City Boy goes Car Shopping

Or...
I'm Not Spoiled, My Husband Just Loves Me!

City Boy's been wanting a new car. Not that we buy new...not any more. City Boy now loves chasing the deal, finding the car that suits his needs & whimsey as well as his pocket book. If it's not below blue book in price, it doesn't sit in our driveway.

Recently City Boy and I had a disagreement. What it was about, I do not recall, but I do know I gave him the cold shoulder for a couple of days. When he finally had a day off, he asked what would make me happy.

"Easy. Gimme a thousand bucks."

"Why?"

"I want a new saddle and I can't find one in my price range."

To which I received a grunt and roll of the eyes. Hey...it only seems fair if he gets a new ride, so do I, right?

City Boy informed me he was heading south to look at a car and would be late getting back. I had to run and get some hay. After the hay, I ran a couple of errands. I spotted City Boy on his way home while I was out. He'd taken Geek Boy along with him in case he came home with something new, but it was just the two of them in the same car.

When I got home, this is what I found:

It's a Crates Reiner, only ridden in once, and to tell the truth it's cleaner than one I'd been looking at recently at the tack store. I'd found a merino fleece cinch recently as well as a fleece pad, so once Steve Holt! is healthy we'll be ready to roll!

I'm not spoiled!

My husband just loves me, that's all!

So City Boy was set back a little in his car fund. On Saturday we decided to go to the auto auction here in town as he'd seen a couple of used BMWs on the list of vehicles being offered. He wouldn't go as high as blue book for two reasons; first, the auction yard tacks on an additional 10%, and second he wanted to make sure he had a little left over in case there were mechanical problems needing to be dealt with.

We were amazed and a bit dismayed as the bidding began. People were not caring what the vehicles were valued at and some of the nicer cars that were up early went for above their valued listing. It didn't appear we'd be waiting it out, as City Boy was certain he'd not get any of the vehicles on his list. But since they were going through roughly 10 cars every half hour, we decided to hang around and see how it all played out.

There was one BMW in particular that City Boy liked, although he wasn't fond of the color (silver), but it seemed to be getting a lot of attention from several folks. It blue booked at $9000, but ended up selling for $11,000! Crazy.

As the cars began to dwindle, my attention began to slip to the other side of the lot where there was a row of pick up trucks. My old Ford really struggles to make it up the passes and I'd love to find something that had a little more power. City Boy followed my gaze and groaned. Together we walked over to them and I pointed out a couple of newer Fords (you know, only 10 years old as opposed to my 20 year old.) He looked them over and decided only one of them was worth considering.

And so it was that we stuck around until the trucks began to sell, and City Boy raised his number not once, but twice when 'my' Ford was on the block...

We didn't win.

Two trucks down was a Dodge. I don't do anything other than Ford simply because it's easier to tie into the whole mustang theme and I'm always looking for ways to hook up with sponsors. But City Boy told me that truck would pull my trailer, and he quickly pulled up blue book on his cell phone (yeah...he's got the internet on his phone) and five minutes later we were the proud new owners of a '98 Dodge Ram! And City Boy is still without a new car.

Darling thinks it's pretty nice inside

But I am NOT spoiled!
My husband just...

Okay, okay...I'm spoiled!

Boots and Saddles

The other day City Boy took Darling and I out to look at boots. We happened to stumble across more than that, however, down at the Bony Pony. I couldn't resist a walk around the store and peeking back in the corner where saddles are stacked from floor to ceiling. The smell of the leather just draws you on back...plus I had to walk around a bit in the boots to make sure they fit, right?

And as it would happen there was a lovely saddle begging me to haul it off it's rack and plunk it onto a stand where I could sit in it...because of course I had to see how the boots looked in the stirrups...right? Not because I had any intention of buying it.

Oh, you can stop rolling your eyes now, City Boy!

Darling also found a little saddle that she rather liked, and before you could say Bob's Your Uncle, both saddles were coming home for a test ride. Darling just got new boots as well, you see, so we both needed to know how they'd work (really, it has nothing to do with wanting new saddles!)

Unfortunately, the saddle that fit me my boots so well is a bit on the heavy side for Sandy, and I simply cannot justify spending the money on a saddle for Steve Holt! when I don't know if I'll be keeping him or not. So today I'll make the drive and place it back on it's rack and take joy in watching Darling in the saddle that she's planning on keeping.

Oh...you may want to hit mute before watching...Darling did something funky and ended up with the music playing twice and overlapping. Crazy!

Where's My Face Rake???

This was the way we raked the Sandy...

I delved into Sandy's files this evening to see what kind of things we were doing during week 3 of training and came across this photo. Two major differences can be found in between my two boys. First, Sandy is in mud while Steve Holt! is in snow. Second, and more importantly...where is my face rake??? That little rake was a wonderful tool with Sandy as allowed me into his space from a safe distance as well as let him feel pleasure at the same time.

I've no clue where it's disappeared to. Thankfully, Steve Holt! has been able to cope without it. Getting close is only a problem when catching. Once he's on a lead, he allows me a lot more liberty within his personal bubble.

Steve Holt! had just one work session today. I hadn't really intended to work him much at all, just wanted to lead him out for a bit of trotting time at the end of the lunge line so he could stretch his legs a bit. Of course, even play time is learning time at this point. Pulling off his blanket allows him to once again experience something coming and going from his back. I also manage to work in a little bit of face handling.

