A New Career Path

Sat Jul 24, 2004

Embarking on yet another career path, last night (Friday) Quzqo got introduced to the exciting world of letting toddlers ride him!! My niece and her two oldest children came by to see the new horse and pay their respects to Tezlu...we picked wildflowers to put on his grave...the damned coyotes had been at it again and had a nice deep trench dug...and at the bottom it was seething with fly maggots! Oh, hoorah! The boy, "GJ" asked "What's THAT?" and as my niece and I kicked rocks into the hole "Oh, nothing"...arrgh! But we bedecked the rocks with the flowers and the girl (Celine) left a carrot as well...I wonder how long THAT would stay there, with the other 20 horses in the pasture, ha! I didn't smell anything, but maybe they could and would stay away...it was obvious the flies (and coyotes) could detect some odor...poor Lou, harassed in death as in life. Unless those coyotes can lift big heavy rocks, I don't think they'll be bothering him any more.

Quzqo was easy to approach in the open pasture, and enjoyed the carrot...for some reason the boy didn't think Quzqo was going to eat him...he was always convinced Tezlu WAS going to, LOL! The girl insisted on leading Quzqo back to the barn...I helped of course (she's only 5)...the horse pretty much lead HER into the barn as you can imagine.

He endured being brushed by those two, and my niece was very impressed that the horse was so calm (she's the one Tez threw into the fence when she was a teen) (ah, memories!!). I lunged him to get the P&V out, and then we tacked him up to see how he might do in lead line.

It probably helped that it was the end of the day, the horse was dragging and yawning, ha! But surprisingly both kids were able to get him moving, turn him this way and that, stop him, etc...he complied just fine! Both kids even were able to ride him unassisted, and they were walking him all over the arena! Not a funny twitch or spook or tail-swish at all...little 5 & 6 yr olds riding him like old pros!! (neither one had ridden a horse alone as far as I knew).

Now my niece has to compile proper Lead Line outfits for both kids by August 21, LOL! Luckily it's a two-day show, so each kid has a chance to compete!

Can't Win 'Em All

Sun Jul 18, 2004

Day Two of our first show! Interestingly, this was about the "loneliest" show I've ever been to, *sigh*. There's just as many cliques in the real horse world as in the model horse world.

Quzqo wasn't in a good mood, I think he was sick of being away from "home" and had just about enough of me, the fairgrounds, not having any grain, and the HUGE leopard appaloosa stalled next door to him (gorgeous mare!). Miraculously he had NO poop stains on him in the morning, He must have just missed all the piles when he slept last night, LOL!

Wisely we didn't enter Novice Showmanship...no need to go looking for humiliation at a horse show! BUT we DID enter the Halter Jackpot class ($10 entry fee!)! Only five entries in there...four stock breeds and Quzqo! I did try the "kinder, gentler" approach...i.e. a shorter lead when we trotted (he still had plenty of room to float), no carrot in my left hand to make him want to climb on top of me to get it, in fact, I focused on getting his feet in the proper position and let it go at that, not worrying about making his neck arch or stargaze or what have you! The placings in the Jackpot class only went to third, and the first two placing went to Professional "A" circuit Paint trainers...and third place was QUZQO!! WhooHOOOOO!!!

Of course that left me all super-confident about our chances in his Breed class...hopefully the judge would remember him from that Jackpot and place him (first!) accordingly! My hope sort of sank as the morning wore on...the fairgrounds seemed to be SEETHING with Arabians!! They weren't here YESTERDAY...but they were there today! Including a VERY cool majorly-fleabit gelding...he looked almost Appaloosa, the fleabites were so huge on him! There was another fleabit grey with slight dappling on his butt, and a very classic profile...a gelding...*sigh*. A beautiful dappled bay mare...that's okay, it's a mare...

Finally Pleasure Type Gelding class came, we were first in the ring, he floated at the trot and even circled to the right at a trot with me...I swear, I had goosebumps, he did so good! I got him set up and left him in that pose!

Four in the class...Quzqo ...the afore-mentioned fleabit Arabian with the classic profile...a GORGEOUS Morgan (who won both Saddleseat classes the day before), and the TWH (#100) that took the Championship yesterday. Yes, I was disappointed when we took 4th out of 4...the Morgan took first and went on to take the Championship..he WAS beautiful, so I took some solace in the fact we were beaten by the Champ.

Quzqo DID have a spate of diarrhea before the class...I thought maybe, since I forgot to clean his butt off, that may have counted against him...the other fleabit took 3rd...the other Arabian also had a very white tail, where Cusco's was still vaguely yellowed..

