I'm sick and tired, but...

Sun Jun 27, 2004

Yeah, I dragged my sick old self out to the barn. Well, crikey, I hadn't spoken to another living human being since Thursday, and with the TV FUBAR, I was going crazy. Felt good enough to sit on the ground and hand-weed and thin my 40 feet of carrots...that I can handle!

But went out to the barn, it was quite deserted due to that big horse show I couldn't go to because I'm sick. Quzqo was camped at the end of the long aisleway out in the field, I thought Oh Good, he's close in, what a good boy!!!

The little turd let me get within 10 feet of him before he turned his butt and started walking off towards the open field. Just kept walking, tail switching...so I tried to keep up with him off to the side...of course he pulled away from me as he walked away, and away, and away....GRRRGH! I
suppose he remembers the last time he saw me, he got poked by the Vet...so I can't blame him, but come ON...I'm sick! I don't need to go traipsing across 30 acres after a horse!!!

He finally stopped about 2/3 of the way across, and let me get close enough to give him his carrot, which he took and WALKED AWAY as he chewed! The little shit! LOL! So I continued walking "beside" him, keeping pace, hoping he'd stop when he reached the other horses...

See, he doesn't have a halter when he's out in the field, otherwise maybe I could have snapped the lead on it.

Finally he stopped near the farthest point possible...I had a handful of clover and grass, and this time he deigned to allow me to loop the lead over his neck! I guess he figured he punished me enough, because he came back to the barn rather willingly!!

Thank goodness the farrier is going to trim him tomorrow, he tore a HUGE hunk of his hoof off in the past 3 days...they're still overgrown, now I wish the guy had trimmed him last week, no matter how tired he was.

Didn't ride him, I'm too worn out from being sick, but we did go out to the outside arena and did some lunging & Parelli junk. He was full of beans for sure, running like a nut on the end of the line...about time!! They had set up some rudimentary trail obstacles in the arena (cones, poles, a "bridge"), so just for yuks I wanted to see if he'd even step on the bridge (it was about 8" tall step-up). Course not the first time, but the second time we came around, he paused, thought about it, and damned if he didn't step right up and was happy as a clam to just stand there on the bridge!! I think he enjoyed being taller, ha! Surprised me, and pleased me as you might
imagine!!

I think he forgave me for the shots, or else forgot about it, he was pretty mellow and friendly by the time I put him in his stall for the evening. I think I might lengthen his bridle path a bit, show off that purdy Arabian face of his...he'll look nice with his new feet tomorrow too!

Friday Evening Update

Fri Jun 18, 2004

No big news, we didn't have that good an evening...he wasn't interested, my leg hurt, he ignored Mr. Whip, and we were both more interested in watching a pair of Paints fight through the metal livestock fencing outside, LOL! Ah well.

Did get to witness the spectacle of a small palomino sabino pony (about 13hh) mounting and humping a full-grown QH mare out in the pasture! My lord, that little fella was hung like a horse!! It's a wonder he didn't trip over the thing!!! Whew!! The mare seemed to enjoy it...Quzqo was more interested in getting a drink of water, LOL! I suspect they gelded my horse pretty early, that's my thinkin'.

I HOPE that pony was gelded...or somebody's going to get a big surprise in 11 months!

As a side note, I measured Cooz (snark) for a fly sheet, and huzzah, he's the SAME size (74") as Tezlu!! Which means I don't have to dish out money for a new expensive winter blanket!! He may be shorter in body length, but he's definitely wider in body width, so it all evens out!

Cute Incident

Fri Jun 18, 2004

When I was riding Quzqo (or as he's becoming to be known, "Cooz") in the indoor arena, there were dozens of kids running around the barn (screaming at the top of their lungs, being obnoxious, etc). But one of the kids saw Quzqo and proclaimed loudly "LOOK HOW LITTLE THAT HORSE IS! HE'S A PONY!!"

LOL!

I'm reminded of that line in "The Thirteenth Warrior", "Only an Arab would ride a DOG into battle!"

Progress Days

Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:08 pm

I'm still waiting for whatever it is that put that boy into the auction to surface...I haven't seen it yet!

Bob told me this morning that Quzqo is now waiting at the gate in the evening, ready to come in, all by himself...now if only he'd walk into the barn and find his stall by himself like Tez used to, LOL...I told him to just give him time!

