From: jsnyder@cadev5.intel.com (Jan Snyder )
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: Okay: 3rd time's a charm...
Summary: More responses on starting out in horsekeeping
Date: 16 Dec 92 22:13:52 GMT
Organization: Intel Santa Clara Design Technology

In article <21730030@hpcss01.cup.hp.com> twv@hpcss01.cup.hp.com (Terry Von Gease) writes:
>>/ hpcss01:rec.equestrian / Bish@xanodria.UUCP (Doug Bischoff): 
>>    On Riding:
>>	1)  Are there any physical/mental problems to horse or rider
>>	    associated with riding ONLY bareback?
>The horse certainly doesn't care.  The limiting factor is just how tough 
>your ass is.

My horses haven't seemed to care one way or the other.  I ride with a fleece
pad rather than "pure bare"--because until last month my horses have had Very 
Sharp Withers.  (Not only males have problems with this feature!)

>>	2)  Aside from prolonged steep hills, are there any times when NOT
>>	    having a saddle would prove limiting or DANGEROUS?
>Getting on, getting off, carrying your lunch, stowing your coat, and
>jousting come to mind.

Getting on, certainly. Getting off is all too easy! As for hills--going up, 
hold mane; going down, a hand on the withers and slightly braced knees does 
it for me.  I plan never to try hills on a horse with a roached mane! :-) 

>>	3)  Will insurance companies flip if they find out I'm riding
>>	    sans saddle?  (Kinda like driving without a seatbelt, I guess.)
> [deleted Terry's response]

I fervently hope the health industry doesn't try to regulate how I ride...

>Why this fixation with riding bareback?  Why do you want to artificailly
>limit yourself?  Besides totally screwing up your seat, you can't begin
>to approach the things you can do in a saddle.  How dull.

For some people who learned to ride bareback before a saddle (as some have
posted) it probably isn't terribly limiting if you're just having an 
enjoyable pleasure ride.  I think that's what Doug is after at this stage.
Obviously competition and Serious Equitation require more gear.  I ride
bareback occasionally for the feeling of freedom from "gear" and to help
improve my balance and the feel for how the horse moves.  Not Dull.

>>    On Owning:
> [stuff deleted]
>$2500 will buy you a pretty nice horse if you know what your looking for.
>An unregistered horse is just a mutt.  They can have great sentimental
>value to their current owners but unless they exhibit some sort of
>spectaculr performance or training, they're pretty much an economic
>disaster.  Don't ever pay more for a horse than what you figure you can
>sell it for in a hostile market.  

The only reasons I'd want registered stock are 1) to breed, and 2) to show 
in breed association shows.  Since I plan to do neither, a "mutt" is perfect 
and Mucho less expensive.  I don't buy a horse figuring to ever get my money 
back.  So much depends on what you wnt to do with a given horse.
IMHO, a really good first horse is worth his/her weight in gold, but you
should be able to do better than $2500.

>                                  Don't ever buy a horse with the mindset
>that you are somehow adopting a new family member that is going to live
>out its days with you.  Most people outgrow most horses a couple of years
>or so.  You will too.  Conversely, nothing will sour you faster than 
>buying a horse that's too hot for you.  Like any other sporting equipment,
>you usually move up is quality and capability as your skills grow.

I agree with these comments.  I have not yet outgrown a horse, but have
over-horsed myself a couple of times.  I probably won't do that again,
since I don't want a critter I can't trust on trails.  Being the sentimental 
type, I would LIKE to keep my new little mare forever, but only if we 
continue to get along well and if my riding goals don't change beyond what 
she can do with me.

>>	3)  What can I expect to pay per year/month for Routine Medicine,
>>	    Vet visits (kinda random, I know), and Farrier's services?
>It'r real hard to even give a ballpark figure on what it costs to support
>a horse.  You can spend next to nothing or you can spend yourself into
>debtor's prison.  Depends a lot on your style.

Yep.  Pleasure riding with used gear and casual clothing and a "mutt" horse 
vs. fancy show horse, show fees, show drug tests, show clothes, travel costs....
Specifics depend too much on location for my figures to be useful to Doug.

>>    On Naming:
>>	1)  I promised a horse when I was 5 that I'd name a horse after him.
>>	    Are there big problems associated with changing a horse's name?
[stuff deleted]
>Hah! I've never NEVER as in ever encountered a horse that responded to its
>name.  Spare me the antecdotes, you can call a horse damn near anything
>and elicit a common response.  Call the beast whatever strikes your fancy.

I don't think it's a major trauma for the horse, either.  I tend to keep 
existing names unless they're really awful, on the slight chance that the 
animal is used to that particular sound.  Name continuity may also make it 
easier to trace ownership should that become necessary or desirable.  I've 
had varying results with calling by name--horses seem to be like cats, and 
answer when they feel like it.  

>>    General advice is greatly welcomed.  Remember: first-time owner, 2 year
>Cold as this sounds, figure that you're going to screw up the first
>couple of horses that you own.  If you do anything with them besides
>feed them this is inevitable.  For a first horse, get yourself a tough
>veteran in its teens.  You probably won't be able to make too much of a
>mess out of it.

Yes it's cold advice, but probably sound.  I started with an 18-yo mare of
my cousin's, and when I gave the horse back after 8 months I was told she
was not as responsive or well-mannered as she had been.  I had let her get
some minor bad habits, didn't have particularly good hands or legs, and worst 
of all, let other people worse than I ride her because she was so safe.

Doug, best of luck to you.  Isn't it nice that you already have a place to
spend all that money you're making?
Terry, I just have one question:  Do you actually LIKE horses?

-Sallijan
 Picardia (Mischief)
 Quiche (as in, Real Men Don't Ride...)
 Bailarina Del Sombra (Shadow Dancer)
 Imp, Gringo and Rags (gelded felines)

-
Sallijan Snyder, Wordware Engineer | "I don't let my employer take credit for my opinions."
Santa Clara, California            | (408) 765-5444 voicemail    (408) 629-5909 home robot
Internet: jsnyder@scdt.intel.com   |          =>Internet Z-Car Club Member #42<=
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian