Sleepy eyes

I rolled into the barn driveway slowly. Everyone was turned in, it was well past sunset and very dark. No one around.

I hopped out of my car and walked to the barn entrance.

'Sorry, guys...' I said as I flicked the aisle light on. Squinty eyed heads popped out over their stall doors and looked at me. Some expectant, others obviously were disturbed from their rest. I approached Gators door. He was the squintiest and groggiest looking of them all! It was rather cute. He sleepily nuzzled me. I put on his halter and led him out to inspect his hock where he was kicked. The swelling was down from earlier in the day, still not too much heat and the one inch long cut was looking okay.

He was sleepy enough he didn't even try fighting or graze all that much for hosing. To be honest if someone woke me up and turned a hose on me I'd be pretty pissed. He's a good boy.

Needless to say, I didn't get to try out the saddle yet. He did get shod but now I'm nursing a swollen hock. Hoping it's just some bruising and the swelling will continue to subside. He's only slightly off on it if that so that's good and there's not too terrible much heat in it so the Bute is controlling the inflammation pretty well.

I'm pretty over nursing kick wounds to be quite frank. My stoic horse takes it all pretty well but I don't find it to be fair to him to continue to sort things out in a herd. Especially that keeps swelling with more horses. We shall see... and hopefully post another day sooner than later about our first ride in the new saddle. Though I'm very picky about him being 100% before I hop back on so it might be a bit. Send him healing thoughts and wish us luck...

The new saddle

That arrived to my house yesterday. 17.5" seat, Extra Wide Tree, Arabian Saddle Company Rubicon Demo and also prototype. It's in great shape. I was hesitant about the color but he looked stunning with it on. It also seemed, from the ground and without having sweat marks to be sure, to fit well. It's about half as light as my current saddle, which is AWESOME because I lug it back and forth to my house and the barn. Yeah, there's a tack 'room' at the barn - an old locked barn/shed. However, I'm rather, um, OCD about leather care and the humidity and temperature fluctuations in Southeastern Virginia is not to be trusted with leather. I'll look silly for a bit until I replace all my fittings with black but I don't care if it fits him and I in all other ways. I'm excited. He has a slightly loose shoe and his feet are due so I didn't ride him last night. My boys conformation isn't great in his front feet and when he's long I worry about injury and for trying this saddle out, I want him to be 100% comfortable. I don't want to blame his way of going on anything but the saddle - good or bad.

I'll take more pics this weekend - maybe with me ON him. That would be new. I don't think I have a single picture of me riding him. That needs to change. Have a great weekend everyone!

Oh... and I have a 17.5" Wide Arabian Saddle Company Elan in Havana Brown Buffalo Leather for sale if you're interested ;)

Realization

I had a great lesson yesterday. A good ride Saturday too. I need to take some durn pictures/video.

Anyways, that realization... so I got to thinking about Gator and our trail rides. I talked to his previous owner about it. I thought back to everything I'd ever been told about him. I remembered our first rides. I flipped through my memory. I realized no one ever told me he'd been trail ridden very MUCH, only that he really liked it. I remembered no one saying they had done more than a walk on the trail.


I realized I may have been expecting a lot from a horse who to be honest, was relatively green on the trails. Especially doing anything more than plodding along. I took his 'experience' for granted as being a 'been there done that' horse - but really that was only in the show ring. That's a WHOLE different world.

That's scary and encouraging all at the same time. He's been quite good when I think of things that way - especially since I was a very timid rider when I started out on him alone on the trails. He's done his best to take care of me when we were both unsure. I need to break things down for him so they're clear out there. I need to help him make the connection between what he knows in the ring and how to apply it on the trail. Apparently, alone we've done pretty well - without me even knowing we were doing something that was newish to him. Though I see some things that need work. In a group I'm shocked he was so good now. I bet that was THE first time he'd ever cantered on the trail with a rider and other horses. I feel pretty confident I can actually break it down and show him what I want with the right buddies. He just has to learn that the cues are the same and yeah, it's exciting but he needs to be just as responsive on the trail as in the ring, buddies or not. I know he can be, else things would have gone South long ago. And that's pretty cool.

