[equestriandynam]

Originally Posted by madvoice

Ok if you're in the real world and someone says to you "I'm not pointing a finger and saying this is wrong wrong wrong" what is your immediate reaction? I'll bet my bottom dollar that you're on the defensive from it straight away. Similar could be said for other comments you've made. It could've been worded much better and questions could've been asked before making assumptions. What you have said is very critical and in quite a negative manner.

its called a disclaimer. you see them all the time before you watch movies with ideas on them. unfortunately we are on the internet, and over 80% of messages are misinterpreted because we in fact cannot 'hear' how things are worded. I can promise you that if we were all in a big room talking to eachother face to face about horses there wouldnt be as much miscommunication. i apologize if some of my words were took the wrong way. But once its posted its up to the viewer of the message as to how they translate it. viewer discretion is advised

[GingerSnap]

Wow that is a big difference. Great job to you and your student, it takes hard work. I wish we had instructors here that I could go to!

[madvoice]

What I do a lot of the time is type what I want to write, then I go over it a couple of times to voice out what I'm writing and to think about how others may perceive it. It would've made a big difference if some of the posts you made were thought out a little better. I notice that you haven't been on HGS for a long time and yes it can take a while to adjust to a new forum and figure out all of its idiosyncrosies (people included). After all, even though we cannot see each other face to face or hear each other through a forum we're still people on the other end of the keyboard and we still have all the human failings.

[JumpingBean]

Originally Posted by 2manypetz

This trainer says that she has found out that the dam has a genetic thing where there is a flap that goes down in their throat that closes off breathing. He does make a little pig grunt noise when his head is nice. Some people that have these horses actually have surgery on them to cut the flap out, becasue of this and not wanting to have their head "nice" I really dont want or think we will do this, but you seem very knowledgeable and I was just wondering you opinion. Have you ever heard of this? I do not want to make this into a debate and mess up this post. But I have agreed with all the posts you have posted on Chester, and value your opinion.

Are you talking about laryngeal hemiplegia? My horse has that and had tieback surgery. They don't cut the flap, they put a stitch in it and the flap is held back enough to allow air to pass. Sky's stitch was a little too tight. It was done while he was still on the track. It was done in hopes that he would be able to breath a little better so he could run (he didn't, hence is now an ex-racer).

I have never heard of the surgery being done just to make the head "nice." I will say that if it does indeed interfere with the horse carrying itself correctly, then it's worth looking into. It's not about aesthetics, it's about the horse working in a manner conducive to long-term soundness (stargazing is not ).

[equestriandynam]

Originally Posted by madvoice

What I do a lot of the time is type what I want to write, then I go over it a couple of times to voice out what I'm writing and to think about how others may perceive it. It would've made a big difference if some of the posts you made were thought out a little better. I notice that you haven't been on HGS for a long time and yes it can take a while to adjust to a new forum and figure out all of its idiosyncrosies (people included). After all, even though we cannot see each other face to face or hear each other through a forum we're still people on the other end of the keyboard and we still have all the human failings.

if only communication was infallable.... *sigh*

[belle4]

Chick is definately an effective rider.


Nice pics Chester, I get the point, I see the same thing often.

Sometimes people get caught up. So the horse has gone upsidedown his whole life. Well, not anymore. So you asked the horse something new. I think some may get caught up in getting the horses 'permission'. Doesn't work that way with me. I think the more we teach our horses, the better off they will be in the long run for so many reasons. I'm sure the horse was tired, shoot, when I'm done riding, I"m tired too.

[2manypetz]

I had never even heard of this till she mentioned it to me last ngiht. I have not had a chance to talk to the vets where I work yet, they are not what you would call "horse vets" so i will probably talk to them and to the really good hrose vet around here and see waht he thinks.

This trainer is seriously into the fancy saddlbred thing. We are not, but i do not want him to have any health problems either. I just figured it was something with training that either my daughter was doing, like bumping his mouth, or a habit of his. I do notice that he flairs his nostrils a lot after he is worked just a little, but like I said he still seems happy, no tail swishing ( he carries his tail high all the time, riden or not ASB) ears are never back, he is such a good boy and responds to everything, and never breathes hard or over sweats.

