Weekend update

De-spooking clinic

Saturday was a day I've long anticipated - T.E.A. put on a day-long clinic on de-spooking your horse. I chose Banjo, since he's so good at leading and I have no idea how much experience he's had. He was a good choice.

There were 2 other Tennessee Walkers, a Foxtrotter, a Halflinger and a buckskin quarterhorse.

Luckily the event was held indoors as it poured and poured and poured, which made hearing inside the arena a challenge, but it was an extra "spooky" thing for the horses to encounter. The arena time was donated by Don and Elaine and their dog, Maggie! Don was on hand to help park the trailers and see to it that we were taken care of. They are so generous!

Banjo and I did fairly well with leading, but terrible with most everything else. He will not walk over tarps or over the bridge. He is real spooky with baloons and waving hands and jumping near his head. Still, I'm confident he will get past this quickly. He just needs more time.

Sunday, it continued to pour, so Bob and I raked rocks inside our arena. We have about half of it to finish before we put the sand on top. He has a huge pothole on the storage side of the building he needs to fill. Next year will be my year. All the major projects will be done!

Banjo update

I'm still not getting anywhere with Banjo's thrush treatment. I can only hold the left rear-and just long enough to get the liquid on the foot. The other three are impossible to pick up and hold. Aaarrggghh. I've been working on flexing his head from side to side in the halter and that's going well.

But I did ride tonight - only with Bob's help. When I hold the reins and move to his side, we goes in endless circles. But with Bob standing at his head holding the reins, he stands still for me to mount. Bob walked me for 2 loops and then let me go alone. He ran for a whole loop then stopped at the entrance where an audience of two was watching intently. So Bob had to walk me a few more loops and then I was able to keep him at a lope past the door. Then we were doing well. He won't back unless Bob is at his head helping.

It got too dark in the arena or I would have ridden more.

Working on trust

I was able to pet Banjo tonight before feeding. It took a while--small touch on the muzzle, back off. Side of cheek, back off. Scratch under jaw, back off. Scratch the forehead, back off. Then walk up beside him, rub his neck and head.

After feeding, though, I had to close the gate to get the halter on him. Then he refused to be led through the gate to the grooming space. So I got the longe whip, pulled the lead rope from outside the gate and lightly smacked his rump. Four times - that's all it took.

I groomed him, petted him, then just rubbed my hands down each leg--several times. When I was sure he was relaxed, I tried picking up the hooves. He was a bit better than yesterday, giving me a few seconds before pulling them away. But with alfalfa treats and patience, I managed to get a bit of HoofFlex Thrush Remedy on each foot.

I don't care as much about the treatment as I do about him trusting me. I ended by just massaging his butt, rubbing on his sides, giving him treats.

Trust issues

I couldn't treat Banjo's thrush last night because of T.E.A., so Bob and I teamed up tonight with no success. Banjo is stubborn. As soon as I pick up a foot, he stomps it down. A lot of his trouble is that he's not used to people being beside him. I still can't catch him. I need to corner him in the loafing shed to get a halter on him. I have to remember he's been in a pasture with 20-some other horses, all vying for food. He has a bit of a gang member mentality -- tough, ready for a fight, ready to run.

Still, there's the thrush. But you know he's had it for a very long time, so I will just take my time and get at the root of the problem -- getting him to trust me.

T.E.A.

The Equestrian Academy (TEA) met tonight. Topic: Bits and Bitting. Dawna gave a great presentaion about kinds of bits, how bits apply pressure and what makes them more or less severe.

Gilly and Banjo finally getting along (well, almost)

Yesterday, we finally put all three horses together. Its taken more than 2 weeks.

The first week, Banjo wouldn't let Gilly into the barnyard for water or into the loafing shed for relief from flies, so we had to separate Gilly from the other two and open the other half of the loafing shed with a separate water supply.

The second week, we opened the two pastures so any of the three could get into either side of the loafing shed or either water supply and still we found wounds on Gilly. The last few days we've seen less biting and just a bit of kicking.

Banjo and Sparkler are partners. Gilly manages to keep a few paces away, but finally is able to be in the barnyard, drink from the waterer and eat hay inside the loafing shed. We can even feed all three in the small space in the loafing shed. Each eats peacefully and quietly--until Banjo finishes. Then he kicks and bites until the other two are out and he can finish the leftovers.

