Buck

Today Buck met me, Boogie, for the first time.  I am sure that I dazzled him with my simple presence in the arena, not to mention my DOR training skills.  I am sure I was the best DOR trainer there!
I am so proud of how we did today!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

New shoes!

My old farrier moved far away.  He put my first shoes on me while I was at Sun Mountain in rehab.  He was very kind and set the DOR up with a really great new farrier to take care of us.
I am going to call her Dolly because she is so kind and gentle with us.  Dolly gave me a new set of shoes for the Buck clinic.  She says I had almost worn my last pair of shoes out working in the mountains.
I am not sure If I will be posting while we are at the clinic.  We will be really busy learning lots of great things and becoming a better team.
Happy trails until I am back.
Enjoy your day (err week) and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Packing

I am packing for my trip.  I think I have everything, but you never know.

Saddle, my special blanket, treats, spare blankets, bridle, halter, grooming kit, treats, hay, water bucket, treats, mounting block for the DOR, breast collar, treats, fly spray, my special Boogie relaxing spray, treats.

I hope that the DOR get her stuff packed and ready.  I am not waiting on her and when it is time to go it is time to go.  If she is late she will be chasing us down the road on foot. 

I am getting new shoes for the event.  The DOR has decided to were a old favorite pair of boots...Oh well, at least she will have shoes on her feet too.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Trotting

Today I had the DOR working on trotting.  I know how to trot and the more I do it the better I get.  The DOR on the other hand needs to get her act together.  She looks down between my ears when I trot, that is not a good thing.  It causes her to curl up and put her heels in my side.  She then complains I am being "squirty" and the tightens on the reins, then I fuss my head and she repeats her curling.  I have found that swishing the heck out of my tail will let her know that I am frustrated with what she is doing.  She spent today sitting up straight, shoulders back, and heels off my side.  In turn I gave her several trips around the arena at a nice trot. 
I am pleased with her performance today.  She even remembered to breathe and smile.  Great progress for the day.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Quote for the week

A person who is afraid is not clear in his cues, so the horse gets confused

~John Lyons pg 31 Communicating With Cues Part I

The DOR has realized that this has been a big problem with our communication.  She has always had a bit of fear while riding me, which in turn has caused some confusion.  After our time on the mountain she found her courage again and the fear is finally gone.  Our communication is so much better now.  The only things in our way still are her worries about me keeping my feet and her micromanaging me when we are not performing a task.  I am sure the Buck clinic will sort this out once and for all.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

The thinking horse

My past behavior has shown that I am a reactive horse.  Yep I would react then think, usually when thinking was too late.  The DOR has commented several times in the past month that it seems that I now think more than react.
Today I proved she is right.

We were in the arena practicing for the clinic and playing with the soccer ball.  The ball got stuck in a corner and the DOR got a "carrot stick" to try and work it out of the corner.  Now usually getting the carrot stick off the fence would upset me, not today.  We worked together for quite a bit to get the ball unstuck with no success, but I did not get frustrated like I usually would.  The DOR then had me working on going back to the fence to put the carrot stick back-something I have never done.  As we were working on this a tractor came rolling by the arena, no big deal.  About a minute later a lady on a bike rode right by us, I kept it together.  We were working on the fence that was just across from the pasture the Icelandics were in and they were running like silly buggers...whatever.  Just as we were right about where we needed to be to hang the carrot stick up a sprinkler head blew off the line in the pasture.  Now that was too much, I blew some marbles and skittered a bit sideways.  I stopped and stared, blowing marbles, and the DOR petted me telling me how good I was.  If this had happened before my accident and all of my rehab I would have bolted, bucked, and sent the DOR to the moon.  She is so proud of the thinking horse that I have become.

Enjoy the day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

How good am I?

How good am I?  Well right after this picture was taken the DOR started to move me off and the bit fell out of my mouth due to a serious bridle malfunction (it fell apart) and I didn't go nuts.  In fact I followed the DOR's directions given with a neck rope and her seat. She was very pleased, at one time in my past this would have turned into a werehorse incident for me.

Of course the DOR has to fess up that at one time in our past this would have given her a panic attack.  I think we are doing much better.

