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…
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I know this wasn’t meant to digress into a talk about weight loss and how impossible it is for some, but here I go anyway. The dirty little secret about weight loss is simple: eat less; move more. It is distressing, but true. To be very blunt, in areas where people absolutely CANNOT get food, they loose weight. It is not fun. It is not comfortable. It may make you “bat-shitâ€. But the human body cannot gain or hold weight without food. (If dieting makes you “bat-shit†then maybe it is not a metabolic problem you have. Maybe you have a mental issue you should try to fix before tackling the symptom of your weight.)
P.S. Yes, I am fat, too. I know I eat too much and don’t move enough. However, I have lost 30lbs. and after recovering from my second surgery this year, I hope to continue.
SquirrelGurl said…
Speaking of reining hroses… check this one out- he spins by himself!
http://tinyurl.com/3c6ed5
HAHAHAHAHA maybe he is practicing!
One thing we could do to lessen the effects of things like arthritis, (and weight), is to fast. Find a good homeopath doctor who is well-versed in this.
What do our animals do when they’re sick? They don’t eat, and they rest. Our bodies have the same ability to heal themselves if we only give them a chance. As long as we keep feeding it junk food (as in dead food, cooked food, sugars and fat), our bodies won’t heal.
I went on a 5-day fast a few years ago. No cigarettes, no coffee, no Pepsi, no food. Just water. By the second day, I was NOT hungry, and didn’t crave the habit stuff. And by the 5th day, I never felt better in my life. All my aches and pains were gone, I lost 12 lbs., I slept through the night, and I was looking for more housework to do. LOL. (That’s not the normal me). The effects of that fast lasted for several years, too, even when I returned to my “comfort zone” of the foods I wasn’t supposed to eat. I’m due for another fast about now. Your body will adjust its weight to where its supposed to be, too.
You must have water no matter what you do in order to survive, but we can go without food for quite some time without any ill effects. Always do this under a doctor’s supervision, especially if you do a fast for more than a few days.
The best book to read about this is Fasting and Eating for Health, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. You can even find one on eBay. I bought several for my friends.
It’s just another option that might work for some, and it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds.
Watching that woman try to kill herself and her horse made me so freaking angry. A lot of us struggle with our weight and emotional eating. Maybe this lady was abused as a child and needs therapy, maybe she is just a glutton, who knows. You have to find your motivation to lose. For me it was for riding and to help lower my cholesterol and triglycerides. I was never morbidly obese, just about 30lbs overweight. When you are morbidly obese, there are certain things you cannot do. Riding a horse of that size is one of them. Let me give our rider a hint, when the horn is crushing your hoo-ha and your butt cheeks are hanging over the cantle, it is time to drop the cupcake and pickup the phone and call someone for help. Another thing you can’t do is fly in a single airline seat. Let’s just say it, you are paying for ass space, not one seat per person. If you get stuck or have to lift up the armrest to sit there, then thou must buy another seat. I can hear the hisses and boos, but have you ever been crushed for 3 hours next to someone of that size? Try asking them to get up so you can go pee. America has an obesity problem that has reached epidemic proportions. It is time to stop being politically correct. The majority of people can be helped with medical or psychological management. Don’t tell them it’s OK to be that big. It’s not, it will KILL YOU. As a nurse who has almost been crushed by unconscious and sedated persons who are morbidly obese, my views may be harsher than average. Then again, maybe not. If I drove by and watched that I would have called animal control to report cruelty. If she wants to enjoy the equine sport, try a couple of drafts pulling a wagon.
show me a doctor that will support extended fasting, and ill show you one that should be deregistered. *rolls eyes*
lifelike001 said…
show me a doctor that will support extended fasting, and ill show you one that should be deregistered. *rolls eyes*
It’s all in what you believe. If the conventional doctors were so good, then why is there still a huge problem with diabetes, asthma, cancer, heart disease, etc.? Because they address the symptoms, not the cause, and they never address the nutritional aspect of it. (There’s no money in it for them if they do).
It’s no different than those who believe a barefoot horse is better off than one with shoes, in most cases. Some believe in that, and some don’t. It’s nothing to get shitty about, though. I was making a suggestion for those who might want to try it. It doesn’t hurt a thing. I didn’t say to go on a 30-day fast. Geesh. Don’t have a cow – *rolls eyes* back at you.
