Riding Jack

It is so difficult working with someone else's horse. I went to work with Jack the horse today.

I had to get one horse out while trying to contain two other horses. I had help at least.

I get Jack out, I pause, then I take him to the trailer where I learn how to use the blocker tie ring. It's easy. I brush the horse and clean his feet. He's real nice about picking up his feet. Jack is acting a little jumpy.

Jack didn't like the fly spray idea. Nice neighbor is saying "He isn't usually like this." Okay, maybe I am a bit nervous since the horse is a bit nervous.

We get him into the round pen to settle him down. The neighbor gal is saying "Don't say Shhh" to him because that means go faster. WTF? Most people just cluck. Anyway, the horse was doing good in one direction and not the other. They found me a whip instead of the rope to swing at him.

Now, I decided we would do it my way. Every time the horse turned without me asking, I turned him back and got him going and took the pressure off. That finally got him to go consistently in the other direction for awhile.

It is weird working with someone else's horse. I wanted to have him back, turn fore, turn hind. Back, lead forward. Just to have us on the same page. They were "Enough of that. Over doing that."

We used my new saddle and saddled him up. That took some time because the cinch had to be adjusted, the flank cinch didn't fit so it came off and the breast strap was just big enough and I had never done one of those before.

Owner ran him around a bit, tightens cinch more and says Want to get on?" I'm good, no. My trainer and neighbor lady are like "Really because he's ready after all of this."

Okay, I have to get on from the fence. Never done that before. Once on Jack, I felt pretty good. We checked the saddle for stirrup length and looking centered. She goes, let me check that cinch and she tightened it up way more. next time let us check that cinch an extra time before I climb on!

Seriously, did not do too bad. My stirrup banged on the fence and Jack started trotting and I did not pull on the reins in a freak out manner! I managed to steer with basically my feet and not a lot of using the reins. The horse whoa'd for me. He didn't like backing but I got him to do it. I clucked once to get him to walk faster and he started to trot because I clucked.

At the end, I got the horse to sidle up to the fence and then I got off. I am going back next Sunday. Both ladies felt it was my nerves that caused Jack to be a bit flinchy. They think I talk too much and hand out too much praise and didn't pet him hard enough. Okay, we'll try strong and silent next time.

It is strange being with a horse that round pens different than I am used to and has signals a bit different than I am used to but Jack was actually very cooperative despite my nerves. The horse never came over the top of me. Never tried to do bad horse things like scrape me off on the side of the round pen or rear up, or kick at me or different bad, scary horse things.

This is the first time I have successfully cinched up and used this saddle because cinching is where Tanka was exploding. I have a bit of PTSD from that I think.

I told the gals thank you so much for being there for me and helping me so much. I know I got nervous but I don't know how to get over being nervous except to go forward and do it!

Sorry, no photo. I was so busy working on all I need to work on, I just forgot.

Jack, the neighbor's horse is mine to ride when I want to

Alrighty, I went and saw the mare and just as I suspected, not working for me.

She was cute and pretty. Trainer says "Well, pretty is as pretty does." I knew she meant the horse had kind of bad manners/attitude.

Trainer noticed the leg had ring bone. Also a scar on the shin bone.

No one had a saddle. Someone said "You getting on her?" I said, "You first." Trainer says, "It is customary for the person who owns her to show you what she can do first." I had to say it twice. "I'm not comfortable getting on a horse that I haven't seen ridden first. I really am a beginner. Not going to happen."

She was a tiny horse. 15 years old. 30 days of training a couple of years ago.

I couldn't have ridden her anyway. I'm too big. On top of that, the horse had its ears laid back a lot. She did overall seem sweet. No biting anyway. No kicking. Just moved away. But not well trained and didn't want to do what the nice lady asked her to do.

The horse loves carrots and apples and got plenty.

The gal that rides the horse [but not since last fall] wasn't there. The horse was certainly rusty.

I am not looking for a project #1. Horse is too small #2. Horse is not being worked at all for quite some time. #3.

