Horseman

I wish I were a better horseman.  As I have been working with, and trying to get to know Rico, my respect and admiration of true horsemen abounds.  Working with these creatures is an art, a skill, and not an easy task.  It takes a great deal of patience, compassion, fortitude, feel, timing, understanding, self control, and confidence. 

Taken from Becky Hanson's prose 'Horseman':
There are horse trainers, horse traders and horse whisperers.  There are show men, show boaters and show offs. There are fast talkers and would be magicians. 
The true horseman or woman is slow and steady, methodical and patient, training on an individual horse's timeline.  They teach through kindness, patience, fortitude, and logic. 
They are a thoughtful teacher, a thorough instructor, a gentle hand, a firm guide, a rational yet fearless showman.  The greatest compliment that I think could ever be given to someone who works with horses, is to be thought of as a Horseman.

Saturday 10/19 - I had the 'day off' from the ranch, well most of it, so sat here at my computer (getting up for breaks each hour) while I worked on last week's blog post.
 

Joe had arrived home (sick with a cold) from his poker cruise after 3am, so he slept late into the morning.  Once up though, he was ready to go get some things done at the ranch.  So I quit on my blogging for the day. 







Betty had taken Dorado for a weekend trail obstacle event at Celtic Rose, so we had the herd of four in the front pasture so Rico could see them and not get too nervous.  I was glad to see how calm he was in the paddock by himself, although he was keeping a close eye on the four horses.

Banner with the two pasos and Cowboy on the outskirts for a change.

I helped Joe fix a gate, he got the push mower (with bagger) going for me, and while he tightened electro-braid fencing, I mucked and then mowed just the weeds in the paddock. 








I was finishing up when Karen arrived and we pulled weeds in the side pasture, hoping to prevent seed dispersal.  I walked the wheel barrow down to the burn pile in the barnyard.

We collected the two pasos and were soon out on a trail ride.  I went bareback, knowing Amiga would be calm with just her brother on the ride.  We heard a horse or two (Cowboy, Banner, Rico?) holler a few times but they weren't bad. 


It was a gorgeous day for a ride.  Our two horses did very well and we had an enjoyable ride. 






Patty was judging at Celtic Rose and we knew she would be tired, so we did feeding chores for her. 




Karen primarily fed in the lower paddock and I took care of Rico.  He was quite calm considering no horses were in sight.  

Because Dorado was gone for the night, before leaving, I took Amiga up and put her in Dorado's stall.




Amiga enjoys stall time and eating hay without the boys bugging her.  She settled right in.  Rico was nickering to her when I left. 


Karen had given me this ball to give to Maggie.  Maggie had a ball with it (video). 




Joe and I watched last week's Survivor after dinner.

Sunday 10/20 - I finished up and posted last week's blog.  Shirley and I met at church for the last outdoor service of the year.  It was a tad cold so we are all ready to move indoors I believe.  On the way home I saw this truck for sale in my friends driveway.  (A 2008 Ford pickup, F150 ½ton  5.4 L330 CID V8 SOHC 24 Valve with 103,000 miles on it, in pristine condition.  It didn't have 4W drive however).  Long story short - by 2pm, Joe had bought it.  😁  I did not trust our older truck, with over 300,000 miles on it, to pull our horse trailer.

I finally got to work finishing cleaning up cushions and rug that Stevie had soiled out on the screen porch.  Everything got a good scrubbing with a brush or broom and a Pine Sol solution. 

It was all placed in the sun to dry out on the back deck.




I headed to the ranch to move Rico off grass and work with him some.

When I arrived, Rico was nice and calm, not even eating grass but resting on the shady side of the shed, facing the front pasture, and watching our herd of four.  He walked up to me, I haltered him, and led him down to the round pen.  What a good boy he was.  When he realized he could no longer see the horses in the front pasture, his demeanor changed.  The more anxious he got, the more difficult he became, and I found myself pulling/jerking on the lead rope trying to control him.  NOT the right solution.  It just made him more unsettled.  I tried working with him in the round pen, but could not get him to focus on me.  He kept yelling to the other horses.  I think I did more harm than good in all my efforts to do some of the things I had learned in my lesson.  I was so aggravated by the time I came home, I decided I needed to sit with a beer and popcorn and watch TV.  Joe joined me and listened to me vent some.

