Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: Zim]
#7611176
06/23/22 06:55 PM
06/23/22 06:55 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,494 Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon
"American Honey"
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"American Honey"
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,494
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
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Hey Sharon, I thought that was you that rode by my place just last week, Here is my thoughts and experiences with horses. 1 Get a short one, the fall don't hurt so much. 2 Get a slow one, same as above. 3 Get one with bad teeth, when they bite you in the shoulder it won't hurt as bad. 4 Buy enough property to keep one (80 acres or so should be enough) 5 They really don't eat that much, a big round bale will last a week or so. 6 Go to the bank and get a bucket of quarters, Go to Wal-Mart and spend them on that little guy that goes round and round by the entrance.
Zim
There's truth to a lot of that, Zim ! I too have liked those Quarter horses at Wal Mart ! For those who have had not the best experience, they think that is the way it is for everyone. That once the novelty wears off- all is lost . Nothing is further from the truth, and cannot speak for everyone. I can throw a stick and hit people who grew up loving the sport, spending days, months of time alone enjoying their mounts when no one else was around to be with them. While that can and does speak for some's experience with their kids, it in no way represents us all. I was one of those kids too. Even into adulthood, I spent I don't know how many months alone exercising endurance horses and mules, spending hours on the loop trails at a trot and gallop. And in the arena , honing dressage moves, barrels, jumping, getting a string of polo horses in ripped shape for the owner to event them in season. While I love riding with others, I spend equal time alone working maneuvers. I do, however strongly urge kids and inexperienced riders to always head out into the bush with someone to ride along. It is safer. GCS, that Barr line, going to 3 Bars, is a popular one too. Dstone, you didn't just get rookie advice here. That's the wonder of Tman , there are such an amazing amount of talented people from all walks and talents of life, to give good sound advice. You can tell the ones who know ... Have fun with daughter and her excitement about life. Even if she changes in interest eventually, the respect and love she gains for you wanting to try with her, will never be forgotten. That is worth all the hay Zim can buy .
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: Dstone1992]
#7611177
06/23/22 06:56 PM
06/23/22 06:56 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,691 ND
MJM
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,691
ND
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One thing I do not agree with is buy a 100% broke, wore out horse. If you get a kid a weanling and they want to ride, when It is old enough to ride they will be able too. All it takes is a slow every day game. They will have a horse that they can grow up with. Having a horse is a process for a kid, buying the process will not teach them a thing. If they do not want to put in the time, they do not want a horse. I am just speaking from my experience with my daughter. I grew up around horses, but I never wanted or owned one. She is a good rider and understands horses. But that came from messing with them, not buying a broke one. She would even go to horse sales and get paid to ride horses in to the ring.
"Not Really, Not Really" Mark J Monti "MJM you're a jerk."
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: DelawareRob]
#7611203
06/23/22 07:24 PM
06/23/22 07:24 PM
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,954 Indiana
Providence Farm
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,954
Indiana
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I say, buy that girl two! That horse is gonna need a herd mate. Winner winner and then you have a mount to ride along with her. I can't think of a better way to spend time together. Mjm has a point. When I started th hores had to be feed in a small yard and eventually we got her locked in before she could bolt back out in the field. My cousin and I broke her with no experience. We mad a lot of mistakes but in the end you could shoot of her back. My daughter always says she would rather have a mule but since she is 20 and going to school has limited time. The direction the country is heading you may be very happy to have horses. There is no other way to go from point a to b cross country without a trail and gas beside on foot.
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: Dstone1992]
#7611236
06/23/22 08:04 PM
06/23/22 08:04 PM
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 305 Sandpoint Idaho/ Whitesboro TX
cbat
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 305
Sandpoint Idaho/ Whitesboro TX
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Get the horse. We have 6 at the moment . I can not remember a time that I have not had at least 1. Better to be at the corral tending a horse than laying in bed playing on a phone or tablet. Young kids need to be raised outside .
The real Wally
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: MJM]
#7611251
06/23/22 08:18 PM
06/23/22 08:18 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,842 Nevada
nvwrangler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,842
Nevada
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One thing I do not agree with is buy a 100% broke, wore out horse. If you get a kid a weanling and they want to ride, when It is old enough to ride they will be able too. All it takes is a slow every day game. They will have a horse that they can grow up with. Having a horse is a process for a kid, buying the process will not teach them a thing. If they do not want to put in the time, they do not want a horse. I am just speaking from my experience with my daughter. I grew up around horses, but I never wanted or owned one. She is a good rider and understands horses. But that came from messing with them, not buying a broke one. She would even go to horse sales and get paid to ride horses in to the ring. Worst advice posted , get a broke horse that won't hurt or scare your daughter. Would you send her to school if the teacher was the same grade?
