Clinic and Show Prep

I'm finally getting to go to a clinic with actual (and mechanical) cows! I'm so excited. Since its been so hot, I am taking Queenie (7 yr old mare) as well as Matt (23 year old gelding). Yesterday afternoon, it was surprisingly cool, so I took Matt out for an easy workout, planning to take Queenie this a.m. Matt was good. I figured out one reason he used to balk at the gate to the big pasture was because, duh, its a gate, which he associates with barrel running. Yesterday he went through the gate after one pop with the rein tails and started loping. LOL. "It not a barrels, Matty, silly."

I think I know the answer to this quandary, because it makes the most sense. Has Matt slowed down, or I have I gotten better at riding his lope? I'm staying with him completely and not banging his poor old back at all. I don't even reach for the horn with him anymore. Good old Matty has taught the umpteenth hundred person to lope. I wonder how many more? My grandchildren, I can only hope! Anyway, it wouldn't make sense that he has slowed down, so it must be me. I can't wait to run barrels on him again next time. But not this weekend.

This morning, we had a roundup, but more on that later. This morning I actually got my daughter to get out of bed and come ride. I saddled Queenie for her and she started going around the yard. I figured to take Matty along for a walk. Poor Matty, He just went last night. But we only walked. One tiny lope at this place that is nice and flat. It was hot. I would have died without my hat.

E couldn't get Queenie to lope in the yard. I tried to explain that once the death trot has begun the transition to the lope is much harder and get her to slow down first. I got on and showoed her. Queenie was being fractious this morning. My daughter got her to lope in the yard and then we went for the hot walk. There was deep mud, so it was a workout for them, just walking through that.

Of course Dude has to enter the picture. When we got back I got my daughter to wash and put Matt away while I changed the stirrups to take Queenie back out. Somehow, at the gate, Dude escaped. Matt followed. I tried to chase Dude down with Queenie and to herd him back. He evaded and ran farther away - just onto Mr. Bob's nice grass lot, but still, not coming home. So much for the roundup. I headed back to get a bucket of feed. Meanwhile, my daughter got Matt and brought him back and dude followed. Then, I went out and gave Queenie a couple or 3 good lopes. She is slowing down, too. I can stay with her pretty well, but I hold the horn. We worked on transitions. She will do okay in WP, I hope. She does best with "Ho" and then pull for her stop. She pulls her back legs under and snorts when she stops fast. Its so cute. I hope I get a good clean stop on her in reining.

I don't know what she will do with a cows. She has probably worked cows before, as she seems to have a good western foundation, but she is a teeny bit skittish around new things, so if a cow runs at her she may freak. We "fishtailed" once coming around the lake in a slick spot and I stayed on, so I think I can sit whatever she hands out - I hope.

I haven't ridden anybody in the Hereford Tex Tan. I guess I will try it on Matty around the yard and see if I like it. I have the little Royal King for Queenie and my behind fits in it pretty good. We rode in our synthetics today.

I'm getting excited about riding Dude again one day. Because of my improvement, I think I will be able to handle him. We will see.

Training for the Show Next Week

I had a great weekend of training. Two nice rides were all I could get in, but I learned a lot about Queenie. Also, Matt worked so well! Saturday morning, I got up at 5:30 and drank coffee for an hour. Then I saddled Queenie. I used the Royal King leather saddle to keep breaking it in and because I think it fits her the best. We went to the big field with the lakes – my Gosh, it was a beautiful morning! There were ducks swimming around and the light shimmered on the water like diamonds. We trotted, then loped a little. She kicked out at first, but settled in. I took her to the far side of the second lake where there is a straight strip of good ground. I sat down, got hold of the horn, let the reins out and kissed for the canter. She flew. Her back end comes way under her when she moves and with that short back, it is a completely different sensation from riding Matt. She likes running and, except for the whine of air through my air flow helmet, it was all but silent as this was a nothing for her to run and run. We ran up and down that strip a few times. She was stopping okay and not tossing her head. It was not until I had been back for hours that I realized it had not even occurred to me to put a tie down on her. I had her in the curb with the broken mouthpiece that Matty runs barrels in. I wanted to get her used to something besides the gag since a gag would not be allowed at the Stock Horse show. Last time I took her to the LHSA show, I tried her in the d-ring snaffle and it didn't work so well. This (the black and stainless fancy curb) is better. She is neck reining now as if she had been doing it all along. I don't know whether she learns that fast, or if she had forgotten and now it is coming back to her, but I only worked with her on neck reining about 3 times and now she has it. She really gets under herself when she stops. I think she will make a reiner in the long run! She also was really moving in her spins in the field. She was crossing over in front and really hopping over with her fronts. It was so different from the way Matt does then that I was surprised. Her spins were far from elegant, but surprisingly good. On the way back, we were walking along and when she caught sight of the deep hole next to the culvert bridge she started about 2 steps to one side. In contrast, I pointed the hole out to Matty later and he breezed on past it like "Yeah, so what?" After I brought Queenie back and washed her down, I saddled Matt and took him around the block and then into the field. He balked for a second and then, when I swatted him, he took off and loped half way down the side of the first lake. I just let him go as fast as he wanted and stop when he wanted. He was feeling good and I enjoyed letting him run. I'm so comfortable loping Matty, now. It's a blast. We worked on walk, trot, halt, back up, etc., took another run on the other side of the second lake and then I brought him back at as slow a walk as I could get him to do. He was still hot as a bugger when I brought him in. I hosed and hosed and walked and walked him and he got okay. His big veins stand out all over his neck and chest when he's hot. He enjoyed his shower immensely; even letting me wet his face without a fuss.

