Monday, December 8, 2008

The Perfect Horse

Steve Holt! is mustang #11 to come through my paddock gates, and I'm thinking he's the best yet.

I always wished I could blend a little bit of Jet with a little bit of Sandy and create the perfect horse. As I stood outside in the mud this afternoon coaxing Steve Holt! that I wasn't going to have him for an afternoon snack, it occurred to me that this just might be that horse.

Where Sandy had been snorty and Jet had been in our faces, Steve Holt! is cautious, but curious. He doesn't snort, panic, attempt to bite or do a lopsided Spanish Walk. Neither does he just walk up to something blindly without taking a good look and assessing the situation.

Today was day 2 with my new boy. Yesterday's session was terribly brief, but today I spent a little more time out there, and managed to incorporate two sessions into the day. Steve Holt! learned yesterday to give to pressure on the lead. He did it really, really easily. Where both Sandy and Jet fought when asked to turn, he figured it out right away. Today he began following me and moving forward rather than just turning left and right.

What's more, today he allowed me to touch and rub on his neck and shoulders.

Okay...I've had others who've let me do that. But here's what's so amazing. Steve Holt! is allowing me to pat on him, not just rub. Never have I had a horse who's not been afraid of the thump thump of a pat the first few times. And yet he stood right there. I ran my hand down to his knee before he moved away. He let me reach over his neck, under his neck, and down to his hip. He enjoyed having his belly rubbed.

Want more amazing than that? He let me rub his face...and I don't just mean the sides of his cheeks, but up around his eyes and between them on his forehead.

And to top it all off...he's not a deadhead! He's aware of what I'm doing and he's not sure he likes it. He's completely on his guard, moving away when he feels uncomfortable (which is often.) I love that he's not ticklish and snorting like Sandy was...and I adore that he's not just standing there stupid like a brick and accepting everything that I throw at him (Jet's not stupid like a brick, but she doesn't think like he does.)

To be honest, I'm not too sure what to think, except this just may be that perfect horse...


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In other news...Corrine Elser of Burns, OR just won Supreme Horsewoman down at Lynn Palm's Women Luv Horses event in California. She and several other women who competed in the Western States Mustang Challenge were invited to come down and ride. Corrine rode her mare, Dolly, through fire during her freestyle for the win. You may recall that Corrine and Dolly won the June Challenge event as well.

Madelyn Waggoner and Handy Hank were 3rd in the Supreme Horsewoman contest, but won the Bridleless Riding competition.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so jealous. He sounds like a great boy for you Tracy and I sure hope everything goes perfect for you this time around :o)

I am so excited to read about your journey with him just as I did with Sandy. Please keep the pictures coming...we love those!

gtyyup said...

Oh, he sounds like such a level headed guy...wonderful!!! The pat, pat, pat thing is very interesting. He can handle it...fantastic! Thinking and not snorting. Excellent.

Great news for Corine...I have to hear it from WA and I just live down the road!!! Ha!

Cave BlackFyre said...

Repeat after me:

"I am NOT keeping this one.... I am NOT keeping this one... I am NOT keeping this one..."

Well OK if he IS the perfect horse, you can't very well NOT keep him now can you? But just don't tell City Boy... My usual line is "I'm working on lining up the perfect home" I have a 3 yr old dog here at the house that I've been saying that about for 3 yrs that I knew from the day she was born was never leaving, lolol...

I'm sure Rocketman KNOWS in advance I'm not placing them but it makes the men in our lives a bit happier to be able to pretend we might not keep one. LOL

I will have to come meet this boy, he sounds pretty cool!

Karen C. said...

Wow Tracey, it sounds like you have a great one in Steve Holt!, not that the others aren't great. They are just different. :-)

Okay, you can keep him. Tell City Boy I said so. Ha!

Thanks for the update on Corrine! How exciting for her!

Karen C.
Mid-MO

Lady Of Chaos said...

Do NOT get attached to him. I saved up $5 in change today, I figure by the time the competition rolls around I should have hopefully enough for a good bid on him for Hubby's horse. Hubby's b-day is in April and I think, so far, that he'd make a great b-day present for Hubby. So... DON'T GET ATTACHED!

Linda said...

He sounds incredible--but do you think it's him or you--maybe you've been around so many Mustangs now, you have the "touch".

BTW, that's a great looking herd you photographed--and they're fat. Gorgeous photos!!

froglander said...

Glad to see his mind is as great as his body :) I think he must have had a good long chat with my little guy in the trailer cuz he seems to lean towards think first and not just react. So thank you Steve Holt!

Tracey said...

Will ya just look at all the Karen's posting here today? "Hi, this is my friend, Karen, my other friend, Karyn, and my other friend, Karen..." LOL...

Yeah...the pat pat pat thing is terribly interesting. And scratching between the eyes...I've not had one that can handle that this early on, either. I'm trembling over this boy, I really am. Hope I'm not jinxing myself.

As for bringing him home...there's no money for that. I'll be crying myself silly, but would need to part with someone else in order to move him in. And which horse would I say good bye to?

Karen (gtyyup), I heard about Corrine from my friend Janet, who took 5th. I'm hoping that someone has a video. I'm sure it'll be all over the county by tomorrow, though!

City Boy said...

"but would need to part with someone else in order to move him in. And which horse would I say good bye to?"

I got a little worried until I read the "which horse" part.

Kathy M said...

Congrats on the sensible new man. Sounds like what hooked me about my FattButt so long ago... curious, and bold, but careful.

Janet Titus rode over a firey jump, Corrine did a flawless routine using a Picador type pole rather then lance. I'll try to upload it to YouTube soon.

Tracey said...

Well, City Boy...if you don't behave yourself :)

Thank you, Kathy! That'd be great.

Jeanette said...

Oh, I really did like him from the first pics! You can't deny the eyes seem to say it all...soft, intelligent.
I'm hanging on every word, this is exciting :)

froglander said...

So you have three months to figure a way for him to stay....if that doesn't work out, you will at least know he will be a great ambassador for the mustang horse :)

Cave BlackFyre said...

You can never have too many Karyn's or Karen's , hehehe...

I hear ya on the 'can NOT afford another one' mantra... they're not free to feed and take care of, sigh.

froglander said...

Does it count that my mom is a Karin too? Actually, so is my grandma, lol.

Anonymous said...

I really like that City Boy reads your blogs without being forced to... That's neat. ;)

Congrats on such a great mustang, sounds like you two have a great start~ Signed, Not Karen, Karyn, or Karin

Unknown said...

That's wonderful!! I hope he turns out and does well for you!! When is the event this year? And I guess when is it?! I'd love to see you guys perform, that would be the best.

Gecko said...

Now that is amazing, letting you pat him like that! I went to a horse sale the other day, and I came across a fully broken, cow-accepting horse...but he jumped about 6 ft off the ground when I "slapped" his neck (i.e patted).