Comments on: A Horse! http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/ Rational Life Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:54:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Gabriele Campbell http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1295 Gabriele Campbell Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:39:36 +0000 http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1295 Oh, he sounds like a great horse. Hope everything goes fine for both of you. My first horse (well, not my own, but mine to ride) was a 17.5 hand Hannoverian, and I was not full grown yet age 12. He made me love big horses. But I've never tried the level of dressage you ride on one of those. :) And I'd go for a smaller horse if the character, training level and other factors fit. Oh, he sounds like a great horse. Hope everything goes fine for both of you.

My first horse (well, not my own, but mine to ride) was a 17.5 hand Hannoverian, and I was not full grown yet age 12. He made me love big horses. But I’ve never tried the level of dressage you ride on one of those. :) And I’d go for a smaller horse if the character, training level and other factors fit.

]]> By: Melinda http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1296 Melinda Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:12:23 +0000 http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1296 I understand the lure of the _BIG_. I've felt it myself, but you really have to work to get those big horses moving forward in front of your leg and through (over their backs) I'm only 5'2" tall so I'm at a real disadvantage. Both the horses I'm currently riding are close to 18 hands tall. I think Exact is 18 hands, and Roselle is only a hair shorter. Even with a three step mounting block I feel like my foot is up by my ear when I mount them, and Rosie is very, very lazy right now. She just ignores the whip so I'm got to rely on spurs and kicks, and it gets really tiring. It also screws with my position because I'll start to pump with my back to try and get her stepping in front of my leg. The Lusitanos seem to have that same big rolling gait, but none of the downside of a huge horse. Melinda I understand the lure of the _BIG_. I’ve felt it myself, but you really have to work to get those big horses moving forward in front of your leg and through (over their backs) I’m only 5′2″ tall so I’m at a real disadvantage.

Both the horses I’m currently riding are close to 18 hands tall. I think Exact is 18 hands, and Roselle is only a hair shorter. Even with a three step mounting block I feel like my foot is up by my ear when I mount them, and Rosie is very, very lazy right now. She just ignores the whip so I’m got to rely on spurs and kicks, and it gets really tiring. It also screws with my position because I’ll start to pump with my back to try and get her stepping in front of my leg.

The Lusitanos seem to have that same big rolling gait, but none of the downside of a huge horse.

Melinda

]]> By: Gabriele Campbell http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1297 Gabriele Campbell Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:18:17 +0000 http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1297 I'm 5'7'' and with rather long legs (I don't need to chance the seat position when I borrow my father's car) so at least I don't look lost on big horses. :) I can't afford one right now, but I'd love to get one trained for cross country. I like dressage, but I like nice, long gallops even more. :D I’m 5′7” and with rather long legs (I don’t need to chance the seat position when I borrow my father’s car) so at least I don’t look lost on big horses. :) I can’t afford one right now, but I’d love to get one trained for cross country. I like dressage, but I like nice, long gallops even more. :D

]]> By: S.C. Butler http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1299 S.C. Butler Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:38:47 +0000 http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1299 Great news. Sounds like you have found exactly the horse you want. Fingers crossed for the vetting. (Is that a real usage for the word, or just rider slang?) Great news. Sounds like you have found exactly the horse you want. Fingers crossed for the vetting. (Is that a real usage for the word, or just rider slang?)

]]> By: Melinda http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1300 Melinda Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:41:10 +0000 http://www.melindasnodgrass.com/musings/2007/12/03/a-horse/#comment-1300 The formal phrase is "I will be doing a vet check on the horse". But that is cumbersome so folks just shorten it to vetting. I'm going to let them do the full panoply of x-rays. I'm spending so much on this horse what's a few hundred more for a baseline exam. The good news is we'll have these pictures to compare against as he ages, and perhaps needs hock injections, etc. (But that won't happen until he's a grand old man of 12 or 13.) A friend of mine has already talked about breeding her beautiful Dutch mare to him. I won't do a live cover because it might affect his very sweet personality. I'll just have the vet collect semen and the mare owner will do artificial insemination. It's actually much safer for all concerned -- horses and handlers, and you remove any chance of disease. I rode Rosie today, and dreamed of Vento. After a year and half off Rosie doesn't think she ought to have to work anymore, so my back and stomach muscles are aching from pushing her forward in front of my leg. Not to mention I'm tired of kicking her. I blasted her once with the whip when she just quite trotting, and she bucked with me. So I hit her again. Fortunately she's so big it's hard for her to build up a big head of steam to really buck. If she ever got that enormous body under her I'm not sure I could ride through it. The formal phrase is “I will be doing a vet check on the horse”. But that is cumbersome so folks just shorten it to vetting. I’m going to let them do the full panoply of x-rays. I’m spending so much on this horse what’s a few hundred more for a baseline exam. The good news is we’ll have these pictures to compare against as he ages, and perhaps needs hock injections, etc. (But that won’t happen until he’s a grand old man of 12 or 13.)

A friend of mine has already talked about breeding her beautiful Dutch mare to him. I won’t do a live cover because it might affect his very sweet personality. I’ll just have the vet collect semen and the mare owner will do artificial insemination. It’s actually much safer for all concerned — horses and handlers, and you remove any chance of disease.

I rode Rosie today, and dreamed of Vento. After a year and half off Rosie doesn’t think she ought to have to work anymore, so my back and stomach muscles are aching from pushing her forward in front of my leg. Not to mention I’m tired of kicking her. I blasted her once with the whip when she just quite trotting, and she bucked with me. So I hit her again. Fortunately she’s so big it’s hard for her to build up a big head of steam to really buck. If she ever got that enormous body under her I’m not sure I could ride through it.

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