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FirestarterKY
04-13-2008, 04:44 AM
For Deberosa.....Careful what you ask for!
LOL!
I can always talk for hours about "my" horses.
Shy and Sinbad are 4-5 yrs old.
They are half brother and sis.
Shy is red with blond tail and main like most drafts you see in amish though Sinbad is a white draft!
HOW beautiful!
I got into horses when I moved to a place that could hold them. I never had a horse before.....lol......I was raised in the city.
They were only yearlings then and I was so afraid of them I brushed them from the other side of the fence!
LOL!
Shy wasnt easily trained. Took me two hours to get a halter on her.
Sinbad was just a natural calm horse.
We all learned how do everything together.
I went and learned under a great trainer how to train and did very well....got both horses ready for under saddle training.
Shy muscled out good first so she went first to a trainer I heard many good things about.
Seeing I could do all the ground work would make them very steady for an experienced rider/trainer.
Well...he called first night and said, "I'm already riding her!"....I knew that wasnt good, she had just gotten there..no time to get to know anything.....he said come and see tomorrow. So, we did...the whole time he was saddling her up she was tense as h***.
He got on and she walked on and when he asked her to stop with a one reign stop she got confused and he went flying, he got up with a great rope burn on his hand and went and twisted her teets in his fist.
She was on her way home that next day.
Soooo....I had to go learn from others more under saddle.
My teacher said she wanted to come see what I had.
When she got here......she looked at me like I was crazy!
She said, "do you know what you have there?"...I said yup...BIG horses.
She said, "sell them!"....she asked how are you going to get on them if you come off????
LOL!!!!
Well, I guess I'll use a tree trunk or something.
LOL!
The size of my horses freaked her out.
She was half way affraid!!!
I've learned everything Deb.
My horses are very well trained though Shy will never be riden. She's IS ruined for riding.
But, she pulls fine and has the manners of a perfect horse. She also can carry a HUGE load.
She just freaks when anyone is one her. I have tried and tried to break her lack of confidence, but am tired of people going to the hospital.
I do have a saddle that fits Sinbad, but I only ride bareback.
He's so comfy to sit on.
Feed?
Not much. They get mineral on the table all the time and just two cups of feeds a day until it gets hot, then just a half fleck of hay each to bring them in. Unless it's dead of winter and they need extra hay to stay warm...which they LOVE cold weather! They really dont know it's cold unless it's like 5 degrees. LOL!
My horses are so well trained and I'm so proud.....
They come when called always. But, when I walk out to them, they never walk away.
Always turn to me. I worked hard to be able to obtain that response.
I'm glad that I took the time to learn to train them myself.
Training these horses built in me a confidence I really needed too.
Sinbad is lazy and Shy is hot.....he needs a nudge and shy just needs for someone to think "go" and she goes.
They are so diff.
They've never foundered but their size...they could so I have pulled them into their little 1/2 acre lot now.
The Spring grass is so potent.
I'm in the process of finding a new farrier.
The one I've had forever isnt paying attention and cut them like a reg horse last time.....shy limped for two weeks!
I had to dr her every night and give her bute.
But, she's fine now.
Also, Sinbad doesnt respond like regular horses.
Most draft like Sinbad are slower with commands and when the farrier asks him to lift it takes 3 seconds longer than a reg horse.
But the farrier hits his leg bone for a quicker responce.
I hate that!
I've never had to hit my horses for any....oh wait....ya, Shy put her teeth on me ONCE.
lol....cannot have that!
I had to act like I was going to kill her.
I think to this day she doesnt know I wouldnt have.
That's the way I like it.
That was yrs ago and I feel I will never have to have to have that "talk" with her again.
LOL!
Like I said in my other thread....their heads are down constantly.
And, my hubby has to give me a leg up on Sinbad.
But, that's okay with me.
If I needed them to plow or something like that I could use them easily for it.
I need to lunge them more though...they are lazy horses and would tire easily, with their current lifestyle.
Spoiled brats.

I'll try to post pic of them....kind of new to pc thing, but will try......

Thanks for asking about my loves.

