All About the Cowboys

So I had a really busy week last week.  My Navy unit is prepping for an exercise, it's nearing the end of the fiscal year so everyone is trying to order all those last minute things, I went to a concert, a parade, and a walk in the park.  Whew I'm tired just talking about it and it was last week.

Thursday evening Superhubs and I went out for a rare night out on a work night.  I wisely took the following day off knowing I was going to be really tired, and I also had a mad amount of errands to run that I never can get done during the weekends. One of which was dropping off a horse blanket to get repaired. I don't remember which heathen was wearing it, but someone bent up the chest strap hardware, and yanked one of the straps completely off last winter.  And since I now how two horses to clothe (Superhubs won't let me blanket Cowboy unless the weather is really bad.) I need all my blankets in good repair.

Plus with two Florida bred OTTB's I am definitely going to need some extra clothing for them.  Between Cowboy and Seneca I have one medium weight Weatherbeeta(High Queens), a 100 weight Amigo(Cowboys, or Seneca's on those iffy weather days), a very old and much patched Weatherbeeta sheet, and a very insubstantial Saxon sheet that pretty much only keeps the wind and light rain off. That was an emergency purchase last winter when I realized Cowboy's old sheet was no longer waterproof and was actually keeping him wet and cold rather than dry and toasty.  So I need at least one more 100 weight Amigo, which I love, its tough, and has just the right amount of fill in it.  I sometimes feel like Goldilocks when I'm blanket shopping. That has too much fill, that has not enough denier, those straps are flimsy.  You get the idea.

The concert was great, The Band Perry, LOVE! and Rascal Flats, eh they were okay.  I could have, however, done without the drunk, loud and annoying college girls behind us.  There was an adorable older couple who were rocking and jamming with everyone else. That was cool to see. But half-way through Rascal Flats I fell asleep.  It wasn't that they were that bad, but when you routinely get up at 4am, staying up late becomes really, really hard.

Friday was for errands, but Saturday was all about the cowboys. My cowboys, Superhubs, and his Spotted Beast.  We belong to a trail riding club, and the club does parades from time to time.  Not my thing, if I had something that was absolutely dead broke (Fox in 10 years) then I'd be okay with it but I didn't want to ride. Superhubs did. So I played groom while Superhubs tried to convince Cowboy that going to the parade was a good time.  It mostly worked. Cowboy was pretty damn well behaved for a five year old with not that many rides under his belt this past year.  Superhubs rides occasionally, but because we only had one rideable horse for most of this last year he didn't ride Cowboy much. I hopped on Cowboy occassionally for a riding fix but I was never comfortable there.

The parade went well I got lots of pictures, and Superhubs made it back safe and sound.  Sunday was a non-horse day.  Not that I didn't rub, and love on my horses a bit but I just didn't want to ride.  I did however want to give my dog some attention. Superhubs and I loaded our two canines in the truck and drove to the park for some relaxing trail walking.  The dogs loved it, we loved it, just a good day over all.  Although my short legged Bull Terrier had to take lots of breaks.  He's good for a sprint, but not so much the long distance.

So what's up for us next?  Probably not a whole lot this fall.  But I'm trying to work in some clinics this late fall/winter/early spring.  It depends a whole lot on my work schedule.  I'd like to be prepared enough to take Fox to some very low 18in/2ft horse trials this spring, but we'll see.

Oh and I almost forgot.  I was put in contact with Fox's breeder and they sent me a baby photo.  Sooo cute!

Until next time everyone, keep it between the flags.

Fox on a Field Trip

Sunday's planned trail ride didn't happen, long story, don't even want to go in to it. But I was able to take the Fabulous Fox out for a trail ride with Superhubs yesterday.  Now I may complain about the Spotted Beast. Alot. On most days I really don't like him. But he does have his good qualities.  He loves to trail ride, and almost always the bravest horse in the bunch.  So on the days that he packs Superhubs down the trail safely I forgive his penchant for breaking the gates and ruining my fencing.

Yesterday I got home from work at decent hour, Superhubs had had the day off so he was already dressed and ready to go. So a quick change in to riding clothes and we went to fetch the boys from the pasture.  Here is where my love for Fox really expands.  I tie Fox to the trailer he proceeds to get in to his favorite
"I'm a plow horse" stance, hip cocked, three footed, fourth foot in a ballerina resting toe point. And that is how he stands until I ask him to do something. I think there could be a three ring circus going on behind him and he would still just stand there three legged.

