Our herd gets bigger

Bob picked up Gilly this morning. He left at 6:00 am with his Dad and headed for Wisconsin Dells. Gil just walked right in the trailer with no issues.

Its gonna take time

Banjo does not like Gil one bit. Bob let him in the barnyard with Banjo and Sparkler but Banjo proceeded to take a huge bite out of Gil's back. So he separated them again. We'll keep them separated as long as it takes to get them accustomed to each other.

Hoggin' it

Nothing ever happens quickly here. We bought a brush hog tractor attachment back in June from Farm and Fleet and started to put it together right away. There were a lot of pieces. We quickly ran into trouble. One of the arms wouldn't attach and sure enough, one of them was too short. Bob had to go back and exchange the part. Then we needed a very big C clamp to hold the parts so we could bolt it. Then we couldn't get the shaft to attach to the body. Two weeks ago (8/19), with some sandpaper, paint scraping and brute force, Randy and Bob got it on and adjusted.

I got home a little early today so Bob decided to try it out on pasture 3. In no time flat, it was cut. I think Bob was enjoying his tractor.

Update on Banjo:

Every day we are spending time with him, he gets braver about being walked up to and petted. He's a bit spooky about a lot of little things so it's going to take some time.

It's a Hereford

We've been looking for a saddle for Gil. Sally is thinking about a new saddle from Riders Choice out of Alabama, but we don't want to wait. We've decided we are going to pick up Gil, our new quarter horse, ourselves on Friday. We don't want to wait forever to have him equipped to ride.

My God, the different ways you can go. English, Western, synthetic, leather, barrel, roper, trail/pleasure, semi or full quarter horse tree, new or used. Take your pick as long as it's a 15 inch!

Bob drove to Loomis's in Mondovi on Monday and found one that might work. I tried Bonnie Brae's on Tuesday and found nothing. I've been spending hours online looking for a used saddle nearby. There's a great place in Brainerd, about 4 hours away, with many 15" saddles to choose from, but that's too far. 3-Bar Tack in Chetek had a web site that listed just one 15 inch saddle, so Bob took a drive. The one that was listed was cheaply made, but she just happened to have a new one in back that hadn't been cleaned yet. Bob fell in love with it. Its a Hereford/Tex Tan in a medium brown color with tons of silver. Its well broke in, but 16 inch. Still it seems to fit Bob, and Gil is his horse.

So, we have a saddle, a nice black pad, and matching headstall and reins. We just need Gil.

Walnuts keep fallin' on my head

First thing this morning we trimmed the black walnut branches hanging over the drive. They are a mess. I took a nut to the lip, so did Bob. Then, on to important things.

My goal was to ride Banjo today. I didn't want to have to box him in, so I just took my time approaching and retreating until I could slip the halter over his neck. In the arena, we worked on leading. Up to now, Banjo followed well behind instead of at my side. So I used my riding crop in the hand near the withers and the lead rope in the other hand. I clucked to start him. When he didn't get it, I counted 1-2-3-4 as I tapped on the withers, increasing until he moved just a step. Then several steps. Just like that, he got it and we were leading really well on the near side, and OK on the off side. I can tell he's never been led on the off side. When I got too far ahead, I just tapped once or twice on the withers and he caught up.

Saddling and bridling went well. We walked and walked with the bridle, adjusted the saddle and all seemed well. There was no chomping or head throwing.

I tried the trick of wiggling the saddle to get him to plant his feet for mounting, but when I did he danced off. I've noticed this before, but just ignored it. When he was relatively calm, I stepped into the stirrup and the saddle slid to the side. Even though I had the reins short he tore off bucking. I didn't have time to get off gracefully and went flying, no helmet. I took a hoof to my ankle, which developed a lump, and got scraped up pretty good. Note to self: don't ride wearing sleeveless tops.

Then it dawned on me. He is nervous about the saddle, just like Sparkler had been last summer. I remember my neice, Jessie, taking a stirrup and slapping her with it until she settled down. So I did the same with Banjo. He did not like the saddle moving, making noises or the stirrup hitting him. At first I had a hard time just moving to his side to even grab the stirrup, he'd move away so fast. I must have spent 20 minutes messing around with the saddle on both sides. Eventually, I could do anything with the saddle and he would stand.

He really is just green broke.

