# Percherons.....(horses)



## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

I was at training last week, and had to "go"..so I went out the back of the barn where some horses were penned. 

There were 2 Clydesdale horses in there that started coming my way...
I looked around and saw another horse that was behind the barn, as soon as the clydesdales stopped eating and started walking towards me, the other horse came out from behind the barn and proceeded to pretty much kick their asses. 

They have 2 Percherons in there as well, they both came out and bullied the Clydesdales.

I thought Clydesdales were big, lol...Those Percherons are freaking huge...and beastly...

The guy told me that when he got them they were not really trained to be hooked up to pull the stuff....and when in training, when it was time to get the gear on them, if they were not in the mood they would just walk away...taking whatever they were attached to with them...

I have seen them there from a distance, but never noticed how freaking huge they were until I was close to them, and saw them next to the Clydesdales...

My friend Steve (decoy) was trying to get up on one to ride it, the girl that works there didn't seem to hip on the idea...he likes to ride the camels they have too, the ones that aren't broke yet..LOL


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

I just don't know what to say.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Don Turnipseed said:


> I just don't know what to say.


hey man people talk about different sheep on here. and hogs LOL.

I see a bunch of horse and livestock talk on here...just saying never heard of em, and they are beasts...

I never seen one up close, LOL..blah blah blah...


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

And beavers. Don't forget the beavers.


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## Wawashkashi Tashi (Aug 25, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> I see a bunch of horse and livestock talk on here...just saying never heard of em, and they are beasts...
> I never seen one up close, LOL..blah blah blah...


I used to drive for a carriage company & was around a bunch of draft/draft cross horses.. if you think the Percherons are big (which they are), you *really* should go check out a Shire! They are even bigger still!!


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

I been around a lot of "normal" horses..LOL..
will talk to the farm "girl" about the Shires, she does the horse thing there..


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Belgians are on the smaller side, but still massive. They have a lot of heart though. 

Your lucky you weren't using the , um, er, "facilities" in our ranch corral.....Hank would have chased your ass.....LOL (he is a naughty horse)

The Draft horses are my favorites, gentle giants.....when I managed a 40 horse stable for a theraputic riding program we had a perch that we used. At halloween he was the "headless horsemans" horse.....


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## julie allen (Dec 24, 2010)

I owned a team of belgians that were awesome to hitch to the wagon and drive. They are so powerful, just amazing horses.


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

My now retired x-country competition horse is a T/B-Clyde X , blue roan. He has the bone, feet, soundness, strength & steadyness of the draft & the heart & spirit of the T/B. (he is a crazy man) He was close to 17hh for most of his life, but now that he is 29 his back & so his withers have now 'dropped' considerably. He is still... THE MAN!!!


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Aren't they cool? My mom has a picture of me riding my regular sized horse next to the Budweiser Clydesdales and it's really neat, my horse is like 1/3rd their size lol.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

Joby Becker said:


> I been around a lot of "normal" horses..LOL..
> will talk to the farm "girl" about the Shires, she does the horse thing there..



I was a professional horse trainer/farm manager before I went to a safer career and got into law enforcement (seriously). There's not too many disciplines I haven't had a chance to at least experience, if not necessarily train. 
Tallest horse I ever got to work with stood 19.3 hands. Part of a 6 horse hitch of Belgians. He was one of the headers. The other header stood 19.1 hands (for you non horse type people a hand is 4 inches, making the tallest one 79 inches at the withers (6'7"!!!!!). The smallest horses on the hitch were 18 hands and all the youngstock were automatically culled if they weren't at least 16 hands as yearlings.

And gentle giant my foot!! Whoever says that hasn't been around a whole lot of drafts. The 19.3 hand horse was spooky and headshy. Needed a war bridle to handle him. I have been around drafts that bit and kicked and tossed people into walls like all of the small horses do! Its all in the handling (or improper handling in the case of those horses).

I never rode the big big one, but rode the slightly smaller one. We'd stick a few stud chains thru his halter and climb up on a wagon and hop in. Usually 3 of us at a time. He was cool about it. The other one woulda killed us if we'd tried that.

