Stallions, stallions, everywhere!
Dec 07 2007
Just falling from the sky! Does no one know how to geld a horse anymore (or spell? Why do those things ALWAYS go together?)
“GORGEOUS STALLIOM. Magic has no foals on the ground. (Thank you, Jesus!) He is a sweet tempered stallion. I plan to breed him to my mare next year. (No! No! No!) He is curently in a pasture with a 3 year old pinto pony stallion. (Since I don’t believe in castration) He is up to date on all shots. He will be getting trained to ride next year also. (oooh, at age 8, you think he’s ready?) He is a handsome boy he loves people and thinks he his a big pupy dog because he follws me around.” (Every horse I have follows me around. That is what happens when you feed them. It is not a talent on a par with, say, winning the QH Congress or jumping 3’6.)
Bleah! This critter is a 7 year old unbroke 14 hand still-downhill piece of shit with an awful shoulder, a worse neck, no muscular development, and his knees point outwards. The only good thing I can say is he’s very shiny. And if she thinks HE is “gorgeous,” I shudder to think what her mare looks like!
All right, on to the next “stallion prospect”…
“Junier is a beautiful hahlinger Arib (WTF?)cross he is big for his age and big boned he is very sweet and easy to work with. Junier is almost as tall as his mom at 7 month old (as you can see since obviously weaning is a foreign concept to us) and is big bodyed so I am not sure how big he will get he is seen in the pictures with his mom the Haflinger and his half brother who is 3 the paint. The mom is 14 hands and the paint is about 15 hands. Junier was imprinted as a new born and picks up his feet, leads, stands to be brushed, lets you mess with his ears eyes and mouth and has the Haflinger temperment they are very willing workers and learn easy. (Certainly better than I do!) He is a beautiful bay coler with unusual grey legs and a frosted looking mane and tail. He will be good for vertualy anything and comes from great wagon stock. (As in chuck wagon? Wasn’t there a dog food called that?) Please fell free to contact me with any questions. (I have a question. Why isn’t he gelded?) “
Here’s a GREAT ad. This person needs to fly to America immediately…so I can smack them upside their stupid head.
“Mini Mares and xWelsh Mares BUY 1 GET A STALLION/COLT FREE(HALFWAY BETWEEN LITHGOW & MUDGEE 2HRS SYDENY) on 13-Nov-07 06:17 PM AEST To reply to this advertisement email pjkandme@bigpond.com.
Have lots of Mares to sell and stallions/colts to give away with each mare you buy you get a stallion or colt for free you pick as long as stock lasts. Most Palouse breed a lot with colour. PRICES FROM $500 to $800. Photos can be sent just arsk. PERMITS can be obtained to move ponys now.”
Buy one, get one free! While supplies last! No limit per customer!
*headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk*
“Both parents are appaloosa.He turned out solid w/white star on face & white stockings.This is a truley sweet colt w/excellent temperment.He will let you do anything with him…we wormed him without a halter on & he’ll let my 7 year old pick up all 4 feet & tap on bottom.We also take visa/mastercard.Approx.12 hands.Why buy a pony for your kids when you can find a horse that will last them a life-time as calm as he is!”
OF COURSE HE’S CALM! HE’S STARVING AS IS EVERYTHING ELSE IN YOUR PICTURES! That’s why he’s TWELVE HANDS as a TWO YEAR OLD! Holy shit, seriously, click and look at their ads, everything that’s off its mother looks like it’s starving to death. Are you blind? How can you post these pictures and not realize something is wrong???
GAH! Must stop looking at ads before bedtime. Am now going to have nightmares! “MUST SELL!!!!! GRULLA Leopard stud colt, very pretty and well bred. Kash has great conformation, breeding and disposition. He is easy to catch and handle and has very nice manners, he is played with daily. Very good bloodlines that can be seen on my website. He moves very nice. sweet. loves people. utd on shots, and worming. great for vet and farrier. no trades, no payments. paypal accepted. more horses for sale. ”
OMG seriously, what is this? The front pasterns alone! Not to mention the shoulder and the post legs and the pot belly and the itsy feet…I am nearly rendered speechless!
OK, now I’m going to be politically incorrect (I know you are all stunned and shocked). We’ve discussed before that there can be appropriately sized/conformed horses for larger riders, but I’m gonna say it…there’s a point at which you are just too damn big to ride and that point is in the video below. Holy shit, I can’t believe the horse tolerated it as long as he did!
GET OFF THE GODDAMN HORSE AND GO TO THE BROOKHAVEN OBESITY CLINIC RIGHT NOW!
On other matters…stop trying to finish your barely 2 year old for reining! Way, way, WAY too hard on him! You’re going to blow out his legs by five at this rate.
OK I’m off to bed to have nightmares about the leopard spotted yak reproducing…
251 comments to “Stallions, stallions, everywhere!”
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Trini said…
To put it delicately, I’m built like a brick shithouse.
Dang, that was funny. I shall adopt that phrase for myself. I have had to be extremely careful about what horses I ride, although I am at a more manageable weight at the moment. I want to get skinny just so I can stop worrying and/or feeling guilty about it. Plus, I’ve always been scared to death somebody would say, “Yeah… shouldn’t that horse be riding you?”
Horsepoor–do you mean 16.2 and 14.2? 16.5 would technically be 17.1, and 14.5 would be 15.1. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
As for stallions–how early should one geld them? One of my vets claims research has shown you should wait until the horse is at least two before gelding for proper growth and development. But then–I think she’s insane at least 90% of the time (an awfully good equine dentist, however). People here talk about gelding a colt at 6-7 months. Personally, I cannot stand being around stallions–they scare the snot out of me and I never, ever want anything to do with one (although I am glad that other people are willing to deal with them). How early is too early? I know how to tell how late is late enough–when they chew you up and spit you out is probably a good indication. I don’t know why I’m asking the question, since I have sworn off all baby equines (I still have my 19 month old and my 3.5 year old to raise–I personally can’t wait until both of them are over 8. I am truly awful with baby horses and am sick of spending gazillions of dollars getting them trained, so I keep telling myself… NO MORE buying of the young uns!).
dontyouridenofuglyhorses,
i couldnt agree with you more. ive said it before and ill say it again
“two year old futurities were the finally nail in the coffin that killed horsemanship.”…../sigh
Whoever owns the horse that allowed that woman to ride it really needs a couple of knocks upside their head!!
I’m a big girl myself (5’7, 250… used to be 300+) and I ride a 15.1 Arab (stocky Polish/Crabbet bred). I took the time with him, though, to get him into condition. I still don’t trot on him as my balance and ability to match his odd rhythm aren’t up to it yet (and I had to wait for the super-mega-ultra power bra to be custom made for me). He has yet to show any signs of soreness or dislike for being ridden either bareback or saddled (after 4 years of ownership, 1 of regular riding). I also put in a lot of research into saddle fit to make sure I got him the best fitting saddle possible b/c of my weight (as in, I was aware enough to know that even the smallest inconsistency in fit would be magnified by my weight). What I have now is a horse that enjoys being ridden and is more excited heading OUT on a trail ride than he is coming home!
Kay! I have seen 400# women at water aerobics. One 400 pounder had recently lost 175# due to gastric by pass!!! Oh the sagging skin!!!! The poor woman had huge cantaloupes of skin hanging from where her biceps should have been…. Yet she said when she lost another 75# she was going to buy herself a motorcycle. I was quite proud of her. Proud that she was trying to take charge of her health and proud that even at 400# she was trying to get out and move and get more fit. I promise you no matter what you weigh there will be someone at water aerobics in a bathing suit that is bigger than you are!
I unfortunately have the best diet in the world. I am allergic to soy, its by products, coconut, strawberries, and shellfish (aka iodine it contains). So I have to eat all natural, unprocessed foods. 95% of processed foods have soy in them. I have to read all labels and if it doesn’t have one I don’t even try to eat it.
Since finding this out I have lost a few pounds!