In the end I couldn't resist hauling the saddle pads out and plunking them down on his back, followed by the saddle. He's back to moving around a bit, but he's getting the hang of it. Doesn't he look handsome???

I want to thank Jessie for the prize I won over at her blog! I never win anything...this is a most wonderful surprise. It's also inspired me to do something similar here. While most of us love to see and read the comments, I think I'm going to change things up a bit and ask for something else. I love to see those little icons showing up, listing those of you who've signed up as followers of this blog. As I'm typing, that number is at 34. I'd like to see it at 50! So once we (you and I) hit that number, I'll draw a name from the list and offer up an 8x10 photo of your choice. You know...like one of those pretty wild pinto pony photos. So if you've not signed up as a follower yet, now would be the time. You don't even need to have a blog to do it! To get a better idea of some of the photos available, visit Mesteno Wild Horse Photography.

PlaceThis Here

Before we get into todays progress with Steve Holt!, I'd like to take just a moment of your time to introduce you to a couple of young men named Kyle and Nicolas.

Kyle was diagnosed last summer with an inoperable brain tumor. He was just seven years old. Kyle, his brother Nicolas, and their family have been through quite the journey this past year. To the left is a button that will take you to Kyle's blog, and from his blog another link to his mother's blog. I'd strongly encourage you to visit.

A cool thing is happening up here right now for Kyle and Nicolas; people are taking an extra moment of their time and sending them a Christmas card. It doesn't matter if it's a corporate card, a post card, or something you've created by hand. The boys are just excited to see the different cards come in that show support.

Since I'm not one to list somebody's address publicly on a blog, if you'd like to join with others and send a card, just email me and I'll get you Kyle's address. Don't know my email? It's there, to the left, just a couple inches down from Kyle's button.

Now...on with the show!

This morning dawned far too cold...again! I've been giving the horses and sheep additional hay so that they've always got something to munch on in an effort to help them stay warm. This leads to full bellies and a lack of energy, which is a very good thing for me.

Jet, Sandy and Dude were out in the field when I went to work with Steve Holt! this morning. I looked at them out there, all swollen and fat and sleepy, and decided to lead Steve Holt! out to the round pen without first capturing everyone else. They were on the other side of the pen, after all, and Steve Holt! was also had a belly full of hay, so it should go smoothly...right?

Right. It did, with the exception of one little bobble. Steve Holt! questioned my judgment concerning entering the round pen. He stopped and looked at me. I stopped, too, and explained we needed to come inside. So he did. I pulled his blanket off and let him trot a few circles before trying to put it back on. My fingers were getting cold, and he wasn't cooperating, so I ended up putting him back into his paddock without his winter jammies.

A couple hours later I ventured back out and was happy to feel a warmth in the air that's been missing the past few days. Made our second training session a bit more enjoyable. Again Steve Holt! questioned whether he should enter the round pen, and this time I stepped back out and along side of him, which got him moving rapidly inside.

As I'd walked towards the round pen I picked up one of those big blue drums that he's always wanting to stop and visit. He didn't mind me packing it alongside him, and he rather enjoyed walking up to it, bumping into it and making it roll around the pen. I had him lunge a few circles, and we worked on moving from a trot to a 'Whoa!' and a quick turn in the other direction. This is the sort of thing Steve Holt! is needing right now. He's smart, and we're not getting a whole lot done on this frozen turf. For today it was just enough to get his mind sharp, and I tossed not only the felt pad that's been hanging on the round pen rail onto his back, but the old saddle as well.

Can You Let It Out at the Shoulders a Bit?

It's a lovely saddle, really. Old, probably from the 40s or 50s according to a few different saddle tramps. Well made, too. I had Curt take a look at it to see if it was worth the proposed trade. "Whoever made this was a saddle maker," was his response after turning it around, looking it up one side and down the other. In Curt speak, that translates to a master craftsman.

The rigging is set far enough back that pressure isn't being pulled straight down from Sandy's shoulders and withers, which is a good deal. The gullet is high enough that it doesn't sit down on those same withers. The problem is the width of the gullet. Just 5", it pinches at the shoulders.

So in other words...as pretty as it is, the trade of my current saddle for this one is a no-go. Sigh...poor Sandy will be a pinto before I've found him a good fit, it would appear. He's roaning out over his back and his withers on both sides have huge white patches coming in from our ill fitting saddle.

I spent an hour with Curt the other morning in an attempt to better understand what Sandy and I needed. Because Sandy has big 'pockets' behind his shoulders where his back hollows out, saddles tend to slide back and put pressure further back on the shoulders. For instance, the photo above shows the shoulder spots, which are 2-3" behind where a 'normal' horse would have a saddle pinch. In addition, because he narrows out so much behind his shoulders, the saddle creates a bridge along his back, lifting up off his spine before coming to rest again above his loin.

Okay, so that much was easy to deduce on my own based on his white spots. However, how to best fit him has had me running blind. After tossing both the Billy Cook and the old Adams on his back, Curt had me put three different saddles that he'd custom made on top of Sandy's back. Two were no where close to the right fit. The third was as good as he said we would likely get. Rather than being narrow at the shoulders, which I'd misunderstood as something I needed to get lift off his withers, I needed wide. Wide and flared if I could find it. 7" minimum, but a little wider if it came along.