Anyhow, after my lesson Sunday my instructor had a few things to say about us since our last lesson:

1) My lower leg was VERY solid.
2) My upper body position had improved drastically, she was very impressed with my progress there. I do still occasionally collapse my shoulders at the canter but it's getting better.
3) Similarly, when cantering I need to think LIGHT SEAT and keep my shoulders , but much improved.
4) The new saddle may fix several position issues - she can tell I'm always fighting to keep my legs back underneath me.

Now she also hopped on Gator after I did. Her main points/exclamations...

1) He does have my number with a few things. (Yeah, I knew that.)
2) 'Good Lord he's squirrely!' - he may have my number but if you don't catch him FAST he's already done what he shouldn't. (No news to me ... I'd never been on a horse SO 'quick' before him.)
3) She understood my position issues - he really throws you forward. (No kiddin'?) If he hollows out it's really pretty tough to keep your seat.
4) He really is incredibly sensitive.

She very much admitted he isn't as push button as he looks... but he's definitely a fun ride. It was really fun to see him ridden... boy he's cute.


Oh, the new wider saddle should be here Thursday. The Thinline pad must at least be making him FEEL better with the saddle on though it doesn't fix the pressure points. He was rounding up very nicely but then also over flexing like mad, even in the warm up on a loose rein. On occasion it was bit avoidance but mostly you could tell that is how he thinks he's expected/supposed to go and felt as though he could. My poor boy... he was surely Anky-fied in his previous days.

Also, my instructor suggested that perhaps draw reins would help with the stopping issue on the trail. I'm mulling it over. It would keep him from avoiding the bit. I don't like them though, but for a couple rides it wouldn't hurt. Except I'm not entirely comfortable using them - only have a time or two. On the trail it makes me a little nervous to use them... She also pointed out as extensively as they have been used on him he may simply try nothing as he KNOWS the limits with draw reins on. I dunno... maybe he just needs me to break things down a bit more step by step as I was saying before. I'm not really in a hurry, not that I think it will take long if I'm consistent. Thoughts?

One hot little Arab

Funny creatures are horses. Routines are very important. The norm is their preference. Herd animals prefering other horses to being alone.

However, what if riding with other horses, even in a familiar place, is not the norm? That was our ride yesterday. Additionally, it was in the evening when he's notoriously silly - I attribute it to deer and dinner time when we're alone. It was also cooler, slightly windy.

I finally caught up with a girl at the barn ~9 years my junior and senior in high school (I feel old after talking/riding with these girls... subject matter changes so much with age...) who I like and her Appy mare is a doll - we'll call the girl 'P'. Well, when I get there another girl who is ~10 years my junior, and junior in high school is there who owns a palomino Anglo-Arab gelding ,we'll call her 'A', who decides to join us.

Now, Gator and I always ride solo. We have not had a trail buddy for more than a lap around the hay field near the barn... ever. To be honest, despite enjoying it he hadn't been trailed that much before me and only a couple times with another horse.

'P' and her Appy, I noticed when we got to our barn, are quite sane and laid back. 'P' is pretty mature for her age. She sat with me the day waiting for the vet the day of the trailer incident. Her mare is pretty easy going, witha smidge of Appytude. They usually trail alone. She's an ex trail string horse and lower in the mare herd pecking order. I knew she and Gator would be a good pairing.

Now, 'A' is a sweetie but mature is not a word I would use to describe her. I just get a feeling from her gelding that he tolerates her - and well - but ... she really seems like a kid. He is an ex-schoolie and a pretty good boy. He's a bit higher in the gelding herd than Gator, but they got along decently well from the get-go.

Anyways, we warm up in the ring together - to let Gator and Appy mare 'meet'. They were pretty complacent besides some slightly pinned ears.

