To the horse people out there....

[secuono]

Most 'pet' forums kinda freak out if you do not follow their views. I don't bother asking anymore...evil people..

 

[Iheartchicks<3:)]

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[E.M. Silkies]

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I really like the objective events... The ones where you and hit horse are performing together, not necessarily competing against other people.
I haven't been on any horse threads on here... Any worth looking into?

 

[welsummerchicks]

Anyone who would be nasty because your horse is a mustang isn't worth listening to.

Mustangs have already proven to be very useful horses. Many people like them.

But on the other hand, if someone doesn't agree with your opinion, that isn't such a bad thing. That can actually be pretty cool, you can find out how other people think and why. For example I've found that while a method might not work out too well in dressage, it might work out really well in Western riding.

On a lot of 'subject bulletin boards', not just horses, there are people with really strong opinions and they can be abrasive. Sometimes they have really good information, and even if you don't like hearing it, it might be worth listening to. Other times what they are telling you isn't good information - it's really hard to tell. OFten those boards are just like cliques of seventh grade girls who have elected a 'leader' over the years.

I heard a really funny story from a lady who had gone on a 'kitten' bulletin board - she asked how to care for an orphaned kitten she had found and her description of the responses was hysterical, everything from berating her for being an irresponsible owner and not getting her female cat spayed (it was really clear that the mom cat was not hers).

It's important to realize that things on ANY subject bulletin board can get pretty passionate. Horse people tend in general to be stubborn and very opinionated (with exceptions of course, but in general). A lot of the stuff on horse bb's is just how they talk, and it really isn't personal. Especially younger folks I've noticed a lot of joking and usual responses don't come across well on bb's - there's that too.

But if you're having trouble on every horsey bulletin board you try, there could be a reason. What you're asking may be a 'hot button' that gets a lot of people worked up.

For example, if you were to insist your Mustang (and all Mustangs) could win the Olympics in Show Jumping or Dressage, that might bring up some responses that don't agree with you.

Saddles are a really strange, strange subject among horse people, especially on the internet. A good many people have really odd prejudices and very strong opinions about saddles.

For me, I think there are only really 3 important things.

1. Does it fit the horse - that's #1 - it has to fit the horse, before anything else
2. Does it fit the rider
3. Is it the right type of saddle for what you're doing

Oh and 4! Can you afford it.

Sadly I learned a long time ago that just because a saddle is expensive, doesn't mean it's really well made. Shocking but true - some of the most popular, high priced saddles just aren't that well made.

However, I have somehow avoided all these years, turning into one of those 'saddle Nazis' that insists every single horse needs an expensive custom made saddle. It is possible to find a nice used saddles that fit one's horse, if you look around. Each different type of riding saddle is fitted a little differently, but usually if someone shows you how it's done you can go on and select a good fitted saddle on your own.

 

[E.M. Silkies]

I love everything posted above!

About the mustang...I'm borderline jealous! Ok, you got me, I am jealous! I really would love to adopt one(and have looked into it previously) from the midwest. I just want to make sure I get one with some height. I love to train, and the idea of working with a mustang makes me giddy! They are hardy, durable, have tough feet and a LOT of stamina and excellent brains! Go you! Be mustang proud!

 

[michickenwrangler]

E.M. Silkies :

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I really like the objective events... The ones where you and hit horse are performing together, not necessarily competing against other people.
I haven't been on any horse threads on here... Any worth looking into?

Offhand I can't think of any.

But the "objective" sports are growing in popularity against the traditional "arena" classes. The largest class at Arabian US Nationals was Training Level Dressage ATR.

Part of it is people get tired of the politics and subjectivity of the show ring and want to do something measurable: a timed a event like barrel racing or endurance, or something objectively scored--on paper--like hunter over fences, dressage or reining.

