Going Treeless Through The Trees

Sat Aug 28, 2004

That boy keeps on surprising!!

He's recovered from the horse show last weekend, and my knee is almost all better (don't need the cane any more anyway). I've been working with him this week, applying those Chris Cox "softening" exercises combined with some Richard Shrake "softening" exercises...just quiet flat work, which is about all my knee can take right now. He put up some stink when I started, but before the evening was over, he was flexing and "softening" in the bridle SO nice...and now, by today, he tucks his head almost as soon as I pick up the reins! Eventually maybe I'll be able to get him to back (oh, dream on!)

I switched to my treeless Bob Marshall saddle this week, mostly so my knee wouldn't be further injured by the Western saddle...using just a thin pad, I was reminded why I loved that Bob Marshall saddle so much (and why its previous owner wants to buy it back, LOL!). I swear, it's like sitting in warm pudding, SO comfy!! I suspect that also helped with Quzqo's "softening"...I kind of wondered if the Western one wasn't pinching him or something (it sure pinched Tezlu, that's for sure, so much that he'd collapse!!). And I've become a LOT more confident with him, so I feel "secure" in that treeless saddle.

Thursday night we had severe thunderstorms roll through, with heavy heavy rains. As a result, the whole Eastern end of the outdoor arena is under water!! While riding Himself outside, after our incident-free trail ride (where he JUMPED over a mud puddle, goofy lad), we came into the arena, and as another woman was splashing her horse through the water, I figured, why not? She did help me a bit by riding in front of us, and walked into the water...after a second of sniffing, Quz just hiked right into that water like it was nothing!! Granted it was maybe coronet-band deep, but still...

We played in the water a bit...he tried to drink it AFTER pooping in it, I don't think so! I was quite pleased he was so blase' about the whole thing...I can think of another Arabian who would have put up a performance worthy of Olivier rather than set hoof in Scary Water, LOL!

Today we worked indoors a bit, did some trotting, happily posting doesn't hurt my knee. And then a trail ride around the fence, and an adventure across the hayfield to The Road...I haven't been to The Road since last October with Tezlu, that was kinda nice...Quzqo did great going across the field, but once he got to The Road, he was all Red Alert...The Road goes through a deep, dark scary forest...not good horse territory. Once we got on The Road, the dog down the street there started barking, so Mr. Quzqo goes all tense coiled spring ready-to-bolt freak city...we go the other way, I see a car approaching about 1/4 mile away. Not wanting to see how Mr. Coiled Spring might react to an SUV going within feet of him, we went up a short, steep embankment. I just grabbed some mane and let him go...and he scampered right up that embankment without hesitation, AND managed to grab some grass at the same time! LOL!

I'm really getting to trust him, and he I...kinda neat..

14 days 'til the next Horse Show! IF I can find a girth the right size...maybe Green Horse Pleasure class???

The Horse Show, Day Two - Sue Injures Her Knee!

Sun Aug 22, 2004

Quzqo is SO Sweet! As sweet as a serpent. I rode Himself yesterday afternoon with some damned fool idea of MAYBE taking him into Green Horse Pleasure today (walk/trot). Little practice session in the indoor arena. Even gave him his evening grain beforehand so he'd be happy. But they left the fenced-off end of the arena where the hay is stored OPEN, and The Emperor wanted THAT, to hell with the monkey on his back...so he became a total retard (think of the "real" Emperor Kuzco before his llama transformation)...SOMEhow we ended up between two sections of pipe fencing that made a "v" shape, of course he wouldn't even consider backing out for me, just tossed his head, resisted, REARED...just as a big truck hauling a bigger trailer of sawdust pulled into the dooryard...all I could think is them coming into the arena with that thing, freaking the horse as I was basically trapped...somehow during all this I wrenched my knee and vaguely remember thinking "ow".

I ended up getting off (in a dangerously cramped space but better than the horse flipping over), and MADE His Highness back the hell up (with the use of Mr. Whip to Mr. Quzqo's chestal region), got back on his Imperial back, and rode him down to watch the horse show and fume. He enjoyed that, the standing still and observing the goings ons...and he WAS...his head was going side-to-side, like he was watching a tennis match, LOL!

Gave up, threw him in his stall, and left early all disgusted and discouraged and depressed.

And this morning I can barely walk! The pain in my left knee is ASTOUNDING! I even had to dig out my mom's old cane to hobble around! I've scarfed some Xtra-strength Motrin, see how that works...I've got 4 hours...if I can't walk, I obviously can't show Himself in Halter. No big loss. But my Grand-niece will be wanting to do Leadline...I figure her Mom can lead the horse, she's got horse experience, after all, Tezlu dumped her about 3 times!

