Racing Stripes (Intro)...or "How To Do EVERYTHING You're Not Supposed To Do!"

One of the first litanies a newcomer to endurance is told is this:  Do not try anything NEW on the day of the ride.

And, what do I do?

Throw that utterly and completely out of the window and do my own thing.  Because I'm kinda stupid that way.  Don't be like me kids.

Well, okay, so I'm not totally being fair. 

And, let's back it up.

Wednesday night, I actually had the truck and trailer COMPLETELY packed and ready to roll in the morning except for my 2 coolers.  By 9:15pm.  This NEVER EVER HAPPENS.  Usually I'm not done prepping until about 11pm. 

I had also made arrangements with T.M. to caravan up on Thursday.  We planned to meet in Jarrell at 8:30, grab breakfast, and then make the long drive up together.

So, I was up at 6am on Thursday, tossed food, etc, into the coolers, ran them out to the truck, took my last shower, and grabbed the ATV and drove out, grabbed Strider, put him into the trailer and was pulling out of my gate at 7:08, 8 minutes later than planned, but still with enough time to stop for diesel AND for ice.

Both tasks done, and I'm officially on the road....and get to Jarrell and our meeting point at 8:15.

PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM USUALLY A FEW MINUTES LATE!!!

It was crazy!!  But nice.

So, wait for T.M., and we find that McDonald's inside is closed for remodeling.  FINE!!  We drive our rigs through the drive thru, and then we're on the road for the first leg, and 2ish hours of driving.

And driving.

And still more driving.

We finally stop, I top my tank off (because, why not?), give the horses a break and a snack, take a potty break, then wait a bit for this family who left the nozzle in their car while they all went inside, effectively blocking T.M. in.  *sigh* 

FINALLY we're back on the road again.

Driving.  More and more driving.  WHY AREN'T WE THERE YET?!!!!!

Nope, keep on driving.

So, we finally hit the turn off we need, and we follow the instructions for people who are coming to the Priefert Ranch from the south.  We turn left...and we drive.  And drive. 

Now, I'd done this drive 2 years ago, and I did not remember going this far.  HOWEVER, we'd seen a rig that, we both thought, was an endurance rig, so, we think we're going the right direction.

But the further we go, the more wrong things feel.  And then I see a sign pointing to the left to go to Mt. Vernon.  Except, as we'd come up the interstate, we'd passed through Mt. Vernon. 

No.  This was wrong.  I had T.M. pull off, and I pulled up the Priefert Manufacturing on my phone...to realize it was almost 30 miles BEHIND us. 

So, we flip it around after T.M. fills her truck up, and head back.

Nothing more frustrating than written directions that are completely wrong, right?  *sigh*

So, eventually we pull in to camp, and pull in near my friend from Armadillo and her sweet Miss Betsy Boots.  We quickly get things set up, I do a quick nip and rasp on Strider, then sit down and relax for a while.

I like to let my horse relax, eat, drink and take a break before we go and vet in.  T.M. and I wandered over, picked up our packets, ironed out the few hiccups (the pitfalls of changing your plans a few days prior to the ride!), then went back and grabbed our ponies to vet them in.

Now, I had decided at the Michael Gascon clinic, I was going to go ahead and ride Strider in that rope halter.  So, I had him in it, and as I handed off my vet card, I asked Strider to drop his head for me.  Which, of course, he did.  I gently rubbed him, spoke quietly to him, and the vet came up and said he was at 44.

My eyes got wide.  He's usually never QUITE that low.  Low 50's, sure.  So, that was surprising.

But what was even MORE surprising, is that he wasn't fidgeting and the vet wasn't having to follow him as he moved around to check him over.  He stood utterly and completely still for the entire process.

I looked over at T.M. who was vetting in Sunny and said "Look, he CAN stand still!"

Back to the trailers to stuff their faces (he had 3 B's on guts at the initial vetting in) and for us to finish the last of the setting up and to relax for a little while before the ride meeting.

I grabbed my saddle and my new stirrups and put them on my saddle.  Briefly considered doing a leg stretcher ride, but I still had to get my trailer set up for the possibility of rain, and get my cot and bed set up.  And, "I'm just doing the intro tomorrow, I can tough it out!!  It's only 16 miles!"
 

As you can see, dirty pony, but my saddle out. 

