A New Job For TJ

I haven't posted lately because I've finally signed up for Facebook. Yeah, kicking and screaming into the 21 Century. I've still learning how it works but it's been fun so far.

I've also been trying to place TJ in a new situation. My riding him 1 or 2 days a week just ain't getting it. He needs a job. A teenager who would ride him 5 or 6 days a week would be perfect. Fortunately Debbie has agreed to take him on as a track pony in training. He's gotten a bit more "alpha" with Rocky in the last year so he may have the right qualities. I't breaks my heart but I need what's best for him. He's 13 now and if he's not placed soon, he'll be too old. I know that if he doesn't work out ponying Deb has a better chance to find him a good situation. Everyone who has contacted me wants a Rocky not a TJ. Others have just not been suitable. 

I'll stop now or I'll start crying.

A few people have pinned my mirror making instructions lately so I decided to log in and catch up. 

Since we last communicated TJ has gone to Ocala to be a racetrack lead pony. I got to the point where I just didn't have the resources or time to do him justice. I got a good walk, talk and canter on him and had started some lateral work.

 I had also started him over obstacles:

I was lucky enough to find a great place for him with experienced horsemen. The latest news is he's going back to the friend who sent him to me! She just bought 40 acres and is building her dream farm and wants to give him a forever home so I feel really good about that. Of course I still miss him and Rocky was heartbroken for a few weeks but he has really bonded to Blossom and more to me.

Yes, horses are especially emotional animals. And the wear their heart on their sleeve. I once saw an old gelding try to crawl underneath his companion who had passed away. Spend time observing them and you will see their emotions change often. A pin of the ears at a pasture mate saying "Go away, I don't want you around", a young horse approaching a more senior member of the herd "clapping" her lips saying "don't hurt me, I'm a baby". When training we can use these emotions to our advantage if we learn how to read and control them. 

Also, since we've spoke, I took Rocky to a local show and, (brag), we won the English Equitation Championship and placed in the English Pleasure. Not bad for the, fat, old lady! Even pinned better than a professional. Huddy kept saying "you beat the guy, she beat the guy". I wasn't going to show but my friend (with whom I always have fun) talked me into it. I tell ya, I now remember why I don't show anymore, it's a lot of work!

We've done a lot of work on the homestead and I'll try to keep up again and we'll talk soon......

Between the rain drops

In the month of August it rained everyday except one. Sept hasn't been much better so one day when it wasn't raining I snapped a few pictures of what is blooming. Lost a few things due to drowning but hopefully we will dry out a bit for the fall. Not much more to add:

cannas

spider lillies

more spider lillies

lantana

crape myrtle

Lillies with planted bird bath.

(you can see the part of the trailer hubby hasn't re-sided yet)

Had to put in some pictures of re-sided part

old riding helmet

Looking forward to cooler, drier weather.

Introductions

Blossom

One day I mentioned to a friend that I kinda wanted to get a pony so that when I rode one horse out off the property the one left behind would have someone to keep them company. That way when I returned the left behind horse wouldn't have run himself into a lather worrying about whether his buddy was coming back.

Well, the next thing I know she calls and asks "are you still looking for a pony?" Before I know it she's dropping off Blossom. I don't think it would have made any difference if I had seen her first. I'm a sucker for a needy case. And boy, blossom was needy. I figured, if I didn't take her, who would?

When I took her off the trailer she had that "OK, do your worst" resigned, look. Here she stood a medium sized, one time white, pony with eyes goopy from "moon blindness" (uveitis), ribs showing and a bony butt. Pretty sorry sight.

My friend said "you can keep the lead rope and keep the halter on her, she's hard to catch". I wasn't surprised.   

I've owned or worked with horses who were neglected or confused by green handlers but I've never really come across one who I was pretty certain had actually been abused. Until Miss Blossom. The vet and I discussed the indentations around her neck. He said it could have been a rope. The first time he tried to work on her (poor thing started to colic a few days after I took her in and again, I wasn't surprised. You couldn't get in the stall with her. She would climb the walls. Colic will sometimes happens with a new horse (especially a run down one) between worming, change of diet and the stress of adapting to a new home.

Blossom the within the first 2 weeks of arriving

After 3 years she stands calmly and quietly on the crossties to be groomed and treated. I try to do things in the same order when grooming so she doesn't get worried. I know she would be a lot further along if I could work with her everyday but I can't. We just want to keep her as comfortable as possible at this point. We don't know how old she is because she is pretty flat mouthed with teeth extremely worn down. In fact, she quids her hay (balls it up and spits it out because she can't chew it) so I feed her chopped hay along with her senior feed.

She is starting to trust me and even nickers along with TJ when I come out to feed. 

Her moon blindness is even a lot better these days. Between keeping a fly mask on her during daylight hours and having her on a good vitamin supplement she doesn't have bouts of it half as often. building up here immune system has helped. They say it's (uveitis) is caused by a bacteria. I don't know? Why do horses with white around the eyes seem to be the ones who get it? Wouldn't a bacteria affect any horse the same? The symptoms are more like glaucoma (which my mom had as I was growing up). When I last asked my vet if there was any new breakthroughs he had to admit that on one knows for sure what causes it. So we are still hoping for a cure. 

