Getting out the yaya's



 The DOR took me to the arena to get out my yaya's before our first ride.  Now usually that would involve lots of snorts, bug eyes, bucking, and other highly animated behavior.  I decided to give her a really big surprise this year!

I was a perfectly well behaved appy!  I followed her directions, I paid attention to every request, and complied like a good boy.  I even surprised her by loping in both directions on the long line, the first time I have done this since my incapacitation.  Then to punctuate how great I am I jumped barrels both directions and did figure 8's around the barrels with the DOR giving directions from the ground.

To quote Mushboy I performed 'like a boss!'

The DOR was over the moon, she told me I looked the best ever.

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

Do not act like Trigger or Silver

Hanna has a bit of an problem.  It seems she thinks she is a movie star horse, one like Trigger or the Lone Ranger's Silver.  How do I know?  Well it seems she has been practicing one of the tricks they are both famous for-rearing.
It seems that the DOR feels that this particular behavior is very bad.  In fact it is in her to five bad behavior list. 
1. Biting
2. Kicking
3. Rearing
4. Bucking
5. Stomping toes on purpose!
So today Hanna and the DOR spent a bunch of time working on stopping her from acting like a movie star.  They also played with the soccer ball for a bit.
I hope Hanna learned her lesson and that she gets to have more fun while being ridden rather than working herself into a sweat keeping her feet on the ground.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Here's her sign...

Hanna has to wear a red ribbon in her tail.  Now I think that is pretty cool to have a fancy doodad decorating your rear, after all my spotted hind end is a beautiful sight.
The DOR says it is actually a warning sign, a flag of shame, a bit of a public service announcement.  You see it seems that when Hanna is in a situation where she is unsure she will kick at other horses to protect herself.  She has even been known to whirl and lunge at them.  The DOR is working with her to develop better social skills.
I happen to think she looks pretty with the ribbon in her tail.  I may take up wearing one in support.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

It is that time of year again...

I am glad winter is over and spring is here, but there are some things that I don't like about the better weather.  One of the main things that bothers me is the flying critters that buzz, bite, and crawl all over us.  Horseflies are the very worst.  To add insult to injury the beasties are attacking the lovely creatures that they are named after.

The DOR has a friend who made a special bar for us that is all natural and is made of the things the the DOR puts in the spray she makes for me.  It is called Friend Bar, so named after the DORs horse named Friend.  It smells lovely...I will give you the report on how it works soon.

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

She may dance, but Boogie she is not...

This is Hanna doing a bit of a do-si-do  with another horse and the DOR's riding coach Paul Rogers.
Hanna gets a bit grumpy and defensive when horses who are not her pasture mates get to close.  This exercise was to help her learn that she was safe and the other horses were not out to hurt her.  It also proved to be a great help in teaching her to yield her hinds.
From this warm up Hanna then went out for her first real trail ride.  She was stellar considering she had never been out before.

I asked her what she was doing out in the brush looking around, she claims that she was looking for bears...I think she was just ignoring the instructor.

While Hanna is shaping up to have a few nice dance moves and looks like she will be a heck of a trail horse, she is no BOOGIE!  After all I am the original, the one, the only Boogie.

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

Happy birthday SCC

Today is the SCC's birthday,  SCC stands for Support Crew Chief.
He is always there to support the DOR, love on all of us horses, and to help where ever he can.
He is a gentle man, one who has a way of making people and animals feel at ease.  He is a valued friend of the herd.
The DOR says he is an angel on earth.  She says he is one of the finest men she knows and that her life would be dark and sad without him.
So here is to the man who makes all of our lives so much better-
Happy Birthday SCC!!!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Rodeo clown?

The Cow Boss got kicked in his knee last night while helping a heifer through a tough birth.  The SCC, Mushboy, and the DOR went out to help him set sprinklers tonight.  the pipes were in the pasture with two bulls and had to come over the fence into the pasture of the He Man Gelding Club.
The DOR got out to help after the work had started.  The Cow Boss was in with the bulls putting the pipes over the fence while the SCC and Mushboy set them up.  The DOR thought it would be a good idea for her to go into the pasture with the Cow Boss and help him move pipes over the fence.  Now she has been around cows/bulls and set pipes, but she has not been around two amorous bulls in the spring time. 

One of the bulls started staring at her and rocking back and forth...she pointed her finger at him and told him to leave her along.  Not a good idea, bulls don't mind like horses.  The bull decided to take a run at her, she took a step back and did her bear imitation.  That only worked temporarily and the bull was heading back at her.  There were no barrels and no place to hide. The DOR should never consider participating in the Running Of The Bulls in Pamplona, after all she is built for distance not for speed.  The Cow Boss herded the bulls to a safe distance and the DOR made her escape.
She gave me a dirty look, like I should have helped her out.  I am not stupid, this spotted horse isn't messing with amorous bulls.  I was also busy playing kissy face over the fence with two mares in heat.
The DOR muttered something about how rude the bulls are.  She also called over to me to quit kissing my sister.  Whatever...it isn't my fault that she is a total failure as a rodeo clown.  I suggest that she sticks to the things she is good at.  She could start by giving me my weekly butt massage.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Hanna, is she bananas?



Here is Hanna showing The Mighty Q how to go through the car wash.  The DOR rode her in a Bosal for the first half of the clinic and then used Hanny Banany...it makes the DOR irritated.  She worries that any reference to bananas may make her act that way.  Oh well, then the DOR can learn to handle a crazy horse....

The DOR asked Hanna to tow a fake steer.  Hanna was a bit, well silly about it.  You see Hanna has never been to a trail clinic or out on a trail for that matter.  While she was nervous about a lot of the obstacles she tried really hard.  She never snorted, bucked, or bolted, all things I have done in my past.  I guess mares are less reactive than the members of the He Man Gelding Club.