John Lyons talks about teaching cues so that horse and rider can communicate better.  He also talks about working on one thing at a time.  Well I have been working on the "get off" cue for the DOR.  I have to say she is a very slow learner.  I line-up to the mounting block and she stays on.  I got to thinking my problem was that it is the mounting block, not the dismounting block.  When the DOR would line me up to the mounting block to get off I would wait for her to swing her leg over and then step away from the block, forcing her to drop her left stirrup and hop to the ground.  I was thinking that it would teacher her that my proximity to the "mounting" block was the cue for her to get off.  It didn't work, in fact she started making the mounting block an arena ornament that I had to work around....  So I started lining up with the rail fence for her to get off, she won't even try...

Well I am persistent, I will get her trained soon.  After all Buck will laugh me out of the arena if I can't get my rider to dismount on cue.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Force of impact

I am not sure why, maybe it was pure insanity, but the DOR decided to figure the force of her impact from when I had my werehorse incident and fractured her pelvis.  Here is what she found:
Velocity at impact 31.63 feet per second.  Force of impact 593.01 pounds. 

Wow that appears to be some giant wreck, yet still she loves me best and worked so hard for us to be able to ride together again.  I even bucked with her a bit last week and still she mounts up with a smile and enjoys the ride.

It seems she has learned forgiveness from all of the horses that she has rescued from horrible circumstances.  Horses forgive and continue to try to build relationships with humans, I am glad she has learned this lesson.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Serious training

With just a week left before the DOR and I head to the Buck Brannaman clinic there is some serious training going on.
I am working on getting my spotted rear as muscular as possible.  The DOR is still shedding pounds and working on getting her endurance up.  We are going to be ready for whatever the clinic brings...well maybe not loping.
If I don't post much in the next two weeks please be patient.  Attending this clinic is a big dream of the DOR's and I want to help make it come true in the best way possible.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Lots of successes!

The Wrestler and Mushboy went up to help the DOR and crew at RCER's Horse Daze.  They worked as the Pony Express and Outrider, they were a great help and had lots of fun.
The event raised a lot of money that will help horses throughout the year.
The DOR was especially proud of a special guest at this year's Horse Daze-Freedom's Lady.  She found herself tearing up at the wonderful little horse the wild child has become.  She also wished that Freedom had been there to see what his lady has matured to be-he would be so darn proud of her.
Free now has her own special lady, the curly haired lay, and is training to do enduance riding.  The following pictures are of Free and Paul Rogers, the rope man, at Free's first public appearance.  She did a wonderful job!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Hope to see you here

Faux Wrangler

The DOR is home after four days on the mountain pretending to be a wrangler.  The horse that made her look good for this adventure was Stormy.  The DOR found that funny because when she was much younger she rode a strawberry roan named Stormy who lived up to his name.  The Stormy she rode on the mountain was a wonderful horse.  The only way the DOR could have done better is if I was on the mountain this time with her.

I am not sure what she was wrangling though.  Here she is holding a wounded snake.  Maybe she thought she was a snake wrangler.

She spent a lot of time watching wild life.  I bet she was trying to figure out what kind of costume to make them wear and how to get it on them.

But her favorite place to be was in the saddle with a bunch of riders.  I am glad she loved being on the mountain, she was sad to leave.  I am thrilled she is home, ready to spoil me like I should be.  Maybe next time she and I can go together.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

I won gold!!!!

The DOR was so pleased with me at the summer games that she is giving me a medal.  I have to say she is a more confident DOR and that made things nicer for me.  I also have to admit, while I poked fun at all her new gee gaws for the clinic, my new bit if the bomb!  It doesn't poke or pinch me and I like the roller on it. 
I was a rock star for the ground work.  In the obstacle course in-hand nothing bothered me...okay the car wash was a problem.  The DOR decided that she would walk beside me through it and I walked slowly an calmly, I even stopped with her in the middle of it.  I have discovered that she will never ask me to do something she wouldn't do herself or that she thinks in dangerous.
I was a good boy in the arena...I get bored in the arena.  I lead all of the horses out of the arena and out for riding tour of the obstacle course.  Then I tackled the obstacles...I completed things I have never done before.  I moved flags, before I wouldn't even let the DOR pick them up.  I played soccer, before I didn't like the ball coming at me.  In fact I love soccer now!  I was pushing the ball with my nose, side passing in the open to get the ball, and I made goooooooooals.
I showed the DOR that I can almost run backwards when it came to pulling the cow model.  I even pulled it with a young man sitting on the cow...I am sooo strong.
It was a great day for all of us.  Good friends, great successes, and lots of laughs.
The DOR is headed to Sun Mountain Riding Stables for a few days.  She is going up for some more rehab...she works on her confidence and bravery there. I am looking forward to see how far she progresses.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Summer games

