Sundays

This Sunday I went to Whitehall for a benefit O-MOK-SEE. I got to take my 9 year old mare. She is just learning the games and is showing to be calm and response at any speed. That really makes it fun. It still doesn't offset the 4 horses we have lost this spring. Each to a different issue. My mare is helping me get over this fact. Live in the present not the past. In one of the events Team Arena there is a team made up of 4 people. One horse at a time goes out and runs around the outside of the arena and then passes the batton to another rider. This is an all out top speed event where if the horse has any running ability you can feel them drop down and stretch out for a full ground covering run. My mare started to stretch out then had a little bobble on the front end but went right back to full run. Didn't phase her a bit. Our hand off was clean and she didn't shy away from another horse coming along side her at a full run. At the end of the day both of us were tired and in a good space. RIP Mona, Lacey, Lacey's baby, Magic, Close friends horses buried with ours this spring Farmer, Britchy---- and if you have time watch over the rest of the herd.

They all stood to nicker and watch

Not me though I hid in the barn with my granddaughter as my close friends and vet took my 2 year old filly for her last walk. It has been hard for me to get to this point where I can write about it. It was just a little nick by her ankle. Like most young horses getting them through to maturity without cuts and scrapes is near impossible. It looked like no big deal. We washed her up and put some salve on it and repeat. Two days later her lower leg swolled up like a sausage and very hot.  We picked at it cleaned it and started her on antibiotics. Four days later the leg went down to normal size but not the ankle. Off to the Vet then off to the Horse hospital ninety minutes away. Prognosis the infection had already damaged cartilage and was in the bone. The poor thing even with max pain meds was in pain and couldn't put weight on that leg. The next day the time had come. Our vet that we've known since her Junior High days and when she was in High Shool Rodeo she traveled with us and our daughters was there to perform her duties as our Vet. We had a total of three horses to have done that day. Our friends 2 horses that had been scheduled for that weekend were brought out so that all three could be done at once.  From my occasional peeks from the barn it looked so surreal and sombere all the horses from the 2 pastures and the ones in the paddocks stood there and intensely watched. At one point they all nickered out but then as on que they all turned around and went on with what they were doing before hand. With 14 horses and 2 outside horses being trained I really don't think we will have anymore baby horses in the future.The old man (daughters old barrel horse now 30+) will probably need to be put down this fall but at least I have time to prepare myself for it. It is always tough. I'm tired now of the effort to get a herd of broodmares to help with retirement time. The idealic thought of being retired and working with the baby horses to barrel futurities is just not going to happen. The hours of going over breeding programs and hauling mares just isn't fun if I have to spend waking momemnts worrying about a sudden loss. This filly was the the last of a line since we gelded Mojo now that line is done.Well I guess it is time to start working with the 4 yr old gelding again, his injuries have healed nicely.  Later

Confused....?

Was delighted to go to a Pole Bending clinic this last Sunday. It was a two day clinic but we could only make it one day. Our friend Peggy was riding Shamy who is out of our mare and her parent’s stud. Of all the horses we have foaled she is probably the most athletic and fastest. I have her older full sister that I will be competing on this year. She is a shorter version of Shamy so it should be loads of fun (if I can stay on that is). It may be vain but I was filled with pride when I saw the clinician desire for one of the horses we had a hand in, honestly the stud and our mare had such good gets that it is sad when I think back on our mare and the studs last meeting........poor old boy had a heart attack while trying to get the job done with our mare. He died the next day. There were limited exposures to this stud but all of his gets had a fiery temperament, the will to run and the athletic ability to take their riders as far as they had talent for. The only exception I can think of is Legs my wife’s horse. He ended up being a true baby sitter but guess what he has more than enough speed to be competitive.........I know I found the fast gear riding him so I backed off for it will be there when the wife is ready if the grandkids don't get him first. :)

So back to the clinic..........Confusion abounds. Not because of what the clinician was teaching but that it is totally different than what I have been drilled on for years. For years it has been pick up the inside reign to keep the shoulder up and round the horse with the outside leg. At this clinic I felt more like I was back at English lessons. Hands down....ah 3 inches above the withers give or take a scosh. Use the inside leg to round the horse around your leg and the outside reign to frame the shoulder in. I've ridden both ways over the years so it will be fun to see if I remember some of my old training. The one major thing I picked up at the clinic is that I don't release once I get to my spot. Probably explains why at some point in the run the horse starts getting wound up and stops listening. How many times have I been told pressure release with the emphasis on RELEASE.

