The Horse Lovers'' Thread!!!

[Irishgrrrl]

Dragonfly~

I would check www.statelinetack.com. They have some "starter kits" which include a saddle, bridle, girth, etc. and I think they're pretty inexpensive. Of course, the saddle may or may not properly fit your horse when you order them. But, as long as the saddle has wool flocking and the tree is reasonably close to the right size for your critter, you should be able to have a saddler adjust the flocking to fit correctly. My first saddle was from one of those kits. I bought it about 20 years ago, and I STILL HAVE IT!!!

I recently ordered a Smith-Worthington Beaufort EC, which I had custom-fitted to Red. It's taking FOR-EV-ER to get here, though. My saddle fitter placed the order on VALENTINE'S DAY!!! She said they first had trouble getting the right size tree, and then they had trouble finding the right kind of leather. But, supposedly they have it all under control now, and it should be here soon.

ETA: Oh, or you could check Mary's Tack & Feed at www.marystack.com. That's where Wishful works! LOL!

 

[dragonfly411]

Irish
I got one of those once and HATED IT lol. Didn''t fit ANY horse I put it on, threw me way back with my legs in a chair position, no thanks. LMAO sorry. I am looking out with them for reasonable stuff, but not the starter kits ever ever again

 

[lucyloo]

Lorelei, Dragonfly411 and Irishgrrl

Thank you all for your kind words. I was trying to add pics to the thread as requested. I am not very good at pics and DH had to help with the sizing to get them to post!

The chestnut''s name is Sugar, she looks so much like Red. You don''t realize how few pics you have until you start looking for some to post. Guess I better get busy taking some this summer. I remember Lorelei''s thread and wanted to post to that this winter but the few pics I had at the time were unclear. The girls had their winter blankies on and were not in focus.

Someone mentioned massage therapy and I cannot tell you how much my horses have benefited from this. I would like to learn as well, but for now content to pay the massage therapist.

Lady does look like Jasmine! I so admire thoroughbreds, arabians and other disciplines, but for now I am just happy to trail ride.

MORE PICS PLEASE!!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/5/2008 10:35:28 PM
Author: lucyloo
Lorelei, Dragonfly411 and Irishgrrl

Thank you all for your kind words. I was trying to add pics to the thread as requested. I am not very good at pics and DH had to help with the sizing to get them to post!

The chestnut''s name is Sugar, she looks so much like Red. You don''t realize how few pics you have until you start looking for some to post. Guess I better get busy taking some this summer. I remember Lorelei''s thread and wanted to post to that this winter but the few pics I had at the time were unclear. The girls had their winter blankies on and were not in focus.

Someone mentioned massage therapy and I cannot tell you how much my horses have benefited from this. I would like to learn as well, but for now content to pay the massage therapist.

Lady does look like Jasmine! I so admire thoroughbreds, arabians and other disciplines, but for now I am just happy to trail ride.

MORE PICS PLEASE!!

LOL! I promise I will take some and post them, but please excuse her hogged mane, mind you, I did a pretty good job without clippers!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/5/2008 5:26:47 PM
Author: dragonfly411
Irish
I got one of those once and HATED IT lol. Didn''t fit ANY horse I put it on, threw me way back with my legs in a chair position, no thanks. LMAO sorry. I am looking out with them for reasonable stuff, but not the starter kits ever ever again

LOL! Yeah, I know what you mean . . . they aren''t always the greatest quality!

My only real complaint about my "kit saddle" is that the panels are ROCK HARD! I didn''t realize how hard they were until I started looking for my new saddle. I felt the panels on the demo saddles my saddle fitter brought for me to look at, and I was like WOW!!!

Maybe you could find a saddle you like, that''s relatively inexpensive, and see if the tack shop would give you a discount if you buy all the fittings and matching bridle at the same time? I believe some of them do that. I would definitely ask . . . the worst that can happen is that they say "no."