Ride meeting was fairly quick.  No food....which I had forgotten to plan for.  Yay junk food for dinner.  I'm awful at planning food for myself when I'm out and gone.

Anyway, get settled in, chit chat with friends as they come and go, and just relax after our long drive up.

Morning dawns, and T.M. gets saddled up early for her out time for the LD.  Strider is a little upset when she and Sunny leave, but I'm able to keep him company until they're gone, then it's time for me to start considering getting him ready.

I marvel at how much time I have to get ready.  I'm able to sit down and actually eat something for breakfast.  I sit and relax for a few minutes before I go and get Strider out of his pen.


I attach the bolt snap to his halter, then take him over to my trailer to get him ready for our 9am start time.  Toss the saddle on, and start cinching him up.  Realize as I start to look around that camp is feeling mighty empty.  I mount up and go over to some of my friend's camps, and see they're already gone, so I go ahead and walk over to where the start is.  I see the ride secretary, but notice there's no one there, and it's 15 to 9.  I look at her puzzled, and ask if I'm late.

No, she says; people just asked if they could just go ahead and go out, so she let them go, so I was free to go as well.  What loop?

"Blue.  The 15.8 mile loop please."

"Okay Erin.  Have a good ride!"


And out we went at a slow walk.


Strider is looking around, obviously confused.  This isn't like any other ride we've done.  The last ride we did, I was asking him to slow down.  This ride, we're all alone.

Pony is confused, but tractable.  So far, we're doing well in the rope halter, and I'm happy as we follow the ribbons.  Not another horse on the trail in front of us for about 15 minutes until we crest a small hill, and I see my camping neighbors on the other side of a very large stock pond.

And, as we crest the hill, over the water, a bald eagle startles into flight.  My jaw falls open as I ask Strider "Is that a bald eagle?  Did we just see a bald eagle?  What a beautiful morning!"  (I did confirm with my neighbors, it really WAS a bald eagle!)

At that point, Strider notices the other horses, and he picks up the pace.  I check him to make sure I have brakes and steering.  I have both, so, I allow him to set the tempo.

Now, remember how I said you're not to change anything on ride day?

My stirrups were too damn long.  I was REEEEEEEACHING for them.  "It's only 16 miles.  We're good."

Eventually we catch up to our neighbors, but Strider is in good form, and doesn't seem inclined to want to hook up with their 2 horses.  I ask if they're okay if we pass, and we chug on by. Later, one of them said "We were just poking along, and here come you and Strider getting shit done!"  It made me laugh.

This actually was an unplanned part of my riding goal for the day.  The big objective was just to make sure he was really sound, and to test the rope halter in ride conditions.  But, he always gets so listless when he's by himself, so I was glad he didn't want to stop and hang with a group, but keep on going.  We need to learn to be by ourselves, so him going on was good.

We hit the large pasture where J.L. and I got bogged down 2 years ago, and, it was wet again, so we slowed down and walked much of it.

And we hit a gate.  A closed gate. 

The string of obscenities that came out of my mouth turned the air blue.  I did NOT want to get off my horse.  I kept HOPING that wasn't the blue ribbon I needed to see on the OTHER side of the closed gate...but...as I stood there and looked at it...I just accepted my fate and with another string of swear words, I dismounted, already looking for an object to stand on so I could mount my horse again.

I considered shortening my stirrups, but, didn't want to lose the pocket I'd built for us to be alone, and he was dancing around, so I said "Forget it.  I'm just getting back on and going."

Took me about 3 minutes to get him to stand still long enough for me to get on.  He'd seen another horse on an entirely different colored trail and he wanted to catch up to them.

*grits teeth*

No dude. 

And off we go. 

We handily cross the big steel bridge with no rails.  My stomach ALWAYS balls up in anxiety as we cross it, but I try to breathe deep so my horse doesn't pick up on it.  And we chug off again.

I'm following ribbons.  And following ribbons.  The turns weren't marked (traditional "turn" marking is three ribbons hung toward where you need to turn), but, I looked further down the road, and didn't see a blue ribbon, so I back tracked, to where the last ribbon was, and turned there (it was a road that either went straight or hooked a right through an open fence).  So, I went through the open fence, and saw 2 other colors on a surveyor's stake, but not a blue ribbon.  There we were, as I did circles in confusion and frustration.  WHERE WAS THE FREAKING TRAIL?!!!

