Cat got her face clipped. She wasn’t too thrilled with it so we’d do some LFR and then clip. She’s pretty lazy so it didn’t take long before she decided the clippers were better than the circle she’d have to run around if she didn’t stand still. I just did her muzzle and her jaw line.
I’ve found that “most” of the horse I’ve been around if you can do their muzzle and jaw you can do almost any other part of them without too much of a problem. I want to leave her looking as “natural” as possible but I also know I’m better off to get her clipping well now vs. when she is 15 hh and 1,100 lbs.
Saturday night we went to a sale (MIL, Heather and I, DH showed up later) where my poor sister got her first taste of just how horrible some humans are. There were only a handful of horses and all of them but one was in pretty bad shape.
None of the horses were ridden in. All horses were considered “loose” horses.
2002 AQHA Black Mare – she was gorgeous! She was sold w/papers but not a signed transfer (a little fishy to me). Well cared for and nice looking feet - $500
2003 AQHA Brown Mare – she had a messed up ear, a cloud/film over her left eye and she had an enlarged back leg from the hock down (not sure if it was a tendon or an old bone injury), poorly cared for feet - $125
Sorrel Mare (don’t remember age) – very skinny and had a messed up back leg as well. Poorly cared for feet - $65
FAT medium sized pony – they said he/she was kid broke but hadn’t been ridden in years. HORRIBLE feet - $100
2 miniatures – One yearling filly and a 2 yr. old stud colt. They were both VERY skinny! The filly (who was larger) sold for $15 and after no bids on the stud colt (whom the owner claimed was broke to ride) the auctioneer asked the people who purchased the filly if they’d take him if he bought him. They agreed to it.
Sunday we all rode. MIL started off riding Sis but then got ill and went home. Heather started out on Abby but then Chase kicked her off so he could ride. He’s getting frustrated with me “nagging” him all of the time but he’s going to hate life worse when Abby dumps his butt because he won’t quick whacking her.
DH rode Max and I rode Lu. She wasn’t too happy. I asked her to trot and wanted to trot her out until she’d move out comfortably but she just kept making small circles around Max and purposely trying to whack my leg on Brandon’s (which she succeeded at a few times). Then when I asked her for a lope she decided to kick up her heels. My crop obviously didn’t have enough bite.
Later in the day DH and I went over to an arena close by that has team roping practice on Fridays and Sundays. He went last weekend and wants to start roping off of Max. I wanted to see what LLL would do around he cows.
When we got there I just stood next to DH (on LLL) because I didn’t want to be in the way. The cowboys all started twirling their ropes and throwing them on the ground (imaginary calf)
when it clicked with me that LLL was standing still and not freaking. Then they started roping. The chute opened and out came the steer. Lucy was too busy checking out the mares and babies in the pasture to notice.LLL started paying attention and after a while every time they’d let the steers out she would nicker at them like “hey! Where ya going?”. They let me run the steers from the holding pen at one end to the holding pen at the other. Lucy liked that. The first time she was up there but I didn’t want to get her too close. The second time we were close! She hunkered down and pinned her ears at the steers and she wanted them to move and move NOW!
The gate guy hadn’t opened the gate so we had to hold the steers in place. They kept yelling “don’t let them run back down” and I kept telling DH there was no way Lucy was going to let one get past her and she didn’t. One came up towards her and she tried to bite it on the butt.
She was very good and I was very happy with her attitude. The gentleman who owns the arena said I could use it during the week so I’d really like to start laying out a “game plan” in regards to her training. I need to get her back to the basics and I know we could definitely use a day of the passenger lesson. I’d like to go back again but will probably wait until I have a little bit better communication with Lucy. I’d love for them to let a steer out and see how she’d work it in the arena. Maybe one day we’ll find out.
Jaimee has graciously offered to sell Lucy to me so it looks like she will be taking up permanent residence in Iowa. I’m very happy to have her as an addition to our herd. After our last drill performance (July 18th) I will no longer be riding Max and will try to focus all of my time on Lucy (with a little here and there for Cat).
1 comment:
And, why did you torture yourselves going to the sale? Was anyone looking?
Congratulations on Lucy. I think you two will make a good team. Sounds like she's very "cowy" and remember it's that attitude she showed the cows that you see her giving you sometimes. Don't work it all out of her ;>)
How did DH do at the roping practice?
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