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/6/2008 9:53:38 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/6/2008 10:08:24 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 9:53:38 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

Oh, we''ll get you my pretty . . . and your little eyelash bunny too! Mwaaaa hahahahaha!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/6/2008 10:12:02 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/6/2008 10:08:24 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 9:53:38 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

Oh, we''ll get you my pretty . . . and your little eyelash bunny too! Mwaaaa hahahahaha!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/6/2008 10:18:43 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 10:12:02 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/6/2008 10:08:24 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 9:53:38 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

Oh, we''ll get you my pretty . . . and your little eyelash bunny too! Mwaaaa hahahahaha!

Oh, you can run, but you can''t hide! We''ll send Coatie''s thieving bunny after you if we have to!

 

[wishful]

Date: 8/5/2008 2:36:29 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Dragonfly~



ETA: Oh, or you could check Mary's Tack & Feed at www.marystack.com. That's where Wishful works! LOL!

Aww thanks Irishgirrrl.
Dragonfly - we're always happy to help and I think as far as the breeches we certainly have some things that would fit your needs.
Not sure what your price range is on the saddles but you never know.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/6/2008 10:33:18 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/6/2008 10:18:43 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 10:12:02 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/6/2008 10:08:24 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 9:53:38 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

Oh, we''ll get you my pretty . . . and your little eyelash bunny too! Mwaaaa hahahahaha!

Oh, you can run, but you can''t hide! We''ll send Coatie''s thieving bunny after you if we have to!

AAAGH!!! Anything but that sticky fingered wabbit!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/6/2008 11:14:14 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 10:33:18 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/6/2008 10:18:43 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 10:12:02 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/6/2008 10:08:24 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/6/2008 9:53:38 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Lucyloo, Sugar is a great name for her! She looks like a Sugar!

And way to get on Lorelei about the pics . . . maybe if we all gang up on her, we''ll get some more pics soon!!!

Oh, we''ll get you my pretty . . . and your little eyelash bunny too! Mwaaaa hahahahaha!

Oh, you can run, but you can''t hide! We''ll send Coatie''s thieving bunny after you if we have to!

AAAGH!!! Anything but that sticky fingered wabbit!

Hehehe . . . he''s our secret weapon! LOL!

 

[wishful]

Ok! finally I got our graphic designer to stop doing actual work (geeeesh! hello!!!) and scan some of my old horse pictures!

This one is of the first horse I leased. She was an Arabian mare...and totally 100% blind.
One eye she lost in an accident at the age of three and the other eye she slowly went blind in over time due to a cateract.

She was FUN! Loved to run (as you can see)

 

[wishful]

Here is the horse I actually owned. Her name was Driftwoods Tishra and she was a half Arabian mare. The other half was Saddlebred so she was also registered as a National Show Horse.
This was at a local competition in Massachusetts.

 

[wishful]

This one is of me and Tish again, bareback this time for a Sit-a-Buck class (which we did not even come close to winning by the way - just try and sit to her trot! Ya right!

)

 

[wishful]

Here we are having a canter out in the large grass pasture at my college barn. I decided to let her tail down for most of these photos because a few days later I chopped it off. I thought after so many years of competing and having to have it tied up she deserved to have her nice long tail back.

 

[wishful]

Another shot of us just standing. (tail tied up)

 

[wishful]

Tish closeup headshot in her show bridle (which when I got it was my entire Christmas present..the whole thing...taken apart my my mother and individually wrapped in seperate packages -akkkkk - took me forever to put that thing back together! lol)

 

[wishful]

Ok last one! This is her turned out. And if you check out her be-hind...you can catch a glimpse of her Pinto coloring.
Yep she was actually born chestnut and white. The chestnut (as in a lot of arabians) faded out over the years from a dark grey to white so by the time I got her she was basically white with a few more dapply patches.
She looked reeeeeally interesting when she was wet.

 

[lucyloo]

I LOVE the photos Wishful thank you so much! Tish is gorgeous. Looks like you have a lot of fun together. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Oh, Wishful, they''re both BEAUTIFUL!!!

Thanks for posting the pics!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Anyone watching the Olympics? I''m currently watching the show jumping qualifier online. Will Simpson from the US just had an AMAZING clear round on his horse, Carlsson Vom Dach. That horse just FLEW over those fences!!!