However in the evening, when Bob, the barn owner, was leading Quzqo towards the trailer for the trip home, I looked at him objectively...and yes, he is sort of rangey and thin...ribs visible, all angles..the other Arabian was rounded and more mature...maybe that's it. But Crikey, considering 50 days ago Cusco was at a livestock auction in Chicago...I think he's come pretty
damned far, eh???

Next horse show is August 21 at the barn where I board (no trailering, and he can sleep in his own stall!)!

I DID tack him up after his classes and rode him a little bit in the warm-up ring at the fairgrounds, but he'd reverted almost back to his old wacky self, with the bolting for the gate, head-tossing, spinning, and just being BAD...so maybe ridden classes won't be in his future this year. I prefer the Halter...less stress. In fact, watching the ridden classes this weekend, I felt absolutely NO desire to do one. Been there, done that. Halter's fun enough for me, you spend a lot less on tack & clothes, LOL!

Our First Horse Show!!

Sat Jul 17, 2004

Halter, yes....Showmanship, No!

What a FUN day!! I like showing Halter! No work, no sweating, no soreness, just run around a little bit and let the horse be pretty!!

On a stupid whim I entered Novice Showmanship...Quzqo ain't no showmanship horse, he didn't hold still one second, wiggled all over the place, but our amazing performance got the judges grinning at the foolishness of it all, and two 6th place rosettes (out of 6 entries, LOL!)

Pleasure Type Geldings only had 4 entries )...two TWHs, a Morgan, and Quzqo! I see by the photo that I need to work on getting him to not crowd me, but my my, didn't he set up nice (it was the chunk of carrot in my left hand that did it...without the carrot he wouldn't do what I asked) (ditto without the whip, he was just a wandering slug, LOL!)

Under "Judge A" we placed 3rd, which was okay, considering it was my first ever attempt at Halter showing (and his, for all I know). But under Judge "B" we placed 2nd, which meant we were eligible for the Championship Show-Back! WhooHOOO!!! Just like model horses! (lol)

For the Pleasure Type Champion that also included the Mares (were no pleasure type stallions or foals...all stock breeds at that show), and I had a foolish hope, but the TWHs WERE gorgeous, and the Champion was #100, the TWH in front of us in the above pic. He WAS gorgeous (and I hope will NOT be there tomorrow, LOL!)

Cusco spent most the rest of the day lounging in his stall (I caught him sleeping at one point). I'm dead on my feet...they were JUST beginning the Western Pleasure classes when I finally left (at 5 p.m.!) I don't envy those exhibitors...there's like 20 classes to go!

Tomorrow I think we'll try the Halter Jackpot class (were only 4 entries this morning, with a cash payback), plus of course his breed class. Hopefully those Walkers won't be back (they weren't stalled, they were with horse trailers, which meant they weren't spending the night). But even if they are, it'll be a different judge (one who likes Arabians...I heard that the two ladies today were stock horse fans, so maybe they didn't know a good Arabian when they saw one).

Going to try a "calmer" approach...they (the judges) may not have appreciated/understood my trotting him on a loose/long lead...but the other girl showing an Arabian (mare) had her hand right by that horse's face, with maybe 6" of slack...that isn't right either! Well, it's all a learning
experience, and I've got 4 more shows I can go to this summer to work on it!!

Those Pre-Show Panic Attacks

Fri Jul 16, 2004

Agh! I've forgotten how STRESSFUL it is in the times leading up to a horse show (it's been like 9 years since I've shown!). I left work an hour early and got out to the barn around 5, figuring I could then finish clipping Quzqo and sand his hooves/put a first coat of polish on. I hiked on out to the pasture to get the horse...he wasn't with the other horses, but maybe further up, down in the valley where I couldn't see him...so I hiked up hills to the furthest point...NO horses! ARGH! The horse was GONE! He wasn't in his stall, so logically one must deduce...they all ready took them out to the fairgrounds!! GRRGH!!! Yep, when I hiked back to the barn, the helpful teen girls said "sure, they took them out around 2 p.m.!" Well CRAP, a friggin' phone call or NOTE on the blackboard might have been helpful!!! Save me the 3/4 mile hike round trip looking for him (I'm wearing my pedometer today!)

So I packed up the essentials (baby oil, fly spray, booger rags, the usual stuff) and drove across the county to the fairgrounds...it was PACKED, with a dozen or so horses being worked in the main arena, never mind the show isn't until tomorrow! I didn't even think that people would arrive the day before, but I guess so. When I DID do shows, the barn was like 4 miles from the fairgrounds, so we never worried about renting stalls or staying overnight.