Cowboy on the other hand proceeded his "I'm bored, I'm bored, I'm bored" dance, flipping around, pawing, licking the trailer. Why do horses do that? Seneca used to do that from time to time. Does road dust taste good?  I'm not sure I want to know.

Off we went out through the main gate of our property, Mr. Spotted Impatience in the lead and Fox ambling along behind in his "out for a Sunday stroll" stride.  He did eyeball the trash and recycling cans at the end of the driveway, and sorted huffed his breath (his version of showing his anxiety)at the neighbors five demon Corgis that announced to the world that there were horses on the road.

Cowboy made the turn in to the farmer's fields that we have access to ride next to as long as we don't ride through the crops. And I didn't see it, but when I got there Superhubs had Cowboy in a one-rein stop. Apparently, for one of the first times ever Cowboy spooked at something on the trail.  And then another miracle happened. Superhubs told he'd wished I'd nagged him about wearing his helmet (an on going war) because for the first time he really wished he was wearing it because it gave him extra confidence. Well duh.

But after that the trail ride was uneventful.  We wandered along the soybean fields and we were going to go down by our neighbors who live behind us, but the trail that is usually there had become a weed filled ditch that we couldn't see the bottom of and couldn't decide how deep it might be. We erred on the side of caution and just turned back the way we'd come.

Fox totally ignored everything on the way back including the trash and recycling cans.  In his head he'd seen that threat and didn't need to acknowledge it again. SWEET! The High Queen would have been dancing, jigging and been totally convinced the world was coming to the end. Not that she was always like that but she was not real happy about new situations most of the time.  She had her rare days where she totally surprised me with her ability to take stuff in stride, but that was not the norm.  Fox seems to be totally the opposite.  YEAH!

We're still taking things slow, getting to know one another, and not going off the property yet.  Superhubs on the other hand has decided to take Cowboy out with our local trail riding club on a parade ride.  Oh boy.  I am seriously hoping Cowboy doesn't loose his mind. And I am definitely going to battle with Superhubs about wearing his helmet.  Freaked out horse, and hard road do not ever make a good combination when they meet an unprotected head.  I will be playing groom, hanging out at the trailer and taking pictures. 

Until next time, keep it between the flags everyone.

Baby Needs New Shoes

Today my little Baby Fox had a visit from the Farrier Fairy.  I unfortunately had to work. Who the hell decided it was a good idea to schedule equipment training at one o'clock on a Friday?  Damn you Work Gods, damn you.

So Superhubs, love of my life that he is, stepped in to hold Fox for his very first visit from my fabulous farrier K.  Her word is law and gospel when it comes to my horse's feet.  Her first impression of Fox's feet was not good.  In fact she said she could have quite happily shot the person who put Fox's front shoes on, which I'd requested taken off.  He had thrush, cracks, and the last farrier had put the nails for the shoes in to the sensitive part of Fox's hoof walls.  Which meant that my poor baby Fox had been walking around on feet that were in near constant pain.  K. said Fox was lucky to be sound, and that it was a miracle of his sweet disposition that he hadn't tossed every rider off.  It also makes me think his case of the slows, especially to fences was not because he was stubborn or lazy, but hurting terribly.

Since I tend to spoil my horses horribly Fox got his hideous shoes pulled, feet treated, medication given, and a new pair of Easy Boot Glove Back Country boots.  Superhubs showed me how easy they were going to be to put on, and I hope he's right.  Just in case, and because the Farrier Fairy is awesome, we're all going for a trail ride on Sunday so that K. can show me the ins and outs of the boots.

There is one other thing I have discovered about my new pony.  He has a definite phobia of horse flies. I put both boys out in the side pasture to graze for an hour yesterday evening. After I doused Fox in fly spray I left him with Cowboy to munch on grass.  I came back an hour later to see Fox standing at the gate hot, sweaty and staring at me like I'd lost my mind.  Needless to say he was a little unhappy that I'd put him out in the grass without being properly clothed in his neck to tail fly sheet. It was in the wash.
Fox was not amused.

Keep it between the flags everyone.  