OMG…I can’t believe that video. I’ve been reading the blogs for quite a while now and never posted, but for this I have to. How can anyone allow anyone of that size to ride their horse. In fact, I don’t allow anyone else to ride my horses. Sorry, did allow my daughter in law and my grandson to get on one day, both had helmets, and I walked them for about 5 minutes before I wanted them to get off. (ok…I don’t play well with others). I’m off to the bathroom to lose those 4 fritos I just ate
>>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.”< <
I have those days, although admittedly not all month. It’s basically one week a month, and I do things like go to bed early to fight the desire to eat. I also have found that drinking a cup of soy milk will stave off enough hunger that I can go to sleep instead of eating.
>> 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.< <
I had to average 1200 a day to lose to where I wanted to be, and as you know, 1200 piles up VERY fast. You have to stop drinking any caloric drinks, you can’t touch anything fried, you can’t have any butter, any bread. I pretty much lived on egg whites, green beans with lemon pepper seasoning, and Amy’s tofu wraps. I know how miserable it is, but it does work. For 37 years of my life, I used all of the excuses and then I just went, this is b.s. I’m sick of myself, and I used fitday.com, tracked everything that went into my mouth (if I had a CHIP, I logged it) and lost the weight. And sure, I slid back somewhat but there’s nothing like knowing you can do it…that there really wasn’t anything keeping you from losing weight except that you stuffed too much food in your mouth, and the wrong kind of food. Before that, I honestly thought I was destined to be chubby. Now I know that it’s all about choices and when I make bad choices, I don’t look the way I want to look. I believe that’s true for 95% of dieters. Everything you put in your mouth is a choice – no one is holding a gun to your head. You just get really good at supplying yourself with rationalizations.
I read all the time and never comment and I just had to throw in my two cents on this one.
The woman is FAT! She is OBESE!
I am 18.1hh (I’ll let you math people convert to feet.) and the last time I was on the scale I was 140lbs. According to my doctor, I am considered underweight for my frame. I am *constantly* called skinny, jolly green giant, twiggy, and amazon…just to name a few!
Where are the people coming to my defense? Why hasn’t anyone said, “You know thats not very PC!” or “Thats very high school of you!”
There is no difference in my mind. I’m not insulted by being called skinny, because its true. If I really wanted to stop the comments, I would gain weight – a la my motto “If you aren’t happy about something and you can change it, then QUIT YOUR BITCHING and do something about it!”
I digress. Why is it okay to call a skinny person skinny and not okay to call a fat person fat? My doctor did not hesitate to tell me I should gain some weight and I would expect no less if I needed to lose weight.
I don’t feel sorry for overweight people who don’t even attempt to lose weight! My own father falls into this category. I’m not going to sugar coat the truth for them either. If you’re fat, I’ll call you fat – just like you call me skinny.
Oh, and one more thing. I worked at a trail barn two summers ago. Everytime a reservation was made, height and weight information was collected for every rider in the party! If we didn’t have a horse to fit your frame, you were politely told we would not be able to accommodate you.
Also, while preparing for a cruise with my family this summer and looking at shore excursions I noticed every excursion with horse back riding had a 250lb weight max. After seeing the horses I decided my ten year old, featherlite sister would have been too fat for them!
Where has CorchasDryLady gone? Come back out of hiding doll!
dontyouridenofuglyhorse – if that’s their definition of sound, I dare say he will be so for the rest of his life. Oh god, that poor thing. I honestly gasped when I saw it… how awful.
Have always thought reining looked like fun, though those sliding stops freak me out, always think they are goign to hurt themselves somehow, but what I don’t like is the need to do the movements so young. Being used to dressage theory that you start at a basic level and gradually increase the muscular (and mental) capability of the horse so it reaches it peak in the second decade of it’s like (though now it seems if they aren’t doing GP by the age of 8 you are too slow)this get them goign and punch em out young, turn them over thing smacks too much of 2 year old TB racing to me.
I like the idea I can buy a youngster and have six or so years (I’m dreaming here of course, I am never going to be a good enough trainer to get a horse to GP) to get to the top level and then have years to perfect it!
As for the fat person (actually wasn’t sure who had the bigger boobs the person riding or the person leading) there is a reason why I do not ride Riding Ponies or delicate little hacky things. Though it does amaze me how blokes much taller then me and probably weighing much the same or more (but more bone more muscle less blubber) happily chase cattle on tiny little stockhorse.
I watched a couple of the other reining vids near the 2 year old one and a guy got of his horse at the end – not an aussie stockhorse, a qh type. He was solid and his horse only came up to about his strernum. I can only just see over the backs of mine!
Lali its because lots of people envy people who are skinny, so can’t imagine it is particularly insulting, where as I don’t think there are many around who envy the fat!
Look at the number of people who aren’t even over weight whom complain all the time how “big” they are (and I am not talking about anorexics who have real issues, I mean just your average female).