This morning I got a much later start, didn't start until about 9:00 a.m. It was probably 80 by then. I worked Queenie in the back pen. Walk, trot, extended trot, walk, lope; for the pleasure class in which she is entered. She did so well. And after running around the pen fast about 3 times, the combination of the heat and settling in had her doing a nice controlled lope. Aiming her at the fence and asking for the "Ho" about 10 feet out helped with hthe stop. She steered well and did not toss her head. I worked her on the fence a little, doing rollbacks. I know Miss Dee taught her that during her month of training. Before this morning, I was thinking I would have to send Queenie back to Miss Dee to put a rate on her lope, but she settled in and worked great this morning; rating and steering great. I think the tie down had begun to aggravate her so its best without it now. I am beginning to think that if I can work her a few more times this week, Queenie may actually be able to compete in the reining class at the show. She's entered in reining because Matty just can't do that much loping without his breathing getting bad. However, today she spun fine to the right, but would not spin to the left for anything. I had to tow-hand her and kick her hip over. I gave her a chance to do it right after than and she still wouldn't. She started fussing and hopping to the side (like a little "Dude" action). I started to get mad, but then I just stopped riding for a minute, calmed down and regrouped. She still begrudged me, but performed sullenly. I made her do some other work, which she did pretty willingly, before we went back to the "shady reward spot" in the middle of my pen. I don't know what that was about, but I'll put her back in the Royal King saddle next time and see if it helps. By the way, my new barrel saddle came in the mail yesterday. It is 16 and my behind actually fits in it. I LOVE it and rode it on both horses this morning. I noticed the new barrel saddle has a worn spot in the fleece on the left wither hollow. I felt it, and there doesn't seem to be anything sharp or protruding under there, but that's the only difference in her from Saturday.

My plan for the Stock Horse show is to save Matty for the cow work ; cutting and working cow horse. The reining part of WCH has a very abbreviated pattern, so he should be able to do it. Depending on the side of the arena, the running of the cow may not be too bad. I tuned up Matty's show trot and show lope in case I switch him to the pleasure class and Queenie to the cow work. Because it was nearing noon when I worked him, it was probably getting up on the 90's. We took it very slow and he showed me his show jog and his show lope. I don't know if I could get him to go that slow any other time, but it worked today! LOL. I spent a lot of time working on cues and halts with him and rewarding him in the shade spot. He cooled out a lot better in the pen. When I take Matty away alone, he pulls for home at a working walk that just doesn't cool him out. He has improved from piaffing all the way home, frequently breaking into a trot, when I first started riding him.

Long story made longer. I feel so lucky and blessed to have two well trained and intelligent horses to ork with for the upcoming show. Can't wait to see what Queen does with cows. I would think she has seen them before – she used to live on the levee and may have been worked on cows a little. This week – its get ready for the show.

Will ride Queenie in the RK and Matt in the new American (its cordoba with a black leather top). I don't know if I'll even ride the Textan; the weather is just too hot to fool with that giant thing right now.

Finally, Photos of the Refurbished Hereford TexTan

Mr. Eddie and Miss Mary Pauratore gave me this saddle. I had it refurbished by Ethan Lee. I just picked it up from Ethan's this morning. Its a beaut!

More Thoughts on Dude

Because Badges said she was going back to read through the chronicle, here, I went back and looked at the beginning. I have changed my mind about dude. I no longer think that he "acts out without regard to his own safety." I think he always regards his own safety. I've watched him be careful many times. Except for the time we trapped him in the trailer, he has not hurt himself. In fact, the times he has threatened to smash me into the trailer, he stopped just short of actually mashing me. He whirled his butt around like he was going to smush me, but left me exactly 1 foot of room between his butt and the trailer. After I ran around the back of the trailer he kicked out. The time he ran off with me holding the lead rope, he was just trying to make me let go. He didn't try to run over me. He was surprised I held on as long as I did. I have looked at his tongue, no cuts. He is not "head shy." Rather, he just won't give you his head if he doesn't feel like it.

So, I've learned he's not abused after all, or if he was, he's over it. He is spoiled, pure and simple. And smart. And now... we come to Jesus. I've gotten my confidence working with Matt and the mare. Dude just needs a firm hand and I'm about to give it to him. Hee hee.

Dude - Always on my Mind

I've been watching Dude going on 2 years now. I think I have him figured out. He is seriously smart. I just can't believe he is this smart and goes through this many steps of reasoning. Saturday, I set up one mister (water spray thing for keeping cool) for the horses. Matt loves to be sprayed, so he came and got next to it immediately. Dude got behind him and watched warily. Matt stayed in the mist for quite awhile, then they all wandered off again. The next day I looked out and Dude was completely hogging the mister. So, here's what I think his thought process is. He lets Matt be the guinea pig to see if it is safe. That's understandable. But, he doesn't just let Matt do that for a short period of time, Dude waits to see the long-term effects of the new thing before he ventures in. Then he takes his usual place as herd leader and takes the new thing first before the others. I just can't believe that he's smart enough to wait for the long term effects. That is scary smart. And poor Matt takes what Dude lets him have and backs off like the good little herd member that he is.

And herein lies the problem with Dude that is always on my mind. Will I ever get to the end of the gamut of tricks that he knows to get out of work? Seems like it will be exhausting. I'm going to start lunging him again as soon as the heat wave clears.

Phone Pic of the Puppy - Mu Shu

This is our darling Dachsund Puppy, MuShu. He is a wire haired miniature Dachsund. He is good at finding shoes and putting them in a pile.
He likes horse shows and biting.

June 20 - Show Pics - from Phone

Ella on Queenie (Olivia on Doc)