July 2- Saddle and Farrier

This week we've been working hard on getting this good horse a name. I think we have hit upon "Sherlock" after many a Seussian conversation- fox in socks, box of rocks, hawks on clocks... Show name Smarty Holmes. Time to sign up for a TIP number.

My farrier also came on Monday and got those toe grabs off the back feet. His feet are a little "bullnosed", which means the outer wall curves out instead of being nice and straight. Should be fixable with time and trims. His hoof wall is nice and hard and healthy. And his farrier manners are atrocious. He's anxious about holding his foot up, which I have already been working on and have been getting better relaxation with less pressure. But by next visit, July 22, I need to get him used to holding his feet up for shoe pull and a trim.

We've been working on lunging, doing better both directions and I plan to get him on the real lunge line and get to trotting and cantering real soon. It has been so brutally hot that I have wanted to take it easy. He enjoys walking the tour of the ranch, not scared of the buffalo in the least anymore and even viewed the longhorns with minimal reaction.

Farrier M just came from a weekend Parelli conference and judged Sherlock a left-brain introvert, a pretty active one as he's a young TB. I do love a left-brain introvert, Lissa was one. Sherlock just loves to play with stuff- he keeps picking up the fly spray and throwing it down- I got him a traffic cone and I hope he likes it.

Took my saddle out today, with the biggest girth I have and an extender. Didn't need the extender, and it seems like a good fit. Walked the place and worked on lunging both directions plus reverse, which he is getting good at on voice command. He was already a bit sweaty under the saddle after that light work, I'm glad we took it easy.
A week's vacation coming up soon, I'm keen to get up on him before I leave for a week but trying to be patient. If I can get him a few reps of trotting on the lunge line or free-lunging in the round pen that will build his knowledge quite a lot.

Videos of Daren's Races

Daren's Races
I found some of them on YouTube. I'll update this whenever I am able to find more...

2/13/12 Laurel Park, race 6, maiden special weight, 7th of 7
3/17/12 Laurel Park, race 2, $20,000 maiden claiming,5th of 7
4/6/12 Pimlico, race 3, $12,500 maiden claiming,5th of 8
4/22/12 Pimlico, race 4 $11,500 maiden claiming 4th of 8
5/5/12 Pimlico, race 4, $10,500 maiden claiming, 1st of 7 WINNER!
5/24/12 Delaware Park, race 6, $20,000 claiming, 7th of 9
6/9/12 Colonial Downs, race 10, $7500 claiming, 7th of 12
7/5/12 Penn National, race 8, $5000 claiming, 7th of 9
11/21/12 Laurel Park, race 1, $6500 claiming, 6th of 7
12/8/12 Penn National, race 6, $5000 claiming, 4th of 12
1/11/13 Penn National, race 2, $5000 claiming, 6th of 9
2/14/13 Penn National race 9, $5000 claiming, 7th of 8
3/1/13 Charles Town, race 4, $4500 claiming, 7th of 8

June 28- Lunging

Such a smart horse. Now if the bucket could just get in line.

Started the day trying on two purple rope halters. The old soft one was a bit small and the new one slightly large, so I went with the new one. Parelli lead line with goofy twist quick-release snap and leather popper end. Gave him a peppermint and his rabies vaccination, then a quick brushing, better on the feet all around today, and fly spray.

Played with the rope a bit rubbing him with it, touching his legs and belly, then asked him to walk forward while I stayed back at his shoulder. It only took a moment for him to get it, practiced around the corral then switched sides. Not as easy going to the right, but he got it and was lunging both directions at the walk very well in just a few minutes. My whip was in the car and I didn't need it, he did great both sides with just the rope end touching him.

Headed out to the arena for introduction to arena stuff. A bit anxious on the far side when he heard the neighbor's music but settled well. First the white barrel, kicking dirt against it while he sniffed it and then standing it up so it rattled. He pushed it back down. That'll teach it.

Next, the metal barrel. He was not even interested. Checked out the table umbrella and walked over the railroad tie without being asked. Then the lawn chairs. No problem until I stood on it. What are humans thinking? My human wants to put this next to my shoulder and then stand on it and scratch my back. On both sides. Actually, that feels pretty good.

More walking and we faced the poles- these are traffic pylons with a small pole inside for attaching balloons to for Mounted Shooting. I tried to set it up on his good eye side but he walked right over it. Luckily they are light and it didn't scare him.  Blue barrels are also not interesting. Clearly barrels have been taught a lesson and are no longer a challenge.