While this thread has gone toward the diet end of the spectrum, has anyone emailed or tried to contact the pukes in Alabama with all those skinny Appaloosa babies? Just wondering, and curious if there were any (hysterical, misspelled) responses.
Dakota:
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???
Yes, most futurities are 4 years and under. Yes, I have seen many two year olds win and or place in the 1-d as well as other divisions. I have also seen two year olds win at open races. They are bred to do this but that still does not mean they are solid physically or mentally. And even horses who are racing at 4 are to young! Think about what age those horses are started at and are running patterns. Their bones have not finished calcifying and their joints have not sealed. Anyone besides me hear the bells of unsound by 5?
FTOHD, you’re right. It DOES work. I’m not debating that. But are you STILL living on egg whites, green beans with lemon pepper seasoning, and Amy’s tofu wraps? You’re not, because you said that you’ve gained some weight back. So, at some point, you’ll probably get tired of that extra bit and work your ass off to lose it again…and then, when you go back to eating somewhat “regularly,” some of THAT will come back…and you’ll most likely do it again and again and again.
And you struggled with losing 30 lbs. Imagine starting down that path of eating egg whites and tofu wraps with 100 or 200 lbs to lose. Sure, you can say that the person never should have gotten there in the first place, but sometimes, it’s those same diet efforts that GET us there.
THAT’S why less than 5% of the people who lose weight through diet and exercise actually keep it off. It’s a very demoralizing and hopeless feeling battle. Could I do it? Nope. I tried for 20 years. Does that mean I’m a stupid, lazy, ignorant slob with no self-control? Hell no. I’ve lifted weights all my life, taught aerobics for several years, and took kids hiking up and down a gorge 3x/day when teaching an environmental ed course. I finished my master’s degree in 7 months, I’m now self-employed in a very successful business. I have drive, determination, and intelligence…and yet I couldn’t get the weight off and keep it off without surgery.
I’m just trying to say that it is NOT a “simple” as “watch what you eat and exercise.” If it were that simple, we wouldn’t have an obesity epidemic in the US. Do you think that people WANT to be obese?!
Lali, I don’t think it’s ok to call anyone hurtful names. But I’ll tell you WHY there’s a difference between calling a skinny person skinny vs calling a fat person fat. Has your *thinness* ever prevented you from riding a roller coaster? Have you ever been told you can’t ride a horse because you’re too thin? Have you ever been called lazy because of your thinness? Anyone ever think you’re STUPID because you’re thin? Ever had trouble shaving your legs in the shower or performing basic functions of cleanliness because you’re too thin? Ever be turned down for a job because of your weight? Ever have to check out a restaurant to see if they have tables instead of booths before you can eat there? I DOUBT it.
Being obese IS different from being underweight because there are DOZENS of problems, biases, and stereotypes that accompany obesity. They’re not simply opposite sides of the same coin. When have you ever seen an obese person as a runway model?
Being obese is HELL people. Yes, we can all come to this blog and bitch about how that poor woman shouldn’t have been on that horse. I AGREE. But what you’re missing is that every day is HELL for her…and it might NOT be because she’s simply stuffing her face with chocolate and pizza every day, or that she’s a lazy slob, etc. She might have been fighting her weight every FUCKING single day of her life, trying every diet, every pill, every scheme to lose weight, and yet be SMACKED in the face every time she fails. Until you’ve walked in those shoes, try not to be too condescending, k?
I just wish she had the common sense enough to know that such a smaller horse vs. larger rider would not work. I mean, she could have seriously gotten hurt… if she hasn’t already. The worst part about YouTube is that it can’t always tell you. Most of the times we don’t even know the whole story.
The rest of those stallion “prospects” just scare me. Like I said earlier, common sense does wonders.
I guess you could say I’m a fence-sitter about the Reining horse. Honestly, I am an absolute fan of Reining. That two year old looks happy and comfortable with his job, but I agree is too young.
I will second Title 9 as *THE* place to buy a great sportsbra! They are expensive, but very well-made and worth every penny!
And my hat is off to all of you who are overweight and working on losing it and getting fit–you are AWESOME!
LOL Honeybunny– the horn and hoo-haw part.
Yes, it should be your first clue if you literally engulf the saddle.
Lets not fault the rider 100% tho– the handler should have realized that this was a TERRIBLE idea. Leading for a half a lap, things may have been OK. But I think that the guy with the line slapped the horse on the ass to get him to go out on the lounge. *sigh*
Anyone seen Shallow Hal? Where the horse is crawling?
ummmmm yeah……
HeatherAQHA, thank you for your comments.
As for George Morris, I knew someone who spent beaucoup bucks to ride at his barn for a year in the early 1970s. When she left, she was 5’6″, 36 inch inseam, 130 pounds. In other words, not fat and at a healthy weight for her size.