PS. it means no chocolate either darnit!!!
I think the reason people have so much trouble with hands as a unit of measure is the decimal point. if you look at feet and inches, you type that a person is 5’6… not 5.6, and its generally known that saying “five-six” does not mean 6/10ths, but six inches. the decimal point is what throws people using hands, I think. And really, you rarely see anything above x.5 – I take that to mean people thinking “fifteen and a half hands” and using .5 instead of thinking “half a hand is two inches, so the horse is 15.2 hh”
it all goes back to education.
< < A nice stallion makes an AWESOME gelding! >>
AMEN! I’m happy to report that I got a new stallion on Wednesday, and happier to report that he became a new gelding on Thursday.
There’s nothing “wrong” with him–incredible pedigree, good conformation, nice disposition. But, there’s also nothing so outstanding about him that he needs to be reproducing.
I give a lot of credit to his now-former owner, for recognizing that although she has the skills, she does not have the time to work with him. And for making me an incredible offer to take him and “make something of him”.
I’m picking my new GELDING up from the hospital tonight, and looking forward to spending the weekend getting to know him…
dontyouridenofuglyhorse, I have stories that would curl your hair or make you cry… or both. It’s about as happy-shiny and righteous as a snuff film casted with hillbillies. No thank you, not any more. Not for me, anyway.
When I die I know I do not want to come back as a reiner. I’d like to come back as a halter horse. No saddles in my horizon and all the bon bons I could eat. The bigger my butt the better they’d like me. (I could do a neck sweat and a hot walker standing on my head.)
dawn!
chocolate chips for you:
http://www.allergygrocery.com/
Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&
Product_Code=1187&Category_Code=
Choc-Chips-Raisins&Product_Count=5
and they’re tasty, too. there are other brands available with similar ingredients. there’s no reason to live achocolate-free life!
Looking at that lady has done one thing for me today. I just boiled some eggs and made a chef salad for lunch. Instead of just grabbing some fast food when I went out to get a few groceries. It may not be much but for at least one meal I behaved myself. LOL
fugly appy “stallion” prospect owner has website with mult ugly stallions & grade mares.
http://www.wildwebranchers.com/dundreaminforsale.htm
If you can’t reach the stirrup to get on, you shouldn’t be getting on in the first place.
Well now, that’s a bit harsh. How many 12 year olds wouldn’t be able to get on their monster warmbloods?
I get your point though.
barnibus, am I understanding that you think a draft horse is so bent under its own weight that it can’t support ANY rider? ‘Cause, ummmm, bullshit.
Many older drafts haven’t got the muscle distribution built up to be ridden hard and need conditioning…and yeah, they aren’t going to be as lithe and agile around a jumper course….and no, they won’t be good endurance prospects no matter HOW well-conditioned due to that “cold-blood” metabolism…you’d have to pack in a couple of bales for a 100-mile ride.
But to say that they are incapable of carrying riders? Nope. THey do just fine.
I do agree that just because a draft weighs 2100lbs, you can’t stick a 400lb obesity patient on them. You almost need to be MORE flexible and balanced to ride a full draft…between the sheer width of the back, the hefting of a saddle to that 17hh height and the interesting variety of carriage gaits…not exactly the ideal mount for most people.
Illiterate fools who refuse to learn to use dictionaries (or have no clue how to use them) or, at least, the spellcheck built into their browsers/word processing programs, ought never to be permitted to own a horse or a cat or a dog or a bird or a gerbil.
Why? Because people who don’t bother to learn reading and writing and who stumble through life without those basic living skills, obviously are not going to work for a living. They are going to be living off the dole and off whatever pittance they can make breeding and selling these fugly, crippled, horrible horses.
They clearly can’t afford hay in some cases, or, judging from the swollen bellies, de-wormer or decent teeth floating (or hoof trimming or vitimins or … much of anything that is good for the horse.)
There ought to be an IQ requirement before anyone is permitted to own, let alone breed, a living creature.
As someone who set out to lose 75 pounds over the past two years (and succeeded) so that my horses would be more comfortable and I’d be in better physical shape to work with and ride them, I don’t understand what the big deal is.
Cut portions. Eat many very small meals during the day so that you never get too hungry. Avoid midnight snacks. Eat organic and much more grain, fruit and vegetables than meat.
I went from 225 pounds to 150, and I am still losing. I didn’t step on the scale this morning, but my jeans are VERY loose — so it’s time for another size down.
Anyone who refuses to lose weight who does not have some hormonal problem to account for it is NOT doing his/her horse any favors and ought to give the poor creature a break.
“When I die I know I do not want to come back as a reiner. I’d like to come back as a halter horse.”
Amen to that!! I have riders and halter horses both and we all joke that the riders want to know what they did wrong!
tierra said…
Horsepoor–do you mean 16.2 and 14.2? 16.5 would technically be 17.1, and 14.5 would be 15.1. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
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It’s always been my understanding that a hand = 4 inches so 16.5h would 66 inches from withers to ground.
The nicest thing I can say about the first stallion is that he is shiny; that is his only asset!! I’m still laughing over the “hahlinger Arib.” A new breed -Halingerarib!
Gawd, I’ve gone and confused myself now. I’ve got to study this hand thing. LOL
Ouch for the poor paint! I usually feel compelled to defend pudgy riders but when your thighs are so large that your calves cannot make contact with your horse’s sides it’s time to admit you’re too heavy to be on a horse.
Ok, I was typing the measurement like I would say it. 16 and a half hands and 14 and a half hands. You’re right Tierra. Duh. I’m measuring them tonight too. LOL
I’m no shrinking violet…but damn. If your rolls get stuck on your saddle horn, that is indeed a sign to either quit riding or get your ass on a diet. I cheered when she fell off!!
Hey here’s a thought. Perhaps do a story on geldings that would have been breeding quality stallions, but were gelded instead. I’ve had numerous people come up to me and shake their head sorrowfully saying it’s a damn shame that my boy is a gelding. I wouldn’t have it any other way though.
That video was awful, but I must say, I have seen a woman larger than that (at least eyeballing from the grandstand I would say heavier) competing in cutting competitions. And winning. She rode very very well. BUT…. the horse probably weighed in around 1,300 to 1,400 lbs., a quite bulky QH that had a short back. He seemed able to handle her weight just fine. But that little lightweight Pinto! Poor thing.
as for horse size….I reccomend everyone read November’s Equus article about “bigger horses” and that since horses are supposed to be a ‘cube’ shape that horses that are ALOT taller and not necessarily larger tend to have more problems. It was well-written and easy to read. Also it is a time when conformation and fitness means alot. I weigh a few pounds over my horses 20% “ideal” but am working down…AND…I keep her in shape…she doesn’t stand in a stall 23 hours and get ridden hard for one. We do lots of long straight riding and less circle work. She is trained as a three dayer…and I won’t be jumping her until I am about 30# lighter….much to HER dismay. If we are cantering in the woods and she sees a down log she SIGHTS IT UP and gets so ‘stoked’ that I can hardly pull her down. LOL
and as for the Trail horse people….there are TONS of places that have ‘weight limits’ for riding their string of horses. They can adjust it if someone is a better rider. Many will have a limit like 220, but if you are an experienced rider and such they will let you go a bit higher. I was a few pounds over a FLorida riding place’s limit last winter but I was riding three days a week in lessons so my fitness made up for the extra few pounds and they didn’t flinch and were able to put me on their ‘hard to handle TB’ (he was a love)
dontyouridenofugly:
that player has made a choice to participate in an industry that pushes youngsters WAY too hard
I am sorry gaming folks, but if your horse has to be dragged into the arena by a helper, your horse is not happy about his job.
brrlracinapp:
I whole heartedly agree and it sickens me watching two year old futurity barrel horses. Barrel horses should not be asked to even lope a pattern until atleast 5yrs and should not be pushed to run untill 6 yrs.