Rode him last night, and as long as Mr. Whip is on board, he is just The Golden Boy! Finally got him so that we can just trot and trot and trot and trot...figure 8's, circles, serpentines, trot this way, that way, sitting, posting...a trottin' fool!! No gate foolishness, no spooks, no rearing, no antics, just arch that neck, tuck that head, round that back and awayyyy we go!

If Mr. Whip isn't riding with me, he does revert to the wandering laggart with a penchant for standing still and dozing in the middle of the arena, LOL!

Took him outside after working inside for maybe 45 minutes, and was almost able to get on him from the ground...not quite, had to find a little rise of dirt about 4", but we're getting there! He put on a little show at a gate where some cars and a gas grill were parked...balking, trying to spin, little hopping rears, snorts, the usual...but one sharp tap with Mr. Whip, he snapped to, and marched right through the gate and past the cars without further complaint! We went down to the outdoor arena, past the scary jumps and barrels left over from the Pony Club weekend, and into the arena. Got him trotting, and other than slowing down at the gate, he kept on trottin'! Outstanding for a horse that last week I couldn't get to go more than 10 steps before he'd stop or veer or slow down...I think he's getting to know me, and I, him...he has figured out that contact with the bit doesn't mean "stop"...finally!

He won't back for me though...he will from the ground, but not if I'm riding, but I'll just add that to one more thing on the "To-Do" list! Bob's daughter (the one who broke her back in April & is now wandering around in a plastic bustier like a Gladiatrix, LOL...no riding for her until October, poor thing!) (she was bucked off a horse) anyway, she's offered to help me with Quzqo's adversion to being lead at a trot...he'll need to do that if he plans to show in the Halter classes
at the big two-day show at the barn in August (and September!).

So, we're getting there...I don't know where, but we're getting there. I'm learning his tricks, so that's helping me be a LOT more confident. Like any new relationship, it takes time.

He's got 6 huge crusty bug bites on his butt, poor guy...but this morning he let me put fly spray on him without a twitch! That's an improvement right there!

A Horse In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Pasture

Sun Jun 13, 2004 6:24 pm

No riding today, too tired, BUT we had a successful Pasture Experience! Remember I mentioned how he'd plant his feet and rear back, head up, eyes rolling? Well, he tried that twice coming back to the barn, so instead of fiddlefarting around by leading him sideways or returning to his shoulder and all, I just held tight to the lead rope and stood there as rock solid as he was...An irresistible Force meeting the Immovable Object. (what's that Dr. Seuss story about the two creatures who met and neither one would move aside for the other so they stood there until the end of time?)

Luckily, one of us is a wimp, and the first confrontation lasted maybe 30 seconds before the horse relaxed, lowered his head, and continued walking at my elbow. The second time it happened it lasted maybe 15 seconds. And from then on, he was walking right at my elbow like a champ! LOL!

That even carried on into the indoor arena, I'd set up some walkover obstacles, something he would have a 50/50 chance of refusing, but no, he walked over 'em repeatedly. Very good!

So, today he got brushed, apple slices, a massage, and tucked into his stall for the evening! Now he knows every time he gets taken to the barn, it doesn't automatically mean he'll be ridden!

That and I'm just lazy (and worn out!), LOL!

P.S. Your FYI of the Day: Dapple Grey Horses have BLACK Armpits! You heard
it here first! (assuming they have black skin, I suppose)

Getting a good idea why they sent that horse to the Auctions!!

Sat Jun 12, 2004

Getting a good idea why they sent that horse to the Auctions!!

But as I told Quzqo today; "I've been riding TEZLU for fifteen years, BOY; YOU haven't thrown anything at me so far I can't handle!" LOL!

He's an opinionated little snot, he has his own way of doing things, up to a point, but in the face of assertive authority, he crumples like a wet kleenex and rolls his eyes and carries on wearing the saddle blanket of victimhood to the nines, LOL!

He's still easy to catch in the pasture, but I had a bugger of a time getting him AWAY from the Pasture. He didn't want to leave...it was sunny, 75 degrees, 1 in the afternoon, he saw no reason WHY he should leave such a nice setup. Okay, Tez had his balky days too, especially with the afore mentioned circumstances, but Quzqo has a little threshold that's easy to cross, the threshold from sweet pocket puppy to rearing, eye-rolling, nose-to-the-sky psychoArab...if you try to pull him...he plants his feet, shifts his weight to his rear, and up goes the head, out pop the eyes. BUT...when he balks, I found that if I release tension on the rope, walk back to his shoulder with my eyes on the ground, and face the same direction he's facing, he lowers his head, exhales, and will continue walking quietly at my elbow. If I so much as turn my head to look AT him, he balks and begins panicking and resisting.