Hanna's first owner had started her on barrels and it shows.  Here you can see how serious Hanna is about running, err I mean trotting the barrels-the DOR thought the ground was to wet to safely run the barrels.

Hanna is going to go to her first real trail ride on Saturday.  She is heading to the base of Blewett Pass and head up into the timber with a group of horses she doesn't know. 

I hope that Hanny Banany is a good girl and doesn't go bananas.

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

Look at what The Mighty Q did...



 The Mighty Q went to a trail clinic this weekend. He kicked some trail booty!  He was not bothered in the least when his rider sat in a chair under and umbrella, by a tent, and waved a flag.  In fact he was very relaxed.  I would have been so out of there...I hate umbrellas.



 He moved very fancy through the course.  His rider had a broken arm and Q made sure to take good care of him.  He was on the course with nine horses that he didn't know.

A sack of rattly cans that had to be carried to a garbage can didn't even bother him.

Now you may be asking why the DOR wasn't riding him?  Well she was riding my sister Hanna, who has never been on a trail course before.  I will tell you how she did in the next post.

I didn't go because we all know that I am king of the trails after last summer.

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

Happy Easter from our herd to yours

Happy Easter from all of us at Grumpy Old Horse Ranch!

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

Hanna the drunk...

Here is one of my little sisters, Bohannan's Rhapsody Splash, Hanna.  She had her first visit with the dentist this week also.  She is a bit of a cheap drunk, one little shot and she was swaying and drooling.  She kept giving little rumbley woofles to the DOR while her teeth were being done.

She was super good for the dentist.  She stood like a good little drunk, err girl.  She never swung her head around or tried to walk off the speculum.  The dentist compliment her about how well behaved she was for an appy.  I take a bit of offense to that...after all I think I was good if you don't count the head swinging, tongue waving, or trying to bite the dentist.  After all I can not be held responsible for my drunken behavior.

Hanna had one wolf tooth that had to be removed.  They are sort of the equivalent of human wisdom teeth.  I don't think having only one wolf tooth bodes well for her intelligence but time will tell.

Just wait until you see what the DOR is up to tomorrow.

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

The Mighty Q meets the dentist and gets a lollipop!

The Mighty Q was a rock star for his first dentist appointment. I knew he was seeing the dentist so I told him how great the drugs were. The only down side was you don't get a lollipop after he is done.  He finally relaxed after two shots of sedation. Once he realized that not being on high alert was okay and that he would still be safe he seemed to enjoy things. The dentist took extra time to make sure that Q was never worried or upset.  He wanted to make sure that he did not violate the trust that Q placed in the DOR by making this a positive experience for him.  Our dentist rocks!!!

The dentist tried to do Q's teeth last summer.  At that time Q was a bit difficult to lead outside of his pasture, okay he was nearly impossible to lead. The dentist sedated him in the pasture to make leading him to the barn easier. The sedation set him off, Q ran like a wild man and was having nothing to do with going to the barn. Today he led to the barn like a champ without being sedated in the pasture. He sedated nicely, and walked into the stall like it was old home week.

He wanted the DOR to hug him the entire time.  If she stopped he would nicker for her to get back to her hugging.  I am going to have to try that at my next dental appointment.  I had a hard time keeping my spotted rear off the ground, maybe her hugging me will help me stand better.

The dentist was so complimentary on how far Q has come. He noticed he is at a nice weight, has a softer eye, and is so much calmer. The herd is darn proud of Q, he has worked hard to be the horse he is today.  Of course he has been taking lessons on behavior at 'He Man Gelding Club University'.  The instructors are tough there, any missteps and it is a big ol' appy hoof upside your rear from the Headmaster-that would be me.

Two hours after the sedation wore of he was still mellow and giving off big sighs. It is the first time in his whole life he has been not been hyper alert and totally relaxed.  I told him the drugs were good.  I hope he finds that it is a nice way to be and will keep on with his deep breathing.

Then to top things off the DOR gave him a lollipop!  That is it, I better get one my next dentist visit or she is going to get a big ol' appy hoof someplace she doesn't want it.

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

Helpng Roh lope with the reins in her teeth!

Rohana is a dear friend on mine.  She is a theraputic riding instructor and had donated her time to lots of children needing to ride.
As part of her continuing journey to be the best instructor she can be, she continues to take riding lessons. 
Please help me in getting her those lessons for free.  It is simple...if you have a Facebook page, simply go to Remuda International's page and like the page.  Not only will you be helping my friend, you will also get to follow a very talented trainer.  This is the the trainer that helped Freedom's Lady become a happy saddle horse and took me to Trail Horse Boot Camp.
Roh promises that she will lope her horse with her reins in her teeth, doing a Rodeo Queen wave with both hands if she wins 10 free lessons and I will post the video here...I really want to see that so go like that page and get your friends to do that too!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Little Sister...

This is Little Sister on the day she came to live at the ranch with the DOR.  She is Friend's mom and the DOR wanted to make sure she would always be safe and taken care of after loosing Friend.

 She is now looking really good and hanging out with the mare herd.  She loves chasing the little calves that sneak in under the fence. She was born in 1991 and spent her life giving birth to some very successful babies.

 This is an impromptu ride that she gave to the DOR's grand daughter.  She has given several more pony rides this year.  The DOR is going to start her under saddle and see how it goes.  She will be the oldest horse that she has started.  Sister is such a good horse and so smart that it should go smoothly.

People will often ask why the DOR would take in an old, half blind horse in such bad shape.  She has a simple answer:

Because of love...All sentient beings deserve to be loved and protected.  In return Little Sister has given so much back to the people who surround her.

The next post I am going to share the story of another herd mate.

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