When she came back, she was 5’6″, 102 pounds and she said he was still telling her she needed to lose ten pounds.
WTF???!!
She looked like death warmed over. She was so emaciated that she was at the point where her elbows and knees looked abnormally large compared to the size of her limbs.
At his barn, she learned about all sorts of weight loss tricks, most of which can be covered as anorexia and/or bulimia. She said that all the women riding with him had what would now be described as eating disorders. It was considered normal for women to faint if they stood up suddenly.
Yes, he’s a great coach. Yes, he’s also got feet of clay and many of the women who rode at his barn back then suffered for it.
I’d like to think he’s gotten some enlightenment in the last 30 years but I don’t have great hopes.
I know I am going to get slammed for this– and sorry to re-post, I just read some other stuff…
About the weight issue. I am 5’1″. I normally weigh around 108-112 pounds depending on the week of the month. When I had my kids, through all the medical stuff, I ended up at 182. Yes, 70+ pounds. I realize that part of it was baby, but funny enough, having the baby didn’t really change the scale.
Now I am NOT saying that there are people out there that have not tried everything and had to result to surgery as it was the last hope… I understand the battle, as I didn’t even know who I was anymore. Once I was healthy again (As I mentioned I had some health issues post babies) and was able to work at my barn with my lesson and training business, I lost all the weight and got more tone than I was pre-babies. Although I am sure my stomach will forever look like an old deflated balloon.
Before you think *bitch*, please realize that I too hated all the “hot mamas” that fit in their old clothes so fast, that pranced around with a tight ass and perky boobies. I was sooooooooo not that girl anymore. But after I kinda resigned to the fact that this was my life now– the frumpy Mommy… I went about my business. And POOF, 70 pounds gone in 9 months. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to eat those huge Hershey bars with almonds all the time. I have my weakness. But the barn, the horses, the 8-12 hours of moving, cleaning, mucking, riding, teaching, turn outs, long lining….. POOF. I was working too hard and having too much fun to worry about snacking. Then my metabolism changed and nature took over by burning the fat because I was using more calories than taking in.
I just read a thing (ABC news) about a lady that lost 500 pounds by blogging. She was 700 pounds, given up on life when a friend gave her a computer and internet access. She found places with like minded people, in and about politics actually, and became so enthralled with communicating about her views, being respected and treated like an actual human that it gave her the inner light to put DOWN the Big Mac. It was an awesome story. I am sure that with the camaraderie that Fugly has created here, despite the tension at times, this blog has created a little more value in people’s lives. Support is support and sometimes we have to get told things we don’t like to move forward, to progress. I salute everyone who has struggled with weight and who is progressing to get to the point that they consider successful.
For those that float around life clueless…… here’s your sign.
I’m sorry I think I failed to accurately articulate my point. I too, am studying for a final.
I am in no way trying to compare me being skinny to someone that is overweight. I was trying to call out the people that were trying to be all PC about the whole thing. They want to act holier than though, but they probably do it in other ways without realizing it.
And I also don’t think there is a problem with people saying the truth.
cindy – Obviously I’ve never been told I’m too fat for anything. No, I take that back – my dance partner told me I was too fat for him to lift once. I have been told I was too skinny. After growing up playing basketball, my high school coach told me if I didn’t gain weight I wouldn’t be able to play. May not seem like the end of the world, but at the time it did, and I worked my ass off to earn my starting spot.
No, I don’t face stereotypes and biases, but there are medical issues for underweight people.
I applaud those that are overweight and are trying to do something about it, even if it isn’t working. Make an attempt! Keep trying! I have no doubt its hard work, and the fact that people can stick it out, despite lack of results is admirable!
I have no sympathy for those that complain about having to pay for an extra plane ticket due to being obese and doing nothing to try and change!
lali – i get that stuff too. i’m pretty average height (5’4 or 5) but thin. I get annoyed by it though because It’s not people saying “you are thin”. I am, I don’t care if someone says that, but no, I get “you need to get some meat on your bones” and “you need to eat a cheesburger”. This actually does come from very large women that I’ve NEVER made any sort of weight comment towards.
There has been a recent (in my experience) backlash against people who are thin. It’s like… if you’re fat you are a lazy disgusting slob, and if you’re thin you must have an eating disorder and be insecure…
starrynightxxi – My personal favorite is “You need to go eat a pizza!”
I think the gist of it is that we shouldn’t stereotype ANYONE due to their size.
