Today was a good day, no snow, no wind, and no freezing temps, like 17 degrees. Yes it’s only the 4th of November, and we have already had freezing temps. We had another storm front go through only this time it was only high winds. Actually it wasn’t all that bad, only maybe 25 – 35 mph winds. It was, however too cold with the wind chill to do much of anything. Before the winds came I did manage to get one of the pasture tanks winterized. I also got the barrel we use to cover the water main winterized with R19 insulation. Hopefully that will keep the main from freezing. I still have the box in the barn to insulate, the pump piping re-insulated, and the other pasture tank to do. I had to cut the hoses I bought in order to encase them in the foam tubes. You can add slicing, dicing, and making new hoses to my growing list of ranch skills.
I also managed to cut all the wood in the garage, and clean it before the hard freeze came. Some of the pieces were too large for my miter saw, but I got all the rest done. Of course I am now out of wood again so it’s back to the woodpile (take your pick as to which one) to gather more wood to cut.
The winds came back so nothing really got done for a couple of days. Once the wind stopped the cold front was here big time, and we went from 60-degree days of sunshine to 24-degree nights. At least it was 24 by the time I got up. Other friends who got up much earlier said it was more like 17 degrees. The water froze under the house but it was clear by 10:00 am. The rest of the day was beautiful. I got a lead on someone who might be interested in taking Lizzie, only I haven’t heard back from her so maybe not. The woman is looking for a cheap horse for her daughter. Well the only cheap horses I know of are either starving, or old. Lizzie is old, and I just want to find a nice home for her. I don’t want to put her on the Internet because anyone you don’t know who is willing to only pay a few hundred dollars for a horse is probably not someone you want to have your horse. I figure your chances of the horse going to the wrong person are about 50/50. I’m not willing to take that risk, so I will either give her to a rescue or to someone I can trust.
After coming back from Capitan the day was so nice that as promised I decided to work Katie’s horses. I started with Rigalo (the paint). One thing I have to say for Katie is that she started them right. Rigalo is more nervous, and Santa Fe (the bay) is less trusting, she is also very impatient. Hum sounds like someone else I know. I figured Rigalo would be the more challenging because Katie told me she was “spirited”. She also said she was more willing to please than Santa Fe. Rigalo is fine, she’s just not sure what she is supposed to do, and that makes her nervous. Also being away from Santa Fe was very stressful for her. Other than that she was a very good girl, and I was quite proud of her. We worked in the round pen first to get to know each other better, or for me to see how much she really knew. She didn’t know reverse (or at least didn’t remember), but was reversing nicely by the time we finished. I brought her around to the barn and she saddled up just fine, or at least mostly. Katie warned me that they aren’t too fond of the bit just yet. It wouldn’t be a problem except that Rigalo is sooo tall. Give me a break I’m used to our Arabians, the tallest of which is only 15 hands, at least the ones I can ride. I got out the molasses, and that helped but not really, and in the end she simply gave in (they always do), and off we went to the round pen again.
I worked her a little with the saddle on, and she did fine. I also put weight on the stirrup, and she stood rock solid (unlike a boy I know). She was so good I just got on her, and started walking. Well she wasn’t too sure about that, and I had to coax her some. She figured it out eventually, and we walked doing schooling circles, and figure eights. They know walk, trot, and back. I didn’t want to push her (not on our first lesson) given on how unsure she was of herself. I gave her lots of praises in between, and told her what a smart good girl she was. She truly does want to please she’s just not sure how to do that.
Next came Santa Fe. I worked her in the round pen first, just like Rigalo, only she knows a lot more, and wasn’t nervous at all. I didn’t work her a lot as it was obvious she knew what she was about, then we went to the barn. My land she’s impatient. If I so much as went to the gator (just inside the barn) she sat there pawing, and raising Cain. I also discovered that she’s not quite as trusting as Rigalo. Both were rescue horses, and there is no telling what they’ve been through. Once I started combing out her tail all of that stopped. I don’t know what it is about the tail, but that seems to be the one thing they all love most. Maybe it’s just me, but that seems to be the one thing that calms them all down.
Well at least she was calm until I brought the blanket over. She wasn’t too sure about that, but she let me put it on her. The saddle was just a bit too much, and she shied away. It took a couple of lifts before I got it on her, but once there she was fine. Don’t know what the issue is there but she’ll get over it. She was a little better than Rigalo about the bit, but not by much. I really want to get a bitless bridle. It makes so much more sense to me, but they are sooo expensive. I’ll have to wait a while for that one.
We got all cinched up, and off to the round pen. I worked her a little with the saddle on, but I knew right away that she would be fine. So on her back I went. She was perfect, that is until we went into a trot. She so reminds me of Marina. Next time we go out together, she gets the Martingale, she’s a head flipper. I have to nip that in the bud. I don’t expect them to collect at such an early stage, but the head flipping has got to go. I did have one very pleasant surprise, she has a very comfortable trot. It might be because she is so short backed (for her breed), as I expected that choppy trot QH’s have, but she was quite smooth, smoother than Ibn for sure, and even Marina. She had no problems with turning, and picked up on leg cues very quickly so we did some more advanced turns. She got frustrated, but eventually got it, sort of. That’s when we quit. She did what I asked even though she really didn’t know what I was asking, so her reward was for the session to end. One thing Rudy drummed into my ear was always end on a good note, and if they do well don’t over work them.
Next time I take them out we’ll work in the round pen first, and then I have no qualms about taking them to the arena. They need a lot of simple schooling, and flexing. We’ll do everything at the walk, and trot, then once they have that down we’ll try to cantor. There’s no sense trying to cantor until they are solid at the walk, and trot. Both girls are smart, and I expect them to progress quickly, but I won’t rush them.
Rudy has taught me a lot, and working with the young’uns has taught me just how much I have learned under his tutelage. I’m no where near as good as Rudy (probably never will be), but like the horses the more I do the more confidence I have, and the better I do. Luckily I have Rudy to keep me from getting a swelled head, and becoming overconfident. What it takes me what seems like forever to accomplish, he does in a few short minutes. What he can do with horses will forever amaze me. I can only hope to be half as good as he is. If I can manage that it will be enough for me.
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