Lessons in learning to roll with it....or "Don't worry, I've gots this!!!"

So, Karma has now officially been on my property for almost 6 weeks.  In those 6 weeks, I have hauled her off-site and ridden her twice.

Each time, I have been nothing but impressed with her.  I opted to just go ahead and ride her in the rope halter like Strider does, and, she has taken to it with ease.  She gaits, has a BIG walk, is forward and eager, and polite.  Doesn't seem spooky, but does NOT like to stand still (that's actually a pet peeve of mine, and one Strider isn't great at either). 

I had forgotten that she doesn't know the "Come Pick Me Up" cue, so the second time I went to get on, I couldn't figure out why I had this spinning top going around and around the mounting block for a few moments.  I won't lie, that is the most USEFUL thing I've ever taught any of my horses.  Mounting is the one point in time where I have major anxiety getting on a horse (no idea why, nothing bad has ever happened to me), so one that will stand still and come TO me is nice. 

Guess what I'll be teaching Karma ASAP?

So, I wanted to spend the first month or so getting to know her, bonding with her on the ground and just seeing who she is.  So far, I am impressed with her.  She is an aloof mare, and not at ALL affectionate, but she IS inquisitive, and she is crystal clear about her desires and wants.  I knew that she liked to be scratched, and one evening I took some treats outside with me, then scratched at her left shoulder.  She looked at me, whipped her head around and touched her right shoulder.  I thought "Oh, bug."

Wrong.

I kept on scratching, and she again looked at me, whipped her head around and touched her right shoulder.

"Oh, do you want me to scratch you there?"

Which I promptly did...and was rewarded with her curling her neck around me as she looked me in the eye.

I then spent over 30 minutes finding out where she liked to be scratched.  I would stop, and she would move herself and wait until I started scratching whatever body part was presented. 

She literally backed her butt in to me, so I reached up and started itching her hindquarters.  She almost fell over she was in such bliss.  I stepped away, and she backed in to me again.  She's like Strider and likes right beneath her tail itched. 

I did ask her to please be kind and not kick me.  And she was a lady.  Her owner actually told me she likes her udders scratched (which I found to be true a few days ago in a separate scratching session...she seems to like that BEST).

After about 25 minutes of scratching, I needed to go inside, so I offered her a hug, which just seemed to offend her, and she walked away from me.  I made a mental note, we do NOT give Karma hugs.

She was staring off in to the distance (looking at the cows in the pasture across the road from us perhaps?) and I walked about 100 yards from her and I called out her name and crooked my finger and said "Come here Karma."

She paused for a moment...and then did.  Where we resumed our scratching session for another 10 or so minutes before I finally told her I HAD to go inside.

She is now the one to come greet me (she thinks I have treats, and about 8 times out of 10, I do).  When we drive up after work, she'll walk over to the gate and nose me for treats.

So, it was a HUGE disappointment that, after a GREAT ride with her on July 4th (with my friend C.B. [Decker's mom]), my truck started acting funky on the way home.  I initially wrote it off to the roads being wet and slick (it RAINED, a TORRENTIAL downpour! In TEXAS!!!  DURING THE SUMMER!!!)...except...I knew it wasn't. 

First symptom; my cruise control, which had worked on the way to where I was hauling, stopped working.

Second symptom; when put in to Tow/Haul it didn't have a lot of "go", and would "shudder".

Third symptom; not in Tow/Haul, occasionally it would shudder/have no "go".

We took both vehicles in for oil changes a few days later and asked the mechanic to pull the codes off the truck as, when Joe went to start him up that morning, the "Check Engine" light came on (and it was NOT on when I shut the truck off on Wednesday).

Well, could be anything from the fuel pump, to a wiring issue, to a multitude of other things.

But, the more Joe and I talked about it, we're PRETTY sure we have a fuel leak.

Truck has been leaking SOME fluid, but we couldn't figure out WHAT (we checked EVERY fluid level monthly, but none of them were dropping).
My fuel economy hauling has gotten worse.
My fuel economy NOT hauling has gotten worse.
(I wrote that off to the truck needing shocks)

But...a fuel leak could be why my cruise control stopped working (it works off the pressure).
Why in Tow/Haul he shudders and now, when not in Tow/Haul as well.
And, it would explain this fluid that it's dropping.

Now, the problem is that I was going to go to LHI this weekend to start the official kick-off to prepping Karma for her debut in October.  But, no tow vehicle means she's not going anywhere.

Alrighty then...so, what CAN I do to leg her up at home?

And thus was the "Lunging for fitness" plan  that I dreamed up and then ran by one of my mentors, D.C. (wife to R.C. and owners of Tivio and Dez).  She agreed that, while it isn't ideal, it IS a working solution until the truck is up and running. 

PLAN is:  Lunge 4 to 5 times a week.  I'll start at 20 minutes and build to 30 to 35 minutes. 

I will also be doing this for Strider as well...I have some plans for him this fall...

CURRENT PLANS:
Quitaque Climb; Karma will make her debut doing an LD.  Strider will be doing an as-of-yet undetermined distance...and I may not make that call until the day before...but...in the back of my mind is tickling that we haven't yet gotten a 50 done this ride season.

Armadillo Run:  Unsure who is going.  Joe is HOPING to take Ranger and, as such, we'll do an Intro.  If that goes according to plan, Strider will go to earn some additional points towards his Pleasure Long Distance PFHA goal this year.  However, if Joe and Ranger don't go, then Karma is on deck for another LD.

NATRC Ride at Bell Cow Lake in Oklahoma:  Joe and I are talking about doing this together.  I'm planning on going and taking Strider.  If Joe doesn't go, then I might aim Strider to do the Open division.  OR Karma in the Open division.  If Joe goes, we'll ride together in the Novice division, and I'll take Strider. 

River Run:  This is in December.  D.C. and I talked about this, and, while ultimately Karma will tell me what she can handle, and if she even enjoys this...I have BIG plans for her.  Obviously it will be another 50 mile attempt for Strider.  And...well...it might just be a slow 50 for Karma as well.

So, I have plans in mind. 

Which means, it's time to get back to work with my ponies.  And with Joe's pony.

Summer break is over!!! 

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!!