I don’t think I have mounted from the ground in well over eight years. Partly because I have terrible knees (one of which has no real tendons left on it), my horses have ranged from 17hh to 18hh, and it is BAD for their backs no matter the height of horse/size/weight of rider/etc.
I always use a mounting block. If none is available, I use a bench or a bucket or even a truck would not be out of the question if it was the only option. But that is my own personal choice about not ruining my horse’s back with some silly need to get on from the ground. Don’t put all of us non-ground-mounters into one un-skilled category, please. Sometimes it’s a concious choice more than a need and sometimes it is both.
But when I mount I stand parallel to the horse as not to poke him with my toe, I keep my weight centered over his back, I stand until I have both stirrups, and I usually walk forward a few steps before I sit, quietly. I do not fling myself up there. I am overly cautious about my equines, thanks very much.
The first time my horse’s back gives as much as the poor paint’s did, will be the last time I sit on him. I am not that naive nor am I that unskilled.
If people tell me I look too thin I reply…”I’m not skinny,I’m just thin boned.”
“It’s all in what you believe. If the conventional doctors were so good, then why is there still a huge problem with diabetes, asthma, cancer, heart disease, etc.? Because they address the symptoms, not the cause, and they never address the nutritional aspect of it. (There’s no money in it for them if they do).”
because medicine isnt about miraculous cures for things science doesnt even understand. get a grip. saying we cant cure everything that goes wrong with the human body isnt exactly a strong argument against doctors.
if a starvation diet makes YOU feel good, go for it and dont listen to anyone. but dont pretend theres good science behind it, because there isnt. its well known that after a certain amount of time without food, the body goes into emergency mode and clings to every damn calorie it can to survive. you DONT lose weight by not eating, its simply scientific fact. use more energy than you consume and under normal circumstances you will lose weight – also scientific fact.
that said, im technically overweight. i can carry a full bale of hay on one shoulder, lift my own 30kg feedbags into the shed and mount a 17.2 clydesdale without a block, too. you wont see me whining about my size. i have arms and legs, ones that work. i am BLESSED beyond measure. i am grateful for my body, flab and all, every day. spend some time in an intensive care ward with paralysed people, amputees and those with terminal illness… any whines about size will seem as petty, self-indulgent and ridiculous as they truly are. (this not directed at anyone in particular)
SquirrelGurl said…
Speaking of reining hroses… check this one out- he spins by himself!
http://tinyurl.com/3c6ed5
Heh heh heh…one of our horses spun by herself out in her pen, but that was because she was being brave and was tasting a corn stalk, since all the other horses seemed to be enjoying them. She thought it was pretty tasty too, until she lifted her head and noticed that it followed
She took off with it still clenched in her teeth, spun a hole in the ground, and took off down the fenceline with that stalk still trailing along in her mouth. Took her a second to figure out to drop it.
Poor girl….it was still one of the funniest things I’ve seen.
nyxin said… “I just read a thing (ABC news) about a lady that lost 500 pounds by blogging. She was 700 pounds, given up on life when a friend gave her a computer and internet access. She found places with like minded people, in and about politics actually, and became so enthralled with communicating about her views, being respected and treated like an actual human that it gave her the inner light to put DOWN the Big Mac.”
She probably just got so addicted (like many of us are to this blog), she forgot to get up and eat breakfast, lunch, dinner – much less waste the time going to the fast food restaurant!
A. My take on the video is that the lady was a total beginner to riding. I’m not saying she should have got on, but I bet you the guy was telling her it was fine. Yeesh, she couldn’t even keep the horse walking on the lunge circle. If you are a beginner, you would have no idea what a horse can and can not carry.
b. It is not a matter of eat less exercise more, or of willpower. Not for many people. If it was all about willpower, many fat people would be skinnier than skinny people. Many of them think about what they eat all the damn time, and limit themselves all the damn time, while all around them they see thinner people eat crap. The same thin people who criticise fat people for poor eating, generalising all of us into one group with typical bigotry.
c. Losing a few pounds, or even twenty, for someone who is naturally slim is not the same for someone who is naturally fat or having hormone problems.
d. Weight loss surgery statistically will kill you faster than being fat. Come back to me with your big weightloss success story (of any sort) intact after five years and I might listen. Took me seven years to gain mine back, so I beat the odds, but after all that strict eating and exercising like a nutcase, all I have to show for it is a few photos of skinnier me, and chronic fatigue. Yay!
e. If being mean to fat people would make them lose weight, no-one would be fat. It is not fun, you can’t be in denial, and pretty much no-one does it from choice. Whether they eat too much or not, there are always underlying reasons why they are fat, and you can bet if they could stop being fat, they would.
The emaciated Appies are off the sales site. Dunno if that means they’ve been sold or if some fuss was kicked up and they pulled the pictures.