A day to forget

7:30 am - Baby it's cold outside

There was a hard frost, so Bob and I put our long underwear on and dressed warmly and went out. We connected the truck to the trailer and I managed to corral Banjo using grain and got his halter on. I'm taking him to a De-spooking clinic in two weeks and he needs a negative coggins. I picked up the coggins form from the clinic Thursday night and filled it in to save time.

8:00 am - Drawing blood

Banjo hopped in the trailer after a couple circles around the rig and we were on our way to Osseo. We made the clinic by 8:17. I paid and the vet drew blood right there in the trailer. What a breeze. On the way home, I'm thinking the rest of the day should go well.

9:10 am - Chores

Back at home, I walked Banjo around our circular drive. He leads so well. Then I did some shoveling and sweeping and Bob took off to spend the day at an auction. Little did he know what he was getting out of. After I finished chores I went in the house until time for the farrier.

10:30 am - 2 new horses for Kate

Kate came a few minutes early, which was great, because 2 of these horses are new to her. I used grain again to catch Banjo and he got to go first.

Bad news - thrush in all four hooves. Kate says he's probably had it for a good long time and it has really gotten in deep. So she dug out as much of the rotten tissue as possible, then used my Hooflex and squirted it in all the grooves. I'll need to treat it daily for a week, then several times a week until his next trim. She recommended straight bleach every other application because when it gets this deep its really hard to get rid of. About a capful is all you need.

Good news -- Banjo has good, hard feet and he's very good with Kate. So I tied him up nearby and got Sparkler. She was a breeze--no news there.

Next Gilly. He was an angel with his front hooves, despite a gash right above his right hoof. I put some SWAT on it, then we joked about jinxing things--so we didn't say anything. That didn't work--he was extremely touchy with his rear feet. They were both badly flared and misshapen. Kate said, "Do you have a twitch?" Well...no. She feels it's better to use the twitch than try to wrestle with a touchy horse, which often turns into a pushing or kicking match. But she didn't have her twitch with her. So she asked if I'd mind twitching him with my hand. Okaaaaaay. Here's a new one for me.

I took a deep breath and grabbed the muzzle in front of his nostrils, squeezed and gave it a twist. And held it. And pinched harder as he struggled with Kate. Then I gently, slightly, rocked is head back and forth. After three or four minutes, the strangest thing happened. The endorphins kicked in and his eyes softened, his head started to drop and he relaxed enough to let Kate finish the left rear hoof. Then I needed to relax - my hand was numb.

Kate worked a bit with his right rear leg. Pinched the tendon, then when he lifted his foot, immediately let go. She repeated this again and again until just the movement toward the tendon and he'd lift the leg. So she went to work, but in the end I needed to use the twitch maneuver again. When she was done he had the nicest shaped hooves. I'll need to continue to do what she's been doing - squeeze the tendon and release when he does what I want. He, too, has good hooves. Not only that, but through it all he wasn't mean, and was forgiving.

Whew, I thought."Thrush, gash and twitching. Couldn't get any worse." Hmmmmm.

12:30 - Made you look

By now it was time for lunch. Sam was in the kitchen and said, "So what is Gilly doing in the front yard?". Being the jokester he is, I wasn't even going to look, but thought I'd better. There were three horses in the front yard. Yikes! "Sam, get a grain bucket. I'll get halters and the car." They ran down the road faster than we could think about a plan.

Off they went into the neighbor's corn field with us in pursuit as far as we could with the car. Then on foot--but they were nowhere in sight. So we went down the road a mile and tried Larry's place. I walked way back in his cow pasture. They didn't take kindly to my being there. I still couldn't see the horses. There was nothing to do but go back to the car and drive back. We found a pasture path and took the car as far in as we could go. At the top of a hill we spotted them!

I grabbed two halters with lead ropes and the grain bucket. Sam took the car back to the road on the other side of them in case they went in that direction. Then our neighbor, not knowing who belonged to the horses, began chasing them with his tractor, not wanting his cows to get spooked. I'm waving at him to stop and watching from a mile away as they ran back and forth. Then Sam managed to talk to him from the other side which gave me time to walk through the fields, with thistle and burdock, over hills and under barbed wire until they could hear me with my grain bucket. And I'm wondering "They've had grain three times already today. Will they even care?" But care they did and they came. I haltered Sparkler and Gilly and with them in tow and Banjo trailing behind we walked back to Doug and Sandy's barnyard.