But wide alone isn't going to cut it for Sandy. No, he also needs high to accommodate his withers. Now, not only do I get to ask sellers if they can measure the width of the gullet of the saddle they've got listed, but I ask them to measure the height as well. Then I get emails saying "I have no clue what you're asking," as well as, "Who's your source? You can fix all problems with a good pad"...oye vey.

To help others help me, I took a couple of photos and have been sending them out to multiple ebay and craigslist sellers in an attempt to educate them and decide if their saddles will come even close to what I need.

The saddle below was measured at 7" wide, but it was measured from the outside of the leather. You need to measure from the inside, where the horse's shoulders are, in order to get an accurate measurement. When I got it home, it was too narrow. Note to self...always carry a tape measure when going to look at saddles!

So what's a Funky Backed Gelding to do? Well...Ideally I'd have the money to purchase the tree, have a saddle maker carve it out to fit Sandy's back, then send it back to have it wrapped in bullhide, then the saddle making process could begin. That's probably not going to happen.

Curt suggests we find some of that memory foam that will create good cushion and mold to Sandy's back until we can come up with what we need in a saddle.

I ask you...where would Sandy and I be without Curt?

Saddle Up, Mate!

I've been in contact with a gentleman named Rick from Huckleberry Stables in MO. He'd spotted a post of mine somewhere along the line bemoaning my saddle fitting woes and offered to help. He deals with Timberline Saddles, which from what I gather are pretty top notch. And I wasn't gathering that just from Rick, but others who have known Timberline. Rick tells me these guys are the old, original Orthoflex folks who got together and wanted to keep that great saddle going.

Rick has asked for photos of Sandy so he can identify what the problem might be. He's sent me a pad for him at no charge and is keeping his eye out for a used saddle that is inside of my beer budget. I think I really like Rick. Not only did he go out of his way when I'd never even contacted him, not only has he spent countless hours emailing and answering my often ridiculous questions, but he's sending me a pad! Or did I mention that last part already? I think it's just grand, really I do. I love when people are so willing to help out others that they don't even know. And you know I'm not about to let that kindness slip through the cracks, so y'all are hereby ordered to send Rick a thank you note on behalf of me and Sandy :) Here's his email for you! hucklebe AT olemac.net Of course you'll need to replace that AT with an @, but I'm sure you knew that already.

While I'm waiting on my pad to arrive and for a test drive in one of those super sweet Timberlines, I've been out and about testing countless saddles without a whole lot of luck. The ones that were for sale did not fit...the ones I tried on that fit were not for sale. Life is not looking good in terms of saddles. But I did come across an older Aussie which, despite being a bit beat up, seems to do the job.

At least...it does the job on Sandy. On Jet it leaves a wee bit to be desired. But again, super customer service from yet another saddle distributor, Kate's Saddle Supply. I'd emailed, again moaning and groaning, that I had no clue how this saddle was supposed to sit on my horse. I'd read it should sit farther forward than a western saddle, but that was so not what was happening. A kind man by the name of Tim was right on top of things and phoned the following morning offering to help. Heck...I'd only suggested they put photos online for people like me who need that visual aid. No way did I think they were going to call and start talking me through this on a cheap, beat up saddle I'd bought off Craigslist!

But they did. Or rather, Tim did. And it was wonderful! He asked me to send photos so he could see what was going on, and then he sent some back showing how level it ought to be and where it should fit. He suggested getting something to bump up the front of the saddle while riding Jet, even a terry cloth towel (how nice not to have him push sales) ought to do the trick. He recognized the saddle brand and model, said it was one of the economy saddles and that the padding often worked it's way to the back which then shifted the weight up to the horse's wither. And that's exactly what happens on Jet.

Oh, and in the picture? It's sitting too far forward. And not to worry, he says, when it slides back while riding as it will undoubtedly settle in the right place to stay out of the way of her shoulders. Just as long as it's not sitting on her loins, which it didn't when I rode her in it the other day.

So although I've not found the perfect saddle quite yet, I'm happy with this little Aussie, mates, and will be riding my Brumby up into the hills while whistling the tune to Snowy River. (No, not really, as I can't whistle! But I'll be humming it off key...)

Cowgirl Up!

Okay, maybe not quite yet. But soon.

Firecracker didn't mind in the least having the saddle tightened up around her belly. She was more concerned with the stirrup sliding across her back, but no bolting out from under it like last time.

I've managed to somehow pinch a nerve in my shoulder and it hurts like mad. No cleaning, no training; nothing but tossing hay in the past couple of days. As you can see by the footing, we've had a great deal more rain and things were a wet mess. Late in the day, however, the clouds parted and today there was blue sky and sunshine! So it was back to work for both FC and myself.

I must say I was really pleased with her acceptance of the cinch. Hopefully the worst of the winter rains are over and we'll be able to dry out some. I'm also going to order gravel this week to build it up a bit in there. Hooray! Perhaps that will help keep things a wee bit drier in there?

Sponsor me in the Mustang Makeover!
http://Desperate-Horsewife.blogspot.com

Join the Hay Burner's Club and donate $15 towards Sandy's upkeep and I'll send you a 5x7 photo (once the horse is here, of course.) Or buy advertising space in the form of a button.

