[Jumpers]

Dawn -

You actually stab your knee into a horse's belly so you don't have to properly warm the up horse up and tighten the saddle?

I'm sorry but I have never heard of a horse holding his breath until he passes out, gets brain damage, etc.

The only one bothered by a horse holding his breath is an anxious rider who can't take the time to do things right.

One or two circles around the arena at the walk and a horse is ready for a good girth tightening. I am sorry but NOBODY has the moral right to knee a horse in the gutt.

That is ABUSE.

[Dawn]

I do not "stab" my horse in the gut. I will apply pressure with my knee because this can be done while tightening the girth at the same moment. This particular horse will expand its gut (not technically breath holding, just never letting the breath out completely) for a good 30 minutes. That is the longest that I've ever walked him before giving up. He learned with his previous owner that if he does it, eventually she'd take the saddle off and he'd go back into his stall. Or if she gave up and got on, she'd fall off. I will strongly contend that I am not by any means abusing this horse.

<small>[ November 24, 2003, 08:22 PM: Message edited by: Dawn ]</small>

[Blistering Winds]

Yep...horses learn that trick quickly.....they know that if your saddle isn't tight, they are more comfy and you eventually get off....yeah to retighten it, but hey, your off!!

And kneeing htem doesn't do too much to teh really good ones either...

[Dawn]

With two people, you don't have to use your knee. For some reason, he'll let it out if there's pressure. I just don't happen to have a third hand growing out of my chest.

[jrmorgan]

My horses are pretty good about not sucking in...I usually just pat their bellies and they let it out. However, my neighbor stephanie has a horse that is just awful about it.

Once when I was younger (and SO MUCH stupider) I ended up in a pretty bad accident on said horse. I didn't realize he sucked in like that, and I ended up being thrown chest first across a fence when the horse's saddle slid ALL THE WAY under his belly at a flat out run (don't ask why I was running him, cause that started with something stupid too.)

[Dawn]

This summer I was riding my old instructor's horse. Now keep in mind that I fell off of him once a few years ago cause the saddle slipped. Well, we're doing this absolutely gorgeous collected canter, and the next thing I know, the saddle's under his belly, and I'm on his back. What can I say? I'm just that talented, lol.

[ginger]

I think that no matter how long it takes to walk the horse, that's how long it takes to teach him. I spent hours with my old horse trying to get her to do something, then she will eventually do it. Horses take patience.

[Dawn]

Walking a horse isn't teaching it to let its breath out. They just eventually do it either because they think you're not going to tighten it or they forget. In a way, you're actually teaching him to hold his breath longer because as soon as he lets it out, you tighten the girth. Which is what he doesn't want.

[monica-n-shiloh]

My tbred used to blow her stomach up when I would try to girth her when I first got her. I think she got this from polo. Drove me crazy... I would walk circles...go up a whole...walk more circles..go up a whole. So annoying lol. After a point she got real smart and would puff it up, id walk her and as soon as i stopped walkin her to tighten the girth she'd puff up as fast as she could. I had to laugh at that lol.
Amazingly...she hasnt done it in years now. Just stopped suddenly...I dunno why, but I sure am glad! Makes things 100 times easier running_

[showjumper]

hello forum people!!!

i seem to be somewhat confused as to where this conversation is leading- indirectly to quite awful abuse, ie, kneeing your horse in the side- but i feel i should enlighten you all to my methods of applying moy horses saddle to my horses back and securing it via the girth. I always put my bridle on first as my horse (ted) has a breastplate and martingale attachment (hunting breastplate) and with this he ALWAYS, with out fail manages to 'puff out' thus making it a little difficult to secure the girth, so i let the girth down the other side, and whilst i get ready i leave my horse (tied up) to adjust himself, i come back return the opposite side buckle to where it was before and then secure it another ocuple of holes before i mount. once on board i ride to the end f the drive where i secure it another one hole and that is usually it for the WHOLE ride... so there is a nice way to do it and i am sure i am not the only one to do it like this, so why is it that this thread seems to make my methods so alien, even to myself?

showjumper