Downhill horses, misc.

[KarenC]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1053630735311&set=a.1053629895290.2008784.1062070018&type=3&theater

That is a photo of one of my endurance horses going down a steep grade with a rider.  This horse is particularly good at 'downhill' and does his fastest walk on the downhill, GPS'd often at 5.4 to 5.6 mph.  On the flat he rarely makes it over 5 mph but comes close.  One of the two fastest walking horses I've ever ridden. 

I have found that going downhill in deep sand to be an excellent way to teach a horse to learn how to carry himself downhill.  Some horses are definitely better at it than others.  Most horses have strong points, weaker points....a couple of traits that I appreciate the most:  1)  fast walker and 2) good downhill horse. 

My last RC digest was from 1/19; nothing since has been received. 

Got some good Decade Team interviews coming up....here's a good quote from one of the riders, interview to be published soon:

Look in the eye, you will see the spirit of the horse, if it is not there I will show you a horse that has been ridden past the place of pleasure, the race may be won, but the spirit is defeated. The rider records a win, the horse records defeat.

Karen

[SMW]

One look at your picture of your horse and he could come be in our
backyard...  :)
As nice and ideal as he is going down the hill I would claim him in a
second because of his overall balance and how well he is muscled. An
extremely nice horse that is using himself well.
Sharon, who's daughter is riding Von Prince

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[Roxanne Ciccone]

No helmet????

[Maryben Stover]

You can always tell an endurance rider.  The first thing we notice in a picture is whether or not the rider has a helmet on.


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Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 10:15:56 -0800
From: runawa...@bellsouth.net
Subject: Re: [RC] Downhill horses, misc.
To: kch...@gmail.com; ride...@endurance.net

[Lif Strand]

At 11:17 AM 2/6/2012, Maryben Stover wrote:
>You can always tell an endurance rider. The first thing we notice
>in a picture is whether or not the rider has a helmet on.

Me bad. I noticed the rider's form and how she is helping the
horse. I always look at the horse first.

_____________________________________

Lif C. Strand
Technical Writing
Local Economic Development
Catron County NM CWPP Revision Contractor

[Jonni]

And, its Karens horse, but not Karen riding w/o the helmet. I believe
it was during a photo shoot. (might have even been one that I shot, I
think I was there) :-)
Jonni

[Sheri Devouassoux]

I was shocked when I moved to the MW region and saw people riding in endurance rides with no helmet.  I had ridden for several years in the NE region, where most of the rides are double sanctioned with ECTRA (they require helmets).  I have found that at some rides here (in the MW) the Ride Managers require helmets.  I have worn a helmet every time I got on a horse since 1991 when I had a freak accident. On a Quarter Horse. With a Western saddle.  At a walk.  I lost half the vision in my left eye because of the traumatic head injury.  Bottom line:  I wear a helmet.  If other people choose not to wear a helmet, I just don't want to be around to explain to their loved ones that a helmet could have saved their life.  Or prevented them from becoming a vegetable.  Or helped protect them from partial blindness.  

I now board my horse at a primarily Western Pleasure barn.  The other boarders probably think I am crazy because I am trotting (yes, trotting, not Western jogging) all around.  Plus I have blue Zilco tack and funny stirrups.  But I am amazed that none of them wear helmets.  Why, they don't wear helmets because they ride Western, they tell me.  Trust me, that ground is just as hard whether you come out of a Western saddle or an English saddle.  The ground doesn't say, "hey, I am going to be extra cushy because this rider is coming out of a Western saddle."  And those Western Pleasure horses trip and stumble more while loping just once around that arena than any horse has stumbled with me on any endurance ride.  

Just my observations.

Sheri Devouassoux

[Don and Pam Bowen]

We know too.  Used to never ride w/helmets, but luckier than you.  First time a helmet was bought was at Patti Bailey's urging on my hubby, they went pre-riding Tevis trail next day, that's when now famous Willy the Flying Horse went off equally famous Kaput Spring.  Hubby had a very kind tree that stopped his trip down mountain, on his helmeted head.  It destroyed the brand new helmet, but his noggin was ok, he only suffered a broken leg from horse rolling over it.  Willy was found next day and had to be coptered out.

 

We relocated to a new area, I work for a cattle rancher.  We show up as western as we can at the round-ups (it's really hard when you've discovered human comforts/great tack of endurance), but still helmeted.  I've never been razzed, but hubby has.  His standard answer is:  If you knew how many trainers I know that can't make a complete sentence, you'd understand.  Shuts them up every time, so obviously they know "someone" like that, but it's the western look they want to have, which I admit is really cool, but should likely stay in pictures/paintings/memories.  Whatever.  Stay helmeted.

 

Pam Bowen

[Barbara McCrary]

I can second Sherri’s experience. My husband was riding with me on a flat trail, at a flat-footed walk, when the horse he was riding tripped over a tree root and fell. Husband went off and landed on the back of his head, splitting the skin and causing the second of three concussions he has had in his life. It is said that concussions are accumulative, and that a person can handle only so many…

This incident took place before he was using a helmet. I badgered, threatened, said all sorts of mean things, and – finally – persuaded him to wear a helmet. It really looked quite stunning on him, and I felt so much better about his safety. Anyone who doesn’t wear a helmet is thinking more about vanity than safety. It isn’t fair to that person’s loved ones.

 

Barbara

 

From: ridecampre...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ridecampre...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Sheri Devouassoux
Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 8:48 PM
To: ride...@endurance.net
Subject: Re: [RC] Re: Downhill horses, misc.

 

I was shocked when I moved to the MW region and saw people riding in endurance rides with no helmet.  I had ridden for several years in the NE region, where most of the rides are double sanctioned with ECTRA (they require helmets).  I have found that at some rides here (in the MW) the Ride Managers require helmets.  I have worn a helmet every time I got on a horse since 1991 when I had a freak accident. On a Quarter Horse. With a Western saddle.  At a walk.  I lost half the vision in my left eye because of the traumatic head injury.  Bottom line:  I wear a helmet.  If other people choose not to wear a helmet, I just don't want to be around to explain to their loved ones that a helmet could have saved their life.  Or prevented them from becoming a vegetable.  Or helped protect them from partial blindness.  

[M. Paul Latiolais]

Nice balanced seat, though.

[Carla Richardson]

And for what it's worth, Kerry *does* ride with a helmet these days.  I've seen her riding for the past three or four years and I have never seen her without a helmet.  Obviously, this is an old photo.

 

Carla

[Ranch]

"...It is said that concussions are accumulative, and that a person can handle only so many…"

Not completely true.  You can have as many as you want if you don't mind ending up like Gordie Howe, Derek Boogard, Mohamad Ali etc.

 

For a good authoritative discussion of this see: "The Collision Syndrome", Scientific American, Vol. 306 No. 2, February 2012, page 66.

 

Ed.

Ed & Wendy Hauser
2994 Mittower Road
Victor, MT 59875

[Barbara McCrary]

I take it there is some tongue in cheek with that comment, Ed.

 

Barbara

 

From: ridecampre...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ridecampre...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Ranch

Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:36 AM
To: ride...@endurance.net

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[Sheri Devouassoux]

I am happy to hear that she now wears a helmet!