She LOVES Me!

Doesn't this face just have love written all over it? If you're a clever reader, you'll realize this photo has the old halter on, though, and is from Firecracker's earlier days here. Not that it matters, I still get that look.

I recently attended a Ken McNabb colt starting clinic and was reminded of this lovely shot of FC when he told us, "My mom always used to say we could call her whatever name we wanted as long as she never heard it come out our mouth." Pretty much sums it up for the attitude here. Dirty looks are one thing, but I'd better not ever see those teeth coming at me!


In the rain yesterday, I dutifully went outside, put the halter on Miss Love Bug here, and then followed up with the saddle blanket. Barely any reaction at all. Well...barely any for her, that is. She still had a look of concern, but allowed me to approach without climbing the round pen rails. Major improvement over the day before. I pulled it off, put it on, pulled it off, put it on, then reached over the back to pat the opposite side and rub on her barrel. All this was done with her ears twitching nervously and her teeth clenched. But she didn't bolt out from under it, so I went on to phase two... Or by now, perhaps it's phase 22?

The saddle has been sitting on the rail of her stall for two months. Of course, so was the blanket, and we know how well she accepted that. I wasn't sure what she'd say to me carrying the saddle up to her, but she stood (relatively) still, a bit of a tremble, but not darting out away from me. She let me rub it on her shoulder, barrel, then lift it over her back. She wasn't happy about the entire situation and showed just how uncomfortable she was with it when I crossed to the left side, as she swung herself around as quickly as she could, leaving the saddle suspended in air only briefly before it came crashing down into the mud.

Saddles eat Mustangs, you know.

Attempt #2 went smoother. She again stood relatively still and allowed me to place the scary thing up onto her back. I crossed to the other side with no problems this time and rocked the saddle back and forth. Tense, but no bolt. I led her a few steps forward so I could grab my camera and got yet another "I love you this much" photo.

And I might add...have you noticed the pepto pink is gone? Hey, it stayed up until this morning, officially Valentine's Day. But like most of you, I just couldn't stand it anymore! Happy Valentine's Day, everyone, and hopefully your ponies will offer you the same love FC offers me. Okay, maybe a bit more :)

Sponsor me in the Mustang Makeover!
http://Desperate-Horsewife.blogspot.com

Join the Hay Burner's Club and donate $15 towards Sandy's upkeep and I'll send you a 5x7 photo (once the horse is here, of course.) Or buy advertising space in the form of a button.

Cut Back Built Up Saddle Pads

So here it is. The saddle. I wasn't happy with the way it sat on her as it was too close to the withers. I knew that as soon as I sat down on it I'd be crushing her. Not a good thing for any horse, but especially not a youngster that you're just starting. It'd do no good to have her sore and crabby before getting out of the driveway.

I'd wanted to return it, but the seller didn't return my phone call. Lack of common equine courtesy; most folks would be willing to refund your money within 24 hours for something like poor fit. The fit is just too important. They'd had a second saddle for sale, so even if they didn't want to refund money, a call saying I could try the other saddle would have been nice. But since they didn't want to play by fair horsemanship rules, I began shopping again. I didn't feel bitter, just as disappointed.

City Boy saw an Aussie listed in Marysville, so on Monday evening I started the trek back down in that direction for the second time in three days. On the way I stopped at some friends and told them about my saddle dilemma. Curt suggested I hang on to the saddle as it was well made and I'd gotten a good price. Since Jet is a two year old, he said, her withers and shoulders were going to fill out and that saddle would likely fit quite well, not to mention I'd be hard pressed to find a narrower one. In the meantime he suggested I pick up a saddle pad with cut back withers and built up support in the shoulder area to lift the swell of the saddle up.

I had no idea they were making built up saddle pads. I'd considered a cut back wither but didn't think it would be enough. But with the extra lift? Yes, that should do it. So I've got one on order. You can see how closely the saddle fits over her withers in this photo. And get a load of that orange paint! I've no clue what they were doing...perhaps they'd planned on painting the entire saddle for hunting season???

The weather was pretty good all last week, giving me an opportunity to saddle up and ride Jet nearly every day. What a wonderful feeling! It's been years since I've had my own horse, and even longer since I've started one of my own. Jet is the perfect step back into the horsey world; she's taking everything in stride.

I've been keeping the horses off the pasture for fear of them totally tearing it up, not to mention it needs some time off in order to grow back for spring. But after a week of work for Jet, and since it was a nice afternoon (and since they wouldn't leave me alone inside the paddock while I was cleaning), I decided a couple hours of play time wouldn't hurt. Jet and Sunny raced back and forth and had a grand time!
Quiet Storm got tired of their hijinx. She's not one to get involved with the silly games of other horses. She's a mosey-er, preferring to take life one slow step at a time. She's also jealous of camera time! There was no way she was going to allow me to photograph those horses playing all silly like when her stunning beauty was right there for the world to see. So she stepped in front of the camera to remind me just who the star of the show really is.

That's it; watch me do my runway walk.
I am beautiful!

If you've not visited the Wild Horse Rehab site yet, or if it's been a while, please pop in and let me know what you think. I'm also working on getting a sister site done which will be the Store...definitely still a work in progress, but pop in and let me know what you think!

Desperate Horsewife

Wild Horse Calendars now available!