Later...

Good ole' Vetwrap and double-dosages of Motrin! The pain was mostly gone by the time of our Halter class (around 10:30.) It came back immediatly AFTER the class (the running did it, no doubt).

After throwing a major Prima Donna Drama Queen Hissy Fit about the baby oil on his muzzle and by his eyes, Master Quzqo behaved PERFECTLY well this morning! I got him to set up perfectly in the class, and he had his ears pricked (mostly), and neck arched so nice... It was the same other two horses competing against us as yesterday (Morgan & Arabian with no tail),
and the placings were the same...2nd for Mr. Quzqo (different judge). And diddly in the Showback, durn, but the TWH Mare who took the Champ WAS gorgeous (she was horrible in Trail later in the day, heh heh).

Today was my Grand-Niece's turn at Leadline...she didn't do as well as her older brother, because she was having a major Shy episode...shy of being in front of EVERYONE, the Strange Lady being Judge, she forgot most of what she learned the other day about steering a horse, LOL! She was the only entrant today, so that probably added more pressure. She did manage to turn Quzqo sharply and unexpectedly to the left, which about put a horse in my lap! After many tries she got him to back two steps for the judge...she wasn't about to say anything out loud, just whispering "whoa" and "back" and "giddyup", heh heh...I doubt the horse could even hear her.

The judge (REAL nice lady) asked her some hard horse questions, like what do they like for breakfast. what's his name, how old is he, what breed is he...she only knew his name and that he likes grass for breakfast. So of course the judge had to mess with her mind and suggested he might like pancakes...she wasn't buying ANY of it and told the judge as much, but no, she insisted maybe at night horses go to McDonald's for pancakes...it was funny, this 5 yr old basically doing point-counterpoint with this middle-aged woman...Celine maintained horses wouldn't be able to get out of their stalls because they don't have hands, nor could they drive cars to get to McDonalds...finally the judge conceded the point, and awarded her First
Place!

Unlike my Grand-Nephew yesterday, Celine was bouncing all over, so proud of her big blue rosette, LOL (I did find out that G.J. WAS showing the rosette to anything with eyes yesterday, once he got home...no surprise there). No big mishaps, no big excitement, just Aunt Sue hobbling around and grimacing and trying to not act like her mother, ha!

When I went back out to the barn early this evening to put His Highness in for the night, got some more detail pix for my web site...a beautiful dun was snoozing in the pasture, so I could get some great shots of his back/dorsal stripe.

There's quite a brisk wind...and unfortunately, for a good 50 feet or so walking out to the pasture, you get a pretty strong and distinct odor...as the wind blows over Tezlu's grave. Oh, hoorah. It's pretty covered in rocks, I doubt the coyotes can do much about it, but man O man, the smell...bring on the cold weather!!

Well, will be a long time before anybody forgets about him...you're reminded every time you walk out to the pasture!

Quzqo; Blue Ribbon Winner!!

Sat Aug 21, 2004

Okay, yeah, it was in Leadline, where ALL the competitors do SOOO well, the judge just can't make up his mind, so he awards Blue Ribbons to EVERYone! Whoo! Hey, it fakes out the 6 & under crowd, so who cares!

Day One of the Windsonnet Jackpot Series today...My niece brought her kids & HER niece out last night to practice leadline...they picked it up pretty darn good, but the boy was upset he couldn't make Quzqo back up, where both the girls (5 & 6) were able to get him to back a step! Had to laugh (inwardly)...the Niece's niece is something of a brat...think of that blonde girl in "RugRats" (I forget the name), but that's her. Shrill, loud, spoiled... When my niece tried to lift her up onto Quzqo's back, Quzqo shied AWAY from her! LOL!! The other two kids, he didn't care, but when that girl was approaching the saddle, he didn't want any part of it! Heh heh. Horses know...

ANYway, this show today was a lot smaller than our last one, but still a decent crowd considering. Our Pleasure Type Geldings had 3 entries...two Arabians and a Morgan. Quzqo did pretty good, although I couldn't get him to stand still nor to get "set up"...I was able to mesmerize him with a clod of soil from the arena floor, got his ears to prick way up and forward...he knew I had "something" in my hand but he knew it wasn't an apple or carrot,
heh! I'll have to remember that trick. But, we placed 2nd behind the Morgan!! An obvious A-circuit type showhorse at that! We won't dwell on the fact the 3rd place Arabian was fat and missing half its tail (obviously lost in an accident...half the tailbone gone, I should get pix if he's there tomorrow)...(the judged asked the girl showing him if he was part Hackney..LOL! Good quality judge, that one!)