We always followed the same ‘rule of thumb/train of thought’ with jumpers. Asking another local jumper person here I was told “Oh no, you can jump them at 3. It’s perfectly fine.”
Ummm, we don’t usually start riding until 3, so how would you be asking them to jump when still making sure all the most basic ‘controls’ are in place. Like go, stop, turn, give & bend.
We don’t start them over fences until at least 5 and all growing is completed. At least we know our horses have a better chance of competing over the course of several years then being a superstar whose lite burns out quickly.
Ok true confession time halter horse gals…. How many times have you been standing in the middle of the round pen working a horse with a neck sweat and thinking “someone needs to put ME in the round pen with a neck sweat and snap a whip behind MY butt!”
It has crossed my mind more than once.
WOW. That vid was really something. I’m not thin myself, and I want a nice big fat-assed Quarter horse to haul around my fat ass, not some little Arab/cross. I think I’ll print out a still from it and post it to my refrigerator.
As if the one-rein stop was the problem!
Haunani, I’m with you on the bra issue. Back when I was riding they weren’t making anything that would allow me and my 38DD’s to move in the same direction at the same time. I ended up using a 18hour Playtex bra with a sports bra over it. Wasn’t comfortable, but at least I wasn’t beating myself about the head with ‘em
AGAIN, there is nothing wrong with large people riding if they are strong and fit enough and the horse is the appropriate build to handle it. Large people can be physically strong and healthy. I had a woman come out to look at my QH mare and she had to have help getting out of the car and walking over to the round pen she was so obese and out of shape. She hadn’t sat a horse in 22 years. I was polite to her but I was very annoyed to be wasting my time with her when we were headed out to go trail riding. I told my husband if that happens again I’m not wasting my time with them. No frickin way I’m selling a 4 y/o to someone like that. Her husband even said to us in front of her that she has no business even trying to get on a horse until she loses alot of weight and gets in better shape. He wants her to get a retired pasture pet thinking it will get her out of the house and get her some exercise just walking it around, grooming it, etc. I thought “then why are y’all wasting my damn time?” LOL
Ok, I have seen a woman that large ride a 14.2/14.3 hand ARAB on a 2 hour poker ride. I should say part of a 2 hour poker ride, she was handwalking him when she came into camp, so who knows what happened. I always wondered how that horse survived until the next poker ride when she was there with another equally small arab type. I overheard her say that her other horse had heaves and that she couldn’t ride him anymore. I’m sure it had to do with the fact that he was packing half his body all over the state. My friend has a sister who is at least 350lbs who desperately wants to ride, so my friend has set a goal; you can’t ride either of my horses until you lose 100lbs. We’ll see if that happens.
As for the reiner, I do have a 2 yr old, who had 90 days on him before I bought him. Since I have gotten him home NO ONE has been on him. there is no forced exercise, just lots of maturing. I am lucky in that I have a trainer who takes her time and cares more about the horses than the ribbons, so there are some good reiners out there. Don’t think all of us work our horses to death.
As for stallions here is a pretty nice one…..
http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1138329
I always wanted to start a Grade ranch horse string with bad pasterns, anyone want to buy in?
Oh.. My.. God…
That leopard… ICK!! Ick!! Ick!!
You want to see a nice leopard, my mare is a nice leopard (she is only 3 , and still growing. Thus the slight downhill appearance)
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a305/far_north_equestrian/DialsLicoriceTwist2.jpg
She MIGHT one day be bred, MAYBE, after she has a good record at both breed shows and I have evented her a few seasons. And even then, only to a VERY nice stud.. Some people make me ill….
I have a two year old gelding and a two and a half year old filly. If ANYONE ever got on them and risked their spines, joints, ligaments and connective tissue the way I saw that idiot on the two-year-old palomino do, I’d shoot them.
That BABY won’t live as long or have as sound or healthy a life because of what that moron is doing.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE IMBECILES?
Luckyduck….that palomino needs an appointment with the vet soon!They list the reason for selling as “TOO MANY STUDS”, as if they don’t know that it is possible to have your horse gelded!!
BuffyB-05 said…
15.5? lmao. Horse Poor, I loved your comment earlier about Natural Hoof-care. I like to refer to that as someone who’s too fucking cheap to shoe their horse, but hell why not Natural Hoof-care?
December 7, 2007 10:09 AM
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Oh but man does the “natural hoofcare practitioner” have a racket going along with a boarding stable. I went to the website and some of the crap there was reeeedickalus. I don’t want none o’ dat Kool Aid Mr. Jones. LOL
Oh and we covered the hand thing. LOL I had a ignernt BYB moment.
Nagonmom said…
BehindtheBarn, I have been dreaming of taking reining lessons, but have worried it would be damaging to the horse, and have had one friend comment about that.
A horse can be hurt participating in any athletic event. Heck, some get hurt quite easily in a padded stall, for that matter.
Reining horses have become very specialized, just like halter, hunters, and speed horses. You have to be realistic if your horse has the structure for spins and deep stops. If you can’t say for sure, have a professional evaluate how your horse is built, and how he moves, and give you an honest opinion. That’s not to say some individuals can’t perform in spite of flaws, but you certainly need to be aware of big red flags.
Then, you’ll want to buy at least a full tank of gas, because you’ll probably have to drive that far to find a trainer that isn’t thumping on their horses outside of the show pen. And this is where you want to watch them – at their home training barn – where they are not accountable to anyone, no one is looking over their shoulder, and they can be “nasty as they wanna be”.
You might just casually wander in and watch to see if horses are being spurred so hard and so often their underlines are tense, circled so hard and so long they sound broken-winded, are they having their faces perpetually held around to the rider’s knee in their circles, spun over and over and over without any break or reward whatsoever, and fenced into a state of misery. Look for tail wringing, if they’re using leg protection, obvious spur marks, and horses that look intimidated and lifeless. If you see any of that typical shit, turn around and walk away, because it isn’t going to get any prettier, and there’s nothing a trainer can say to justify what amounts to abuse, and neither is winning (and being abusive), for that matter.
You may have to look for quite some time to find a trainer that is talented and kind. There are plenty of trainers that can get a horse to run the patterns pretty, but it’s a lot like making hot dogs: you really don’t want to know what goes into making them. If you knew, you wouldn’t like it.
Go to the shows, watch the riders, watch the trainers, and look for someone with talent and patience. They’re usually the ones that make it look easy, because they’ll get a lot from their horse with very little effort, their horses seem happy, and usually have a better chance of staying sound because they haven’t been ridden into the dirt.
Ultimately, use common sense. If you’re taking lessons or have a horse in training, and either one of you is becoming agitated and miserable, it’s time to back up and ask yourself if what you are doing is reasonable. Difficult is reasonable. Abuse and misery never is.
Sarcastabitch,
once again you miss the point blinded by your own hateful attitude towards the world, but its your “right” to be sarcastic and a bitch to each their own. its not my “thinking” or my “opinion”. i base what i say in SCIENTIFIC accepted and proven fact. the FACT is a draft horse is a POOR choice for carrying heavy riders. INFACT only a lighter rider should ride drafts, again putting EXCESS weight on already maxed out bones and joints only causes more stress on the animals body. *its a common misconception that draft horses are the right choice for a heavier/larger person*. science tells us otherwise. if your going to put a very heavy object ontop of another object that must move and remain BALANCED you put it on something like a flatbed which is BROAD, low to the ground vehical with essentially over sized tires. again you want the weight to SPREAD out of the greatest suface possible. the same thing applies to horses (yes its been proven by science) the majority of weight bearing/moving vehicals and devices that move along the ground.
the loinspan of a draft horse is no wider than that of your average TB COMPAIRATIVE the the rest of its body. but the loinspan (and hoof size) of a “sherman tank welsh cob” is HUGE compairative to the rest of its body. the this is why SHORT WIDE horses are superior weight carriers to drafts or warmbloods.