To this day I call all my horses and every other horse I meet a "pony" whether they are pony sized or not! Compared to those big boys, they were!


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

mel boschwitz said:


> And gentle giant my foot!! Whoever says that hasn't been around a whole lot of drafts.


I will stick to saying it  , been around them since I was 8 and still around them now at 41........granted there might be one or two that were quirky, but as a whole, they are pretty stable creatures. 

Doug's dad just retired his last team and they were a little difficult getting hitched, but once hooked up they were a dream to drive.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

well steve was trying to just get the horse close enough to something so he could climb on its back.. which the horse lady did NOT recommend..I was wanting to see that...LOL

she did show me the post that the one pulled out when they first were getting them trained for the wagons.. it was sunk at least 3 ft in the ground with, I would guess, at least a couple hundred lbs of concrete on it, and she said the horse just "walked off with it"...I didn't doubt it..

they have a freakishly huge camel too, that broke off 29 fence top rails, with his neck...LOL....I have seen that camel lift 200 lbs guys right off the ground and toss em...when they were trying to get him broke for riding...


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

I've known a few heavy horses, mainly Shire and Clydesdale and I too refer to them as gentle giants, I reckon anyone who has been around a few and are of a very differing opinion must be doing something wrong .

I used to like the very tall horses, my first horse was over 17.2hh TB/Cleveland, being only 5'4" I kinda got into the habit of ALways sourcing a mounting block, that habit stayed with me on the smaller horses, it certainly helps preserve your tack.....and keeps your timing sharp!

Horses are really cool Joby, often the bigger they are, the gentler they are, if I were you I'd have myself a go at getting on that beast's back. If you need a tip for a mounting block, give me a shout .


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

Bout like a decoy ....wanting to ride an unbroken giant ass horse AND a camel LOL .... better wear his bite suit those camels can bite lol.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

Carol Boche said:


> I will stick to saying it  , been around them since I was 8 and still around them now at 41........granted there might be one or two that were quirky, but as a whole, they are pretty stable creatures.
> 
> Doug's dad just retired his last team and they were a little difficult getting hitched, but once hooked up they were a dream to drive.



Well I did some work with some sale/commercial barns, so would see a few hundred come through in a season. Yep, a whole lot of less than gentle ones in the bunch.
Drafts have traditionally been bred to be more gentle, just due to their size, but there are an awful lot of bad trainers/handlers out there who can ruin the best natured horses. They are no less susceptible to being ruined by bad training then any of the more "normal" sized horses. They due tend to be a little less reflexive then the hotter bred horses, so seem to handle more bad training then the lighter bred horses.

I eventually went into rehabbing horses, rather then training show and riding horses for the general public. I put an awful lot of drafts thru my program. They came out of it for the better tho.

I remember we were trying to cold hose a Belgian yearling we had just gelded and he was being a pest, so we sandwiched him between the training burro and the gentler big big draft we had. He was tied to both and it was all going fine when the big guy got distracted and pulled his head up and off to the side-away from the other two. Whoops! They both got pulled clear off the ground before he let them back down. If I remember correctly the poor burro landed in a heap, but he was tough and just got up and dealt with it. We then untied the youngster from the big guy and tried something else! Lol!


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

mel boschwitz said:


> > I eventually went into rehabbing horses, rather then training show and riding horses for the general public. I put an awful lot of drafts thru my program. They came out of it for the better tho.


What exactly were you rehabbing heavy horses for, just curious?


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

mel boschwitz said:


> > *I remember we were trying to cold hose a Belgian yearling we had just gelded and he was being a pest, so we sandwiched him between the training burro and the gentler big big draft we had.* He was tied to both and it was all going fine when the big guy got distracted and pulled his head up and off to the side-away from the other two. Whoops! They both got pulled clear off the ground before he let them back down. If I remember correctly the poor burro landed in a heap, but he was tough and just got up and dealt with it. We then untied the youngster from the big guy and tried something else! Lol![/
> 
> 
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Brian Anderson said:


> Bout like a decoy ....wanting to ride an unbroken giant ass horse AND a camel LOL .... better wear his bite suit those camels can bite lol.


he wants me to send the dog on him while he is on the camel in a terrorist outfit....LOL
we are a ways from that....LOL...with the camel and the dog...


