horse people?
- Thread starter FoxyWench
- Start date
This is a really informative thread! I too would love to own a horse or two in the future, but I need to know so much more. I'm hoping to start taking lessons again in the spring, provided the barn I'm looking at is a worthy place to learn. I do know of a good one, but they mainly concentrate on show jumping and given the area it's in, is loaded with the snobby horsey set that makes learning less than enjoyable.
I love our teacher, it seems a lot of people bring their kids to her to learn straight out how to gallop and jump and compete and they won't concentrate on the basics.
We get to go out every saturday, she goes and sets up the arena, we go and get our horses form the paddock, take their blankets off, groom them, tack them up, take them up to the arena, do our lesson (and things are FINALLY starting to come together with my riding) then we dismount, take them down, untack them, groom them again because their all sweaty, clean their bits and brush the hair off their sadle blankets then grab their food, put them in the paddock and feed them.
I really can't speak highly enough of this woman. She has 2 mares which are both over 16HH and they come straight to her and click her all over her arms. One of these mares when she first got her tried to attack her several times as she was previosuly abused and she's worked with her till now she's her main dressage horse and just the sweetest mare.
Last week I got to ride a diferent horse. I ride Basil, he's 5 and stubborn and bossy but got no kick or buck in him (even if he looks like he's like to) and if you mess up and grip with your legs too much he slows down, doesn't spook easily etc. My sister ride Noddy, he spooks a little easier and if you grip with your legs he goes a bt faster. He's finally starting to test out my sister just after I've finally got Basil to stop resisiting everything I ask of him.
Well last week my sister coudln't come so my mum came out, she used to ride bareback so she grips with her legs a lot so my teacher put her on basil and me on noddy instead. wow noddy is differnt, I'd never trotted on him before and was a bit nervous as I knew he had a much bigger quicker stride. And I still didn't fall off.
lol... sorry thta was so long. I'll have to get some pics at one stage.
We get to go out every saturday, she goes and sets up the arena, we go and get our horses form the paddock, take their blankets off, groom them, tack them up, take them up to the arena, do our lesson (and things are FINALLY starting to come together with my riding) then we dismount, take them down, untack them, groom them again because their all sweaty, clean their bits and brush the hair off their sadle blankets then grab their food, put them in the paddock and feed them.
I really can't speak highly enough of this woman. She has 2 mares which are both over 16HH and they come straight to her and click her all over her arms. One of these mares when she first got her tried to attack her several times as she was previosuly abused and she's worked with her till now she's her main dressage horse and just the sweetest mare.
Last week I got to ride a diferent horse. I ride Basil, he's 5 and stubborn and bossy but got no kick or buck in him (even if he looks like he's like to) and if you mess up and grip with your legs too much he slows down, doesn't spook easily etc. My sister ride Noddy, he spooks a little easier and if you grip with your legs he goes a bt faster. He's finally starting to test out my sister just after I've finally got Basil to stop resisiting everything I ask of him.
Well last week my sister coudln't come so my mum came out, she used to ride bareback so she grips with her legs a lot so my teacher put her on basil and me on noddy instead. wow noddy is differnt, I'd never trotted on him before and was a bit nervous as I knew he had a much bigger quicker stride. And I still didn't fall off.
lol... sorry thta was so long. I'll have to get some pics at one stage.
I didn't get a chance to read all of the posts, but I should point out you don't necessarily need a draft. Though I am a pretty balanced rider, I have in the past (and still do I think but am working on a plan where I work my butt out for an hour a day and only weigh once a month) tipped the scales at over 300lbs and only this summer did I get a draft cross - and she's smaller than the horses I have been riding!