people get put off by a heavier rider on a SHORTER horse only because they think it looks funny! the larger rider on a draft horse is more “balanced looking” and is more appealing to the eye but actually a far worse combination. if the rider is heavy(exceeding 250lbs) the horse he/she is on should be SHORT/STOUT and WIDE not tall and heavy.
remember that the number of pounds often has little to do with wether or not a PERSON is “heavy” but in terms of a RIDER the number of pounds IS broken into catagory. a 250 pound person may be fit and rather lean but a 250 RIDER is catagorized as “heavy” because it is nearing the max weight for riding. the other thing to be taken into account is the leigth of the riders upper body in relation to the neck of the horse/pony. this is especially true of ponies, if your upper body is longer than the ponies neck its very difficult for the pony to remain balanced with you as a rider and the pony will seek to unseat you. this is why tall but skinny kids often get dumped by short, wide, shortnecked compact ponies =P
for the record that “little” 14-15 hand gypsy cobs that are now so popular in the US are also superior weight carriers. they have the massively broad loinspan needed to DISTRIBUTE the weight of a heavy load, the “brick shit house” build, the picnic table back and the massive wide draft horse feet. their bones have the upper weight limit capacity of a “full sized” draft horse but they themselves have the actual weight of a much smaller horse (under 1400lbs on average). for a “heavier” rider they are a perfect match! its very plausable that such GHs could likely carry upwards of 300 lbs with no long term effects (or short term) on their joints or bones. they are a very unique design of horse that may find a real “nich” with “heavier” riders on the US market.
That lady made my want to cry. That poor horse. I was hoping he’d ditch her… That was like me riding one of my Minis! *sigh* Even a non-horsey friend who watched it with me was appalled.
At 5’8″ and 230lbs, I’m no lghtweight, either. I have to use a mounting block (bad knees and back, plus I hate jacking with their backs like that…and I’m lazy.) But I don’t ride anymore.
I’m one of those that drive Minis now. If your cart is balanced correctly and the tires right for the footing, they can pull quite a bit. But I am careful where I drive to make sure my guy isn’t overtaxed. And that the harness fits right.
Horsepoor- we had a similar situation come up last year.
Client horse, palomino filly, just barely a 2 y/o. Her owner wanted her started under saddle and sold. We told her we would start her, but she would have minimal riding on her because of her age and too apparent, slow mental growth.
She listed the horse and had a reining trainer fly in from Calif. to look at her.
Damn the guy weighed over 400#, if he was an ounce. He had to struggle to get out of the car, and as he waddled his way down the driveway, he was wheezing before he made it even half way back to the driveway gates let alone out to the barn & arena.
My husband weighs more than he would like to, and felt undermounted when riding the filly, but politely saddled and longed the filly, got on her and showed them everything she knew.
Thankfully the guy had enough good sense NOT to get on her himself, but at his weight he is a health risk to himself.
If you are wheezing like that, there is something wrong. Folks don’t normally wheeze when standing still. He was so ginormous he couldn’t breathe properly. Doesn’t that tell you SOMETHING?
I also weigh more than I would like to, and my jumper mare and I are coming off a year of not showing. We are doing a lot of flat work to get her back in shape, as well as giving myself some time to shed some (to read more like 25-30) extra lbs. too, BEFORE I ask her to jump anything with my pudgy butt in the saddle.
At only 5’2″ I get comments all the time that “You’re so little, you don’t need to lose weight.”
To this I usually reply: “Sorry folks! You haven’t seen me naked either. I Have.”
Not going to be in any Victoria Secret catalogs, or TV ads even with my 34DD’s. And yes a good sports bra makes a lot of difference, but they still take on a mind of their own sometimes. Do they not ladies?
Ok true confession time halter horse gals
I will confess along with you…I get out in the arena and free lunge the halter horses during show season and I have often wondered “if I coat my fat ass in neat neck and alcohol and run around for 10 minutes with that sweat on, would I lose that extra 20 in a hurry?” My sisters and I have said jokingly for years that we’re trying it, it works for halter horses and boxers….lol
scapoose said…
“Hey here’s a thought. Perhaps do a story on geldings that would have been breeding quality stallions, but were gelded instead. “
Well in many opinions, that would be a very short story.
I am constantly reminded of Native Dancer’s handler, who said something along the lines of had he gelded every stallion he ever touched, he would have only made one mistake.
Not a direct quote, but often, often, often (as proven by this blog) TRUE.
buffyb-05 said:
“if I coat my fat ass in neat neck and alcohol and run around for 10 minutes with that sweat on, would I lose that extra 20 in a hurry?”
No, it’s only water weight. It’ll come right back. Aerobic exercise is still the best way to reduce fat and firm muscle. Unfortunately, it’s also harder than wearing a sauna suit. And I think it’s a crying shame, too, or I would live in one.
http://bridlepath.wordpress.com/2006/09/12/worlds-smallest-horse/#comment-30231
Check out this link. It makes me sick, that poor horse has no dignity and looks deformed. The man has it sitting on his knee for goodness sake. People will buy these animals as they are supposedly ‘cute’!!! Haven’t they heard of teddy bears???
http://tinyurl.com/ypxcon
http://tinyurl.com/26nfkj
Just a couple links for the weight ratio discussion.
That appaloosa yak looks more like a dog than a horse, I think… some sort of giant deformed Dalmation, maybe?
I don’t blame that paint for throwing that lady! I mean… I’m not the most graceful person when it comes to mounting up, but if you need help to get you leg over the horse’s butt… maybe you should hit the gym before trying again. Also, fitting your butt in the saddle is a good first step…
Nicola,
That mini wasn’t bred to be that small. It got the dwarf gene and they don’t intend to breed it because they know that a horse that small is bound to have serious medial issues (it was in either Horse and Rider or Equus magazine a while back).
All the halter horse people, I used one of those back supports for a while after a car accident. They fit well enough, are extremely adjustable, and they make you sweat. Not the most attractive thing, but I found jogging with my halter horses far better.
They got used to people running beside them for later halter classes and I was in fantastic shape by the end of the day. I was working working with 10-12 horses and jogging with 6-8 of them.
These were Arab halter horses where they want to see them trot, not QH’s doing that shuffling thing they do on those post legs.
The newbie horses you have to work into slowly. Move yourself closer to them when longing and walk faster until you are jogging small circles.
kuvaszfan said…
Here in the US, folks want to make excuses for everything and all and want a magic pill to fix it.
Most overweight people are overweight, because they eat too much, the wrong foods and exercise too little. Genetics can predispose you to struggle with weight, but it doesn’t open your mouth and shove food into it.
Yes, yes they are. I work at a pharmacy, and when that Alli stuff came out, we were beset by large housewives. I even had one come through the frickin’ drivethru and wanted me to go to the shelf for her to get her a box of it. I don’t think she grasped the irony of the situation.
I did find it interesting that not very many people came back for the next batch of fills. I guess the anal leakage just wasn’t worth it?
As for horse measuring, I know I’m 15.2, so I guestimate my horses height using my own as a measure
Serendipity, George Morris is notorious for his disdain for riders that don’t fit his ideal of tall, thin, and long-legged.
regal, most horse rental places post a weight limit and won’t accept riders over a certain weight. I once heard of a guy that lost a bunch of weight because he wanted to take the mule ride down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and when he first asked, they told him “NO way” because he was too fat.
Dawn, isn’t being allergic to soy a bitch? Last spring I had to go through the whole allergy testing routine due to chronic allergy-related sinus infections. It turned out that I am quite allergic to soy and am supposed to be eliminating it from my diet. As you said, soy is is *everything*! But, I have found a brand of chocolate chips (enjoylifefoods.com) that doesn’t contain soy.
dontyouridenofuglyhorse, you have tapped in to one of my fantasies. I always tell people that one of the things I would do if I won the lottery is hire a WWE veteran to come to my house every morning at 6 am, drag my sorry ass out of bed, and force me to exercise.
Interesting comments about the draft horse size not being appropriate for larger riders.
