Dude the Western Horse

Saturday was a beautiful day, so after we got back from the feed store we got ready to saddle up. Naughty Dude was eating the new hay out from under the tarp on the trailer while we got Matt ready. It was all western day, and we had to rig up Matt's new Western saddle -- had to rob a billet from the show saddle, change to bigger stirrups, etc. The good news is the 5" gullet fits Matt perfectly!! He's such a TB throwback. Bridling went fine -- Dude tries to rub it off on me, but he doesn't try to sling it off anymore. Saddling went pretty well. A few circles, but more stopping than circling! It seems better to me. We got off to a good start and all was well until we got to the place on the trail where the other horses live. Dude started backing up toward that giant ditch again. I tried getting him to go on the trail into the woods one step at a time, ease off and try again, no go. Matt wouldn't go through either. So, I got off and led Dude through. Matt followed when we went. When I checked the girth he didn't hardly react. I got remounted and we struggled some to go away from the horses, but made it. Then, I dropped the pack I had not very secured to the horn. When I went to get off my BELT got caught on the horn! There I was dangling and praying, but Dude didn't move. Ever so slowly the saddle slid over to where I could touch the ground and get undone. Dude was, by then, intently munching the tall grass. I loosened the whole thing and resaddled him and he did not move. Bizarre. I took my belt off and finally got back on -- my knees were about to go with the after effects by then. We did some fine trotting on the edge of the pea gravel road with my daughter and Matt cantering to catch up at intervals. Posting in my new Western has a weird springy "give" but its not unpleasant. Did some sitting trots, too. The stirrup position doesn't feel as strange after putting in a good ride on it.

Sunday was barrel day. In the a.m., my daughter and I set up some funky looking things made of feed buckets and a couple of odd cones we have around and she practiced barrels with Matt. I was cleaning out all the old chaff from the hay shed. In the p.m., I was trying to burn the chaff. Note to self -- it doesn't burn very well and stinks to high heaven. I put Matt in the cross ties in view of the pen so Dude would think Matt was going to have to work also. Dude gets balky when Matt is loafing around eating while he works. Bridling went fine. Saddling is improving, although there is still circling. Dude didn't want to stand at the mounting block so I made him back up and then he stood fine. To my amazement, he walked right into the pen and toward the barrels as if he had seen Matt do it and he wanted to do it, too. He was so willing and responsive! Once he started trotting the barrels, he didn't want to stop. After doing it about 3 times, he seemed to either learn it or remember it. I think he's done it before because one time when we turned after the 3rd barrel he was waiting for me to ask for a lope. I could tell. But, I was too chicken, Things were going well and I didn't want to mess it up. I was doing all this with 2 handed contact on his mechanical hackamore. So, I tried it one- handed. He will usually neck rein with leg aids, but he didn't do so well on it with the barrels, so we need to work on that some more because at speed I'm going to need one hand to hold on to the horn! I might tighten his curb chain some. I've been thinking about trying a bosal on him, too. On optimistic days, I think about putting a bit on him. The funny part was when I was riding him he's so fat he was grunting! He's never grunted before. Heh. He's so fat my heels bounce when I kick him. I tried a new way to dismount -- leg over in front, so I won't get hung on the horn. I felt really proud that I rode both weekend days. Of course I got no laundry or dishes done and the stinky chaff fire is still smoldering in the front yard.

ETA the other stuff I did this weekend. I worked on fly abatement, weeny washing (Matt), mane pulling (Dude). Hopped over the dirty clothing mountain this a.m. I received my fly predators in the mail and they were ready to be spread out on Saturday. I also got fly strips at the store. Haven't dealt with those since I was about 10 years old. I promptly got my hair stuck in the one I hung in the hay shed -- duh! The fly trap that you add water to said it was "peppermint scented" Yes, that's true if peppermint were a 3 day dead carcass! I'd almost rather have the flies!! Matty tolerated weeny washing pretty well. I found and removed a tiny bean! I'm sorry but I have had no success with "gently pulling the penis out" as suggested on the Excaliber bottle. I'm not getting in any more of a tug of war with that thing than I've already tried. Plus, by the time you lube it up with the Excaliber, its too slippery to get a grip. I also had to wash Matt's rain rot spot and Dude's fetlocks with Fungasol. And the horseflies are really getting bad!!

ETA2: And I wormed Dude last night. I had to halter him, but once he was caught he stood for it. I put the tube on his nose and rubbed it and he realized it was not a twitch or anything. When I first tried to put it in his mouth he salivated, but shook his head up and down for awhile. But when I put my hand on top of his nose, he stopped going up and down and took it -- opening his lips at the side cause he knew what was coming. We stood for an eternity waiting for him to swallow, with my hand holding his cuty whiskered mouth shut. After I let go he hung out with me a long while letting me love on his head and pet him. He was really sweet yesterday!