I spotted Quzqo in a stall first thing (pretty distinguishable, being so SMALL!), and he was glad to see me, I warranted an actual welcoming nicker! A first!! He has a nice open-sided box stall (wire grating), it'll be balmy nights, no problem there. Gave him some water & some hay, he was obviously famished, poor guy! I've learned over the years that you can't make a hungry horse focus on ANYthing but food, so might as well let him eat a bit.

Walked around, looking at the other horses...I MUST take pictures, there seems to be a plethora of COOL-colored equines! A gorgeous sorrel red roan (flaxen m/t), a deep chocolate palomino with big dapples, a way cool red roan overo...Droooool!!! I noticed with amusement most the horses from our barn were brown...two dapple greys (counting Quzqo), the rest bays and
chestnuts, LOL!

But the most interesting and optimistic fact...Quzqo is the ONLY Arabian there! Heh heh. Okay, yeah, sure, I know, a thousand more horses could trailer in tomorrow, maybe even the ones from the show stable I used to board at, but knowing them, they'd have reserved stalls...and I didn't see their name anywhere...let's hope, eh? I don't need Quzqo to compete against $10,000 Wayne Newton-bred Egyptian Class "A" Arabians thank yew!

With a LOT of difficulty I did manage to find an electrical outlet and get Quzqo s fetlocks trimmed, sanded his hooves and got some hoof polish on him (he did NOT like that, it probably felt cold). I walked him around the fairgrounds a bit, and into the arena...I DO wish they'da mowed the thing first, it's full of tempting yellow clover...very distracting for the horse,
*sigh*

On a whim I took him into the warm-up ring (nobody in there) and tried some showmanship moves...stopping, setting up, turning, trotting, stopping...and damned if he didn't do it like a pro!!! Even when I turned him, he planted that one hind foot and spun on it!!! Thus I have decided to add "Novice Showmanship, 19 & Over" to our class schedule tomorrow!!!

Also practiced setting him up for halter, using a carrot piece in my left hand...not any surprise by now, he set up (forelegs square, left hind leg behind, neck stretched UP and OUT)..repeatedly!!! Dayum!!

Left him around 7:30, immersed in his hay, with about a foot of clean, fresh sawdust in the stall (hey, it's included in the stall rental!)...might get out there around 8 a.m., that'll give me time to trim those few whiskers I missed last night! My Showmanship is the 2nd to the last Showmanship (right before "PeeWee Showmanship", LOL!! (10 & Under). Hey, I've got no pride, I'll be a Novice!

Was sure a LOT of crabby overweight middle-aged women there, cursing their horses and life in general...not real impressed. I was kind of smug that my lone Arabian is just fine with his long, loose mane, as dozens of stock breed showers were cursing and fussing, banding their horses' manes, LOL!! Suckers!!!

Ah me. Tomorrow'll be a long day! Made my lunch, got the cameras loaded with film & fresh batteries, my co-worker WILL come and take pix...so...Stay Tuned!

Wonder Boy Does It Again!

Thu Jul 15, 2004

What CAN'T that horse do???? (besides CANTER!!!)

Tonight was Quzqo's Spa Night...getting himself all beautified for the horse show this weekend! They're trailering them to the fairgrounds tomorrow evening, so I had to do the bathing stuff tonight! He did pretty good for the bath, got rather agitated when I was washing his butt...he's very butt-sensitive, poor guy, but seemed to enjoy drinking the water from the hose, LOL!! He wasn't dirty at all, just a couple grass stains here and there. He's all purdy and clean now!! I gave his tail another shot of White Minx to make sure it stays WHITE!

When he was pretty much dried I started trimming what I could...got the bridle path all neat and tidy, and BIG surprise, he was FINE with me trimming his jaw and muzzle, didn't care one whit!! AND he let me do his eyes! (I only did the upper whiskers, and sort of half-trimmed the
lower...he aint' goin' into Showmanship after all). AND, (Tah DAH!!!!) he let me trim his EARS!!! Okay, I didn't hollow them out like a die-hard person might, but I trimmed the huge fluffy "old man" hair he had hanging out the bottom, and sharpened up the edges (he's got the cutest little
"points" of hair on the tippy-tips!!). Dayum, he is looking SHARP!!!

I need to trim the feathers off his fetlocks yet (they're pretty long), but they were too wet from his bath (I had trouble trimming his lips due to the drooling, LOL). I can do that tomorrow along with sanding his hooves and putting the first coat of polish on them. He's now wearing a good coating of Show Sheen (silicone spray), and smells awful purdy for a horse, LOL!! If his posse in the pasture thought he was a sissy boy before, they'll KNOW it now! He was pretty disgusted by that time, it was 8:30 and he hadn't had his hay yet!! Poor lad!