Trot your horses, please, trot...

I rode Jet four times over the past week. Saturday I thought I'd try to get her to trot, but she wasn't real sure she could do it. A couple times her gait sped up, but as soon as I released the pressure she was back to her walk. Sunday I was determined to bump her up a bit. She finally took a couple of trotting steps, but they were almost like half-trot, half-walk. A tralk, I suppose.

Being the considerate, polite girl she is, I think she was just concerned I was going to fall off. No...really it was just a balance issue. Those first couple of tries at a new gate often leaves a young horse concerned that they're not going to be able to do it with a rider on their back.

Jet lifts her shoulders and tucks in her head in a manner I'm unaccustomed to with my quarter horses of the past. At first you get the feeling that she might buck, and unfortunately my reflexes were just fast enough to begin to react, which brought her to a stand still. You've got to appreciate a horse who stops when confused rather than running off in a bucking spree of confusion. When I realized what I had done, I made my self relax and just let her go. That helped, and I managed to get a few true trotting strides out of her.

The saddle is still a problem. I bought the Billy Cook, but it doesn't fit. The seller never called back when I left a message asking if they'd allow me to return it; I guess that's a no. So now I've got a perfectly good saddle and a perfectly good horse, but they don't go perfectly well with each other. Which leaves me with the small saddle that barely fits and puts me in the market for a saddle once more. I've got a call in to someone about an aussie saddle. I've no clue what I'm looking for, though, with that type of saddle. It helps when you've seen several and can get a feel for what's good and what's bad :)

Desperate Horsewife
Wild Horse Calendars now available!

Up, Up, and Away!

Darling cinches up the girth

With my working on Sunny and Jet, Darling once again began thinking of mounting her filly, Quiet Storm. She hasn't been on her since the first time, which was when? About a month ago? So out into the pasture she went to fetch up her horse.

Typically, Quiet Storm is pretty laid back. Actually, laid back might be just a little on the excited side for this girl...she's got the energy level of a door stop more often than not. Which means I haven't got to worry too much about Darling, who's just 13, working around a two year old. She can bring her in, tie her up, groom her and saddle her up without my intervention. However, when she hollered over to me, "I suppose you won't let me get on without being here?", my answer was something like, "You bet yer sweet patootie I need to be there!" After all, a two year old with a second ever mounting? Doesn't matter how laid back they are, mom is going to be there. Mosty because y'all said you wanted pictures next time!

So I came over and noted that as Darling was leading Quiet Storm around before mounting she appeared a little lighter on her feet than usual. Darling agreed, but the filly was still far more sensible than most. Which is why it took both of us by complete surprise when she began bucking as Darling tried swinging her leg over top of the saddle. I grabbed the reins (actually the lead rope) and told Darling to get off, but of course it took a couple of jumps before Darling's feet both hit the ground.

A bit shaken, I decided that Quiet Storm should do a bit of ground work right then and there. Darling climbed the fence rail and took over the camera. A couple of circles and we were back in action.

Quiet Storm practices her merry go round look

I climbed on first, just to be sure she wasn't going to do anything stupid. I didn't want to; I'd hoped Darling would be able to do most of this on her own. But reality is as reality does...or something like that. I'd rather not have my kid get scared this early in the process. I got on, tried to get her to take a few steps, then dismounted. Forward motion isn't Quiet Storm's forte for the most part, and obviously that little buck was a fluke. Still, I was concerned that Darling would be nervous.

Turns out I needn't have worried, as Darling was eager to jump back into the saddle. The filly stood there like an old broke plow horse once again. We've no idea what set her off the first time. Perhaps seeing that the pig had been moved from the trees to alongside the paddock? Maybe. Whatever it was, it wasn't a problem any longer. Darling was in the saddle, Quiet Storm was quiet once more, and I got a picture for the scrapbook.

Second ride; Darling on Quiet Storm

I just love an uneventful ending, don't you?

Jet was a bit nervous about my attempt to mount from the ground yesterday, stepping away and backing up a couple steps.

Because I'd been able to get my leg across her back while standing on the rail the night before, I decided to climb the fence again and slip onto her that way. She was a lot more relaxed this time and stood still as I sat there scratching her neck.

I didn't try to make her walk anywhere. Just got off and led her to the center of the paddock. I tried again to mount her from the ground, and again she stepped away. This time I didn't give up, but gave it a second attempt, which ended up successful.

So ends the uneventful story of mounting up for the first time. I just love an uneventful ending, don't you?

The sun came out yesterday...

I've complained long and hard about my muddy footing here. We sit on clay, so even with the slightest rain things can get mighty slick. I've been toying with the idea of creating mud skates...you know, rather like ice skates, but for slick mud? The winter mud was bad enough; it got up to three inches deep at one point. But it was far easier to navigate than this slick stuff I've got now.

Which is why the sunshine is so welcome, and I hope it stays dry for more than just a couple of days so I can utilize my paddock. I can't very well send horses trotting around in it if they're likely to slip and fall now, can I?

The slick mud had me hesitant to saddle up Sunny, as I wasn't certain how she'd react. I didn't want her diving off the deep end, so to speak, and getting herself hurt. As previously mentioned, I've not worked a whole lot on tying her due to her head shyness, but yesterday figured I'd see how she reacted. Not a problem. I realized I didn't have my camera with me, so ran into the house and left her there. Came back and she was just fine.

