Any MNers with horses out there?

[Longlegs1972]

and how do you cope?

I'm getting really down cos I never get the time to spend with mine....

Try a champion one with lots of vents. I have one and it's one of my top horsey buys ever! My hair would be ringing after one of our endurance training rides. I still get some sweatiness (yuk) but it's no where near as bad.

I can see the attraction of the vented ones in the summer but what about the winter? It's just that I find cycling on The Downs in the winter can be really uncomfortable with a cold wind blowing through the cycle helmet. It gives me a headache sometimes!

Well, I bought mine last September and ride every day, miles at weekends, and have never had trouble with cold, possibly because of the angle of the vents. It doesn't actually allow water in. But I find I do get a sweaty head in winter cause I have so much thick hair. They aren't really tight fitting and I can fit a hat under mine if need's be, but I haven't really exercised that ability yet.

For anyone looking to buy/loan there are these websites which i am addcted to looking at lol.

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Have fun, i love looking, especially on the ones with piccies on.

[http://www.championriding-hats.co.uk/index.html]

That's the one I have, and there is also a similar one by another company, available in purple.

www.championriding-hats.co.uk/index.html

Oh I see what you mean. That's different to the one I was thinking of which looks more like a cycle helmet with much wider vents each side. Someone at our yard bought one at Hickstead today and I've seen them in Tesco too.Yours looks much better. I'll have a look round the stalls tomorrow and see if I can find any special offers!

Hello! Big thread bump!
I expect everyone is making the most of the weather and getting some good rides in! Is it just me or are you completely weather obsessed too? This wet then hot weather is playing havoc with the horses feet too, crumbling hooves and loosing shoes, they're seeing the farrier again this afternoon!
In between shoes coming off I'm getting some good long canters round the cornfields which have been harvested, which is good as the mare will be teamchasing at the end of Sept.
How's the last couple of weeks been with youy new pony Pixel?

Hi, tiredfedupnanny, I got my hat. It's a vented one similar to your link but Harry Hall. As soon as I tried it on it was a perfect fit so that was that!

Rodeo, We haven't done much with the boy. We've just been letting him settle in and make friends with his new field-mate. Our 'landlord' has been doing fencing and has been driving around the fields with a huge tractor and trailer and he says that Woody hasn't turned a hair. I've been away camping this week (just got back today) but my mum texted to say that she took him for a walk around the roads and he went past skips and roadworks with no problems at all. He certainly seems to be a laid-back 3yo! Now that I'm back I'm going to ask the lady who's been training him so far to come over and show me what she's been doing with him and also give a second opinion on my saddle. I'm pretty sure it is a good fit but I'd like to make sure. Then I suppose I'll have run out of excuses and will have to be brave and get on him . It is quite difficult at the moment though being the school holidays as I have to take ds with me and I can't do much with him around as it isn't safe. Even poo-picking has to be done at high speed! Last week I just popped in the feed-shed for a moment and came out to find that one of the other owners had opened the gate and ds had run across the road on a blind corner. Talk about give me a heart attack! I think I would rather wait than try to do much with the pony under those conditions as it's not fair on him. Roll on September .

Hi! everyone, sorry it has been so long since my last posting.

Well I have some very, very exciting news. I have purchased a horse 14.3hh cob gelding, he is ardennes x highland, strawberry roan, and like Pixel i have gone for a youngster, not quite as young he is 5. He is arriving tomorrow at lunchtime, i cannot wait. Won't get much sleep tonight.

Also like you Pixel, I cannot wait for September, I have a DD & a DS. Although my horse seems very good around the children, i would like him to have some time to settle down before my children go barging in.

However, I have a few weeks holiday from work, as does DH, so hopefully he can watch the children whilst i get on with creating a daily routine for horse and me.

I will be back to let you know how everything goes. Mummy Williams x.

Mummywilliams, congratulations! he sounds lovely. It's exciting isn't it? Do you know how to put pics on? I haven't got a clue I'm afraid .