The barn is to envy over.... I have been told it is the best (fancy) barn in Montana. I haven't been to very many fancy barns but the attention to details was a real eye opener. Sorry I didn't have my camera with me but I'll include an aerial. Well I have a lot to try. Later

A change in gears

Currently I have 4 tractors and a backhoe. 2 of the the 4 I bought for farming a 2,000 acre wheat farm. In a way I still miss the wheat farm. They are still great tractors but not really set up for haying. So after looking for 2 years I finally found and bought what I think is a nice used tractor that will fit my current needs better. Even at my age I am surprised that I still get excited about buying equipment. To balance out the scales though the other side is we were also looking at getting the wife a nice VW convertible. Now that would be as equally exciting. Sad that we can't get both but I think we will be able to start looking again this fall. My suspicion is that this won't be a 2 year tire kicking adventure. With 50 acres of pasture that are in sore need of repairs and the hay ground that always needs work this little tractor will be very busy this summer. Probably the best thing is that this is a tractor that the wife will be able to use for harrowing and turning the windrows. I have a sneaking hunch that this will be more my wife's tractor than mine. I offered that she could use it to drive to work and it would get great fuel mileage but for some reason it just doesn't compare to a nice little convertible.

Mojo the continuing saga

Well it's official, I have the sonnagram pictures, Mojo came back from the trainer with a bowed tendon.  2 deep tears and 3 surface tears. If anything can go wrong with this horse.......... He seems to attract set backs more than any other horse we have owned. 6 to 12 months off totally shoots any barrel futurities. Now comes the hard reality of making the decision on what to do next. He may heal up just fine but at what level will he be able to be used. I have no fear that he would be a fine western pleasure horse but anything beyond that leaves me with doubts. To me the stakes are higher after this type of injury. To take the risk and end up with a permenantly lame horse is something I can't get out of my head. We already have one pasture pet with a torn tendon sheath in the knee. A texan barrel clinician did that and at the time we looked at the tape and saw exactly when and what did it. I can go on a lot more but it does no good. At that time I swore not to let others on my horses to train. Mojo's situation just strengthen my resolve that if you want it done right, do it yourself. I'm just sick and dis-heartened by this and the only thing that helps for now is to ride Mojo's younger brother Tuff. A green broke 4yr old that is getting legged up for his training this summer.........by me or my daughter.

Mojo in 2009

Start of a New Season

Yesterday was our start for the new season. After a few months off the first order of business was to start legging up the horses. It takes a good 4 to 6 weeks to get our horses in running shape. We do have a set routine we like to do. Not that we are the best but during the competition season we don't seem to have as many horse issues as some we compete against. I believe it has to do with having the horses in proper running shape. We usually don't attain track fitness but we try to come close. The following is the general recipe we try and follow.
   Long trotting with the horse extended as much as they can and not break into a lope.
       We start at 15 minutes then up to 30 minutes when the horse can get there. At some point we then start making a circuit around the 50 acre field and hopefully can work up to 2 laps. When the ground is appropriate we will do wind sprints of 100 yds full out then collect for 100 yds to help teach them to run and rate up.
  Flexation and transitions.
     at the walk trot and lope we do big circle then as small as the horse can maintain small circle. Always helping the horse to maintain proper form.
     at the trot and lope large circle then spiral in until they break stride then immediately change direction and start it over again.
     Smooth transition from walk to trot then back down repeated until smooth then on to trot to lope then on to walk to lope. Finally from a stop to a lope at first a couple of trotting strides are allowed. We do the same on the slowing down portions.

 By this time hopefully the outside arena is dry and the snow is gone so we can now work on stations. These are set routines around barrels and poles that are not set up the same as when they compete.

  As for me I started 3 weeks ago getting in shape myself.

  This is the start of an 8 to 9 month season that by the end leaves all of us ready for a winters rest.

