Soon.

I must apologize for the lack of posting! I am trying to sell my horse and this dressage show could do it! Anyway, I'm working on it and it is starting to sound good! Just though I would let everybody know that you have not been abandoned! So, here are some hideous pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Typical of Me To Do This

I have decided to do a series of posts regarding horse discipline stereotypes. Each one will have stereotypes, truths, falsehoods, and anything else I come up with. I hope to stir ciplines that I have friends in such as:
-eventing
-dressage
-showjumping
-endurance
-halter
-trail
-rodeo
-racking horses
-saddle seat
-hunter
-western pleasure
-racing


    PLEASE, please, please! This is a time for submissions of suggestions or articles that you have written (I am in dire need of some driving and Arabian horse showers liberty etc). I don't know everything! Yet. Dun, dun, duuuuun! ;)
    
But really I would appreciate some help on this! Twitter comments, facebook, etc. Any help would be wonderful! To kick off this event I will start out by clarifying what stereotypes are. According to Wikipedia: 


"A stereotype is a popular belief about specific types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings. Stereotypes are standardized and simplified conceptions of people based on some prior assumptions. Another name for stereotyping is bias. A bias is a tendency, most of these are good, but sometimes stereotyping can turn into discrimination if we misinterpret a bias and act upon it in a negative manner."
   
One equine example might be that ponies are evil or thoroughbreds are all crazy. Typically I have found that some truth can be found in these but approximately 50% exceptions. Yes, there are some snooty hunter/jumper out there, but some are also really down to earth.


     Anyhow... I am looking forward to this and I am so excited about it! Tune in for more posting trot! As easy as 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,....

Don't Try This At Home!

For you viewing pleasure:
Watch This!

Sorry about the lack of posts but... EXAMS ARE EATING ME ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

Ignorantopia

Dear fellow equine enthusiasts,
   

                                                     I. Am. Speechless.

       I have just recently made friends with a girl in my study group who, as I happily discovered, owns horses. I was so happy to finally have a horsey friend that I can see on an everyday basis. She boards her horses at a self care barn just across the street from my favorite tack shop. Every time I drive by I think "What a lovely place." It is one of those quaint farms that are just so.... artistic. Upon meeting this girl she proceeds to tell me that she is retraining her two western paint horses to do eventing. So of course I am thinking "YES! Finally somebody I can have REAL horsey conversations with! Wa-hooo!"
    But no. She then proceeds to tell me that one of the horses wouldn't stay on the rail when she pulled on the outside rein and she couldn't figure out how to fix this. Here is our conversation (thoughts in red) I would like to point out that at first I gave her the benefit of the doubt:

Me: WTF! And you are training this horse? You madame, need the help of a professional coach. So, do you have a trainer or a coach that can help? 

Her: No, I do everything on my own. I started to ride a year ago and quit lessons about eight months ago. I don't need a trainer I watch Clinton Anderson videos and do Parreli.

Me: What... why... how... when... um... Do you need any help um... exercising your horses. I hate to be a know-it-all but maybe I can squeeze in a few helpful tips on the side. She has no business training horses. Either her, her horses, or somebody else is going to get hurt.


Her: No, it is OK they only get ridden 1-3 times a week anyway.

Me: Oh, they must be young and you don't want to stress them out, riiiight, okay I get it now. So, how old are they?

Her: 2 and 1 and 1/2.

Me: It probably isn't the best idea to be riding them that young.

Her: It is OK. They already have plenty of training in them.

Me: Just walk away before somebody gets hurt. Oh well if you ever need any help you have my number.


Her: Actually, since I want to go to Rolex as soon as possible would you mind teaching me cross country?

Me: Um.... maybe that's not the best idea. You would need a professional coach. And maybe a psychologist! 






      On another particular occasion when doodling occurred and she drew a horse with cloven hooves (she is an AMAZING ARTIST!):

Me: Oh, that's cool is it some sort of unicorn type horse?

Her: No, just a normal one.

Me: Dafuq! Horses hooves are one piece...

Her: No, stupid! Some can have cloven hooves it just depends on the farrier's specifications.

Me: What kind of farrier are you dealing with? *insert questioning look here*




      A very good (and attractive ;D) guy rider that I am friends with said the most... well dumb thing I have heard this weekend, I don't know how he survived pony club. We went to a XC schooling and my horse was sweating and breathing hard. Here is how the conversation went:

Me: Oh, she needs to be cooled down I will be right back.

Him: Give her a big bucket of cold water right now, that will help her out.

(please tell me somebody gets this)

      No joke. These were things that were actually said to me. Why people. WHYYYYY! Please explain to me why, in a world in which Google exists, do we not have any knowledge of the horse what so ever! Ugh. Please. I don't want to sound snooty, but really guys (especially the first girl I told you about) how can we not know basic horse management! This is a reason why certain people should NOT be around horses. Or they should at the very least do some research.

