tblover
Junior BB Member
The Brat Pack!!!!
Posts: 54
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Post by tblover on May 25, 2008 17:15:32 GMT -5
Did you ever get a bridle for her?
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Post by alyssa on May 25, 2008 18:11:35 GMT -5
Yes, I happened to have one that fits her in a box that I got from someone years ago and someone who reads the board mailed me a nice no pinch d-ring snaffle. I have been saddling her in my circle y though because it fits her so well and does not ever push down onto her substantial whithers Thanks for asking.
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shekaberry
SAFE Volunteer
SAFE Volunteer Coordinator
Posts: 1,521
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Post by shekaberry on May 25, 2008 18:39:27 GMT -5
I do hope the criticism was offered in jest. But let me assure all of you that I ( the "weight" with tennis shoes) am well over the age of 18 and very experienced as a rider. If there were any indication that Isabelle would have behaved in any other way than she did, I would not have been up there unless I was properly attired in my breeches, clean field boots and velvet hard hat. Sheesh.
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Post by shireluver on May 25, 2008 21:04:20 GMT -5
I was not trying to cause a stir. I just know that as an experienced rider well over the age of 18, it only takes 1/2 a scond for your life to be changed by a horse you did not expect to do anything goofy.
I don't want anybody to be injured as badly as I was that they are no longer able to help these horses that need them.
I appreciate everything you both are doing to help Isabelle in her journey to finding her forever home. If I was closer to you I would volunteer to come over and help you with the daily maintenance. I would give anything to spend an afternoon loving on her.
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Post by shireluver on May 25, 2008 21:15:01 GMT -5
I forgot to add. I probably should not have posted regarding the tennis shoes.
Though I have never ridden with tennis shoes on, I despise helmets and NEVER wear one. When I was younger and was taking lessons and showing over fences I wore a helmet, but I haven't put one on since the last time I jumped a fence.
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Post by cat67 on May 25, 2008 22:06:27 GMT -5
At this point I basically am posting a disclaimer on my Very Large Colt blog along the lines of "yeah, I know I am not wearing a helmet. Get over it." I am over the age of 18 and choose not to. And I'd love to come and see little miss Isabelle - I have only seen her before SAFE got her, and one time early on in foster care when she was still thin! I'll PM you to see what your schedule is like. I actually have some time off this week. Amazing.
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Post by leahlady on May 25, 2008 23:13:02 GMT -5
You guys are BAD. You should all watch "Every Time, Every Ride." It can be the difference of a scratch and becoming paralyzed. Spend the $$$ on a nice helmet, and you won't even know you are wearing it. Plus, my GR8 looks pretty damn good if I do say so myself.
I am not perfect either, and I have forgotten to wear a helmet once or twice, but I really feel "naked" without one on. Of course I am also a Ponyclubber, so I never tie without twine, never use anything but a leather halter, have mastered the emergency dismount, etc., etc.
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Post by alyssa on May 26, 2008 10:45:18 GMT -5
**here comes the soap box***
This thread is supposed to be about Isabelle. She is doing so well and is such a sweet mare. I am very proud of the progress that she has made since she got here in the end of March.
My goal if for Isabelle to be healthy, happy, safe, well started and ready to be someones very special horse. Me, my place, and my methods may not be perfect but I have the experience with severely neglected horses, the confidence in my abilities, a facility that has proved that it works for horses like Isabelle, an ability to make the time that it takes to rehabilitate a horse and the passion that is absolutely necessary to achieve the goals that I have for any horse in my care.
In my opinion, yes, our fosters need the time that is required to recover from their neglect, but past that, the longer our fosters stay in our care, the more horses that need us become the "forgotten"
I do not foster horses with the intent of keeping, I foster with the intent of rehabilitation and re-homing so I can take on the next horse that needs what I can offer. This is where my passion lies.
There are plenty if pictures on this board on various threads of people in less than "safe" attire around the horses. If someone wants to start a commentary on safety issues, please start a new thread and leave this one to the updates on Isabelle.