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

maggie fraser said:


> I've known a few heavy horses, mainly Shire and Clydesdale and I too refer to them as gentle giants, I reckon anyone who has been around a few and are of a very differing opinion must be doing something wrong .
> 
> I used to like the very tall horses, my first horse was over 17.2hh TB/Cleveland, being only 5'4" I kinda got into the habit of ALways sourcing a mounting block, that habit stayed with me on the smaller horses, it certainly helps preserve your tack.....and keeps your timing sharp!
> 
> Horses are really cool Joby, often the bigger they are, the gentler they are, if I were you I'd have myself a go at getting on that beast's back. If you need a tip for a mounting block, give me a shout .


Maggie, the horse lady there, that handles all the animals, said out of the 2 Percheron's one is ok, and one is a real asshole...he was trying to find a way to get on the one that is a real asshole....LOL

also watched him almost get bit by a 12 lb monkey with teeth big as my dog has, and watched his son get bit by a lemur...must run in the family...they both wanted to wrestle with a 10 month old tiger that came when there was a big party...I watched that tiger give its handlers a hard time before people showed up and I was happy with petting it through the cage. The one thing I have not seen him mess with are the Bison..


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## Jessica Kromer (Nov 12, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> Also watched him almost get bit by a 12 lb monkey with teeth big as my dog has, and watched his son get bit by a lemur...must run in the family...they both wanted to wrestle with a 10 month old tiger that came when there was a big party...I watched that tiger give its handlers a hard time before people showed up and I was happy with petting it through the cage. The one thing I have not seen him mess with are the Bison..


Where the hell do you train?!?!?! At a zoo???? :-k :grin:


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Jessica Kromer said:


> Where the hell do you train?!?!?! At a zoo???? :-k :grin:


No a real rich guys house that runs a bison farm and has all kinds of animals around including many that you don't run into everyday, like a small private zoo..

I like animals in general so it is pretty cool...and he races cars at the strip and collects cars, so that is cool too...

I have seen a few types of horses, camels, zebra, donkey, bison, monkey, kuwatamundi (sp), lemur, tortoises, macaws, parrots, cockatoo, emu, ostrich, tiger, lion, chickens, geese, rabbits,pigs, peacock, and other weird looking birds....and gsd...and labs for hunting...some animals come for visits, some stay, seems to sell or donate some here and there, and might be seasonal that he gets certain types. 
The only thing he is producing there as far as bigger animals besides rabbits and birds are Bison.

I don't know the guy very well that owns the place, hardly ever seen him, he is not into training that much, but does allow us to work dogs there, we do give his dogs a workout too while we are there, we handle them ourselves usually, unless the woman that manages the animals is there, then she sometimes handles them if she has the time...sometimes we see him taking out his cars for a cruise or loading up the double decker car trailers, and he will do an occasional burnout, or pull a wheelie for us...

It is a really cool place to train at, there are a lot of things going on there..

I did ask him if he would adopt me, that answer was not favorable...LOL


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Joby Becker said:


> The one thing I have not seen him mess with are the Bison..


That is probably a smart idea. Those things might look slow, but they are agile as hell.....rounding them up on horseback is interesting.....definitely not like rounding up cattle....LOL


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

maggie fraser said:


> What exactly were you rehabbing heavy horses for, just curious?



Maggie-I was rehabbing horses with mental issues. The ones that were one step away from the slaughter house cuz some jerk decided a ribbon was more important than training the horse right. Did some work for some rescues, private owners who came to their senses, etc... I have one now that I adopted from a rescue that put his last trainer in a coma for 3 days. And his owner in the hospital with broken bones on 2 separate occasions. He's a big pussy cat, very sweet, follow me everywhere with not a halter or even a rope on his neck. Stunning to ride, absolutely sensitive to everything you do, but only wanting to please. He's not the slightest bit mean, but the trainer was more concerned with a ribbon then anything else and she pushed him over the edge (Arab Park type).