Good thing I just watched that Richard Shrake video that dealt with the whole eye-contact (predator) vs no eye-contact (friendly member of the herd) thing...sure works!

Eventually got him to the barn...it's kind of fun this weekend, as the local Pony Club is having a big show/clinic/campout Fun Weekend there, so the place is packed with huge horse trailers (one advertising Friesians, but I didn't see any Pony Club Friesians around), campers, tents, and young girls...good stuff for Quzqo to get used to...but he had no problem at all, couldn't care less!

Rode him indoors, and I've decided to just concentrate on one thing at a time. I'll forget about trying to make him canter until we have a better foundation built. I've gotten him past that gate business, he's over the "OHMYGODI'MALONE!" foolishness, he stands like a rock when I get on and doesn't move a muscle until my Okay (beats the tearing off bucking he did the first time!). But if I ride him without a whip, he's ALL over the place, refuses to go to the West end of the arena (big open doors to the outside), spins, resists, hollows his back, swerves everywhere, just a total mess! But if I just CARRY my dressage whip, he's responsive, agreeable, willing and very supple, unless I so much as TOUCH him with it, then all bets are off...Away we go, head flinging, mouth gaping, back hollowed, LOL. What a maroon. So all we pretty much ended up doing was 20M circles at the East end of the Arena...sitting trot, posting trot, walking...round and round and round, both ways...but by gosh, he was smoothing out, getting more responsive, LISTENING to me, quiet transitions up and down... so I think we'll stick to that for quite a while, maybe branch out to the other end of the arena eventually.

I have to keep reminding myself, he IS young...so I think we're doing okay.

In fact I asked the barn's resident Dressage Queen (real nice lady, with the Pony Club) that if she ever sees me doing something stupid or wrong with Quzqo, to PLEASE tell me, because I don't think I know what I'm doing. I'm used to horses that are smarter than me! But she said from what she's seen, I'm doing great...so that's hopeful.

After our lesson I was feeling confident, so we went for a little Trail Ride. Boy, THAT was a test...for us both! Didn't even get near the fences before his first spinning fit of fear at a shiny reflection off of someone's horse trailer...he thinks he can spin and start heading back, but nope, not with me aboard you can't! Lot of circling, firm application of heel to horse side (I left the whip back at the barn, didn't want him going nuts outside an arena). It was a trail ride by inches...creeping forward a few feet, BIGRESISTFIT...spin spin spin snort bunny hop halt...creep forward, creep creep creep...DOWN goes the head for grass...yank up head, kick in sides, go forward....BALK and shy at scary bird, spin spin, circle circle, rear, head yank (I find if I keep my head turned, I avoid getting hit by his neck when he rears and flings his head around)...I just yank his head to the side and give him a good kick in the sides, spoiling his rearing fun. Okay, I don't know if I can legally call it an official "rear", I did observe and his
forehooves maybe come 1/2 to 1" off the ground, LOL. Little pussy rears. Baby weenie horse stuff. They can't rear if you've got their head to the side, and if they're moving forward, THAT much I know!

We made it past the scary gates that thwarted us our first time out, and man, it was hard work, getting that horse up the hills and down the trail. We went maybe 1/2 mile total, all along the fenceline of the property so he could still see horses and the buildings and all...but it was a lot of
grass-grabbing and trying to yank on the reins (to get to the grass) and trying to turn and spin and resisting, but I found if I just turned him in circles every time he tried his little nonsense, he'd settle down, and towards the end of our heading away from the barn, he was marching right
along like a little trooper, ears pricked, looking around. Even did a little trotting!

We turned around when *I* decided to (not him!), and he was much better heading back (no wonder why). We went back and forth through those scary metal gates about 5 times for good measure, which he did willingly and without fuss....came back to the barn area in a calm and civilized fashion. By that time the Pony Clubbers were done for the day, so we went right into
the outdoor arena, which was set up full of jumps and poles and whatnots. No, we didn't do jumps, we just walked around the rail...he had a major spookfit at a tent outside the rail, so we just did lots of circles and things until he stopped being silly about it, walked more, and when we got to the middle of the arena, I dismounted, and we walked back to the barn.

Happy to say for the first time I actually got that horse SWEATY! LOL! I didn't think I could do it!