Karen

Deberosa
04-13-2008, 07:17 AM
Thank you Karen!

You talked about the one reservation I would have about draft horses because I've never had a horse either - they are huge! It's so great how you overcame your fear and just plunged right in!

That "trainer" should have his teets twisted!!! GRRR!

It was funny how a friend of mine who has horses came over to visit. I am very cautious when she has her horses out at her place and when she came over she was afraid of the flock of geese when they came up to visit! It's all a matter of getting used to it. I remember how intimidating my little dexter cow with horns was at first and now it's not a problem. So many people are put off by the unknown. It's so impressive how you took them on!

Thank you for sharing your story. I would love to see pictures, they sound like a beautiful pair of horses.

Debbie

WileyCoyote
04-13-2008, 12:20 PM
Thanks, Karen!
Hubby and I were talking about draft horses and their care and feeding, and were wondering about their practicality. I even did a post a few months ago here on it, asking for advice. THANK YOU for answering my questions!

Yup, it sounds like that trainer was a "breaker" not a "gentler". I have worked with both, and "gentling" a horse not only is much better on the humans, but much better for the horse's temperament! Horses (in the main) are just like any other animals - different personalities dictate how you work with them, but goodness and gentleness and steady persistence always seems to be the best course. Can't wait for the pics! (I can't figure out this whole pic thing either). :-[

FirestarterKY
04-14-2008, 04:45 AM
Thanks you two for your replies.
Ya.....IF you come off a draft, it's a long way down...and IF you get stepped on by one, it's a few extra hundred pounds.
And, really, getting on one, even with stirrups, is a little hard without help or a water troft. LOL!
But, I LOVE them!
Yes, too, I have great respect for my horses as they do me.
Shy wants to please, she just can't get over her fears and when I let go of the thought of trying to ride her, it felt right.
In this lifetime she wont ever have to worry about it any more.
There was this girl coming out to work with two black horses I had she loved working with them..one day she had extra courage and wanted to work with Shy, so I got out the mounting table hubby made for me.
I told her just practice putting your foot in the stirrup and maybe allowing some of your weight over her. Next thing I knew, she jumped on top of her!!!!
I got the classic rope burn and she ended up in the ER.
POOR Shy.
I dont feel sorry for the girl....she was careless and stupid.
I told her my horses were all trained not to have to be tied for any reason.
I'm just one who feels it's a dangerous practice.
My horses never walk off on me.
She tied a horse.....a stray dog walked by the back of the barn and there went a horse running with a big two by four banging around under belly.
We just stood there watching, waiting until she stopped.....and I said, well, there's a 600 vet bill.
Luckily, no injuries.
Just bruising.
Horses are potentially dangerous animals but if I use my brain always and leave my ego in the house everyone should be okay.

And, YA! That's why the milk cow I'm getting is young...so we can grow up together!
LOL!

But, I'm telling ya, having overcome fears with horses and going out at sunset and just brushing or laying on top of Sinbad....is the best medicine in the world.
Ya, I've learned so much that I can use in many areas of my life with these horses.

I love my chickens too....
Living like this does cause us all to pull out of ourselves certain otherwise dormant brave qualities about ourselves.
Like, that movie with Nicole Kidman, when the girl came to help her she was scared of that chicken that attacked her and the girl walked right over after saying, the only ...oh I forgot, but she went over and rang its neck!
I thought, now, there's a couragous woman!
Wanted to be like her......AHH!!!!!
Now I am!!!!!
Woo hoo!
One time is all any Roosters is allowed here!
LOL!
Brave women we are!
LOL!
Oh, and you men....here....are truely in your element, huh?
I've been to so many web sites in the pc world....this is my absolute favorite I've ever been to.

Oh! And the same movie....the woman taking her goat or sheep, forget which one....and needing it's meat to feed a sick man...well, the way she killed it, one quick seemingly painless stick/jab.
WOW!!!!
I want to be like her when I grow up!
:)

Y'all have a good one and thanks for the conversation!

I can't figure out the pic thing either!
I tried yesterday with no avail.

Oh well.....

I do know how to email pics though.