As far as the horse we were hosing, he'd been castrated a week or so earlier but we were having a spate of real bad weather and he wasn't getting the opportunity to move around as much as is ideal, so he was a little sore. It wasn't my idea to tie him to the big horse and burro when he became a pest, but it sure was funny to watch. We actually used the burro to halter break the youngstock with, so he was familiar with that. The burro was just too small to keep the yearling as still as we needed to hose him down good. It worked fine sandwiching him next to the big one for a good 10 minutes till he got bored.

Some funny memories, if not always the best ones... Lol..


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

funny story and true unfortunately, one of the retired county guys thats now across seas on contract is a big huge fan of malis and dutchies and has horses that are called arabians, I guess they are the mal form of horse. Although he could whistle from a mile away and they coming running for the carrot. Well heres where it all ties in. My yankee ass is not familiar with farm type animals and he gave me a carrot and made me hold it a certain way and feed buddy which is not my buddy, well I put my hand out flat with the carrot and the dam horse took my hand and the carrot. I screamed like a two year old bitch owwwww. Of course they new of this and started to laugh, I knew thats why I was no friendly and trusting of horses. Well we went to biltmore and it took me awhile for them to talk me into going for a control ride, but I did it.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Harry Keely said:


> funny story and true unfortunately, one of the retired county guys thats now across seas on contract is a big huge fan of malis and dutchies and has horses that are called arabians, I guess they are the mal form of horse. Although he could whistle from a mile away and they coming running for the carrot. Well heres where it all ties in. My yankee ass is not familiar with farm type animals and he gave me a carrot and made me hold it a certain way and feed buddy which is not my buddy, well I put my hand out flat with the carrot and the dam horse took my hand and the carrot. I screamed like a two year old bitch owwwww. Of course they new of this and started to laugh, I knew thats why I was no friendly and trusting of horses. Well we went to biltmore and it took me awhile for them to talk me into going for a control ride, but I did it.


Dude, my friend had horses. used to go ride with him.of course you get invited over when the hay shipment comes in....lol. 

gotta brush em, then carry all the shit down to the horse (why he didn't have horse by the stuff is beyond me), then you hook up all the stuff, and his horses were jerks. then you go for a ride, he gives the horse that hates water, and goes his own way up the hill, cause he spooks in a puddle and mud, then you end up on the ground cause the horse goes between the trees, you lose your glasses, can't find em and have to limp back to the barn cause your knee is killing you, and the horse bailed and took off back to the barn, cause he knows the trails....and then the asshole "friend" that left you out there expects you to hot walk him cause he ran all the way back to get away from you...I'll pay for horse rides from now on...much easier... I do like horses, but would never own one...too much work...lol


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

A Belgain mare is "generally" chosen to put under a jack for draft size mules.
I've been around a fair amount of horses and mules in my life. I'll take a good mule over a horse. 
Course I wouldn't look as purdy on a mule. :lol:


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Joby Becker said:


> Dude, my friend had horses. used to go ride with him.of course you get invited over when the hay shipment comes in....lol.
> 
> gotta brush em, then carry all the shit down to the horse (why he didn't have horse by the stuff is beyond me), then you hook up all the stuff, and his horses were jerks. then you go for a ride, he gives the horse that hates water, and goes his own way up the hill, cause he spooks in a puddle and mud, then you end up on the ground cause the horse goes between the trees, you lose your glasses, can't find em and have to limp back to the barn cause your knee is killing you, and the horse bailed and took off back to the barn, cause he knows the trails....and then the asshole "friend" that left you out there expects you to hot walk him cause he ran all the way back to get away from you...I'll pay for horse rides from now on...much easier... I do like horses, but would never own one...too much work...lol


OMG....that was funny!!! 

Joby, those horses you pay to ride are worse....barn sour, nasty creatures...lol

Come on out, we will give you a nice horse and take you through the badlands.......which are beautiful!!!