'P' was having trouble keeping her mare listening - as in she wasn't interested in trotting and wanted to canter instead. 'P' impressed me with her patience and how she handled it. Always brought her back to a walk, calmly and asked for the upward transition, back down if she didn't listen.

'A' blew around at a canter between conversations with us at a walk. Gator prefered to give everyone plenty of room, occasionally ducking in behind Appy mare.

This was all a great foreshadowing of the ride to come.

We hit the trail at a walk. Gator twice, cut off the gelding to get in the back of our little herd. Interesting. He's not a lead trail horse by choice. Good to know.

We all (though 'P' and I reluctantly agreed) to canter at one point. Gator overtook the gelding, when he, I suppose, decided that was a bad idea and veered off into the hay field. Got him slowed, back on track asked to canter. Dead ass hand gallop to catch up (which I sat deep to avoid... half halts ignored). Starting a fight which continued for, oh, most of the rest of the ride.

Twice 'A' cantered off after that without telling 'P' and I. Super. Thanks sweetie.

Appy mare was being rather strong too, though was much more quick to stop, though tossing her head and fighting a bit. This is while I'm fighting Gator to whoa, cursing at him a lot by then and sparking much frustration. Appy mare and 'P' parked until Appy mare was 100% settled. Standing was not Gator's game either once we managed to pull it together to get back to them, so we fought a bit over that too.

Who owns the dancey prancey Arab? That'd be me. All the while 'A' is chattering cluelessly.

A went back to the ring to jump after proclaming we'd been riding a whole hour. She'd never been on a horse for that long in one ride before! No kidding?

'P' and I went back down the dirt road at a walk again as both were still being a bit silly. Appy mare and Gator went along pretty well - a little jiggy on the way back to the barn when we first turned around but better. It was dinner time afterall. Of all things, they know that. It wasn't forgiven and Gator did listen much better with just Appy mare. He was also less reluctant to be in front of her.

The BO asked if we had a good ride. Immediately, 'P' and my eyes met down the barn aisle. I smiled and half heartedly said it was alright. 'A' chimed in and said she'd had SO much fun!

Of course she did. She also can't wait to go back out with us again sometime... *sigh*


My first reaction to the ride? God do I hate being in his mouth and I was yesterday. Hate, hate, hate it. But he has to stop when I tell him so, right? Ask, Tell, MAKE them listen. Though, whoa means whoa no matter the gait, no matter the monster. It can be life or death on the trail if he doesn't listen to me. Of course it wasn't last night but things happen. He HAS to listen to a whoa no matter the company. Though one in our group was obviously problematic - but that happens. Even if she shouldn't have cantered off without warning. Twice.

I think of him first. Always. I don't think anyone could deny that. This isn't a matter of me 'listening' to figure out what is bothering my poor sweet baby boy. This is him running through me, because he decides to. This is a respect issue. This is an attention issue.

We are going to work on those. A lot. In the ring. On the trail. Alone and with P. Tehre are many up and down transitions in our future.

Rating and breaks have been an issue that I think I've allowed him to exploit on the trail as I was pretty timid and scared when I started riding him. This is the reason his old owner would say he's not a kids horse. He can get strong, even in the ring, though not quite like this. Some days when I just want him worked I am a bit complacent when he wants to go, instead of making him listen and rate, I let him go even if I'd be happier at a less excuberant trot. I'm not anymore. I need to always be clear and mean it. Boundaries.

Now... what to do when 'A' asks to go for a ride again...


(I also figured out last night he's getting about twice the amount of grain what I want him to... Might have something to do with his a-go-go attitude of late. Told the BO this a.m. to half that grain. NOW. No wonder his weight loss had tapered off... dude, he can live on air!)

I never knew...

I was driving to the barn the other night. A radio show was on and interviewing a man. He was discussing child trafficking - in the United States.