Just to give you an idea, this was me last week on our six year old APHA stallion - he is only 15hh tall - I am 5'11" (and in a saddle too small, granted)..
http://canadianneigh.com/images/personal/meridingseamus.jpg
http://canadianneigh.com/images/personal/meridingseamus2.jpg
Just to give you an idea, this was me last week on our six year old APHA stallion - he is only 15hh tall - I am 5'11" (and in a saddle too small, granted)..
http://canadianneigh.com/images/personal/meridingseamus.jpg
http://canadianneigh.com/images/personal/meridingseamus2.jpg
lol, i love chances personal veiw of the camera...
muggies mum thanks for that referance, at my heviest i was 365, im now down to 265 and just keep yo-yoing betwen 255-270, im working as hard as possible, i want to get down to 170 as that would be a good weight for my build i think, still a little overweight but i think any smaller id look sick.
its good to have a reference though that says larger built girls can still ride "Normal" horses and have fun and look good doing it...
i think my preference for the drafts comes 100% from the fact that i grew up around them, but its good to know im not limited to a single type of horse simply because of my weight.
muggies mum thanks for that referance, at my heviest i was 365, im now down to 265 and just keep yo-yoing betwen 255-270, im working as hard as possible, i want to get down to 170 as that would be a good weight for my build i think, still a little overweight but i think any smaller id look sick.
its good to have a reference though that says larger built girls can still ride "Normal" horses and have fun and look good doing it...
i think my preference for the drafts comes 100% from the fact that i grew up around them, but its good to know im not limited to a single type of horse simply because of my weight.
http://fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/2007/11/at-least-this-one-admits-it.html
GREAT post from my favorite blogger about what you need to know before getting your first horse. Some of the comments include very good information as well.
GREAT post from my favorite blogger about what you need to know before getting your first horse. Some of the comments include very good information as well.
Fugly horse is GREAT..
Rule of thumb is the average horse should carry no more than 20% of their total weight (rider and tack) A little more if it is fit horse, short ride and on good footing. Less if the horse is unfit, the terrain is tricky, or the ride is longer than an hour.
Boston Banker..
Your pic of the haflinger made me think of a pony we used to have..
13.1hh jumping a 3'3 oxer carrying an adult. (fit pony, short ride)
Rule of thumb is the average horse should carry no more than 20% of their total weight (rider and tack) A little more if it is fit horse, short ride and on good footing. Less if the horse is unfit, the terrain is tricky, or the ride is longer than an hour.
Boston Banker..
Your pic of the haflinger made me think of a pony we used to have..
13.1hh jumping a 3'3 oxer carrying an adult. (fit pony, short ride)
Eek! That pony is adorable! I want a pony so badly - just to pet and give carrots to
.
The other thing that affects a horse's weight carrying capacity is the rider's skill. A well-balanced 200 lb. rider is far less stressful to a horse than a badly balanced 130 lb. rider.
And of course, conformation. I'm certainly not a small person, and one of the reasons I got Tristan is that his back/loin connection is fantastic. I can practice sitting trot for an hour, and he doesn't get back sore.
.The other thing that affects a horse's weight carrying capacity is the rider's skill. A well-balanced 200 lb. rider is far less stressful to a horse than a badly balanced 130 lb. rider.
And of course, conformation. I'm certainly not a small person, and one of the reasons I got Tristan is that his back/loin connection is fantastic. I can practice sitting trot for an hour, and he doesn't get back sore.
^ Good points! I love ponies and am in no way biased!
At 12hh Brego is more than capable at carrying my weight, I'm not the heaviest person but I'm also not exacltly stick thin either. A strong fit Exmoor should easily cope with 12 stone, they may be small but they are hardy little devils. Go for a breed/horse that feels right for you, you will know when you find the right one.
At 12hh Brego is more than capable at carrying my weight, I'm not the heaviest person but I'm also not exacltly stick thin either. A strong fit Exmoor should easily cope with 12 stone, they may be small but they are hardy little devils
. Go for a breed/horse that feels right for you, you will know when you find the right one.
My vote is for a belgian draft mule!!
Oh, wait...horse...
Belgian! LOVE this breed, if I was allowed to own a draft I'd have a belgian draft mule...er, belgian... in a heatbeat.
What about a belgian draft mule? LOL
Oh, wait...horse...
Belgian! LOVE this breed, if I was allowed to own a draft I'd have a belgian draft mule...er, belgian... in a heatbeat.
What about a belgian draft mule? LOL