Retirement

Just to put some closure on this ordeal, I will explain what has led to my decision to give up on Dude's training. Some time in November, we went on a nice trail ride with some friends who have Tennessee Walkers. I replaced the bolts in the divider and put it in again. Dude had busted it out again by the time we got to the B&B where the ride took place. I got us there early so I would have time to deal with his saddling issues. Dude wouldn't take the bit and was excited to go smell mares's butts. So, while I only had the halter around his neck, he took off. I held onto the rope a long time, running beside him. he glanced back, saw me and leaped to get away. I really thought my finger was broken, but a later x-ray showed it wasn't. it still hurts. He stopped running when he got to a mare's butt. I got him saddled, finally. The wrangler at the B&B had been watching me and he wouldn't come tighten my girth after I got mounted because he was scared of Dude. LOL. I waited till we were on the trail and got off and tightened it later. In the morning, we were with a large group and it was kind of boring and frustrating for E who wanted to run on the trail called "Loping Lane." But, we had a nice enough time. Went back to the trailer for lunch and such and then took off with just our 2 friends after lunch. their Walker went lame and they turned back, so it was just my daughter and me after that. Dude was good and we loped on loping lane, loped on a bunch of trails, jumped some sticks, went all over the trails and had a great time. He didn't balk or buck. Dude loves exploring new trails and not being in an arena. It was a beautiful day, sunny and cool. The trails were idyllic and mowed. We ended on an extremely good note.

A few days later, my daughter went to camp, taking Matt for 3 days. The came home the Wednesday night before thanksgiving. On T-giving a.m., Matt collicked and we spent a lovely morning at the university vet school. Thank goodness, Matt turned out to just be impacted and some oiling got him straightened out enough to pick him up the next day. Boy, did he load easy to come home.

So, decision time to be had all around. Matt is too old and fragile (turning 23 come Jan.) to take all the activities that E wants to do with him. My original plan to get Dude ready to trade with my daughter is not going to work. I'll never be able to trust him with her.

The farrier thinks, and I agree, that training would be a waste for Dude as he will be good for Ms. Dee and then come home and go right back to his old ways. I am 47 years old and the wage earner; i.e., too old to risk getting seriously hurt. So, its time to start looking for a new horse for my daughter and for me to ride Matt and to retire Dude. I toyed around with getting him pasture board somewhere and still am looking into that. But, I'd have to go make sure he's trimmed, groomed, wormed, hayed and all so it would be easier to keep him at home.

On the first trip out horse shopping (although, to my credit, not the first horse I looked at) Ms. Dee went with us and we bought the mare. She's a sorrel mare between 14 and 15 hands, skinny and rain-rot infested, but has racing blood top and bottom. She's got TB on her papers and is reg. AQHA. Ms. Dee said she would have bought her if we hadn't. So, we got Queenie for Christmas, I'm riding Matt and Dude is standing around looking pretty. Pulled Dude's shoes when Bill came to trim the new mare's black, iron, huge hooves. Squeeeee. Bill is keeping an eye out for someone who wants a companion horse who will take good care of Dude.

When I mentioned to Bill that the new mare had rain rot and was too skinny, he commented that she is in the right place, now. that made me feel good. The farrier knows who takes good care of their horses, so he will find a good home for dude when the time is right.