PR, you made me lol!!!!  Actually alfalfa can be ok for calm horses if they are introduced to it gradually and once they are used to it as a steady diet, provided they aren't given too much.  It's still good to mix it. 

RFBoyer wrote:  "I have heard all the lessons, I just need to put them all into action. "

 Ain't that the truth!  Last nite I had a lesson on a totally-new-to-me horse who was soooo different than the last lesson horse I rode and leased.  This guy was a "buff" QH with Huge gaits and it took a while to get a feel for him.  Meanwhile instructor is rattling off instructions a mile a minute, things I know to do but need to process for a different horse.  I finally stopped and told her I need a bit of time before she yells at me again to finish dealing with the last instruction of hers,  give me a chance to do it/them before your next instruction.  It was much better after that.  It's amazing how just a different horse can throw "newbie" riders like moi for a loop!

Mary
 

Anyone out there in 50-plus land know of any adult-oriented horse camps?  I'd like to spend 3-5 days at a Western-oriented camp this spring/summer but am having a hard time coming up w/any thru web searches.

Thanks,

Mary 

It sounds like you have got it together.  Having the "guts" to tell your Instructor' to cool it and let you digest the information and adjust to your new horse was admirable!!  And it took confidence in your own riding ability  Good Job! 

Too many times we do not stop and just tell the Instructor that we do not understand, or that the horse is not right.  I have seen several people get "discombuballated" during lessons and then not come back next week because they think that they are the ones that do not understand the lesson....when it was the Instructor that did not teach the lesson correctly!!  But , you know what?  They may be the smart ones, because they did not come back, and maybe they found an Instructor that did teach correctly, so people could learn!

NWBuckskinLvr:

I hope your BO didn't switch types of hay from something else to only alfalfa overnight! 

I'm guessing that it was mixed with something else since only a few horses were affected. Minx was more jittery than normal one day. But it was extremely windy and there was a ton of gunfire going on so I don't think I can blame the alfalfa on that one. Especially since she was nice and quiet as soon as we took her to the indoor ring.

I've ordered some hay for the new place that's an orchard grass mix. That seems to be what most people have for sale around here. 

B54,

I will keep your request in mind if I learn of something.  Do you pick up the NW Rider monthly mag or West Coast Horseman at your local tack and supply.  They are free and usually advertise some camps in the spring. 

Do you want a camp where the horse is provided?

Good luck.

Hi NWB'skinLvr,

Thanks, yes, I pick up the mags and will pay more attention to the ads!  Yes, I need a horse provided.

Thanks again,

Mary
 

Rfboyer- I sometimes face the same dilemma of night time riding and sufficient time for cool down before turnout. It's hard to do when it gets dark so early now. I would first be sure that someone else could be at the barn with you for safety sake and then walk your horse out until it is cool to the touch and not sweaty. That is one reason why I stall board at night for the winter months so that I don't have to worry about turnout too soon.                                      

povertyhorse,shawn and Rfboyer- thanks for the tips on doing lots of circles,turns and serpentines with my mare to get her to respond to me better. It works. I'm also going to try a full cheek snaffle bit as right now I am using a D ring. I do notice though that when I lunge for 15 and do the other things for 15, then she is much more responsive and I fell safer.

I hope to get in a good ride tomorrow.

Have a good rest of the weekend,folks.   PJ

Hi PJ, yes those are 2 of my horses in the sig, mother and daughter.  Thanks for asking!

I have a couple of greenies and I have found that lunging first really helps.  Not to wear them down (they're Arabs...they DON'T wear down), but it gets them listening to me.  When they can walk, trot, canter both directions off my voice, then I am ready to ride.  I like the circling thing, too.  When they want to charge off we are doing lots and lots of small circles.  And I do think it helps to teach the one rein stop, just pick up one rein, hold it to your hip and hold until they stop.  No other cues, no leg, nothing.  they figure it out.  Pretty soon when you pick up that rein they are listening. 

RE: winter riding and turn out.  I keep mine out as long as the weather is good, cold or not.  During snow, wind or rain, I bring in the ones that do not have a shelter.  The ones in the field with a shelter I leave out all the time.  If I am riding in very cold weather, I try not to work so hard that they are sweating.  then cool down is not such an issue. 

My mare puts out a very thick winter coat, even though we live is Southern California.  I find if I clip her in what is called a *Trace Clip*, she does much better.  You just draw a line about midline from top to bottom of her barrel and clip everything below that line, all the way around.  So she looks like she is fuzzy on top and slick below.  If it rains, she's still protected by her furry winter coat above, but the amount of coat she doesn't have below helps her to keep cooler when we ride.  I'd post pics, but I can't figure out how to to do that yet!  If someone knows how, please let me know, k?

When we lived in Panguitch Utah, we left our horses out 24/7, all year.  We just added oat hay to the alfalfa/grass mix they got.  The town is in a valley at almost 7,000 foot altitude and it got really cold in the winter.  We saw 34 degrees below zero one winter night!  BRRRRRRRR!  It's the food and the way they digest it that keeps them warm.

 Bri's Mom

PJKam:

Shawn, I am having problems with my mare now. I find that if I don't ride her for a few days, she tends to fight against the bit. I have been using a smooth D ring snaffle for two years now with a caveson. I will admit that I am tough on the reins as I always feel that she is going to run away with me if I'm not. What whould you suggest I use? Is the rubber mouthed snaffle something to consider? Experienced people, HELP!!