Tarp. Why this black tarp is tied to the fence I do not know, almost no horses go over there due to its occasional random flap. Stood on it and then used it for squeeze game, where I drive him between me at the tarp and then turn him back like half-a-circle of lunging and then a reverse. He is super good at this, esp.turning left,  bringing me back under his blind spot.

Reinforced full circles both directions down in the corner, and then I tried some names out, doing best with "Fox" which had some first-day reaction too.  Then gave him a mint and headed quietly back to the gate. He hurried towards home but did some good whoa/back combos. Giving voice and mild cue then harder hand on the next step. By the time we got to the corral he stopped on voice alone.

I opened the corral gate up wide again, expecting a driving from behind lesson to come, but he walked right in. Interesting. No audience, no drama. He did hurry me some to take the halter off, I need to remember to do head downs tomorrow for both on and off.

The aqua bucket which has been such a shameful embarassment, being full of water instead of something tasty, acquitted itself well today by being full of bran mash. At the very least it did not earn a flinging across the corral today. Brushed him again while he ate, and he came to hold onto my sleeve a minute over the gate when I left. Nice easy day, no battles, learned a lot about each other, and not as brutally hot as yesterday.

June 27- Lesson One

Groundwork lesson today with Jo. Daren was super about fly spray and still a bit argumentative over the right hind. Can't wait to get those hind shoes off.

Tried some leading with a person on each side, he handled that and improved with leading on the wrong side. Walked up the road on the far side of the arena and had some trouble, worked on whoa and back. If I can show patience he shows willingness to try again. His whoa is not really good, but a lot of Buck Brannaman videos have got me turning him and untracking the hind end to get him stopped. Tomorrow I take the rope halters and see which one fits for more control.

Settled really nicely and faced a tarp-covered box very calmly. Then we headed for the arena. He again didn't like the round pen gate, so I opened the side again. Let him roll and charge around, he got some good bucks out and galloped a few minutes.  Decided to get him stopped before he was too sweated up, so I stepped in to catch him as Jo pulled a peppermint from her pocket. He heard the wrapper and came cheerfully up to gobble down the candy.

Walked him cool a bit, working from both sides, stepping back into lunging position sometimes. Cooled well, came out the round pen gate no problem, then didn't want to go back in his corral. I think he likes the attention when he stops- must be sure to coach more on the gates with no audience. I think he needs more experience with being driven from behind rather than pulling from the front. But a rope halter also gives pulling a different feel.

Dressage whip tomorrow for pre-lunging. Packing list: Peppermint candies, dressage whip, rope halter and popper-end lead rope.

June 26- Testing

Yesterday and today Daren has been finding out where I stand on things that are important to him. Does the person really NEED my hoof held up? Is she standing where I expect her to be? Is there food in that rotten bucket this time? Are bits required?

We did have a small argument over the right hind foot, we both wanted to choose when it was clean enough to put back on the ground. I think we have determined that decision is up to me, we'll find out more tomorrow.

He expects me to be on the left side. I've been pushing this boundary by doing haunches and shoulder stepovers from both sides. I can now spin him to the right by walking a circle that direction- he really wants me to be in that blind spot and will turn pretty quick to keep me there.

As for the disappointing aqua bucket, it had a stack of bits and a bottle of molasses in it. He flung it across the corral! He's having a lot of fun picking up his feed tub as well, there was magic mixture all over the front of the corral. Less on his coat today, due to fly spray application improvements.

And then the bits. I had 2 rubber covered roller bits, both of which were too small. And a roller Myler D-ring and a fancier egg butt. I didn't get to the eggbutt as the Myler looked like a nice fit, though I want to look up their site again and see the fitting notes. I put on his new blue halter-bridle and switched through the first 3 bits. He stuck his nose right up and backed away, but I just stayed patient and kept asking, and every bit it took less time arguing. I stopped with the Myler since it looked like a good fit. Might try the eggbutt tomorrow.

Then we walked the grounds again, adding the road on the far side of the arena to the tour, and found a handy puddle to cross. Still stopping to look a bit, esp. at the buffalo lying down. I'm using these times to introduce "stand". And we worked a little on the "head down" command which was so often useful with Sirah. Took off the bit and bridle very politely.