My draft-x is tall, but he’s also built very wide and low (which sounds like it should be impossible but it’s not – you’d have to see him). He is definitely built very similarly to my Fjords – who are my driving team. (Yes, I don’t drive one pony, I drive two – in a lighter buggy that my driving trainer sometimes worries that I’m not giving them *enough* weight to pull.)
Oh and he has these huge ass hoofs and strong muscled legs which also help.
Definitely built like a brick shit house.
Years ago I rode on the national circuit with a Morgan horse farm – a small farm run by a couple who wanted to start their own empire. Two stallions – one they bought, one they homebred. The outside one was far better quality but which one did they geld?
As for losing weight, stop eating after 5 or 6 pm. Honestly, it really works. The minute I gain a few pounds, I just do that and BINGO, it all comes off.
Here’s the best selection of industrial strength sports bras I’ve ever seen. They rate them with barbells – these are the 3+ bras:
http://tinyurl.com/2yxsk2
Enjoy!
“Phe said…
I did find it interesting that not very many people came back for the next batch of fills. I guess the anal leakage just wasn’t worth it?”
I took Orlistat (Alli) when it first came out as a prescription. I have always known it was ultimately up to me, I have to do the work…but I was always looking for something that would throw some switch in my brain and disrupt the incorrect thought process we use to excuse our diet habit. Whether you are fat or not, anyone who struggles with strong compulsive behaviors understands that concept.
On a low fat diet, the anal leakage was not a problem for me. But like everyone else I know who tried it, I thought, “Wow, every so often I can take one of these and eat a greasy cheeseburger/some meatlovers pizza with extra cheese/more potato chips for about half the fat…and you CAN, if you want to shit your pants. You THINK you’ll know it’s coming and be able to take evasive actions…but NO. You’ll THINK it was just a FART, but…NO.
And…Dawn…
“PS. it means no chocolate either darnit!!!”
Any sentence containing both “no” and “chocolate” on any sort of permanent level requires real profanity. (LOL)
CutNJump said… These were Arab halter horses where they want to see them trot, not QH’s doing that shuffling thing they do on those post legs.
My halter horses neither shuffle nor do they have “post legs” They also don’t have ginger shoved up their asses before a class to make their tail stand up or whatever the hell that’s for.
Show me the “two year old futurity barrel horses?” Futurity events are usually for 4 years or YOUNGER, yes, but whose 2 year old can compete with a 4 year old???
Oh man, those are just awful!
Oh, and the gray legs aren’t usual. Bay foals legs are born gray but then turn black later. Foals that will go gray generally have black legs. (if born bay, that is.) And folks, NO foal is born gray.
Im a chubby chick but heck I can still see my toes! I bet she hasnt seen her toes in years! Oh that poor frickin horse!
I cant mount from the ground. I have to use a three step block. I have short legs and my body has been abit abused over the years. Trying to get on to a 15.3 hand from the ground doesnt do it for me. Though my friend who’s an instructor did insist I learn to get on using a stone wall or stump if we go trail riding and should something happen. I ride in a dressage saddle and I almost need childrens leathers… and IM 5’5! I got all the body parts my older sisters didnt want… LOL
I wish some of these people would learn english. I have an engineering degree and we are notoriously known for being bad spellers but come on, that’s what spell check is for!
I did get my mini gelded at 8 months old. I dont think he missed them at all. He was running and chasing my dogs that afternoon afterwards and rolling around causing trouble. Didnt cost all that much either. Why dont people geld!
mulerider,
i think its a common misconception that George Morris has a “distain” or “dislike” of riders that dont fit THE IDEAL for equitation. he is a very blunt, to the point, doesnt beat around the bush kind of person. which personally i can appricate. lord knows theirs enough “say anything, do anything, never upset or say anything they dont like to hear” kind of trainers out their producing terrible riders out of shape and overweight that often also beat their horses back and mouths endlessly simply do to bad riding.
the fact is in the equiation classes the judged need to be able to see your BODY clearly and the better simpler outline your body makes the “prettier” it looks. like ballet, swimming and figure skating their is a very specific body type that lends to exaggerating the shape and movement of the body. those tall skinny riders dont have it as easy as one may think, if they slump just a tad it shows, are a tiny bit crooked it shows, are less than perfect in any way it shows! i myself have a unique problem in that i have very long slender legs but a short compact upper body and at 5’5″ 125lbs i am a 34DD(yes their real). so no matter what i LOOK top heavy! i often look like im slouching when im not and my arms are match my upper body by not my legs so my arms end up looking a bit to short. in other words in equiation i LOOK less than balanced and dont present a truly egant picture.
GM rants about fitness and i can understand why. overweight and out of shape riders are the thorn in many trainers sides “NO you cant have ANYOTHER walk break and ANOTHER slurpie/redbull/drpepper you just had a break ten minutes ago!” he doesnt think of riding as a hobby, its a SPORT to him and like all COACHES he needs his “team” at the unmost levels of fitness and health. i have the same approach with my students, i want them to be fit like in any other sport! but let me tell you from first hand experience parents can get mighty pissed when you send their out of shape kids to do laps around the arena on foot. of course if it were any other sport it would be required!
It’s just plain pathetic if you need a truck handy to get on a horse.I can mount all my horses with or without a saddle.
Here’s a good article about overweight riders and the size of horses.
http://tinyurl.com/yuggca
Its not political (pretty sure the horse didn’t get a vote on whether or not she got on) and you are totally correct! that makes me sick. People are stupid!
If available, I use a mounting stool or log or picnic table or whatever to mount simply out of consideration for my horse so I don’t yank on the spine and withers hauling my less than agile ass up there. I can mount from the ground but it’s easier on me and the horse when I use something.
Hm.
I’d just like to say, that although I do not commend it, the palomino’s legs may not be blown out at five.
My mother’s old horse was just about finished being trained as a reiner, and had started competing, at age 2.
He didn’t even begin to develop athritis (much less any other soundness issues), until his late 20′s.
My days of running up to my horse, grabbing a handful of mane and throwing a leg over bareback and galloping off are over. 20 years ago, sure, now no way. I shudder to think of the consequences of trying such a thing. LOL
hcit,
“Fat doesn’t weigh as much as muscle. Having a tubby tummy doesn’t tell you anything about weight. I’ll bet many overweight women don’t weigh as much as some taller, very muscular men.”
Very true, BUT.. Muscles will hold the weight steady, what kills the poor animal is shifting, unstable weight (and I don’t believe that woman could control shifting weight). Packers will pack a steady, even load much higher than an odd load. A packhorse that carries a shifting weight all day will be pretty sore, even if it’s under their weight limit.
I’ve “discovered” that if my horses start to be consistantly “off” while performing, I’d better get my butt to the gym.
Lilahkat,
like my comments about the unique smaller gypsy horses (which are just small drafties) the draft cross of the RIGHT cross can yeild a horse with the bone stucture and weight bearing capacity(body weight) of a full sized horse but have the actual weight of a much smaller horse. draft x morgans and draft x QHs often create superior “mini” drafts that have the ablity to accel as riding horses with no compromise to the joints or bones. but for some reason people get caught in TALL and BIGGER. when they should be targeting SHORT and WIDE. bigger does not mean stronger , it just means bigger. in the case of horses, short + thick = stronger(weight carrying). just because a draft horse can PULL a hell of a lot more than he weighs does not mean the ratio will be the same for a smaller horse. the horses ablity to PULL weight and CARRY weight is DIRECTLY a result of the horses conformation, density of bones and actual weight of the animal. the conformation needed for pulling heavy loads is very different than the confromation needed for carrying heavy loads. but for some reason many people can not grasp this concept are automaticly think BIGGER and TALLER =stronger. but the fact is “stronger” is a relative term! stronger in terms of what?weight pulling vs. weight bearing.
At last my search for my arapaloosa sport pony foundation stallion is over! That leopard appy fug is simply MAGNIFICENT!!!
(this is tongue in cheek sarcasm, ok?)
