Hobo Jungle

[2railjon]

Pete, I've always desired owning a horse as well. But after hearing the horror stories of owners veternarian bills, I've kept the desire in a tightly capped bottle on a shelf!!!

[webenda]

Pete,

Horses are like people. Some horses are just fat naturally, however, I would recommend that you pay a veterinarian to give the mare a check-up, including blood tests. That mare might have EMS.


Fat humans have double chins, fat horses have cresty necks.

If you take the horse home before having it checked, you might get false readings. Excitement and adrenaline from being moved out of the mare's normal environment can raise blood glucose levels.

References:
http://www.recoveryeq.com/laminitis_founder_pro.htm
http://barefoothoofcare.wordpress.com/a ... -syndrome/
http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/ho ... 06799.html

[Tramp]

I recommend that you do not buy the horse.

[Daisy]

I recommend getting a groundhog instead!

[The Dirt]

Troublemaker!!

[Tramp]

Pete, the trouble will come after you buy the horse.

[The Dirt]

Maybe, but I could always throw her in the Kia, and drive her out to Montana to see the Horse Whisperer.

[The Dirt]

Seriously though, I appreciate everyone's varied input, especially Wayne who went to some considerable trouble, and Tramp, who called me up to talk things over.

Yes, there's inherent risk in the purchase of any used car, used tractor, used animal, or somebody's used wife. I've had a checkered history with the first, a spectacular success with the last, a huge amount of fun and education and experience with the second, but scant with the third.

But for one thing, I have absolute trust in these friends of 20 years, not to be selling me a 'pig in a poke'. Ron has trained horses, ('broken' at least one of which I'm aware), and he's done his fair share of trail and rodeo riding. They have to continue to be friends after a purchase, there would just be no way around it since I work with her, and they wouldn't jeopardize that. Ray, my father-in-law, a life-long horseman, is also unconcerned with the weight itself being an absolute deterrent to the purchase, though to be fair, he has only looked at the photos thus far. I would ask him to take a hard critical look in person, as well as throw a leg over this mare before I made the leap, so yes, I will follow-through with Roger's advice, of course.

And we're a long way from making a decision. I'm getting too old and too poor to be making any more 'emotional'-buys like I did with the Farmall.

But i got exactly what I was asking for of you gentlemen and the groundhog-hugger , which was to hear your thoughts, caveats, and personal experiences, and I sincerely appreciate everyone's input.

As for Leah, yes, good question about whether she will tire of the novelty after a month or six, and whether I would be able to 'turn' over the animal in this lame economy. Therein lies the crapshoot. Based on Leah's history, the odds are good. She's had a succession of animals, and has proven herself 'good' for their care and upkeep. If she truly has veterinarian aspirations, this may help make the case. (You'll recall her being a 'dead veterinarian' for Halloween ) Literally years she's been asking for a horse- this is no flash in the pan. And Ray has a horse-trailer-with-enclosed-camper, in which he and his wife pack up their horses and truck all over God's Green Acre for extended weekends from Spring through Autumn, to meet other horsepeople and ride during the days and camp at night, and his trailer can hold 3 horses, and Leah will have that huge opportunity to join them down the line, which is no small thing or experience for a young lady. By a looong shot, I trust, more than doubt, her resolve.

But yes, the cost, the upkeep, the possibility of health problems, you name it. It would be a whole new education for me, as was the tractor.
So am I afraid of risk? I married a redhead. You tell me!!
Should I buy my kids everything they want? Nope.
Can I take my money with me when I go? Nope.
Could I ride the horse to work, because the ship with my gas tank has only just cleared the Phillippines? Yup.
Is there inherent risk in riding a horse? Yup.
Is there risk in doing the Boogaloo or the Watusi? Yup. Just ask Jon. (Hope you feel better soon, Bro!)
Is there risk in riding a bike? Yup. (San? Wayne?)
Is there risk in just walking down a d*mn street? Yup.
Is there risk in walking and doing magic? Yup. Ask Tramp, who was walking down a street, waved his wand, and turned into a bar.
Is there risk in waving your "wand" ? Ask Murph. It got him a shotgun-wedding!
So it goes.
Am I 100% ready to do this? Nope. 10% at best.
But do I want an 'informed' opinion? Absolutely.
Again, my appreciation to all who threw in their 2¢, including the observation that "That picture just screams "VETERINARIAN!!". LOL!!
I love you guys.

[Tramp]

Pete, we sure had a "gubmint" or "gummymint" for eight years. Maybe now we can turn it back into a government of the people. As Jon said, "Stupidity is not a strategy."

[Daisy]

Pete, I think a quote from Ben Franklin is appropriate here:

"Early to bed,
wave your wand good and hard,
spank yo gummymints,
ride an old horse to work instead of a Kia,
keep close care and reverence of your groundhogs,
and do the watusi every end of week."

[webenda]

Ben Franklin

Reads more like Lewis Carroll

"Is there risk in riding a bike? Yup. (San? Wayne?)"

I have never had an accident on my road bike (although it seems like too many cyclists get killed on road bikes when an automobile or truck runs over them.*)

It is mountain biking that is fun. I have been over the handlebars seven times since I started. My heart rate goes higher going down the hill than it did climbing the other side. Mountain biking is more fun than any Disney ride.

*Tucson Citizen
Sheriff's deputies continued to search Monday for a motorist who fled after turning into a pack of El Tour de Tucson cyclists, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Hospital spokeswoman Katy Riley said that of eight cyclists brought to UMC, six have been released, one remains in good condition and one was taken Sunday afternoon in critical condition to Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

The unidentified motorist has turned himself in through a lawyer. Police say he may not be charged.

[2railjon]

Maybe now we can turn it back into a government of the people.

Sadly, party affiliation thrown aside, until we have term limitations on congressional and senatorial electorates, we're all *****. Govt bail outs of failed corporations was voted a resounding "no" by the American people, and still it was passed by the "know-it-all's in Washington. Now bailing out the big three auto makers? The one's who make vehicles no one wants or signs contracts with union leaders doomed for failure? Their mismanagement needs to go the way of Edsel and the Nash.
More importantly, I'm reminded of a prominent Chinese communist leader's visit to the U.S. where the person showing the leader explained how great our land was with people being free land owners. To which the Chinese communist replied: "Let them miss their tax payments for a couple of years and see if they really are free land owners".
How ****** true.

[webenda]

Jon,

Its worse than you think. Even the hobo jungle is going down. We better ask for a bail-out.

[penncentral8885]

Couldn't agree more Jon!!!!
companies need to be broken down to the smaller segments they were originally and let them stand on there own or fall!
The FED needs to go too!,,has done nothing but milk us from day 1!

[The Dirt]

Well, I took the plunge.




Got tired of doggin'-it on my old Sears riding-mower.




Decided I needed something with a little more ***...




so I took advantage of an end-of-year sale...




and I went and bought myself a John Deere...




and here's the salesman giving me the demo of how she works...