Where No Quzqo Has Gone Before

Thu Mar 29, 2007

Didn't feel like riding last night, so now I have a fun alternative in driving! This was Quzqo's first venture OUTdoors in the blinders & all, so no cart was involved.

On a scale of 1-10, I'll give him an 8! He marched right out of the barn, up the hill, tried to veer to the left where the yummy grass was, but since he had the overcheck on, he couldn't lower his head and lunge for it like normal (ha ha), and kept going straight. We ended up walking around Bob's house, along the road (well, not IN the road, but next to it)...cars whizzed by, he didn't care. We walked along the outside of the arena, into an empty pasture, around that, even along the scary woods, he didn't care, just kept walkin' along, stopping when asked, Gee-ing and Haw-ing like a pro (seriously! I'd just say the word and he turned w/o me doing anything with the reins!). Back out of the pasture, back along in front of Bob's house along the road, along the front of the barn...

I had BillyBob the Corgi with me (since I knew I wasn't going to do any chase-able activities that he might harass the horse about) and he was keeping right up, running in front, beside, behind the horse. Well, he shot in front of the horse and for some reason, Quzqo SPOOKED...granted, he spooked in place, didn't veer off or lunge sideways or anything! Then he was on high alert, and Bob's big gooseneck flatbed trailer was obviously carnivorous, because then Coos SPOOKED at that...LOL...spooking is easier to deal with when you're standing 4 feet behind the horse in question. We got past that scary thing and back around and back into the barn!

All in all I'd say he did VERY good (other than the two spooky bits). Might do that a few more times before trying it with the cart. I wish my farrier would open up the gates to the trails around the property so I could at least ride them and judge whether a cart would fit or not...but since he doesn't live in his house any more (the divorce thing)...it might not get done. Grrr.

Some stinking filthy horse in Quzqo's pasture tore a CHUNK from his left stifle! GRRRRR! Fur...skin, and actual MEAT...granted it's maybe 1/16" deep, but it was raw and bloody and obviously tender...though thankfully he wasn't limping...just did NOT want me touching it to clean it. Dayum! Here he'd gone early 2 weeks w/o a bite!