Horses and Riding: Discussions

Anyone out there that has suggestions, I sure could use it.
I brought my pony home from boarding November 2006. My daughter would ride him the 1/2 mile to the place where she rides every day. But starting last November he began to buck, wouldn't move forward, this has been going on for about 6 months. Saddle has been checked by the saddle fitter, but saddle is fine. Teeth are fine. The trainer has ridden him down the same stretch of road with a little more success, and she thinks my daughter is lacking in leadership. The strange thing is he is only bad leaving our place , but not coming home. My daughter has been riding for 11 years, and has been training young horses, and even a stallion for the past 3 years. She is a very talented rider, but has been sick with (we think) lyme disease since before this all started. I think the trainer is right that she has lost leadership, but I think it is due to being ill, and the pony is taking advantage of it. If anyone has suggestions, I would really appreciate it, as a fresh take on this subject may give me some positive outlook. Selling is not an option, as I believe in fixing a problem, rather than passing it off. Also the pony has been in training, and competing for the last 4 years, and places well. He is very talented, and athletic. Our plan was to sell him this season, but want the problem resolved first. Thanks

Hi, I used to work for a riding stables in Northern California years back. We never knew what horse we'd be on for guides. They normally were picked by the boss. I rode a Percheron, 40 hours of training mind you. The third hour I rode him on the trails with others behind me, he blew up. On the way down, he kicked my left wrist, broke it in two places. I never got back on him again. It wasn't my doing.

Another time, I leased a horse from there, and he was very barn sour, on the way back he would run to the stables, trying to teach him not to, and doing circles, he reared up and came over on top of me. The stables was next to a rock corey, and my head hit a rock covered by dirt, and I was drug some, as my foot was stuck in the stirrup. I only got 11 stitches in my head. Took me a year to get on another horse, and I picked the horse I rode.

I rode lots of horses at the riding stables, ones that were said to be broke, but ended up hurting me. Of course we got paid cash, so when we got hurt, it didn't show we worked for this place. And the place is still open for business after all these years. They take any horse that is cheap enough. Older horses they give bute to, and drug them up so they have no pain when walking. They put kids on horses and later we find out that the horses try to knock the kid off or run away with them. Not good for riding stables.

I am now leary about what horse I ride. My friend wanted me to warm up his roping horse. I know this horse is smart, and knows what to do, this horse has won over $10,000 in money and prizes for roping. But when I ride a strange horse, I just walk and trot him. And then I hear the owner say that I'm afraid, and I say no, I'm leary about horses I haven't ridden.

But the horse I own now, she's the sweetest thing. She's 25, and doesn't act or look it. My fear about riding horses has always been while galloping a horse, they trip and you go head over heels. It took me 6 months to gallop my horse. She tripped some while she walked, more because she was lazy, and need exercise. So, after awhile, we had a place where we always galloped. First time I relaxed, she trips and goes down on both knees, her face hits the ground, and she flips over. When she went down, I went flying. When I saw her get up, I was up. I didn't even check to see if I was ok. She seemed ok, but I walked her home. Checked her out, and had a friend come the next day to make sure she was sound. It was all I could do to move, as I was sore, nothing broke, just some deep bruising, and very sore parts. My hole body hurt. Thank God someone was looking out for us. And it was close to home. I have galloped her since, but I am very cautious about it. It is still in the back of my mind. I don't want my horse hurt.

People wonder if you ever get over the fear after having an accident, in time you get over the fear, but it will alway be in the back of your mind. In time you will get over it, and you will ride like you did before. I tell everyone, that I have horse blood in my veins and they just think I'm crazy, and I tell them that I am. I just ordered me a bareback pad, I love to ride bareback, but it gets me dirty. My horse is frisky at the age of 25. I have a place for her to retire to not far from here, 100 miles. It's called Crystal Peaks youth camp or ranch, not sure of the title. They have a web site.

No matter how many years you've ridden, you can always learn from others. This is my first adult horse I've owned. I've always had friends that owned horses to ride. Cheaper, but there is something about owning your own horse and when you have depression like I did after leaving my husband, My horse, my buddy was there for me, when I couldn't talk to anyone. It was a dark world for awhile, I am in the light now. And hope to stay that way.