The Fox of Midnight Hill

Thursday afternoon Superhubs and I went to pick up the new horse. After giving my step-up trailer an iffy look he hopped in. Away we went.  We stopped just short of home to pick up dinner and when I went to check the new guy I saw that the hay bag had fallen and was directly under his belly.  I talked softly, touched his leg then pulled it out.  The gelding never even twitched.  I loved him even more in that moment.

After we got home the new guy settled in after a few antics in the pasture. The next day was just grooming and getting to know each other. The day after that I took him for a ride.  I am now the proud owner of the most unmotived TB on the planet.  He is definitely going to need spurs when we start jumping.

Today was the biggest day of all for the new guy. We introduced him to Cowboy for the first time. It was extremely anti-climatic. I thought given the chance Cowboy would come flying up and the squeal fest would begin.  But no. He ambled up, the new gelding warned him off with a lifted hoof and then they began sniffing and grooming one another.  There was some running around later but all in all I see them being best buddies.

Now what everyone has been waiting for. Photos!

Stats:
Registered Name: Thrill Factor
Barn Name: Fox, aka Pony Toes
Color: Deep red chestnut
Height: 15.2hds (He was advertised as 16hds, but he's really not)

And Then I Saw Him

I told myself I really wasn't shopping for a new horse. I was just quietly looking for the fun of it right? Right. I purused the internet with the one track mindedness of a bargain shopper on Black Friday. Every free minute that wasn't taken up with things like my job, superhubs, the farm and all the other things I have going on was spent just flipping through websites. But it was still with the feigned disinterest of a teenage girl trying not to let that super cute boy know that she noticed him.

In short I was hip dip in a large vat of denial. Yes there were still those guilt laden moments when I would glance outside and see the High Queen staring at me from the fence line. I would hurridly close the horse shopping windows on my laptop as if she would know that I was looking for her replacement. But remember I wasn't really "shopping" I was just looking.  Riiiiight.

Twice I actually stepped in to reality and went to look at horses. But they weren't right and I never got that great feeling out of it after I left the barns.

I did really want to try and not get another TB. Not that they aren't great horses, they are. But I wanted something kick along quiet this time and those kinds of TB's are either waaaaaay out of my price range, or rarer than rare to come across.

Google has been my best friend for a long time. A couple of weeks ago I did a random Google search for horse rescues in Virginia. I knew I didn't want to do a lot of traveling to find a horse this time. Among all the other results was one for of all things an OTTB rescue that was less than an hour from my house.  Hmmmm, okay lets just see what kind of horses they have on their website. Remember I'm not shopping I'm just looking.

On the site was a gorgeous, tall, black bay OTTB gelding, and wow what a mover, plus he was already jumping a little. There were a couple of other faces I was curious about so I emailed the adoption coordinator/trainer and asked her about the three that piqued my interest.  When her reply came I swiftly focused my interest on the sort of muddy brown/chestnut fellow.  He hadn't been at the top of my list because at first glance he's not that impressive. But Mr. Tall and Elegant was also Mr. I Need to Be Ridden 7 days a week. Nope, not for me. The second horse Mr. Older, and Experienced was also Mr. Hell Bent for the Jumps.  Nope, again not for me. I was looking for Mr. Uncomplicated More Whoa than Go.

I had already decided to go see Mr. Muddy Chestnut when I found out that the barn that housed the adoption organization horses was going to have an open house.  Well fabulous, no appointment needed, and they were going to demo the exact horse I was interested in.  Double fabulous.

Of course I'm still lying to myself at this point and Superhubs hasn't even taken an interest yet because he knows(16 years of marriage will do that)I am apt to change my mind at the drop of a hat. So I dress in a nice pair of jeans, t-shirt and barn boots then drive the 40 minutes to the barn.  I meet and greet the coordinator and she shows me to the chestnut's stall.  We eye one another through the bars, he snuffles my fingers as I stroke his nose.  He's brought out, tacked up and we go off to the indoor arena where one of the two junior riders gets on and shows off his paces.  Mr. Chestunut's gaits aren't impressive, but there is potential there. I'm already calculating in my mind on how to strengthen him so his gaits will be fancier. His rider asks me if I want to try him. Ahhhh WANT TO WANT TO WANT TO! But I did not bring helmet, or proper boots. It was an open house I didn't think they were going to let the public just hop on.

