Horses!

[TJAnonymous]

@TJAnonymous Wow! Do you ever get the urge to outfit him in a western saddle and bridle?

Funny you should bring that up... DD was here yesterday for Father's Day and mentioned she is looking for a good Western saddle because she wants to do Western dressage with him.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Wish she wouldn’t sleep like this !

Well anyways, Wakie Wakie girl time to do chores!
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I had a mare who would lay down in the pasture like that for hours. I was constantly having to go check on her because I was convinced each time that she was dead...

She did pass away last year but not like that!

 

[ChickQueen77]

Wish she wouldn’t sleep like this !

Well anyways, Wakie Wakie girl time to do chores!
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my pony mare lays like that in the pasture all the time

 

[MROO]

Wish she wouldn’t sleep like this !

Well anyways, Wakie Wakie girl time to do chores!
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My Billy would sleep like this and wouldn't move until it he deemed it worth the effort. It often took a treat or hearing the water barrel being turned over (He LOVED playing with the hose) to actually get him upright again. He sure loved his naps!

 

[paintedChix]

Right? Check out how CHUNKY he is??? I swear he's 100% thoroughbred...but he sure doesn't look like it.
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He looks similar to Three Bars. A TB that was used to produce a whole line of AQHA working ranch horses!

Three Bars https://g.co/kgs/Fz3NFih

When I was a kid, there were many ranches in CO, WY & MT that used their "little ol' workin' hosses" for cattle sorting, a heavier sort for actually roping stock on the range (some prob had some amount of draft breeding - could take the weight of a wild 1200# + cow, steer or bulletin hitting the end of a rope) & a taller leggier sort who could long trot all day - "riding the fence" (checking fence lines).

Most cowboys would own or develop a favored mount that they could ride on to new jobs or country. Bigger ranches would provide each cowboy w/ a "string" of 4-6 horses - each often different so that they could do the different jobs.

There were also many a cowboy who would swap his western work saddle for a "postage stamp" one & his cowboy hat for a "skull cap". Then ride cross country on the TB or warmblood horses (both ranch bred draft crosses & imported). There were quite a few ranches that not only bred & handled cattle, but also bred 3-day Event horses.

Even well known ranches that bred specific "cowy" or "working horses" still had other horses for the work or the "cowboyin' remuda".

Also, there was a time when cowboys found they could train "runnin' hosses" & they swapped from ranch work to tracks. They trained TB, QH, Paints & Apps. They may have left their original trades, but their western attire stayed w/ them.

 

[paintedChix]

I had a mare who would lay down in the pasture like that for hours. I was constantly having to go check on her because I was convinced each time that she was dead...

She did pass away last year but not like that!

When we moved to a 9 acre property w/ ponies & a couple of horses, I fielded many visits from Animal Control in the first 6 months. Seemed I was leaving "dead horses" in the pasture that was bordered by 3 non-horse folk homes on one side.

It became a bit of a joke, until between our 5th & 9th year there, when we dealt w/ an injured & then several sick horses & ponies. One older Arab mare did pass naturally (Rhythem, the Arab who had been in a barn hit by lightning when a 3 yr old). In those instances, a vet &/or a guy w/ a back hoe arrived before Animal Control did.