I thought it may be time to start a thread to find out if there are other BGP'rs who ride horses...trail, hunter-jumper, or whatever and share this interest.

I don't ride personally, but my daughter is an eventer. She's part of the Pony Club also. We spend most of our free time either at the barn or trailering to competitions or lessons. We currently own an OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) and she is also bringing along a couple of horses for the barn owner. She absolutely loves it.

I don't ride personally, but my daughter is an eventer. She's part of the Pony Club also. We spend most of our free time either at the barn or trailering to competitions or lessons. We currently own an OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) and she is also bringing along a couple of horses for the barn owner. She absolutely loves it.

 

That's awesome. I would love to hear updates. My two horses are gaited trail horses, but personally I train on hunter-jumper at Masterson Station so I get to enjoy a couple of types of riding. Otherwise I am an enthusiast but not a competitive rider. However I DID join ACTHA. American competitive trail horse association that has events around the country.

@littleluck55. I am wondering if your daughter has heard of or read the book "The Eighty Dollar Champion". It's a great book about a jumping horse. There is also a great YouTube synopsis of the book. I highly recommend it.

@littleluck55. I am wondering if your daughter has heard of or read the book "The Eighty Dollar Champion". It's a great book about a jumping horse. There is also a great YouTube synopsis of the book. I highly recommend it.

 

Neither of us have read it. I have heard of it and keep meaning to pick it up. We spend a lot of time at Masterson also. That is such a great park. She competes in eventing but does a lot of trail riding. We board at a barn that has just under 250 acres she can ride on. She rides a variety of horses and the barn owners have really taken her under their wing and let her ride all their horses.

That's awesome. I would love to hear updates. My two horses are gaited trail horses, but personally I train on hunter-jumper at Masterson Station so I get to enjoy a couple of types of riding. Otherwise I am an enthusiast but not a competitive rider. However I DID join ACTHA. American competitive trail horse association that has events around the country.

 

We ended up at Masterson today. A girl in her pony club invited her to ride at Shaker Village. We have never been but hear it is very cool. Have you ever ridden there?

We ended up at Masterson today. A girl in her pony club invited her to ride at Shaker Village. We have never been but hear it is very cool. Have you ever ridden there?

 

I have not ridden there, but I had googled trail riding areas, and that one came up. It looks very interesting.

Due to some nice weather, I have been riding a least a little bit every weekend to get the horses back and ready for the trail this year. One of them got pretty fresh last time I rode her (Thanksgiving weekend), so I have started her back with simple control and lunging exercises. If this doesn't work, I may have to seek professional help (rather than get bucked off eventually).

We are gearing up for show season. My daughter now has a second horse she is bringing along and she is feisty. DD got thrown Saturday when she spooked at a tarp. We are heading to Georgetown this weekend for a clinic and first competition is in 3 weeks.

We are gearing up for show season. My daughter now has a second horse she is bringing along and she is feisty. DD got thrown Saturday when she spooked at a tarp. We are heading to Georgetown this weekend for a clinic and first competition is in 3 weeks.

 

Best of luck. Sorry to hear about her getting thrown off. That can shake one's confidence a bit (as well as rattle your bones).

 

The last bucking session on my feisty horse made me feel like I had been in a car wreck when I got off later. I am happy I didn't give in and finally controlled her through it...but I don't want to do it again. I had to keep my left hand on the reins to keep her head to the side to keep her from rearing, so I had to hang on for dear life with my right hand on the saddle horn.

Best of luck. Sorry to hear about her getting thrown off. That can shake one's confidence a bit (as well as rattle your bones).

 

The last bucking session on my feisty horse made me feel like I had been in a car wreck when I got off later. I am happy I didn't give in and finally controlled her through it...but I don't want to do it again. I had to keep my left hand on the reins to keep her head to the side to keep her from rearing, so I had to hang on for dear life with my right hand on the saddle horn.

 

Only one way to put a horse in it's place:

 

I'll have to call Mungo.

Due to some nice weather, I have been riding a least a little bit every weekend to get the horses back and ready for the trail this year. One of them got pretty fresh last time I rode her (Thanksgiving weekend), so I have started her back with simple control and lunging exercises. If this doesn't work, I may have to seek professional help (rather than get bucked off eventually).

I always tied mine feisty ones. Tie them up close to a barn post where they have to just stand there, no extra slack in the rope. Some had to be tied for 3-4 hours, some 7-8 hours. I've tied wild horses for up to 12 hours while breaking them. Saddle them, and ride them in soft ground..... It takes the zippity out of their do da. Just make sure they can't hurt themselves while tied. FYI...Horses do sleep while standing.

I always tied mine feisty ones. Tie them up close to a barn post where they have to just stand there, no extra slack in the rope. Some had to be tied for 3-4 hours, some 7-8 hours. I've tied wild horses for up to 12 hours while breaking them. Saddle them, and ride them in soft ground..... It takes the zippity out of their do da. Just make sure they can't hurt themselves while tied. FYI...Horses do sleep while standing.

 

I will try about anything. She has broken two halters already when I went to saddle her in cross ties. I am going to try in the round pen, and when she moves she works, if she stands still I let her rest. I'll see if she gets it.

Do you have any leads with chain at the end? If so, cross tie them like this. Run the chain end through the ring on one side of halter, and over the nose and snap lead to other side. Then do another lead the same way. When they pull, the chains put pressure across their nose. If the snaps are too big to go through the rings, sometimes you can run the rope or strap across and through. Many times it will stop them from breaking their halter.