New to forum

[HorseyMum#1]

Hi,
I've just signed my mother, Sharron up to this forum. This is her registration name and am just posting her 1st post for her.

I hope that you all make her feel welcome and could give her some riding tips. She can walk and is currently trotting but has trouble with balance, she just does pleasure around the paddock on my 16.2hh tb horse kenny he is a fleabitten grey and is 13yo he is perfect for beginners and behaves perfectly for me and my mother. ill let mum tell you all about kenny and her miniature horse Harry in her posts.

thankyou please welcome her to the group. Ill make sure she puts some pics up.

kiaira.

[sancho]

Hi and Welcome to NR!!! :)

Its so friendly but VERY addictive!!! :D

Looking forward to hearing all about you and your riding.

I have a 14.2 piebald mare and am just returning to riding after an accident and losing my nerve. :o

Sooooo happy to be back out riding again! :D :D

[Fandango]

Hi Sharron and welcome! :) :)

I've only been a member for a week and totally agree with Sancho that it's such a friendly site.:D

[abbiegirl]

hello and welcome to new rider :) i must warn you it is very adictive!;) :D

[HorseyMum#1]

Hi all,
Thank you for the welcoming words.

So give me some advice on post trotting and managing to use the reins propery (english style). I have the balance for the post trot but, my horse responds to reins as well as leg aids and i forget to give the leg aids, because i am concentrating on my balance.

Sharron :confused: :confused: :confused:

[NoviceNic]

Welcome to New Rider Sharron.....:)

How would your horse respond if you carried a whip??? Would he be a little more forward going so you can concentrate on your balance more...??

Some people squeeze on the rise, some people squeeze on the fall. I find it easier to squeeze on the rise...

[HorseyMum#1]

No way would you see me riding with a whip.

My daughter carries one with her when riding him, and it makes him go way too fast for me!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

[HorseyMum#1]

hehehe no whip!!! not until i can handle it anyway.

[HorseyMum#1]

Just checking out whether my signature worked (just a test)

[Chinarider]

welcome to NR Sharron, you will 'virtually' meet lots of great people on here who are knowlegable and friendly.:D

I have found myself living here in China , owning my first horse !!! within 2 months I had 2 !!!! Couldnt live without NR and all the sound advice:o

Take you time with the trotting, try to have someone lunge you so you can practic your balance without having to steer and keep him forwards, it can be really helpful. Its good to try with no reins too on the lunge, then you know youre not balancing off the reins :p

* we love pictures *;)

[magicalmac]

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u7/magicalmac2007/happyfacewelcomevi.gif
Hello Sharron and a very warm welcome to NR. Hope you enjoy yourself here Ilook forward to reading your posts. I would love to see some pics of Harry I have a mimi shetland Thomas [34"] and a palomino cob x called Caramac.

[Teehee]

Hello and Welcome! ;)

[Hallmarked]

Hello from me as well.:)

[chestnut-mare]

Hi, I joined the forum over a year ago but didnt stick at it for long. I'm now back (mainly due to having a new horse and no confidence) but have to warn that I agree with the others - this site can be addictive!! I should be writing essays that have to be in soon for my nursing degree - yes going through a career change as well - but instead find myself reading through all the forums to pick up tips and gossip!:rolleyes: Its been great & the responses have been plentiful and warm. :)

[Morganna]

Hi Sharron and welcome aboard :)

[HorseyMum#1]

Thank you all again for such a warm welcome. Today I went to feed Kenny and one of his eyes were blue, we called our trainer over and she couldnt tell us so we called the vet, we think it is blue moon. So we are now heading of to the vets for ointment, has anyone had any of these experiences? Can anyone tell me about what happened to them?

Thank you

[horse_crazy]

hi, a big welcom to the bord to your mum! I'm from australia qld.

[stormy's mum]

is he a paint horse?

[HorseyMum#1]

No he isnt paint, hes fleabitten grey. We saw the vet and he is on antibiotics and we take him to the vet tomorrow at 11:30.

Also we were told it may be an infection from a tree branch or something like that.

[horse_converted]

Hello and welcome to NR! :D It is a great place to get help with any of your horsey problems :D

[PAUL M]

HI and welcome


Paul

[Imp]

Hello, welcome and I hope Kenny's eye responds to the antibiotics quickly and he's feeling better soon.

