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Any avid horseback riders out there?

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Comments

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    Yep, I know exactly what you mean.  Truth is, anybody that rides horses long enough has probably met the ground more than once.  I've had a pro rider/trainer tell me that all horses have some sort of quirk, it is a matter of determining if you can live with the quirk.  I went through a really rough year with my 17 year old paint when he was a 4 year old.  I had a little different problem with people trying to buy him from me because I think people liked how he was colored and thought he'd make a decent horse.  Once he turned 5, he and I were a team and he would let me teach him anything and I really worked a lot with him on reining type of things, checking cattle and quite honestly I learned a lot from him.  Then people were offering a lot of money for him but I still would not sell.  It would have been like selling my dog! 

    How old is Jazzy?  You say that she is getting you off after about 5 jumps now, are you trying to do anything with her to try to stop the bucking or do you let her get her bucks out or are you freezing up when this happens?  It doesn't sound like she does this all the time does she?  Is it always at the canter when she acts up?  On the nervousness, I read somewhere that you should do deep breathing when you feel yourself getting nervous.  I do this and I think it helps.

  • jinglebelle
    jinglebelle Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2013

    Hello Ladies,

    I'm a first timer here and just found this thread. I am happy to find other riders are here! I am getting ready to start chemotherapy and wondered if anyone has experience riding with a port or picc line in and what were your restrictions? Obviously, I'm planning to discuss this with my doctor but just wanted to find out what other people's experience have been. Many thanks for any info you can share!

  • marywh
    marywh Member Posts: 1,433
    edited March 2013

    Hi Jinglebelle, As a two-time port user, I would definately go with a port and not a pic line. ports are easy to place, its not too long a recovery time and after it heals its relatively trouble free, although some times you might get a little kink in it. A pic you have a higher chance of getting an infection, you have to keep it dry, and its a royal pain in the butt, from what Ive heard. A power port is the best. They're small and really not very noticable at all. I still ride when I can, but having a port wouldnt stop me, Im just having other issues right now.

  • cowgirl13
    cowgirl13 Member Posts: 782
    edited March 2013

    Jinglebelle, I had no problem with my port when I was riding.  I did need help with getting the saddle on but i'm a western rider.  I could always find someone around the barn when I needed help.  I was also able to ride a day or so after chemo, but by the 4th or 5th day I was down for the count--and then back up.  My oncologist did tell me that if my blood counts got too low, that I would not be able to be around my horse.  That never happened.  I was a little careful around the wash rack and did use rubber glooves since the hoses get dragged thru poop.  My horse got me through all of this.  Good luck!

  • cowgirl13
    cowgirl13 Member Posts: 782
    edited March 2013

    Cowgal, I think the reining, checking on cows etc. is so good for a horse.  Most horses need a job.  I have been at several cow working clinics that even had english-riding horses in the clinic--it was so good for them to do something more different.  At the last clinic I attended there was a dressage horse in it--of course he was terrific and loved the cow work.

  • cowgirl13
    cowgirl13 Member Posts: 782
    edited March 2013

    Jancie, I'm wondering if your horse's bucking could be related to a pain issue, possibly related to saddle fit?  Do you ever lunge your horse first before you ride?  or free-lunge?  I think its sometimes helpful--I'll do it at times depending on who I am riding.

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    Yes, I agree with Cowgirl13 that most horses need a job.  My old paint needed more then my weekend training and cattle checking as a 4 year old and I did have to send him off for a month to someone that was highly trusted that would be working him every other day with cattle.  This horse has a very high work ethic and I think that the combo of the job and the maturity difference between a 4 year old and a 5 year old made a real difference. 

    I think what is making Jancie's horse buck could be a result of several different factors.  Saddle fit could be one like Cowgirl13 suggested but there are a number of other factors it could be as well.

    Welcome jinglebelle, its nice to have another horse lover join in!

  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 403
    edited March 2013

    Cowgal - I don't pull her up hard as she has a very soft mouth.  So I tighten, release, tighten, release.  That obviously hasn't worked too well for me.  When I do stay on - I don't make a big deal about it and get her right back to work.  She does this when she is really scared.  If another horse spooks, she thinks that something is out to get her and she will spook.

    Jazzy is a young 7 years old.  I am hoping that by 9 years she will just settle in.

    And yes...I do lots of heavy breathing to get rid of my nerves.  I basically sit as straight up as I can and use lots of leg.

    Jinglebell - I didn't use a port or pic line for chemo.  Wished I had after my veins got destroyed by the chemo.  I had more of a problem with focus and fatigue when I was trying to ride during my treatments.

    Cowgirl13 - I have a professional saddle fitter come out yearly to insure the saddle is fitting her fine.  She is not sore backed.  I don't ride her when it is really cold as like most horses, she will be stiff.  I also walk her for at least 10 minutes before I start trotting her.  I know pain is not an issue - more of the thoroughbred flight mode when she is scared. 

