Tips and Tricks.....

[Mark Choate]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Good point, Casey.

It speeds this process up if you slightly dampen the stirrup straps beforehand, in the area of the twist

Good stuff, gentlemen.

Mark

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Here's one....after riding if you find your horse heated or in a hard sweat go ahead and unsaddle but always leave the blanket on him (tied with the surcingle) until he cools. In short order you will find his back dry but more importantly it will protect his back (and keep him from getting sick) by allowing him to cool slowly. This is particularly important in cold weather.
On the same note, most of us prefer not to saddle a horse with a wet back unless absolutely necessary. If your horse has been standing in the rain and has a wet back place your folded wool blanket over the back (where the saddle goes) and tie it down with a surcingle. In short order you will find a perfectly dry back even if he's standing out in a hard, steady rain (does not cover deluges, monsoon's, hurricanes or freshets). His body heat dries the back through the wool. I have used this method many a time in the field - it works.
In both cases this works well with wool blankets but not so good with modern padding.

Ken R Knopp

[AZFarrier]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

OK Here’s another.
We really don't have the problem with cold weather out here but in hot weather, if your horse shows signs of heat stress (riding hard and no longer is sweating...in really bad shape). You can rapidly cool them by running tap water (not ice cold but col) on the under-side of their neck. Also by putting wet towels on their neck this can rapidly cool them as well. The carotid artery in a horse (like a human) is located on either side of the neck toward the front in the notch (anterior lateral to the neck). By applying water the core temp will in the brain will come down to a more manageable temperature. This is a last ditch method but it is a good basic first aid trick for horses.

I have used a broom stick to train my stirrups, the only problem I have with it is my wife always forgets to put them back when she's done riding.

[Third Mainer]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Great stuff guys, keep it coming! Its the little stuff like this that isn't written down that really helps.
Mike

[TexCavly]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

To mount grab a big chunk of mane hair instead of the pommel and you woun't pull your saddle off when you mount, it won't hurt the horse either.

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Here is a tip I got last year on the AC and it works well for me. When I am saddleing my horse, I add my sleeping blanket on top of the saddle blanket then strap on the saddle. This affords me a bit more space for a greatcoat or oat bag or whatever. plm

[volcav]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

[QUOTE=The Egyptian Homeguard;211825]

Otherwise you'll spur the heck out of your carbine...QUOTE]

Jerry,
You must have some seriously short legs if you're spurring the forearm! My carbine hangs with the muzzle at my ankle bone and beats the crap out of my ankle even with a socket! Z

I'm about 5'7". I was using a homemade carbine sling at the time which is shorter than the production one I have now. But yeah, I've never been referred to as long legged.

[Mark Choate]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

[QUOTE=volcav;212272]

I'm about 5'7". I was using a homemade carbine sling at the time which is shorter than the production one I have now. But yeah, I've never been referred to as long legged.

Yeah, me neither...................................

Mark

[TexCavly]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

If you don't fill up the whole 12 inches of your Mac's seat, are a new rider, or are riding a spooky horse you can take your poncho and tie it to the inside of your pommel, it makes a good "seat-belt".

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

To expand on what Dan said in #2 above: I remember my very first cav event. New horse, new gear, newbie. On the first morning, I found myself attempting to saddle at 3:30am on the blackest night I can ever remember (at least it still seems that way). It took me forever, and I was the last guy in the saddle - by about half-a-day.

Here's what I learned from that:

1) Practice saddling in the dark - know where things go, buckle, tie by feel. If you buckle your girth, know by feel which hole that you usually use. Practice this at home in the dark until you are comfortable. Here's something that you can do at home - put your gear on the floor of a darkened room and get used to identifying and using it by feel.

2) Develop a system to lay your gear out at night - my bridle and reins always go over the horn on my Texas or the pommel of my Mac; and, in a way that I know where the brow band on the bridle is and which way it is facing. Since the saddle blanket goes on first, it is laid on top of everything. I stack my gear in the order that it goes on my horse, so I don't have to fumble around for it. I use a breast strap. It always goes back over the seat of the saddle. I normally carry period curry comb and brush in my saddle bags, but at night I place them on the top of everything in my feed bag, so I know where they are in the dark without having to fumble around in my saddle bags.

3) Feed bag - never underestimate the storage capacity of your feed bag. You can always temporarily stow small stuff in your feed bag in the dark until it gets light enough or you have time to secure it else where. From #2, above, I put my brush and curry comb back in the feed bag until it's daylight and I get a break to replace them in my saddle bag. I carry a large poke bag in my feed bag for stowing a bunch of small stuff that I don't want to carry on my person.

4) Before retiring, I always count where my horse is located on the picket line - "Fourth horse from the tree on the right." Makes it easier to find him in the dark.

One other issue - dry socks. I learned in the Marine Corps that dry socks are important for a lot of reasons. I carry an extra pair stuffed in my saddle bags so that I can change into them when needed.

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

That's something very important Mike, keep a dry pair of socks on your feet at night! When I bed down, change into a dry pir and shuck my coat and take down my suspenders... You can use the coat as a pillow or as a cover, but if you leave it on, it takes a long time to warm up in the morning! Z

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Good point Zack, that's exactly what I do regarding changing socks. I also have a wool sleeping hat stuffed in my saddle bag. Your head accounts for 70% of your body's heat loss. A period wool sleeping hat helps retain body heat. After letting my boots air out, I throw my slouch hat over them to keep critters and dew out of them at night. Dry socks and dry boots make for easy putting-them-on in the morning. I also ball my coat up for a pillow.

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Talking of bedding down, I always gather , where avalible< dry bedding materials right away and claim my bedding spot. Like at Twin Rivers, I raked up a mountian of pine needles and lay my poncho over it,. At bed time I lay my saddle blanket and sleeping blanket. keeping up off the ground is critical to staying warm, so are dry feet and covered head, good tips all! One more tip I do is I wear a cotton scarf around my neck that I use as a sweat rag, sleeping cap , towel or wash cloth, hanky, hot pad, ect,ect. plm

[ethan harrington]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

For the saddling posts: I learened to ride bearback never owened a saddle till I started making period ones. I always thought having that girth so tight on a horse would be like you wearing a pair of pants that is too small or a necktie that your mammy put on you. Those period saddles are not flat, and unless you ride a Q horse his is not that flat either. I usally saddle once pretty tight and when they let the air out as mentioned before it is usally right you can run fingers threw the girth. I alwys grab hair not pommel to mount, let those straps down a bit where you don't ride like a jockey and with the propper seat all is good. I hate to add this but I will "being overweight, slow and sluggish makes what we are talking about harder, You wouldn't ride a fat wore out ol nag on a campaign and your horse probaly thinks the same. All I am saying is cav troopers had a dash/flare about them and we should to.

Ethan Harrington.

[docwood]

Re: Tips and Tricks.....

Here is a tip I got last year on the AC and it works well for me. When I am saddleing my horse, I add my sleeping blanket on top of the saddle blanket then strap on the saddle. This affords me a bit more space for a greatcoat or oat bag or whatever. plm

Extra padding, too. I was always taught to place the blanket, then the saddle, a good several inches forward on the withers, then slide it back into position before girthing. Makes sure the hairs are all pointed the same way and reduces irritation to your mount's skin.