I tried really hard to be super nice but firm. Not really the horse for me.

These gals want their friend's horse to find a nice home. I get that. They know a lot of people in the area so I will write a nice thank you for thinking of me and tell them what I am actually looking for.

Let's hope the gelding tomorrow is closer to what I need.

Guess who didn't buy a horse today? Yep, but......I stopped and talked with the neighbor. I rode Jack once awhile back. She is willing to help me out by letting me ride Jack . No lease, just come down with my trainer and ride him. She is a nice lady who doesn't get to ride as much as she would like. She has another horse she likes a lot.

She doesn't want to part with Jack but I can come over once a week [or more] and ride him.

My trainer and I were talking and she said "You know, you looked so happy and relaxed on Jack. Maybe we should talk to Kathy about leasing or buying Jack."

I am going to have to figure out what her interests are and get her a nice gift.

I did go see that gelding that was for sale. I did get on the gelding. He challenged me a lot. I did not feel really happy being on him although I did do well. The horse did a bit of trotting and I didn't fall apart and I convinced the horse to slow down and go my way but....he's just a bit too much for me right now. :) He kept being sideways when trying to turn him or even going straight. It's me that doesn't know how to ask right but I didn't think it would work out. I didn't feel endangered but I didn't feel relaxed and comfortable either. I declined to go out on a trail. This would have been a better horse for me in a year from now.

I am thrilled that I can just take lessons on Jack and Brownie the Wonderhorse [the trainer's horse] and keep learning to ride.

Question I posed online

I am going to look at a couple of horses. One today and one tomorrow.

Horse one is a mare who has had not a lot of training, said to be sweet and has been ridden. She will probably not cost much.

Horse two is an older gelding, plenty of training and will cost a lot more but is said to be beginner friendly and in great shape.

Taking my horsewoman friend with me to both appointments.

Of course, I might say no to both of them :)

What would you do? Spend the money on age and wisdom or save money and train the horse or get it 30 days of training [which I have to pay for] so the horse can learn leg cues and such?

Bear in mind that I am a 58 year old beginner.

My friend Penny's new filly

Cutest photo of my friend's mini horse filly just one day old :)

Spring

We have the garden rototilled and plans toplant this upcoming weekend.

We are buying an automatic gate closer.  The dogs got out again.  This time it is strictly due to the gate being left open by Michael.

Last time it was due to the gate being left open by me for guests.  The dogs got out of their enclosed backyard and through the gate without me knowing it.

The whole deal will cost about $700 but well worth it if we can keep those dogs in!

Pony Baloney

Pony Baloney has been on magnesium/calcium/b-vitamins for about 3 months now. I also started giving him a complete vitamin with selenium about a month ago.

I'd say he is starting to feel better. He totally gave me the Pony attitude and kicked his heels at me when I shooed him off at mealtime.

Some work in the round pen and a bag on a whip are in Pony's future :)

Tanka is missed on Carson James

Hi guys, I am doing fine. I just took a riding lesson on Brownie the Wonderhorse today. I'm planning on another riding lesson next week. I'm watching for another horse. I miss Tanka and Karen and I discussed him today. She was the gal that was with me when Tanka passed away. I told her what I thought happened. I read online that two horses had died from strangles in a town near us. One of those "I heard it from my farrier" and now I'm posting it on Facebook things. Don't know if it is true. I told her that she didn't know at the time but I had already decided that if Tanka had another really bad day of saddling, I was calling a halt to our mission and rethinking the Tanka situation. She said she had a premonition that something was going to happen that morning and had brought an emergency kit with her in her truck that included a knife and some cotton rope and such. But she was stunned over the whole thing, had never seen anything like it and couldn't sleep that night after it happened. I knew when I got a horse that it could die on me but I never thought it would be like this. I felt that Tanka had a lot of heart and tried hard for me and I feel triple that knowing now how he was sick. Thank you so much for asking. What a sweet group of people