I'm looking forward to pictures :D

[HorseyMum#1]

thankyou all AGAIN for the great welcomes they are appreciated.:cool: :p ;) :D :)

yes, i also hope his eye responds to treatment.:rolleyes: :confused:

thank you:)

[Roheryn]

Welcome, Sharron!

I hope that Kenny is better today.

I too have issues with balance sometimes and am working on them in posting trot. I carry a dressage whip just because my horse is sometimes dead to leg and I use the whip as a sort of third leg. It is easier on both of us to tap him with it than to wear my legs out using them. I worried at first that he would take off too fast, but I only just barely tap him with it.

NoviceNic--I'm glad you posted about when to squeeze, on the rise or on the fall. I've been trying that and it works quite well with my guy--except for the times he almost scoots out from under me. :D

[Billy Angel]

Hi Sharron

I too mini and a TB, but also a warmblood. I am a mature lady and only new to this beautifull world of horses, and if I can give one suggestion to your trotting question it would be to try a dressage saddle. My first 2 lessons were in an allpurpose saddle and I was having difficulty, but the next lesson I rode in a dressage saddle and could not believe the difference it made. I was able to rise in the trot without bouncing all over the place with my legs swinging madly. I have now bought my own dressage saddle and ride in it all the time. I hope you fall in love with riding as much as I have.

[Roheryn]

Billy Angel--
What kind of dressage saddle? I too find I feel more secure in one than in an all-purpose. Your description of "legs swinging madly" sounds exactly the way my legs feel when I ride in an AP compared to a dressage, or in either an AP or dressage compared to my western saddle.

How do Australian stock saddles compare with dressage and AP saddles in affecting balance and security and comfort? Do any of you Australian riders have any experience riding in them?

[Kizza07]

i have riden in a stock before (only walk, my mother is horseymum#1) it is really comfy and is supposed to stop leg swingin etc, people in aussie say for you first few rides (at least) ride in a stock saddle.:cool: :) :D ;)

[jinglejoys]

Welcome and don't worry it will come its all a question of rythm:cool: I went back to riding after a 35yr gap and it took me a while to feel confident enough to try a rising trott--still can't get the confidence to ask for a canter and now I have an unbacked brat to work on--maybe you could try something a bit shorter to try on:D

[Roheryn]

I am getting better at rising trot the more I ride. I tried an Australian stock saddle this weekend and while I found it very comfortable, I still felt my legs were swinging madly as in an English saddle. I tried a trot and did OK but did not feel at all confident or balanced. I went back to my western saddle and immediately felt confident and much more relaxed. I didn't feel very relaxed in it this time last year, so given more time I might feel just as relaxed in the Australian saddle.

How is Kenny?

[HorseyMum#1]

Hey,

Kenny isnt too good last night we went for his nightly feed and one of his hocks was sprained!!! So with that healing blue eye and a sprained hock, i dont think ill be riding for a while.
Has anyone got any tips to keep him comfortable or to help heal it? He is currently under a tree with loads of lucerne, oaten, and nutri rice! and water of course!

He is really sore and on tip toes on his off side hind leg (the injured one) so we just give him pain killers in the form of granules and food and water and love. We also bath it with a shower and semi frozen tea towel 3 times a day because it has a lot of heat in it. It is VERY SWOLLEN I is almost twice the size of his other leg!

Any products or advice to help it heal?

[sophie33]

My long-suffering RI actually raised her voice to me last night! She is always praising me, when I clearly don't deserve it, and I milk that for all it is worth, cos it is nice to hear you are not totally useless :p :D , but last night she got so frustrated she obviously felt there was a need to use the stick instead of the carrot.
She apologised afterwards, but actually I didn't mind - I was feeling pretty frustrated with myself. The lovely Spike is fine on one rein, but on the other he consistently shoves me against the fence. So last night we set out to cure it, or rather teach me how to prevent it, much sweat and a bit of shouting later I at least got better. Using my outside leg more, bringing it back more. BUT... I keep raising my outside hand, when instead I need to keep it low. This is definitely a big problem of mine - in moment's of stress I lift my hands, the opposite of what I should be doing :o . Any tips on how to remember to keep them down? I know some people put string through the ring at the front of the saddle, but I don't think there is anywhere to fasten it on Spike's saddle.
Anyway frustration apart, my RI has agreed to borrow a horse so that we can do a lesson where we hack out together. Which would be fantastic, cos I really want to hack Spike, but he is a bit spooky, so doing it with my RI would be most reassuring.

