# The Hippocrats Club (yes, mispelling, too)



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'll join!

I'm horribly hypocritical. Not about groudwork stuff, as I'm pretty consistent with that. But with riding, yes. That's why I try not to give much riding advice, unless it's to do with saddle fit or bitting advice.


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## CandyCanes (Jul 1, 2013)

Oh good gosh yes, I'll become the third member... 
I write stuff on this forum, and post it, and then get likes as it's all amazing, and so what you SHOULD do with your horse. 
I'm just sitting there, reading over my posts going "God this is a load of hypocritical nonsense... I don't even follow my own rules for chrissakes! 

For example, on the topic of spurs " Spurs should only be used for refinement, on a finished horse"
Snorts with laughter. 
Look... what is on my boots now? I have a just turned five green dressage horse, and OH MY GOOD GOSH I have a pair of rather long shanked dressage spurs which I use every day on my riding boots! Shocker! 
But hey, he goes well in them, and its saved me a huge amount of hassle. He used to have so many issues with submission, and I would only get 5's and 6's for that area of my dressage tests. Now, after only twice having to give him a dig with the spurs when he is piggy, I've gone up to 7's in submission, an my whole test score has improved. Just yesterday we got a qualifying score for the championships, with our highest score yet  

Anyway, besides my ramblings, I want be a member!


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

Yes! When I tell people to get back on when they fall. 4/5 times I had to be carried in some way out of the arena. :rofl:


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I think the more experienced horse folks are the bigger hippocrits. That is because we know what is right and want the newer horse owners to be as safe as possible when giving out "do as I say, not as I do" advice :lol:

I do not "practice what I preach" on a lot of things I offer advice on. That is because my horses have been with me 23 years, 21 years, 18 years, & 8 years.

If I have to strictly adhere to the all the rules with them, there are some huge training holes in my methods and some big lack of respect holes in all my horses' thinking.

A good example was last night, when The Boys came in. My alpha horse, Duke, with metabolic issues took over the "Big Guy's" stall seven years ago because the run-in stall is attached to a big paddock full of grass. To this day, The Big Guy, Rusty, wants his stall back - lol lol

I was at the other end of the barn when they came blasting in. I looked up from the hay stack in time to see Duke go in what is now his stall and Rusty just about to follow<---he literally had one hoof poised and ready to enter that stall.

I hollered "Rusty WHUP!! You BETTER whoa!". Rusty put his brakes on so fast, I thought he'd lose his balance and fall into the stall anyway:lol:

I said "good job, wait for a cookie, I'm comin' to ya". Rusty waited, he got more than one cookie while I took his face mask off, followed by some neck scratchies.

Try telling a new horse owner these sorts of things don't happen in a week. Most new horse owners want that same "instant gratification" with a horse, they experience in other portions of their lives and it just ain't happenin'. It's a learn to crawl before you walk sort of thing

Which is why I am one of the big hippocrits on here and try to stick to the rules. 90% of the public could stand in my barn and watch my horses interact when all I do is point and grunt, and they still wouldn't believe what they see.

My horses have been with me a lifetime, I am around them 2 - 4 hours every day so, strict rules 100% of the time go right out the window. I am very strict on good manners and things just sort wane from there

I would expect to hear similar stories from long time horse owners who have horses that have been with them for a very long time. Yet you wouldn't dare disclose what you really do around those special horses to a new owner, so you stick to the rules when offering help.


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Sign me up.

Of course we will need an appropriate emblem. 

I suggest a special smilie face, similar to the Thread Killer Club smilie in my signature. 

We are supposed to have our annual meetings in Hawaii, hence the hula smilie (kindly provided by Allison Finch).

Of course we have no new members and have never have had a meeting (where is TrailHorseRider, anyway).

So sign me up for the Procrastinator Club, too.


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Oh, I see I am to post an example.

I'll do that later.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

Walkinthewalk I'm in the same boat! :lol: Yup sign me up!! (Think my biggest one is "No treats during training" but yet my training horses always seem to get a couple slipped in during their session....whoops....) Though I tend to stick to the rules when teaching/on here! ;-)


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Yep, me, too. It's a lot like in the movie, "UHF", "don't tell your parents you do this", (while digging for the toy in the cereal box.) =b
I constantly get too close or tolerate behavior that I warn others against. Then, again, when my horse(s) does something I don't like I get after them, so, no harm, no foul.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

anndankev said:


> Oh, I see I am to post an example.
> 
> I'll do that later.


