it on her fancy schmancy harness bridle. I use the Pelham on her Bio-thane harness ...

One of the things I like about the Liverpools is the rein slots on it cant get caught on stuff.

If you drive a team its important to not get them caught up in each others equipment... You can even buy additional strap to fasten to the throat latch to connect it to the nose-band so they cant easily pull their bridles off. Disastrous in harness... I also opted for a regular cavesson rather than a 'nose-band" they fit better and have adjustment. but a neater presentation.

deb

 

[seminolewind]

I like those Butterflies.

My riding buddy gf keeps telling me that Pelhams are far more painful than snaffles. I'm tired of trying to get her to think about it being the person using it. She uses alot of pull to stop her horse. I don't ride like that. I had a Myler curb . I love the mouthpiece, but the bits are too expensive . I sold it because I didn't need the 7 inch shanks. I have a 5 inch shank Pelham. I'd like to find a shorter one. If they come shorter.

 

[Cearbhael]

I was browsing Dreamhorse the other day and seen a beautiful black Rabicano Arabian stallion.  So pretty and rare!

I have been meaning to respond to this just "Life" got in the way! Found out 2 days ago that I am Diabetic and trying to get used to the new medication and blood metering schedules...
Anyway, about that Rabicano Arab. If it was spotted it has the Sabino gene as well. Rabicano can cause roaming, skunk tail (the top of the tail is white and can have white streaks.) It also supposedly can cause white spots, but usually they are a couple of belly spots or something like that. All the actual overall spotted Arabs (talking registered) have been expressing Sabino genetics. There is lots of controversy in the Arab world right now over whether or not Rabicano is separate from Sabino, though the skunk tail is one thing that says they are NOT the same. Sabino doesn't cause skunk tail and it is the one defining sign that the Rabicano gene is present. Sabino is definitely the gene that can cause extreme body white in an Arab. Usually the strongest expression of Sabino in an Arab will be an all white foal with dark ears, dark mane around the top of the head, sometimes streaks of dark through the mane, a dark dorsal stripe and possibly a little dark at the top of the tail. Another words, a very stunning Medicine Hat. The other more "pinto" look, the horse is very spotted but more white from the belly down. It almost always gives the indication that the horse ran, waded or swam through white paint. It splashes up, with much more dark on the upper body. I have to post pics when I get my wifi back in my house. I have pics of all my favorite Sabino Arabs (and a couple that are Rabicano)

 

[Cearbhael]

Wanted to add we have an Arab breeder only 45 miles north of me that produces extreme Sabino Arabs. Their stallion is a Bay Medicine Hat named Casper. He is famous enough that if you Google "Arab stallion named Casper" you may find him and their ranch.

 

[Cearbhael]

Never mind!! I just tried it and came up with a 99% Arab Cremello. There are some beautiful 99% Arab Tobianos (that is what my 15/16 Arab pinto was) as well.