What? That doesn't happen here, I thought to myself. I've never been more wrong and more angry. He rattled off some statistics (which I only vaguely remember correctly so) regarding the fact that usually within something like 24hours of a little girl going missing by abduction she's is shunted into the underground sex trade. Runaways are likely propositioned and lured into the grasp of someone within 48hours. People actually position themselves outside of high schools to recruit young girls - with offers of lucrative careers.

I was appalled. He mentioned a website http://www.sctnow.org/. They fight against this heinous underworld everyday.

Here is some info and stats I got from their website:

Child Trafficking: the recruitment, smuggling, transporting, harboring, buying or selling of a child through force, threats, fraud, deception, or coercion for the purposes of exploitation, prostitution, pornography, migrant work, sweat shops, domestic servitude, forced labor, bondage, peonage or involuntary servitude.

'600,000 – 800,000 people are bought and sold across international borders each year; 50% are children, most are female. The majority of these victims are forced into the commercial sex trade. '– U.S. Department of State, 2004, Trafficking in Persons Report, Washington, D.C.

'An estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States each year. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry. – U.S Department of Justice Report to Congress from Attorney General John Ashcroft on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons

'There are open sex slavery cases in all 50 States. An estimated 10,000 sex slaves exist in New York City.' – Red Light Children Campaign

'An estimated 2.5 million children, the majority of them girls, are sexually exploited in the multibillion dollar commercial sex industry.' – UNICEF

Think about those stats for a minute. Then go hug your daughters. Then go check out the website and spread the word.

I had NEVER heard of this - except maybe as something that happened overseas in other countries which made it seem so far away. I was dead wrong. I'm guessing most of you hadn't known about this either. Visit the website and tell someone else about it. Heck make a viral e-mail.

To protect our own children and other innocents who don't have anyone to protect them, we all need to know about and combat this issue. What's more is we have to encourage our legislators to crack down on people who are paying to 'use' these 'services'. It's someones baby they're 'using' and that breaks my heart.

A lot of 'horse people' these days are worrying a great deal about where our forgotten 'unwanted' horses or other pets end up. I know I do anyways. This very human issue smacked me across the face though. As long as we can do this to ourselves, especially our innocent children, what chance do our animals have at being treated with dignity?

The Greatest Guy

Smiling through the pain...

That's me and my wonderful husband on our honeymoon in Aruba. He hasn't been on a horse since and that's my fault. He puts up with my constant blather about Gator and horses and still agreed when the opportunity arose that I could make Gator my own. Even after this ride. Not being a 'horse person' he's been amazingly tolerant of my expensive and time consuming habit. He's the best... now here's the story of our ride in Aruba.

I chose The Beach Ride from the book and told the clerk at our hotel. I didn't think much about it or even look at how long it was. I wanted to ride on the beach. Period. The end.

The day we'd chosen to ride came and we waited out front of our hotel. I had been certain we both packed jeans and 'real' shoes of some sort, which we were sporting. A little 'bus' showed up and we crawled in. We were the second hotel they stopped at to pick up the riders. As the bus filled and we drove around the island we talked about the scenery and such. I was stoked - I was going to ride on the beach. I had dreamed of cantering through the surf... okay a bit too 'romantical' but whatever.

We arrived at the 'ranch' and I looked around. I craned my neck to see where the horses lived and figure out what the hell they fed them - there wasn't a blade of grass hardly on the whole island. We all sat in the bar area and listened to a lecture on the 'basics of riding'. Oh my. They told you how to mount and to keep your heels down. That was pretty much it. Oh boy. Then they told us the groups - The Beach ride group (us) and The Waterfall or something group...

Everyone else. Uh oh. I quickly glanced at the brochure... I had chosen a THREE HOUR trail ride. The other was three hours, but not of riding ONLY - the ride was only 45 minutes to an hour for the other. My poor new husband was going to anull the marriage after a 3+ hour ride. I offered to switch rides but being a tough guy he said he could do it.