What do you do with your horse now? Is there any issues from the tieback? i find this sort of stuff very interesting, I am going to research it on the internet, that you very much for putting and name with it!

[JumpingBean]

Originally Posted by 2manypetz

What do you do with your horse now? Is there any issues from the tieback? i find this sort of stuff very interesting, I am going to research it on the internet, that you very much for putting and name with it!

He is a jumper. His biggest problem is that he has trouble sucking in a deep breath and holding it -- but he can still jump around a course just fine. Also, because the stitch was done too tight, some of his food and water come out his nose when he's eating! Only a little. His buckets and hay are put on ground level, and we take his food away an hour or two before he's ridden to give him time to clear his pipes, and encourage him to drink plenty of water (he has learned that when he gets itchy gunk up in his nasal passages, he can go take a drink and flush it out). If he is ridden too soon after eating, he coughs and sneezes frequently during the ride. Otherwise he functions well. Our vet said that he could possibly take the stitch out and redo the surgery correctly, but the chances are that the flap is deformed by now and it wouldn't do any good. He is pretty much just a normal horse.

If this is what your horse has, the best person to talk to would be your vet, to see if the flap is truly interfering with your horse, and if he feels the surgery is even necessary. From what I understand Sky was only done because he was a race horse and they were trying to improve his breathing. Most recreational riding does not require the kind of effort racing does, however.

[2manypetz]

Yes, Jumpingbean, I doubt if he needs anything like that since he is just going to be a 4Hshow horse mostly just a fun trail riding horse, no racing here, except she wants to make him an all arounder and do barells and poles on him, but that is so quick it wont bother him any. I am not one for "plastic surgery" on me so i wont be doing this for him, if it just for looks. It will just mean they will have to work harder together in training, and that is good. Thanks you all for your inputs! sorry agian for hi******* your post!

[Berlunz]

2many (hate to continue the thread theivery). But an issue I can see in the first pic is that the reins are too tight (is she trying to stop him or is that normal?). Notice how the bit is being pulled back and its pulling at his mouth? It should just follow along the line of the mouth and then bend down. In the second picture you can see how the bit is laying and how much happier he seems to be without his mouth having pressure on it.

But a few questions, is that bit absolutely necessary for him? It looks like a rather long shank and in the first picture it looks like he is tossing his head up to fight the bit because he does not like it. Is it a snaffle or is it just straight? Unless he has issues with running off and not stopping I am not sure he needs such a long shank. Try getting a tom thumb bit maybe? I am really interested in seeing an after picture.

If your daughter is comfortable enough try having her go two handed instead of one and start with just walking. In the first picture she is definitely pulling him back into the bridle instead of pushing him forward into it. Take a rein in each hand and wiggle the bit a little, he will get the idea and drop his head eventually, then its big pets time. This excercise should help him build some of the muscles he needs for a headset as well as teaching your daughter that she cant lean on the bit since once she starts to lean his head will pop back up. make sure the reins have no slack but are not pulling on the bit. When the horse starts to drop his head make sure she lets the reins slide through her hands so he can put his head down and stretch out etc. This is the really old fashioned way of teaching to give to the bit and building up muscles but I have used it on every horse I owned, english or western to teach them a proper headset. As time goes she can start collecting him up into the bridal but not by pulling his head back. Rather by holding the bridle where it should be and then pushing him into it so he gives to the bridle and holds his headset. He wont be able to hold it forever so when he breaks headset its okay, just ask for it again

I would definitely have the vet out to check his throat if he is making funny noises, make sure that you are not hurting him by trying to get a headset.

In responce to Chesters post
Its amazing how many of the "horses fault" problems can be fixed when the rider starts to ride correctly isnt it? My trainer always likes to blame the rider for most things. Like if someone says "He broke canter" she replies with "You mean YOU let him break canter". Sometimes it just takes someone knowing what they are doing to make the horse do what its supposed to. Good job, I want to see updates on your wip student if you can post them up for us I would love to read