The RM's husband came by on the mule at that point and asked me what was wrong.  I said I couldn't see where blue trail went.  He told me it followed the fence line, but, he admitted it was hard to see until you crossed a hillock or two to see the fence line.  And, sure enough, as I went off the actual road and crossed over the hillock, I saw a blue ribbon.  He said he'd put a surveyor's stake out for others behind me.

So, away we went again.

We get to an open area of pasture, and he asks for the canter, and I allow it.

And almost wept with joy; NO BUNNY BUCK!!!

I was very conscious and deliberate to make sure I gave him lots of rein, that I was sitting back, and that, as much contact as I could make with the stirrups, my feet were forward.

We continue to follow ribbons with no problems or issues until we come to the blacktop road.  I can't see a ribbon, there's no turn marked.  I stand there for a minute, just baffled about what to do.  I look across the road, because I remember from 2 years ago, we crossed over the road, but the other side of the road today, it is plain and obvious this is NOT where we need to cross.  There's a crew of 2 men picking up trash on the road, and one of them compliments my horse, for which I'm grateful.  I briefly consider asking him if he's seen other horses, but...to my left down the fenceline, I can see one of the spotters, so I just decide to ride her direction and see if she can tell me where blue is.

Get over to her, and she takes my number and says that this is where I need to cross.

AH-HAH!!!  So, we quickly get across the road (traffic hauls ass in the country, and this road is no exception!), and find our ribbons again.

Eventually we thread into the woods on the ranch, and the bugs come out full force.  Strider is constantly shaking his head, and I curse myself for not having sprayed him down before we left camp.  I'm slapping off the mosquitoes from him and myself. 

And, for some reason, at about mile 9, we make a left hand turn, and Strider stops. 

Hungry?  Need a break?  Need to pee?

Unsure, so I let him pause, but he doesn't really do anything, so I ask him to go forward.  He does, then he asks to turn around, so I allow it, thinking there was something behind us that he wanted. 

He goes back and continues to backtrack our trail. 

No.  No way man.  We're not doing this 9 miles backwards.

Turn him back around, and from this point on, I have to egg him on.

He'll ask to stop, and I'll generally allow it.  I am just POSITIVE he needs to pee, which is why he keeps pulling off into the grass.  He won't eat except for a bite or two of grass, but just keeps stopping and standing, or turning back towards the trail we'd already covered.

His breathing isn't labored, he isn't sweating and the bugs have left.

I'm once again just stuck thinking he needs to pee.  NOTHING says he's really in distress.

Okay, I decide.  If you won't stop, drop and pee, we're going to move it.  You're being a child Strider who's sulking because this isn't the bathroom you want to use.

Let's move it.

It was as we're chugging down this trail, we run into our ride photographer, who seems surprised to see us doing the intro.

I quickly explain we're coming back from an injury and trying out new tack, but we'll be doing the LD tomorrow, as he snaps some photos of us.

He may have his "happy ears" on, but I can assure
you, we'd already been 'quibbling' for the past
mile or so about his need to stop for no valid reason.
(Photo credit to John Nowell, purchased)

See, fussy ears on.  IGNORE MY LEG OMG!!!
(Photo credit John Nowell; purchased)

I'm egging Strider on with my leg to move it out, and I'm getting the hoof in response.  *sigh*  Lovely, the type of ride I LOATHE with my horse.

We once again cross the road and continue on down the trail at a pokey walk.  Occasionally I can nudge him up into a gait, but he is sullen and bratty about it. 

Yep, we've hit the wall where it's either my horse needs to pee, or he's pissed off we're all alone and we haven't seen another horse.

We do, however, catch a glimpse of another horse on a different color trail again, and once again, he picks up the pace and moves out well for a few minutes...then jams the brakes on again.

I stop at a cattle ring with lots of the hay on the ground as a pee stop for him, but he doesn't want to take advantage of it, so, we keep on moving.

Big, open pasture, and you need to keep a good eye open to find and follow the surveyor's stakes.

A deep ditch to cross.  I skip that and use the road beside it to cross. 

And we keep on going.

Eventually we come up out of another brief stretch of woods, and, the trail just seems to vanish.  I cannot see or follow a blue ribbon.  I know where I need to go.  This is a closed pasture, and I can see where the gate keeper SHOULD be, and their chair is there, but there isn't a human in sight.

