The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[MistyMountain]

I'm right with you all on this one. I avoid our FB chicken swap/info page just like I avoid actual swaps. Chickens for rent, chickens with "a little head cold that antibiotics will clear right up." And yes, far too many of those came from a swap and then were tossed right in the coop with the rest of the flock. But… unless they ask… not my circus, not my monkeys. I almost fell over when one told me she took her chicken in for bumble foot surgery, twice… totaling upwards of 800 dollars. Yikes!

Funny you should mention that, 1muttsfan, as I experienced it first hand two summers ago in CO. The boys always rent ATV's and I go riding one day. I'll never haul my horse out there, so it's my chance to enjoy the mountains from horseback. Often… I want to buy the horse and take it home with me, even. This time was no exception. I did check the experienced tab, but I fit the definition with my little rodeo wannabe at home. The horse they chose for me was a lovely buckskin, short and stocky. He was wonderful. Another man in the group wasn't so lucky. I recall hearing them talk about riding and such, no doubt he checked the same experience level as me. His horse, though, didn't care. He tested him the entire trip. I almost offered to swap horses with him after helping him pull him around, but the man would not have been a good match physically for the horse I was on. I felt bad for him, really. Perhaps he did ride a lot. Perhaps it was the same deadbroke horse or trail horses every time. One great thing my instructor did for me was to have me ride different horses. Each had their own quirks and challenges, and it gave me a chance to tune into them and how to anticipate and correct before they could act on them.

 

[speckledhen]

I worked summers for years as a saddle guide at a riding stable. We had a form for people to fill out to help us determine their level of horse expertise. It is amazing how many people checked off the Experienced tab -

"You are an experienced rider?" "Yes"

"Do you have horses of your own?" "No"

"Have you had horseback riding lessons" "No"

"How many times have you ridden a horse? 100 times?" "No"

"50 times?" "No"

"10 times?" "Oh yeah, 10 times for sure"

Then we would bring the horse out and watch them attempt to mount, often from the wrong side while the horse just stood there with a "Not AGAIN" look on their face

I'm right with you all on this one. I avoid our FB chicken swap/info page just like I avoid actual swaps. Chickens for rent, chickens with "a little head cold that antibiotics will clear right up." And yes, far too many of those came from a swap and then were tossed right in the coop with the rest of the flock. But… unless they ask… not my circus, not my monkeys. I almost fell over when one told me she took her chicken in for bumble foot surgery, twice… totaling upwards of 800 dollars. Yikes!

Funny you should mention that, 1muttsfan, as I experienced it first hand two summers ago in CO. The boys always rent ATV's and I go riding one day. I'll never haul my horse out there, so it's my chance to enjoy the mountains from horseback. Often… I want to buy the horse and take it home with me, even. This time was no exception. I did check the experienced tab, but I fit the definition with my little rodeo wannabe at home. The horse they chose for me was a lovely buckskin, short and stocky. He was wonderful. Another man in the group wasn't so lucky. I recall hearing them talk about riding and such, no doubt he checked the same experience level as me. His horse, though, didn't care. He tested him the entire trip. I almost offered to swap horses with him after helping him pull him around, but the man would not have been a good match physically for the horse I was on. I felt bad for him, really. Perhaps he did ride a lot. Perhaps it was the same deadbroke horse or trail horses every time. One great thing my instructor did for me was to have me ride different horses. Each had their own quirks and challenges, and it gave me a chance to tune into them and how to anticipate and correct before they could act on them.

Some even recognized me from here, said they look for my posts, but obviously, the ones who are snarky thought they knew more. Someone said, well, this is FB, not a vet. Well, lady, DUH! But, they are still asking for a diagnosis from FBer's, eight? What did I say? What I always say. No one can be 100% sure but you must be a detective, not jump to the worst case without some evidence and worry some owner and that some people answer even if they don't know anything, just to be in the forefront of the thread. We all know this, or anyone who's been on a forum for any length of time does. Good grief. Anyway, they don't matter. They can scream BIRD FLU! or MAREKS! all they want, in spite of facts, and it won't make it so. If someone needs a real diagnosis, they can't get it online without a test or exam.

 

[1muttsfan]

Horses are amazing at checking people out - they have an ability to sense weakness or inexperience like no other animal I have been around. And are in addition often gracious enough to take care of the knuckleheads anyway.

 

[speckledhen]

Horses are amazing at checking people out - they have an ability to sense weakness or inexperience like no other animal I have been around. And are in addition often gracious enough to take care of the knuckleheads anyway.

And like dogs, they also sense the unsavory in people. Ladyhawk's Arabian mare actually spit in the hair of a loathesome neighbor she calls The Goblin Gnome once. It took all she had to keep from laughing and he walked away with a nasty gob in his hair. This was the same one who stole her Dark Brahma awhile back. Nasty creature, that creep. Good for Joleta Bey! Jo was quite intuitive. I'm sure she only did what LH wished she could have done herself.

 

[getaclue]

"You are an experienced rider?" "Yes"

"Do you have horses of your own?" "Not currently, but have owned several"

"Have you had horseback riding lessons" "Does doing tricks on horseback in a circus count, or riding Western?"

"How many times have you ridden a horse? 1,000 times?" "At least that many"

"50 times?" "Per week"

"10 times?" "About that much daily"

 

[speckledhen]

I noticed today when Athena was standing next to #3 on the roost that she is wider than he is. Reminded me of the original Rex and Ida. Ida was always larger than Rex, who was lanky and awkward, though his barring and tail were perfect. But, still, you can tell the disparity in size between the largest male and #3

 

[speckledhen]

O. M. GOSH! If this keeps up, I'm going to have to move to the country. (yes, I'm already there, but...). Last night, around 12:15 a.m., dogs started barking furiously across the road where we saw the fire a couple nights ago. By the way, we drove down the road and cannot see anywhere that burned so it was back off the road somewhere, I guess, maybe a burn pit that took off again unexpectedly and caught the woods on fire, not really sure. Anyway, dogs going crazy. Then, loud angry yelling. I say, "What the heck?" Tom comes into the bedroom since he was already up. I say, "Fight outside". He says, "well, Finn is inside." I say, "Human, not cat". So he goes out. A motorcycle is revving, men yelling profanities, something about "let me go!" "what the @#$ you gonna do??" and on and on, more engine revving. Eventually, the motorcycle drives off and it gets quiet again. Good grief, is this National Drama Week??

Then Finn gets DH up at 1:30 a.m., then 2:30 a.m. then sometime before dawn, I hear Finn out the window roaming the deck talking to himself, "raow, raow, raow, raow....". DH says, it does him no good to come to bed early.

 

[holm25]

Those BRs are looking great!

Hope all the drama gets figured out at the neighbors so u guys can actually sleep!

 

[speckledhen]

Those BRs are looking great!

Hope all the drama gets figured out at the neighbors so u guys can actually sleep!

Thanks, Isaiah, me, too! Stuff like that is rare around here (other than the Finn stuff). We hear the occasional gunshot in the middle of the night, but with all the chickens in this area and the predators, I know that's going to happen. It's raining today, maybe everything and everybody will cool off some.

 

[robhuncor]

That fight must have been scary! (When you're up there alone on a mountaintop)

I bet Finn was reacting to the full moon - my very laid back Ragdoll cat, Loki, has been a nut case these last few nights.