I feel like he may be Joker. G feels this is a negative name, maybe especially in Colorado due to the Batman movie shooting. I think it's a bit common but as good name for a playful fellow who needs a stall ball or a cone to play with. I might try harder with the name Kona tomorrow and see how it sticks.

Called the brand inspector in the RIGHT county this time...

Tomorrow's plan is to have a groundwork lesson with Jo, work on sidedness and introduction to the arena and all the scary things within. Ground poles, barrels, pole bending poles, etc.

June 24- Neighbors

June 24- Neighbors

We moved Daren last night to a new private paddock. C was thinking of putting him in with Pistol, but a meeting over the fence ended with Daren getting bitten. So put him between Tink and Ruby, and the grulla Paint stallion Cimarron. Looks like a good setup. Ruby is on stall rest after a bad leg injury and Tink takes up the rest of her paddock as a companion.

Good fences make good neighbors

Fly-sprayed him with little reaction, by the time he was distracted away from pulling nibbles of Tink's hay through the fence I was almost done and he handled the last few just fine.  Should be much happier, he was starting to get a few hives and they were certainly bothering him while he was eating as he had grain mush all over his legs.

Then after some tack shopping I haltered him up and took him for a stroll around the place. He was great- I have to get used to keeping my right hand up, as he will run his head into me as he looks around. I expect that will decrease as he gets used to everything. No worries at all with barking dogs or the buffalo, but a little anxious about a narrower path between a car and the fence. Stopped flat for a moment but then came along well. I took him down another narrow path just to push his limits a bit and he did great. Put him up and he went cheerfully back to poaching Tink's hay one strand at a time. Paid C for the rest of the month, she said he's really settled in nicely after a tough first day and she's proud of him. I sure am too.

Medicine the bison

I've had a lot of name suggestions. Something heroic for a tall dark and handsome fellow. G likes Kona, which is both Hawaiian and nautical, the name for a leeward wind. And I finally found the right spelling of the boat name Mom's friend sailed, Kaneali'i Kai means prince/king of the sea. Maybe Kaneali'i Kona, king of the wind?

Gray and I went out in the evening to say hello, I started calling him Kona and was getting a bit of response- he wants to be noticed. He was very sweet with Gray and pulled on my shirt. His next tub of magic mixture was still soaking so I gave him a little hay while he was waiting. But I put the hay into the feeder on the left side of the corral while he was finagling bits of Tink's hay on the right side. And he couldn't see it. I had to lead him over with handful. When we drove out we stopped at the back of the corral and he came back to stare at us- leaving already? See you tomorrow.

June 23- Good morning

June 23- Good morning

Daren recognized my voice this morning, or perhaps the aqua bucket, which again disappointed by being full of water. He tried a carrot slice but didn't think much of it. He had drunk a lot of water but not eaten much of a big tub of the "magic mixture" of beet pulp, oats and minerals.

He was quiet and calm, watching horses being ridden on all sides of him. He was interested in watching the trot poles. I couldn't find my good bath sponge but I rinsed him all over with a wet cloth, which he really loved, esp. face and neck.  I went a little too hard in the flank on the blind side and he stomped and then shied away. I told him I wasn't mad but went back more gently and he really relaxed. Cleaned his feet, he has toe grabs on the back so those REALLY need to come off before he can go out in a large paddock. I hope to move him to the small paddock with a calm companion tomorrow. But he may need to have the back shoes off before he can be with anyone, if you got kicked with this it would really cut.

We worked on the pre-basics of lunging- walking with me on each side. Very unhappy with me walking on the good side, he really likes having the handler "guarding" the blindside. But he did some very nice yields of both haunches and shoulder, stepping over well both directions. I really wanted to do gate work and walk the outer arena, but there were lots of riders so I just let him loose. I went over with my curry and brush and got one side really clean, and he lasted most the of the other side before he wanted a break. Talked with R some about Jack and lunging the one-eyed horse.

I got a fresh bucket of water and topped the magic mixture up and gave it a good stir, and he came and ate more of it. More people wanted to let their horses run so I backed out. Their horse Byron was pretty wild today but Daren was careful of the fences and never even really got galloping today. Still he got some strong trotting in and met a more dominant horse very calmly with no backing down but no fighting either. After they were done I gave him a little hay and he was keen for that and didn't get upset when I left.

Watching the other horses run