Winter Wet Season Update

Susan in Idaho: I snorted coffee on my computer at your "last furlong of the Kentucy Derby" comment! Thanks, ya'll, for understanding it was SO unexpected when Dude and the little mare ran off!! Thank God no cars were coming.

Dude did it again a couple of days later even after the little mare had gone home and you should have seen him jump the street ditch when I rattled a feed bucket (after checking for cars!). It was a beauty of a jump at a gallop -- long a level like he was carrying a rider.

It is quite the wakeup call when these 1100 lb. boys and girls suddenly remind you just how strong, quick and athletic they are. Those aspects are, after all, a big part of the thrill of having them around.

The weather has been wet, wet, and more wet. The pasture is a giant lake alternating with a mud hole.

Had a chance to trailer to a trail ride at the Barn for MLK Day Camp, but Dude would not load. I have been remiss in not working with him when I am not under the gun to get him somewhere and I paid the price. Matt went in because I hollered at him and swatted him with the end of a rope. Can't do that with Dude, though, he freaks himself out. He's such a drama queen. He would have none of the coaxing although he almost got in when I put my own head in a bucket of sweet feed and made slurping noises up in the front of the trailer.

Anyway, the ride was terrific. I rode a part Hafflinger (half Hafflinger ? LOL) gelding named Renni and followed my daughter and Matt. We went through a lot of little creeks and water holes, but cantered and had fun. Matt slipped badly once, but didn't fall and kept his back level. I enjoyed watching how my daughter's butt stayed glued to the saddle. She is really riding well. The Hafflinger I rode seemed to "rack" in between his trot and canter, but I was so busy ducking (small but painful) tree limbs it was hard to tell what he was doing. Hee hee. A good time was had by all.

Our former pony, Bay Boy, was on the ride, too, carrying a 6 year old who fell off due to no fault of Bay's. He stood calmly for her to get back on and she was a brave little cowgirl about it. Bay surely has come a long way since we rescued him from the goat pen a year ago.

Good Times and An Escape

My daughter and I have done several trail rides with Dude and Matt. We have explored and found some really good trails (4-wheeler trails) behind our house along a creek -- very scenic. The paper mill owns the land. There's also a pea-gravel road that is good for trotting and cantering.

Dude has been fabulous for bridling and grooming, including back hooves. He still has to move a little for girthing, but is much, much better. We've settled in to some enjoyable times.

Matt and my daughter went off to camp again this week, so I brought home Dusty Rose, a roan mare, from the Barn where Dude and Matt used to live, to keep Dude company this week. The two of them got up to no good the other day when I let them out to graze in the front yard -- they both RAN out the open gate and toured the neighborhood for awhile until I caught up to them with a feed bucket. You should have seen my face when all I saw was Dude's blanket flapping and the bottoms of his back hooves. I stood there with my mouth open for the longest time because when I let him out usually he just sedately crops the grass. The little mare had him in a frisky mood!

Later that evening when I checked, Dude was lying down. I laughed at him since he must have worn himself out on his little adventure!! Thank God nothing bad happened, but you just never know what (creaky old) horses will do! Dude turned 18 in January, but thinks he is 8.

My Daughter and I Trail Ride

We had a nice, warm weekend. My boyfriend had to work, but now that I know how both horses will do on a trail ride, I felt comfortable taking my daughter (age 10) out on Matt. Matt is her horse, anyway. I haven't done anything with Dude since last Sunday except feed and pet him. This time, I got Matt tacked up first and left Matt tied to my springy tree. Then, I tied Dude right next to him for grooming. They get along extremely well or I wouldn't do that. This made Dude more amenable to being groomed. I had to start at the shoulder and work my way slowly down his back to his hip and then down his back leg on each side to pick his rear hooves. For bridling, he wanted to back up, so I untied him completely and let him step back a couple of steps. He let me put the bridle on, then, with carrot bribes, of course. I took him out of the paddock, into the front yard for saddling and he was fabulous! He moved around less for saddling than he had for brushing! He barely walked around for girthing!! He stood still for mounting. I had a "senior moment" and cuoldn't figure out how to tighten my saddle while mounted. I had a mental picture of E's hunt seat saddle in my brain and went blank on getting my dressage girth tight. I had to dismount to get my helmet, also. When I got back on Dude stood still, but the saddle turned. This startled him a little, but not too badly. He circled a little more vigorously when I had to undo it and retighten it, than he had earlier. He continued to stand still for the third mounting. On the trail, when we came to one of the big ditches, someone had put some plywood in the crossing so our boys were hesitant. My daughter was getting alittle nervous, so I got off and led Dude and Matt through the ditch. Dude stood still for me to mount again on the trail. We had a nice ride. Some dogs started following us and we were afraid they were going to follow us all the way home. So, I asked my daughter if she wanted to turn and chase the dogs and she was all for it. Matt and Dude for for it, as well. Matt was snaking his head at them! LOL. the dogs ran off and didn't follow us anymore. It was a great, safe ride for my daughter and me. I think Dude is behaving better because he is learning that we are going to get out and have some fun and not do boring arena work. I've yet to try to canter him on a trail, but I probably will next time I have my boyfriend with me. Dude is getting what he needs -- lots of slow, relaxed work with me that lets him know I'm not a threat. I wish I had more time to do things like this with him, but with winter hours, the weekends are about all we have.

Another Good Trail Ride

My boyfriend and I took Matt and Dude for a trail ride on Sunday. Matt was saddled first and the kids rode him while I worked with Dude. I tied Dude to a small tree with a lot of "give" while I groomed him, so no trouble there. He likes to move ALL the way over when I switch sides while grooming him. No go at all on lifting the back feet, which is usually not a problem (?). He was slightly reticent about the bridle, but nothing like he used to be. He walked around a little for the girthing, but not very fast. I got the girth underneath on the first grab and got it in the buckle. I went side to side tightening. The only thing I had a problem with was my off side stirrup leather came off and I had to approach him several times and let him smiff it and see what I was doing before he let me reattach it. Carrots were given at intervals, of course. He let me mount from the ground with no problems at all. It took me until now to figure out he likes to be mounted out of his paddock because that means a trail ride and not ring work. Dude finds it hard to train his human. His human is a slow learner (LOL). On the trail, he was great. We even jumped a little ditch. As long as his Matt is with him he will go anywhere. They both balked at an up-bank ditch thru mud so we went around. Dude didn't want to drink out of the pond we found. The funniest part was when we came to a paved road through an empty field, it took me quite awhile to get Dude to step onto it. Even with Matt walking back and forth illustrating that it would not swallow up a horse, Dude was nervous until he felt its solidness. Dude responds well to my reassurances that something is okay. I love that about him. My boyfriend thought Dude was afraid of his shadow which was projected onto the road and I agree that didn't help the situation. Both boys went through ditches, mud, tire trails through high grass, and ditch banks on the side of the busy road with no problems. They ambled home with no trying to run and were generally a joy to ride. I only walked and trotted Dude. We walked a stretch I want to canter next time, but I want to check it good for holes first.

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.