Marlanoc Round Four!

[chandab]

Love the pictures.

 

WOW!!!! You actually did a whole roll of pictures! They are all FABULOUS!!!! What a "foal fix" I've had tonight.

They are really each one just beautiful! And you're right about that coat -- he just stands out! But all the babies are just wonderful~!

Can't wait to see what comes next!

 

[Wings]

That I owed you all some pics... even though it's totally the weather's fault right now

Got my fingers crossed that the weather clears this afternoon so Twinkles and Jory can leave the stable, poor Miss Twinky is getting a bit upset about still being inside.

Next pics should be of Magni

Hoping to see him next weekend as long as Belle doesn't do anything weird. I'll have people checking in on her and I'll only be gone for the day.

 

[Wings]

Ladies I think I have a bridle addiction starting.....

I'm getting this one for Magni when he comes home...



And I purchased this green browband (and saddle blanket. Don't get me started on my saddle blanket addiction!)



And now I've seen this....



I wants it....

On one hand, I can only ride with one bridle at a time.

On the other, I also want to do dressage AND hunt with Magni so I kind of need particular gear

Minis are so much cheaper

:rofl

 

[chandab]

Minis are so much cheaper

:rofl

Not necessarily, just think of the equipment you could collect for driving minis; the carts, the harnesses, the whips and so much more and that can all be way more expensive than riding tack.

 

[Wings]

Not necessarily, just think of the equipment you could collect for driving minis; the carts, the harnesses, the whips and so much more and that can all be way more expensive than riding tack.

I'm hoping to start a mini in harness next year........ I'm so doomed aren't I?

:rofl

 

[countrymini]

If you can afford it, why not!

You'll have to share photos of him in ALL his bridles when you get them I can think of loads more gear you MIGHT need but I probably shouldn't encourage you if you're trying to practice self control

 

SELF CONTROL?????? ARE YOU KIDDING ???? This is one girl who is addicted to everything horsey....and we just love it!!

But she's right -- pictures of him are a must in his new "duds". Can't wait, and don't forget your camera when you go visit him!

 

[AnnaC]

Love love love all the wonderful pics!! Well done and thank you - all we need now is some great ones of Magni.

Interesting (and very attractive) bridles - the second is a nice normal one, the first would put pressure on the poll and nose when you used the reins - do you think you will need more control on Magni when riding him, what do they use for him at the moment?

Enjoy your visit!

 

[Wings]

Yeah me and self control? Not going to happen

:rofl

Need to smack my friend who brings all this stuff over from Germany, NOT helping my gear addiction!

The first bridle is a really interesting one, it often looks stronger then it is but I've seen a lot of Icey riders using them overseas and a few people over here have tried them out and raved about them. It ends out sitting somewhere between a typical bridle with a cavesson noseband and a typical bridle with a drop. I really like drop nosebands but they are very out of fashion, the bridle becomes a nice compromise and is competition legal over here. Also the way it is shaped really helps with fitting it to a non standard sized horse head. Icey's seem to confuse some of the regular sizing

Of course knowing my luck Magni will be one of the few horses that hates it and I'll be back to the drawing board! He is currently in a drop though so hopefully it feels similar.

Second bridle I'm just in love with

 

[countrymini]

I need to get me a big horse! I'm a bit like you, haven't ridden for years and too scared to re teach myself, but you're purchase plan has worked out really well. Maybe I need to do the same

 

[Wings]

You should!

I adore my minis but I really did miss riding. I've got so many options with Magni that you simply can't get with our beloved shorties! And me with my love of being insanely busy can't wait to explore them

 

You've actually got me thinking about riding again, but SSssshhhhhhhhh -- my kids would have a FIT !!!!!! My kids made me sell all my Peruvian Pasos, after my first and last accident on a horse. A new mare I had just purchased and was riding for the first time, got spooked by a girl that was out riding with a friend and I on my friend's horse, got off and started beating the horse in the face with her crop. She was standing on my right, and made my new mare go head-shy and up and over! Put me on the ground, knocked me unconscious, and broke one of my hands in multiple places that had to be put back together with pins and plates.

My wonderful children said I was getting too old to heal well, and I must sell the horses, if I wanted to be around for the grandkids they were planning at the time. STUPID ME, I listened to them, and sold out my breeding herd. WHAT A DUNCE! I'd never been thrown before, never had an accident or even anything close, but with my "herd" of offspring all conspiring together, I gave in.

But I surprised them -- got many more little ones and I got satisfaction I had them beat -- since what could they complain about -- I wasn't riding anymore!