Monday 10/21 - Babe lounging nearby as I got this blog post started.  Look at those claws.  I always procrastinate on trimming cat nails.  It's a task I and my cats prefer not to do. 









I had planned to go to the gym, but Joe was going to get shavings and work at the ranch, and Karen and Patty were going to come out to help me with Rico if I wanted.  I jumped on the offer. 

I helped Joe unload shavings in the upper sheds.  Pulling the trailer through opened gates was where help was really needed, to keep the horses from going out. 









Next I wanted a scoop of manure in a hole I had discovered out in the back pasture a few days ago.  Karen had arrived and helped us with that.  

A second hole was now dug here.  I could see large dog paw prints in the dirt.  Must have been one of our neighborhood hooligans trying to unearth a creature. 









One scoop from the manure pile did the trick.  Joe proceeded to haul away two more tractor bucket loads from our side pasture muck pile.

Dorado and Rico checking out their newly cleaned and bedded stalls.  Patty arrived and we girls were now ready to horse around. 









Patty and Karen both helped me with ground work in the round pen with Rico.  It went so much better than yesterday.  But we did have Amiga in the barn and Cowboy and Zorro were also nearby in their paddock, watching.




We also tried four different bits and chose the one that fit best and Rico liked the most.  At one point he spooked at something and swung his butt around very quickly, and nearly wiped the three of us girls out.

Then I took Rico for a short ride in and around the round pen.  After walking around several times, I bumped him up and he gaited very willingly and nicely for me. 

I walked Rico back up to his paddock and then Patty and I helped Karen with chores. 

Zorro was fed in his stall because we had him there to ride after they were done eating. 

Patty took photos and worked on getting the bit I had chosen to use for Rico off of the head stall that Karen had used for her horse when he was alive.  She also tended the burn pile fire. 







Karen and I had a wonderful ride (video).  Again, it was just perfect weather.  Amiga and Zorro were perfect as well.

Then we three ladies went up to the upper paddock and fed Dorado and Rico.  I was showing the two ladies the process.  Dorado, 'hogging' the shed earlier in the day, that they're supposed to share. 

I arrived home feeling so much better about the day (and about Rico) than I had the day before.

Later I was falling asleep at my computer, so went to bed to start my new book.  After four pages, I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Tuesday 10/22 - Patty was at the ranch doing chores when I arrived.  She had put Amiga in her stall.  I walked Rico down and put him in the round pen.  Thankfully, he was fairly calm. 

Chris, the farrier, arrived and got right to work on Rico. 


Actually, the apprentice Andy did much of the work.






Rico stood very quietly (better than Amiga or Zorro do).  It helped that Amiga was in her stall where he could see her. 






Rico did fantastic for the farrier.  Chris said he is very gentle with his feet and very giving with his legs.  Chris also commented when I asked about the health of Rico's hooves (feet).  He said they looked great and that there were no signs of previous laminitis or other problems.  So all of that was wonderful news.  


Patty took a ton of photos.




And captured me making some pretty funny faces.  😝










But she also caught some sweet expressions of my handsome new horse.







Rico was happy to join up with Dorado when I put him in the upper paddock.  Although he couldn't figure out how to get out to the pasture at first (video).

I went to the gym and then back to the barn for evening chores.  I had another scare with Rico doing a little choke again. This has left me quite anxious.

I spent an hour cleaning and conditioning an old headstall given to me by someone.  And I also got my old reins (I'd used on Amiga for years) conditioned.  I put Karen’s bit on the headstall and attached the reins.  I was ready to ride.