Grabbed the saddle, wondering how she'd react to being tied and not able to circle me as I approached with it. She dove backwards as expected, but once she hit the end of the lead rope, she stood and accepted first the blanket, then the saddle. And with things going so smoothly, I had reach under her for the girth. She stiffened up, but tolerated every move I made. The saddle was cinched up just snug enough for it not to slide around if she jumped. Sunny stood there like a pro; not really enjoying it, but not having a hissy fit, either. I let her stand and relax a few moments, then untied her and led her around, having her turn on both fore and hind quarters, letting her become accustomed to the feel of the girth around her middle.

Not a bit of anxiety, so I took it a little further and lifted my foot to the stirrup. Now that got a reaction! She dove off to the side just as quick as you please. I scratched her neck and talked to her some, reached my foot up again, and once again she jumped. I had her nose turned to face me, but of course that didn't keep her tail from turning! But on the third attempt she stood there and let me put my foot into the stirrup while rocking the saddle a bit.

I'm not really sure if I'll mount Sunny and ride her. There's a part of me that wouldn't mind at all climbing on board by the end of the summer. But another part of me says 'leave it for the person who wants to adopt her'. There's something magical about being the first one on, especially when you can say you were the first to mount a wild mustang. Especially if you're a kid, and that's likely Sunny's destination. But for now she's going to be working on all things from the ground.

Spurred on by my successful workout with Sunny, I grabbed Jet from the pasture and decided it was time to saddle her up completely as well. As you can see, she's horribly troubled by that spooky old saddle on her back. Yes, she is. Look at that wild, frightened eye there!

Okay, so she didn't get too worked up, not even when it got cinched up. She did lift her head and look out of the corner of her eye at me, wondering what the whole thing was about. But she didn't object any more than that. On both Jet and Sunny, I took my time getting that girth cinched up. I let them feel my hand under their bellies first, then drew the girth up underneath, rubbing and letting them feel it before I began tightening it. This is because I don't want to be caught somewhere in between loose and snug enough to keep the saddle from slipping should they suddenly panic.

A horse I had years ago panicked when she felt the girth tighten up. My mom had been holding her, but the horse bolted right out of her hands. Thankfully, the saddle was tight enough not to slip around the horse and end up under her belly. That taught me two lessons; A) take things a little slower, getting the horse accustomed to the feel before pulling it up tight, and B) never have my mother holding the horse when they're being saddled for the first time. Okay...B could just as easily be having the horse tied securely to a post :)

But back to Jet. She was wonderful. The saddle was tightened up just enough. She dropped her head so I could rub it, and we began walking around the paddock. I rocked the saddle back and forth, swung the stirrups and let them bounce back to her sides. She didn't care. I even gave her a pat on the rear end, something that would have sent her to the moon a month ago, but she didn't mind at all last night.

Which, of course, led to putting a foot into the stirrup.

And you know me, I just can't leave well enough alone. I led her to the paddock rail. One of the things I like about being able to pony a young horse is that you get to mount up onto that other horse with your youngster right there. They get accustomed to seeing you go up and down above their head. But with no riding horse available, I decided to make use of the fence.

Jet didn't mind my being up above her head at in the least. And you know how badly I want to ride...so...Two things popped into my mind at this point. City Boy was at work, so if for some reason I should get tossed off there wouldn't be a responsible adult at home to pick up the pieces. Then there was the little issue of a helmet...which I never used to bother with, but Darling is required to wear one, therefore I must set a good example. Ah...so close, and yet so far!

Now...if you've managed to get this far in this lengthy post today, I'll let you in on a little something. Over at Carpenter Creek I'm hosting a caption contest. Offer up the winning caption and you could find yourself the winner of a free T Shirt. But...it's only one, Wednesday, so better hurry!

I want to ride...

...I want to ride so bad I can taste it!

I haven't spent as much time with Jet as I would have liked to, mostly because Sunny has taken so much of my time. Jet gets petted and patted (she likes to be stroked and didn't like that thumping of the hand), she gets out to visit Pig (someday I'll need to take pics), and basically just hangs out at my side as I walk around the yard. It's been enough for her to settle in and relax, as the thumping of the hand no longer causes her any concern.

A week ago I decided to pull off my jacket and toss it onto her back. Fueled by a successful session with Sunny, I also brought the saddle out and set it on her. As I mentioned before, she was more interested in the grass beneath her feet than the saddle upon her back.

I just came in from ten or so minutes with her. Same sort of stuff, just walking around, over the tarp, then standing at the rail. I tossed the blanket and saddle up there; just the second time it's been up but the first time without her grazing. She actually had to absorb that a foreign object was perched atop her back. She looked at it, but wasn't frightened. Not at all the sensitive baby she came home as six weeks ago.

I rocked the saddle back and forth, dropped the right stirrup down, then the girth. Interest, but no major concern. Like Sunny, she's a little ticklish behind the elbows, but I reached under her belly and brought up the girth. I didn't tighten it because with the past few days of rain the paddock is nothing but slick clay. We were outside in the yard, and I didn't figure I'd take the chance of her jumping away should she spook at the feel of it. I could have tied her, but then I'd have a torn up yard, and if you knew how particular City Boy is about his lawn, even alongside the horses, you'd understand :)

But with the saddle sitting up there, I did climb the rail and sat above Jet's head. I wanted so badly to be able to swing my leg over her back!