It was around 4, but they don't feed them 'til around 6, so I tried to put him back out...nope, he didn't want to go back out, he wanted to go IN! LOL! Arabians must have clocks in their brains, they know when it's dinner time. And it was, they had put about 3 flakes of hay in his stall (they think he's skinny, but luckily he only gets 1/2 scoop of grain)(don't need any more energy). Much to my surprise he was an actual gentleman about me removing his halter...in the past he'd start lunging backwards before I got the thing unbuckled, but no, he was very good this time. Who knows!

I was talking with the Dressage Queen (who also does the evening feedings some nights), and she told me last evening Quzqo was actually standing at the gate at 5:30!! Surprised her! Surprised me, after his pinheaded performance this afternoon in the pasture, I was worried if he'd do that with other people trying to bring him in. But maybe it's only at 1 on nice,
sunny, days.

Nothing Amazing

Sun Jun 6, 2004 7:29 pm

Nothing amazing to report today! Again I was able to walk up to Quzqo in the pasture and snap the lead right on him. Oddly enough he was in nearly the exact same spot as yesterday...about 20 feet from Tezlu's grave, no other horses near him. Great, another Loner.

The barn owner commented to me how talkative Quzqo is, he'll just jabber away at anyone that walks by his stall...just like Tez used to do. "Must be the stall" he joked. "Must be the Arabian" I thought. He's not used to Arabians, being a stock horse guy you know. I told him Quzqo must be
channeling Tez's spirit, but I don't think Bob quite knew what that meant, LOL.

Today was a day off, just brushing, massage, carrots, and a little Richard Shrake training with a chain lead. He did great 'til I tried to trot him, instead he planted his feet and tried to rear up. O-kay. Other than that he did well.

The past three days when I've gone there, his stall had not been cleaned at that point, and for SOME reason the 30#+ salt brick & holder were in the center of his stall. This was the one Tez had in that stall forever but for obvious reasons couldn't enjoy (couldn't get his head that low). Quzqo's obviously been enjoying it, it's been licked clean and then some. I'm figuring the HORSE is somehow playing with it and dragging it into the middle of his stall, that's the only explanation I can think of. Someone suggested whoever cleans stalls moves it...but why? There's nothing to clean where it sits, up against the wall by his grain bucket, and if they moved it, why wouldn't they put it back (I can't imagine any of the teenage girls working there would bother to move a 30# brick of salt, they can barely be bothered to clean up the pee spots!).

So today I brought in Quzqo's very own gallon milk jug with pebbles in it, which is now tied to the bars of his stall...Tez thoroughly enjoyed his gallon jug, chewing the crap out of it. There was one Arabian I knew who would pick the jug up in his teeth and rake it across the stall bars like a
prisoner with a tin cup, drove the barn owner nuts, LOL! See if Quzqo enjoys playing with that instead of dragging his salt brick around!

And he also enjoyed his first (that I know of) bran mash. He thought that was pretty good!

Kind of a dull day, but after yesterday, I'm wiped out, he's lucky he saw me at all!

Just like the Old Days...sore, limping, huge dark bruises on my legs. Ah, horses!

A Big Day!

Sat Jun 5, 2004 9:28 pm

Today was a big day for Quzqo!

Today he got to go Outside!! Yep, he's out of quarantine, and is now allowed to go out into the Big Pasture with all the other "guys"! I would have liked to have seen his reaction to 30 acres of open grass this morning, LOL! Up in "Cannonball Run" as it's called (where Tez is buried, snf).

I guess he had a good time, because late this afternoon when I got out there, I was able to locate him easily (among the three "white" horses out there) (lot easier than trying to find one of many "brown" horses on the hillside!!), as I started walking towards him, he started walking TOWARDS me...no welcoming nicker, but he let me come right up to him for pats and snap on the lead rope! Whew! I was worried, not knowing how he'd react out in the open like that (I"ve laughed at enough people running around that 30 acre pasture trying to catch their horses!)

Once back to the barn, Quzqo enjoyed the near total Spa treatment (no bath, not yet)...total grooming, massage, Show Sheen, forelock combing, and...CLIPPERS! Yep, I'm happy (as hell!!) to report he's totally blase' about electric clippers. He let me trim his bridlepath with out so much as one eyewhite showing! Hoorah!

I'm still waiting to find out what it is about him that made him enter the auction stream. I'm really leaning towards someone getting laid off and unable to pay for his upkeep...cuz there's very little wrong with that boy (so far!)