Makes sense. Duncan is a Percheron/Paint(QH)-x and he’s tall but his legs are quite stout (as is the rest of him) – it makes him look shorter than he actually is. People are often surprised that he’s 16’2 – but then we stick him and they’re – oh, wow. It’s an optical illusion, I suppose.
When I bought him, I specifically got him because he looked as though he would have no difficulty carrying me – I wasn’t looking for height necessarily either – I was looking for build. Nice big feet, sturdy legs, big barrel of a body.
If I decided to train my Fjords to saddle (Dazzy maybe this year) I wouldn’t be surprised if she could carry me – again – brick shithouse, also little powerhouse.
At the risk of being too late in my timing, I’ll post anyway
My comment/request way up there ^^ about refraining from rude weight comments: by no means was I trying to excuse or tiptoe around the abuse that was happening to the overo in the video. It was probably one of the most disturbing things I’ve seen on this blog, right up there with “Sonny,” the rearing and falling-onto-the-fence horse surrounded by complete jerks and the whole debacle of Laughing Horse.
With that said, and all the discussion about appropriate weight ratios and whatnot, I think my point wasn’t totally understood. octopus.gallery got it with her comment: …this woman is stupid if she doesn’t know her weight can hurt the horse. However, it’s not the *weight itself* that makes her stupid. It’s a subtle but important difference, especially for people who have been struggling with weight for a long time.
I also agree with BehindTheBarn’s statement: …the immensity of that hulk compared to that horse is disgusting – there’s no two ways about it. It is cruel. It is ignorant. Pointing out the painfully obvious is not. I guess what I’m trying to say is- no one is trying to ignore the fact that the person’s weight is a major factor into the cruelty and asshattery here. There is no excuse for overloading that horse with that amount of weight and expecting him to carry her. Everyone in that situation failed, the horse lost, and they’ll probably blame Tonto for “acting up” since no one took the initiative to deny the woman from getting on.
BUT like rescueweary said, “…weight brings out the vicious 4th grader in so many people. Express your belief that some people are too heavy to ride?Fine. Call people a fat retard, a heifer, enormous, etc.? No, that’s not legitimate criticism or helpful ‘truth’ telling, it’s pure bile.” The Thinker had some good comments too, such as IF YOU GET ON A HORSE, AND SUBJECT THEM TO YOUR WEIGHT ISSUES, you are indeed exhibiting “Stupidity, ignorance, greed”. GET OFF, YOU FAT BITCH. You are fat, and you are a bitch for hurting your horse. Again, I don’t disagree in the least that the match-up between that person and that horse (or any horse) was inappropriate to the point of cruelty and abuse.
HorsePoor said “Put on your big girl/boy panties and deal with it. Or don’t come here. Life is full of choices. This is a grown-up blog, not a nambie pambie love fest horse forum.” That’s what I love about FHOTD- the cut to the chase, raw, painful truth. However, weight *is* a touchy subject, and no matter the size of the person posting or reading, there are things that are just plain insulting, spiteful, and crossing the line from snarkiness into hatred. If some of the same things were being said about a person’s race, sexuality, religion, etc. would we be so quick to accept it? (For the record- I don’t think the redneck talk falls into this category since “redneck” is a state of mind… but bashing Southerners or Aussies or Canadians is a weak argument at best).
Some of the comments that I was hoping we would have the tact to avoid include:
wonder if a hole was left where she fell?
I could barely watch that retarded fat blob of shit try to ride
Why would anyone allow that fat tub of shit to mount their horse? The best part of the video was the horse dumping her fat ass in the dirt. I shudder to think of the horses that lard ass is torturing and ruining.
Anyway, I hope my original point is a little more clear. Just had to get that off my chest!
BTW, mounting from a tailgate is great (I usually cheat that way if I’m riding bareback) but my horse would never stand parallel to it since she was always trying to reach for the leftover hay in the bed!
“Not going to be in any Victoria Secret catalogs, or TV ads even with my 34DD’s. And yes a good sports bra makes a lot of difference, but they still take on a mind of their own sometimes. Do they not ladies?”
Can someone recommend a sports bra that doesn’t give you monoboob? Thanks.
Shovels:
See
http://tinyurl.com/2yxsk2
Many options for good sports bras.
Also, would like to clear up one misconception from above. Fat and muscle weigh the same – one pound of fat weighs the same as one pound of muscle – one pound! I think what people are trying to say when they say this is that muscle is more compact than fat. So you can have a 200 lb very fit person standing next to a 200 lb very out of shape person and they will look completely different even if their height and basic body shape are the same. Muscle does not take up as much room.
But from the standpoint of the horse, it’s all 200 pounds.
What with all the excuses (Sorry, people, that’s what they are,) for fat people to continue to be fat and the size and shape of the horse that’s supposed to lug these horribly obese people around, WHY NOT GO ON A FRICKING DIET? You’d be healthier, your horse would live longer, and you wouldn’t have to look for a horse built like a Clydesdale to haul your sorry ass around?
Of course, if you WANT to be a bloated mess, by all means, do that — but stay off horses. They deserve better than some fat idiot climbing on them.
Weight doesn’t bring out hatred in me. Abuse, stupidity, ignorance, neglect and irresponsibility do. I’ll say it again, I don’t care if you’re fat, skinny, polka dotted, striped, yellow, purple, black, white, stupid, or a Mensa candidate, if you’re abusing or breeding animals indiscriminately, you deserve whatever comments you get.
The BEST sports bras on the planet: http://www.titlenine.com
I’m happy with a monoboob when I’m riding, but then I’m only a 36B. The curvy amongst us should go immediately to Title 9.
A word about horses and tailgates of pickups. In my life I PERSONALLY have had 2 horses cut their gaskins to ribbons on pickup tailgates. Both horses required a vetereinarian to stitch them, and one of them managed to open the stifle joint capsule. I have also seen someone else’s horse cut its gaskin on a tailgate that required stitches. In my experience an open tailgate is a huge knife just waiting to slice your horse and cost you 400.00 in vet bills.
HeatherAQHA, it is still legal and perfectly acceptable to discriminate against obese people. There are no protections or even civilities available to them (us). It is fun AND fashionable to berate, hate, and castigate anyone who is not “average.” It is sad that the animus to people with weight problems is so great that normally articulate, compassionate people degenerate to pubescent name calling one would think they had outgrown in middle school.
I do, however, agree that the woman on that pinto grossly overmounted him. She was unbalanced (as evidenced by her hasty unseating from a simple side-step), and his back and legs were clearly bearing great strain as evidenced by his high head, short quick stride, and the wild eyes. He was hurting from her weight. God love that animal, he tried.
Maybe that fall was just what she needed to make a few realizations about weight, horses, and her life. One can hope so for her sake and the horses she rides. But for us to sit here and glibly berate her for being a “retarded fat blob of shit” (among other things) is not only NOT PC, it’s downright mean and immature.
Speaking of riding too early…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0M6CMoC6-Q
He’s is a cute mover,but won’t be for long.
barnibus said:
the horses with the greatest weight bearing ablity are Icelandic Ponies because they have massive broad backs and huge loinspans (RELATIVE to their bodies). NO, draft horses are NOT better for carrying heavier loads, the 20% rule no longer applies once exceeding 250lbs in weight carrying and the animal itself exceed 1600 lbs.
somewhat larger riders need to know what kind of horse to look for, not what SIZE. max weight being horses MUST have an extremely broad loinspan, massive feet (as in size 2 or larger at 900lbs) and must not have been started under saddle any earlier than 4years of age.
Absolutely. I’m 5’9″ and not a twig, and my 13.3 Icelandic can do a four hour drag hunt at speed over difficult terrain without batting an eye. He’s solid, I am obsessive about saddle fit, conditioning, and my own riding. He’s never been sore, lame, or a hard keeper. He was started in Iceland as a late four year old.
summerhorse said: I don’t find pictures of larger normal and normal sized people riding horses much too small for them very attractive either. You see that a lot with Icelandics and various breeds of smaller gaited horses.