I''m anxiously waiting to see Beezie Madden ride . . . she''s one of my faves!

 

[wishful]

oops. haven''t seen any showjumping yet.
I watched the dressage last night. Not too good for the USA and I was really surprised Anky didn''t do as well. I really thought she''d come out and nail it.
And what happened to the horse Isabel Werth won the World Cup with? Warum Nicht?
I liked her horse last night but Warum Nicht was AMAZING!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/15/2008 12:54:57 PM
Author: wishful
oops. haven't seen any showjumping yet.
I watched the dressage last night. Not too good for the USA and I was really surprised Anky didn't do as well. I really thought she'd come out and nail it.
And what happened to the horse Isabel Werth won the World Cup with? Warum Nicht?
I liked her horse last night but Warum Nicht was AMAZING!

Wishful, I really wanted to watch Debbie McD and Brentina, but I missed it! I heard they didn't do so well either??? What happened?!?!

ETA: After I posted above, I did get to see Beezie and Authentic. Fast and clean, as usual!

 

[dragonfly411]

I''ll be honest, I lost heart after the eventing. It''s my favorite event, and seeing Karen pull up

Good news !!! My friend gave me her old hunt saddle. This will be great for me to train my boy with until I''m ready for the show!!! It was very generous of her. She doesn''t ride anymore, and had no need for it. Yay!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/15/2008 2:22:48 PM
Author: dragonfly411
I'll be honest, I lost heart after the eventing. It's my favorite event, and seeing Karen pull up

Good news !!! My friend gave me her old hunt saddle. This will be great for me to train my boy with until I'm ready for the show!!! It was very generous of her. She doesn't ride anymore, and had no need for it. Yay!

WHAT?!?! Karen pulled up??? What did I miss?!?!

I really like her . . . their farm is relatively close to where I live, so they're pretty prominent in my area. I was absolutely HEARTBROKEN when Teddy died!

Congrats on the new hunt saddle! What kind is it? Hope you love it!

 

[wishful]

Date: 8/15/2008 1:56:51 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 8/15/2008 12:54:57 PM
Author: wishful
oops. haven't seen any showjumping yet.
I watched the dressage last night. Not too good for the USA and I was really surprised Anky didn't do as well. I really thought she'd come out and nail it.
And what happened to the horse Isabel Werth won the World Cup with? Warum Nicht?
I liked her horse last night but Warum Nicht was AMAZING!

Wishful, I really wanted to watch Debbie McD and Brentina, but I missed it! I heard they didn't do so well either??? What happened?!?!

ETA: After I posted above, I did get to see Beezie and Authentic. Fast and clean, as usual!

Yeah Brentina just seemed stiff. She didn't have very much reach or brilliance in the front.
I was watching her do some of the Passage work and it just didn't have that usual spring.
The all of a sudden I was like "OH there's a better Passage!" (they were showing it head on) but it turns out that was her doing extended trot. oops.. that's when I kinda went "ohhh....this is not a good ride."

Courtney Kings horse was beautiful but the judges just didn't give her the marks. Maybe she's not "big enough" yet.
Steffen had a nice ride but he only got 70 and he needed to get a 73 for the US to get Bronze. Not even close.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Wishful, I did get to see Courtney King ride and WOW! I thought she did an excellent job! I think her score was in the low 70s, right? Not bad at all, but I agree that she probably deserved better.

 

[wishful]

Date: 8/15/2008 3:01:07 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Wishful, I did get to see Courtney King ride and WOW! I thought she did an excellent job! I think her score was in the low 70s, right? Not bad at all, but I agree that she probably deserved better.

Yeah both she and Steffen got 70.4 (both qualifying to go for individual medals) where as Brentina only got a 63. (ouch) I guess in the article I read Debbie said Brentina was spooking at something outside the ring which basically messed up the whole ride.
I wish I could see a video of it...where did you see the video of Courtney Kings ride?
I''ll have to check NBC website....