On July 2nd of last year my 4 year old daughter was in a really bad accident. We were feeding our two Mustangs same thing we did everyday, but there was a new horse that just moved in next to them, when we were leaving the corral I turned to open the gate and she was just an arm length behind me, I mean right there when i turned around to grab her hand for us to leave, my daughter my lying on the ground, the horse had kicked her, and I thought she was just messing around and then I saw the wound on her forhead and I started screaming for help but nobody was around. So I picked up my little girl and took her to the nearest barn where there people. She ended up being life flighted to the Casper Hospital in Casper, WY and went through 3 hours of surgery and 2 days in ICU. The horse had kicked her and shattered her forhead, and the tip of her left front lobe and to be removed. She now has titanum mesh until the bone grows back, and now she has a scare going acrossed her forhead and reminds me everyday that if I wouldn't had taken my eye off her for just that second, it never would of happened. But I keep trying to convince myself that maybe the new horse next to them maybe spooked them but I still blame myself. What I am saying is that no matter what kind of training your horse has had or how long your child has been around horses, it just takes a split second when you turn your head for something to happen to your child. No matter how much you trust your horse or your children, something can happen in the blink of an eye...

Hubby and i looked at a cottage to rent as we search to buy a house... It was on a horse farm in Upper Freehold Twp, NJ...

The owner told us all about people killing their own horses an hour above Philadelphia cause they can't feed, sell or give them away!

This was shocking for me to hear!
There has to be help for helpless horses!

Is this going on near you?
Where are horses with these scenarios at?

Horse prices from my days have jumped up!
She named how hay and grain has shot up too!
Boarding rents are high now as well... By us it's $400 plus for full board....
Turnout and filler in feed was used in my day...

Any ideas for rescues, etc... for these horses?

I hope those horses get help soon....
Christie
Hubby and i are looking for decent trail horses...
We wanted to get a house first...

I have a 10 year old Morgan/Quarter who spooks over things like being brushed or rubbing your hands together. He is not affraid of things like quads or louds noises that I would think would scare him but take off your hat, or the flap of a jacket, or even something as simple as touching him with the brush can spook him. I have a wonderful person helping me to with his training and he has improved, but it is so slow. Since I purchased him 9 months ago I have only ridden him half a dozen times as we have been doing a lot of ground work trying to teach him how to handle his fear. We don't want him spooking while I'm on him. Sometimes it just seems like he isn't comfortable in his own skin, when you touch him he tightens up and his skin crawls. He has the sweetest personality and I could never sell him, but I'm affraid I will never be able to trust him. I have tried to contact the previous owner to find out more about his history but have had no luck. Any suggestions or has anyone had a horse with this kind of unreasonable fears?

I just wanted to tell eveyone I just rescued a OTTB... for you that may not know that is a off track thoroughbred. He is awesome..Can you believe they just through these guys in a meat truck and ship em off to be slaughtered!!! I found out about it and my sister and I went and got 2 nice guys mine is Magoo who was bought at a colt sale for $110,000 and won 9 races. J. Hawk who my sister rescued was bought for $8,000 and won 5 races and banked 32,000. I just wanted to let people know the great horses that are being consumed for human consumption when they are perfectly healthy. I rode him the first day I had him and he has been awesome, no sore back and even rides in a bosal around the field. I have had him a week and he is just a great boy. Magoo is almost 17h is a dapple grey with black mane and black./white tail. J. hawk is a black bay with no markings at a little over 16h. Garbage or hamburger? I THINK NOT!

Hello out there. I'm in eastern Washington and we're having a hay shortage due to this summers weather. If you do find hay the price is outrageous! I'm wondering if anyone else out there is having the same problem? We need to down size by three horses and no one is buying in this area because of the hay. I've heard of people even putting horses down because they can't feed them. Folks are even giving horses away, which is better then just putting them down. If anyone out there would like to buy an AQHA mare and filly or an APHA filly let me know. I'd even like to trade for hay to feed the four I'll have left. Good luck to you all. horse4sale99110@aol.com