So I had to decline and walked back to the barn with Mr. Chestnut who nudged and toyed with me in a soft no teeth kind of way.  And I was sunk, I just didn't know it yet.  I also got to watch a demo of Mr. Tall and Elegant which reinforced the fact that he was sooo not for me.  One of the junior riders brought him in to the arena where he proceded to eat the mounting block. I stepped up to hold his head wherein he decided to try and bite me. Repeatedly. Then he showed off his expressiveness under saddle. As in I am going to buck, and invent monsters in the corner because I'm bored. Pass.

 I talked to the coordinator and the trainer a little while and made an appointment to come back. The next day rolls around and this time Superhubs takes an interest and decides to go with me. Bless him because he did something later that day which would help me convince the trainer that I hadn't lied on my adoption application. We tack up Mr. Chestnut head to the arena I get on and proceed to wander around at the walk and trot, checkin to see if he steers well, if he'll move off my leg(I truly hated the saddle I had to ride in, completely put my leg in the wrong place, and the stirrups were two holes too long). I halted, circled, changed directions, and we hopped over some cross rails.  He's still a little hesitant about the cross rails, I mean he goes over, but I don't think he's done it too much so he's unsure about it.

Then we took Mr. Slowpoke out on a little after ride hack, Superhubs and the trainer following next to or behind me.  On the way out the gelding was fine, easy, calm, relaxed.  On the way back, we still don't know what happened exactly. It could have been the bugs, it could have been evening feed-itis, it could have been a test to see if I was worthy of him.  But he spooked and bucked. I don't think he was trying to buck me off, more that he spooked, I pulled back on the reins and he had no where to go.  He did stop when I asked him to(one rein stops are good and all knowing), so I didn't think much about it. 

The trainer on the other hand was freaking out a little. Apparently, and sadly a lot of people lie about their riding ability on their applications. Of course when they come out to try the horses the liars are weeded out. When I did my application I hesitated over Intermediate or Advanced rider.  Because there are so many interpretations and I never like trying to promote myself as something I'm not. I see myself in general riding as a high intermediate or a low advanced rider. So I marked Advanced on the application thinking they meant general riding not like competition level riding.  When the whole bucking spree started(in reality he crow hopped twice) the trainer freaked, and looked at Superhubs. "How can you be so calm?" She asked him. To which Superhubs, bless him, said. "She knows what she's doing."

I eventually got off Mr. Chestnut and walked him back because he was still agitated, although after we hosed him off he seemed calm and unruffled again.  The trainer got waylayed so Superhubs and I walked Mr. Chestnut in to the barn ourselves where I swapped his bridle for his halter. I fed him carrots and he nudged and played with me like the day before. Then he lay his muzzle on the back of my neck like a horsey kiss.  I melted right then and there. Of course Superhubs(whose Spotted Beast has tried to bite me a couple of times) says "Don't let him bite you."  I don't think Mr. Chestnut has those kind of naughty thoughts.

The trainer was apprehensive about whether I would still want to adopt Mr. Chestnut. He had a baby moment, he's six and only been off the track a little while. It was late afternoon, hot. muggy, buggy. And he did stop when I asked him to didn't blow through my aids and take off. So I forgave him, gave the trainer the nod, and just like that I had a new horse.

You Never Know What You'll Find

When you can't ride because either you are temporarily horseless, or your partner is still on the injured/lame list you often find yourself attending clinics. Because if you can't ride the next best thing is to either help those who can or watch them.

An eventing friend had posted on Facebook about an upcoming clinic with a Grand Prix dressage rider. I'd never heard of this particular rider but he was giving the clinic at a farm literally around the corner from my house with the added bonus that it was at the farm belonging to the dressage instructor that my friend took lessons from and that I had been looking at taking lessons from when I get a new horse. So wanting to kill two birds with one stone I decided to go.

The farm was lovely and had a unique barn layout that I hadn't seen before. It was two small center aisle barns connected by a breezeway.  Interesting.  Not only did the owner have a beautiful dressage arena complete with footing and mirrors but there were the most adorable donkeys hanging out with the pastured horses nearby. On top of that the owner cooked mini-quiches for the riders and auditors.  Yes we like this woman!