I say eff it, and just head that direction after backtracking to the last blue ribbon, and then following the tree line for a little way.  After not finding one, I just head towards the gate with a shrug. According to my Garmin, I was right at about the number of miles I needed to go.

We're nearing camp, and once we get to the road to cross into camp, I dismount and hand walk in.

Again, as I'm doing the intro which isn't timed, I just walk over to my trailer to dump off his saddle, grab my vet card and walk over to the vetting area.

Remembering the evening before, I grab the noseband on Strider's halter, place my fingers at that spot on his poll, and gently ask him to drop his head.  He stands utterly and completely still as Bo takes his pulse.

"13" I'm told.  I make a face; that's a little high, in my opinion, for a horse not in tack, but, if he really has to pee, I'm not at all surprised it's high.

Walk over to the vets, and again have him drop his head...and once again, I am surprised as he remains still for Dr. Seymore to check him out.

Final vet card:

Strider's Ride Card from the Intro

I'm unhappy with those B's on both days.  I'm honestly unsure what happened there, because he ate Thursday and on Friday, and I even let him have some alfalfa at the trailer before we went over to finish.

But, we completed our Intro intact, and I've now learned a few new tricks to help my horse out at vet check.

My friend G.G. and Miss Betsy Boots have already left by the time I'm back to camp, so I relax for a little while and start looking at my watch.  I've been watching the riders come in, and so far, I haven't seen T.M. and Sunny come in to camp yet. 

I send her a text to make sure she's okay, and she calls, very upset.  They've had to backtrack several times, they can't find the ribbons, and she knows the clock is ticking and they're about a mile or so outside of camp, but they can't find the trail.  I tell her I'll be waiting for her, we're going to make sure they get through.

I walk over to the dam and wait for them.  Eventually I see them coming in, and as she hops off, I ask her how much she cares about her placing.  If she doesn't care we have the time to go to her trailer, strip his tack and get a blanket over him as it started to rain as they were coming in.  Horse is always first, so she said let's get to the trailer and get him a blanket.

We dropped her saddle at her trailer, grabbed him a blanket and went over to vet check.

Of course, Sunny was a rock star, pulsed in and vetted through just fine.

No dinner at ride meeting that night (junk food for dinner again *sigh*), but...I, of course, earned a shirt for the intro...but...going to grab the blanket and drop tack netted Sunny the Turtle award for the LD!!  :)

Now...on to day two, and our LD....

My form is ALWAYS garbage.  But, pony is cute!
(Photo credit to John Nowell; purchased)

And, as always, stats:

	Time	Cumulative Time	Moving Time				Avg Speed	Avg Moving Speed	Max Speed
1	10:57	10:57	10:48				5.5	5.6	10.4
2	9:39.5	20:36	9:38				6.2	6.2	10.2
3	11:08	31:45	10:54				5.4	5.5	11.2
4	10:33	42:18	8:38				5.7	6.9	11.3
5	8:53.5	51:11	8:40				6.7	6.9	12.5
6	10:12	1:01:24	9:50				5.9	6.1	10.5
7	11:39	1:13:02	11:26				5.2	5.2	11.5
8	11:22	1:24:24	10:56				5.3	5.5	13.6
9	18:26	1:42:49	17:28				3.3	3.4	9.3
10	15:23	1:58:12	13:11				3.9	4.6	8.5
11	14:49	2:13:01	14:32				4.0	4.1	9.2
12	11:10	2:24:11	10:55				5.4	5.5	9.6
13	11:25	2:35:36	11:21				5.3	5.3	10.5
14	13:09	2:48:45	12:50				4.6	4.7	7.9
15	12:16	3:01:00	12:03				4.9	5.0	10.4
16	19:04	3:20:04	18:04				3.1	3.3	10.0
17	5:37.8	3:25:42	2:45				1.0	2.1	3.8
Summary	3:25:42	3:25:42	3:14:46				4.7

Getting Back to It...or "Let's Go Endurancing Again"

So, I'm kind of a bundle of nerves.  Which is ridiculous.

Strider and I are fixing to make the 5 hour drive to Mount Pleasant and the Priefert Ranch to go do Racing Stripes.

Here's the current plan.

Intro on Friday of 15 miles.
LD on Saturday of 25 miles.

There was a lot of thought that went in to this.

The Intro is to earn points for my Green Bean team AND to earn PFHA points towards "Pleasure Long Distance Trail Horse". 