Wednesday 10/23 - I had morning chores and did the lower paddock first.  Rico was all wound up in his stall when I got there.  Dorado was way down at the pond and couldn't be seen by Rico.  Plus, I think Rico was anxious to get out of his 'cage'.  Anyway, it was kind of scary going in to put on his fly mask, but once I had my hands on him, he finally kind of settled down.  The fly mask is new for him, I don't think he's had one on in the recent past anyway.  I had to make sure he didn't rush past me when I opened the gate.  He did well.

I enjoyed watching these two boys race around when I first let Rico out (video).  Rico and Dorado stopped a minute to say hi to Cowboy.  The photo quality isn't great because it was taken off of the video.

I discovered chickens on the loose when I went to care for them.  All were out but Gloria. 









The fence behind the log shed/coop had been completely knocked down.  I wondered if one of the neighborhood unrestrained dogs had done it.  I got the girls back in the yard and the fence back up and hopefully secured better.

From the ranch I went straight to town to bring Joe home after he dropped off the older truck to get it sold.  His dental appointment was running late so I picked up a few things at Walmart. 








I met Patty and Betty, early afternoon, to go for a ride together.  I was taking Rico out.  He did pretty good for the tacking process and his bridle only need a few adjustments to fit well. 




As usual, we took turns leading, following, and being in the middle.  I kept Rico in the middle at first (video). 

I tried taking several selfies, but this is the best I could do.




The more horses and the more people, the more difficult it is to get a good photo of all.
 

Photo wars.  This was good training, to have our horses standing calmly. 











Zorro saying hi to Dorado. 




Betty's photo of Rico and I.  Such a nice looking horse.

It was a beautiful day for a ride, and we had a lovely time.  



Later Betty got this photo of Patty and I together.







And this is what I took from the back of Rico, while standing by Patty and Zorro.  Zorro and Rico getting acquainted. 




Betty and I stayed out on the trail a little longer, going a little farther (and faster at times) than what we wanted to push Zorro to do.

Once back to the barn, the feeding process began.  I stayed to show Bonnie and Dave the procedure for feeding Dorado and Rico. 

Joe and I watched Survivor to end the day. 

Thursday 10/24 - Rose in the front yard, hunting chipmunks, and maybe napping on the job. 










I don't know if she was any more successful than Elmer Fudd - hunting 'wabbits.'

I was waiting to hear from the vet, as to when exactly he would be coming, and I was communicating with all the horse owners. 

And wouldn't you know it, 45 seconds after sticking leftovers in the microwave for an early lunch, I get a message from Dr. Perry that he is just leaving from his previous farm call.  I moved the dish from the microwave back into the fridge, texted everybody, and headed to the ranch. 

Amiga was the first to go.  Here she is after getting her rabies vaccine.  Rico was last and did very well.  It helped that his buddy Dorado was nearby.  Dr. Perry answered all my questions and alleviated my concerns.  And we came up with a feed plan best for Rico's age, weight, and amount of exercise he gets and to add oats and some water to his feed to reduce the chances of choke. 


I forgot to get a photo of our new truck and trailer... ready to haul horses.  It was almost 2:00 when I got home.  I needed food and decided I didn't have time for the gym, but I did go for over a three mile walk with Maggie.  

I spent the rest of the day catching up on this blog, finished a load of laundry, made feed bags and new instructions for Rico, and started packing.  But then I ran out of steam.

Friday 10/25 - I arrived at the ranch at 6:30, using my headlights to see into the paddock. 

I dropped off Rico's feed and instructions and was back home before 7am.

Part of being a Horseman (Horsewoman) can involve early mornings and late evenings tending to the herd.
The sun was about over the mountain top as I backed out of the drive, and Dorado was wondering why I was leaving without letting him out on the pasture.  I didn't have time to deal with fly masks, gates, etc.  Brooke would be arriving soon.  View of the changing colors at the end of our drive as I was leaving the ranch.  ↓




Back home, my morning involved packing, which includes not only collecting chosen apparel, but gathering toiletries, travel lap top, snacks, book for plane, and consolidating purse items to just the necessities.  And then there's the pet stuff to prepare for Karen and Patty.

I am finishing up and posting this now because I have a big, fun, busy weekend starting at 11:00 this morning.  You'll hear all about it next week.