But he looks AWESOME...if I say so myself! I hope it's sunny Saturday morning so he'll just GLEAM like I know he will!

Soooooo nice to not have to worry about RIDING him, LOL! Kinda relaxing! Now I need to make up LUNCHES to take with me, and all those last-minute things. I found Tezlus' shipping boots, gotta take those out to the barn tomorrow! I should have taken tomorrow off from work!! *sigh*

(gotta remember the Baby Oil too! AND fly spray!! And an old T-shirt
to wipe up horse drool!!!)

Aw Geeze...

Mon Jul 12, 2004

Arrgh!!!

Just got back from the Barn, both Bob's daughters invited me (and Quzqo) to come with them to a fair-sized 2-day horse show being held at the local county fairgrounds THIS WEEKEND! For his Halter Debut...and they were trying to talk me into showing/riding him in "Novice Walk-Trot Rider Over 19" (since he won't canter, LOL). I tried to tell them I'm probably known as no Novice Rider (after running over numerous judges with Tezlu over the years), but they figured nobody will know me there, plus I hadn't shown in like 8-9 years (gads!!)

They've got stalls reserved at the fairgrounds all ready, plenty of room in the trailers (they're taking two 4-horse slant loads)...shit!!

Now of course my mind is all a'twirl...shit...I really need to get a longer chain for his show halter NOW...plus that special whitening shampoo for his yellow tail, and hoof polish, and clip his whiskers and ears...ARRRGH!!!

I ain't riding him, THAT I know for sure! We're lucky if we can trot around the arena in one continuous loop...of course if he acts goofy, then they would assume I'm a novice rider, LOL!

Dang!

Good Boy, Quzqo!

Sun Jul 11, 2004

Another stellar day for the Wonder Horse! Today he got another visit from the vet for his West Nile booster...she injected him in the tender buttal area, and surprised me that he didn't kick her! But he shocked her by bleeding profusely all over the floor! Oh, she felt SO bad about that...commenting what a "delicate grey" he is...goody. Yes, she got the bleeding stopped...my poor guy!!

At least the hair on his face that was rubbed down to the black skin is growing back, now that he's turned out halter-less...delicate grey indeed!!

Rode him indoors in the shade, and got him to canter THREE times! Maybe five strides at the most, but still...his canter is HORRIBLE...disjointed and rough, but it's probably because he's not used to doing it with a passenger! We'll work on that, not like I'm real anxious to have a horse that can run off with me (again), LOL!

After working inside, we did head out on the trail again, going the opposite way around the property from yesterday. He did GREAT, except for an explosive blow-up over a little black birdie that flitted out of the tall grass in front of us...a great 180 degree spin, I lost a stirrup but stayed on and got him turned the right way again, LOL! Goofy boy. We met Bob (the barn owner) and a prospective sales customer out on their own trail ride, and I commented about the spook...the woman (who is shopping for a totally bomb-proof recreational riding horse), commented "SEE? That's what I've had enough of!!" LOL! Hell, girlfriend, that's what makes 'em interesting!!!

But what I liked was that when they rode off opposite the direction we were riding in, Quzqo didn't care one whit that the other horses were leaving him, he was perfectly content to be alone with me! That's a Big Deal, believe you me!

He finally got to wear his fly sheet today, the flies are bad enough. Goofy me forgot to tie the tail strap thingee though, and remembered that when he was halfway back to the barn. I was dying of thirst, so got a drink, by the time I got back out, I could see him out in the field, with the fly
sheet hanging from his neck on the ground!!! Aaak!!!

I hurried out there, figuring he couldn't run off, he'd step on the sheet and fall down!!! But, Mr. Perfect stood out there quietly, and waited for me to get there. Got it on straight, tied the tail thing, and rigged a belly strap out of some baling twine...he let me, never mind he didn't have a
halter or anything on him making him stay put in the middle of that 30 acre field of grass and horses!!

When I was walking back to the barn I glanced back and saw he was ROLLING! Oh great...but when he got back up, the sheet was right where I left it...straight and secure! Whew!!

Tezlu had one of those sheets last year until the other mean horses tore it off of him. A couple of geldings were sort of harassing/herding Quzqo around, probably making fun of him for wearing the sissy sheet, never mind one of them had a goofy fly mask on, LOL! He'll be fine.