A little more ground work~and a few days of sun to dry up that paddock~ and I'll do it. She's ready from an emotional standpoint. A nice easy walk around the paddock...I can feel that old saddle beneath me already.

You just can't even know...

...how puffed up proud this makes me feel!

I sure wish this horse were four inches taller, as there's no way I'd part with her. As much trouble as she's given me in terms of learning to trust, she's just so remarkable in too many other ways. Totally tense and tight, she let me drop that right stirrup down while she leaned into me for moral support.

Yes, that's right, she leaned into me! Didn't take off forward and try to escape, but pushed up against me as though making sure it was going to be alright. At that moment I was glad she wasn't four inches taller, lol! Normally I wouldn't like a horse getting so up close and personal, but for Sunny? I'll tolerate just about anything!

After the stirrup was dropped down I led her around the paddock. You can see the girth is still sitting atop the saddle; she's just a wee too cinchy and I didn't want to push her too far. I did rub my hand all over behind her elbows, however, while the saddle was perched on top of her and I think we'll be able to tighten it up before too long.

When I took Sunny on, it was as a resale project. After that expensive hoof trimming I doubt I'll ever get my money back out of her, but she's taught me so much in the meantime that it's worth it. I've never had a horse so riddled with fear, but given time to develop a bond and trusting relationship have made all the difference. I can't imagine what Sunny's life would have been had she ended up with some heavy handed trainer that didn't want to give her the time and space she needed. Undoubtedly she'd have ended up lashing out in fear and someone would have been hurt, and she'd have been labeled another untrainable mustang. I'm so happy to have her here, and pray that I'll be able to find her the perfect home when she's ready.

Just foolin' around!

Darling and I drove to Arlington today to watch a bit of a reining show. We took tons of pictures, but this is by far my favorite :) Actually, this poor horse had his mouth wide open far too much while his owner was out warming him up. Too much bit, too heavy a hand. Sad, really. He looks like a carousel horse in both Darling's and my photos.

Sunny and I had a good day. Early this morning I went out and put the blanket on her back with minimal fuss. Picked up the saddle and, although she watched a bit nervously, she allowed me to set it up onto her back without jumping away. I had her take a few steps, then crossed over to her right side and put the stirrup down. Remember, her right side is her weak side, and the sight of the saddle going over her back gave her the heebie jeebies without the stirrup. But this morning she allowed me to bring it down and then once more followed me around the paddock.

Tonight I went out and she didn't even step away when I went to catch her! That is an all time first. Probably won't hold true again tomorrow, but I was happy enough about tonight. I led her through the trees and down the road where I let her graze while I sat in the grass watching baby grasshoppers. All in all, a very good day. She even let me stroke her muzzle without objection.

MiKael, hope you had a terrific open house today!

Saddle up!

It's not much of a saddle, as saddles go. It's old and in pretty tough shape. But the tree is still good, and the stirrups aren't going to fall off any time soon. It's just not the prettiest saddle on the block, that's all. If I were to show up to any sort of organized event with it, I'd likely get laughed at.

Still, it has it's purpose. I'm certainly not going to toss a fancy $2000 saddle up onto my youngsters, not knowing if they'll just stand there placidly or try to kill it. Quiet Storm was frightened when she first saw it, but once she'd looked at it a couple of days, it wasn't nearly so bad and she allowed it to plop down onto her back with little fuss.

Sunny, on the other hand...

Sunny's seen that saddle for a couple of months, now. She's really not cared one way or the other when we've moved it from rail to rail out there in the paddock. (Another great thing about this saddle is I don't feel guilty leaving it sit out in the rain!) And since she's been handling the saddle blanket being tossed onto her back without a big blow up, I got brave and decided now was as good a time as any to toss that old saddle up onto her back as well.

Now, Sunny still is apprehensive about me getting close, so don't go thinking that we've somehow, miraculously, moved into the placid old mare stage since our hoof trimming experience earlier in the week. No, not at all. But we didn't lose any ground, either. She still likes to circle me a few times before I can catch her, and she still lets me know that she's not 100% comfortable with what's going on. However, I see no reason not to push her a little further outside of her comfort zone.

So there we were, finished with the Sunny Two Step. I had a short lead so that she couldn't jump too far away. The saddle blanket was in place and I led her to the rail with the saddle. Once I picked it up, she snorted and jumped backwards. I let her begin circling again until she could come to terms with the saddle in my hands. When she finally stopped I set it on her back.

Before I could really set it down completely, Sunny bolted as far as that 12 inches of lead rope would take her. It was far enough for her body to come out from under the saddle and have it land on the ground at my feet. Her eyes were wide, but she stopped as soon as the saddle was off her back.

We did it again. And again. And again. Three times Sunny jumped out from under the saddle. Three times she looked at me like I was crazy, but didn't let fear take her to the point where I was unable to work her. So up went the saddle a fourth time, and this time Sunny stood still. Apprehensive, yes, but still. The right stirrup was up over the horn of the saddle so that it wouldn't bump her right side, but it did squeak and she wasn't too fond of that. But she tolerated me rocking the saddle back and forth a few times without bolting, and within a couple of minutes the horrible leather monster was off her back.