Then they asked who had ridden before. I had been warned to not admit I had... but they knew. The fact I kept looking at the horses I think, was giving my husband pointers etc. probably gave it away.

They led us to our horses. Most were pretty skinny, their feet a bit long the tack less than appealing but overall they were in decent health it appeared.

They put Mike on 'Champagne' first- I tried to help him but was being shuttled to my horse - 'Tazmania' who was prancing in place, head high, biting his neighbor. I noticed he had the fleshiest butt of the whole lot of horses. Awesome. I hop on and glance at the scary bit. A homemade kimberwick of sorts. Super.

They take the horse next to me away. Taz nearly pulled the post over. Literally, the whole fence shook. A guide ran over to try and settle him. Apparently Taz's very best friend was going to be in the other group. I gulped and tried to settle this horse rather unsuccessfully.

We met our guide, as another led a jigging Taz over to Champagne who didn't move when she was untied. As soon as the guide let go of Taz we headed down the paved road at some version of a fast gaited trot - I know nothing of gaited horses mind you. All I know is comfortable, it wasn't. The asphalt couldn't have been helpful either. Her buddy was in the other group, leaving ahead of us. I sit deep. Nothing. I pull back, not even very hard and the guide yells at me, almost panicked not to do that as Taz went into a head shaking fit. Um... so... I just go along with this then? No. He's a head shaking, pulling monster and I'm not allowed to touch his face? I hadn't even pulled back hard!

We were with the other group for the first 15 minutes of the ride. My horse trying to maneuver her way to her friend in the crowd - the guide trotting up and grabbing her bridle/halter to stop her and keep us in the back of the group. Mike's horse straggling along behind. I'm trying to explain to him how to ride probably annoying him to death... all the while my horse jigs while though guy now is practically just ponying us.

The time came to branch off which I was dreading - this horse was going to lose it. The guide had let go again. Of course Taz tried to head off with the other group. I blocked with my leg and opposite rein. He threw and shook his head and pulled like a fool BUT sort of listened with much head shaking, jigging in protest.

Champagne was lagging and to help Mike I decide to ride behind him. I could tell him what to do that way and it was helpful to have a horse behind his for motivation. Except Taz was not okay with being last. In fact second wasn't really Taz's choice either though he'd tolerate it. I was fighting him the entire time to stay behind when I finally just let him pass Mike as we passed housing with dogs running out barking at us. I think my horse would have gladly stomped a dog but he picked up the pace instead with little intention of listening to me. Great.

So now the guide is far far ahead down the road - I mean far. I'm still not sure what he was doing; he had to realize we were very far behind him. He might have been on his cell phone. I was struggling to slow Taz down to stay with Mike and his horse just had no motivation to move forward at our pace. As we were heading down a hill, still on the road mind you, I hear Mike yelling 'Whoa!'. My heart sinks as I look back.

Champagne has seen something in the bushes next two a house that she was not a fan of. She was bunny hopping in the front and refusing to move forward, only up. My horse REFUSES to turn around. I watch helplessly, fighting with Taz to turn and head back as Champagne rears. Yes. My non-riding husbands horse just reared on as asphalt road and of course he's bareheaded. I SCREAM for the guide.

He turns, looks and comes at a dead run back to us. Taz decides then it's okay to turn around and head back. The guide and I arrive at the same time and he grabs Champagnes bridle/halter and she calmed down. I explain to the guide, who did not speak English well, that someone had to stay behind Champagne. My horse would not without a fight so if he told me where to turn when we needed to turn, I was fine (and Taz was happier) leading. This actually worked very well while it lasted.