Great news MummyW! What's his name?! How's he settling in? Has he come far? Just asking because my friend bought her new horse about 3 months ago and it took him a while to settle. 6 weeks in she wanted to send him back Was a completely different horse. But he's now starting to come round and she's starting to see the horse she fell in love with
Pixel - how about you and yours?
Well I've been busy getting dmare fit for her upcoming teamchasing starting September, involving lots of cantering round newly harvested cornfields, she's being pretty good, apart from trying to ditch me in the field corners Getting difficult to canter her in the same spot more than twice because she just anticipates it and starts to get a bit strong and lairy! I'll be doing lots of walking during the Autumn that's for sure (if I value my life at all!)
DGelding is still a big baby, think he might be going in the Horse & Hound soon He's just not brave enough for his owner - she thinks he could do with a big man taking him for a season's hunting.
I've also been taking the children to ride a pair of little po's, Ginger & Tom (G&T for short!) They're lovely, ds age 5 has been trotting bareback round the field today not bad for saying Ginger is shaped like a large barrel! Oh and dd had her first fall the other day as Tom put in a bit of a leap over a trotting pole! Oops!

Hi Rodeo. Teamchasing seems rather thrilling but I'll never be brave enough for that as long as I live! Mum and I have talked about maybe getting someone to compete our new baby if he shows an aptitude for jumping later on. He's got a rather well-known grandsire so there's every chance and we wouldn't want to hold him back with our patheticness (probably not a word but describes us!).
He's been an angel so far. We haven't done much in the way of 'training', just been getting to know him, seeing what he likes/dislikes etc (likes being hosed down, hates having sun-cream on his nose!).
It's interesting what you said about your friend's horse. My sister's friend has just got her first horse and he was great for a few weeks but now he has started rearing and she's talking about selling him if he carries on (obviously she's going to get his teeth etc checked) but by all accounts it's completely out of character for him. A new lady who arrived at our yard a couple of weeks ago recognised him straight away (he's quite a striking skewbald) and without knowing that friend has had problems started saying how he was worth his weight in gold and they used to put disabled riders and beginners on him. Now you've got me wondering if this is him pushing his luck now he's settled in a bit and maybe a normal 'phase' in a new home. How did your friend handle it? Did she find she had to be firmer with him or quieter?
Ds has been riding the gorgeous shetland but is starting to look a bit long on her. Mind you, I've been making him ride bareback so that he learns to hold on as he is over-confident and mucks about all the time if he has a saddle. He even held the reins for a while the other day!

Hi Pixel!
Was worried this thread had died a death
My friend just persevered. It also happened to another lady who bought a (very well behaved) horse from our yard last year, he got so bad he knocked his stable wall down, started rearing in hand and just getting really hard for her to handle. She says the hardest thing was how different she had imagined things to what the reality was - spending thousands on something you really really want only for it to act like the spawn of the devil. Took him a good few months to settle back down.
Glad you're getting on so well anyway! LOL at your ds messing around, bet your pony doesn't bat an eyelid
Oh and BTW it's not me who teamchases! God no My nerves can only just hold to take her round the cornfields! I will go and watch though and be groom for the day! If there's any photo's I'll put a link up, think the first one is the 16th Sept. Taking her out tomorrow morning for more fitness work, wish me luck

Hi, yes that's what's upsetting the friend. she's waited her whole life to get a horse and the reality isn't how she imagined. We've told her she can't give up so soon but if she does sell him I don't think she'll get another one which will be a shame after all the planning and excitement, especially as I'm sure he is a nice horse.
I certainly do wish you luck with the team-chasing and training. I don't know much about it I'm afraid, only what I see in Horse and Hound but it looks like great fun for the non-terrified!