ANother is that people want a challenge when they ride beyond "let's trot/jog around the arena and hope the judge notices us and thinks we look pretty." Most of the objective events have a way to "move up" and are good for goal-setting Type A personalities like me

Endurance: Starting at 25 mile Limited Distance Rides and moving up to 50 and maybe even 100 miles
Competitive Trail: Beginning at a 15 mile novice and moving up to 25 miles or a 2 day 70
Reining: Beginning in Jr. or Amateur and moving up to Non-Pro and perfecting patterns
Dressage: Starting at Intro or Training Level and moving up the numerous levels
Western Timed Events: Beating your times
Hunter/Jumper: Starting in Green/Novice events and moving up to divisions with higher fences
Eventing: Again, a Novice level and then moving up the ranks


Now I do tend to compete against others, but in Michigan in my weight division for UMECRA competitive trail, the competition is pretty fierce but I do know that when I don't win, the other person beat me fair and square (her horse had a better trot out, lower pulse etc...)​

 

[Tracydr]

E.M. Silkies :

Does anyone here get on any horse forums? I have found some that I like and some that I don't. I have an issue with the attitudes that some people get over stupid issues.

Let me back up...

I ride, have always ridden, and will always ride no matter what negative things are said. I grew up riding western and I love it! Always will. But I also enjoy riding english. I love to jump and that obviously requires an english saddle(or bareback!). I have taken a few formal english lessons in the past and thought I might try to find an english instructor to help me with jumping. I have a young warmblood that I thought it would be fun to compete on. However, I have found forums where I thought I could ask questions and get introduced to some different english disciplines, but a lot of the people are plain nasty, and quite frankly, I'm scared to ask too many questions for fear of the responses. There's going to be issues in any type of competitive event--I realize that. But a lot of the english people I've encountered seem to be unfriendly. They don't seem to take too kindly to newcomers. I just want to ride my horse and compete in some open shows for the fun of it. Has anyone else experienced this with trying to break into a new discipline?

I ride English and western, although in the last decade, mostly English. I find The Chronicle of the Horse forums pretty helpful, although the Hunter/Jumper and Dressage sections can be a little more cliquish than the rest of the forums. Try the eventing forum on there. And, the fox hunting forum.
I fox hunt and if you ever want to meet a friendly and welcoming group, try your local hunt. Where are you located? Unless you have a notoriously snooty hunt, which are rare, most hunts are open, welcoming and can assign you a mentor to teach you the ropes.
There is also a new adult pony club program, if you're lucky enough to be near one.
Also, although it's expensive, I do find eventers to be a friendly group and what a fun sport!​

 

[E.M. Silkies]

That's awesome that you do competitive trail!

I'll be honest, I've done arena classes and I don't have a clue what their looking for. I mean how do you appeal to the judges when every horse in that class is doing the same thing at the same time?! I like the competitions where my horse and I are competing against ourselves and our previous scores. We improve together and as a reward, get to move up through the levels.

 

[E.M. Silkies]

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I ride English and western, although in the last decade, mostly English. I find The Chronicle of the Horse forums pretty helpful, although the Hunter/Jumper and Dressage sections can be a little more cliquish than the rest of the forums. Try the eventing forum on there. And, the fox hunting forum.
I fox hunt and if you ever want to meet a friendly and welcoming group, try your local hunt. Where are you located? Unless you have a notoriously snooty hunt, which are rare, most hunts are open, welcoming and can assign you a mentor to teach you the ropes.
There is also a new adult pony club program, if you're lucky enough to be near one.
Also, although it's expensive, I do find eventers to be a friendly group and what a fun sport!

I'm in Hogansville, Ga. It's a little less than an hour south of Atlanta. Do you know of any groups?! I've always thought that fox hunting would be a blast but I don't know anyone in the sport. We have several barns near home that do 3-phase schooling shows that I want to go to and also one that does horse trials--not that I'm anywhere near that point. Ooh, an adult pony club?! That would be awesome! I feel like a lot of the successful ones now were pony clubbers as children. I just wasn't raised in that. We rode western and mostly trail rode. I'd like to try my hand at as much as possible though while I've got a horse that can do it all!

 

[babyblue2]

Welsummer your post made me snort a little. My english saddle is a 14yo lancer. Not exactly top quality lol. But it fits the old horse perfectly and does its job. My western is a circle y, used. However its still nice enough to show in and work well. That one was not even 500 at auction.