The LD is fairly obvious.  We're not as ready as I'd hoped to be.  I know he can do an LD without a LOT of preparation.  The original plan was the LD on Friday and Intro Saturday....BUT....

One of the ladies I was planning to ride with now can't make it up until Friday.

Two, currently, there is 100% chance of thunderstorms and rain on Friday.  At least it will be in the 70s?

Three, the LD on Friday is 30 miles. 

So, on Friday, I only need to slog through 15 miles in the rain.  And stay on the damn horse.  And not die.

Also, and more importantly, I'm changing up Strider's headgear.  So, the Intro will give me a good opportunity to try it out with only 15 miles instead of 25.  However, he's never really been a fire breathing dragon at the start of a ride, just eager to go.

I am also going to test out my riding rain gear on Friday. 

But, I'm nervous because this is our first ride back since his injury.  I don't quite count the NATRC ride as we were able to keep a slower MPH average.  Yes, it was still 18 miles, but...that was just different.  Not better or worse, but different. 

So, deep breath, and here we go....

Welcoming New Additions....or "Because I Wasn't Busy Enough..."

Spring is here in glorious Texas.  And it's riding weather!!!

For Joe, though, it isn't exactly "comfortable" riding. 

Why?

Because he usually has to ride Socks.  And, while Socks is the sweetest, most gentle natured horse, his trot is...well...it's akin to a jackhammer.  Which I know is directly related to some of his fitness level.  So, if I had the time and inclination, I could potentially fix, or at least, improve it.

But...I don't. 

So, with that in mind, and having had to listen to Joe grouse about how badly it hurt his knee to ride Socks, I've kept my eyes and ears open for a replacement for Tilly for him.

A few months ago, Strider's accupressurist came to visit me from a friend's facility where she'd worked on a horse, and she said "This horse will be PERFECT for Joe!"

She showed me some pictures of this chestnut gelding.  I said I'd think about it, talk it over with Joe, because my friend said she had a few horses she bet would work for him.

Life got busy, things got in the way, didn't make it out. 

Joe kept grousing he didn't have a horse of his own.

My friend kept gently prodding for us to come over and see her horses.  She said she had one that LOVED men, and was FAST and TALL.  Well, sounds like a horse Joe might like.  But that she also had.....that chestnut gelding too!

So, I finally manage to arrange for my parents to watch Kaylee, and we set the date to go out and look at horses.

I had already convinced Joe to help her out and to take in a colt that needed to be weaned off his dam, who she was calling Elvis.  Okay, not a problem, colt is small, I have space, sure, I'll help.  Plus, I enjoy playing and messing with foals...well, I enjoyed Strider.  My ex had a colt who I loathed working with.  So, I guess I'm really 50/50 on foals, huh?

Anyway, we go out, and Joe clicks almost immediately with this bay Paso mare.  She is about 14.1, soft, doe eyes and she seems to click with Joe.  Just wants to be touched and loved on.  The rescuer (M.B.) doesn't know a lot about the mare, so, we pull her out, groom her, saddle her up and M.B. gets on her in the barn (small area so she can't take off).  Then my friend H gets on her. 

Then Joe gets on her.  I'm not even sure what happened.  Saddle got over tightened.  Ground was slick.  She had just had enough.  I dunno, but the mare put her head down, back hunched, and she bucked, and Joe came off, hard, on his shoulder.

He wasn't mad at the mare.  Knew she could have problems, but he figured she was more of a project than we'd want to handle (YES!  I don't have time to work 3 horses daily).

So, we went and looked at the mare she told me was tall and fast. 

She IS tall.  A true over 15 hand Paso Fino mare.  Pretty.  But, with the wind, she was a kite on a string.  And hadn't been ridden in a year and a half having just had a foal. 

Joe also felt she was too narrow for him.  And perhaps a little TOO hot.

So, then we went to look at the chestnut gelding.

He isn't anything fancy or splashy.  Big blaze.  2 white socks (on alternating front and rear legs).  He does have an eye injury on his right eye.  And, he's 18.

There is something about looking into a horse's
eye that gets to me every, single time.

We'll never know what happened, and he'll
always have a marked eye, but it doesn't
seem to slow him down.

 Not going to lie...I was a little put off by his age.  But Joe REALLY liked him.  Thought he was sweet.

So, I put my personal feelings aside and LISTENED to Joe.  And asked myself why I was so put off by his age.