Yup. Aesthetically it might not work for some people. Honestly, I still can’t get past how silly strapping 6’3″ Icelandic men on 12.2hh beasts look(to me) or how absurd 5’1″ women on 17.2hh WBs look (to me) either, but if the horse is built, tacked, conditioned and ridden appropriately (such that it stays sound both long and short term!), then I have no problem with it beyond aesthetics.
But some folks are indeed too heavy for *any* horse. Like that woman in the video.
And just because barnibus’ excellent summary of Deb Bennett’s words bear repeating:
i attended a Deb Bennett clinic about five years where a woman asked about getting a draft horse for her “overweight brother” she really thought a BIGGER horse would be OK for him to ride. Dr. Bennett point blank told her that at 300lb there was not a horse in a world he could safely ride. she also noted that the United States Military never packed a mule heavier than 250 lbs (max weight for riding). she went on to say that people have a false concept of draft horses as “stronger” when it comes to weight bearing. the draft horse is ALREADY at its MAX carrying load by its self. therefor they are NOT suitable for riding as it is UNETHICAL to put MORE weight on the joints and bones than they can handle. again draft horses are AT max weight capicity (in terms of “carrying” their OWN body ) for what their bones and joints can handle.
Dear CutNJump,
Hereyea hereyea about driving rather than riding! My sturdy gelding is 14’3″ on a tall day and a show cart weighs about 200# plus me, I figure, should be a pretty good sea anchor on the ol’ boy at a road trot. Not. Then we hitch up the considerably larger & heavier Meadowbrook and throw in a passenger and it still won’t slow him down. BUT, beyond that he hits the wall and there’s a huge jump between his draft ability at about 600 pounds total. From halt to walk takes great digging in of heels and grunting into the breaststrap, and there’s a reason why heavier equippages require a collar harness as opposed to a breaststrap.
So I hearrtily agree, while a horse CAN pull more than he can pack, you quickly reach a point of diminishing returns, and a hefty driver with a mini is a pleasure in no one’s eyes, least of all the mini’s.
http://horsecity.com/stories/120607/bar_whybreed_GL.shtml
or go to http://www.horsecity.com and click on the ‘Why Breed’ article.
Finally something on HC I can get behind. I had to look twice to make sure Fugly hadn’t written it.
BuffyB-05-
My halter horses neither shuffle nor do they have “post legs” They also don’t have ginger shoved up their asses before a class to make their tail stand up or whatever the hell that’s for.
Your horse may not shuffle, but a lot of what is in the ring and in the ribbons, most certainly DO. They do not move out like they should. They do not move out in the under saddle classes either. If they did, they would not ask for a “lope, with an increase in forward movement”. Never heard that asked for at an Arab show, even in western pleasure, sporthorse under saddle class or on a dressage test. Have you? Our hunters also do not look like western horses in hunter tack. I am not saying your horses move this way, but that is what is taking home the ribbons.
Your horse may not have ‘post legs’, but there again, a lot of the horses in the stock type breeds, QH, APHA, ApHA, who are winning and placing well- DO. Just go back through some of the blogs here to find pictures of some of the horses winning & placing in the halter ring on legs that are straighter than a fence post in the lumber yard. The blog with the woman in the yellow jacket with the APHA filly comes to mind.
As for the ginger salve, tail set or any other name it is sold under, I do not use it on any of my horses either. It has been banned for a few years (not long enough IMO) on the Arab circut/circus. It is only a minor cruelty in comparison to what else those horses endure.
As for the halter horses I handled- that was back in the 80′s, before the big market crash when obscene amounts of money were spent on Arabs & showing. I don’t “DO” halter anymore, and refer to it instead as Lead ‘Em & Beat ‘Em, as that is more appropriatly what it has become.
When a weanling leaves the ring and you are handed the lead and you watch that BABY take a HUGE sigh of RELIEF, knowing the class and beating is over, it leaves a sickening feeling in your stomach and weighs heavily on your mind and heart. If you are in it for the sake and love of the horses it bothers you. I have seen it.
I have been there. I have done that. I was handed that lead. I watched that baby’s bulging eyes close as she sighed and stood shaking in the paddock area after the class. I don’t even remember if she got ‘pinned’ on that day. I knew then I wanted nothing more to do with that part of the ‘Industry’.
For only 200.00 negotiable you can have this “SOUND” Qh stallion!!! Any bets on how long he will be “sound”?
http://horsetopia.horse-for-sale.org/classifieds/ad256500
Cutnjump said: “Our hunters also do not look like western horses in hunter tack.”
Nor do they look like hunters…. Hunters do not have their heads bowed to their chests.
fat and muscle do not weigh the same per volume. muscle is more dense than fat. Sure, a pound of muscle *weighs* the same as a pound of fat (by definition) but it also takes up less space.
http://answers.google.com/answers/
threadview?id=576481
farmer,
I know you put that gorgeous thing in harness because he’s to dang perty to cover up with tack.
Don’tyouridenofuglyhorses-
Nor do they look like hunters…. Hunters do not have their heads bowed to their chests.
Touche’!
I like mine to be able to see where they are going. Many of those horses could almost be Rolkur candidates!
I’m also in the “not small” category at 5’1″ and 160 pounds. Dieting or trying to diet makes me batshit crazy (no kidding), so my general goal is to not gain any more weight. And so far, so good. In my riding life, I end up on horses who are up to my weight, including one very sturdy 13 hand pony, a 15 hand TB with great bone, and a 16.1 hand TB/WB gelding who’s packed around his owner (whose weight fluctuates between 175 and 225 pounds) with no soundness issues for 12 years. And I have several people here trying to get me hooked on Morgans
Please keep in mind that 95% of people who lose weight gain it all back (been there done that), and that repeated dieting does nasty things to one’s metabolism. The various surgical procedures are helpful but not without risks, and according to my brother-in-law, who is a GI doctor, a fair number of people who get them do end up gaining weight back. He sees a fair number of them and also a lot of folks who, after their procedures, have a lot of GI issues.
The epidemiologist in me says that this may be a situation where primary prevention is needed. That is, do one’s best to not let one’s KIDS get fat… If they learn the good habits early on, and don’t start adulthood with a “spare tire” they would be less likely to have problems later on. I worry at the number of fat kids I see around, and the fact that some of them are getting Type 2 diabetes (which used to be accurately called “adult onset diabetes” and is usually weight-related.)
So… no easy answers here. But being rude to anyone, fat people included, does not help.
Dontyouridenofuglyhorses- Oooohhh… that grey in Fla. I would be willing to guess those rear pasterns in pic #2 are close to blowing out any day. Just thinking maybe he should wear skid boots on all fours, just walking around. EEEK!
He’s probably one of those horses who could easily fall into a crappy un-equine-educated homes and be sound as a dollar for life, in spite of all of us here… And reproduce like rabbits.
Oh WOW thanks for the soy free links. I tried the lava chocolate it was quite nasty.
As for the weight thing, I am 5ft and weigh about 120, my doc got onto me because I was too thin. It is because I have more muscle than fat. LOL good excuse to eat, I learned not eating causes you to gain weight.
There are a few comments towards overweight people in this thread that make me wince, but oh…dear god, no.
My girlfriend is overweight. Very clearly so. She doesn’t ride, but if she wanted to, I would find her a large horse who would be willing to work with a rider needing to get their weight balanced. Some people ARE naturally large and cannot control it without medication or intense therapy, but if they want to ride…they need to be realistic. That video is just…sad. For the horse, and it must’ve been a painful fall.
Well, everybody, remember – we’re a rude blog. That’s kind of our shtick here…it’s what we do. It’s not a good place to be if you’re thin-skinned.
