How many horses should one use for checking cattle daily.

[RRoss]

Faster Horses;

I just heard that Tom and Toni bought a place over around Sundance and are planning on starting colts and training horses there.

Tom is as good a horseman or all round hand as there is!

 

[RoperAB]

Just a thought on stirrup wear.
Unless your roping or doing a slide stop. Yah really should not be putting much weight in your stirrups.

I was taught to keep about 60 percent of your weight in the stirrups and not set flat on your ash. :shock:

Reply
I would recomend that you get a different trainer. 20% weight in the stirrups would be plenty. I cant see any pro trainer telling you different.

 

[RoperAB]

I trade stirrups only when I lose one. lol
And our newest saddle is somewhere between 15 and 20 years old... Just gettin' broke in. :wink:

LOL Good saddles start off in price at about $3000 in AB. If you make your living in one they are going to need to be rebuilt before ten years. I guess they make better saddles in your area?

 

[Jinglebob]

Just a thought on stirrup wear.
Unless your roping or doing a slide stop. Yah really should not be putting much weight in your stirrups.

I was taught to keep about 60 percent of your weight in the stirrups and not set flat on your ash. :shock:

Reply
I would recomend that you get a different trainer. 20% weight in the stirrups would be plenty. I cant see any pro trainer telling you different.

The advice didn't come from a "pro trainer" but a pro cowboy who rode good horses lots of miles and sure enough was mounted. His horses showed it too.

Maybe 60 % is a bit much, but if you ain't going to use your stirrups except for mounting aids, and only to stop yourself from falling off, they ain't doing much good, are they? :wink:

And I agree that a well made saddle might only last 10 years if you are using it hard everyday. Tho' seems like, most around here don't ride enough to wear one out, in their lifetime.

 

[theHiredMansWife]

if you're just sitting in it most of the time, what would be wearing out?


If you rope pretty often, that's another story, entirely. That's a lot of stress on the tree (though I would rather rebuild an existing saddle than buy new)

I have a grandpa-in-law that still rides most days in a saddle he got from *his* dad. But he doesn't rope in it if he can avoid it...

 

[Jinglebob]

if you're just sitting in it most of the time, what would be wearing out?


If you rope pretty often, that's another story, entirely. That's a lot of stress on the tree (though I would rather rebuild an existing saddle than buy new)

I have a grandpa-in-law that still rides most days in a saddle he got from *his* dad. But he doesn't rope in it if he can avoid it...

Stirrup leathers and latigo's are usually the first thing that needs replaced, around here. If your using one very hard, pieces get torn off or things get ripped up. Usually you will see wear in the fork cover, where the rope hangs. Back billets and latigo's get old, thin and crack. Also the hobble strap between the two cincha's. Any moving part will get worn from usage and lack of oil and sand and dirt getting deep into the leather and causing stress......Want me to quit now?

 

[RoperAB]

Just a thought on stirrup wear.
Unless your roping or doing a slide stop. Yah really should not be putting much weight in your stirrups.

I was taught to keep about 60 percent of your weight in the stirrups and not set flat on your ash. :shock:

Reply
I would recomend that you get a different trainer. 20% weight in the stirrups would be plenty. I cant see any pro trainer telling you different.

I take back what I said. I went out today and porposely tried riding with putting weight in my stirrups. Even 20% is to much.
There is no way to ride properly and put weight in those stirrups!
Anything more than the weight of your foot and leg relaxed creates a brace. The more weight you put in that strirrup the bigger the brace!

 

[RoperAB]

I was taught to keep about 60 percent of your weight in the stirrups and not set flat on your ash. :shock:

Reply
I would recomend that you get a different trainer. 20% weight in the stirrups would be plenty. I cant see any pro trainer telling you different.

The advice didn't come from a "pro trainer" but a pro cowboy who rode good horses lots of miles and sure enough was mounted. His horses showed it too.

Maybe 60 % is a bit much, but if you ain't going to use your stirrups except for mounting aids, and only to stop yourself from falling off, they ain't doing much good, are they? :wink:

And I agree that a well made saddle might only last 10 years if you are using it hard everyday. Tho' seems like, most around here don't ride enough to wear one out, in their lifetime.

You know I find its actually easier for people to learn to ride without stirrups.

 

[theHiredMansWife]

Stirrup leathers and latigo's are usually the first thing that needs replaced, around here. If your using one very hard, pieces get torn off or things get ripped up. Usually you will see wear in the fork cover, where the rope hangs. Back billets and latigo's get old, thin and crack. Also the hobble strap between the two cincha's. Any moving part will get worn from usage and lack of oil and sand and dirt getting deep into the leather and causing stress......Want me to quit now?