Hi PJKam.  I'm assuming your mare is already well trained, and just being a handful when she's fresh.  I really like a tom thumb pelham in this situation.  They have a straight mouthpiece (called a mullen mouth) and are available in a rubber mouth as well as metal.  I personally wouldn't go to a rubber mouth snaffle, because if you are already worrying about her taking off with you it will just give you less control than ever.  The nice thing about a mild pelham, in my opinion, is that you can be soft with your snaffle rein as long as she cooperates, but if she needs a little more reminding about whoa, you can pick up the curb bit and gently remind her that she needs to listen.  IMO that sure beats having to be rough with a snaffle in order to control her.  As with any new bit, give her a few rides to get accustomed to it before deciding if it's helping or not.  And if she's never worn a curb chain, adjust it loosely at first then tighter.  You should be able to slip 2 or three fingers under it, or better yet, look at the angle the bars of the bit make with her mouth.  Ideally, the curb chain should be touching her chin when the bars are at about a 45degree angle.  If you've never used two reins before, it will take a bit of practice, but when I was a kid (back in the 1950's - way back in the dark ages LOL) most of us learned to do it sooner or later.  Pelhams were used a lot back then, and I've always thought it odd that they fell out of fashion for so long.  Oh, one other thing, it seems like most of the pelhams you'll see have jointed mouthpieces like a snaffle. DON'T get one of those, get one with a solid mouthpiece.  Otherwise, the slightest unevenness in your reins (and we all have that happen, I don't care how good we are we're not perfect as riders), anyway, the slightest unevenness in your reins and they will act like a nutcracker on your horse's mouth and chin.  NOT what we're aiming for.  The snaffle rein should go around your little fingers, and the curb between your pinkies and ring fingers.  Adjust them so the snaffle gives you contact and the curb has a couple inches of slack.  If you need the curb action, just let the snaffle slide through your fingers slightly until you have a feel of the curb too.   I've had very good luck with this type of bit, especially now that I've developed pretty bad arthritis in my right hand.  I CAN'T ride a horse I have to be real strong with my hands on anymore.  Fortunately, this bit means I don't have to.  I can be soft, but still have authority.

You didn't say anything about your facilities (or else I missed it) but I assume you're giving her as much turnout as circumstances allow.  You might try lunging her before mounting - done right it will both take a little edge off her energy and get her paying attention to you before you put a foot in the stirrup.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Marym43

bassclef54:

Anyone out there in 50-plus land know of any adult-oriented horse camps?  I'd like to spend 3-5 days at a Western-oriented camp this spring/summer but am having a hard time coming up w/any thru web searches.

Thanks,

Mary 

Mary, I went to a dude ranch in WY 2 summers ago that was just fantastic.  I don't know exactly what you want in a horse camp, but check out the Bitterroot Ranch, outside of Dubois WY.  Their riding is the focus of their offerings, with trail riding every day over some of the most beautiful terrain I've ever seen.  Most of their stock is ranch raised and all of it well trained.  The week I was there there were guests from 63 years old with 53 years experience (that was me) down to a family with a 5 and a 7 year old who had never ridden at all.  And several Dad's whose kids and/or wife rode but they didn't.  The ranch did a great job of fitting the right horse to the right rider.  And they held lessons on Tues and Thurs, no extra charge.  Even the people who were total beginners were doing great by Sat if they rode every day!  Rides went out in the morning and in the afternoon after lunch, and if you weren't fit enough to do both, you could hang around the ranch house with a group of people who were just as horse crazy as you.  All kind of backgrounds were represented.   On Fri we did (or attempted) Team Sorting - which is sort of cutting calves out of the herd, using a team of three.  What a hoot, especially for a girl who grew up in Washington DC and had no contact with cattle. 

The accomodations are rustic, but very comforatble, and the food was fabulous.  Nothing fancy, but everything prepared just so, with fresh tasty healthy ingredients.  Made it so much easier than usual for me to eat the way I should.

I had a great time, as you can probably tell, and I think you would too, no matter your level of riding.  Even though there were kids as well as adults, the focus is just on giving everyone a great riding experience. Their website is www.bitterrootranch.com and gives a very good take on the experience.

Best of luck, Marym43 

Like Brianna's Mom said, a trace clip can be a big help when they have a heavy winter coat.  I grew up riding in the VA suburbs of Washington DC, and a lot of the school horses got a trace clip.  They lived out at night in a 200 acre pasture and were brought in only when running lessons.  They way we did it was to leave the fur on their bellies, too.  Basically, clipped about a hand's width from mid chest to point of buttocks on each side, about where the traces in a harness would fall (hence the name).  Also, we clipped a narrow strip up the jugular groove on their necks to the throatlach area, and a narrow strip around the area on the flank where the hair changes directions.  (Hope I've made myself clear, it's a lot easier to demonstrate than to describe.)  The idea is to leave as much hair as possible for warmth, while removing just enough in the areas where they sweat the most to let them cool off more quickly.  (And also not to get so hot in the first place, like us unzipping a jacket if we start to sweat).  It didn't get below zero, but it froze at night all winter long, with sometimes rediculously warm temp's during the day.  The trace clips helped the horses stay healthy all winter long and without blankets.  In a colder climate, blankets would be good.  Leaving the belly hair on gives them protection where the blanket won't.  And when they stand tail to the wind, they've still got 95% of their natural protection.

MaryM43

Be sure to check out the advertisements in Sunset Magizine too!  They always have some good ones.

I wonder if a trace clip would help my fuzzball (the dark bay in my sig)?  She already has a heavy coat. I lunged her yesterday, not hard, a short canter with walk/trot and she was soaked in the chest and belly. It was an easy workout for her. She will also be wet under the saddle when I ride. She's out 24/7 with stall doors open to a bank barn. I hate to blanket her. Last winter was tough. I have a wool cooler for her but it took ages to dry her out.

Being responsible for these wonderful animals is quite a worrying proposition, isn't it?