She may, but I don’t have this kind. This may be impressive in some places but not on mine or for that matter the barn of anyone I sell horses to. We are funny about making sure our horses learn and never forget lateral and vertical flexion. If you don’t know what that means….look it up……We don’t teach remedial horse training here and I don’t intend to start.
This code of ethics has to be what has spared this horse and rider from her venom, excuse me education. Can’t attack those on your side even though they look to be a poster child of all that you rant against. I’m a redneck horse killing, white trash, ***** so I can stab at both in one blog. Life is really lovely sometimes or I love Saturday Satires for this reason…..can’t make up my mind…
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/Hollandtech/General%20Pictures/JohnTravelerSunshine.jpg
I have never owned an appy, and virtually all the other nonsense here is just tripe. Below is a link to a photo of me and my stud Traveler some years ago. It speaks to why I love to ride stallions! He was like riding lightning, but we rode many a trail behind mares without a single problem.
I have. Both very nice geldings and point earners. They looked nothing like this fine specimen thankfully. In the fugly code of ethics for redneck horse owners this horse is what we breed to fill the double deckers going to Mexico……..swear….reference to the owners education, swear…….reference to their barn, swear……reference to their, swear……
It speaks to why I love to ride stallions!
No, it speaks to why you are a male trail rider who read one too many Walter Farley books suffering from a bad case of testosterone poisoning. …….
He was like riding lightning, but we rode many a trail behind mares without a single problem.
Don’t know about the lightning thing but, hey, whatever floats your boat…..the best calving horse I ever rode was a ewe necked, roman nosed gelding….doesn’t mean I want to run out and start breeding ewe necked roman nosed horses…..
I know of several studs who work like geldings. Never make a sound at mare, gelding, whatever is near them. One of the founding members of the American Horse League day works (that means he rents himself and his horse by the day to help other ranchers work cattle) and ponies colts on a 16.2 hand stakes winning thoroughbred stud. So what is your point?
God tends to take care of fools and children. I know If I were a trail rider having the man and stud pictured behind my mare……..or my child’s gelding….….would scare the (insert word of choice ) out of me…
What discipline of riding is that? We have what looks to be either $5.00 low port grazing bit, or $10.00 walking horse bit with no curb strap, a horse braced all the way from his lower jaw back through the poll, his whole neck, into a hollowed out back, with no concept of how to properly yield to the pressure of the bridle. The rider is sitting on his back pockets in a posture that looks to be a watered down version of saddle seat equitation in what may or may not be a dressage saddle, feet braced forward in the stirrups lugging on the reins. (Fugly imitation) ….WTF discipline is that even supposed to be? I know……it’s the “I am a recreational rider, the number one demographic in the horse industry so I don’t have to conform to any riding or equitation standard ….we’re number one so we can make up our own form style”. Too long? Yeah, thought so too…..Let’s just shorten it to NORiDES……Number One Rider Demographic Equitation Seat. There I kind of like that. It’s catchy, kind of like BYB or who is missing their herd sire?
Bottom line, my friends, this is the “style” of training and type of horse, right or wrong, better hope to heck he has a lifetime home. In the open market he’s on the short list….. Horses either rise or fall to the level of their owner’s ability. I am only pointing out what I feel should be obvious to anyone with an eye for horses or horsemanship. Hey, this is a lot easier than looking at the “big breeder” websites trying to pick out expensive trendy horses with soundness hampering conformation faults as we did earlier. Back when no one gave a crap what we had to say. Back when we were actually trying to spread some knowledge and make a point that mattered no one gave a crap or had enough knowledge to comment…..
He really really wanted to get going and I ride with the gentlest possible bits.
Lateral flex is our friend….A horse must lower his head and round his back to bend his neck in response (proper response) to direct rein pressure. Rounding his back, tipping his nose, and softening his jaw are the first steps to collection. This should be instilled as a “no questions asked ever response” BEFORE the horse is asked to carry a rider and especially before any type of shank bit is introduced. I would suggest this horseman do some reading on the mechanics of how bits work on the pressure points of the mouth to obtain what responses. Quite possibly the worst bit to use on a horse braced up and avoiding the bit like this is a solid jawed shank curb bit. If you don’t understand why, don’t comment……look it up…… Perhaps he should eat less shrimp and buy better bits. But good tack doesn’t work either if you don’t how to use it.
If you don’t think all that is important…fine. You are entitled to ride whatever you see fit in any way you can sit on them and not get bucked off. I’ve set my sights just a bit higher over the years. Those who expect good performance from our horses, understand the mechanics of how a horse balances himself, and how he uses his body feel safer when everything is where it should be. It feels better to the horse and the rider. Working situations encountered in the daily lives of feedlot horses, ranch horses, and most competitive event horses require proper positioning of their bodies to perform, remain sound, and not fall over their own feet. It’s not a “looks” thing that doesn’t matter.
We are both a good bit older now, but he is still beautiful and still my best buddy. Plugs hey? I think not.
I haven’t seen anything to suggest any great above “plug” quality, but hey, it’s just my opinion.......Beauty is in the eye of the beholder that is of course if you’re a rescuer and not someone who needs to be outed……for educational purposes……for the cause……for the horses……..
He's retired now, but I still ride him around bareback from time to time.
