Tucker Time

Tucker Time.

Hit my first road block with Tucker and now I am wondering if it isn't because I had him cinched up a bit too tight and the new blanket was pressing on his withers a bit too much. I need to trim the withers hole I made to a wider width.

I saddled and got the bridle on Tucker pretty quickly today. I think Tucker was impressed. I walked him around and cinched him up a second time like usual.

My first time trying to mount solo and it didn't go smoothly.

I walked Tucker up to the mounting block.

Tucker would not stand still at the mounting block for me.

I walked him in a big circle and tried again and again and again.

Trainer showed up on Brownie the Wonderhorse. and I still wasn't on the horse :)

She suggested backing up to the fence so he would quit backing every time I shortened the reins to get on. After a couple of tries like that and moving the mounting block to be next to him instead of moving him to be next to the mounting block, I managed to hold him still and swing on.

This was my first time going out with another horse. We circled around in the home pen a bit, the trainer opened the gate and I followed her out to the big arena pen. We followed one another around the big pen and then walked and talked while riding beside each other. Very cool.

I felt more relaxed this time in the saddle. Totally awesome.

We came back to the home pen playing follow the leader over the log fan.

I had a great success at lining up the horse for the dismount. I pulled up to the mounting block but he moved to the side too far away. I side passed him to the mounting block. He got too far away in front so I pushed his front over using my foot into the front position. I told him whoa and I swung up and off, holding myself steady for a moment and then gently stepped down and got my other foot out of the stirrup.

I told Tucker what a good job he did.

I see some groundwork in our future. That will include stepping up to the mounting block and holding still

Rode 2 hours

Finally Tucker Time

Pony and Wiseguy are keeping an eye on the new guy.


I am very happy to report I finally got out there and worked with Tucker again.

Between the heat and the projects and the company picnic....and maybe my concern that I am working with a new horse and that is a little scary??? Just keeping it real. :)

This morning I separated the three horses into three different pens so we could make sure no one gets too buddy sour.

Wiseguy bucked and farted and shook his thick mane.  So cute.  I worked with him just a bit in the round pen and he told me I am not really the boss.  I told him I thought I was. :)

Pony stayed in the home pen and banged on the rails with his foot because it makes him mad when his friends leave!

I took Tucker out to the big arena pen.   On the way there he was looking around a lot.  I asked him to go over the bigger logs on the way to the big pen.

He called for his friends.  He saw Wiseguy bucking and farting and that inspired him to do some trotting, galloping and whinnying.  So, that was good that he got out to run.

Before I got Tucker back out of the big pen, I walked him at the end of the lead.  I  asked him to watch me and stop when I stopped.  I backed him up a number of times.  I am working on him maintaining my bubble.  I felt I had his attention more by the end of a few minutes of doing that.

I asked Tucker to walk over the three big logs and the smaller fan of logs on  the way back from the pen.

I ground tied him to turn off the sprinkler in his pen.  I ground tied him inside the pen to go get the mounting block but had to put him back in his place several times.

I lined him up at the mounting block and he did it perfectly.  Wow! That's what I want.  I got up on the mounting block and gave him some love and he held completely still and did not move his feet.  Yay!

Groundwork 1 hour

Team Tucker

Team Tucker did so good yesterday evening.

Tucker is very nice. I got him saddled before the trainer arrived. She adjusted the saddle up another inch but other than that, everything was good.

Tucker was trying to move around a bit when getting brushed and saddled. I kept saying "No you don't. Hold still." and putting him back where he started. He finally held still.

Tucker lined up with the mounting block pretty easily but the trainer had to get his but to move over. We are teaching him "Come to me" and tapping with a stick. He should pick it up pretty easily. I got on with very little assistance in the form of a head holder.

We doodled around the home pen and then out to the arena. On the way there we tried to do some skinny logs but we got kind of messed up on the fan of logs. He was just too big for that lay out.

