Wild Horse Adoption
April 25, 2009
Black Raven Stables
Arlington, WA
With Steve Holt! on hold, my focus has shifted to spiffing Sandy up a bit. We were to do a demo at a local Expo put on by the local dressage club, but Sandy has been laid off for so long that I'm not thinking it's going to work. Not that Darling hasn't been riding, but what I'm after is a bit more demanding. Plus he's needing his feet done and I'm not thinking I can get the farrier out quite that soon. So alas, a missed opportunity to show off some 'Stang talent. However, there is an Introduction to Cattle clinic coming up in another week; I'm thinking I'll steal Sandy away from Darling and use him. That's more his speed than the stuff I'd planned to show off at the Expo with Steve Holt!.
To help keep me occupied, along with playing a bit with Sandy again I've decided there's no better time than the present to start riding Dude...or Doodles, as I've begun to call him. There's something about his quietness that spooks me. I'm not sure what or why, but he's very watchful when I climb onto his back and since we know how high that little guy can kick up his heels, I'm just a bit on the watchful side as well! While Darling was riding Sandy yesterday afternoon, I saddled up Doodles and stepped up into the stirrup, first on the left, then the right, just to reacquaint him with the up and down motion of a rider. He was fine, so over his back my leg went. Again, fine.
This boy can flex and would make Clinton Anderson proud. Pick up the left rein and the nose comes straight back to your leg. Pick up the right and the same thing. Makes forward motion a bit trickier when their nostril is buried inside your boot, of course, but eventually we did manage to turn a couple of tight circles, and then a forward step or two finally took place. Five minutes of bending, 30 seconds of forward motion and that was it. Better to climb off once the positive connection has been made and live to ride another day than to press one's luck. Darling did get video but I'm not sure where her camera is at the moment and the darned kid went off to school (where is she when I need her??? What is so important about Algebraic equations, anyway?) But eventually it will make it here for you to see.
In the meantime, why not take a look at Jasmine Ison's finals ride on her gelding, Weston. Pretty horse, nice quiet ride and a lovely young trainer (just 18, if I recall!)
To help keep me occupied, along with playing a bit with Sandy again I've decided there's no better time than the present to start riding Dude...or Doodles, as I've begun to call him. There's something about his quietness that spooks me. I'm not sure what or why, but he's very watchful when I climb onto his back and since we know how high that little guy can kick up his heels, I'm just a bit on the watchful side as well! While Darling was riding Sandy yesterday afternoon, I saddled up Doodles and stepped up into the stirrup, first on the left, then the right, just to reacquaint him with the up and down motion of a rider. He was fine, so over his back my leg went. Again, fine.
This boy can flex and would make Clinton Anderson proud. Pick up the left rein and the nose comes straight back to your leg. Pick up the right and the same thing. Makes forward motion a bit trickier when their nostril is buried inside your boot, of course, but eventually we did manage to turn a couple of tight circles, and then a forward step or two finally took place. Five minutes of bending, 30 seconds of forward motion and that was it. Better to climb off once the positive connection has been made and live to ride another day than to press one's luck. Darling did get video but I'm not sure where her camera is at the moment and the darned kid went off to school (where is she when I need her??? What is so important about Algebraic equations, anyway?) But eventually it will make it here for you to see.
In the meantime, why not take a look at Jasmine Ison's finals ride on her gelding, Weston. Pretty horse, nice quiet ride and a lovely young trainer (just 18, if I recall!)
6 comments:
Is that a photo from the corrals this December? That buckskin/dun (I don't remember which) in the front, with the star is pretty. If it's the horse I remember, he was nice looking, a return from someone I think? Originally from Nevada or somewhere other than Oregon?
Yes, that's one of the little duns that was out there. But there were a couple of them so I don't know if this was the same guy or not. I did email Wendy to see if he was still available but someone took him (again?)
From Dude to Doodles, I think I've seen that transition before. Hope your Doodles ends up to be quieter than the Doodles I know. LOL
I'll bet Steve Holt! would have impressed the dressage queens with his beautiful gaits. Too bad he's not up to it right now.
I hope your weather is better than mine today. I'm so frustrated with this stuff I could spit! And I don't want to see anymore snow for at least a decade! Fat chance of that, I'm sure but I can still wish.
Cold and chilly up here, MiKael. White stuff came down this morning but thankfully too warm to stick. Not that it feels warm with the humidity. I agree, it can go away.
It's bone chilling cold here too! It's supposed to be spring but looking more like the dead of winter. I'm thinking the high desert might be a good idea. Heck, I even looked at an ad for a property in Texas. 140 acres for only $750,000. Now if I just had a spare $750,000 I might seriously think about it.
On the other hand, can you imagine moving 28 head to Texas. I'd probably need a straight jacket before it was over. LOL
Hey Tracey could I have more info on the sale please? Thanks so much
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