Dang Model Horse People

Sun Jul 11, 2004

You know how difficult it so to find an Arabian Show Halter on eBay when 95%
of the search results are for BREYER MODEL HORSES!! Grrrgh!!!

Trying to find one for Quzqo, the one I bought last week (on eBay) is too
SMALL for (even) him. Luckily I've got around 45 days 'til the horse show,
but still...

Learned to Lead

Wed Jul 7, 2004

Got Mr. Quzqo ALL gussied up now, ready and waiting to begin his show career in Halter at least! The show at the barn isn't until late August, so we've got time, but now is the time to prep. He's got a proper Arabian bridle path, and Monday I put his tail "up" with t-shirt ribbons for fly-swatting, to give it a chance to grow longer without catching on the stall boards or door latches! Even found him a black & silver Arabian show halter on eBay which should be here Friday...then to take some proper halter portraits!

Yes, at long last, thanks to Linda Tellington-Jones and that Australian guy (Clinton Anderson is it?), I was able to "teach" Cusco how to trot along with me on a lead! Before he wouldn't, he'd plant his feet and rear back, but with the help of Mr. Whip and the afore-mentioned video trainers, within a very short time I had him just trotting right along with me as smart as you please! Thus sealing his fate as at least going into ONE halter class in August!! I don't know if real horse judges look past any "surface flaws" and go by the actual ABC's of a horse, or if he'll be penalized for his scrapes and scuffies from his tough life on the auction circuit, or his truncated forehooves where they had to be trimmed back severely, or the rubs on his face from the halter, but I don't care, I'll pay my $4 and make 'em look at him anyway. He's so damned purdy otherwise, I dunno, *I* can't see anything conformationally wrong with him!

Got to go on a short trail ride with some of the teens Monday, and Quzqo was perfect (other than stumbling three times that made me flash back to Tezlu) (he was VERY tired, yawning even; they had left him outside in the field all night, so he probably didn't get much sleep, not used to that outdoor camping). Looking forward to when I can take him out by myself! I may give it a shot this weekend, he's calming down a LOT, as he gains confidence and trust...I can tell just by working with him, he's def. getting more comfortable, and I with him as well!

Yep, gonna be an interesting Summer!

Let's Butt Heads, It's FUN!

Thu Jul 1, 2004

Finally felt good enough to go annoy Quzqo last night. It must be the moon though, because he was a pistol for sure!! Almost Tezluesque in his 'tude. Well, the main problem was that it was (his) dinner time (I did let him eat his grain first), and they're bringing in the first cutting of hay, so the indoor arena was FILLED with flatbed trailers piled/stacked with fragrant hay bales.

Yep, he had NO interest in being ridden, he kept veering towards the trailers, or towards the stack of bales at the far end of the arena, or towards the gate closest to his stall, with plenty of spinning and head-tossing and bolting and tail-swishing. GRRRGH!!!! I gave up quickly, and hauled his fleabit tuckus outside to the round pen, took the reins off, and RAN HIM RAGGED INTO THE GROUND out there. I was the Alpha Mare from HELL, and he'd better not forget it!! That, plus the 80 degree temps, plus the (now) deep sandy footing...he got a workout!! But he was full of piss & vinegar, he was galloping (at long last!!) round and round and round...I let him run until he didn't want to run any more, and then I MADE him run some more! He does have a purdy trot though, very floaty...actually it's nicer since he got his toes trimmed Monday (probably the weight of the shoes). Finally, when he stopped, he did the lowering-the head and smacking the lips thing that is horse for "I give up, you're the boss already"...and for the first time I actually got him sweaty!! (okay, was probably the 80 degrees that did that).

Took him out of the round pen and into the outdoor arena, which was pretty busy with people riding their equines, leading their equines, kids on little ponies, just a nice evening's activity (I can imagine Bob, the barn owner, looking out the bay window of his house and smiling with benign satisfaction, or else counting the moolah from all the boarders, snrk). I got on, and rode a totally different horse than what was inside the barn earlier! 180 degree difference! Okay, yes, he was actually POUTING! you could tell, LOL!!! Dragging along, with an "well, all right, if you inSIST" attitude! Yeah, I inSIST! We did a bit of trotting and he was VERY good about it, no nonsense at the gates, just going right along, no spooking or shying or head-tossing, just tuck the head, round the back, and off we go! Unfortunately by that time it was 8:30 at night and I DID have to go to work the next day, so we kind of cut that short, but it was interesting all the same.

Paying for it today, breathing in all that dust, *cough cough cough*, but it was worth it.

(And Cusco finally has a proper Arabian haircut...10" long bridlepath, looks NICE!)