The sun came out today for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Not only was it out, but it was almost feeling warm...you know, like spring!
Darling said she had a hankering for wanting to ride Steve Holt!, so after she was done in the round pen, I went outside and snapped a couple photos of her crossing the creek. They didn't end up being much good, at least not in terms of something that could be used for marketing the big goober boy. But this one made me giggle, what with the big splash he made!
Darling said she had a hankering for wanting to ride Steve Holt!, so after she was done in the round pen, I went outside and snapped a couple photos of her crossing the creek. They didn't end up being much good, at least not in terms of something that could be used for marketing the big goober boy. But this one made me giggle, what with the big splash he made!
After a few months off, Darling has come to the realization that she doesn't really want to give up horses...but she does want to switch back to western, and Steve Holt!, fun as he can be, is simply not a western type horse. And further more (she told me), she's going to have to start over from the beginning, because we do mustangs, and that means getting one from the corrals.
Sigh...teenagers. Simply can't keep up with them.
Steve Holt! and Darling aren't the only ones getting back into the swing of things. Today I saddled up Tika and climbed on board for the first time in a month. Because I had about two whole minutes before needing to leave, I decided it was best not to temp fate by climbing on in the round pen, but rather did it inside her paddock. Not so much room to bounce around in there. Of course, there wasn't so much as a flinch of a bounce.
Seriously...it was only 2 minutes. A couple turns left and right, a couple of stops. Just enough to let her know that it's time to return to work. Or maybe enough to let me know that she's not forgotten what we're doing? Either way, she was fine, and I look forward to many more sunny afternoons.
After pulling off the saddle, I decided I had just enough time to play with a little toy. At some point I'd like to be able to use clippers on her, and this little massage tool seems to be a nice transitioning tool. There's just enough vibration and noise to get a horse's attention, but no clipper blades to accidentally slip and cut a horse if they jump. Tika is none to sure of anything new that approaches...heck, a new brush can send her screaming backwards down the barn alley...so I figured this little do-dad was a perfect way to get her into the right frame of mind.
It took about five minutes, but once it was on her neck I was able to run it up and down, concentrating on the area where her brand is (in case we should ever need to shave it), as well as running it down her back and shoulder area. She was tense, but stood quietly. I'll need to practice with this a few more times, I think, and then maybe I'll pull out the clippers and see how we fare.
7 comments:
Glad to see she doesn't want to give up on horses :)
Hope you can find a good home for SH! :)
So what /are/ you going to do with Tika? Are you going to keep her? What all horses do you have at your place now? Did you ever find Mike a horse?
I swear sometimes that Cody was domestic in another life. The first time I ever attempted to use clippers on him I showed them to him, rested them on his neck, turned them on, rested them buzzing on his neck and then proceeded to trim bridle path and under jaw hair and stuff. That took all of five minutes. I haven't used them all that often, but just last night I had him in the barn aisle and trimmed bridle path and fetlocks and just dropped his leadrope on the ground and he just stood there. I love my pony :)
Have you had any interest in Steve Holt!? He's such a nice horse, I hope he goes to a good home. He'd make a great pony club horse.
That little pink massager looks like a handy tool, bet Beamer would love it!
she is such a good girl!
I haven't had any trouble desensitizing to clippers. I just keep massaging them until they're relaxed enough to try clipping.
LMK if you know someone interested in a BLM mustang project horse. You can see him on Heather's site www.ironridgesporthorses.com. He's a second chance horse named Nakai. He's gorgeous.
Frog, for now Tika is here...but you know how that goes. If some day she's ready to leave, she'll let me know and maybe I'll be able to part with her...but for now, she's a fixture :)
Shirley, so far we've not really done any advertising outside of letting y'all know here, and facebook friends. I'd like to get him out on a couple of long trail rides and have him looking a bit better than his shaggy winter self :)
Blob...yes, she is!
Leah, I'll check out the mustang and pass the word along :)
That is great that Darling wants to continue with the horse thing, once the bug hits, it doesn't stop!
I am sure you won't have any problems finding Steve Holt! a home, he is awesome and I will also keep my ears open!
What a good girl!!
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