We were on a dirt road by then and Taz had finally stopped jigging. We started actually enjoying ourselves a little and Mike had a light bulb moment about what I meant by 'heels down'. Then we see the rocky mountain ahead. I had a gut twinge when I realized we'd be climbing it, helmet-less. I am a safety geek. About that time the guide also went back to the front of our little herd. I tried to keep Taz behind Champagne but it was futile - especially once the terrain got rough. Taz nearly pushed Champagne off a boulder to get in front of her. Beyond that they picked their way along up and down the path of the rocky mountainside - it was pretty cool when my horse wasn't shoving Mikes around.

Then we took a break after about an hour and a half. I think Mike was ready to kill me but he was a good sport. We took pictures of the rocky cliffs and the ocean. Mike of course was full of questions and asked why I was sort of out of the saddle going up the hills and I explained two point and how to sit a bit deeper heading down hills and why. I had tried to tell him when we were doing it but Taz didn't make it very easy.

It was time to remount and the guide held my horse first. I hopped on had both feet in the stirrups and he moved on to Mike and Champagne. Taz was ready to leave. I halted him MUCH to his dismay. Then, he decided since I wasn't allowing forward he'd try and flip me over his head and boy did he try. He yanked once and then set his feet, rocked back and YANKED HARD. Thing was, he didn't expect when I had realized what he was going to do and set myself against him and just didn't give an inch. I felt bad - I knew he had a pretty awful bit in but I let him do it to himself. Funny, but he didn't give me even a head shake again after that really. I did check his mouth after the ride and he wasn't hurt. I wanted to check at the time, but didn't feel like it was safe with all the boulders and the jigging horse to dismount. I was glad though I finally had his attention.

We all headed back down the mountain and to the beach. My heart sank. The whole reason I chose the ride was so I could canter on the beach. Mike was not going to be able to canter and I knew if I did there was a good chance his horse might take off the canter too and I wasn't sure he could handle it. Even falling off in the sand wasn't something I wanted - I felt bad enough. He kept urging me but instead we just waded them in the water a bit and headed on on the hills over looking the cliffs and ocean. It wasn't a very long beach anyways...

Mike started trying two point going up the hills. Champange liked that. She liked it a lot. In fact, she liked it so much that she refused to walk forward UNLESS Mike was in two point. Perfect. Seriously, he rode the rest of the ride in two point to keep some forward on his pitiful horse. The guide at least, so I think, took us on a shortcut back to the ranch thanks to Mike and Champagne. Surely though, my new husband was going to divorce me.

Once he was very far behind we were coming down a semi-steep incline on a dirt road and the guide whistled. This was a signal for the string horses to catch up. Catch up Champange did - she broke into a canter downhill with my horse novice husband in two point. I about fell off Taz as they blew by us - Taz was yielding to even just a half halt by then and being a very good boy as far as listening though I let him go as Champagne blasted past.

We rode past a donkey conservation of sorts - there were so many cute little donkeys running wild. Though, I think I was too worried about Mike and he was simply in too much pain to enjoy the last leg of the ride. Boy did he look miserable...

Despite covering much more terrain, but thanks to the shortcut we arrived back at the ranch 20 or so minutes before the other group. Mike was already sore. He declared he'd never ride again seriously, but at least with a laugh. I felt awful and got him a drink.

The other group had been swimming and lounging for an hour and half before they got back on their horses so... they came back in a more jovial mood than my poor husband and I. That made me feel worse. He was sore for pretty much the rest of the honeymoon. I also found out later that um, it's best for guys to not wear boxers when riding but tight-whities, he'd have appreciated that but I didn't know. Oops.

Luckily it all became a joke - in fact he brags about staying on which he did despite ol' Champagne cantering down a hill and rearing.

After some time he's retracted his claim he'll never ride again. Occasionally claiming, jokingly, he's going to go hop on Gator and ride off into the sunset. He didn't divorce me and he didn't make me swear horses off. A 'good sport' when it comes to horses is an understatement as it pertains to my husband. We'll never forget that ride, that's for sure. He also very much earned the title of The Greatest Guy. Ever.

Luckily for me, he really enjoyed snorkeling the next day of the honeymoon... that might actually be what saved the marriage...