I left Gilly penned there while I walked Sparkler and Banjo home. Then I went back for Gilly. I had a burr in my shoes, my laces were untied and my knee was killing me. But we made it. Which leaves the question, "How did they open the gate to escape?"

3:00 - So, what more can go wrong?

Back in the house, the phone rang. My father-in-law wanted to let me know we didn't need to deliver the snow blower to Dan tomorrow. He tried to start it this morning, but no luck. He took a wrench to the spark plug, which slipped and gashed his hand, which had to have stitches. I tried to make him feel better with my story.

Then he told me how he noticed Banjo trying to open a gate the day they brought Gilly home and how he used his mouth to pick up the chain.. Maybe we should rename him Houdini.

Riding is the furthest thing from my mind right now.

A day to remember

We made a pact last Saturday to get together with Art and Vicki today and ride. No excuses. So we packed the trailer with saddles and bridles and loaded first Gil, then Banjo (I almost felt cheated-they both just walked right in!!!!) and went a mile up the road to their farm. This was great practice for us all.

Once everyone was groomed and saddled, we walked around in the front pasture for a few minutes. Gil was great. Banjo was acting up. I could not get to Banjo's side without him doing circles around me (he has a wonderful pivot, though). So I got on Gil and Art led Vicki on Winrod (they're not sure of him yet), Alexis rode Thunder, and Bob walked Banjo. Through a couple gates, up hills and down to a beautiful pond.

I cannot say enough good things about Gil. He did not run down the hills - instead he slowly and carefully found his way down. Up hill, he only walked. Fine in the middle, OK in front. Very controllable.

When we came back, Banjo had settled down and Bob was able to stand at his side. So I took a deep breath and got on Banjo. He stood still and waited until I told him to go. Then he took off at a pretty good clip. Whoa doesn't work on him and he doesn't flex to the side so we fought a bit until I got him under control. Man, is he fun to ride, a bit of a challenge, but he is soooo smooth. While I was figuring out Banjo's moves, Bob quietly got on Gil. They look so good together. What a great day.

AVS reunion picnic

Tonight, Bob and I went to a reunion of current and former employees of a veterinary software company I used to work for as a COBOL programmer. But first we had to clear the pasture of burdock. It's been getting in manes and tails.

The last few nights we've been opening up the pastures and letting Gil in with Sparkler and Banjo. But Banjo ends up biting and chasing poor Gil so we give in and separate them. Gil wants so much to be a part of the herd, but one short week isn't going to be enough.

The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions

I hadn't planned on seeing them, but fate had its way. Barbara Ann sent me an email message just as I was leaving work. "The Lipizzaners are unloading at Zorn arena!" So I walked out that way, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. As luck would have it, the performers and staff were bathing and grooming the horses near enough the sidewalk that we could chat.

A driver told me how the horses peed on command. When I expressed my skepticism, one of the performers agreed with him and told me how they whistle each time the young horses urinate to train them. Then before the show and during intermission, the horses can free their bladders and not have wet flooring. (That doesn't work for poop, however.)

Speaking of flooring, they cover the floor with panels made of egg carton plus other materials which provides a cushy footing surface.

Thank you, Elizabeth!!

A young performer from Nebraska, Elizabeth Sorenson, explained what maneuvers she would be performing, how much she enjoyed this work, how her career will be in equine performance. She wondered if I'd seen the show before and would I be coming? I answered, no, I hadn't planned on it. She wondered if I'd change my mind if she got me tickets. How could I refuse?

Twisting Bob's arm took about 2 seconds, and when we got to the ticket office, there were 2 tickets in my name. The show was amazing. We watched as Elizabeth did precision maneuvers, sideways, rearing. She also partnered with another performer as they demonstrated how they did groundwork preparing a horse for the rearing maneuver, levade.

Then there were the Andalusian. Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, they were, with curly main and tail.

The Capriole

Baby, their youngest Lipizzaner, did the Capriole, the signature movement where the horse springs up and violently kicks his rear legs backward. The first time, he did OK and the crowd cheered, but you could tell he wanted to do better. The second time was better and the crowd was louder. The tension mounted as he pranced and prepared for his third and perfect attempt. The crowd roared. I truly believe the horse was proud of his performance.