You mean to tell me you buy a whole new saddle when your latigo or billets wear out?! :shock:
(You do know they sell those for about $10 in most tack shops, right? :wink: )


of course stuff wears out. That's what keeps a saddle/boot repair guy in business, afterall.

 

[Jinglebob]

Stirrup leathers and latigo's are usually the first thing that needs replaced, around here. If your using one very hard, pieces get torn off or things get ripped up. Usually you will see wear in the fork cover, where the rope hangs. Back billets and latigo's get old, thin and crack. Also the hobble strap between the two cincha's. Any moving part will get worn from usage and lack of oil and sand and dirt getting deep into the leather and causing stress......Want me to quit now?

You mean to tell me you buy a whole new saddle when your latigo or billets wear out?! :shock:
(You do know they sell those for about $10 in most tack shops, right? :wink: )



of course stuff wears out. That's what keeps a saddle/boot repair guy in business, afterall.

:lol:
Personally, I wish they'd just throw the old crap out and order a new custom made, wonderful fitting saddle.......................from Me!

And if you can buy a GOOD latigo for 10 bucks, you better buy several! :wink:

 

[floyd]

Really enjoying this topic. good to see alot of folks want their horses to last awhile.

Do we expect our 2 yo human beings to do a full day's work?
hardly.

So is a 2yo colt any different? hardly. both have bout 15 second attention spans.

When I taught my children to ride it was bareback. They got a saddle after a yr.

 

[theHiredMansWife]

When I taught my children to ride it was bareback. They got a saddle after a yr.

I had an uncle teach me to ride since my dad was never particularly fond of horses. And his rule was you can use a saddle when you're big enough to hoist it up there. :shock:




I was twelve before I ever rode in a saddle. :lol:

 

[kolanuraven]

I think I was 10 before I got a " real" saddle. I used an ratty old barebackpad cause I was sooooo skinny I needed the padding

 

[Paul]

I got to say that there are posts in this thread that are very true with good info & some that are just going off what they been told. I make my living riding horses & there is one thing for sure The Best rider is a good Passenger!!! If you don't know how to be a good Passenger your horse is going to work a lot harder as you sit up there flopping all over his back. I can't tell someone how to do it, but most riders I see need to keep there fat ash still so not to hinder there horses movement.
I remember being told along time ago as a kid the best way to learn is horses, horses, horses!!!!

When riding It's all feel & way too many people have forgot that & I think if everyone was to ride bare back for a day or a week even better. They would learn better balance & how to feel your horse. If you want your kids to learn to ride give them a good broke horse (that way the horse teaches them) and have them ride bare back!

As for riding one side or the other, I don't know, but would think that would go back to balance. The rider is being lazy & should maybe ride bare back awhile to learn how to sit a horse & about the rhythm you & your horse need together. A lot like sex. It's not as much fun if he/she is working against you & that the same for the horse.

Also feel you should never ask a horse to do something you wouldn't do your self.

If you are kind to your horse, he will be there when you need him. And I don't think a "Hand" is someone that can ride anything with hair on it. I think a "Hand" is someone that can ride anything with hair on it & get whatever job he is doing done. That's just not going to happen if you & your horse are working against each other......

Paul

 

[ranch hand]

Jingle Bob- how often should you oil your saddle? I do mine once a year with mineral oil.

 

[RoperAB]

if you're just sitting in it most of the time, what would be wearing out?


If you rope pretty often, that's another story, entirely. That's a lot of stress on the tree (though I would rather rebuild an existing saddle than buy new)

I have a grandpa-in-law that still rides most days in a saddle he got from *his* dad. But he doesn't rope in it if he can avoid it...

My current saddle was a $4000 saddle 5 years ago.
Latigos- I trim the last 4" off where they attach to the front ring on the saddle every year until thet get to short to use.
My saddle is a 50lbs roping saddle with plate rigging. The leather strings that tie the plate rigging to the skirt only lasts about a year and I dont even bother replacing it anymore. I just make sure the nails are good that goes through the skirt up into the tree.
Right now the saddle is half wore out. Really its wore just about everywhere. Example the sheepskin is half gone.
Like the brass rivets that hold the front cinch rings. I replaced those last summer but even the leather on the plate rigging is getting wore.
This saddle is basket stamped and most of the stamping is wore completely off especialy around the swells. In two or three years it will be down to the tree.

 

[Jinglebob]

Jingle Bob- how often should you oil your saddle? I do mine once a year with mineral oil.

Depends on the climate and how much moisture and dryness that it is exposed too.

I wouldn't use mineral oil as I have been told it rots the leather. I like neetsfoot oil. Pure. It comes from the cow so should be good for the leather from the cow. Basicly, you are just putting in what was taken out.

Once a year might be fine.

It's probably harder to over oil than to not oil often enough.

Try and keep some firmness to the leather, while getting some soaked in so as to repel water and dust.