"Socks is 18.  You don't think HE is too old!  So, why do you think THIS horse is too old?"

And at THAT moment, realized...no...don't discount this horse. 

My friend H hopped up and rode him around.  And he was fine. 

Joe asked me to hop up, so I did, and he was fine for me too.

He's a grade MFT, and it appears he knows how to foxtrot.  Not consistent, but he CAN foxtrot. 

He's chunky.  Thick.  Stout.  And, perhaps not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Also, obsessed with food.

I love that his socks are on alternate sides, one on the front, one on the back.

Which is exactly what Joe needs.  Not a horse that is looking to out-think him, or to pull antics. 

"Okay, we want to take Ranger home too."

So with that, we borrowed H's stock trailer (H was worried Elvis might try and turn around and jump out of the back of my 2H), and we loaded up Ranger, then had the task of trying to catch and halter Elvis. 

It didn't take very long, but we got him caught, haltered and loaded up and headed for home.

I'm going to admit, when I got Strider and then Sailor, both colts knew the fundamentals; lead, weren't AWFUL to load, let me touch them all over, etc.  I was able to advance to other things like "lunging" (not hard lunging to work, but teaching them walk/gait), backing, roll backs and other useful things a horse needs to learn.  In fact, I will NEVER forget, the first time I went to meet Strider, his breeder grabbed a hold of his testicles, and said "Both dropped already!"  At the time, I thought she was showing me that he was fully capable of being handled LITERALLY all over.  I realize now, she was showing me he wasn't a cryptorchid.  So, my goal is to get Elvis to the point where I can touch him like that.  So, you know, I can make sure the gelding process will be simple.

However, he's had a rough start in his life.  Gone through an auction, but at least he stayed with his dam.  But, basically unhandled (some basic halter work, but...nothing much to speak of).  He doesn't know how to lead very well.  He's scared of humans.  Doesn't want to be touched.  He also has a wound on his left hindquarter.  I'm hoping he heals up sound as he appears to be a little off right now at the gait.  He also, BADLY needs his front feet done.

BUT, I have to do basic steps to get him to where I can even HAVE someone come out and do his feet. 

So, I have somehow gone from 3 horses, to 5. 

And, now besides just working with Strider, I'm having to work with Elvis daily.  On my Facebook feed, I am keeping a daily log (under the hashtag of #BabyGait) of what I am doing so that I can remember WHAT has been done with him.

Elvis is NOT supposed to be a long-term keeper on the Ranch.  No.  I do NOT need nor want to RAISE a foal who I have no idea if he'll even want to do endurance.  Nor any idea what size he'll grow to.  Because, honestly, that was Joe's first response when I said I wanted to help wean Elvis.  "Let's keep him and he can be my horse."

7 years Joe.  I like to wait 7 years for my foals to grow (see Dr. Deb Bennett's "Ranger Study", or Dr. Mel Newton's blog post about growth plates).  So, it's a long investment of time to be unsure of what I'll have when I'm done. 

If he was going to stay black...I'd be tempted!  Strider is marked like this, and was
as a baby.

He is sweet though.  And not a mean bone in his body.  Yet.  Waiting for the
testosterone to hit. 

After 6 days of work though, he is settling in nicely.  He will gray out at a young age (he's already starting to gray).  He is going to make a good riding horse if he heals up sound, and once I get those feet trimmed.  He has settled in well, but clings to Ranger (who is a barely tolerant nursemaid).  I can get him in a catch pen, halter him (once I physically touch him).  He can lead, but not well (and if he doesn't want to go somewhere, I have to put the rope around his butt, then he follows willingly and nicely).  He is learning to flex left and right.  He gives up both of his front feet and allows me to hold them and wriggle them around.  He also drops his head now.  That took me 3 days to show him, and on day 4, he beautifully dropped his head below his withers with just a gentle "wriggle" of my fingers on his poll.

He appears to be smart, but is a little wary.  And he does seem to prefer Joe to me right now.  He does let Kaylee approach him in the catch pen when he's loose, so, eventually he's going to turn it all around.  He's already well on his way!

Now, to see about filing a breeding report (I know his dam, and his sire could be one of 3 studs kept on this gentleman's property) AND to see about picking a name.  He won't wear the HGR name.  I didn't make him, but, I want him to have a good name so he can have good karma to set him up for a good future.