   
     As far as the "trainer" girl goes I really have no words to describe her. We are no longer friends because of an argument over why a picture I saw over her riding in shorts, flip-flops, and a baseball cap was dangerous. She. Was. Jumping.

     People with thick skulls (myself included) really puzzle me. The ones that have no knowledge of horses really get to me (cloven hooves?). They have the nerve to give right minded horse-people advice, but no sense to take advice from people that know what they are doing.

     Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention. That girl? The "trainer"? Yes, I asked her how she found the time between work and school to take care of her horses and do you know what she told me? "Oh, I only clean their stalls out every three days. It is basically the same concept as a hamster cage."

JUST. NO.

     I feel that this is a perfect time (given the_____ of these two people I have discussed) to present to all of my thepostingtrot.blogspot.com readers a brand new land that I have discovered. Ignorantopia! Here lives the utterly and hopelessly clueless:

Whenever I feel as though this is the birth place of the subject I am discussing, this lovely new map will be presented. Enjoy!

Yours Truly,

The Posting Trot

Oh noes!

I am sure that most of you have seen this picture before. This picture is a XC disaster! The turn-out of the pair is dangerous and unacceptable for use on the XC course, schooling or other wise. THIS IS NOT OK!

1. The horse is wearing ZERO boots. Not good. XC is very stressful on a horse's legs. This horse needs at the very least a pair of well-fitting bell boots. The best thing would be bell-boots on front and taped boots on all four legs to protect cannon bone, splint bone, fetlock, and tendons and ligaments.
2. I believe that at this level NO MATTER THE SADDLE FIT a breastplate is very important. It keeps the saddle more secure, especially when going down drops. It is true that the horse is wearing a "breastplate" but the only purpose it serves is to hold the standing martingale.
3. Standing martingales are OK for lower level eventing (just amoeba) however above that they become dangerous because they do not give if the horse falls. I have seen on two occasions (at tadpole level and training level) where a horse has fallen and the accident was made worse by the restriction of the horse's head. Only a running martingale should be used because the loops make it able to slide effortlessly around when no contact is exerted on the reins however it remains useful while the rider had contact.
4. I can't tell but the bit looks too large.
5. The rider is not holding a crop. There is no excuse not to ride with a crop on XC. (if your horse was abused, then desensitize it!) It should always be carried by the rider in case of problems (which are inevitable on XC at some point) If the rider is not experienced enough to use a whip properly then they should not be riding XC.
6. The lower leg position is good and look like she may have had a fight right before the horse leaped into the water. This is a schooling picture, and from experience, learning to do XC for either horse or rider is not always pretty. Trying to figure out the "drop" position can be tricky and scary.
7. Cute face on the horse though he looks pretty smart.

How is this amusing?

Some people just don't get it. I did a google search for "funny horses" and I will admit somethings were pretty dang funny.

   But mixed in among these humerus horse follies are some pictures that aren't quite so funny (usually posted by non-horsey people which isn't surprising)

I don't even think that this is real but, um... WTF?!

Lions, tiger bears, oh my! How is an animal scared out of its mind funny?

Not laughing yet?

Dover Fail: Elite Edition 2012-2013

   So, personally, I love Dover. They have the best stuff ever. I get all of my show clothes from them. I also love Professional's Choice(PC). I have never EVER seen another elastic girth that I like for the price. Both companies have good, quality stuff. However, on a funny note, I do question their photo shopping skills. Gina Miles has partnered with PC to create a line of bits along with an endorsement. She is a wonderful rider and in 2008 she competed in the Beijing Olympics on McKinlaigh (who is a wonderful horse). So, I noticed that the boots looked suspiciously too clean in the picture in the catalog. Plus, who wears SMBs at 4* XC in first place (in addition to NOT being taped). The blue SMB boots and bell boots just did't feel right.

Sorry for the bad quality!

    

      So I googled some images of Gina competing at the Olympics and TADA! Different boots!

    See?! White, ribbed pull-on bell boots! I will admit the taping on the XC boots is blue but this defiantly doesn't match the ad in Dover! Oh well... just goes to show that you can't trust a picture anymore. I am not bashing anyone in particular I just thought that it was interesting and was wondering if anybody else noticed? Ta-ta for now my fellow horse lovers! 

Addictive

So, when a drug dealer wants to have repeat customers he gives away the first sample for free. however the person is then hooked and mus continue to buy- yada-yada-yada. So check out this add that I found on craigslist for horse lessons. I think that this proves how amazingly addicting horses are. Please note that these horses ARE in good condition.

  *New foal should be arriving tonight! Wish us luck!*