# Horse Riding!



## Mad_About_Animals (Aug 13, 2020)

I have been looking through the posts for this thread and haven't seen many from recently so here is my hobbie! I love horseback riding especially showjumping! I love jumping courses but also i like taking long hacks through the woods. My horse means everything to me! She is called Izzie and is 16.3 hands. Very big, beautiful warmblood! I currently have 3 chickens, 1 horse, 1 cat and a dog. Later on in the year, we are going to start up our own farm with lots more animals (Including chickens!) Is anybody else a horse rider? If so, what technique do you do? I would love to know more about you and your horse!
P.S Let me know if you want picture of Izzie!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Pics are always fun to see.

I had a warmblood/thoroughbred cross. He was the easiest going animal which is so typical of the old style warmbloods. Talk about tall, I forget now how many hands he was. His back was at the top of my head and I'm 5'4". To groom his back I had to stand on a bucket to reach. To get on his back I had to drop the stirrup all the way down then raise it once I was seated. 

I started western but the first time I sat in an English jump seat there was no going back to western. 

I no longer have horses but do enjoy reading about others' animals.


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## Mad_About_Animals (Aug 13, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Pics are always fun to see.
> 
> I had a warmblood/thoroughbred cross. He was the easiest going animal which is so typical of the old style warmbloods. Talk about tall, I forget now how many hands he was. His back was at the top of my head and I'm 5'4". To groom his back I had to stand on a bucket to reach. To get on his back I had to drop the stirrup all the way down then raise it once I was seated.
> 
> ...


wowzer! thats a big horse! My izzie is currently on a different farm so we are going to see her on Sunday!! Will put some pics then


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The girl that owned him before me was shorter than me, she had to use a bucket to get on his back. 

Is your Izzie the old style Warmblood? I've read recently that they've been messing with them when breeding. Going for hotter personalities. 

I also learned that the Morgans today are unrecognizable from the original breed which is so sad. They were one of my favorite breeds.


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## Mad_About_Animals (Aug 13, 2020)

robin416 said:


> The girl that owned him before me was shorter than me, she had to use a bucket to get on his back.
> 
> Is your Izzie the old style Warmblood? I've read recently that they've been messing with them when breeding. Going for hotter personalities.
> 
> I also learned that the Morgans today are unrecognizable from the original breed which is so sad. They were one of my favorite breeds.


no izzie is a dutch warmblood so no i dont think so.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What makes the breed so popular should not be played with. It's a disappointment to learn that this have been going on with the two breeds. 

My Max was Haflinger/thoroughbred and born way before they started messing with the breed.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Our Fossil Ledges Therapeutic Riding horses are re-trained off the track Thoroughbreds. Lots of work and training but great horses!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The stable where I had my horses when I lived in N. VA had a contract with the county to rehab horses that came to them because of abuse. Most of them were thoroughbreds. Most were hot as rockets but this one mare. She won my heart and when I was at the farm I'd go get her for a good grooming. 

I have a little idea, very little, what it took to retrain animals that are so hot blooded.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

it takes about a year to get their new off the track nutrition and basic training together and then another 2-3 years of training for Therapeutic Riding. They have to be bomb proof, for the Special Needs children.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's hard to imagine them ever being calm enough to ever be able to used for special needs kids. That mare I fell for yeah, all the others? It's so hard to imagine.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

It definitely takes the right horses to do this. They have to be trainable, regardless of how long it takes and they have to pass a test and be certified by NAHRA or PATH.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

I don't have the stamina for it anymore, it's Melissa's domain now. I do the paperwork and chase after my bird hobby.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Stamina is why I don't have 150 birds anymore. It just got to be too much.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Wow Robin, 150? Some days 40 seems like a lot around here! And that is capacity for this year heading into winter. Except for the twelve Swedish Blue Duck eggs in the incubator which are all spoken for. Although after I said no more eggs, I added three India Blue Peafowl eggs to the incubator. I told our Postal Lady that I was done with eggs for the season! So I need to stick with it.


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## Mad_About_Animals (Aug 13, 2020)

Poultry Judge said:


> Wow Robin, 150? Some days 40 seems like a lot around here! And that is capacity for this year heading into winter. Except for the twelve Swedish Blue Duck eggs in the incubator which are all spoken for. Although after I said no more eggs, I added three India Blue Peafowl eggs to the incubator. I told our Postal Lady that I was done with eggs for the season! So I need to stick with it.


OMG 40 CHICKENS!!!?? How!!?? Im so jealous i only have 3 but i am looking for more


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Poultry Judge said:


> Wow Robin, 150? Some days 40 seems like a lot around here! And that is capacity for this year heading into winter. Except for the twelve Swedish Blue Duck eggs in the incubator which are all spoken for. Although after I said no more eggs, I added three India Blue Peafowl eggs to the incubator. I told our Postal Lady that I was done with eggs for the season! So I need to stick with it.


I am not at all surprised to learn no more for the season only to hear almost immediately that somehow more found their way into incubation.

I raised show Silkies. And then there were a couple of breeds I really liked. And the big Guinea flock.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

There should be a twelve step group!