I liked your first post


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I find myself allowing X to crowd me a bit coming through a gate, or to stop on the trail and sniff manure, or like last night I allowed him to suck back in the arena and I knew that allowing this once would mean it will certainly mean dealing with it twice, or thrice, or more. But I just kind of mentally said, "oh well, just for today . . ." Yeah, right.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I tell every newbie one who comes to visit to "do as I say, not as I do" when they are around horses. Like Walkinthewalk I spend a lot of time interacting with them and I know them well and they know me well. I think nothing of walking right up behind them, letting them invade my space, crawling under one to get to the other side, doing my barn chores and even riding in flip flops, climbing on one without so much as a halter on it, pretty much anything and everything you tell other people not to do. LOL In fact, I tell them do not even interact with my horses the way I do because while they will tolerate about anything from me they don't always tolerate it from other people. 

Case in point. I had a guy stop by once wanting to check out one of my horses. Horse was in the lean to eating and I was in there walking all around him scooping poop when he stopped. I knew the guy and he was a long time horse owner himself so I figured he knew enough not to walk behind a horse while it was eating. Nope, he'd seen me in there with him so assumed he could do the same. Thankfully, horse was well behaved enough to only give a threat stomp rather than a full blown kick. Hubby wasn't so lucky with one of our brood mares that was very food aggressive and got hammered right in his jewels. He never could answer my question of "WHAT IN THE #&!! WERE YOU THINKING?".


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Forgive a bit of spelling snark, but it's 'hypocrite': Hypocrisy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

I ordinarily wouldn't comment on spelling, but was struck by the accidental* pun. Because a 'hippocrat' is someone who subscribes to the political philosophy of hippocracy, or rule by horses: IOW 'horses rule'. In which case, sign me up 

*Or is the OP being a smartypants?


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

As I have been teaching my boyfriend about horses for the last year and a half I have found myself saying "You should never do what I'm doing right now" multiple times. It's generally when I have my face somewhere it could easily get kicked/kneed/hit in some way by my horse.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

jamesqf said:


> Forgive a bit of spelling snark, but it's 'hypocrite': Hypocrisy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> I ordinarily wouldn't comment on spelling, but was struck by the accidental* pun. Because a 'hippocrat' is someone who subscribes to the political philosophy of hippocracy, or rule by horses: IOW 'horses rule'. In which case, sign me up
> 
> *Or is the OP being a smartypants?



oh~! I thought they were one and the same. I always wondered how Hippocrates got associated with hypocrit. so
what is the correct adverbial word?


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## tmhmisty (Jun 8, 2014)

I am the worst! Anytime someone comes to my barn I spend the whole time explaining how to correctly do something while I'm doing it my way(wrong way). "Never do it like this, the way you need to do it is...."
I have also had my horses 10-18 years so its different(in my mind anyway). If I saw someone else doing some of the things I do I would prob be cringing at how unsafe it is


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Joining. 

A bit one for me is telling others not to duck under the neck or go behind the horse. Yet I do it constantly. My guys have been with me for years, and I trust them. 

I'm also far to lax with Ty. I let that horse get away with way to much. But he's 35 and in 9 years, the worse he's ever done is step on my foot. So he can get away with it. 

Another thing with me is that I let them rub their faces on my shoulder. I know I shouldn't but it doesn't bother me yet I scold others for it. '

Or the always checking a cinch before mounting. I've ended up on my horse's stomach far to often. Yet I tell other off for not checking. 

Oh and grabbing a horse's halter to lead them. I'm so guilty of this. It takes far to long for me to untangle my collection of lead ropes, so I often just grab the halter and lead my guys about. I tell others not to do it, since you are screwed if the horse acts up.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

Well, when I'm with a crowd I tend to watch my P's and Q's, and my horse's. When it is just me, or people I know who are experienced, I let some things slide. Ok, ok, more than some.......


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

tinyliny said:


> I always wondered how Hippocrates got associated with hypocrit. so what is the correct adverbial word?


They're not really associated, just happen to sound/look somewhat alike in English. Hippocrates (the Greek physician) is literally something like horse power (hippos = horse, kratos = power) though it's a person's name. (And so we get words like hippopotamus - literally 'river horse', and the whole -cracy spectrum of politics.)