The babies are still up.
emilie said:
The emaciated Appies are off the sales site.
The photos aren’t linked directly from her ads any more, but I did bookmark the one of the sorry Appies, and it’s right here. Obviously, the assholes don’t want people seeing their Auschwitz Appaloosas.
barnibus said…
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.
Wow, and I’m a sarcastic bitch?
Go back and read what you wrote, you arrogant sack of shit.
THen go back and read what I wrote.
It wasn’t hateful, or blinded by anything. You decided to take a scientific point, then communicate it poorly.
Draft horses carry riders. Period. IF you want to put all your fat riders on Fjords and Icelandics, go ahead. I can assure you that a 200lb rider isn’t going to lame a Clydesdale.
Dang, I’m not fast enough to see your links – the owners remove them after they realize you have posted about them on Fugly…
As for the fat lady, it ain’t over til she sings – lets hope she sings soon and sells the poor horse – its a tragedy that she tries to ride..
elephants are incredible weight pullers but making them wear those metal “saddles” and carry people (are FAR less than 20%) is pretty much an act of cruelty because it causes horrible spine damage and back pain.
Also not sure how many elephants you have worked with.
I can guarantee that I have worked with more. Spine damage and back pain, eh?
Show me the x-rays, idiot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDA7xnZ9AuE
I don’t have a problem with the rider so much as the sheer ignorance of the comments. o.O;
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH the fat lady video. I showed that to like 10 of my friends and my brother after I saw it, they all laughed their asses off.
I mean, it’s sad for the horse and I left a lovely comment on the video, but her falling off…
HILARIOUS.
I like how the description says “Never use a one rein stop when you can’t do it correctly!” as if had she done it correctly, that horse would have allowed her to stay on.
but I agree with the title, they are not horse whisperers.
hmm.. the chestnut appy is gone, but it’s not as though that little grey foal has much going for him in the last picture. I also love the “flashy and unique” coloring. You mean… grey?
I have some comments on horse size and carrying capacity.
When you scale up any animal, or other solid object, you scale up it’s volume, and therefore it’s mass (weight) in three dimensions, whereas it’s weightbearing surface area (ie it’s hoof size, the cross ectional area of it’s cannonbone, or pastern etc) is only scaled in 2 dimensions.
This is what naturally limits the size to which animals grow, and is why you don’t get 25hh horses, or 10′ tall lions.
If you look at large cats as a great illustration of this idea, you can see that lions have far thicker legs comparitively, than your average domestic cat.
They simply have to, to be functional.
For example, look at say my daughter’s 12hh pony, weighing about 240kg. He has 15.5cm of bone(mid cannon circumference).
For simplicities sake we’ll pretend his leg is cylindrical, and that would give him a cross sectional area of 19.4square cm ( I know that’s a long way from being all bone, but it will do fine for the purposes of this exercise).
I have a 15.2hh gelding that weighs approx 520kg, and has 19cm of bone. Therefore approx 28.6sqcm cross sectional surface area.
I’m sure most of you can see where this is headed. If you divide the weight by 4 (legs), then by the weight bearing surface area, you will see that the 15.2 gelding has already got over 30% more pressure on his legs than the 12hh.
I don’t have a draft handy to measure, but if you have one, measure up and do the maths. I think you’ll be shocked.
I might be mistaken, but I had thought you had a background in engineering Sarcastabitch?
In which case I would expect you to have no problems getting your head around the concept, and realise that barnibus is quite right.
The amount of weight a horse can carry is dependant upon the breadth of it’s loin, and the weight bearing cross sectional area, or more practically, it’s “bone”.
I’m 175cm tall, and 100kg (hefty), although in my defense I have bigger feet and hands, and broader shoulders than most men I know.
I have always gone for horses over 15.2hh, and 550kg+, however after recent research and thought I now realise that in fact a broad loined large pony of good bone is actually a far better candidate for a mount.
The 20% rule is thoroughly flawed, and I know that when I get on my 14.2hh appy mare she is far better equipped to carry me than most horses over 16hh, despite the fact that the 20% rule would say the opposite.
* RDM said…
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.*
~~~~~~~~~~
That’s the truth. I’ve shed 33 pounds since July doing this, down from 214 to 181 and still losing about 6 pounds a month. And not feeling hungry or deprived, either, in fact I’m enjoying food now more than ever.
Best of all, I’ve regained the desire to ride, a desire that waned as my weight ballooned over the last couple of years. Even at 214, my 16.1 hand TB gelding could carry me easily, because he’s big-bodied, and because I know how to ride in balance and lightly, but he’s a heckuva lot happier now that I’ve shed so much of the blubber.