Sunny has survived her first session with the saddle. She's terribly sensitive when it comes to being touched behind her elbows, so it'll be awhile before any cinching goes on. But I'm quite happy to have been able to at least get this far.

Fueled by my success with Sunny, I brought Jet out into the yard and tossed the saddle blanket on her back. Then, up went the saddle. Her response? Mom, I'm trying to get at this green grass and clover...could you give me a little more lead?

Mount your horses, please!

Friends

I came home inspired to ride after seeing Ruben this weekend. Of course, I've got a pasture full of two year olds, so no riding for me. However, Quiet Storm was certainly in need of some additional ground work, so I picked on her.

Now that Jet and Sunny can go out into the pasture, I can bring Quiet Storm into the paddock for some training sessions, and saddling is one of those lessons that needs learning. She'd had the saddle sitting on her back before, but never tightened up. Darling and I saddled her up for the first time on Thursday, tight girth and all, and she behaved herself beautifully.

So now that I was inspired, I went outside and began asking her to flex and give, pivot on the front and back, and back up. She was pretty darned good at it; she keeps her hind end planted when pivoting on the hindquarters and crosses over nicely with her front legs.

And since she did it so well so quickly, there wasn't much else to do, so I grabbed the saddle. About this time Darling came out of the house and wondered (for the bazillionth time) when she'd finally be able to ride her horse.

Now, as I said, Quiet Storm is just two. Darling knows that it'll be at least a year before much light riding happens, but I did tell her she'd be able to mount up later this summer and perhaps take a walk around the paddock or field. However, when I answered her question with, "As soon as you get your helmet on," she was just a wee bit surprised!

Which means we've entered a new phase of training here. Darling is learning now how to make Quiet Storm move and respond from the ground so that when she mounts up and really begins to ride, the horse will know what's expected. In the meantime, an occasional trip around the paddock will fill her need to get on her horse as well as start a foundation of trust in Quiet Storm.

I love you, too!

Of course...I'm still without a steed to fulfill my desires to ride...

Countdown...

Sunny didn't skip a beat while I was taking time off to heal. I was so pleased with her! While she still isn't an easy catch, I'm just as likely to be able to walk up to her right side as her left. She's currently playing hard to get, but at least when I do get her, I can move onto her right side with little resistance.

At this rate, I'm certain she'll be allowing the saddle at some point this summer. I still may not be catching her easily, but some horses you just never can. She doesn't appear to want to be your best friend, like Quiet Storm does, but she's very responsive and she let's you know she's fond of food with soft nickers when she sees you near the paddock. At least she's not totally stand offish!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the paddock fence... Quiet Storm has become adjusted to the fact that the saddle will be sitting on her back. Gone are the jumpy, fidgety two year old antics. Instead, she's adopted the "I'm so totally bored" pre-teen attitude. I've yet to cinch it up, just getting her used to it being lifted on and off, with the stirrup flopping down on the other side.

Er...somethings on me.

I think you misplaced this. Doesn't it belong on the rail next to Sunny?

Yes, I know I look danged good...but I looked good without it, too!

Notice anything different about her neck? The mane used to fall on both sides, but Darling has been spending time grooming and putting it into pony tails. That mane is thick enough for two horses, so she's got quite the job cut out for her. The Monroe adoption in next weekend and we hope to bring Quiet Storm along with us. Darling wants her looking her best, and folks love to see those brands!

Speaking of the Monroe adoption, I think I'm going to offer a contest to celebrate! I'm not sure what I'm celebrating, aside from the fact that it's close enough for me to commute back to my own bed all three days. That is definitely worth celebrating, as I sure can't afford to be an hour from home and pay for a hotel with uncomfortable beds!

So...I'm going to give away a t-shirt! Leave a comment this week, on any post between now and June 2, and I'll toss all the names into a hat (the cowboy variety) and draw the lucky winner while I'm in Monroe. And be sure you're popping back in over next weekend, as I'll be posting pics of the horses as they unload as well as videos of them in the corrals.

Image on t-shirt

Want a sneak peek at what will be there? Click the link!

http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/whb/whb-photos.php

And if any of you live in Western Washington, why not stop in on Sat or Sun and say hi? I'd love to meet you!

Ups and Downs

It was a good weekend...sort of.

The saddle was set onto Quiet Storm's back last week, and Saturday I brought a long piece of fabric out, tying it around her middle to simulate a girth. She didn't mind, standing tied while I worked with Sunny a bit before being led around.

Sunny made an huge decision. She let me touch her right side! And not just a brief touch, either. I scratched under her mane, on her withers, and part way down her back. I was on an incredible high.

Yesterday morning, Mother's Day, I began feeling tingling in my arm, pain in my chest and upper back, and feeling just a bit nauseous. It was 4:45 am when I got City Boy up and had him take me to the ER. They found nothing with the EKG, but the results of a stress test this past Thursday looked 'mildly abnormal', they told me, so they wanted to do an angiogram.

The results were good, my arteries are 'beautiful'. But...no lifting or anything else for five days. FIVE days! I'm devestated, of course, because I don't want to lose that time with Sunny. But since there's an incision opening into an artery, I suppose I'm going to have to do as they say. Wouldn't do anyone any good for me to bleed to death after all this, eh?