# New and Potentially Adopting first horse!



## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Welcome! So glad to see new faces both the horsie and human kind..


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Welcome! I have a 21 yr old Arabian and actually learned to ride on an Arabian too. It's safe to say I have a soft spot for this breed! 

Let us know how it goes, and if you end up adopting her, we expect lots of pictures!!!


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## PrairieBunny (Aug 13, 2020)

Thank all!

The adoption process is going good so far! Her name is Holly (not sure if I like it too much...) I rode her on Sunday and it went fairly well. She is a bit stubborn, and she knows I'm not the most confident rider yet. But that is something I am working on and she listened better towards the end of the ride when I was trying to be more firm and confident. I think she is a great match for me! I never felt unsafe on her.

The lady who runs the rescue said she thought the ride went well and agrees that I need more confidence, but she was never concerned during the ride. 

Holly does have a weird walk, but the vet and the farrier aren't too concerned about it. She crosses her front legs like on a tight rope. She has a narrower chest which they think contribute to it. We tried a short exercise of walking her in a straight line with a pole on the ground between her legs. I plan on continuing that if I am chosen to adopt her.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Let us know if that pole thing works.


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## Palfrey (May 29, 2020)

Welcome! Arabs are great horses that really connect with their person! Good luck on the lessons and adoption process!


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## PrairieBunny (Aug 13, 2020)

Acadianartist said:


> Welcome! I have a 21 yr old Arabian and actually learned to ride on an Arabian too. It's safe to say I have a soft spot for this breed!
> 
> Let us know how it goes, and if you end up adopting her, we expect lots of pictures!!!


I have been slacking in the reply department :biggrin: We had the big fires here in Oregon, so the adoption was a little delayed, but As of October 2nd, Holly is officially my baby!! I am planning on starting a post in the journal section about our journey once I get more time to write it. Since she is a rescue, there are quite a few little quirks and such to work through.




whisperbaby22 said:


> Let us know if that pole thing works.


Do you have a horse that tight rope walks? The pole thing hasn't been working the best, but we ended up getting a chiropractor adjustment and got shoes and a much needed trim. You could see a difference after the chiropractic work. She still crosses a little but not as much as before. I've been riding/working her 2-3 times a week, and I think getting more muscle on her is helping. We also started joint supplements and Platinum Performance, but I don't think it's been long enough to see changes from that.

Yesterday I tried brushing boots on her for the first time, and there was a visible improvement. Maybe the boots are making her think about her feet more?


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

^was going to suggest a chiropractic vet. It's an 'upstairs' body issue, not directly related to hooves & lower legs or training. It's often from a horse being bound up thru the shoulders and can be helped/alleviated with chiro. Brushing boots etc may work a little in the short term, by just making her feel more concerned about her legs but it's generally a temporary 'bandaid' that goes away when the horse gets comfortable wearing the boots.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yea, I was just curious to see if there was any way to get her going a bit better. She is a nice looking horse.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

She is SO pretty!!! Congratulations!!

On the rope walking, I have had a couple of Arabian mares who did this because they tend to be narrow in the lower girth area, and wide in the barrel. That pushes the girth into their elbows. They have sensitive elbows, lol.

Edited to Add: I looked at your photo more closely, and your girth looks fuzzy. Those were the WORST for my mares. One would gall in about 3 minutes from one, and the other, as soon as she felt that fuzz, would rope walk!! I suggest a different, smooth girth, like mohair. My mares were always sensitive to the heat build up under neoprene, so I avoid that.....


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## PrairieBunny (Aug 13, 2020)

greentree said:


> She is SO pretty!!! Congratulations!!
> 
> On the rope walking, I have had a couple of Arabian mares who did this because they tend to be narrow in the lower girth area, and wide in the barrel. That pushes the girth into their elbows. They have sensitive elbows, lol.
> 
> Edited to Add: I looked at your photo more closely, and your girth looks fuzzy. Those were the WORST for my mares. One would gall in about 3 minutes from one, and the other, as soon as she felt that fuzz, would rope walk!! I suggest a different, smooth girth, like mohair. My mares were always sensitive to the heat build up under neoprene, so I avoid that.....


Thank you!

She is definitely built like that. I have been through a ton of saddles/cinches to find one that doesn't get crammed up into her armpits. I finally found one that does a decent job of it.

The mohair is the rope-type one right? We tried that kind and it gave her awful sores. Her armpits are so sensitive (and ticklish! I have to be aware when grooming lol). She rope walks even without a saddle, so I'm not sure it's entirely because of something brushing her elbows. Although it is more exaggerated when she's saddled.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I can’t say I have ever had one TRW without a saddle on...unless they had gotten galled. 

How are her feet? That would be my next exploration....could she be sore on the medial side? It seems like TRW would put more pressure on the lateral side.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

have you tried the cinch that is cut back ? I forget the name of them, but they sit further away from the elbows of the horse.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Anatomical would be the word you are looking for.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

*Shoulder Relief Western Cinches. that is the name of them. such a simple name . 
*


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Oooppssss, western thread.


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