Target weight is 150, so I’m more than halfway there, yippee!
The ball of blubber on that poor patient Paint was just damn horrifying. Too bad she didn’t squash the asshole who put her up there.
The Hahlinger looks a bit more like a belgun than a hahlinger.
Wow, I felt really sorry for the poor horse. There was a time when I weighed a bit too much due to the Freshman 15. At first I was in denial, but finally I was like, “Screw it, I’m going to do something about it”. I joined a gym and started working out 5 times a week. Now I do a good cardio workout (45 minutes to 1 hour) 6 times a week, in addition to weights and stretching. I’m not able to ride due to my location, but I know I’ll see the benefits once I pick it up. My body has changed a lot, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead. I’ve gained a lot of confidence, my skin is really clear, I’m a lot less stressed, and I look healthy. I look forward to working out- it’s MY time, and I love to get in the zone and think about things. And for the record, I’m 5’4 and 130. A couple less pounds wouldn’t hurt, but I’m more focused on getting in shape.
I know it’s hard, especially for obsese people, but every little bit helps. Take a 15 minute walk and gradually build up. Instead of snacking on chips, cut up an apple, pear, or a cucumber. Granted, a lot people have weight issues (either being too skinny and too fat), but it’s up to us to treat our body with respect.
Hmm, I suppose I shall have to go over this point in more elementary terms.
The point that barnibus tried to make (very badly) IS true. But our little barnibus, lacking any knowledge whatsover of mechanics (bio or otherwise) wrote that large animals are so weighed down by themselves that they can’t carry weight. Her comment about elephants and draft horses in particular are what I am on about. Now, she did actually make it clear a little later that that’s not exactly what she meant, but I was already offended, so I don’t care.
A draft horse can carry a regular- to larger-sized rider. Now, let’s define larger sized. A 250lb man/saddle combination isn’t going to break a draft. That’s a pretty standard cowboy+western saddle weight. I’ve seen that combo on Arabians in endurance races, and horse and rider were quite happy with it. Remember, a muscular 185lb man is NOT THAT LARGE. Stick a 300lb rider on a draft, you’re pushing the limit. You’d be pushing the limit on MOST horses. To say that a draft rider should be a lighter rider just isn’t so. The base information is correct, you can’t put more weight onto larger horses in direct proportion weight-to-weight…but don’t take that to extremes.
Mechanics isn’t the only issue there, either. Dynamics (energy) is at play too…looking at muscle mass, and capability to USE that energy effectively (metabolism…sort of) increase nearly exponentially as size increases. Since drafts (and draft ponies) have “cold” metabolisms, their energy use isn’t as efficient as say, an Arabian. How much difference? Well, pretty hard to get data on that as energy efficiency is so different between individuals.
Although you (and barnibus) are correct, that in scaling up you lose mechanical efficiency, you do still need to keep in mind that you are SCALING UP. The difference of 50 human pounds, particularly if that human has any ability whatsoever for self-carriage, is not significant on a 2100lb animal. 100lbs difference is starting to get there.
Now, what really got me pissy was that barnibus decided to take a little snark break on how I view the world, which of course merits some good snark right back.
The comment about elephants was also taking a principle that was essentially correct…but drawing an incorrect conclusion with that principle. It is true that elephants are better designed to drag and pull…but the weight of a human person on their back does NOT ADD SIGNIFICANT LOAD. SIGNIFICANT. That’s the key. You have a lot of bulk to play with on an elephant…I think that barnibus may have confused an issue with elephant-riding that IS true…often elephants in SE Asia aren’t fitted with appropriate saddles at all. They pinch the spine, and drunken tourists listing all over the place don’t help. That IS NOT a weight issue. That is a tack fit issue…and when you look at what some of those places put on elephants, you’d be able to tell instantly…you can see their spines crunching and pinching. Riding an elephant is most certainly NOT cruel, in and of itself…oosis in Myanmar ride their elephants constantly during logging, and it is not uncommon to have a pair work together for over 40 years. They do ride on the neck, but can often be seen giving rides home to others, who ride higher on the elephant’s back.
So yes, if you are pushing the borderline of what a “regular” sized horse can carry (let’s call regular a 1200lb 15hh QH) a draft isn’t going to be a great choice. But neither is a Fjord, Gypsy, or Icelandic. Although they are more mechanically efficient (and energy efficient) they are SMALLER. You might be able to push that 20% rule people keep talking about, but remember, you’re talking 20% of less weight to begin with. A big, stocky built horse, low to the ground IS a better choice as you creep up in weight.
If you are pushing the limits of what a regular horse can carry, there isn’t much you should be riding.