Rode him indoors, and he behaved almost perfectly, which surprised me. None of his usual "OHMYGOD I'M ALONE!" behavior... "normally" he gets upset when there's no other horses around, but today, he was near perfect!!! I think getting to go outside was a Major Factor with his previous bad behavior. Truly! Hanging out with 30 other horses in a field, running around in the fresh air and sunshine, being able to roll in the grass and get green stains on your butt...makes a difference!

If anything, he was a lazy butt who didn't want to do anything! I remedied that by carrying my dressage whip. I only tapped him with it once when he was veering towards a gate, and from that moment on he was up, in the bridle, collected, and At Atten-SHUN! LOL! Yes Ma'am! What do you want me to do Ma'am! I'm your horse, at your service!!! Ma'am!! LOL! Very supple, good
strong forward trot, even a tiny bit of leg yielding, something he wouldn't even be bothered to do yesterday! U-huh.

Last night I did bug him a bit, mostly free lunging in the round pen, then tried to ride him outdoors, he wasn't having any of that and was being a turd (head-tossing, veering, balking) (despite there being two other horses being worked in the arena with us). But fortunately two of the teenage girls were heading out on a short trail ride, and we joined them. He was near PERFECT on that trail ride; didn't shy at the Scary Gates that terrified him earlier, not worried about the forest, or the steep hills. Trotted on with the other horses (two huge fat QH's). Felt wierd riding down that steep hill I'd usually get off and lead Tez down(as he had troubles with going down steep hills)...when the horses in the pasture came running up to the fence, Quzqogot a bit worried about that.

The big challenge came to a wide mucky area that at the time was under water (heavy rains). He wouldn't have anything to do with that. The lead horse walked through it up to the road, but not Quzqo, nuh uh, dat boy don' like no mud!!! ('tis true, there's a wet spot in the round pen, he'd leap over it rather than run through it). Finally the other girl on her QH went ahead of us, THEN Quzqo had no choice...and damned if he didn't JUMP over it! LOL! I figured he would, and was prepared; he did quite well actually, and we were up on the road as well!

Maybe next weekend I'll take him out alone again...we'll see.

Sure felt weird to ride a horse that wasn't yanking on the reins, wasn't trying to be in front (in fact, Quzqo was so happy being in the back, he left slobber on the one QH's dock, LOL), and not spooking!

Yep, gonna be an interesting Summer.

The Quzqo Album

Wed Jun 2, 2004 8:38 pm

http://www.semperfas.com/cusco

I swear, that boy can NOT take a bad picture!!! I love the one with him trotting and his neck arched so pretty! His butt's not that big, it's just the wide angle aspect of the digital camera (that's my excuse).

We had quite a lovely evening tonight...I went out around 6:30, so Quzqo was done with dinner and looking for something to do. He was in the stall, and my heart lept with joy when he whinneyed at me and came right to the door to wait for me to open it!

I still can NOT get over what a huge schmooze he is! It 'Tain't natural!! Now I've got the teenage girls coming up and complementing me on what an adorable horse he is! I hope my farrier won't refer to this one as "The Old Turd" like he did Tezlu. He did get his hooves trimmed, I think I'll ask him how Quzqo did...he's a perfect gentlemen when I clean his feet. Just curious.

Didn't ride him tonight, we worked on groundwork instead, as you can see on the web page, a lot of round pen. I just let him romp and frisk and toss his head and buck and carry on, get the P&V out. Occasionally I'd stop him (just say "whoa"), approach him for pats and an apple slice, then get him moving again with just a wave of my open hand. After he started slowing down, whether he was tired or bored, I don't know, I put the lead back on him and we worked on whip desensitization. Just using the butt end of my dressage whip, I rubbed him all over with it...neck, throat, shoulder, barrel, back, butt, belly...he didn't care! Not one bit!!! Not a flinch, not a twitch...he had a worried look, but once he figured I was being nice to him, he relaxed. and just stood there like the best horse in the world!

Did some more ground work...leading, backing, stopping, moving forward...if I plan to show him in Halter, I can see we're going to have to work on TROTTING, LOL, I could NOT get him into a trot, instead I was dragging him around the arena...he isn't real motivated, ha!

I swear, he's the Anti-Tezlu! With Tez, he'd be dragging ME around the arena!

Hard to get used to a horse that's so damned nice and quiet and pleasant and polite. I'd been thinking how lucky Quzqo was that I "saved" him. Now I'm thinking, maybe it's ME that's the lucky one!!