Honestly, I have never been so criticized by so many so quickly. Even people who have come to visit Isabelle and Pie have criticized my home, farm, barn etc. to my face. With that, I can see how some fosters may not want to post updates on the horses that they have in their care.
I feel that I have served this online community and the people who care about and sponsor Isabelle well thus far and would like to continue posting updates including photos with regards to her progress, the more people know about her, the better chance she has of finding a great home so that I can take on the next SAFE horse.
***climbing off my soap box***
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Post by jaybird on May 26, 2008 11:14:10 GMT -5
hey now, can we all take a deep breath here?
Only Leah and myself made comments about the lack of a helmet. Leah made a really good point, And yeah, I said what I said in jest because I thought referring to Allison as "the weight" was really funny, and it's nothing I wouldn't say to her face.
But let me say this, NOT IN JEST: in regard to training and riding SAFE horses, what we expect to see IS every ride, every time. We are a small rescue that cannot afford the liability issues that come from unsafe riding practices. So if you won't put one on for yourself, please put one on for us, because if you got hurt (Allison, Alyssa, nhsavvy...) your family could come after SAFE in a court of law and then we would be finished.
We would also miss you and be very sad. And without SAFE, we'd have a lot of time on our hands in which to miss you. ;D
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Post by oneidea on May 26, 2008 18:20:55 GMT -5
Alyssa, great work with Isabelle!! Don't let any negativity detract from all you've accomplished with this horse!!!
Bonnie, can you clarify? Is it the official policy of SAFE to require helmets for all riders/trainers/fosters/volunteers? Does it extend only to volunteers or are paid trainers/professionals included? It would be good to know before volunteering/offering services, for those that are not helmet fans.
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Post by schwung on May 26, 2008 18:32:13 GMT -5
It is policy and one that we have not done as good of a job communicating or enforcing as we should have. I myself am guilty of getting on my own horses without a helmet, but not a horse I don't know the history of, and not a horse that is not my own. We can't really get upset at Alyssa or Allison if they weren't aware of the policy. Now they do, so I hope it doesn't happen again. It really shouldn't matter if its a volunteer or a professional. Most trainers carry their own liability insurance which protects us, but I would still expect a professional to wear a helmet on at least an untrained or green horse. SAFE does not carry its own liability insurance at this time, so we do need people to be mindful of that when working with SAFE horses. Liability waivers can only do so much to protect us.
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Post by oneidea on May 26, 2008 18:39:45 GMT -5
Thanks for clarifying. Liability is always a concern... I just had not heard of that policy before now.
(BTW, did Bill Basham wear a helmet while training Whiskey and did someone get a PICTURE??!! LOL!! I've never seen him out of his cowboy hat!)
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Post by schwung on May 26, 2008 18:51:22 GMT -5
I honestly don't remember what Bill did and I don't think we have pictures either. I would be surprised if he did but then again he would have been pretty darn stupid getting on an ex-bucking stock mare without one! But again, he had his own insurance, so in that case, I guess its his own head....
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Post by cat67 on May 26, 2008 19:00:29 GMT -5
I actually don't have any family to sue anyone, but if that is the policy, I will refrain from riding SAFE owned horses in the future. Glad this came up before we switched out those horses!
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Post by schwung on May 26, 2008 19:39:04 GMT -5
Medical insurance companies are often the ones that choose to sue, whether the policy holder wants them to or not. If they can find someone else to pay medical bills, they certainly will.
Honestly, this shouldn't be a news broadcast to anyone. It saddens me that anyone would refrain from helping SAFE out because of a helmet policy. Most public boarding facilities require helmets. Most trainers require their students to wear helmets. Most horse events require helmets. If SAFE is to be respected as an organization, aside from liability concerns, we also need to promote safe riding and horse handling practices in the pictures we post publicly on our website and here on this forum.
Alyssa, you are right, to date we have had many people who have chosen to ignore our helmet policy, or we have failed to communicate it, and there are photos showing people riding without helmets. We need to do better in the future.
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