Oh I get it now…….it’ s a dressage saddle masquerading as a McClelland saddle so you can sit like the General Lee does on Traveler in the paintings and statues……I can be a little slow, that redneck crap and all…..
Stallions aren't robots like geldings, that is what makes them so much fun.
We did an interesting blog on stallion management and behavior. I believe it says one of those horses was hauled and used like a gelding too. It might be a good read for someone who keeps a stud because he thinks they are fun to ride. The article is written by people who make their living horseback, handling all types, and it explains why good horsemen realize it best for all concerned (the horse included) any stallion not used for breeding be gelded. It generated no comments from the Friends of Barbaro either, although I thought it had lots to say. Back to Traveler…..have a go at trimming those hooves and standing him up off those under run heels.
I am sure he is beautiful to you. He would, as fugly says, make a cute gelding, if someone had the sense to whack off his balls. I won’t go into a conformation analysis. I can’t with his head all cranked up and his back hollowed out but from what I can see…….he is just a horse….kind of cute colored and chromed up…..looks like he may be a tad low in the pasterns. Little scant in the forearm and inside hind leg muscling. He may be some sort of gaited horse cross???? Being out of The Country by Truck ,it’s hard to know what he really is……. His owner “just likes to ride stallions”, doesn’t breed, and is anti-slaughter, rescues so it’s okay.
Now before everyone goes rabid…..I generally don’t make comment on pictures like this…….I really don’t care…… I’ve said before this type of horse and rider are not going to set the breeding or horsemanship trends of the future, but don’t show me this……expect me to be impressed, shut up, and go away quietly…..We had a commentator who mentioned the rescues were a way for those who couldn’t make it in the real horse world to have a “horsie” career……think?????
I really do feel sorry this rider. He will never know how good it feels to have a talented young horse lope down the pen, give his face to your hands, drop his hocks in the ground, sweep his shoulders around and lope off the other way soft, smooth, and rounded. I personally like the feeling of having one under me feely, framed, and under control from his nose to his tail. That’s my Lightning.
Anyone going to volunteer to prove your NORiDES status by telling me I have no idea what I am talking about? I don’t care what you ride or how you ride it but don’t present this image and comments as an example of good…. As Dr. Phil says that dog don’t hunt.
Pissy? Rude? Cruel? No sir….it’s honesty, educating people so horses don’t have to suffer…..that’s what we’ve been told ……for the cause…..for enlightenment……for the horses……B.S. it’s for the same reason I wrote this…….someone/something pissed me off and I needed a whipping boy……. I chose to insult the same someone who insulted me…..my intelligence…..my morals….. my horsemanship….doesn’t make it right for me to be an insulting ***** , just a bit more honest…
Written by RH 1
Saturday, August 22, 2009
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I own a gaited horse, and I was offended by the gelding as robot comment, but I'll get to that later.
ReplyDeleteThe saddle looks like a dressage saddle, and the rider's position is not unusual for riding a gaited horse. The fact that the horse appears ready to take off with the rider makes his position look unbalanced, though. The bit looks like a standard walking horse bit, but I wouldn't describe it as the gentlest of bits. Many gaited horses are ridden in far less severe bits with no problem. I ride mine in a D ring snaffle, have ridden him in a bosal, halter and a couple of lead ropes, and in the past a Wonder bit. Of course, any bit is a piece of torture equipment in the wrong hands.
I can understand the joy of riding a gaited horse, having owned mine as long as I have, and I know a few people who own and ride Stallions.
Many geldings, and mares, too, for that matter want to "get going" when they begin the ride as well, but the key to good horsemanship is to get them under control, and in the proper frame to perform the gait. This is important not only for the safety of horse and rider, but for others you may be riding with. That can be done by ring work, and as the author suggested, flexion exercises, or pole work, or even ground work before even getting in the saddle. The goal should be a relaxed horse, especially in the case of a stallion.
I can't say whether or not the person in the photograph is successful in accomplishing that. We can only judge from the photo posted, and from that, I would have to agree with the opinion written by RH1. It would appear that the horse is barely under control, and that the rider is barely hanging on, and is, in fact pulling on the bit to the point that the horse's head is being pulled up. In many cases, this would cause a horse to rear up. If I was on the trail, I don't think I would feel very comfortable having this horse coming up behind me, especially if I was riding a mare!
I'd like to see another photo of his horse riding in the proper frame, relaxed, and calm. And if I was the person posting the photo, that is the one I would have shown in the first place.
As far as the geldings being robots comment, I really was offended by that, and felt that showed an immense amount of ignorance. I've owned my horse for a long time, and he has been anything but a robot. He is safe, sane, and intelligent, but he can get out and run with the best of them, all the while remaining under control of the rider. I've owned, and seen plenty of other geldings who would not fall under the robot category either. Perhaps the person who made this comment has simply not ever come across a quality gelding.
Yeah I thought the robot gelding comment was way off and just plain silly. But consider the source...This is not a horseman making that comment so try not to be too offended.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering why certain people who would be such easy targets for fugly are left alone, Guess only she could answer that. I got a good chuckle out of todays Satire!
I was lucky enough to own 3 great calf roping horses over my career, that I broke myself. 2 were mares and the other one was a gelding that acted like a mare. They all had a little bronc in them and that is what made them so great. Went through quite a few geldings over the years that just didn't have enough bronc in them to make them good.
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