Hypocrisy has a more complex derivation, for which see the Wikipedia article: Hypocrisy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia But the prefix "hypo" literally means 'beneath' or 'under', thus English words like hypodermic - literally 'under skin'. Isn't language fun?

Hypocritical would be the adjective, so hypocritically would be the adverb.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I want in, but I can't figure out where the Join button is!

Having grown up around horses, I tend to forget a lot of the rules as I allow instinct to take over. Helmets? I absolutely insist that an inexperienced person wear one. Have I ever? Nope.

Halter? Rope? With my horses, including the studs, I felt quite confident just gripping their chin. But, hey, they were MY horses and I KNEW them. Would I recommend that ANYONE try that? Heck NO.

I've ducked under my sister's percherons when helping her harness and hitch. Much easier to get to the inside chains that way. 

I've taught them to smile by teasing them with treats and then flat-handing them (fingers up, even) the treat when they roll up their lip. Dangerous? Yup.

I could go on with this forever, but then, I was a newbie when I was 5 or 6 and I've forgotten more than I know now. And I still like the spunky ones best.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Change said:


> I want in, but I can't figure out where the Join button is!
> 
> Having grown up around horses, I tend to forget a lot of the rules as I allow instinct to take over. Helmets? I absolutely insist that an inexperienced person wear one. Have I ever? Nope.
> 
> ...


Membership is automatic the moment you start relating your "do as I say, not as I do's" 

*We need someone to create a sig we can all proudly display in our posts*

I sent you a PM


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I sent you a PM:smile: 

Got it - and responded!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Oh yeah!!
And now, since I am shadowed by the young girl across the street, I have to constantly say, "Now, when you go to so-and-so's place, don't do THIS, and when you go to such-and-such's place, don't do THIS!!" 

Nancy


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Bumping this - how dare we let it lapse to page 2?


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I'll let you all in on a secret! When I wash my horses, I wear flip flops! 

Otherwise I always end up with water down my nice expensive boots. 

Of course, if I ever give a lesson, the rule is "no flip flops in the barn". But if no one is around to see me...

Lucky for me, my horses are generally pretty sensible and less likely to step on me. But it is still a risk.

I'm sure the next time I break a toe I will regret it! 

Although it is always the hidden dangers that hurt you... Like an uneven spot in the yard, a dog hole, or like my friend who twisted her ankle just moving some hay.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

they're your toes!


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## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

That's me yep. I am. I tell people never where flip flops to the barn, whos is this but me what am I wearing? Lauren of 2011 you dolt!










Never stand behind a horse:










Never turn your back to a stallion:










Do NOT snuggle aforementioned stallion:










I'm a monster.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I was going to join the Procrasinator's Club, but I can do it later. As well as this one, there's always tomorrow.


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

Hippocratic and procrastinator should be my middle names. I mean, im putting off doing homework right now to be on here  I constantly day dream in class, im daydreaming right now...

I may not have as much horse experience as the rest of you do, but im starting to become a bit of a hippocratic. I always tel everyone stallions are dangerous and should be avoided, yet first thing i do when i arrive for my lesson is go greet my fav stallions. 

I think all newbies are taught never to walk behind a horse, yet we all do. I will stand behind my lesson horse to make sure his rug is on properly, or to braid his tail, he never seems to mind 

I will quite often tell people not to touch a horse as he may be dangerous, even tho he isnt, just because i dont know how he will react and dont want to get blamed if he flips out. this is usually the case with the foals (3 of them right now)


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

horseNpony said:


> I think all newbies are taught never to...


But in every field, a lot of the rules are there for newbies, because they don't yet have enough experience to understand the why behind the rule, or to know when they can safely ignore it. As for instance, most parents probably teach their kids not to play with fire, but that doesn't stop adults from having barbecues, bonfires, welding torches, and so on.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I always tell people to wear sensible boots around horses - gardening wellies are NOT sensible boots no matter how well they keep your feet dry when hosing horses down or how well behaved your horses always are
Which is why I'm still hobbling around with a very painful toe a week after Honey Bunny decided to step forwards and not sideways
Oh and you know the one about not standing right in front of your horse and drifting off with the fairies especially when wearing gardening wellies?
And Looby still gets a treat every time I go in to tack her up even though she doesn't need one any more but she never demands or even seems to expect it, the look of surprise on her little face is priceless!!!


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

I don't think there is a signal person on earth who cannot be in this club.

WHY? Because we are all HUMANS. 


