fadedoak

It has been just the mutt and I, for a very long time.

However, I couldn't have stayed single forever, and now that I do have a boyfriend. The Boyfriend knows that the mutt and I come as a package dea. the mutt is very anxious when he and I have "personal time".

I know its because the mutt is worried about me, he has known separation issues.

I am his security blanket and he is mine.. however, I know if he becomes uncomfortable enough around the new boyfriend, that teeth may come out.

Currently I give him a tasty bone to distract him, and frequent pauses to check in to show everything is a-okay on this end. Yes, I even sneak him into the bed after all the excitement is over.

The dog is involved in the other activities, and most of the dates too. So he is only excluded really, from the bedroom portion.

What more can I do to make the change of our relationship easier on the mutt?

Right clicks everything, magical spontaneous zooms.

I am seriously going to throw this laptop across the room - I hear it has some sort of jolt protection, so that should be okay.

My congrats for graduating here's a fancy new laptop for you...

I graduated with a biology degree, not IT. I have no idea what to do to disable the clicks (like right click side of the clickpad, or the zoom, or the quick scroll over here as fast as you can)

Its a Zenbook, Asus.

Something about drivers?

My horse has one speed. Trot.

She can do it as slow as everyone walks (aka angry trot)

Or faster than anyone can canter (power trot)

Or just her normal smooth as butter gait.

The trouble is that is all we do.

More recently she has been getting worked up when we head home. Yes, this is because this summer, I was training her for the cue to canter and we ran both heading out and coming home. I think we would have developed the problem either way. She gets really excited whenever we head out on trail with the expectations to stretch her legs.

She doesn't go very fast, but do a slow angry trot. (she is pissed off about having to stay slow, and is expressing it)

We have been riding bitless for about a year, and as I understand, changing bits is not fixing the problem, I am not willing to change the bit or go more severe. We ride with a dr.cook around home, and a hack when we are out on trail. I made this problem, and I should be able to fix it.

Looking for some advice on how to get a walk from it all.

She is a good horse all around otherwise.

I guess I should say even though I direct rein, I don't really have alot of contact - only when I feel that If I gave in to her having her head that we would run to the barn. We don't show, we just ride up and down the road and in the trails around the farm. Now that its snowed, I really need those transitions to work better.

We have the worlds smallest sandbox.. er arena, but there is enough room to work on small things.

Every year we take my friends boyscout group on a wagon ride the weekend before halloween. This year we thought that we would do it through the "haunted forest" and have various scary things in the woods.

We have a headless horseman, a ghostly indian, and a witch, all with horse and riders.

I was curious about how to have other things in the woods that were DIY for decoration, and such. Any ideas?

Also, anyone have any ideas for a smokey cauldron without dry ice?

Okay, I ride english so this is purely hypothetical. So please save me the "get a saddle that fits replies" Just curious from barn talk that western saddles fit can be adjusted by using different pads.

If it was used on a wide horse would you use a thinner pad or a thicker pad where it seemed tight? Or with a narrower horse, would you use a thinner or thicker pad if it laid too low?

English saddles are so precise, and it seems western saddles are not - don't they just come in 2 sizes?

Haha, You can't tell that I live a sheltered english life can you? I am pretty sure my eyes glazed over in wonder as the boarders spoke...

My question is two fold.

I am getting antsy about a big trail ride in my community.

We usually braid our tail anyhow, since I like it that way, but looking for other ideas for braiding... especially since we will be adding a nice red ribbon to the affair!

I know that red ribbon usually means stay back, but what are some other colors that often show up as warnings?

So sick of whats in my playlist. Looking for new stuff to add in there.

Prefer happy up beat stuff with folky flair, and that I can sing along with if the mood hits me.

Usually this is pretty indy stuff, since Lady Gaga hasn't done a folk song in ages... right?

My newest addition is Goyte.

Just thought I should say, I am really open in my music preference... from throat singing, to african tribal, to red solo cups, to brother ali, and back again.

I'd love it if you threw some of your favorite bands my way!

During a bridle disfunction when riding, we had to use an emergency halter to ride home with. We have been working at trying to find a bit that works with her. My mare seemed so happy and content with just that, we still have basic control - our breaks weren't the greatest, but one rein stop worked well.

I would like to try bitless on her.

But don't know if I should go with a hackmore or side pull to star

t.

We don't have a round pen or arena, we just use the trails as training. I will be riding with a group, so if all else she will just plod along behind someone.

Just bought a saddleseat saddle at an country auction - as you can guess, I didn't get it for much.

Turns out to be a Lane Fox, which I know is a good cutback brand - but can't seem to pin point a good price to sell it at.

The tag says:

Made in England

The Lane Fox

By Butler Bros (walsall) Ltd

Its in good condition, there is a slight scuff on the seat, but I bet it would go away with oiling. Is a brown with a lighter brown seat. Regular stirrup bars. Minimal wear on the side flaps. Billets are soft and supple. Stitching is good all around. Silver buttons have a bit of green around them. Haven't measured it yet, but it looks like a 22" Seat.

Looking for ballpark price that I could list it at.

My new mare has been rode in a tom thumb all her life (now 8) and I would like to find a snaffle for her since I ride english. However, I've tried "nicer" versions of tom thumb that had a copper roller and shorter shanks, but in pictures she looks in pain when riding, so we switched back to the TT. I've tried an egg butt snaffle on her, but our breaks are non existent. So back to TT we went. I've been told that if its what she is used to I should go with it, but if I want to do anything with her on the outside world, I get torn a new hole when they see me riding her english with one (I have quite hands and she is usually on a long rein)

I really should know this but I still can't grasp it.