I also am on the heavier side. I have been bedridden or in a wheelchair on and off for 4 years. I just had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in my spine to stop pain. I have done all this so I can get back to riding my boys. Yes, all 3 geldings, one I flew back from Germany when I cam back. He was injured about 13 years ago, and all he has to do in live with me. All I want for Christmas is a treadmill. I will learn to walk well again, I’ll lose about 50 lbs, and I will be back to riding, hopefully by summer. Without my boys, I would have life, but I know it wouldn’t be any fun.
You know what- everyone is different. What works for some doesn’t work for others. But we don’t have an obesity epidemic in this country (the States) because everyone suddenly got a virus. We have an unhealthy culture and over time, it has murdered our natural ability to balance work, food, lifestyle, etc. Changes need to be made- but honestly, people- no one will be inspired to positive, sustainable change by being abused.
I’ve never been very heavy- much of that is genetics, much of that is the fact that I was healthy, vegetarian and an athlete as a child. When I quit riding to pursue higher degrees, I lost my muscle tone and got sort of flabby. But, I kept my healthy eating habits, so when I began riding again I was able to tone myself up within about two years. I love my mom for doing this for me- although at the time, I felt like the village freak, eating organic peanut butter and homemade jam on 17-grain whole wheat while everyone else got Peter Pan on Wonder Bread.
Two years ago, my husband had some uber-serious surgery that resulted in him losing his appetite for months- yes, months. Every time he lost his desire to eat, my own took a nosedive. Added to that was my purchase of a project horse who is like an exercise machine in and of himself- he is a serious workout.
After a while, him not eating, me sort of eating but exercising and expending way more energy than I was taking in, we both looked pretty skeletal and felt HORRIBLE. When things evened out for him, his appetite came back- but his energy did, too. My own metabolism sped way up- so now we eat a healthy amount, we both exercise doing things we love, and we’re in better shape than we were before the surgery.
My point is that sometimes drastic changes are actually needed- I wish what happened to our little family on no one else, but it really shook up my body and getting to the bottom of the barrel made me realize just how much I need good food and good habits to feel…well, good! I can’t be an effective rider unless I’m fit and strong and not unduly hampering my horse.
At any rate, being thin doesn’t make one an athlete- I defy any of those flabby stick people models to ride one side of my horse without panting after five minutes, but I also don’t expect my horse to be a performance animal without stepping up to the plate, as well.
Coming into the conversation a little late, but here goes.
Yes, we all understand that obese people have feelings that are hurt. But those feelings don’t deserve any consideration when those same people decide that they have the right to put an animal’s welfare and longterm health in danger.
I don’t feel sorry for that woman one bit. I don’t care about her feelings one bit. That one ride alone may have damaged the horse’s spine. It’s pretty easy to hurt a horse’s back; horses have superior conformation for pulling loads but they actually don’t have very good conformation for toting large weights on their backs.
The fucking horse couldn’t even walk straight because of the enormous, unbalanced woman on it. I absolutely could not believe what I was seeing. Both of those people should never be allowed around a horse again.
I clapped and cheered when that fat lump hit the ground! Mean of me???Eh? Poor horse.
trini,
Imagine dealing with a set of 42I’s not wanting to cooperate!
For those who are large chested, I can vouch for the Enell sports bra. Those puppies don’t even move!
OH MY FUCK. GET off the horse, and pick up your disgusting yard! maybe you’ll shed some of the 95 pieces of cheesecake you ate for dessert.
Normally, I wouldn’t comment on an old blog post, but I can’t resist. OMG. That poor horse (all of them really, but mainly the one with the elephant seal strapped to it’s back). Why is it that seemingly all heavy individuals who like to ride are drawn to smaller breeds? There’s this one, extremely fat woman I know who shows nothing but 14hh egyptian arabs. It’s ridiculous, and made more ridiculous by the fact that her horsemanship is right next door to horse abuse. It’s all yank, pull, kick, yank, yank, oops, it’s mouth is bleeding, stupid horse. It makes me MAD.
As far as the weaning thing goes, all the breeders and horse people I know, everything I’ve read, and my own experience tells me that anything from 4 to 10 months is an acceptable age to wean, 10 being on the really late side, 4 being early. As long as the mare isn’t suffering adverse consequences, waiting can actually be beneficial, as the foal will be more mentally equipped to operate independently of its mom. 7mos isn’t really all that out of line. My gelding was weaned at 8mos (as per the reccommendation of a very experienced professional trainer and personal friend) and he didn’t even bat an eye, where as, when he was 4 or 5 mos, he would freak out when I took mom 20 feet away for a hoof trim.