Winter Sports

Fri Dec 30, 2005

Well, I played in the snow today after all! TRAIL RIDE! Huzzah! Figured I'd
better grab the chance before the 8" of new snow arrives tonight/tomorrow!
Quzqo's more than happy to go...not a lick of barn sourness now, he WANTS to
go/do/be someplace other than round and round the indoor arena!

The temps have dropped today, so all the gooshy rotting snow from earlier this
week firmed up nicely, hard enough to support a horse. My trail riding friend
with the crabby TWH mare came along, and we had a pretty good time basically
following the snowmobile trails in the neighboring woods. The conditions were
horrible for snowmobiling, so wasn't worried about meeting any (and we didn't)

Wasn't much to look at, the woods weren't the least bit pretty (just grey), it
was cold and cloudy, but it was nice to be out anyway! Leela the Dalmatian came
along as well, and she was the most interesting part, the way she was bombing
around in total doggy ecstasy of being able to RUN and JUMP and SNIFF and POOP
and PEE, hooray!

This week I'd begun the process of teaching Quzqo to bow (eh, it's winter, need
something to do), and first step is to get him to raise his foreleg on command.
I only worked with him a few minutes on Wednesday, basically tapping his heel
twice with the butt of my dressage whip, and whenever he moved that foot, he got
a treat and a click of the clicker. By the end of the session he was 50/50
raising the foot back/straight up, and pawing outwards. At least he was doing
it!

BUT, today, the little shit saw me holding the whip with the butt end down, and
even before I got it near his heel, he started pawing with his left foot! (no,
no reward, because I didn't tell him too). THEN the little Einstein starts
pawing with his RIGHT foot...LOL, no, that didn't work. Then I tapped him twice,
and he pawed twice, LOL! Hm, maybe we can go the Clever Hans route...the Amazing
Calculatin' Quzqo!

The poor horse was doing EVERYthing to get a treat...he was trying to bop the
whip handle with his nose, he was pawing left and right and even side-passing
(all while tied to a post), LOL! What a goof! I had to hide the whip and get him
to settle down so I could brush him for gosh sakes!

I'll have him doing cartwheels and painting masterpieces by Spring at this rate!