Dude Gives a Pony Ride

Its been mostly nasty and cold. The day after Thanksgiving the kids (mine and R's) talked me into saddling up for them. I saddled Matt and my daughter was teaching R's son to jump on him. Dude was still standing around in his blanket. I put a halter on Dude and hoisted up R's 8-year old daughter to get a pony ride. Dude's face was PRICELESS. He had the same look on his face that he does when he knows I've got carrots, like "I'm a good boy?!" He carried his head low and moved ever so carefully. I led him over our homemade "jump" at a walk and let Livvy pretend she was learning to jump, too. Dude barely picked up his feet over the crossed broom sticks. He went patiently around and around carrying Livvy, although he got sour on the "jump" pretty quickly. What a love he can be sometimes.

Dude is Lonely

Sunday my daughter left for horse camp, taking Matt with her to spend 3 nights. My boyfriend (yay!!) helped me load Matt. We took the center divider out of the little trailer and Matt slant loaded himself and pulled great like that! He was happy and did not kick or stomp or fuss.

Where we took Matt was the barn where he used to live for 10 years before I bought him. He whinnied to all his friends when we turned into the driveway! He seemed quite pleased to be cross-tied in his old barn and prepped for class. I headed back with the empty trailer.

When I pulled up at the house, Dude was calling pitifully at the gate. He was upset that Matt did not come back in the trailer. He called and called, but he did not pace or kick the fence. I fed him and sat out there with him for awhile. Every time a car would pass on the road he would stare at it hopefully and then look sad when it did not stop and bring back his Matt. He quit crying and slept about 4 hours. At about 1:30 a.m., he started calling again so I went out and fed him an apple and petted him. He'll let me touch his ears for an apple (LOL). He didn't call anymore and I went back to bed.

This morning he called a little and I went out to feed him about 7. I broke the brand new round bale which I am keeping under a shed outside the horse pasture and doling out as needed, but it is better hay than my old stuff so that should make Dude feel better. He wasn't pacing or calling when I left for work. I hope he will not be too lonely until I can get back home. Poor Dude :-(

A Good Trail Ride

Saturday, we had 6 kids and 4 adults over at the house, counting me and mine, and 2 extra horses, Dreamer and Badger. The kids all rode Matt, Dreamer and Badger double and everything else they wanted to do (Matt now has shoes on all 4 feet, pretty!!). When the kids went off to jump on the trampoline (that was a really good investment, by the way!) we adults got ready to go on a little trail ride. My boyfriend hung out with me, with Matt, while everyone else got well out of the way as they are now "trained" to do when I work with Dude (LOL). Dude bridled perfectly on the second try, circled slowely while I did the girth and stopped periodically for a carrot. I think I have inadvertently trained Dude to circle for a carrot reward (Doh!). Then, I got ready to mount and he stood still the first time!!! I was so stunned I just stood there waiting for him to try to move for a moment. I guess he knew he was "done for" since Matt and the others were saddled up and ready to go. He knew there was no use fighting. Also, when we went down the road a ways, I thought he might have picked up a rock so I got off and picked his hooves. He stood still for me to get back on on the side of the road, too.

Dude has the sweetest little trail trot when we trail ride. I just am loving him and am so glad we did not give up. All the horses behaved really well and didn't balk or act up even when dogs ran out to the road to bark at us.

Yay for Dude and for all the support I have gotten on here.

Dude Trail Ride

Today was a completey new and better day with Dude! My new boyfriend and I decided to take Matt and Dude for a trail ride around the neighborhood. I got him saddled on Matt first and then tackled the dude scnario... Bridling was excellent - no trouble much at all. Saddling was okay - slow walk in a circle, but slow enough that I could eaisly grab the girth from underneath and get it buckled. I decided to mount from the ground and he wanted to back up. So, I backed him up quite a few feet in an authoritative manner. Then, I gave him a chance to stand still. Not ready, backing up. So, I backed him up again. Gave him a chance, tried to turn his back end away from me. So, I pushed his back end around in a circle for a few steps and tried to mount again. Backed up. So, I backed him up. This time he stood perfectly still for me to mount. I had been so intent I had forgotten to take off my walking cast and put my boot on. So, I got off and did that. When I went to mount that time he was still. Hoo-Ray. R and I went out to the main entrance of the subdivision and around to the trail I have been dying to try. We got through the small ditch with no problems and through another larger ditch. We went a good 500 yards, though and encountered a big steep cross ditch I had not known would be there, so we had to turn back. But it was a nice ride together anyway. Dude went along willingly and nicely so long as he knew Matt was with him. It was altogether very enjoyable and just the kind of thing I have been wanting to do ever since I brought the horses home. So, today I am glad to have my horsie and he was everything I want him to be. Yay!!!!

Impatience

Thanks to all for the saddle fitting advice. Nobody in the corral likes the cheap western saddle, we've established that. LOL. However, I will observe how my Wintec all purpose does on Dude. I know he likes it better because he will be tense and then when I set the Wintec on him he lets out his breath and relaxes, like "oh, THAT saddle is okay." But he still doesn't like the girth.

