PB & PBF

Last night I headed out to the barn to grab Max and of course he’d had a fun day playing in the mud. I quickly brushed him up, clipped his bridle path, muzzle and the outside of his ears and EZAll’d his legs. I was hoping to get there soon enough to jump on him for a minute since the last time I rode him was when we chased cows but by the time we got there I had just enough time to brush him up and get some of the bott eggs off of his legs (the botts have been horrible this year).

PB (potential buyer) and PBF (potential buyer’s friend) “examined” Max for probably 15 minutes. They ran their hands up and down his legs and picked up his feet, etc. Max looked at them like WTF are you doing look. Then PBF saddled Max up with her English saddle and I bridled him. I asked him to flex once both directions before she mounted since I wasn’t getting on him first.

By this time most of the drill members were starting to show up. PB told PBF to take Max down the road. I politely told her that I preferred that if she wanted to take him on the road that she only went from the one arena drive to the other (which is actually further then it sounds) as one of the members told me last time that there was a dog that has been known to attack and I didn’t feel like taking any chances with Max’s safety.

PBF didn’t act too comfortable with taking him too far so PB told her to go in the arena and ride before all of the drill people started riding. From what I could see Max appeared to do well. He didn’t back the greatest but then she didn’t ask him the same way I do.

By then the drill members were starting to enter the arena so PBF took him out and down the road. I was in the arena trying to get Omar to walk but when I saw her return on him he appeared to be calm and relaxed. They unsaddled him, brushed him and tied him to the trailer. I tried to go over to talk to her but Omar has issues with going back in the arena once he’s left so I stayed in the arena. PB told me she appreciated me hauling him over and she’d call me later.

I’m not going to hold my breath and DH said he’d rather keep him and just not have a cowy horse if he can’t sell him for enough to buy a good prospect. I think he’s starting to realize that he has a nice horse and that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

As for drill, there was a major storm moving in so we had time to get one run in before running home! Omar was full of it at first. He was leaping into the lope and then gave me a few feel good kicks up in the air. Unfortunately he ran out of steam fast! I told Terry he was starting to lose steam and she just told me to push him more. I don’t feel comfortable doing that so I didn’t push too much.

He’s old (mid 20’s to early 30’s) and hasn’t been ridden much this summer so he’s out of shape. He was coughing here and there and tripping a lot too. We cut corners a few places to save energy and we made the run with out it looking too bad. He was ready for a break!

While I cooled him out Chase got on Anna’s horse to ride. He thought he was pretty hot stuff (I think he has a mild crush on Anna). He did well though and kept Scout at a walk.

We unsaddled and got ready to load up. It is inevitable that one horse at drill has to have loading issues. It is kind of fun to sit back and watch all of the “techniques” people try to load. Of course one of the horses had an issue last night and I just sat back and watched. Terry asked me afterwards why I didn’t help. I replied telling her I would be more then happy to help if I was asked for it but that I didn’t feel this particular member wanted my help nor did I feel she’d be comfortable with me whacking her horse (which is exactly what he needs).

She had every excuse in the world for why he wouldn’t load. She has a huge, open 3 horse slant, a bucket of food and he stands with both front feet at the edge of the trailer. Hmmmm – is he afraid to load? Oh well, not my problem.