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## Kerry Foose (Feb 20, 2010)

Horses are cool...and yet after twenty five years of horses, my advise to those that want one...get a dog lol!
Trust me when I say you would not want your friends feed bills Joby! Farrier bills, vet bills, equipment bills, maintenance costs yadda-yadda, and what you get in return? Probably a sweet look and a soft muzzle that knocks ya over or nips at you for more = carrot dispenser, lol.
We had a discussion once about if horses were dog breeds....and Mals = arabians, labs = quarter horses, grey hounds = thoroughbreds but I don't remember what the percherons were... thoughts?


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Kerry Foose said:


> Horses are cool...and yet after twenty five years of horses, my advise to those that want one...get a dog lol!
> Trust me when I say you would not want your friends feed bills Joby! Farrier bills, vet bills, equipment bills, maintenance costs yadda-yadda, and what you get in return? Probably a sweet look and a soft muzzle that knocks ya over or nips at you for more = carrot dispenser, lol.
> We had a discussion once about if horses were dog breeds....and Mals = arabians, labs = quarter horses, grey hounds = thoroughbreds but I don't remember what the percherons were... thoughts?


I dunno.....Mastiff? St. Bernard???? LOL

I don't see the Mal=Arabian thing though......


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

The pay to ride horses are at the pay barn for a reason. They probably went through half a dozen green owners before they wound up at some auction. 
There they just learn every low branch, tight passage and fence pole to drag/rub the idiots off them. 
Kick the crap out of them to get them just walking...........then turn around and head back to the barn (rest from the idiots).  Hang on fool! YEEEE HAAHHH! :lol:


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> The pay to ride horses are at the pay barn for a reason. They probably went through half a dozen green owners before they wound up at some auction.
> There they just learn every low branch, tight passage and fence pole to drag/rub the idiots off them.
> Kick the crap out of them to get them just walking...........then turn around and head back to the barn (rest from the idiots).  Hang on fool! YEEEE HAAHHH! :lol:


Or the ones that just lay down, or flop over on their sides......had a Paso mare that did that if you cinched her too tight.....she got a might pissy about that.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Carol Boche said:


> Or the ones that just lay down, or flop over on their sides......had a Paso mare that did that if you cinched her too tight.....she got a might pissy about that.


My sister Colleen had an old Welsh pony that did the same when she got tired.
My sister Becky lost a good saddle when she bought a horse that "seem" to be perfect in the beginning. 
Seems to much pressure on the reins and it would stand up and throw itself backwards. :-o
Becky was quick back then. The saddle didn't survive. :lol:


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Carol Boche said:


> OMG....that was funny!!!
> 
> Come on out, we will give you a nice horse


I have heard that one before..

my experience with horses started when I was 8..I used to walk about 1/2 mile and hang out at a riding stable, we lived right by a forest preserve with a big network of trails...there were a few places that boarded horses, as well a had ponies and horses for rental riding..

I "worked' there shoveling and feeding, and would get free pony rides. The *first time* I rode, I got on a big fat pony at 8 yrs old, the fat son of a bitch decides to roll around and scratch his back, with me on it..I do not know what ponies weigh but I was a skinny 8 yr old kid..amazing I was not crushed...

so of course the owner tells me not to take that crap, and to get back on him....I did...he then walks over to the fence and decided he wanted to eat some grass, so he puts his head down and leans in a little and I fall over the front into the fence, which was a hot electric fence..the saddle slid forward and kept me on there a little bit longer than I would have been. It was loose, because I put it on myself ..lol

So after I get off the damn fence, I am of course told it was my fault, to make sure the saddle is tight the next time...I did not ride that pony again (that day)...he hated me I think...I did ride him a bunch more times, and he bucked me off more than a few times, a fat pony!!

I can't remember a lot of what went on, not sure if the people were just jerks, the ponies were jerks or if I was a cocky kid or what, probably all 3, I had to put in a lot of work for a measly ride....to get picked on by an animal...

A few months later I had a big (normal) horse decide to stand on my foot and broke my big toe, dumb bastard probably knew he was crushing my foot, but just stood there and pretended he didn't realize it..

I used to work there now and then in the summer, would just kinda show up and hang out and then they would put me to work..

I finally graduated to bigger (small) horses, and would get to go out on the hour trail rides (after I helped saddle up the horses and all the crap that goes with that)...had some mishaps on the big horses too, got bucked off one time, fell off when an unruly bastard when from a walk to a pretty good canter on his own...