Trust me, I fight with my weight daily and if left to my own devices I am sure I would be plus sized. I know how hard it is to fight weight off, but I also know it’s possible. As a personal trainer friend of mine says, she is going to write a diet book with four words “Eat Less – Exercise More!” She is right. I lost 30 pounds a couple years ago doing exactly that. No gimmicks. No silliness. I just tracked my calories and worked out and didn’t eat every time I was hungry. (It’s a myth you can eat when you’re hungry. I’m convinced it’s bullshit. No you can’t. Some of us are hungry ALL THE DAMN TIME.) It was not brain surgery. Sure, I put back on 12 lbs…and now I’m down 5 of those again…and trying to get back to my perfect weight. Most of us women will yo-yo our entire lives. You just get busy and hungry and the damn Del Taco drive through looks so good. Also, eating right is expensive and I know I tend to eat Taco Bell and pasta when the horses need something pricy.
I do think that George has a point about riders being athletes. He’s no different than a gymnastics instructor or tennis instructor who will tell you the same thing. If you REALLY want to be good, you simply CANNOT be significantly overweight. You really do need to be a lean, mean, muscled, fit creature to excel in pretty much ANY sport. If you want to trail ride, who cares, just find a horse who can carry you (as we’ve discussed, it’s not just their size but you want one that is short coupled and has big cannon bones and good feet) and have fun.
I was morbidly obese until last year. When I bought my Morab, I weighed 225 lbs at 5’7″. I checked with the vet, her owner, and the trainer…all thought that she’d be fine carrying my weight.
The year after I bought her, my weight had climbed to 260. I did NOT ride my mare at that point. I really felt that I was too heavy for her at 225…NO WAY was I going to make her haul around 260 lbs.
Ann is right. Trying to lose weight is enough to make you batshit. I tried for 20 yrs to lose weight…lose 20, gain back 25. Lose 30, gain back 40. Even so, I was a “healthy” obese person…no co-morbidities, I stayed active, etc…until my late 30s.
By the time I hit 40, I felt like I was 65.
In 1/06, I had Lapband surgery. It changed my life. I lost 85 lbs and I’ve maintained my weight loss for a year. I would like to take off another 15-20 lbs, but hey, so would a lot of other women.
I don’t have any side effects from the band (other than not being able to eat like a pig).
I’m testing for my black belt in karate in March.
I’m riding my horse again. 
I can race my boys to the car, I lift weights, I can sit around a campfire again.
When I watched that video, I was dismayed and horrified for the horse, but also for her. Even if she doesn’t know it, she’s dying/killing herself with food. I wouldn’t return to that for *anything.*
Cindy
Dear dear Shovels, thank you! Your kind words about my guy made my day!!! (and it was a sucky day up until now.) Me and the ol’ fella thanks ya!
There is additional truth in what you said about harness not covering up as much as a saddle. Indeed, a low back, a poor neck attachment, lousy loin, etc. are out there almost as bare as an in-hand horse. Once knew a trainer/judge (have been with her as trainer for 20 years this Christmas) who was juding halter stallions and the big winner of the year was in the class, a head-neck-chest and rear end to die for. But in between was the lowest weakest back in the breed. She knew she had to make her judgement crystal clear to the audience, so she stood broadside the stallion and drew her eyes from his nose to his tail with a noticeable dip when her eyes passed over the extremely concave back. Well! There were nods of acknowledgement and a few cheers that someone had finally stated that this emperor had no clothes (and those Morgan insiders will notice that word, ahem, “emperor”…)
Dear Ann, you know what they say about Morgans: Once you go Morgan you never go back. We welcome you into the fold with open arms and hearts.
Farmerswife- I would love to go driving with you sometime. It looks like too much fun for one person.
My pony stallion (welsh cross) is 11 hands on the mark. He is all legs, but very wide. I have ridden him a couple times, and he did fine, but he will make a far better driving pony than a riding pony. I know his limitations even if he doesn’t.
Too many times we see mini’s pulling carts with obese drivers and at least one passenger squeezed in with them.
Ponies, people, Shetland ponies- not the modern crossed with hackney pony things they call Shetlands now- were originally bred to pull the coal carts in the mines. NOT MINI’s.
Mini’s were not raised for this. While they can be strong and pull more weight than they can carry, they shouldn’t be pulling around a carts full of kids, or even one oversized adult.
I agree too much weight on their back or behind them is not good for them. Nor a pretty picture does it make.
Great weekend to you all!
Dontyouridenofuglyhorse said…
A word about horses and tailgates of pickups. In my life I PERSONALLY have had 2 horses cut their gaskins to ribbons on pickup tailgates. Both horses required a vetereinarian to stitch them, and one of them managed to open the stifle joint capsule. I have also seen someone else’s horse cut its gaskin on a tailgate that required stitches. In my experience an open tailgate is a huge knife just waiting to slice your horse and cost you 400.00 in vet bills.
Wow, you took the words right out of my mouth. I cringed at seeing that guy push that horse toward the tailgate (and the corner of it at that). I thought, “Well, there goes the stifle if he catches himself on it”. Another wreck would be a front leg through the tailgate brace. Not as likely, but possible. Sort of like those semi-flat aluminum gates with all those triangular sections that take horse hooves off. Yeah, they’re cheap, but not worth the metal they’re made from.
The back legs on my MUTT lab mix look better than the one’s on that grey quarter horse. Not that my dog is ugly, but his legs would make better horse legs than those on the horse….
FHOTH said:
I know how hard it is to fight weight off, but I also know it’s possible. As a personal trainer friend of mine says, she is going to write a diet book with four words “Eat Less – Exercise More!” She is right. I lost 30 pounds a couple years ago doing exactly that. No gimmicks. No silliness. I just tracked my calories and worked out and didn’t eat every time I was hungry. (It’s a myth you can eat when you’re hungry. I’m convinced it’s bullshit. No you can’t. Some of us are hungry ALL THE DAMN TIME.) It was not brain surgery.
Yes and no. Here’s a different analogy. I was a straight A student. Did that pretty easily. But I know some people who studied HARD and could barely make Bs and Cs. Could I have said to them “Just study more! It’s possible for you to make As!”
Yeah, maybe they could have. Instead of studying 2 hrs/night, maybe it would have taken 4 hrs/night, or 6 per/day. At some point, they probably COULD have made the same grades I did. But could they have done so “realistically?” Probably not.
I have an aunt who did just like your personal trainer suggested. Ate less, exercised more. She was riding her stationary bike 4 hrs/day. She lost weight. But could she sustain that level of activity AND have a life outside of her struggle to lose weight and keep it off? No. She’s now heavier than she’s ever been.
Just as people have differing levels of innate intelligence, I believe there are differing levels of innate metabolism. What one person can do with a “reasonable” amount of effort, it takes someone else a tremendous amount to do. And, unfortunately, it’s often truly NOT possible with the other responsibilities of life.
I also believe that obese people have a faulty “satiety” trigger. We’re hungrier more, and, I believe, more “intensely.” You simply didn’t eat every time you were hungry. But what if you were hungry ALL THE TIME so that you were fighting that impulse minute after minute after minute…it becomes much more difficult to “just not eat.” Also, what if, instead of dropping your calories to something like 1500/day to lose weight, you had to eat 1000/day? The battle becomes that much more difficult.
On a regular day, I eat 1000cal/day to *maintain.* I weigh 175 and work out 1-2hrs/day. If you “do the math,” I “should” be able to eat a whole lot more and maintian…but I can’t. When I’m losing weight, I eat 800 cal/day. NO way I could sustain that without a Lapband. I’d feel like I was starving all the time. And yet, I have skinny friends who easily eat 2000cal/day and don’t exercise at all.
So please, don’t perpetuate the myth that it’s a “simple” matter of eating less and exercising more.
Speaking of reining hroses… check this one out- he spins by himself!
http://tinyurl.com/3c6ed5
shellsbells said…
Havent finished reading whole blog but have to say wish l could send the person who placed that add to America for the slaps! would need to be VERY HARD slaps though ok,MAYBE even with a lump of wood…
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Make sure you drill holes into the wood to lower wind resistance. These idiots make me sick.