Hi! Pixel & Rodeo

I must admit my horse had the perfect personality, very quiet, docile & placid and a little bit mischievious. However, he has not been himself since he arrived 10 days ago, and so far he has reared up at me whilst poo picking in his field. Shown his backside to me in a way that I thought he was going to kick me, he was nipping at my hands and clothes (but I seem to have cured this by at least three quarters - instead of giving carrots by hand, I hold a bucket for him to eat them from). The other really bad thing he did (which I will say was a complete accident) was he got his hoof stuck in the farm gate, in his panic he lifted the gate off its hinges, DP and me tried to free him, but his hoof was far too big to get back through, so we ended up calling out the fire brigade to cut him free. He was very calm, much calmer than me and DP, and thankfully he wasn't hurt. Because of his change in nature (which I did expect but not as bad as it is) I have grown very nervous around him, to the point of shaking. I haven't dared ride him, although I have a professional coming this Wednesday to ride him to see how he is. I think his behaviour has been made worse by the fact that he is on his own - no company at all apart from some cows in the next field. He can obviously sense that there are other horses about, but he can't see them, and the lady we have livery with, has asked me to keep him there for the moment. This has become a nightmare, I cannot poo pick with him in the field because I am worried about him rearing up at me, I cannot tie him up, because I worry about him getting his feet caught up again (he does hoof the ground alot at the moment - which I do tell him off about but if I am poo picking I am not with him). So I have had to result in my DP walking him around part of a field that the livery lady has asked me not to use, just so that I can change his water and clear up poo. Anyway, I don't think livery lady will be reading this, so I shall just say it - she is a nightmare, she is not helping with my situation, therefore I am going to look at another place tomorrow morning with a view to moving my horse next week. This place is more expensive, but they have experience in producing youngsters and they are willing to help/train my horse. I feel this new place will be much more beneficial to horse & me. I now it is going to mean another move for horse and he will probably feel like he doesn't know whether he is coming or going, but I don't think we will ever be able to progress with current livery.

Any advice is always welcome. Take care and talk soon.

Mummywilliams, what a shame you aren't enjoying your horse. I would definitely move if you aren't happy with the livery owner as she will be making you tense (eg knowing you are going against her instructions using field) which won't help the situation. The only thing is, you say she has asked you to keep him on his own 'for the time being'. Is this because he is new? We have a similar rule at our yard where new horses are kept in isolation for the first couple of weeks in case of infection. None of them like it but it is in everyone's best interests. Last year a big yard near us had strangles and it was a nightmare for everyone, they didn't get the all-clear for months. If this is the case it might be worth you biding your time for a bit to see what your horse is like when he gets some company. I think the fact that he stayed calm while the fire-brigade cut him free is a very good sign! If it's not a temporary arrangement then you may have to move.
In the meantime, can you find somewhere safe to tie him while you poo pick? Find a nice solid post or a tree and tie string to it first so that it will break in an emergency, and then tie him short to that (so even if he paws the ground he won't get a leg over the rope). He can't be allowed to bully you while you are in the field (although he might be playing with you, my friend's horse did this and she'd had him from a six-month foal so it was just a game between them). When you are grooming etc stay very close to him when you are in range of his back-end. That way if he does try and kick he won't do much damage. Hovering around a couple of feet away is much more dangerous! (Apologies if I'm telling you stuff you already know btw). Erm, what else? What are you feeding him if anything? I wouldn't give him anything that might pep him up too much, especially this time of year if you are both uptight anyway. Ours are just on grass (add hay if you haven't much grass) and a bucket with chaff and chopped carrots/apples etc, really just for bonding purposes and to fill them up a bit. My sister adds kalma (herbal stuff) to her pony's feed as he can be a stroppy whatsit at times! Ask at your feed merchant about calming supplements if you want to try them but you have to use them for a while to get them in his 'system' sort of thing before you see a result.
The only other thing I can think of is what was he doing before you got him? It's a common thing where ponies have come from somewhere where they work hard (riding school or trekking centre perhaps) and are paragons of virtue, then suddenly in their new home they aren't doing much and get too big for their boots. Of course that can become a vicious circle as you get more frightened and ride him less and he gets even harder to handle. My sister was having terrible problems with her pony when she first got him and talked about selling him on but with regular work he has settled down and is a much nicer character. The only time we are wary of him now is if he has his food as he is very possessive of it. We think he must have been ill-treated in the past.
Well, I don't know if any of this is helpful. You do need to be firm and consistent but also try and spend some time just being with him. Talk to him and get to know him. Maybe if he is bored and you feel brave enough put a bridle on him and take him out for some walks? Good luck anyway, I hope getting some help from the professional with boost your confidence. I'm in the same boat in a way because I haven't had the nerve to get on our youngster yet even though he's been backed and ridden gently so I've got a trainer coming tomorrow to ride him and give me advice. I want to start off on the right foot!

