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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > General Gaited Horse Discussions > Misc. Gaited Horse Discussion > Adventures in Trail Riding |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > General Gaited Horse Discussions > Misc. Gaited Horse Discussion > Adventures in Trail Riding |
| Moderated by: crs trail rider |
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| Adventures in Trail Riding | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12th, 2011 04:46 pm |
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1st Post |
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BPsGrl G.O.G Community Member 
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The day started off great. I borrowed my friend's awesome 4 door diesel and her nice red 4 horse stock trailer and we hauled to a benefit ride not far out of town. I had my 12 yr old daughter with me and she brought "the barrel horse" b/c she said she wanted to exercise her and they needed to bond a little. I'm thinking you are going to be so sore. So we arrive there around 8:00. The ride was starting at 9:00..we saddled up and found some friends we knew were going to be there and started chatting. THEN the wagons starting pulling in. Storm, my 9 year old, usually well behaved TWH mare whom I've had over a year has apparently never seen mules or wagons or heard chains rattling of any kind. She begins shaking and snorting and side stepping. Then starts trying to grab the bit and take off. *note to self number 1..Storm needs to desensitizing to all of the above. * So the wagons get settled down and I am admiring this GORGEOUS Buckskin TWH Stud that this guy is riding...yes I was admiring him a little. But mostly the horse WOW he was something. So we get going around 9:30 and ride for a good while...cross a creek, etc. all the while Storm is still antsy she is trying to get into the lead and cutting off everybody on the trail. I'm surprised there wasn't anyone with "trail rage" by this time. So we get to where we are stopped for a little bit. I'm sitting on Storm b/c if I get off in the woods it's hard to get back on and there were no visible logs to use. So we hear some of the wagons were going back to the creek b/c there is a mule team and wagon bogged down. A huge lot of the group is going out with them. Now we standing with friends and horses that Storm knows...but apparently she wanted to go with them b/c she does this rear up spin in the air thingy and takes off. I finally got her reined in but was mortally embarrassed. *Note to self #2...work on the WOAH in ground training* Then we started riding again...seems like she's settled down until we get back to the creek...as we are crossing she decides with no warning, not a paw, sniff or anything else that she is going to lay down in the middle of the creek with me. Luckily she didn't roll...but I was off anyway in waist deep water and had to walk up a sandy beach to try to find somewhere to get back on. *Note to self #3...if they want to lay down in the water jump off quick. GRRRR...at this point we'd been riding for 5 hours. The rest of the ride went ok. But dang what a crazy day. Oh and all the while my daughter was complaining that Josie does nothing but trot...ouchie..whine whine. And I was like I told you so. When in doubt bring Brees the greatest numero uno trail horse deluxe. Other than that I made a number of great friends...ate alot of good food...didn't win the cool door prizes and we raised ALOT of money for a local girl that had gotten paralyzed after falling off a horse. Yes it could've been worse. THANKS FOR THE VENT SESSION.
____________________ "Walking horses...I'm living Proof that "to ride one is to own one!!!" |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12th, 2011 05:58 pm |
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2nd Post |
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whattarack Pasture Boss 
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I had to chuckle a little because (now that I can't ride), I kinda miss those crazy mare days. Was she as attracted to the stud as you were? ;) My hubby has ended up in the water before but I learned quickly how to feel the attempt to lay down and answered with a quick spur of a heel and a sharp rein to the rump. Our horses liked to try to lay down on sand. The good thing is you survived the ride and now have a list of things to work on. I have found that most horses get used to wagons relatively quick and most I've had seemed to find comfort to walk right behind them. Note to self: put a towel and a bottle of whiskey in the saddle bags. l1
____________________ Being Offended is Optional. |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13th, 2011 02:25 am |
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3rd Post |
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sdlepal Ranch Hand 
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At least you made it back safely! My old trail horse loves the water. He pawed and splashed till we all were wet. Only on occasion would he lay down. But I knew when it was coming and did like Whatta said, spur and spank! We ride what they call rails to trails sometimes. One section goes past a state park where they give wagon rides. Yes, you would think a horse would not be scared of a horse pulling a wagon! But ours goes crazy as if there are monsters after them. I had a little Amish pony cart going through our campground once that sent my horse straight in the air. I guess we all have things to work on. The problems usually do show up on a big ride.
____________________ Pam and Cowboy Casey |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13th, 2011 11:55 am |
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4th Post |
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karenlexsc G.O.G Community Member 
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BPsGrl, found your trail ride so interesting to read. So sorry your mare was unnerved by the wagons and mules and laid down in the water with you! Horses! They tend to make liars out of us soon as we brag on them, don't they? Love your Notes to self! Understand your embarrassment, but we all can sympathize with you! (Just glad we weren't you...) Sdlepal, do not like your last sentence at all!!!! (with EF right here) t2 You aren't putting a jinx on us cause you can't go, are you? 
____________________ Karen No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. ~Winston Churchill |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13th, 2011 03:02 pm |
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5th Post |
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crs trail rider Ranch Hand 
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BPsGrl- I had to chuckle all through your vent- because I have been there - oh have I been there! LOL I tend to do big rides here lately - I dont know why- and although wagons do not phase my horse one bit- she does not like to go slow- nope not at all- ticks her off big time. And God forbid we get behind a bunch of slow moving QH's. I am working on it but she just cannot walk that slow! Its not in her genetic make up- so I always have to ask to pass. That is after we complete the whirling and the grunting and the snorting if she is really worked up. I found if I can let her GO at a good clip for the first 20 minutes when she is like this she is a much better ride- I call it burning off the after burners. No horse should have that much energy. We all can find holes in our horses training. We just have to find the time to close the holes (at least for me) 
____________________ Its rarely the horses fault- Its usually a failure of the rider to communicate their requests in a manner that the horse can understand. Lisa |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13th, 2011 04:04 pm |
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6th Post |
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sdlepal Ranch Hand
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Karen, I am sorry! I didn't mean anything towards the EF ride. Just that our horses do make a liar out of us sometimes. We think they are really dead broke and then when the wagon comes jingling along - boom! You guys will be just fine.