We came home and visited the Lipizzaner web site and were disappointed we couldn't find a bio of Elizabeth. If you're out there, Elizabeth, thank you so very much for this treat! Now Bob wants to buy an Andalusian...

Banjo day

I've not had time to get my hands on Banjo for more than a week, so I made sure I focused on him after work tonight. Catching him has gotten harder. But once I get him haltered, he's so good. We did some grooming, but he's not relaxing yet. I used the spray bottle with water to make sure he's OK with bug spray and he is just the tiniest bit spooky with it. After only a short time I went with the real spray.

Then we moved to the arena where we started with leading. I place my stick on his withers and first cluck as I move, then tap the stick to keep his shoulders level with me as we walk, instead of him walking behind me. And he gets it.

I'm using Clinton Anderson's techniques for sensitizing/desensitizing -- first the stick, then the rope, then slapping the ground with the rope on the stick. He's a bit prancy with the slapping, but eventually stops. Next time, I'll move the slapping closer and harder.

Yielding the hindquarters is a piece of cake. He has a very nice pivot. Yielding the front quarters is another story. I'm not good with the technique so he's not good either. I quit there and put the saddle on.

No sooner had I put the saddle on when Vicki and Craig stopped by on their bike to see the new horses. I hadn't planned on riding Banjo, but as long as Vicki was there I thought I might as well give it a go. But he pranced around every time I tried to get near his side, so Vicki couldn't help herself and asked to mess with him. She let him spin 'round and 'round until he decided to stop. Same on the other side. Slap him with the stirrups, make saddle noises and off he goes. Eventually he settled down, but he's not ready for safe riding yet. She tried getting him to flex his head to the side and he doesn't know how. It's obvious he needs some boot camp.

Labor Day

It's also Grandpa's birthday, so we made an early morning trip to the cabin. Our kids all joined us. We had great weather, good pizza, a bonfire and 'smores.

Back at home, Bob and I opened the pasture and let the horses mingle. We sat on a hill observing the interaction between the three. Sparkler came up to us and nibbled on our shirts, grazing near our feet.

It's been three days since we brought Gil home and there's still a lot of hostility toward him. But he SO wants to be a part of the herd that he follows them, keeping just enough distance in case he gets challenged. As dusk set in, we separated them again and called it a day.

A very full day

Many hands make light work

We've been wanting to do this all summer and a storm a few days ago forced the issue. Our Siberian elm died this spring and the wind blew a huge branch down, just missing the LP tank. So this morning, Art and his boys and Bob and I with Dan and Sam, all pitched in. Within an hour, we had the downed branch cut up, the rest of the tree felled, the cut wood piled into Art's truck and the debri hauled to the brush pile.

Gigantic grubs

The stump was filled with the biggest, fattest grubs I've ever seen. We had to get them out of the garden before they moved to the flowers, so Bob picked them up and threw them out in the driveway. They rolled when they landed, like tires. Alex wanted to take them home for the rooster, so we got a baggy and got rid of them.

Riding Gil

Randy and Sally pulled up just as we were finishing (good timing), to see Gil. So after Art and his kids left, we got Gil and saddled him up. The saddle seems to fit well. I tried Sparkler's sweet iron snaffle bit and he took to it without any chawing or head tossing. This was too easy! So I took a deep breath and jumped in the saddle. He's used to neck reining, but not the arena, so there was a little hesitation here and there going around, but he listens and obeys.

Sally took a go at it and thought we was good as gold. He backs up extremely well and stops with a whoa and a tug on the reins.

Then, surprisingly, Dan asked to ride. Dan has never expressed an interest in the horses, although he's always loved to feed and pet them. So he got on and did very well. I was hesitant to take Gil outside, but Dan wanted to try, so it was out to pasture 3, just freshly mowed. They did some trotting and Dan handled that well, slowing him easily when he got a bit fast. Now we're riding!

Barbeque

We had a few hours, so next we got busy cooking and cleaning. Randy and Sally had other things to do, but Art and Vicki came back with the kids at 6:00 for burgers, brats, potato salad and pie. We topped it off with a huge bonfire. I don't know how we could have crammed much more into one day.