Rescue Remedy is excellent with animals. It really helps my cat in bad times. Your horse may be feeling really lost/ heart broken etc. Horses have a large limbic system. This is the emotional part of the brain. They feel very deeply about their companions etc so Bach Flower Rescue Remedy will help him to feel better on an emotional level.

MummyW, sorry things aren't going too well at the moment Do you have any support apart from your dp? I thought you were going to share a field with another woman or am I mistaken. It sounds just like the kind of problems my friends went through, but being a youngster all these new surrounding, sights and smells must be quite frightening for him. Especially if he is on his own - he is still a baby! I think the sooner he is with other horses the better, is it 'quarantine'(sp?) he's in at the moment? He will be picking up on your nervousness as well - 'If she's scared, then I'd better be too!' Re handling - would echo all of Pixel's sentiments.Try not to take any of this behaviour personally, it isn't your fault. Another move wouldn't damage him, the experience may well do him good, and more horsey support for you and him would be great
You might not see any light at the end of the tunnel yet but you will, it may take a while but don't loose heart - hundreds of horse owners have been in your situation. All the best x

How are you getting on Mummyw? Did you go to look at the other yard? As Rodeo said, it may be worth the move if you get more support. After all, it's supposed to be fun!

Well, I've certainly had fun . Had my first natural horsemanship lesson yesterday which was really interesting and also my first ride on dpony! He was very good and I feel so much better. I was getting myself into a bit of a state at the thought, especially as certain people have been saying we've made a mistake getting a youngster. I didn't want to prove them right! Our progress was a bit erratic at first because I was tense but after a bit I relaxed and we practiced some halts etc. The only blot on the horizon is that my beloved saddle doesn't fit after all (rode on instructor's bareback pad) so I'm going to have to part-ex it in somewhere. I don't want to spend too much as it'll probably be outgrown by next year. My mum keeps on about a Wintec because of them being adjustable but my sister has used them for years and tbh I've never been as comfortable on them as on leather. Also I must admit I love leather saddles because to me they are a work of art. I actually had a place at the Cordwainer's technical college years ago as I meant to be a saddler but for various reasons was unable to go. I'm one of those mad people who likes tack cleaning and I'd feel deprived with a Wintec .

Pixel - I really like the Heather Moffett treeless saddles. Well - the Phoenix is part treed, but if you can get a second hand SBS (previous version)or Phoenix then the growing out of a saddle thing doesn't really happen. And you get to clean it....
Have a look here
As I say - I really like them, and as an equine therapist have seen some very good results with them - with horses with bad saddle damage. Perhaps not the best for serious competition work or mega mileage, though I believe some people do so without problem.
Not everyone goes with the treeless thing, but just another option.

Thanks for link, that's very interesting, I've never seen those before! Would they be quite hard to find though? especially second-hand? (not to mention a bit pricey). Have you ever ridden on one yourself Fangzooki?

They do come up on ebay, - in varying versions so it's best to have some idea which one you would want (with/without the suber panels, size, gp/dressage etc). Usually go for around 6-800 quid, (can you tell I keep a look out...??) which I know is more than you would pay for some other secondhand saddles, but if you are looking at it as a saddle that will fit various horses over time etc it's not that bad. I think they (Heather's people) do a trial thing where they send you one for a weekend and you can return if you don't like it. Or something along those lines. But for new saddles obv.
Depends what you are after really. Imvho they are one of the best treeless saddles - the other I like is viciously expensive, but is fab too.
Yes I have ridden in them, and initially they do feel wide - tho the Fhoenix is less so. And may also have something to do with the very wide horses that I was riding too. But I really love them now. The stirrup bar is set in the right place to help your leg be in the correct position, and you can feel much more of what the horse is doing underneath you. The flip side to this is that the horse can feel what you are doing too, so tend to react more to rider imbalance.
I have no problem with well fitting treed saddles - but there are so many crap ones out there, and too many cowboy fitters that it is very hard to know who and what to trust sometimes.
But for a horse who you know will be changing shape a lot over a period then a good treeless could be worth investigating. Esp as you can see they have a pretty good secondhand market.

Sorry to get on my soapbox and sound so evangelical, but damage from saddles is just about the most common problem I have to deal with (after poor farriery) and so it's something I feel quite strongly about.......as if you hadn't guessed!!

hi yes i have 3