I did go a few years without incident and actually got paid a couple summers in MONEY when I was a little older, and got to actually take people out on the trails and lead the group rides. 

I stopped doing it when I got my first car at 15..LOL..

went alot of years without riding, a tour here or there every few years on vacations...until my friend had his horses...rode them maybe 6-7 times or so...(when the hay came in, if you know what I mean) the last one was when I got slammed into a tree when I was about 30, he gave me the horse that was spooky around standing water, and did not tell me. It had just poured rain the night before...the big giant puddle 20feet wide or so was right at the bottom of about a 35 ft climb at maybe 45-50 degree angle, so you needed a start up the hill...as soon as he got into the puddle he just veered parallel to the path about 10 feet over and made his own path, left me halfway up, and took off...
I later found out from his wife that the horse was scared of water. My friend was not really a horse guy at all, they were his wife's horses...I think he was scared to ride the horse, it was their worst one for riding, especially with the rain and all, the other one was sick or something. So he took his and gave me that one....I was pissed...he did buy me some new glasses, never found that pair...

Like I said I have heard that line before LOL..

I can ride horses, am not a real horse guy though, been around a lot of assholes with horses, and a lot of asshole horses LOL...I still like them, even if they don't like me...did go riding a couple years ago on vacation...

Last thing I rode was a camel, and he was an asshole too...didn't want to stand up once I got on, and tried to roll on me..

Thanks....
If I am ever in your area, I'll consider it


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> Dude, my friend had horses. used to go ride with him.of course you get invited over when the hay shipment comes in....lol.
> 
> gotta brush em, then carry all the shit down to the horse (why he didn't have horse by the stuff is beyond me), then you hook up all the stuff, and his horses were jerks. then you go for a ride, he gives the horse that hates water, and goes his own way up the hill, cause he spooks in a puddle and mud, then you end up on the ground cause the horse goes between the trees, you lose your glasses, can't find em and have to limp back to the barn cause your knee is killing you, and the horse bailed and took off back to the barn, cause he knows the trails....and then the asshole "friend" that left you out there expects you to hot walk him cause he ran all the way back to get away from you...I'll pay for horse rides from now on...much easier... I do like horses, but would never own one...too much work...lol


Yup defently staying away from your friends, at least your still alive LOL. Be careful of Carol's offer JK, thats what I was told man you got to come out with us there cool and nice but are the mali form of horse. Yup I learned my lesson, this city boy will stick with dogs.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

A female co-worker I went to the academy with is a stable manager/trainer on the side. She does barrel racing and confirmation type stuff as well. I went to visit the stables one day and she could tell I was uncomfortable. She wanted to know how any man that could work with biting dogs wouldn't love the horses. I explained to her that after seeing a 14 year old girl with her head split open and half her ear missing kinda influenced me just a bit. I also told her about a previous friend whose parents had Tennessee Walkers invited me over to go riding one day. They had a paint, or Pinto or some such nonsense that was in a smallish corral. Of course I had to wash the damn thing before riding, and he didn't have a normal halter/bit/reigns there. "Just jump on him" he says. So I do and the damn thing heads for a barbed wire fence full speed. I hear him yell "Jump! Jump!". Well, he needen't bother cause I was gettin off that suicide machine without any encouragement. When it was all done and over with...and he stopped laughing, it was all I could do to not whoop his ass. 

I deal with poisonous snakes, gators and all sorts of nasty critters. I don't mind admitting that horses scare me.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Howard Knauf said:


> A female co-worker I went to the academy with is a stable manager/trainer on the side. She does barrel racing and confirmation type stuff as well. I went to visit the stables one day and she could tell I was uncomfortable. She wanted to know how any man that could work with biting dogs wouldn't love the horses. I explained to her that after seeing a 14 year old girl with her head split open and half her ear missing kinda influenced me just a bit. I also told her about a previous friend whose parents had Tennessee Walkers invited me over to go riding one day. They had a paint, or Pinto or some such nonsense that was in a smallish corral. Of course I had to wash the damn thing before riding, and he didn't have a normal halter/bit/reigns there. "Just jump on him" he says. So I do and the damn thing heads for a barbed wire fence full speed. I hear him yell "Jump! Jump!". Well, he needen't bother cause I was gettin off that suicide machine without any encouragement. When it was all done and over with...and he stopped laughing, it was all I could do to not whoop his ass.
> 
> I deal with poisonous snakes, gators and all sorts of nasty critters. I don't mind admitting that horses scare me.


