Check Out these Saddle Bags

[Hidemechanic]

I didn't mean to get people riled up.

Though I also don't want to sound insulting about anyone's idea of 'bomb proof', I will say that I know my animals and I'm smart enough to know what my limits are and what their limits are and I wont ask them to do anything that I don't know they can handle.

Some of us remeber things we did in our youth as well as things our parents or grandparents did that would now be concidered as child endangerment. Today we allow our kids to ride vehicles and participate in activities that can and have had minor to desaterous conciquences.

We take chances everyday. What some folks don't understand is that it is easy for one person who has little information about a subject can judge others for having low intellegence or little concern for safety.

My example is that my horses have grown up with me and my kids have grown up with them and we all have respect and understanding of each other.

I wouldn't take your horse and do things with it and my youngsters that I would do with horses because we don't have that relationship and understanding.

I know my horses accept me and my kids as part of their herd and intellagent herds take care of each other.

I thought I told this story somewhere on the board but I'll mention it here as an example.

I just arived back home one afternoon on my gelding with my toddler in my lap(in the saddle), his holder brother had just gotten off the bus.On his way to the house to meet us he picked up the garbage can and carried it over his shoulder. When he came around the corner I was just letting my youngest down to the ground. My gelding was startled and began spinning by the time he realised my son and the garbage can he had made three full circles without going anywhare(spinning in place). He stopped and calmed down, I stepped off and my toddler was sitting right under the gelding's belly. The horse made a perfect circle around him and not one hoof print was inside that circle where my son sat.

Though the horse was startled he knew exactly where my son was and where his feet were going.

Now you can call me nuts or whatever you want but if you don't have that kind of relationship with your horse you can't understand.

Here's some pix of my boys with their horses. Regards, GH

[TrooperChuck]

I think I need to take okiwen's advice, and lighten up. The more I think about it, the more I'm believing that pic was probably just meant to be humorous. Yeah, I know there MIGHT be some folks who will think those are great saddle bags, but those people are always going to be around, and they'll do what they want regardless of what others think.

I spent 22 years as a state trooper in Alaska, so sometimes I can get a bit crazy about safety issues. It was an occupational habit that kept me alive, but it's also easy to get on my high horse about it, too. So, Hidemechanic, thanks for sharing the pic, even if it raised a ruckus! Heck, sometimes a good ruckus is actually kind of fun.

[HorsehairBraider]

I'm pretty sure this is a joke - and I do think it's very funny. When I look at the picture, it looks "faked" to me. I don't think that horse was really standing on that real nice trail with the fall leaves etc. and I don't think the kids are actually hanging on the horse, I think they were 'photo shopped' in. To me anyway, they look suspiciously identical, like the same photo just flipped! But the photo, and the idea behind it, is pretty darn funny and I am glad someone took the time to share it.

Talk about people spending all their time riding, I remember talking to a WY cowboy who told me his mother "never learned to walk, until her horse went lame one day". That lady would have appreciated this joke!

[broncobuster]

Im going to chime in on behalf of hidemechanic. Im not saying this is not dangerous n it probabley only lastest long enough for the photo but my mare who I had since she was 2 n she died 5 yrs ago at 28. never ever hurt anyone in all the years I owned her. she was a lesson horse n had many many riders n this was not in a ring setting. she gave people who have gotten hurt on other horses there confidence back. she gave 4-h kids life learnins. she babysat the smallest of kids and the most inexperienced. she could go from 50 to 0 n fall asleep when done doing something. she was shown, trail riden, in parades, roped off of, gamed, team penned, jumped, I and many kids showed her english n western, I drove her she did everything asked of her with no quams. if by chance she did get spooked she stop dead in her tracks. kids crawled all over her. anyone could lay underneath her she would never step on you. she would litterally die trying doing anything for me. If the younger horses or others got out shed round them up n be standing with them at the gate to get back in. we had a huge connection. everyone thought we had esp.I could go o n on about my mare. I know this is a very rare horse but can be done with most horses if you spend the hours on them. like hide said there your herd. I have 10 horses n of course none as versitile as her but you can go in the herd of 10 n no one will fight or kick the whole time anyone is around them. they know whos boss. this mare was one in a 1000 but they are out there. If anyone had pics of me doing the crazy things I do on my horses they be making me wear helmets n pads all over my body. but If you have horse savvy and thats something you cant get out of books or videos.theres a lot that think they have savvy. you know your animals. and horse savvy people are rare like the good horses that are out there. Im not accepting this as being safe and as an instructor one of the first things i teach is no horse is 100% safe and to always be alert. and pay attention. but one can get hurt just crossing a street. life is no fun if you dont take a few chances. of course not with kids. Im an adult if i want to be stupid on my horse then I will cause theres stupid people on ATVs snowmobiles, trucks etc... LOL i figure the safety people will start putting airbags on horses pretty soon just because its for safety lol.

[Caelan]

My wife found this pic in a mag. The mom took old bags and cut leg holes in them so she didn't have to hire a baby sitter.

The picture probably was photoshopped, but I have to admit that small children anywhere near a horse just about give me a stroke. Even the safest, most completely reliable animal can kick at a fly, slip, spook...anything.

Many years ago, a neighbour's 5yr old was nearly killed when he was brushing his Mom's dead broke horse in the center aisle. Mom was only 10' away cleaning tack. Another horse being ridden in the indoor arena balked at a jump and dumped the rider. Someone forgot to close the gate between the arena and the barn and the loose horse ran into the barn, tangling up in Mommy's horse's crossties. You can imagine the result.

[HARVEY]

To add to J Redding's above comment, and to quote from our native humorist Mark Twain:

"The proverb says that Providence protects children and idiots. This is really true. I know because I have tested it."

[Saddlebag]

Horses seem to have a rapport with children that adults have a difficult time achieving. I've had horses that were mindful and very gentle with children but we didn't push our luck in fly season.