Into the arena where we walked and we jogged!!!!! I was supposed to try posting but never quite got there. The horse trotted but I couldn't seem to get my feet back and and lean up. Another day.

Jogging was awesome. I was able to ask him to slow down but still keep jogging. That was cool.

I had trouble communicating with Tucker sometimes and he would just stop moving. I know this will get better as I get some practice. He got going again easily.

Also, Tucker stumbled just a bit once going at a walk. I did not get super scared. That was a nice bonus.

On the way back, Hubby and the trainer rearranged the logs into a wider fan shape. Tucker did pretty good but let his feet touch so we went back the other way. Better. Back one more time, his foot didn't touch a log and we called it good and headed for the home pen.

I got Tucker lined up to the mounting block on the second try. With no one helping to hold the horse, I got off wonderfully and skillfully and gracefully while Tucker held steady as a rock. He also held still and helped me get off the mounting block. Such a good boy. Felt good to look like I knew what I was doing and that Tucker was so good about standing still.

The trainer said "Can you hear me? I am complimenting you and you are not reacting." I smiled really big and said, "I can hear you!" I was concentrating so much on jogging and steering that I didn't react but my ears were working.

My shoulders felt much more relaxed. Trainer said the horse looked collected some of the time that I was riding.

The evening was warm, the sunset soft and lovely. My Hubby was out there with me. The horse looked pleased with himself. A wonderful time riding.

Tucker settles in

Tucker has settled in nicely. Tomorrow evening I am having a riding lesson.

Tuesday, Hubby is having a riding lesson.

I ordered him a contour pad so we can give back the pad that we are borrowing. I can use my old pad on the bottom but it will need to be cut out where his withers are.

I also ordered the three step mounting block which should be here by the weekend. He is a tall horse and the two step just wasn't tall enough.

I am telling him he has to stay out of my space when I bring food.

Tucker is sweet but feels impatient that I am not taking him out riding today :)How do I know that. He mouthed all the blankets and sniffed the saddle while I was measuring the contour pad and headed to the gate :) Too hot for one thing and I am not going to ride alone until we know each other better.

Saddled Tucker by myself and Hubby rode

I

We went out to work with Tucker about 8am. Looks like there might be thunderstorms today. It is 84 degrees at 10am.

I brushed Tucker, fly sprayed him, wiped his face with a damp paper towel with some fly spray on it. He didn't like the paper towel but he did good with his face being wiped.

I got the blankets on, the saddle on, tightened the cinch, walked him around, tightened the cinch. Got his bridle on including cavesson.

Hubby walked him around by one rein, I tightened the cinch one more notch. Hubby walked him in a big circle, walked to the mounting block while I stood in the right spot to encourage the horse to keep his butt near the mounting block.

Hubby climbed on and did a good job. He rode him around the home pen, out through the gate "Duck!" and around the round pen in the yard, over a couple of logs and out to the arena through the narrow 4 foot gate.

Did arena work for about half an hour. Out through the narrow gate, back around the yard, into the home pen. Around the home pen and then up to the mounting block. Tucker got himself lined up nicely. Hubby climbed off and we were done riding.

Off with the bridle, the saddle and blankets, some brushing, some ointment for his dry spots on his legs.....a couple of carrots and some hay and Tucker is set for the day.

I am so proud of myself. I saddled up all by myself :)

PS - I think the saddle is not rubbing him anywhere.

First time for me riding Tucker.  He is very  sweet.

Had a blast. We rode in the home pen and then went out into the yard to the arena area. Tucker is already learning to stand close to the mounting block. Tucker was careful not to bump me when we went through the 4' gates. When I got off, I miss stepped a bit but Tucker stood like a rock while he "caught" me as I slipped of the mounting block. He looked quite proud of himself for saving me.

Rode 1 hour

Michael rides in the sunset

Michael got on the horse tonight and he did a good job. First time on a horse since he was a kid.

I was impressed when he got off by using the fence.

Tuck is a wonderful horse.