Can agree with that, things my size or kinda my size I tend to take head on, with the exception of snakes sorry, but animals that are a few times bigger then me make me feel uncomfortable to.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Since were talking horses......

I had the best steak I ever had when I was stationed in Japan, didn't know what it was but would have it every week for two years. One day decided to ask and they said it was Horse imported from California. I kept on eating it, was incredible.


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Howard I feel the same way . I don't mess with horses . Years ago we had to go out and assist our Horse Patrol with training . They were doing crowd control training and one of the Horse guys had been an ex K9 handler . 

We were giving him alot of crap about having a horse as a partner . As soon as the training started I got the hell out of the way once that big thing started walking sideways toward me . One of our current K9 guys at the time who was a farmboy and very comfortable around hourses refused to move . He was pretty big himself and put up a good fight right up until the horse bit him on the forehead . Cut him open pretty good too . 

We all laughed because even out of the K9 unit and this ex handler was still getting bites .


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Jim Nash said:


> We all laughed because even out of the K9 unit and this ex handler was still getting bites .


 Now that's funny. 

I've had to deal with a few loose horse calls here. We have a county park within the city that has had horse stables since it opened like 40 years ago. I know better than to spook a horse but it broke my heart to see one hit the pavement and get skinned up just because it over reacted to me just being near it. I was trying to get it out of the road and the damn thing was flailing all about thee place. It looked like a human sized blender with hooves for blades. No thanks.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

All of our horses at the ranch are good ones. You can have your choice of the ones the kids ride (like ages 5 to 11) OR the ones we ride....

I would never risk someones neck by giving them too much "horsepower", but it seems like when I say "Nah, don't take that one" I get the "Oh but I can handle it" right back. Nothing worse than having to pony someone home when they get 7 miles out and realize the horse isn't for them.....LOL 

And yes, horse meat is delicious!!!!


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Whilst we were visiting our Fila Brasileiro Breeder, she, owning a riding stable, asked us if we wanted to go out for a ride.

Tony was given a Percheron - my god, that horse had an backside like an elephant. I was riding behind him and couldn't stop laughing as I know he is used to more "noble horses"!!

I think it's the heaviest cold-blooded horse out!!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Whilst we were visiting our Fila Brasileiro Breeder, she, owning a riding stable, asked us if we wanted to go out for a ride.
> 
> Tony was given a Percheron - my god, that horse had an backside like an elephant. I was riding behind him and couldn't stop laughing as I know he is used to more "noble horses"!!
> 
> I think it's the heaviest cold-blooded horse out!!



 There are larger warmbloods?


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Bob Scott said:


> There are larger warmbloods?


just watched Secretariat...made me teary eyed in a few spots...felt like John Boehner...LOL.. I still love horses....


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Joby Becker said:


> just watched Secretariat...made me teary eyed in a few spots...felt like John Boehner...LOL.. I still love horses....



Great movie! I still have a number of newspaper articles and the News Week Mag that had him on the cover.
It was a fun time for watching horse racing even if you didn't follow it. 
The movie was pretty spot on with the excitement he brought.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Joby Becker said:


> just watched Secretariat...made me teary eyed in a few spots...felt like John Boehner...LOL.. I still love horses....


I hope John Boehner isn't pronounced boner and I hope he's a real person, because that would just be wrong if he wasn't.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> I hope John Boehner isn't pronounced boner and I hope he's a real person, because that would just be wrong if he wasn't.


bainer..(pronounced) like gayner..LOL you Canadian


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Joby Becker said:


> bainer..(pronounced) like gayner..LOL you Canadian


I just watched some youtube on this guy, my apologies :lol:


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## Daryl Ehret (Apr 4, 2006)

When I was in the Old Guard's Caisson platoon, we had about two dozen shires, and two percherons. The shires were used in the funerals and the two percherons drew the wedding coach.