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: Sharon]
#7611273
06/23/22 08:44 PM
06/23/22 08:44 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960 Northern Nevada
Bob
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
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What Jbyrd63 also doesn't realize, is that those "old timers" who "broke" horses for years, long ago, did it all the hard way. No wonder they got dinged up. Horse TRAINING has come a long way since those old bronc busters. I grew up in that same world, though some were beginning to understand how to reason with animals and not demand they obey, lose patience and try to force them. The known trainers now can make a safe horse who WANTS to trust and do what they are asked faster than the old tie em up and throw em into a running W ever did. And what's better, those horses like human company, are not spoiled, and won't end up hurting you when they see the situation isn't what they trust. There's a reason most "bronk busters" don't like mules. They won't take no mess. They are much as we are...do we subject ourselves to something we don't understand at the demand of someone who threatens to whip us if we don't ? That's why you don't see mules rode as bucking stock in rodeos. They are worse than bulls at calculated revenge. A good mule is worth their weight in gold, and it isn't because they've been manhandled into submission. So those old times who say it's a matter of when they are severely hurt, it's no wonder, to me. There's a lot more under the surface to understand with that saying, and who's saying it the most. I guarantee the million dollar syndicated show horses are never "broke" that old way. That was true of grandpa in his younger years. He spent years of cinching down a saddle and climbing on and ridin em till they quit buckin and spurrin em till they just couldn’t buck anymore. He was dang good at it too. Took a lot of spills though, and when he started getting older and things hurt more he learned to TRAIN horses. By the time I was born he could have a horse broke to ride without ever stepping in a stirrup. Grandpa was one of those trainers that could tell you exactly what a horse was about to do, how it felt, if it was healthy, it’s current mood, just by it’s body language, and communicate back with the horse through his own body language. My aunt likes to tell a story about grandpa riding a green colt through a gate, and some hay fell between the gate and fence so it wouldn’t shut. She went to get off her horse and move it but grandpa stopped her, rode the colt up and used his body language to get the colt to stick it’s right front foot out, put it down on the far side of the hay, then drag it back out of the way. That’s the kind of trainer he was, it’s almost like he could talk to them. Once he put an ad in the paper that he could break anything on four legs to ride or pull a cart. Some guys thought they’d be funny and brought him a big ol Brahma bull. Within a week it was broke to ride. They were so impressed that they gave him the bull, and he used it on weekends at rodeos in his rodeo clown act. Said he tried gathering cattle on it but it kept trying to mount the cows. So yes Sharon I understand the difference between breaking and training a horse, and so did grandpa
"I have two guns, one for each of ya."
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: Dstone1992]
#7611336
06/23/22 09:39 PM
06/23/22 09:39 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,716 Sandhills Nebraska
Gary Benson
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,716
Sandhills Nebraska
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How old is she? Make darn sure she knows to NOT walk up behind a horse when it don't own she's there. A neighbor did when he was two and his left side was paralyzed the rest of his life.
Life ain't supposed to be easy.
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Re: Should I get my daughter a horse? poll
[Re: Dstone1992]
#7611437
06/24/22 12:21 AM
06/24/22 12:21 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 161 MONTANA
MTHunter
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 161
MONTANA
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So… I started riding horses 50 years ago. Rode them again in college bringing cows in to be bred.
Fast forward many years. while bringing my 16 year old daughter to her friends house for a few days, I asked her what they had planned. “Riding horses” she replied. I tried to give her some pointers about riding and being around livestock, but she wasn’t listening.
Two hours later, I got a call from the emergency room. My daughter had a broken arm. I learned her friend had set up a perfect scenario for this disaster by giving my daughter an empty pail after catching the first horse. My daughter was quickly surrounded by the rest of the horses trying to get into the bucket. They knocked my daughter down and stepped on her arm breaking it. I was (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman)!!!
I lectured her all the way home about how you can drop the pail, wack the horse with the bucket, use the lead road to move them back, etc etc. Never get between large animals, fence etc.
My daughter ended up with an 8” plate in her arm. As a parent, I felt bad, but she never held it against her friend.
When I wanted to get into golfing, my brother advised me to buy cheap clubs and spend money on lessons. The lady that stood my stallion would only train horses if she could train the owner too. Suggesting lessons this summer would be awesome. My cousin offers riding lessons in MN.
The cheapest part of owning a horse is buying it. Grass hay is running $11 bale plus grain. Horses need almost 3% of their body weight in hay per day. Hay is cut in different stages, mixes, etc and is hard to find. I called a hay seller recently asking if their “ quality” horse hay was tested to justify the high price and they had no clue what I was talking about. Farriers every two months. Vet bills for yearly shots, deworming, plus occasional wire cuts, etc. Any toxic weeds in your pasture?
I’m not against buying horses, but you will do most of the work for an animal that has a lifespan of up to 40 years. I strongly suggest your daughter take lessons and/or work for someone that has horses. My cousin learned this way and rode her horse to a ROM in reining competition.
You will need to buy a saddle that’s fits the horse. $1,000? Learn to saddle your own horse! Another story!
You have to take drivers Ed and pass a test before getting you driver’s license. Like cars, people are always selling the bad ones. Riding with my boss one time when he tells me the horse i was riding broke his leg! Great! Wasn’t much longer and she stumbled and fell to her knees. I didn’t come off, but slamming into the saddle horn wasn’t fun!
Lots to think about! Good luck!
Last edited by MTHunter; 06/24/22 06:24 PM.
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