Gil

I can't believe we are doing this. But I don't think Banjo will be a beginner horse--his speed will scare a new rider and he has a lot of energy. And we'd like a horse to ride with our quarter horse friends. Recently, a palomino quarter horse came up through Big Springs Horse Market in Wisconsin Dells. He's 14.1 hands, 6 years old and was listed as beginner safe. So we decided to take a look at him. Once again, we decided not to take the trailer with us to check on a horse. It would be too tempting to bring just anything home.

I left work at 2:00 and Bob and I headed south. The weather has been wet every day since Saturday but we managed to dodge the raindrops long enough to check out "Gil". He's friendly and very responsive. He's only been trail ridden and has camped and best of all, likes to just plod along. How nice! He is easy to catch. He hasn't had a lot of ground manners, but we'll work on that. We put half down on him.

On the way home, we tried out some new names. We have a Sparkler, why not Glitter? Too feminine. Glitter Man? Absolutely not. Guitar? After all, we have a Banjo. No. I think it's either Gilligan or Gilly. We'll have Jo deliver him next week.

Breakthrough!

What a great day! Even though its been raining all weekend, a much needed thing, we decided to have Randy and Sally out for dinner. We need help getting the shaft connected to the new brush hog and then to the tractor. Sally has some ideas about Banjo's bit. We have corn coming out our ears, so we thought we'd have dinner whether we got to either of the jobs or not. Luckily, the rain stopped enough for Bob and Randy to get the brush hog connected and working even though they were up to their ankles in mud.

In the arena, we tried a Myler shank bit I picked up in Kentucky when I bought Red. Banjo didn't seem to mind too much, but was still shaking his head when I mounted. So Sally led us around the ring for a couple of rounds while he gradually got used to it. Then she just walked near us a couple laps, then off I went on my own. A little hesitation near the door on one end and the gate on the other, but with Sally's urging, I pressed him on.

Banjo doesn't direct rein very well, which is what I'd been trying. Sally suggested using the neck rein and direct rein both and that seemed to do the trick. We were doing figure eights, reversing directions and going smoothly past door and gate before we knew it. The rain kicked in again, so we called it quits. But I think I can deal with whatever he gives me. Sally says Banjo is going to try his rider and see what he can get away with so I've gotta be firm. She calls him green broke, but nice. He's very shy with people touching him. The gait is his best part--smoother than silk.

Dinner was wonderful. Hamburgers on the grill, barbeque, beans, corn on the cob, refrigerator pickles from the garden and pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

The word on the arena footing--just rake out the rocks and put two inches of concrete sand on top.

Good buddies

I've put in extra hours this week so I took off work a little early and saddled Sparkler. Banjo hung around watching. When I took her to the arena, Banjo went bezerk being separated from her, so I opened the arena door wide so he could see her.

Sparkler was pretty calm, but the same thing happened when I mounted her as a few days ago. The bucking thing is getting worse. I'm not gonna push it until I know what's wrong, so I let her go.

Banjo IS hard to catch. He stays just far enough away that you can't get a rope around him. I had to pen him in to get the halter on, but once I did, he was no trouble at all, leading easily. I tried some ground work, but I think I'm confusing him, except for backing up. That is getting good after just 2 lessons. I wave my finger, then wriggle the rope if he doesn't move and he's in reverse.

Sally thinks his problem on Wednesday was the bit. He's used to a shank bit and even though a snaffle is mild, it is different. I do have a shank bit that I'll try later. I thought I'd try Sparkler's snaffle again 'cuz I was too lazy to put the shank bit on the headstall. I had the same headshaking problem. I can't ride either horse (self-pity).

No ride today

I thought one day to get accustomed to his new home would be enough. I saddled and bridled Banjo with no problem using Sparkler's snaffle bit, then took him to the arena where I thought I'd have a nice quick ride. Wrong. He shook his head violently, sideways and backwards. We walked a bit but it kept up so I didn't want to mount. What is it with me and horses? I can only get so close but never all the way? It would be so easy to just give up...

Banjo has a new home

After leaving work a little early, I packed the trailer and headed to Haugen with Bob and Lisa to get our new baby. Banjo loaded like a pro. When we got him home, we put him in an enclosure separate from Sparkler. There was some squealing and kicking, mostly by Sparkler but we left them alone and got some food.