Good times then, I've always reminisced fondly of my military days. We used to play a very rough game of football on horseback, with trash cans for goals. Anything went, you could leap from your horse onto someone else's and throw them to the ground. It's a long way down from the back of a shire, and my roomate got his head stepped on by one, putting him in bandages for weeks.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

Daryl Ehret said:


> When I was in the Old Guard's Caisson platoon, we had about two dozen shires, and two percherons. The shires were used in the funerals and the two percherons drew the wedding coach.
> 
> Good times then, I've always reminisced fondly of my military days. We used to play a very rough game of football on horseback, with trash cans for goals. Anything went, you could leap from your horse onto someone else's and throw them to the ground. It's a long way down from the back of a shire, and my roomate got his head stepped on by one, putting him in bandages for weeks.


Ouch!
Although that sounds like fun.
We used to play limbo on horseback. We'd hit the ground a lot, but it was still a whole lot safer then football on horseback. Lol!


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> I have heard that one before..
> 
> my experience with horses started when I was 8..I used to walk about 1/2 mile and hang out at a riding stable, we lived right by a forest preserve with a big network of trails...there were a few places that boarded horses, as well a had ponies and horses for rental riding..
> 
> ...


Joby you are a hoot!!! I was laughing through all of your posts. It's a wonder you ever went back for more.LOL

When dealing with horses there's only one thing you need remember... horses spook at things that move and things that don't! Horses are great!!!=P~
In my younger days showed and trained flat shod Tenn. Walking Horses and Racking horses. Did all kind of stuff with them ...team penning, barrel racing, 20 mile trail rides and of course the show thing.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Bob Scott said:


> There are larger warmbloods?


I'm obviously missing something here 8-[

Maybe it's my translation from German to English? The Percheron is a "Kaltblut Pferderasse". What's the name in English - maybe not "cold bloods"?

Anyway, with an average weight of 1900 pounds (top weight 2,600 pounds) I'd say they are the heaviest Kaltblut breed out.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Gillian Schuler said:


> I'm obviously missing something here 8-[
> 
> Maybe it's my translation from German to English? The Percheron is a "Kaltblut Pferderasse". What's the name in English - maybe not "cold bloods"?
> 
> Anyway, with an average weight of 1900 pounds (top weight 2,600 pounds) I'd say they are the heaviest Kaltblut breed out.


thinking he meant they are the largest horses period, that warmbloods are smaller, so the coldblood distinction was a moot point.
could be wrong....


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## Daniel Lybbert (Nov 23, 2010)




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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Joby Becker said:


> thinking he meant they are the largest horses period, that warmbloods are smaller, so the coldblood distinction was a moot point.
> could be wrong....



You got it!:wink:


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## Jennifer Sider (Oct 8, 2006)

Attended a Flinks seminar couple years ago; sat beside him at dinner; we were chatting (I -- at the time -- was the crazy girl who owned an Ovcharka for him to test) and he says; So what else do you do? Told him about our horses, reining horses specifically. Was impressed that he knew what reining was (it's big news now in Europe, Germany especially), he was asking me questions about handling/training the horses; thought I'd complement him about his handling skills - told him I thought he'd make a wonderful horse trainer -- his timing was so precise -- "No way", he says -- those things scare the shit out of me. Damn - made me laugh out loud, nearly snorted ice cream out my nose.

So for all that want to stick to dogs; you are in good company, even the Ice Cream man doesn't want to touch the horses.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Damn. I just snorted iced tea. :-D That was funny. and a +1 to Bernard's statement.


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## Daryl Ehret (Apr 4, 2006)

Went with my dad to test a horse out yesterday; a 7 year old, well broke, non-papered, 16 hands, polomino colored gelding, for mountain packing/riding. I really liked this horse's character, and I told him if he didn't want the horse, he could always give him to me. For every horse I keep though, that's like 2 or 3 dogs-worth!


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