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Comment by Queenrider on January 9, 2013 at 9:18am

Congratulations you are now a jumper!

Comment by tony crook on January 8, 2013 at 10:17pm

Bismark showed me how to jump Saturday!Totally unexpected, I was practicing riding half seat, turned him towards the jump(he usually walks up to it and just stops),next thing I know we're airborne!All I knew to do was sink into my heels, move my seat back and lean forward, and keep my hands forward, it worked, landed pretty nicely. So ecstatic, I took him around and he did it again!  I had not planned on ever jumping him(Christopher Reeves?), but I guess Bis had other ideas! I love that horse, my confidence went up twenty points!

canadians are tops!

Comment by tony crook on November 9, 2012 at 7:43pm

thanks, Laura, I may just take it up-Bis has been a jumper, and I think through 2nd level dressage(whatever that entails-lol), so one of us knows what to do, anyway. I think it would be a good way to discipline myself to work his weight off of him. It would probably be easier to adhere to a structured program. I'm going to talk to the instructor some more-thanks!

Comment by tony crook on November 9, 2012 at 7:36pm

thanks, Francis, it is a quandry-the only pasture there that doesn,t have a lot of grass, has no run in for cold rainy weather. The vet didn't seemed overly concerned with his weight, but he is way too fat. i may have to find somewhere else anyway, as they use cattle rings for hay rounds, and it rubs the middle of his mane off. I think the biggest problem is he hasn't been getting enough exercise-the previous owner was involved in dressage and jumping, and his weight was fine then, under the same conditions. I'm trying to get into a 5 day regimen of about 45 minutes/day at least, like queenrider said she does-question-how much feed should he get, if any, in the winter when the hay comes out?thnx much for your help!

Comment by Frances Tufts on November 9, 2012 at 5:27pm

Tony, Please heed Queenrider's comments seriously. If the pasture is too lush, ask that he be moved to another pasture or kept in the paddock with some grass hay.

You may want to consider moving him to where there is better control of his intake.

Too many horse owners kill their horses with love by giving them too much and too rich food. Your vet should be able to help you with the appropriate diet. If there is an animal / equine nutritionist available through your feed store, then ask for advice. You do not want to risk founder.

Comment by Laura Boyle on November 9, 2012 at 1:19pm

Dressage is a wonderful thing! Done right, it can benefit any horse Western or English. :) I always considered it like 'yoga' for my horse. Lots of stretching and limbering...Core muscles for the human too! Kept my old mare limber into her 20's.

Comment by tony crook on November 9, 2012 at 10:08am

your horses are what mine should look like-the vet was out giving his shots, and his weight tape wasn't quite long enough-he est. 1400 or so. I have to deal with two  problems-He's pasture boarded, and the forage is lush and nearly year round-in the winter, there is hay always available in hay rings(about 20 horses there). 2nd problem is  I'm still trying to get built back up from the cancer, and it's a challenge working the weight off. I figure with the availability of food, exercise is our main hope. I may look into the Purina-thanks, don't want him to get laminitis! The barn owner suggest I take dressage lessons, she said their are a lot of people my age that are beginners-it is a thought!

Comment by Queenrider on November 9, 2012 at 9:30am

My Canadian and the other 2 Canadians at my barn never get grain.  They get Purina Equalizer (proteins and vitamin/minerals).  Each gets 1 cup twice a day.  They get free choice grass hay (no alfalfa).  They get some limited grass (maybe 2-3 hours twice a week).  This plus being exercised (dressage)  for 45 minutes about 5 times per week.  This keeps the weight off.  When I got Scooter as a 3 year old he was 1300 lbs (which was about 200lbs too much!) and 15.2 HH.  Now as a 6 year old he is 1304 lbs and 16.2 lbs.  I have weight tape measure to measure his girth.

Comment by tony crook on November 8, 2012 at 11:42am

aren't they great? I never even had a dream as big as Bismark, he's beyond what I knew you could have with a horse.I envy your years with 'em;I'm 58 and he just turned sixteen, so I hope we have many years together. It's hard keeping the weight off of him, tho, he's like 1400 plus at barely 15 hands-lots of forage here most of the year, I'm working on the weight problem. Don't want him to get sick!

Comment by Laura Boyle on November 8, 2012 at 9:19am

I am still learning as I go. I have been facinated with the breed as long as I can remember. Magie for me is a dream come true and so far demonstrates the traits of her ancestors to a 'T'. :) Always new stuff to learn.
Welcome to the club! ;) LOL

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