Which meant we got to do the Showback Thing again, although I pretty much assume any 2nd placer has little chance of winning anything, but we did it anyway, and didn't get anything, but it's good experience for both of us.

Then the MADRUSHDASH back to the barn to slap tack on the horse, as there was about 6 minutes before Leadline (they had to do the Stock Type Championship showback)...THAT was chaos...a worried figity Arabian, FOUR kids under the age of 7 getting in the way, my Niece trying to juggle camera, children, and be wary of the staples in her stomach from a Caesarian
three weeks ago (a boy! #4!). Managed to get the horse dressed, and back down to the arena with minutes to spare!

Leadline was fun, and danged if GJ, the boy, didn't steer that horse by himself!! We had to walk in a big circle to the right, stop, reverse, walk a big circle to the left, come back to the center, stop, and back for the judge! He did it all himself...I made a point of keeping lots of slack in the lead snapped to the bit, so the judge could appreciate that the kid WAS doing the driving...albeit a bit drunkenly at times, LOL. I was downright astonished when GJ managed to get Quzqo to back two steps!! That damned horse just tucked his head so softly, and stepped backwards... Arrgh! I need to have 6 yr olds train him (maybe because he and the kid are the same age, LOL)

The other child in the class was a boy around 5, on a squat little brown pony, and my niece tells me it was obvious the girl leading him WAS leading him, the kid didn't do any steering by himself...harrumph! I'd think GJ would get extra credit for riding a full-sized horse, PLUS his feet were nowhere near the stirrups, PLUS the saddle had no horn! But, as I mentioned earlier...both boys got 1st place rosettes, which GJ was pretty nonplussed over, almost embarassed and irritated that anyone would make a fuss over it! LOL! I bet that lasted until he got home...probably will sleep with it tonight, ha!

So, Quzqo has a red rosette hanging on his stall now...that makes two reds, a yellow, a white and two greens for his show career!

Astute observers may note that Quzqo's mane has somehow migrated to the OTHER side of his neck from the last show. Don't ask me how, it just happened!

Tomorrow we get to do it alll over again...oh, joy.

That'll teach 'em to not bury my horse properly!

Sun Aug 15, 2004

Hoorah, they dumped tractorloads of rocks on Tezlu! That sounds strange, doesn't it? The Teenager & Pre-Teen boy at the barn (yep, only two...6 girls to each boy, what a deal), used the tractor with the bucket to gather up rocks & dirt & fill in the hole and add to it. According to the barn owner, he suspects it WAS coyotes, because they could hear them at night. Oh, wouldn't that make for great sleep...hearing yapping and yowling nearby, knowing they're ripping at the rotting carcass of a beloved horse. *sigh*. Hope this stops them, and they don't just dig another hole in.

I suspect something nasty happened while they were dumping the rocks, because suddenly there was a LOT of top-of-the-lungs yelling and hollering from the boys out in the field...I was about 1/4 mile away with Quzqo by the arena, but I sure heard it, LOL! Didn't sound like arguing, sounded like something really upsetting. I hope the weight of the rocks didn't cause the
carcass to "pop"...they were yelling loud enough to make me wonder. Wind was blowing away from me, so I won't know. But I hope that takes care of it. I feel a little better knowing it was coyotes somehow. They aren't liable to come bouncing around the yard with a leg in their mouth.

I took Leela the Dalmatian out with me (leaving her in the car until I was ready to ride, so as to safeguard the new barn kittens), she hasn't been on a trail ride in over a year. See how Quzqo likes her and all. Surprise to me...she didn't "get it" that I was on a new horse...was the strangest thing...she kept looking around for me, never mind I was yards away! She's used to looking for dark legs with white feet, not white legs! Then she started acting worried and fearful, like Quzqo was dangerous to her...then she decided that playing with the Aussie Shepherd pup was more fun than coming with Mom. Sooo...she earned herself more sitting in the car with no fun time.

Mr. Quzqo is toting a major 'tude this weekend, maybe it's the cool weather (high of 70 today), maybe he's just showing his true colors. But he sure was acting like his cartoon namesake (the arrogant, spoiled human version!!). He earned himself more than one pop with Mr. Whip...he even balked, head-tossed, and reared up twice rather than walk around the corner of the fence to the trail around the fenceline! Oh, yes, he did walk the walk, after Mr. Whip had a short conversation with his butt! He tried a few more little tricks and antics, each one answered in kind with either heels and legs or Mr. Whip. Don't want you to think I'm out there beating on the horse now, we're talking quick, single taps (never more than a tap, don't need more)...and he lowers his head and moodily trudges onwards. I quipped to one of the barn ladies there that it's like dealing with a 13 yr old boy at times. At least I won't have the hormone troubles, heh heh.