    I use lunging as a training issue - respect, etc.  I don't lunge to get the bucks out as with Jazzy - that would not do any good at all.  I have seen too many horses go quiet on the lunge line - you think all is well and then 15 minutes of riding they act up due to many different circumstances.  Jazzy is extremely obedient on the lunge line and I can actually take the line off and she will continue to lunge in a circle using my body and hands as cues.  Some horses will actually get ramped up on the lunge line as the owners are forcing them to run their arses off thinking that they will be too tired to act up under saddle.  Instead I do nice and quiet lunging.

    Jazzy does this bucking thing about twice a year now.  It is not very often considering that she is ridden 3 to 4 times a week.  We have no agenda when we ride her - in other words I don't go to the barn and think "I am doing x and x today".  I look at her - figure out her mood - figure out if she is in the working mood and I base my riding on the signals she is giving me.  There are times she will just try her heart out and I only give her positive reinforcement because bottom line she is insecure under saddle which might be do to a forceful trainer from the past that didn't listen to the horse but had her own agenda.

    I was able to see her yesterday and give her carrots as our room was not ready for early check in.  Going out tomorrow for a lesson! 

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    Have you trained her how to deal with something that spooks her?  Most of the big trainers have different things they do.  I have used John Lyons and Clinton Anderson's methods and there are other good methods as well.  If you don't know about them and are interested, I will try to get some of the information on the techniques for you.  If you are keeping her in a stall, have you thought about increasing her turn-out time?

  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 403
    edited March 2013

    Cowgal - the spooks come out of nowhere.  Usually it is because another horse has spooked, or a gun went off which is out of our control but she is no longer at the facility where we deal with guns.

    Used to be she spooked when the snow fell off the roof - gosh all of the horses spooked but we approach it as it is no big deal and she is being a silly girl which actually relaxes her down. 

    She is outside in the winter from 10 am to 6 pm.  During the summer months she is on pasture from 6 am until 6 pm.  Believe me she gets tons of turn out time.  This is one reason I am paying so much money to be at this facility because of the turn out time in the pasture and then in large pens in the winter as we don't have the horses out on the snow covered pastures during the winter. 

    In the summer she also has a run out area from her stall which is oversized as she is in a stall that is 16' x 12'.  She loves her run out area and pretty much stays out there in the evenings versus her stall unless it is feeding time.

    I did have her originally in a huge outdoor pen area that she lived in but she kept jumping over the fence and they would find her at 6 am loose on the property so I ended up getting a stall for her overnight.  I was fortunate that one of the larger stalls was available and she does love her stall - she feels secure in her stall.

    I just think she is going through her "teens" right now and she will really settle in the next couple of years.  She looks to me for security regarding her environment.  Her mom died when she was 2 months old and so I have been the one raising her all of these years.

    I worked her in hand for years as she was growing up getting her used to all different environments, smells, etc.   She is one of the few horses that doesn't spook if a plastic bag blows down the aisle as she associates them with carrots.  Laughing  She doesn't ever spook when she is in hand but then again she knows I am right by her side and I will protect her.

    Decided that I was too tired to ride today so I am switching my lesson to tomorrow instead.  Need to get off my lazy arse and start ironing my dh's shirts and get some house cleaning done.  Just not motivated at all today but that is probably because I got so relaxed this weekend celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary.

  • jinglebelle
    jinglebelle Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2013

    thanks for your input about the port! I had a port once before but wasn't riding at that time. today I asked my surgeon. He listened to all of my falling off, landing hard on a jump (on the port) scenarios and didn't seem too concerned. Maybe I will get one of the chest protector vests just to be on the safe side....thank you!

  • luvlulu
    luvlulu Member Posts: 163
    edited March 2013

    Hi everyone . . .

    Still taking my lessons all thru the winter. The other night there were some serious snow squalls.  Usually I'm on one of the Haflingers and they are fairly small.  The other night the instructor put me on "Gus" - a gentle giant.  She said, "How does it feel?" and I'm like, "I can't even BREATHE up here, the air is so thin!"  But he was a sweetie. We just did some walking and trotting, no cantering or crossrails because it's still winter here and if the ground isn't frozen it's sloppy and their legs aren't used to it. 

    I sure felt it in my legs the next day, though!

    I'm just loving it.

  • cowgirl13
    cowgirl13 Member Posts: 782
    edited March 2013

    LuLu, love hearing about your lesson.  I think lessons are the best way to get back to riding or if you are just starting out, they are great.  You usually get a better horse in lessons and also you learn a better way of riding which you won't have to correct later.  