____________________ Pam and Cowboy Casey |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13th, 2011 04:48 pm |
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7th Post |
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BPsGrl G.O.G Community Member
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Thanks for the comments guys... Good to know I'm not alone... Whatta - If I would've been camping like everyone else I would've had that darn Whiskey in the saddlebag...there were quite a few nice and lit people there. But I had to drive home that night with kid and horses in tow so that wasn't happening. And she actually was very well behaved by the stud...and maybe that's who she was chasing when she wanted to run off..LOL. Ok so I can't blame her there. Karen - yes I made the fatal "brag on my horse" mistake before we left. crs - she was going pretty fast too but 90% of the other horses were gaited as well so they were booking it too, so that was the least of my worries. LOL. To all who are going on the EF ride....I hope you all have a safe, enjoyable and excuse me if I say uneventful (he he) ride. Be safe guys.
____________________ "Walking horses...I'm living Proof that "to ride one is to own one!!!" |
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14th, 2011 12:04 am |
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8th Post |
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SPOTD RIDR G.O.G Community Member 
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Sorry to hear of all your bad circumstances, BUT no one got hurt or came off , so it WAS a good ride in my book, LOL Seems there is always something that will make a horse come unglued but you just don't know there triggers till you get out there and ride. Mine at first were intensely watching wagons but then all of a sudden they took off like they wanted to chase the wagons, so they do good riding behind or in front of them, its a little hard to get them to pass a wagon, but they will. Now Mira acted like you described Storm when she first saw the wagons when we rode the rails to trails years ago, with the bicycles when they came towards us and by the third day she was no better and I was crying upon taking up just dreading dealing with it, but we made it, but never went back because of the bikes and all the bridges.
____________________ JoAngela "Jo" |
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14th, 2011 05:12 pm |
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9th Post |
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BPsGrl G.O.G Community Member
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So True SPOTD...I guess I should've been glad about the everyone was safe thing but You know we tend to concentrate on the bad stuff. All in all it wasn't a bad ride it was just that I'd come to expect certain behavior from this horse. And we've been in big group ride situations just not with the wagons. I think that was her total undoing. And to think I was actually thinking about riding her English that day. I would have so hit the ground multiple times. There is another one coming up in 2 weeks. Not sure if I'll get to go or not but I'm not totally opposed to it. I am counting down the months until next June when Daisy (the buckskin) turns 3 and I can start riding her more.
____________________ "Walking horses...I'm living Proof that "to ride one is to own one!!!" |
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| Posted: Sat Oct 15th, 2011 07:26 am |
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10th Post |
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Lakota G.O.G Community Member 
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Was gonna take my 2yr. old for a short jaunt down the road the other night. While in the cross ties he saw a team of Belgians going down the road pulling four blue grain hopper wagons with white wheels. I couldn't make out what they were at first, but he was snorting like a whitetail buck on full alert. We get to the end of the driveway and the neighbor is loading a small tractor on a car hauler and clanking the ramps & hitch a bit. He can't see it 'cause of the trees and he's thinking about spinning/bucking/bolting. I'm thinking God please give this horse the sense he usually has. We survived o.k., but it definately was not his best ride. At least I didn't get wetto1.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17th, 2011 04:28 pm |
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11th Post |
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BPsGrl G.O.G Community Member
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to1 back at cha' Lakota. At least it wasn't cold when I got dunked. It's supposed to get down in the 30's here sometime this week. Yeah I know some of you may be like 30 smurdie, but 30 here in South MS is like wet bone chilling cold that you can't get warm unless you take a hot shower cold. I'm a wuss. LOL. Not looking forward to cold weather riding. I'll do it anyway b/c I love to ride, but I'll look like a Eskimo all bundled up.
____________________ "Walking horses...I'm living Proof that "to ride one is to own one!!!" |
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17th, 2011 05:24 pm |
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12th Post |
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Lakota G.O.G Community Member
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We went to Mississippi to get a horse in mid April once and it was already in the mid 90's and so humid, - I don't know how you guys can take it. I can see how you would feel when it gets down in the 30's if you are used to the heat. You've got nothing to feel wussy about. Last edited on Mon Oct 17th, 2011 05:25 pm by Lakota |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 19th, 2011 04:49 pm |
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13th Post |
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BPsGrl G.O.G Community Member
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Yeah it get's hot...I prefer it like it is today...it got down to like more like 50...the weather channel lied. But the high is only like 70 and there is a breeze so it's not a hot 70. and it's all blue sky'd and I'm at work..boo hoo. Yeah If you can deal with the heat, chills, and bugs you'll be ok. I've got a friend that grew up in Paris, TN...and married a guy from Long Beach, MS. She was freaking out at all the different types of "biting" flies we have. The gnats are so bad down here and the mosquito's will carry you off if the horse and deer flies don't have you puffed up like a toad on steroids. LOL. I just need to buy a 55 gallon drum of Avon Skin so Soft. That is the only thing that keeps the flies off us and the horses. But.....and everybody might be interested in this little tidbit. They sell this personal mosquito thing for hunters called Thermocell. It has little clip has a butane cartridge and covers like a 15 x 15 area. It would be great for trail riding. It is EPA approved so it's enviro friendly. A guy here at work has one for hunting and he said it's awesome.
____________________ "Walking horses...I'm living Proof that "to ride one is to own one!!!" |
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