Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Arabians?

Unfortunately, the Parellis have made that situation worse by making women believe they can fix anything "wrong" with a horse.

They make a LOT of money spreading that myth.

Someone needs to tell all those 30/300's (thirty years old & 300lb) that if they want to try to "fix" something, they need to go get themselves help first.

I don't know how my wife keeps her sanity dealing with them.

The advice that Rex gave is sound, and if I can add one other thing to his list, make sure that the horse understands that YOU are the lead horse, and life is much better if they understand that. No cruelty involved, just be the "boss".

Ed

I got a neighbor like that.She has an older horse (20+) that is swaybacked enough that the spine is at least 7 " below the withers. This was one of those off the track horses that was probably started too young. She was having trouble with the horse acting like it's back botherde it.I told her the horse needs to retire.She figured it just needed a new saddle pad.Duh!!! go figure

Same way that a poorly trained/green, under-worked, overfed horse just needs a more severe bit to understand.

Any of you ever use Haflingers in the mountains for riding or packing?

I have. I used one while I was breeding mules with her. Mountain work is what they were bred for and work great if you can get a saddle to fit that short round back. Packing, the gait gives a challenge to keep a pack secure as it is more of a swaying gait. Same problem fitting a pack saddle, but they sure are handy to pack if they are in the 13 hand class.

Mine was a heavy draft type which are getting hard to find as everyone wants to make them taller and lighter.

A lot of folks think they will have the disposition of a heavy horse,but most don't.Probably because if you trace thier lineage back far enough you will find little Arab blood in there.But overall,they are pretty decent.

My mules turdned out pretty good. The first inherited that swaying gait and packing her was a challenge indeed.They finished out at 15 hands.Way bigger than I wanted,but probably because this mare had little 1/4 horse blood in her way back. I had to sell the first one when my health turned bad a few years ago. The fellow that has her is in Grand Junction and can't brag enough about he. I still have one as my sadlle mule.She also grew to 15 hds, and is one heck of mule.Learns fast, no quit in her, is stocky like I wanted, and can carry a load. She will out walk about anything she has ever been with.She never missed a lick the first time I loaded meat on her. When I had both, I started them in harness as a team and they took right too it.

She has taken awhile to come around,but at 10 she has finished out nice and some of that flightiness has mellowed out, except when she sees bicycles, baby strollers, or sheep.

My only complaint is I sure wish she had stopped growing 4 inches shy of what she is now.

Fifteen years ago, you could not find a halflinger in Colorado.I might have had one of the first and I had to go to Missouiri to buy her.Now days I am seeing more and more of them in outfitter's strings. Both for packing and riding.

I sure like mine.

http://s716.beta.photobucket.com/user/chochocookie/media/bestwoodhauling.mp4.html

This was mine.Neighbor kids a few miles away got her now.

Old style like mine.

It is great to hear from people who know what the Hell they are talking about. I am happy to have passed on the 2 mares. We can mostly agree that Arabians can be trained to be useful horses. The big problem is that they tend to attract the goofy women that make lawn ornaments out of them. Arabians are smart and learn avoidance behaviors quickly. Happ trails.

I've only used Wholelingers.







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