My mare tucks in when trotting, but I've been told this isn't bending at the pole.

What is it bending at, and what can I do to tell if its bending at the pole?

Can any one explain this to me? Really need to dumb it down... haha.

I have a chunky mare, and would like her to get down a healthy weight.

She is built like a brick house (draft x) but still has a very obvious crease down her back, and I have to try really hard to feel her ribs.

I only have 2 days a week to work with her, so I'd like to make the most out of our time together and really help her shed the pounds.

She is worked year round, so we aren't starting with a totally unfit horse, but one thats fat.

A few things to note, she is not an arena horse, but I can lunge if need to.

We really only have flat trails and road to ride on.

Trotting is her speed of choice, I am curious if she is so used to it, if it burns less calories?

What about cantering?

She has no grain in her diet.

Need to start shedding the pounds on my new haflinger. She is 8, and a tank. I can only work her about 2 days a week. Any suggestions for a work out plan?

We don't have an arena, just flat trails and road. She isn't on grain, just hay.

It doesn't need to be instant weight loss, since I can only work her 2 days a week, just things that we can do when riding that will make her a little more fit in the end.

We ride english or western.

Long story short, I got a grey pad instead of the black I wanted. No returns, but want to see what a grey pad would look like on a light chestnut colored horse or dark palomino. Can anyone dig up pictures? I want to know how hideous it will look.

Its technically an english pad, but pictures for any discipline will work

Any help is appreciated!

I am on a question asking frenzy... well, kinda.

I figured since I was wondering about this I would ask it too.

Mind you if you have seen my other question - I've not perfected my ability to canter, so jumping is a few months away from actually happening.

In short, if you don't want to go look at my other question. I got a saddle that fits us both like a glove, however, its english, and though my background is in english - I've only practiced on warmbloods and likewise, and not haflingers with short necks, and forgot how to do somethings.

While we are on that, I don't show, I ride trail only. I don't have an arena, or a trainer.

In this case. I've never learned how to jump.

We aren't looking to do anything above a foot, perhaps just a fallen log on the trail.

What I do know, is that if you slam on their back, yank on their mouths or lose balance, they will refuse. I also know that you have to get into half seat of somesort, but the problem arises that I just can't grasp how to do so with her short neck. Mind you, I'm an adult - but only 5'3"

Maybe it has nothing to do with her neck.

Please inform me.

Also please advise me on good exercises to do (no arena remember!) to practice before we actually try to jump something.

Finally got an saddle that fits my haflfinger. (isn't it great when you find one that fits?!) It just happens to be an english saddle, it fits her and me perfectly, but the problem is - I haven't rode english exclusively for about 8 years, and I have seem to have forgotten how to canter.

If only it was that easy. As it turns out, my mare, (who was owned by a friend prior to me claiming her) has never cantered with a rider since she was broke out (errrr... 6 years ago) So her canter still isn't push button, and we are working with that. (this question is in regards to my training vs hers)

To give you further information, I have no outward fear for my life, just lose the groove sometimes. I was trained way in the day to canter in a two-point, but her neck is so short, while I feel balanced, I also feel that it would throw her off a bit too, so I sit back down and tell myself to groove with it, and heels down, and during the groove with it, I usually get thrown to one side or the other and struggle to get back in the groove for a while.

More things to note.

We are sticking with english. Our western saddle pinches, and I refuse to use it.

We don't have an arena, or trainer. We will get it eventually through trial and error, but I figured asking wouldn't hurt to hurry the process along.

We are trail only. No shows.

We practice cantering on our dirt road or other good footing area.

So my question for you is how to work on my position for the canter.

Having mantras really help me, so if anyone can muster up one that would be great.

I have a booth at a tack swap and am selling fuzzy reins.

Most of my prices are 28-32.

should I just even out my prices to $30 even to make dealing with money easier?

Also how much change should I bring along to break? 100s in 1?

I've usually only dealt with small tack swaps, maybe 10-15 tables, but this one fills an fairgrounds!

Friend asked me to sell this saddle for her, yet, I ride english and don't know much about western.

There is no brand that I can find (any secret spots to look?) there is the number 1200 on the back part of the skirt. 15" Seat, 7" Gullet. Slight discoloration on upper part of fenders on both sides.

The curious thing is that the leather suede on the seat goes all the way up onto the pommel.

I wanted to know.

1. What type of western saddle is this?

2. How much should I ask?

http://i53.tinypic.com/2ch44l0.jpg

AKA cheaper treeless saddle.

Just looking for something diffrent. Only lease my horses, but the owners saddles don't fit me. Been riding bareback with a wonderful diamond wool pad, but would like something with slightly more support without having to go full out and buy a new saddle with all the bells and whistles.

Looking for one of the cheaper treeless saddles under 300$. I've heard a variety of mixed reviews, and am curious if with my ability to do minor saddle repair if I can modify a shitty saddle to work better.

I am currently visiting friends, and they have 3 wiener dogs, There is an obvious hierarchy.

The lowest one always having her neck chewed on by the other dogs, at some point it gets pretty raw.

Two questions:

Why does this happen?

How can we get the other dogs to stop?