Told many youth showing that you should always go for as professional of a look/behavior as possible. Guess who walks around in pajamas with a towel on my head and no bra?! ME
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

^^^^Wants pictures of this!!!!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Ditto waresbear!!!!!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

:shock:I never wear flip-flops in the barn. I go barefoot...:shock:


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Oh Jesus WHY DID I OPEN MY MOUTH
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Don't feel bad, Mango - I don't like bras either!


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

I'm in. I wear flip flops, walk behind, pull tails, feed in my jammies, give treats, the list goes on and on. I'm fortunate enough to be teaching my future DIL about horses. A big trail riding rule. ALWAYS tell some one where you're going, which trail you're taking, and when you expect to be back. If you see a new trail to explore, use your cell phone to let someone know. Couldn't tell you how many times I've said I'd be back in about 2 hours. 6 hours later, dinner is late and I'm all excited about a new exploration!:happydance:


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm guilty of the pulling tails, too, Blue. But only on my gelding, because I know he won't do anything other than move his big butt out of the way. :lol: First time my (non-horsey) boyfriend saw me do it, he just about keeled over from shock.


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

Oh, me.

I have a friend who knows next to nothing about horses but wants to learn so I tell her your basic horse safety rules and then take her to the barn and proceed to violate nearly all of them and then have to explain to her that I am being incorrect and I trust my horse but one should never just assume the horse won't hurt them. 

I tell her not to stand directly behind the horse but I stand back there and brush his tail. 

Don't duck under the horse's neck. 

Don't crouch down by their hooves.

Don't go waving your arms around and spooking them (Sometimes I have to tell Sonny to wake up and listen here! lol)

Always sit correctly on a horse - never do sit ups while you ride or flop over their back like a sack of potatoes and then poke them with your fingers to get them to go....

I also pull tails. Like when you go out to get them from the pasture and they start walking away and you grab their tail like, "No! Come here!" and they just keep walking and give you this annoyed glare occasionally and you suddenly find yourself attached to one horse via the tail and the other one has his nose in your pocket wondering just what the heck you think you're doing and then before you know it you're a train. 

I'm a horrible equestrian. It's a wonder I'm not dead yet. Or it could just be that my horse is a saint who loves me to the moon and back. :lol:


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

ForeverSunRider said:


> Always sit correctly on a horse - never do sit ups while you ride...


Now just how the heck do you manage that?


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

jamesqf said:


> Now just how the heck do you manage that?


I've done that! Of course I was much younger and could actually do a sit up:wink: Now, not so much:lol:


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Tell me a few of the rules, because I'm pretty sure I've broken all of them.

How about the one where you never step over the barrel of a horse when he's lying down... or grab their legs to try to flip them? Yeah. I've done that.

Cleaning a gelding's or a stallion's sheath without the horse being held or tied? Yup.

Bumping them in the butt with a wheelbarrow full of manure to get them to move out of the way? Uh-huh. Guilty.

Any others?


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Change said:


> Bumping them in the butt with a wheelbarrow full of manure to get them to move out of the way?


 The first time my neighbor saw me do this, she was ready to call the paramedics! Now she just shakes her head and roles her eyes :rofl:


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Blue said:


> I've done that! Of course I was much younger and could actually do a sit up:wink: Now, not so much:lol:


OK, but how do you do it? Maybe if you were bareback, and could hold the horse's neck between your ankles?


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Well yeah, bareback would be easier, sitting in the saddle and then just flop backwards so your head is resting on that big soft rump. You gotta kinda contort over the cantle of the saddle, but hey, I was young. Bareback is a hoot. You can do all kinds of crazy stuff:lol:


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I get away with it by stating "Do as I say and not as I do!"


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Haha yes. I've always been the person to tell people that horses are not people, they're horses, you need to not treat them like people.

But it's so hard to not personify them and give them human-like personalities :lol:


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

You'd wonder why half of our members aren't posting from a hospital bed!!!
Or are they?


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Blue said:


> Well yeah, bareback would be easier, sitting in the saddle and then just flop backwards so your head is resting on that big soft rump. You gotta kinda contort over the cantle of the saddle, but hey, I was young.


Your saddle must be built a lot different than mine. I could maybe do a backwards bend over the cantle (something like this: Google Image Result for ), but not an actual situp where my back would be flat.

