| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Kharidian |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 4:14:07 PM
.....and I've seen it twice in a week:
I've seen two people on my yard tack up their horses and then clip the leadrope to the bit because they're not ready to mount and go! I've commented to both the people, the first (a young lad doing his NVQ at a local equine establishment) understood when I explained the potential problem and immediately put the horse's headcollar on but the second (female) just said "but I'll be going in a minute". 
Could this be accounted for because more and more people are using headcollars that clip/buckle under the jaw? As I'm sure you know by now, I'm very traditional so I use the fully adjustable Cottage Craft headcollars that unbuckle over the nose - so easy to unbuckle, bridle the horse with the headcollar still safely around his neck, then do the buckle up afterwards over the bridle if necessary.
Saturday rant over, sorry!
Caryn |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| pinkvboots |
Posted - 17 Mar 2010 : 4:02:08 PM
I cant believe the woman who tacked up then went in to do her make up, how funny I couldnt be bothered, maybe it was incase she come accross some talent whilst out riding I hate dirty tack I wipe mine down everytime I use it, and I can be quite particular if anyone else rides my horse they have to wipe it down too. I think I would come out in a cold sweat if I had to leave it 9 months, I think I have a problem. |
| swalk |
Posted - 17 Mar 2010 : 1:54:13 PM
Its seem that some people nowadays get a horse and then start to learn about horses.......that just wasn't how it went back in t'day! You had to put your hours in down at the riding school, slogging away for free and glad to do it!
I also get very irate when I see people tie up with those parelli halters (or any kind of pressure halter). I just can't believe that people don't see the dangers and it takes a serious accident before they do. |
| alethea |
Posted - 17 Mar 2010 : 1:16:32 PM
Its a shame as its basic common sense really but some people unfortunatly dont learn until accidents happen
Alethea
Aristotle Arabians |
| Callisto |
Posted - 17 Mar 2010 : 1:09:24 PM
Was rather shocked by a chap I worked with who told me his wife would tack her horse up and then go in the house to put her make up on before she got on - he thought this was normal.... Also a bit gobsmacked by fellow livery when she told me she hadn't cleaned her saddle for 9 months (I was feeling guilty for not cleaning mine for a week...)
I can remember jumping with folded arms and also with our feet tucked up under our bottoms - pretty sure the pony club wouldn't be allowed to do this any more on grounds of health and safety
Certainly never would tie up with leadrein attached to the bit (we use endurance style bridles so they have headcollar attachement which is convenient), but wouldn't leave a tied up tacked up horse unattended anyway. Can remember a pony attached by a headcollar and rope to a gate - he pulled the gate off its hinges and was then 'chased' by the gate on the ground as he carried on backing at speed still attached - it only takes a moment for disaster to strike. |
| marionpack |
Posted - 17 Mar 2010 : 12:54:14 PM
People who don't take their tack apart to clean it properly, and as for doing leg straps up it saves you falling over them when walking with the rug and saves you having to hunt for them the following day when putting the rug on |
| Meggie-Lu |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 9:26:41 PM
I tack Merlin up then go if i left him tied up he wuld pull himself apart!! |
| Ari |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 9:05:53 PM
Thought I was just a grumpy old hacker but basic safety is just easier. Can't do with horses tied up too close or wheelbarrows etc left so accidents can happen. I tack mine up in the stable then set off for a ride. |
| MinHe |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 6:11:27 PM
I had a supposedly 'experienced Pony Clubber' riding for me last spring, and she NEVER washed the bit after taking off the bridle. WTF??? as our American friends say!
The other good reason for doing up leg straps is that the horse doesn't then stand on them as you try to remove the rug!!!
Keren |
| fidodido |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 2:35:58 PM
Agree totally about the tying up to bit ring and clips facing wrong way. I always tack up when i'm ready to ride never before.
Also hate to see dirty tack put back onto horses, if i had a pound for every person i have seen put the same crusted bit into a horses mouth each time they ride i would be a very rich woman . Mine are always given a quick brush before being tacked up aswell and a good brush once ridden.
Angie |
| Kelly |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 1:33:16 PM
What about 'walk the first mile, trot the next, then do what the h*ll you like after that'?
Def clip the leadrein the right way (had a horse on our yard pull back and the clip when through his chin). And NEVER clip to the bit.
Horses do NOT need to be groomed every day, let alone twice a day. They will not melt if they have some mud or poo on them. They do need to be checked at least once a day for injuries though  or as often as possible if they're Jack  .
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| pinkvboots |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 09:26:29 AM
I remember having to ride with crops under our thumbs to keep our hands straight, a woman I used to work for had a rule that when you take off a NZ rug, you attach the leg straps back onto the rings, so when you put the rug back on they don't hit you in the face, I am sure this has happened to most I always do it now been drummed into me, and it now bugs me when others don't. |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 12:44:03 AM
 shall embarrass Mrs V now (this is V the younger)...
Every horse at the major's yard was ridden in double bridle, the snaffle part of which was a gag! All students had delightfully light hands and good feel. No horse was stalled after a ride without having peed in the orchard first. (was it good for the horses, the stabels or the trees??), but lots of children whistling at ponies waiting for relief!
And he'd make them get on with no girth..... which comes in handy with some very girthy arabs!