Both yesterday and today we had nice trail rides outside the fenceline, today we did some 'sploring in the Forbidden Woods (why did they post the "no trespassing" signs far enough apart that you can walk a horse right between them???), he did VERY good, not a spook or twitch or quiver!! On the way home he was just a'draggin', worse than Tezlu ever did!! Lolly-gagging along, trying to grab some grass or clover, gawking around, just being a snot. So, got his lazy butt trotting, which he didn't like and kept trying to slow down...nope, the heels say TROT! And he did, poor overworked lad. I did try backing him on the trail, by facing him into some dense trees...and after some snotty hesitation, he backed TWO steps for me! We're getting there.

Yes, I can see where an inexperienced or timid rider might have had trouble with him, which might be why he ended up at auction. But unluckily for him, *I* can give as good as I'm given...which he knows, he just chooses to forget occasionally!

Horse show this coming weekend!!! Halter & Leadline! Thus begins the Makeover once again! Need to dig out my White Horse Shampoo and baby oil and styling gel and hoof polish and...

A VERY Disgusting Topic (Don't Read if You're Squeamish)

Fri Aug 13, 2004

The coyotes have found Tezlu's grave.

DAMN them...they've got a good three-foot deep trench dug right down to him...I know I shouldn't have looked, but you know I had to...nothing like seeing your beloved friend of 15 years' bare rib cage sticking out of unnamed and unmentionable "stuff"...I got pretty upset, as you can imagine...imagine the smell if you will (only downwind). Plus now theres a big three-foot deep hole dug right in a horse pasture...I can just see some horse falling in there and getting hurt! Not to mention Tez was pumped so full of anesthetic (enough to kill a horse!!!), those frigging coyotes are going to be ingesting it and could die!

No one was around I could tell about this (I doubt the owner/etc walk that far out into the back field), I couldn't lift the big rocks I wanted to move (the farking coyotes had dug UNDER the big slab of concrete I'd put on top of the grave, didn't stop 'em one bit). So, I left a very interesting note on the blackboard...surely an attention getter. I hope they can just use the bucket loader and move some of the HUGE chunks of concrete from nearby and pile it on top (after putting the dirt back in the hole the coytes dug). If not, well...if I see one of those Aussie Shepherds dragging a bay leg with a white stocking around the barnyard, I won't be responsible for my actions.

That'd make a great "event" during their big two-day horse show next weekend, impress the visitors and entrants to no end. Esp. since the arena is downwind from the Hole.

Shit, you'd think they'da buried him DEEPER than three feet!!! I buried a hen that deep and the dogs found her and dug her up (and ate her and dragged her legs around the yard...that was memorable)

*sigh*

I hadn't been out to bother Quzqo since Sunday...busy with the County Fair & all. Yeah, he'd reverted to a snot...doesn't take him long, that's for sure. As one lady there mentioned "The fun of working with babies"...yeah, joy, I have a baby all right. Spoiled Emperor Kuzco, not the Kind, Sharing Emperor Kuzco. Lucky for him I'd bought a new lunge whip today, so we got to spend some quality time in the round pen. I've been working on voice commands, and he is getting it! I'd say "canTER" and off he'd go! When I had him tuckered out and humbled enough, I planned to ride, but discovered I'd forgotten to bring a bridle down with me!!! (the round pen's about 1000 feet from the barn...all uphill going back)...heck with it, I was in a round pen, I just tied the lead rope to his halter (both sides), had my sissy Tellington-Jones Balance Rein (rope around his neck), and rode him that way! He didn't like it, but if I remembered to not pull the reins, but to use the Balance Rein, he'd lower his head and round his back.

BIG news though...I got him to canter!! Just with the balance rein, the voice command, and good hearty kicks with my outside leg, LOL! It got that he started anticipating me, so I had to go back to just trotting and walking. He's a lot harder to control without a bit (and a whip), but since we were in a round pen, I didn't worry about that. I was just so pleased he cantered repeatedly for me!!

AND I got him to back! Nicely too...TWO steps this time! Pulling on the balance rein helped, so the pressure was on his neck/chest AND on his nose (with the halter).

We might do that some more tomorrow, and throw a trail ride into the mix...won't forget the bridle this time!