OTOH, when starting on a ride, I usually do a bunch of spinal twists (turn shoulders so you can place a hand on the horse's rump), opposite toe touch stretches, and so on, just to limber up. IMHO, at least, the more you practice flexibility and balance, the better. (In anything, not just riding.)


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

jamesqf, THAT'S IT! Now imagine letting your head bounce around on their butt and then sit up when you're laughing too hard!


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

What I do....and this is bad, I know....Be ready.

I ride in a bikini, barefoot, and bareback and then Sonny is just walking around and I lean back, and then sit back up and go again. You still grip with your legs.

This was back when I got the idea that I could ride, tan, AND get in shape all at the same time. 

Now I'm more of the flop-over-the-saddle-like-a-sack-of-potatoes-on-the-way-up-the-driveway-and-poke type of lazy rider. 

It should also be noted that I would never do anything like this with any other horse other than Sonny. He's a saint. Plus I give him horse cookies afterwards so I'm sure that helps.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Laying back, spent hours laying on my stomach facing backwards and reading while the horse grazed, sitting sideways in the saddle, sliding behind the saddle, riding double and whoever was in back would ride standing up and we'd see how fast we could go and still keep our balance, riding the neighbors half feral Shetland stallion pretending I was on a bareback bronc in a rodeo...aaaah, those long summer days of youth. LOL I'd have a fit if I saw the grandson doing any of those things.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Blue said:


> jamesqf, THAT'S IT! Now imagine letting your head bounce around on their butt and then sit up when you're laughing too hard!


OK, call me a purist if you like, but it's not a situp!

I was going to suggest inventing horseback yoga, but I found someone beat me to it :-(


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

How come this thread totally died down?
One I thought of whilst reading another thread: I can't even remember the last time I hooked the halter around my girls neck while bridling. In fact the other day I let her just stand there no halter, no nothing while I was talking to my coach -- oops.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

ive never seen this thread lol....but ill bite i guess

uh. oh biggest one....never stand on their back.....yea i told my "students" all the time if i ever saw them do that i would give them a mini basic training smoke session.....then i posted a pic of me doing it on facebook.....

always shut the gate....ya.number one rule on the ranch... "but charlie always ground ties."....right. 

dont hook your leg around the saddle horn....do that all the time

ha.


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

Oh man. I'm joining. 

Lets see, on top of committing almost every other crime listed in this thread we have the falling asleep on horse, buttoning myself up in his blanket (in my defense I was stranded for hours on a cold snowy day  "roman riding"..

Man, I'm a bad horse person.


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

I think ill add a bit to what I said before.

Halter round the neck while bridling, never do that. All the lesson horses are quiet enough that they wont go anywhere. I will put the reins over their necks tho. When i undo the bridle, i will just let them stand there for a few seconds not tied. 

How about the whole, rug needs to be done up at the back first, then front, then middle. I never can be bothered, Ill just go from what ever order i feel like, sometimes ill be putting on multiple rugs at once.

Some stuff ive done on horseback shouldnt be done. Like ill try to lift both feet onto the seat and sit in this funny jockey like position. I always tell people legs over the sides, good seat, feet in stirrups, etc and then i go on try to be an acrobat on the horses back.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Yep, I'm guilty of all sorts of these little letting the rules slide sorts of things. I regularly hug their faces and cuddle with them while they are loose. Just recently I was on a trail ride with my 4 year old gelding who has been under saddle just under a year. This was maybe his 6th "real" trail ride and I was holding the buckle of the reins in one hand, frequently turning in the saddle to chat with my sister while he happily traipsed down the trail. It truly is amazing to feel that I can trust my horses as much as I do -- although I usually am careful not to do anything too terribly reckless.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Ahh, when Dubai was a stallion...

My trainer gave me strict rules.

I gave them to everyone else.

His face is not for scratches and pats, leave it be.

He needs to stand still, attention on me and not talk to the mares...you know the drill.

Everyone knew this, because I was very firm.

Until their backs were turned.

His nose is STILL the softest of any horse.

And who doesn't like cuddles, and humans swinging off necks and snoozing next to you when you're lying down?


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

guess this is 'bad', then.....walking up a long fairly steep hill at the end of a trail ride,,,none of us knew this portion of the 'trail' was gravel,,,didnt have boots on Sonny, so to at least relieve him of also carrying my weight on his back, I dismounted to walk...man I was tired, and the hill was so steep...I walked right behind him-held onto his tail and let him give me a great assist up the hill. I was so grateful for the help.