In fun news, I got a new boyfriend and we put him on Matt (on whom Keratex is working WONDERS on the hooves). He rode really well. Most people say they can ride, but are know nothing yahoos, but R really rode well and asked me for advice on how to sit the canter better .

On the impatience side, my new boyfriend got to see me lose my patience with Dude... I had already had a sort of bad day what with driving all over to pick up horses for the team penning only to stop at the feed store and find out team penning was canceled last night (GRRH!!!). We came back over here to ride with darkness falling (I hate that!). We got Dude saddled, with much walking around, but then he would not stand still for me to mount. I walked Dude out to get my lunge line out of the truck and found it was so tangled up it would take too long to get it untangled before it got dark. Meanwhile, Dude set back on the reins I was holding and pulled away (Arrgh). He didn't go anywhere, just acted like a jack ass (I know he can't help it). I got so mad I just put him in the paddock, took off the reins and walked AWAY. I threw my helmet into the tack shed and went into the house. Later, I went back and helped Lexie get on him. She had to back him up on the ground a bit and be firm with him, not mean, but firm like you are not going to act spoiled and you are going to stand still. He did, finally. We both got on him with no mounting block. She rode him and then I rode him, but it was pitch black dark by then. I was thinking about it later and I know it was a bad time to try to ride him.

It is never a good idea to try to work with Dude when I am in a hurry. Also, I was frustrated already from the team penning pony pick-up ride around in 5 p.m. traffic fiasco. But also, I was disappointed because when I think I have Dude straightened out on a behavior, he will revert to it and that makes me feel angry with him. At least I walked away and took it out on my helmet. Poor helmet. I feel like being a whiney baby and saying "I want a horse I can just saddle up and ride and enjoy." Sigh. Dude stays here no matter what, but he is looking more and more like he will get waht he wants, which is to be a retired pasture pet. Sigh.

Thoughts about the Vet (From DCV)

I've been thinking about the visit from the vet, and, I've decided he is okay, but I want to work on finding a vet who is more horse oriented. The thing that sticks in my mind is that I asked him, about Dude, whether he thought the teeth were interfering with the bit and the vet said, in a tone that brooked no argument, "Well, you would be in a better position to know that than I would." After that comment, I didn't bother to ask him to assess whether there might be any back problems that were causing Dude to be resistant to saddling -- it didn't seem to me that he was that "into" horses. I already know that the other vet in town does not like to work on horses. Luckily, we have Louisiana State University Vet School in Baton Rouge. Their ad in the Yellow Pages says you can get seen there with a referral from your vet, so I may look into that.

Dude gets a Warm Blanket

Tonight it is supposed to dip into the 30's (F) so I got a blanket for Dude today. I called Katharine to ask whether Dude has ever had a blanket on before. Thankfully, he has. I let him smell it first and he seemed to recognize and accept it (same brand from same store where I got Matt's a few weeks back, so probably smells the same). Rubbed him with it a little so he wouldn't be startled and then put it on with no problems. At first I had the strap that is like a girth so loose that it was a danger, so I got brave and worked on tightening it. He turned his head and stared hard at what I was doing, but was munching hay and didn't move. He was very docile for the blanketing! It is such a nice night with no mosquitoes biting for the first time in forever, that I stood out and watched him munch hay for a long time. He let me pet his face, touch and scratch his ears and was very sweet. He's never let me touch his ears willingly before. I stroked his ears, scratched his neck and he was letting me love on him. That is new. It is encouraging!! He does seem to greet me more happily and less indifferently lately, too. I think he is settling in here more and more.

I am reading That Winning Feeling by Jane Savoie. It is very inspiring.

More Cowboy suggestions I Won't be Taking

I talked to Jeanine tonite and from what she says, the story of Dude's behavior at the canter on Sunday got stretched into that there was some kind of "rodeo" and made Jeanine ask me if Lexie got hurt. No, Lexie didn't get hurt. Like I said, we both almost came off, but we didn't. It wasn't bucking, it was the fast cutting side to side in a dressage saddle that caused that. Anyway, Pedro talked to somebody and they talked to Jeanine and now she is trying to talk me into hobbling Dude That's a NO. I said, Jeanine, if he hasn't improved at all after a FEW MONTHS of me working with him, I MIGHT consider that.

Jeez, what is with other people's impatience about MY horse? Its not like they have to saddle him for me. I get it done myself now that my foot is better. So why should they care if he wants to walk in a circle while he gets saddled? As to the riding part, well, I just started working on that, plus, I'm not so comfortable at the canter right now myself. I know what will help besides going to the sand arena: When I get Matt in shoes and no longer lame I can practice cantering on him until I get more comofortable with it and then I will be more ready to anticipate Dude's tricks.

I'm so happy Matt will be okay. Matt is my daughter's horse and as long as he is not having behavior problems, the rest is just for me to work out in time. I wouldn't care if I never got to ride as long as my daughter gets to and she is happy.