We watched them from the deck and could see Sparkler pawing at the gate and still kicking occasionally. I didn't want to see her foot get caught in the gate so thought it would be better to just put them together. It was obvious that Banjo was the submissive one so I wasn't afraid of him hurting her and was pretty sure she wouldn't hurt him. So after an hour and a half, we opened the gate. Out they ran into the pasture kicking up their heels. There was a short time of nuzzling, then squealing and a little kicking, but I could tell they were going to be buddies.

Sparkler's not behaving

It's Sunday so I got up early and swept the loafing shed, shoveled, then groomed Sparkler. We went to the arena and saddled up when she started to get stubborn. I checked for rocks in her hooves. She picked one up last week and was limping a bit before I found it. Not that. I decided to go outside to the front pasture and ride. There are bees everywhere and she refused to go. Not only that but there are thistle stalks that I'm sure prick her legs.

So we went back inside the arena. She became more obstinate and started crow-hopping quite a bit so I got off rather than have an incident. We did some ground work and she was fine and responsive, so is the bit is bothering her? She keeps pulling and chewing on it. Is it the arena herself? --the saddle? Or has she just got my number?

Not a Beau

Mom had a family picnic today since Tony and Donna, Tony, Heather, Seth and baby Collin were up from Missouri. Nice as that was, I couldn't wait to leave (sorry Mom) to go to Haugen to check out another lead from the Tradin' Post. He's a blue roan owned by Chuck and Annette. Beau is the only gaited horse and they are cutting back due to drought-induced lack of hay.

They said over the phone that he was hard to catch and they didn't lie. They brought out friends to help corral him and it looked bleak. But their daughter was patient and managed to get a lead rope on him and then he was good as gold.

She rode him a bit then I had my chance. He is smooth, he is not aggressive. He's pretty responsive to ground commands. He backs up on the ground and on back. He's not bad at neck reining. So we said yes!

The price was a big factor. He is half the price of the Single Footer and will be a better match for Sparkler, being a Walker. I'm not sure, but I think he's a bit shorter than Sparkler.

They bought him from a man who owns an Eau Claire restaurant and thought he lived in Rock Falls. He's not registered but think he's six or seven years old. Beau's original name was Beauty, but was renamed Beau. We don't like either so his new name will be Banjo. We'll pick him up later.

Apalchian Single Foot

Today was a busy day--at work I had meeting after meeting. But I left at 2:30 to go to Cadott to see Dr. Dan Winger, a Cadott veterinarian. I had a chance to try Star, a pretty 14.3 single foot he has advertised for sale. What most attracted me to her was the way she looked at me as I approached. A lot of horses will ignore you--the smart ones are curious. She handled pretty well. She didn’t want to leave her partner who was tied at the fence, but I managed to tear her away. She had a nice, smooth single-foot gait. If you watch it, its looks almost like a Paso Fino gait (tiny steps) without the outward paddling effect.

Doc is an amazing guy who's bred and trained these horses for a number of years. He now has close to 30 of them.

While I liked Star, she is priced outside my range, although I might consider her. But there's a Tennessee Walking Horse for sale near Rice Lake I will check out first.

Brandy and Spirit

I still haven't been able to contact horse dealers in Missouri. They seemed so friendly, knowledgeable and willing to find just the right horse for us. So I turned to the local Tradin' Post and noticed an ad for some Tennessee Walking horses in Spencer. We want friendly, older, well trained and ready to ride.

Bob and I took an early morning trip to check out Brandy and Spirit, the two most promising horses listed. Brandy is 14 years old, 15 hands--an absolutely beautiful sorrel mare. She’s given Tony and Mary Kay some beautiful babies. They are some really nice people who are wanting to cut back on their herd so they can spend more time riding.

Brandy was very prancy. She didn’t stand still for mounting, but I eventually got on and she took off like mad. I could not make her stop and Tony had to rescue me. Was it the nearby stallion? The other horses in the pastures? Tony got on her for another 10 minutes and he still couldn’t get her to go down the drive past our car. That’s a no.

Spirit was more high strung and hadn't been ridden much. That certainly doesn't fit our description.

The search continues.

Missouri update

Monday and Tuesday have passed and I've gotten no call from Tom. I tried email, but the message got returned. There is no answer on any of the three numbers I've used before. I hope everything is OK with them. Cancel the trip.