Fay


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Oh - Stallion guilt. 
Cleaning his sheath, in his run-out, without tying... heck, without even a halter on him. Just me and a rag and a bucket of soapy warm water and a hose. I think he fell asleep. This wasn't your ordinary stud (or so I keep telling people).


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Change said:


> Oh - Stallion guilt.
> Cleaning his sheath, in his run-out, without tying... heck, without even a halter on him. Just me and a rag and a bucket of soapy warm water and a hose. I think he fell asleep. This wasn't your ordinary stud (or so I keep telling people).


 
I had one of those too! I dove in to the deep end and bought a three year old stallion with little to no stallion experience, or young horse experience.

I DID have a good trainer, however.

And that boy has never put a foot wrong, and is now a massive tank of a five year old... and a gelding :lol:


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

My boy was born on the property and I handled him every day. I also knew his Dad (my sister's stud), and that was one laid back stallion. Tag (my boy) never figured out he was bigger than me, since he had most of his good ground manners down pat before he hit 200 lbs. ;-)


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

I just realized another thing I do. 4 horses out in the pasture and I'm out there in flip flops, no halters, picking up and cleaning feet. Horses are goofing around with each other but each one I'm cleaning stands still for me. My neighbor 'bout fell over.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Okay - I have to make a confession. 

Yesterday I went out to look at a 7 y/o gelding for sale. I'd never met this horse.

Rule 1) Make the owner do things with the horse before you try it.
Rule 2) Never duck under the horse's neck to move to the other side.
Rule 3) Never squat down when checking the feet.
Rule 4) Never reach across under the horse to check out the foot on the other side.
Rule 5) Never stand behind a horse you don't know.
Rule 6) Never grab/pull on the horse's tail
Rule 7) Never slap a horsefly that lands on a strange horse (esp. since you'll likely miss and slap the horse instead)
Rule 8) Never evaluate a strange horse without wearing proper foot gear (sneakers do not qualify as proper foot gear)
Rule 9) Never do any of these things, especially on a horse you don't know, without having someone else hold them.

I'm pretty sure I violated all of these.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

In writing fiction, there's an old axiom: "You can't break the rules properly until you know them."

Can I apply it here?


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## HagonNag (Jul 17, 2010)

I'm guilty of all the aforementioned lapses. I stand behind and pull on Blossom's tail to get her out of the trailer. I pick out DB's stall with him in it, using his hind hooves as a block for manure piles while running a manure fork under the pile. After riding, in a wide open, unfenced area, I let them graze trailing their lead ropes while I talk/gossip with friends. Do not ever let your horse eat on the trail....unless you're ambling and you don't really care. (BAD BAD BAD....but Blossom likes it.)

I think I qualify for membership.


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## SaskGal (Apr 18, 2012)

I think everyone to a certain point is a hypocrite. However it's good if you realize it.

Anyhow it's good to help people even if you don't do what you preach.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh, this is fun, let's see....Sign me up!

I always preach perfect etiquette and manners with the horses...Yet you see Selena and I'm crawling all over her, sliding off her butt, sitting with one leg over her neck, etc.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Change said:


> In writing fiction, there's an old axiom: "You can't break the rules properly until you know them."


You know, that may be my problem. 1, 2, 3, 6 & 9 I never knew were rules, #4 I honestly never even thought of trying - and on #7, I almost always do get the horsefly


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

HagonNag said:


> I'm guilty of all the aforementioned lapses. I stand behind and pull on Blossom's tail to get her out of the trailer. I pick out DB's stall with him in it, using his hind hooves as a block for manure piles while running a manure fork under the pile. After riding, in a wide open, unfenced area, I let them graze trailing their lead ropes while I talk/gossip with friends. Do not ever let your horse eat on the trail....unless you're ambling and you don't really care. (BAD BAD BAD....but Blossom likes it.)
> 
> I think I qualify for membership.



well....yup ...do ALL of this regularly

Fay


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

I'll join too!

Me: Don't ride with a helmet
Real Me: Only wears it at lessons

Me: Don't ride bareback unless you can canter
Real Me: Rode bareback before cantering and only walks bareback

Me: Get some help to help you with your horse
Real Me: Hardly ever gets help lol (because I don't ask)

Me: Wear cowboy or English boots when riding
Real Me: Wears rubber boots sometimes or tennis shoes

Me: Don't feed too many treats
Real Me: ^_^ Not ALL the time!

All I got for now 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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