 

[Wings]

Ouch, sounds like a messy fall

I can understand their concern but I do find it hard when families put pressure on a rider, I've been lucky that mine is open to the risks I choose to take on horseback. The most recent horse related injury that happened in my circle of friends was with a mini in harness... and before that a mini being clipped!

I just reached a point where the fear of getting hurt was outweighed by the desperate need to get back in the saddle, it's like an addiction

I feel good with Magni though, someone described the Icelandic Horse as one that is with you when you mount. That makes sense to me, they stay with you. They may not be perfect every time (especially when young!) and they may be powerful but they want to work as part of the team. You just can't beat that sort of attitude

Go on, go for a good trail ride

 

I agree. It wasn't fear that caused me to sell my Peruvians, just an attempt to keep the peace within my large "human" herd. My parents always understood my need for owning horses, but none of my children ever got the "addiction" to horses, so my support for my Arabian, Peruvian Pasos and my miniatures always came from my parents. When my dad died, my sons tried to take over the "care and feeding" of mom, which I quickly put an end to. But I do strive to keep the peace.

Just recently my youngest son (one of the twins -- 33 yo) told me I should buy myself another riding horse, as he knew it was "in my soul" and told me to ignore his siblings. That's the first time any of my children has even brought up my owning another riding horse. The other 2 boys "jumped him" and asked him if he was out of his mind? But he stood his ground for me, and said at this point she should do what makes her happy -- not just make us happy. So, I've been seriously thinking about it again.

Trouble is, where I live there are no good trails to ride, and very few places to actually ride at all. I hate riding along the highways, but with so many ranches and farms around almost everything is fenced, so there is no way to go for just a nice ride. So, I'm still thinking about it. I miss the good old days when I was young and had 100 acre farm to ride in, and lots of unfenced land around to just piddle away the hours on horseback. That was a lifetime ago, I guess, but the memories are still good -- just hard to make the same type of new ones with no where to just go ride.....

 

[Wings]

Find yourself a nice little gaited horse

Would any of your neighbours let you ride on their land? I keep trying to catch my new neighbour to see if he'll let me do it, would give me an extra 100 acres of riding if he does

Do you have any local trail riding clubs? There are a few around here but I've opted for the hunt club instead

Magni and I want a FAST trail ride with jumps and dogs, LOL!

 

[AnnaC]

Oh Diane, I hope you find a way to make your dream come true. I often think that I would love to ride again - a nice quiet but free moving cob would suit me just fine - and I do have miles and miles of forestry to ride around on my doorstep, but my old damaged knees do cause me trouble - cannot mount from the ground and then seize up the longer I'm in the saddle so getting off is also a bit of a problem! - which therefore makes it difficult when on long rides to pop off behind a suitable bush when nature 'calls', as it always seems to at awkward moments!! My last 'biggy' was a 16.3hh ex hunter/event horse and he was well used to me dropping from his back into an untidy heap on the floor beside him when 'dismounting' and then kindly positioned himself while I climbed a suitable bank or useful field gate to put me on a level to climb back on again, bless him!

Still, I'm tempted!

 

Yes, I too admit I can't mount from the ground anymore either and haven't been able to for more than a decade. In the past, I always used an old set of metal stairs which my Peruvian's got accustomed to standing next to so I could mount. Luckily for me, the Peruvian's are a bit closer to the ground than your last 'biggy' -- LOL! They were always very nice to come close to any fence I could climb and mount from either side if I had to do my 'nature" calls and the stairs were far away!

Unfortunately, where I live is mostly Quarter Horse and Cattle Ranches or Orange Groves, so everything fenced off to keep the bulls inside or the fruit protected. So, no one owns any just 'free' land I can ride on without having to jump fences and pray no bull comes after me! It's really 'cowboy' country, so no trail clubs -- just hard working cowboys taking care of massive herds of cows. We still have 2 'sanctioned' rodeos a year in this small town -- home of the 1st Florida Rodeo that has continued for decades. Most people don't ride for just pleasure -- they are working cows or horse herds. The few people you do see 'out for a ride' are usually riding down the wide shoulders of the highway roads. Where I used to live (about an hour away) you could ride through miles of scrub land owned by the Air Force and open to the public for riding, fishing, camping, etc. But no such luck here in this little town. And, as much as the Orange Groves would be quiet riding during non-harvesting seasons, it is against the law to trespass on grove property.

So, I just dream!

 

[Wings]

If it makes you both feel better I don't mount from the ground either... not even on Magni if there is a mounting block handy!

My riding school even insists on using them.

Clearly you both need to chuck one of the shorties in harness