My youngest and I at an OMOKSEE

2006 Victoria (96-07)  and Tenor both out of Golda

Help

When one starts to help someone there is an implied agreement not to forsake them.

A few years ago we had one dog in the litter that was born different. Everything was a struggle.
He couldn't suckle so he was hand feed until he could suckle a bit but always had to have some hand feeding.He was one of the first to eat solid food but it had to be set up just right so he could work on the corners of the food. For the first couple of months it was touch and go with seizures that would happen at anytime. The wife took and made him a home in one of her old oversized purses and he was with her 24/7. He never learned to walk but could prance all over the place, high stepping it where his paws would almost hit his chin. At 5 months he had hormonal overdrive and at 6 months he was healthy enough to be fixed. Things went along pretty good and we thought he was out of the woods. His seizures got lighter and less frequent. A real dog personality was developing. We were begining to hold onto the idea that he would make it. At 8 months he passed away. At the beginning we knew his chances were very slim so was it right to euthanize him or go to what some consider extreme effort to try and help this pup. Right or wrong our belief is that one good day of life is better than none at all. It is remarkable that through this whole process there was a feeling of peace about what was happening. The will to live and grow is so strong that to be part of this will affect one at levels not often visited.

   And when you do not forsake them the rewards will change you. Good or bad it's your choice.

        

I try

One of the bloggers I read just rescued a horse. From the accounts it would seem to be a nice horse but. The prior owner had issues with the horse kicking them. I posted to please find out what caused the horse to kick the prior owner. For the second time another blogger I'll call her L seemed to think my post was wrong and it was the prior owner and not the horse. L may be 6 years my senoir but enough. A horse for any reason that has kicked someone needs to be evaluated on why. It usually doesn't take much to get a seemingly gentle horse to stop kicking but until that quirk is worked through they can be dangerious (PERIOD)

 When my oldest daughter was about nine we went to a horse auction and happened to buy a seeminly nice green broke 2 year old gelding. He was real gentle and loaded into the trailer very nicely. We got him home we unloaded him and were so happy with this gentle sweet...........well I go to lead him to his new corral and in the process he reached up with his hind leg and kicked me in the kidney. I was at his shoulders and went immediately to my knee with pain and the wind knocked out of me. This horse knew exactly what he was doing and I am sure it wasn't the first time. After a short time working with him he has never offered to kick again. He has been my oldest daughters' best horse friend now for twenty years.

Even though it is easy to blame a prior owner for a bad quirk just because you  are better, new owner, nicer, or more knowledgable Forwarned is the opertunity to know where and how to start.

  My lovely wife riding her first MT State OMOKSEE in 2006.
                           She has come a long ways since then :)

Listening is sometimes hard

Last Sunday it was a balmy 18 degrees here so we decided to take a nice Sunday drive north about a 120 miles to see how Mojo was doing with the trainer. We get up there and the snow is melting and 45+ degrees. The trainer has Mojo saddled up and already had been riddin but was just calmly standing there waiting. The trainer got on Mojo and showed us what he has been working on for the last two weeks. Mojo has made some good improvements in a short time between the -too cold days. Then we are all standing there talking and I ask 'well what do you think now that you've rode him.' I am a firm believer in when I hire someone to do something to take heed on there counsel. The first thing out of the trainers mouth was 'He's a real sweet boy'. Of course my heart sank at that catch all phrase that is used when there isn't much other to say. A little further in the conversation the trainer said that he would make an excellent kids horse. Another hard swallow. Twenty years of breeding horses with the goal of having good level headed athletic fast horses and I seem to have only gotten the first part right. How does one take and have good running lineage on the top and bottom and produce 'a real sweet boy' as his best and only quality. Luck of the draw.........maybe. On the way home we had some indepth and long discussions. An interesting pattern developed the mares are fire breathing speedsters with a controllable amount of attitude but all the geldings seem to be of the pocket pet mentality.
I have the two year old filly to break this spring so we will see if that theory holds. We can always use another horse for lessons but his younger brother may have to go if he follows the pocket pet mentality. As with any of this only time will tell.

                                            
   The lemonade in all this:
                                           Mojo's future jockey (in 8 years:)