Dude gets Sedated

The vet came tonight. His wife and assistant recognized Dude. She said she has ridden him and praised his smoothness and pretty canter. Neither horse needed his teeth floated. Doc told me to put a big rock in Matt's bowl to slow him down on taking big mouthfuls. Dude got one kind of tranq and still continued to fight so then got Ace. He was still trying to slow-mo kick the doc while getting his sheath cleaned. I've been sitting outside watching him because his head is hanging down and his tongue is hanging out. He is snoring. The good news is Doc says that Matt should be fine once he gets shoes on --- so onward with the farrier.

On Reflection

On reflection, I'm feeling kind of pessimistic about Dude, today. But, I have to remember, I have only been at it for a little while in comparison to the 17 years he's been alive. I feel confident that we will get through the saddling and loading and maybe even the tying issues.

By the way, I have found that if you take Dude up to a fence, put the reins over the fence, then unsnap the reins from the bridle for safety, he thinks he's tied and will stand there for at least 20 minutes to half an hour before he tries to start wandering away. Its just the hitting the end of the rope that freaks him. It works long enough to run into the house and use the potty!!

Anyway, I am not so confident that I will be able to work through the riding issues. I am trying to look at it from the point of view that no one fell off, no one got hurt, he isn't that bad, I've seen and ridden a lot worse, but, I'm older now and the ground looks very hard from up there. As I'm writing this I am planning, though. When I get him where I want him loading, I can take him to the free sand arena and work on his other issues there where a fall won't be so dangerous. Okay, I feel better now. But any encouragement would help!!

Dude is Herdbound

Sunday morning: Lexie and her mare had spent the night and we got up at 7 to go on our very own trail ride. Dude saddled as usual except with TROTTING in a circle due to the cold snap. Jeez. He did bridle really, really well.

We had left Matt behind and we didn't get 300 yards before Dude balked the first time. I got AWAY from the pavement and circled him and got him going forward again. He tried to start trotting and cut fast to the left, which is a favorite trick of his, but usually at the canter. I circled him, but then he started backing up. So, I circled him backing up and he started to jitter like he was going to blow. So, we backed up straight till we caught up with Lexie and the mare.

I put his nose in the mare's butt (he liked her this morning) and we made it a few more feet before he started heading home again. Got off the pavement and circled some more. Tried going forward in grass instead of pavement in case that was it. No, and Matt was screaming like a big baby girl from the house. So, with MUCH disappointment, we headed back home.

We worked on trailer loading for awhile. This was the first attempt at loading since the awful incident. Dude actually got all the way in once and stood for awhile munching his jackpot. I know, I know - you shouldn't use feed to get them in the trailer, but oh well, that's the method I'm using. Not much else we can do with him. He got praise and little apple pieces for each move forward. He got pretty relaxed by the end.

Then, Katharine was coming for a lesson, so I went to get my daughter and hurried back. The second time saddling, Dude was MUCH better and more calm. He still circled, but much more slowly. Walk and trot were fine. So Katharine talked me into trying to canter.

The first takeoff was great - no problems. So the second time I was SO not ready for the quick cut to the left. I almost came off, but didn't. Katharine made me do it again. I wanted to cry like a big baby. My foot hurt and my knee hurt. About that time we decided Matt was too lame to trot so we put my daughter on the mare and I put Lexie on Dude. Lexie cantered Dude and he pulled his crap with her, too. She almost came off and she can sit on anything. But, she cantered him both directions. Then, we all watched the fat pregnant mare trot around and canter - so CUTE.

Chloe was going to stay at my place for awhile, but this morning when I went out to feed she had gotten OUT into the neighbor's back pasture. There is a fairly low place in the fence in the back and that is where she tried to run back to when I went to catch her. My boys are too lazy to try to get out there because you would have to cross a big ditch first. But now Chloe is having to head back to bumf**k today to live there. I feel kind of bad, but having 2 on my little pasture is pushing it and I don't want my neighbors to get mad and make me get rid of mine. I was sued by a neighbor over my dog so that is the kind of neighbors I have and I'm not going to risk my daughter having to give up her horse. Lexie was very understanding and going to get the mare and take her back today. Where we live is in little mini farms type subdivision, but only one other person has a horse. We are zoned okay to have horses, but all it would take would be one incident to have someone sue me and that makes me too nervous.

Good Advice and Better Judgment

Pedro called me awhile ago. In the conversation he asked me about Dude. Then, he started saying "But wouldn't you like to be able to just let him stand there and saddle him and not worry about all of that?" I replied that I WILL be able to get him to stand still to saddle and bridle, MY WAY. I offered to bet him money that I can do it. He declined. Called his bluff. LOL. It might take me a year, but I don't think it will take me that long, but I will get Dude settled down and trusting me. It will happen because I will keep researching and trying new things and keep repeating old things until we get there. My question is, and it is rhetorical, how can Pedro, after observing that his efforts have not improved Dude and, in fact, have probably caused him to regress in his reactions, still blindly think that his methods will work on THIS HORSE? I'm sure they must work on some horses, or they wouldn't be used, but Natrlhorse was right when she said the cowboys will try their methods and when these don't work will say the horse is no good and to sell him. I was proud I had the right answer at hand to respond to Pedro. I will get Dude to behave properly, if it takes me years. But I don't think it will take more than a few months. I will keep trying no matter what.