We think we have a good tack set up for him now although we do need longer reins. That horse has a long neck!

Not training related but important. We think we got the right combination of blankets for his sway back and high withers and a bridle that works. We do need longer reins.

He picked his feet up and let me clean them. We brushed him. We do need to teach him to stand like a rock at the mounting block although he wasn't terrible.

We tried different blanket combinations and we much have taken that saddle off and on 8 times but Tuck was really good about that.

He loved his carrots at the end.

He is a fairly vocal horse who whinnies when he sees you coming around the corner and he has a deep nicker when the hay is headed his way. He does stand and wait for the hay to get thrown now that he knows that is important.

My turn to ride tomorrow morning.

Rode 1 hour

First full day at our place for Tuck

I wonder if he feels comfortable in his new home :)

I finally got some alone time with him. He really is a nice horse.

I found out he loves being scratched on his withers.

Wiseguy and Pony are checking out the new guy from their new pen.

Tuck arrives

Tucker is home. He is okay with the goats and the dogs so far. He definitely has his priorities and they are eating.

Wiseguy and Pony Baloney are busy looking at their new home for any blade of grass they can find. There isn't much because this is a desert!

I made the Tanka horse pen bigger with 4 - 8' panels and put the little guys in Tanka's old pen.

I put Tucker in the little guys home pen. It will be easier to move a big horse like Tucker from that pen and take him out to wherever we are going. Tucker has goats for his neighbors.

Tomorrow I have to work but I will come home and brush my big guy and get to know him.

Still looking but...

Still looking but I have a good candidate to look at tonight.

Horse search...Barbie

Still looking. The people with the gelding that didn't have someone to ride it never called me back to say when the niece could ride it. That one is out.

I have one prospect to look at tonight. Grade mare, light palomino, 15 hands, 10-11 years old. The kid is into team roping and this horse is too small for him to use as a header horse. They are selling so his kid can keep doing high school rodeo on a bigger horse.

Man says his kid learned to ride on Barbie. Says Barbie came from California and has a lot of training on her by previous owner [including Clint Weaver training].

Claims the horse is good on trails, been to rodeos, not afraid of bunnies and plastic bags. All the usual.... good to trailer, good with feet, etc.

His kids have been riding Barbie lately because he hurt his back and it hurts him to ride.

At least this candidate has been ridden recently.

The price is a little high for a grade mare but there is always the chance there is some negotiating room.

After seeing the horse.

Barbie was good in some ways but not good in others.

She is owned by people who think the horse knows a lot but the horse is not that well trained.

Barbie also was acting like she wanted to bite when getting cinched up. She is a bit of a head tosser. She had some sort of bumps in the cinch area. We didn't look at them closely so can't say for sure what they were. She also would probably fight you if she didn't want to go your way [from how the guy described riding her.] She was very forward in the trot. My friend didn't think I would enjoy that.

She was very calm in the wind which was a good thing. The kid rode her and she did not buck going into the lope.

I rode her. She also forgave me for not getting the signals quite right a couple of times. She stood like a rock to be mounted and dismounted. The price came down some but, since she wasn't quite what I wanted, we told him I would think it over. She is still overpriced. IMHO

The funniest thing was, we asked him if this was his first horse. "No, Barbie is my second horse. My first horse I got ripped off by some guy in Reno. Can't remember his name." I said, "It wouldn't be Ace, would it?" The guy says "Yes, that's his name. Do you know him?" I said "No, but I have talked to him before." Ace is trying to sell a horse online right now :) I guess we won't be going to look at one of his horses.

me riding Brownie the Wonderhorse

I was so much more relaxed today!!!!! This is me on Brownie the Wonderhorse.

We are working up to trotting by learning how to stand up in the stirrups tonight.

I was thrilled to actually feel relaxed while on horseback.

I will be riding Jack the horse on Sunday.

The contrast between horses is interesting. Brownie is very well trained. Jack is a nice horse and has some training.