Welcome to HGR boys!!

Michael Gascon, the Horse Guru...or "Sometimes It Really IS the Rider's Fault!"

I thought I'd done a write-up, but it appears I didn't.  The last weekend of September, I attended a Michael Gascon clinic in the Houston area.  I had PLANNED to take Strider to it, but, as I stopped by Holly's to have him trimmed up before we left, that's when we saw he was still off when he had to pivot on that left hind.  Which, of course, led down the path of Strider being off for 6 months recovering.

Oh?  Who is Michael Gascon?

If you're into horses (and even if you're not), you've seen him.

Not familiar still?

There's this one:

There, NOW do you know who I'm talking about?

So, for the Michael Gascon clinic in September, I ended up taking Dakini instead.  I didn't feel like driving an hour home to grab Tilly, and take her and tell Michael "Yeah, I know NOTHING at ALL about this horse."  Though, Joe REALLLLLLY wanted me to.  But, Dakini was closer, I knew her better, so I ran and dropped Strider at H's and snatched up Dakini and away we went.

Here is a 16-ish minute video of Dakini and I on the 2nd day of the clinic.

NOTE:  She had gotten a front leg hung up in a manger feed net in the trailer, so she was sore, which we didn't notice until after trying to ask her to gait.  She's always been willing and eager to gait, but she didn't seem to want to, and she felt "off" to me, so we cut the ride short.

Flashforward.

At the beginning of January, Michael mentions he's doing a clinic in Georgetown (which is where I grew up), AND that he's giving away 10 free spots.  I immediately went in to "I want to win a spot!" mode.  I fully planned to audit, but, hey, why not try and win a spot too?!  

So, back in January, I had a disaster of a ride on Tilly (I wrote about it here).  I am friends with Michael's girlfriend on Facebook (she's just so sweet!!!), and, I am sort of sure (kind of...I cannot PROVE it, and I don't want to ask) that I was given a slot in the clinic being held here in Texas in March so I would bring her.

Talk about thrilled AND excited!! 

My friend B was also given a spot with her gelding, Gatlin.

Well, we all know what happened with Tilly.

So, the NEXT best thing was I was now able to take Strider.  And, while he is, to me, a good horse, he has issues.  Most notably his "bunny buck" when he shifts from a gait to a canter.  It's been his "signature" move for going on 6 or so years now.  And I've tried to figure out what the root cause of it is, but I had finally just accepted it as "Well, this is how it's going to always be."

At the September clinic, I had asked Michael about it, but I hadn't yet had the time to see if he did it while on the lunge line, or ONLY under saddle.

Well, the Friday before the clinic arrived.  A group of us met up to go trail riding for a few hours at Lake Granger.  Which was very nice (I haven't had a chance yet to upload my Garmin stats.  But we rode for probably 3 to 3.5 hours all together).  I let H ride Strider so that B's mom (LM) could ride Blondie.  I rode Socks for a while, then, we looped back, Socks got left behind and at some point, I ended up riding L's horse Joe.

We rode for a while, then headed back.  At that point, B had bathed Gatlin and I gave Strider a quick hose down, because we had been told that, for the weekend, our horses would be stabled at this new facility.

Solo Stables (McLeod Equestrian)  is a top notch facility.  B and I were shocked when we rolled up.  From the gorgeous log cabin, to the open fields, the barn...everything is being built from the ground up, and every, single thing is being done at no expense spared for the horses.

4 wash racks with hot and cold water.  A fan at the wash racks and in every stall.  Locking tack room.  Large and expansive feed room with a fridge, and a washer and drier.  Each stall has the ability to swing open to become a foaling stall.  Large automatic waterers.  Cushioned matting beneath all of the nice pine shavings laid down.  Nicely thought out and built.  I didn't take any pictures, because...well...I felt that would have been creepy.

So, B and I get a quick tour, and our host, Logan McLeod invites us to make his home ours for the weekend.  He is a kind and gracious host.  Whatever we wanted or needed, our horses had for the weekend.  We get them both settled in to their stalls, say hello to Michael and Sophie, then split because we're meeting everyone for dinner (our host who's home we were all staying at, J.B. [Strider's accupressurist], her husband JD, H and her husband, L, myself, B and B's mom).

After a delicious dinner, we all head back to J.B.'s and JD's house, where we play with her dog Cooper, all of us take showers, sit and talk, and around midnight, we all end up going to bed to crash.