[Kizza07]

[QUOTE=sophie33;1254393] The lovely Spike is fine on one rein, but on the other he consistently shoves me against the fence. QUOTE]

Hi,
I suggest you use a monkey grip. You can buy them from most tack stores, just ask for a monkey grip or monkey bar. they usually cost about $5 in aussie.

Tuck one of your fingers (not thumb or little finger) under it when doing that pushing with the outside leg. It should help.

I have one and used it to teach me to automatically keep my hands down because i was and still am terrible but i am better it helped me, i used it for balance and to keep them hands down and now i can go without it.

It attatches to the d rings that are usually under the skirt of the saddle.

Once you get one of those monkey bars see if it helps it should. then if you find that using your leg hurts too much coz its a fight, use a riding crop. Just hold it YOU DONT HAVE TO USE IT!!!

Just hold it on the problem side (outside) not touching him, then use your leg.

If he stil doesnt respond, just rest the whip on his shoulder on the outside (problem side) and use the leg as well.

If this still doesnt work, give him a gentle tap on the flank or shoulder with the whip and ALWAYS USE THE LEGS AS WELL if he doesnt respond keep using the whip harder and harder until he does.

Eventually you will work out where, when and how hard to tap with the whip, but just dont get too carried away with the whip, use your legs and body as much as possible because youll end up on the ground juist be gentle and slowly push for him to move across and eventually it will work and youll be fine!!

[sophie33]

Thanks Kizza, that sounds like a very good idea. And sorry Horsey Mum#1 I didn't mean hijack your thread! I was reading yours and then meant to start a new thread, but obviously dozed off and just added my post to the bottom of yours - sorry!

[HorseyMum#1]

Hi,
thants fine i dont mind.

[Roheryn]

Poor Kenny! I am sorry to hear about his hock, and sorry that you can't ride right now. I hope he will be soon be fine.

[HorseyMum#1]

Thank you for your sympathy. Im hoping too that he will soon be fine, he is now putting a bit more weight on it but still limping. I was told to put him in a confined space to rest it but i noticed that when he is allowed to walk on it the stiffness seems to ease.:confused:

thanks

[NoviceNic]

Hey Horsey Mum.....How is Kenny now?? Hopefully his leg has had the chance to ease off a little...:)

[HorseyMum#1]

Hi Nic,

Yes poor old Kenny is feeling a bit better. ;)

Still not ready to be ridden but had his leg massaged on Wednesday and will follow that up with another leg massage and then all over massage this week. Lucky bugger!! Im sure our horses are more pampered than us but I have to say I am lucky to have a friend who has just graduated Equine Myofunctional Therapy so that helps.

The swelling is almost totally gone certainly in his fetlock and leg but the hock has just one spot that still has a little fluid to disperse.

How are your babies? How many do you have, is it just Captain and Doodles? :)

[Whatanejit]

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f270/Whatanejit/Smilies/Hello/4944356.gif

Get well soon Kenny.

[NoviceNic]

Hi Nic,
How are your babies? How many do you have, is it just Captain and Doodles? :)

Captain is mine.....Doodles is the YO;s pony that I borrowed to settle Captain in.......

We are doing a lot better since our new saddle. I just have to sort out my confidence after having a few weeks off riding...:o He is having a bath tonight as I may go to a Show tomorrow for a walk round with him.. Was going to enter clear round but he lost a shoe and the farrier cant make it out to us today....:(


Gratuatious piccy of my main man.....:D

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/novicenic/horses/000_0437-1.jpg

[elaine@dow-evan]

Hi -I'm a new member too...looking forward to my 1st ever lesson tomorrow evening! A friend took me for a walk on his horse last week, (I was on the horse, he walked alongside!!) and I didn't want to get off her - so a childhood dream looks like it could finally come true:) :) . A bit nervous though...I want to be a careful & considerate rider. Wish me luck!!

[Roheryn]

Good luck on your lesson, Elaine! You sound as though you are starting off in a good way!
I've been wanting to get my trainer to lead my horse up and down the drive when I'm riding, just in case horse gets nervous. A friend of mine offered to do that for me. Isn't it great to have such friends?
I hope your childhood dream will come true in a wonderful way.