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

robin416 said:


> The stable where I had my horses when I lived in N. VA had a contract with the county to rehab horses that came to them because of abuse. Most of them were thoroughbreds. Most were hot as rockets but this one mare. She won my heart and when I was at the farm I'd go get her for a good grooming.
> 
> I have a little idea, very little, what it took to retrain animals that are so hot blooded.


I actually have heard of this place- or one like it- in NOVA; I'm from there, but live in SW VA now. A lot of my family still lives up there from my dads side-scattered from Baltimore down to Manassas, and in between.  I've mainly heard they do really good work with them- if it's the same place, and there aren't usually a ton in a given area I know.

I've never had the joy of owning a horse, but I rode them often when I was younger, our friends' horses and horseback riding camp too. I love and miss it. It's been probably.... 20 years or longer since I was on one though. Love hearing about it tho! And maybe someday we will get our real home in the country, and enough space and means to keep my own horse. 

Yes pictures pictures! Everyone loves pics.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Our nonprofit has a Facebook page under Fossil Ledges with some pictures of the Therapy Horses. I'm sorry it doesn't get updated too much, we are a small nonprofit depending on volunteers and I'm not very tech savvy. The farm next door used to do a lot of work with Mustangs.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Overmountain1 said:


> I actually have heard of this place- or one like it- in NOVA; I'm from there, but live in SW VA now. A lot of my family still lives up there from my dads side-scattered from Baltimore down to Manassas, and in between.  I've mainly heard they do really good work with them- if it's the same place, and there aren't usually a ton in a given area I know.
> 
> I've never had the joy of owning a horse, but I rode them often when I was younger, our friends' horses and horseback riding camp too. I love and miss it. It's been probably.... 20 years or longer since I was on one though. Love hearing about it tho! And maybe someday we will get our real home in the country, and enough space and means to keep my own horse.
> 
> Yes pictures pictures! Everyone loves pics.


The stable I had my horses at was in MD. I'd have to do a map search to remember which town. It's been a long time since they were there.

Fridays to cross the bridge was a nightmare with folks leaving for the weekends.

I almost moved to So East VA last year. But changed my mind.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Poultry Judge said:


> Our nonprofit has a Facebook page under Fossil Ledges with some pictures of the Therapy Horses. I'm sorry it doesn't get updated too much, we are a small nonprofit depending on volunteers and I'm not very tech savvy. The farm next door used to do a lot of work with Mustangs.


PJ, do you have a Twitter page? That's another very good way to get the word out about the farm.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

That sounds about right; my best friend also lived in MD for a few years, and I spent time around there as a (somewhat) adult! My husband and nephew-in-law? Anyway- they both work for police departments, and my dad worked with a couple of the counties with rescue dogs for several years too- I honestly can't recall where I heard that about it or when. I only remember hearing they have a good rehab program- we also have the same here in my town for special needs children, with A Leg Up. I think we still do at least, one of the larger supporters has passed so I'm not sure if they still do or not. At any rate- at some point I heard up that direction there was a place where they rehabbed the animals- could even have been in connection to A Leg Up- meh I've rambled enough here! Hahaha sorry. It could be the same, or not, just know that someone in the area up there has a positive reputation as far south as Tn! I live at the border really, but still in the commi- I mean the commonwealth.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Midlothian. It just came to me. 

I also volunteered at the big horse hospital in N. VA. Don't' remember the name of that place either.


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## Mad_About_Animals (Aug 13, 2020)

Lol! Just read through all your guys post and realised you have done ( and still are) way more horse-related things than I am!! I forgot to do 2 things:
1) Mention I also half share another warm blood with my mum and
2) take pictures but I am going down there tomorrow to see and ride them so will Defo take pictures of them then!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It might be because we have lived longer than you.


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## BarbaraR (Jun 28, 2015)

robin416 said:


> Pics are always fun to see.
> 
> I had a warmblood/thoroughbred cross. He was the easiest going animal which is so typical of the old style warmbloods. Talk about tall, I forget now how many hands he was. His back was at the top of my head and I'm 5'4". To groom his back I had to stand on a bucket to reach. To get on his back I had to drop the stirrup all the way down then raise it once I was seated.
> 
> ...


-------------------------------------
Do you have access to the Livestock Conservancy? They have some of the MOST awesome horses around. I personally am interested in their Akhal Teke (the basis of most performance horses, including thoroughbreds), but getting too old to ride green ones.


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## BarbaraR (Jun 28, 2015)

Mad_About_Animals said:


> Lol! Just read through all your guys post and realised you have done ( and still are) way more horse-related things than I am!! I forgot to do 2 things:
> 1) Mention I also half share another warm blood with my mum and
> 2) take pictures but I am going down there tomorrow to see and ride them so will Defo take pictures of them then!


Then compare to the Akhal Teke....


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

BarbaraR said:


> -------------------------------------
> Do you have access to the Livestock Conservancy? They have some of the MOST awesome horses around. I personally am interested in their Akhal Teke (the basis of most performance horses, including thoroughbreds), but getting too old to ride green ones.


No, I've been out of horses for 20 years now.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

Could you post pictures of Izzie?


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