All the riders were great, and I really enjoyed seeing my friend's new young horse Teddy whom I had heard about but hadn't seen.  Teddy is an OTTB who had a rough time of it because he was extremely slow, and thus got the short stick on everything including meals.  My friend said that he'd gained at least 300 lbs in the six or so months she's had him.  Knowing that its a little scary to think about what he'd looked like when she got him.  He has the typical greyhound look, a lovely head, and lovely if not extravagent gaits.  When he gains more strength and muscle he'll definitely pick up points in the dressage. His issue right now is that he's four and still all leg so he's trying to figure out where to put everything when asked to move out.

The clinician Alex Robertson was kind, insightful, and knowledgeable. Plus he and the farm owner both, contrary to most of the straight dressage riders I've known showed a definite love for the OTTB.  I didn't learn as much as I would have liked, but this wasn't for a lack of trying. I learn by doing most of the time, so its hard for me to watch and get a complete understanding of how to X to get Y.  The other part of it was that I met a new friend.

Another friend of Kate's who can't ride due to a horrible hand/arm injury she got a few months ago came to the clinic as well.  As we got to talking I realized that I'd read her story about how she got her injury on COTH.  Let me tell you I thought my ankle injury was bad,  A's injury was fifty times worse. So bad I couldn't read the entire story because it was just too hard and I didn't want the images in my head.

But we talked horses and OTTB's, and pretty much just clicked.  So it goes to show you that you never know what you'll find at a clinic.  As a parting note I am an amateur photographer and took some great shots I'm going to share.

Keep it between the flags everyone.

There Isn't Always a Happy Ending

Before you get all freaked out nothing happed to either my two horses, with that said a story from the past that came back to haunt me.

Several years ago I leased an AQHA mare from a woman that we had bought an ApHC mare from for superhubs(he has an obsession with Appys). I fell in love with this mare. She was 14.3hds of the sweetest mare I have ever ridden. She started me in eventing since she wasn't scopey enough for jumpers, or fancy enough for hunters. The kind of horse that is willing to go anywhere, and do anything.  Plus she loaded on any trailer in any conditions(Giving the High Queen the evil eye right now).

I tried to buy this mare several times, but the owner wanted an outrageous amount of money for her. So over the years I kept trying to buy her, the owner kept asking a massive price, and I continued to cyber stalk this horse. I even tried to buy her after I already had the two horses I currently have. But it wasn't to be.

For a couple of years I put my cyber stalking away and concentrated on my two horses. But as I am half heartedly looking at new horses I decided to do a random google search on the owners name.  Not only did her name came up, it came up in an ugly way.  In 2010 she got reported for animal cruelty and 33 of her over 53 horses were seized.  In 2011 she was charged, spent some time in jail(NOT NEARLY ENOUGH) told she couldn't ever own horses again(she shouldn't be allowed to have even a garden slug) and told to sell or rehome the other 20 horses that weren't in as bad of condition.

I freaked. What happened to my mare? Was she okay, did she have a new home? I contacted the rescue that the first 33 were sent to and they kindly checked their records but my mare wasn't among them. Sucking in all my anger I emailed the previous owner, thinking sometimes it takes awhile to rehome that many horses. She didn't have my mare, and I couldn't bear to ask the hard questions.

My hope is that my lovely girl got a new home. Someplace where she is loved, and spoiled as I would want her to be. I hold on to that hope even with the dark things that can and do happen to horses everyday looming in the back of my mind.

Awhile back when I told everyone I was retiring my beloved High Queen my younger sister gave me this half horrified look and asked what I was going to do with her.  I blinked, totally confused.  "Do with her?" I asked.  My sister asked if I was going to sell her, or give her away.  I blew out a little breath and calmly quoted the line from Sea Biscuit. "You don't throw a whole life away just because its a little banged up."

Unable to ride Seneca or not she has a home with me forever.  This is why I can't lease horses I grow too attached and don't want to give them back.  I wish I had tried harder to talk my AQHA mare's owner down to a reasonable price. I wish I'd had the money she wanted for her. I wish so many things, but most of all I wish there weren't so many horrible people in the world that don't realize the kind of life they subject an animal to when that animal has no choice.

Before I made that fateful Google search I had set up an appointment to go look at two mares this weekend. Both are strangely enough AQHA mares. One is a little buckskin that has had little handling and isn't broke. The other is an Appendix mare that's had some riding time on her. I felt almost guilty, and for awhile I wasn't sure I was still going to go. But I realized no matter how much I missed the little sorrel mare from my past she was gone and I had to let her go. I had to move forward. There are other horses who need love too.

Keep it between the flags everyone.