Today is summer games at the ranch.  The DOR, Mushboy, and the SCC set up a new and improved obstacle course in the big pasture.  There is the car wash, hoof trap, mail delivery, black holes, critters, soccer goal, and the creature from the black lagoon....
Friends are coming over and we are having a play day.
Mushboy is making tacos and his famous DK salsa to go on them.  I promised the DOR I would behave, you see this is our first game day since my werehorse incident. I am going to be the best Boogie ever!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

The DOR is really sick....

We have finally recieved a diagnosis of what the DOR is suffering from, there is no cure.

The entire herd is very glad she has this illness

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug our DOR!

New stuff...it isn't going to help

 This is my new bit.  I also have a new bridle, blanket, and other gee gaws.  The DOR has new boots, a fancy belt, shirts, special "Boogie" spurs (which are a waste of money as far as I am concerned).  All of this stuff for a clinic that the DOR is nervous about.
Now how is all of this stuff supposed to help her ride better?
 Will these boots help her balance better?
  If she thinks I will be a better horse with these....well she is just plain nuts, nuts I say!

 Then there is the shirt.  I think all this is going to do is give me ideas.
The DOR knows that she is going to this clinic because I told her to go.  I am insisting that she become the kind of rider that I deserve.  Until she fixes her rider issued I am going on strike.  Yep you heard it I AM ON STRIKE!!!! I refuse to have a gentle rocking horse lope with no cross-firing or the occasional frustrated buck.  DOR get your act together or you will be sorry.  All this stuff is not going to help.  Show up to Buck's clinic with your baseball hat, Hawaiian shirts, well worn boots, and your jeans that you keep having to yank up because you have lost weight-well maybe the belt is a good idea.  We have work to do, not a show.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug you DOR!

Happy 4th of July

Have a happy 4th of July everyone!
I am celebrating my freedom.  I am free to enjoy a peaceful life, friends, good food, family, and love because humans and animals have worked and sacrificed to ensure all of our freedom.
The DOR says that I should not celebrate too much or I could end up looking silly.

I guess I should have listened.

Enjoy your day an don't forget to hug your DOR!

Shandi Doll

Here is my Shandi Doll loaded up and heading to the mountains.  SCC still thinks she is his little filly, but he is wrong-she is mine ALL MINE!
She has been at Full Circle Ranch for fours months, she will be there one more month.  She has become a lovely young lady.  She is smart, quick, brave, and has cat-like responses.  She wants to be a cuttin horse, remember her practicing on the llamas at the ranch?  I think she is going to be my trail riding buddy.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Walk the talk!

This female pit pull was seized from Michael Vick's property, along with 51 others. A quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, Vick received a federal indictment on dogfighting charges. (The Humane Society of the United States)

Now he has won a sportsman of the year award and has a new deal with Nike.   Leaves me wondering what are humans thinking?

I am surrounded by humans who walk the talk all of the time, not just because they are in trouble.  Maybe Mr. Vick has changed, but that has yet to be proven.  Mr. Vick should turn over his Nike endorsement money to dog rescues, use his extra funds to do good and keep doing it.

Of course he could also build a facility for Tayman and Friends Equine Facilitated Education Center...that would be good too.

That is this spotted ponies opinion.

By the way Quincy is getting the Smoke treatment tonight...that is going to be something to see.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Busy weekend

This is Mushboy's little Icelandic Tahkoe...
She says Darick for President!
The DOR has finally finished gathering all of the stuff she thinks we need for the Buck clinic.  I am thinking all we need is tack, food, and the DOR needs her riding clothes-jeans and Hawaiian shirts.  So I am not sure what all the fuss is about.
She also has all the obstacles ready to put together for the trail clinic.  Mushboy is making taco meat and his famous DK salsa for the clinic lunch.
I am going for a trail ride tomorrow.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!