Everyone up early, and we head to the barn to check on our horses and see how they did.

Strider, apparently, can't figure out an automatic waterer.  He got hit with some electrolytes, and I put one of my tubs in his stall filled with water, which he worked down during the day.

I also took him to the wash rack and rinsed him off as he'd made himself right at home and laid down in the stall.  In, of course, a big ol' poop pile.  *sigh*

So, the clinic is a little slow to start as people keep trickling in, we're all eating breakfast, socializing, talking with old and new friends, getting chairs and such set up. 


Sophie asks B if she'll go get Gatlin to use as the first horse of the day.  So, Bonnie goes in and gets him dressed (tacked up), and the clinic begins.

Information overload commence. 

We watch Michael work Gatlin, a horse who won the "naughty horse challenge" (she was fairly naughty), a horse that Michael had had at his facility in Mississippi for 90 days, a couple on a pair of Paso Finos that are doing the show in Texas here late in April (suggestions and tune up ideas), a Western Dressage National Show Horse, a rescue Paso (who was VERY naughty, but is owned by the sweetest 70 year old woman you'll meet in your entire life!!!), an appaloosa filly who had NEVER been under saddle EVER (that Michael GOT going gently under saddle), we got to see the stallion and broodmare from Michael's farm that are now owned by Red Solo Stables as their foundation breeding stock Pasos...and somewhere in there, was Strider.

Michael always asks the owner what are your goals with the horse, and what would you like to do better.

Side pass and get rid of the bunny buck.

The side pass....well...we're gonna need to work HARD on that....but...

Well, see for yourself what Michael did.

(apologies, as I talk some through this video....which, heads up, is 33 minutes long)

Basically, just watching this...my horse, while "good", is hella disrespectful (this isn't exactly a news flash to ANYONE who has known or met my horse).

I have a LOT to work on.  My seat and my feet, most importantly.  -I- am why he bunny bucked.  It wasn't the saddle, it wasn't anything else but ME.

Strider, who is standing still, and starting to get MENTALLY tired.

Sit back, free up his shoulders, let him go.

I didn't get video on Sunday, but, on day 2, you show Michael what you remember from Day 1 with your horse and YOU work them.

Now, I had asked Michael on Day 2; "I honestly don't know how to ask for it, but, do you think my horse can largo?"

"Your horse can largo."

So, he hopped on, set his head, and off they went.  At a largo.

It made my heart swell just a tiny bit when Michael came back and said "He is a FAST little bugger!!"  Go Strider go!!!  :)

This is a photo from day 1, but he's talking to me about headset and how
I'm saying "go" and "whoa".

Again, Michael had to remind me, if I want my horse to largo, I need to collect his head just a little bit to help, and drive him into the bridle.  For a canter, keep my seat the same, but loosen up on the reins so he has the freedom to go (don't say "Go" with your seat and "Whoa" with your hands).

Sit back.  Feet forward.  I swear that's what Michael
had to keep telling me.  And I just cannot remember it!

MY FEET ARE THE WORST!!! 

Even if you're not into natural horsemanship, or you think gaited horses are dumb, or you think "If I've seen one trainer, I've seen them all", well...I can't help you.  Your mind is closed.

HOWEVER, the way Michael teaches is innovative for the hotter horses.  It also works on your cold horses (Quarters, Paints, etc), but, as he says, having to learn on the Paso Fino, has been his greatest blessing.  They are HOT horses (for the most part).  So, you don't want to amp them up to work on them.  I jokingly said that because I learned some basic fundamentals from the "big name" natural horsemanship trainers who are famous, but mostly deal with QHs, that I used THEIR methods, and basically built my endurance horse trying to wear him out!.

But, he is one of the nicest young men you'll ever meet.  He is genuine and sincere in trying new methods until the horse understands (at the Houston clinic, there was a horse that wouldn't back, and he went through what most people would try, then he started having to get creative...it was amazing to watch).  He never has a negative thing to say; but he WILL be honest with you.

So, you can either visit his website: Gascon Horsemanship

Or, check out his Facebook page: Michael Gascon - The Horse Guru

Every Wednesday he does a live video stream called "Horsetalk".  You can go through the archives and watch old episodes of it. 

So, if you ever happen to be in the area where he's doing a clinic, go and audit, at the very least.  You will walk away with SOMETHING, I promise.