  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 403
    edited March 2013

    LuLu - sounds like fun!  The only problem with the giants is that it is a longer fall to the ground Yell

    I LOVE taking lessons.  I would lesson 5 times a week if I could afford it.  Right now I average 2-3 lessons a week.

    I rode my horse today by myself and for the first time since my last involuntary dismount - I actually felt relaxed and put my trust in her. Such a great feeling!!  Seems like I am getting my Jazzy back again finally.

  • luvlulu
    luvlulu Member Posts: 163
    edited March 2013

    Cowgirl, thanks for the encouragement.  I am just starting.  There's a whole lot to learn from these beautiful beasts!!

    Jancie, love that "involuntary dismount." I'll have to pass that along.

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    Here's two different approaches to dealing with spooky horses:  http://www.equisearch.com/uncategorized/spook-place-lessons-makes-horses-safer-ride/   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfAvpa1g68s .

    Glad you are enjoying your lessons LuvLuLu.  Here's a video of Stacy Westfall in 2011 on Vaquero:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCWa828Grk8  . It's amazing what can be accomplished between human and horse.

  • luvlulu
    luvlulu Member Posts: 163
    edited March 2013

    Thanks for the links, cowgal.  Re Stacy Westfall:  WOW, I am in awe . . .

  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 359
    edited March 2013

    RIP - Part the Clouds, aka Cloudy,  April 4, 1989 - March 9, 2013

    I am heart broken.

  • marywh
    marywh Member Posts: 1,433
    edited March 2013

    Awww. I am so sorry.

  • cowgirl13
    cowgirl13 Member Posts: 782
    edited March 2013

    cp, I'm so sorry for your loss. My dear Buck passed away 3 years ago and what I wouldn't give to take him out walking.  We call it crossing the rainbow bridge.  When you feel like it, maybe you could post a picture of Cloudy.  I would love to see it.

    Lizzie

  • luvlulu
    luvlulu Member Posts: 163
    edited March 2013

    ((HUGS)) to you, cp.  So sorry to hear . . .Frown Our animals are so precious to us.

  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 359
    edited March 2013

    Thank you -- it was so hard letting him go as he was there for me during my chemo treatments.  He sensed when I was ill probably smelled the chemo from my skin.  He would smell my bald head and give me kisses.  I could trail ride him and he took care of me when I was weak and anemic.  I loved this horse more than I can say.

    Cowgirl - his pics are on page 2 - he is my dark bay.

  • cowgirl13
    cowgirl13 Member Posts: 782
    edited March 2013

    cp, he is so beautiful.  I remember when you posted the picture.  I'm sure he had a wonderful life with you.

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    cp, I am so sorry for your loss but what a wonderful life you gave him.  Today, I was using my shedding tool on my horses and my 17 year old paint when I was using it on his chest just put his head over my shoulder and very gently laid his head there.  We are so lucky to have these great creatures and the time does pass very quickly. 

  • ridergirl
    ridergirl Member Posts: 94
    edited March 2013

    cp so sorry for your loss. i know words cannot express what our beloved animals do for us....physically, emotionally........everything

    Gentle hugs

  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 403
    edited March 2013

    cp - I am so very sorry for your loss.  There aren't enough words to comfort someone who loses their best friend.

  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 403
    edited March 2013

    Ok, I am pretty much Yell right now.  We had another snow storm come in and it has been snowing since Wednesday.  It is not that we are having much accumulation at all - it is the dampness and cold that is making me hurt so darn bad!  I hate this tamoxifen!

    DH left for a couple of weeks and here I have all of this ME time to ride my horse and haven't been out there in a week now.  I hurt too bad.

    I so want to move to Florida!

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    I completely understand.  It is cold and we had snow this weekend too.  My Arimidex is making me hurt too bad to hardly get around even more than normal.  I am sure good weather is just around the corner.  I wish I could say the same for how I feel on Arimidex. 

  • luvlulu
    luvlulu Member Posts: 163
    edited March 2013

    Just wanted to report in about last week's riding lesson.  Rode the most beautiful, handsome, wonderful guy named Wilson.  He's half-Belgian, half-Thoroughbred, gorgeous and he knew it.  Full of pep, I just had to give him a little squeeze and he would do whatever I asked.  And I swear all I had to do was look in the direction I wanted to go and he would head there, I barely moved my hands.  The instructor would not let me canter him, though.  We haven't cantered all winter.  The young girls I ride with (and I mean YOUNG, they talk about getting their drivers' licenses!) were allowed to canter but she told me Wilson, once he gets going, doesn't like to stop and I'm just not experienced enough.  I can understand!  I stayed with the trot.  But others who have cantered him told me it's like being on a cloud, he's so smoooooooth.

    Have a wonderful Easter, those who celebrate.  Great day to all!!

  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 625
    edited March 2013

    Good for you!  I'm glad you had a wonderful time at your lesson! Smile

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