Blindfolded gridwork to learn to feel a stride... he'd sneakily remove a jump partway through |
| zooscat |
Posted - 15 Mar 2010 : 10:49:45 PM
Lets hear if for the old ones!! I'm a product of the 1950's Pony Club! How about "walk the first and last mile", cleaning tack (all taken apart every time!) after every time used, strapping horses with straw pads, plaiting the straw at the front of the box for morning stables inspection (terrifying DC!!)meeting the said DC (riding out, immaculate in sidesaddle habit, on her hunter, excercising, with her groom on the cob, 20yards behind) and being told "Child, go home now and make sure you dress properly before you bring that pony out round here again" The dreadful "faux pas" was in wearing an old Land Army pair of breeches with green stockings and joddy boots, rather than jods and said boots!! And always hacking to shows, Pony Club events and Hunt meets. Couldn't afford any transport - if it was too far, used to stay over with farming aquaintances and carry on next day, and reverse the process on the way back! What are other "oldies" remembered things that generally aren't expected now? (The above DC would have had forty fits if she had seen any of the previously mentioned above "bad habits").
One legacy of the Pony Club, is my dreadful tendency to ride with "washing line reins"; we had an instructor, Mr Warren Wofford (an American gentleman, if I remember rightly) and one camp we had to ride with brown paper reins to encourage "light hands" and if they broke - bad luck! Also had to keep a penny between our knees and the saddle to demonstrate "a good grip". !! |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 15 Mar 2010 : 9:58:40 PM
terribly old school aren't I...? Trained by an army major and drummed these things into Laura!
leadropes should be clipped on away from the chin (backwards, like boots should fasten)- trust me, you only want to see a horse with a clip through its chin flesh once
and leading - encourage good leading habits so he places himself at your side and reads your body language. You shouldn't need to tug at him to get him to move. If he is reluctant, how does squeezing his tongue between 2 chunks of metal encourage him to come with you?? If you have the reins up over his head, resting on his neck, or if you use a martingale, then lead with one rein to avoid the pinch.
Now I feel old!! |
| Arachnid |
Posted - 15 Mar 2010 : 3:46:16 PM
I didnt even know there WAS a right way round to do up a lead rope clip and I never quite bother with the whole reins over the head thing for leading. (Hangs head in shame)
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| pinkvboots |
Posted - 15 Mar 2010 : 1:55:15 PM
I must say it does irritate me too when people leave there horses tied up outside for ages, I know loads of people that clip onto the bit very dangerous you cant tell them though, they always know best.
I never tack up outside I have seen many accidents happen so never chance it, I had a sharer for my old horse some years ago, was always telling her not to tack up on the yard, as she was prone to pulling back, what happened she plonked the saddle on her back one day didn't do it up straight away horse pulled back my nearly new £550 saddle ended up on the floor all scratched. |
| jaj |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 9:36:48 PM
I saddle up first and take ages to gradually tighten up as K is very sensitive in the girth area (as I'm sure most of them are bless them). I potter about doing her feet, putting on my chaps and hat etc, finally put the bridle on with headcollar over bridle and rope not attached to the bit ring  ! Finally I run my hand under the girth and tighten it to the last hole (has to be fairly tight obviously or I would end up underneath her  ).
She's such a good girl though and I do take for granted that she would stand there even unattached to anything. I will have to think a whole different way when I eventually start riding Sazi  .
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| Kharidian |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 8:53:31 PM
Ooooh, Mrs Vlacq, I thought I was the only one who was particular about leadrope clips being attached the right way; thank you for affirming that I'm not "odd"!
ACGodfrey, I saddle up first (loosely girthed), then I get changed, finally I girth up, bridle & go (however Roger would stand quite happily for ages if for any reason I wasn't ready - he's very laid back!).
Caryn |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 8:42:40 PM
I'm with Acgodfrey here. Tack up when you want to ride.
I get very irate about such things too Caryn, leadrope clips attached the wrong way grrrr....
People trying to lead a horse with reins still over the neck (as riding) by grasping both billets and pulling gaarghhh!!!
Tight girths....tight nosebands, bits jacked up high enough to be earrings, tight browbands etc. Horses put up with a lot  |
| ACGODFREY |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 7:25:26 PM
Maybe it's just me, but I don't bridle the horse until we are ready to go - don't see the point otherwise. Have never understood why people tack their horses up, then tie them up and disappear for 20 mins! Someone at the yard I'm at does this all the time - vanishing for ages to have a fag and coffee, leaving the horse fretting on the spot getting more and more agitated by the minute. Why tack the horse up in the first place unless you plan to ride immediately? |
| miana |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 7:08:35 PM
Theres no way my TB would allow me to tack up outside nevermind clip the lead rope to his bit! :o He would do himself some serious damage if i did that.
Always tack up in stable so he cant run away from me |
| Milotkha |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 5:58:53 PM
I would never tie up from the bit... and I will never fasten the head collar around the horses neck again either. I did this last year and my mare pulled back, broke the head collar and embedded the buckle into the back of my scalp....!! Blood every where and a loose horse...!! Its either tack up in the stable or not at all..!! :) |
| Fleas |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 5:21:12 PM
ha ha Caryn, I also spotted two tacked up ones waiting for owners to finish whatever they are doing (not in sight even) with headcollars still attached via their neck and the noseband left undone... I too would be cross! |
| birdof1977 |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 5:04:24 PM
Our YM tells anyone on our yard off for doiing this, and there are a fair few
So dangerous. She always tells them about the horse that used to be on the yard, that ended up with a Chelsea smile due to being left tied up to the bit. The horse freaked at something, and the string didn't break, the bit ripped its poor mouth to shreds. Nuff said! |
| geegee |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 4:20:25 PM
That has just reminded me of Emmerdale, the other night. Katie (character) tied up her horse in the same way and I was astounded!!!
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