Blossom loves Rocky most of the time but when she's in "season" it's all about TJ. My husband has fallen in love with her and one day came out with "We should start a rescue". I laughed and asked him if he really wanted to move to 100 acres and spend all his time begging for money? He quickly changed his mind.

blossom these days

Introductions

TJ

TJ is a registered Arabian gelding with his line going back to Bask.  Who is a pretty famous Arabian sire.                         
                                 

                                                                           Bask
He's also an orphan. Anyone who has dealt with orphans can tell you that they are different. They can sometimes be difficult if they don't spend time with other horses and bond too much with people when young. Pushy, spoiled. TJ is none of these things. I guess he could be considered pushy with someone not too familiar with horses. Wants to be the center of attention. And he can get a little "studdish" when working in hand. When I first met him he was what I would call "confused". He was a 5 or 6 yo and at a place where I was boarding Rocky. Cute, little guy with no muscle development to speak of and a bit thin for my liking. He was bought directly from the breeders in Michigan by a family here for their young, legally, blind son. They lived behind the boarding place. Nice people, but pretty clueless in regard to horse training. He got walked around the block with the kid in the saddle maybe 2 or 3 times a year and the BO and her friends rode him occasionally.

The first time I saw one of the friends ride him I had to look away. Here she was, yankin' on a twisted wire snaffle as she tried to get him to put his nose down. He was a confirmed stargazer by then and no one seemed to either have the time or the know how of how to help him. The BO (barn owner) commented on what a good rider her friend was. I cringed. Just because someone can stay in the saddle doesn't make them a good rider. She certainly wasn't a "kind" rider.

The owners were moving and starting looking for a home for him and my friend, who was also boarding a horse there (the one who gave me the stall mats) wanted a companion for her old guy because she was moving, decided to take him. I was glad he had found a soft landing.

I think my friend always felt a bit too tall for him. She's an Anky clone (Anky van Grunsven-olympic dressage gold medalist).

Anky

Tall, long legged, blond who I've been telling for years that she's built like a dressage rider.  She prefers western. Just the opposite of me (short, bowed legs and arms so short that they don't go all the way to my hands. lol) Anyways.......I think she realized that he was pretty remedial and needed to go back to square one in his training. To make a long story short, she offered him and I said OK. I needed another horse like a hole in the head but since were buying some land and he and Rocky got along fine I decided to take him. 

As I said above, he's actually pretty nicely bred. His dam (mother) had an Arabian name I can't pronounce. He has a lot of champion Arabs in his family and his uncle is a popular breeding stallion. He is smart, friendly and very vocal. He greets me with loud nickers whenever I go out to the barn. He's a bit sickle hocked (knock-kneed behind) which tends to happen in Arabs. 

sickle hocked (note handlers bowed legs-also a conformation problem)

 He also has a bit of a "pasture foot" (also shows up Arabs). It's a bit of a club foot that develops when the horse always grazes with the same foot forward (which TJ does). I've been working on it all the time I've had him and the foot is more concave and not as sharply vertical than before but I doubt it will ever be completely normal. But never mind. When we trim we give the foot what it needs, not what looks pretty. Neither conformation problem has ever been a problem. 

We  play at "liberty" (no tack) and I've been working him "in hand" (as shown above). He picks things up very quickly. Arabs are known for their intelligence (all that time sharing a tent with their people). TJ thinks if he does something once or twice correctly, it's time to move on so I have to work on keeping him interested. He's coming along but can still have his spooky moments (Arabs sometimes tend to think they know better than the rider where to go and what's a threat). 

We've been working with obstacles and I would love to try "working equitation" which is a combination of obstacles, dressage and even cows, so we are playing with that (Anyone know how to build a bridge?) http://www.usawea.com/  He seems to like to jump a little. Not great at crossing water yet and we are working on loading in the trailer with the divider in place (he's fine in an open stock trailer). 

                                     

People tell me I should show him but I'm too lazy, I guess. I spent a lot of time at shows with the Saddlebreds. It's expensive to show. I wouldn't mind finding a teenager who wanted to show though. He is pretty and might do well in the show ring.

A horse like TJ is why new-to-be horse owners should bring an experienced horse person with them when shopping. You fall in love with their looks but soon find out you are "over-horsed" and the fun disappears. TJ has come a long way but he is definitely not for a beginner. 

Stay tuned to meet Blossom.

Introductions

Rocky

I bought Rocky as an "around 3yo". He has no papers so it's an estimate. He's around 16 or 17 according to the vet now so that's about right. He still had some baby teeth (yeah horses have baby teeth too) and when they are around 5 they are considered to have a "full mouth" of permanent teeth. I won't go into details because it can get complicated (age by teeth) and my eyes glaze over when I think about it. There's a lot written about it out there.

Whoever "started' him (taught him to accept tack and being handled) and "backed" (taught him to accept a rider) him for the first time did a pretty good job. No permanent trauma or issues other than being a bit "girthy" (objecting when the girth in tightened) and not standing for the farrier, when I got him. Since I am of the school of girth tightening in increments, he soon learned that I wouldn't pull it up and knee him in the belly as you see people do (It makes them exhale, yeah, right-wrong!). I buckle, usually stretch a foreleg up to slide any pinched skin out from under, and bridle. We walk to the mounting block and I tighten the rest of the way. I always use a mounting block unless I fall off or otherwise have to get off on the trail, then I find a ditch to put him in or a hill to stand on. Using the mounting block is, 1) easier for me and 2)less strain on his back and the saddle. I learned too that my left stirrup leather doesn't stretch as much either. I'm at the age where my mounting block is a step ladder.LOL

His objection to the girth used to be acted on by swinging around to try and bite. He would do this whenever you did anything he didn't think you should. Easy fix was holding my elbow up when he would swing around. He would hit his cheek on my elbow and scare himself. Only took a couple of times. Horses learn best the lessons they teach themselves. Young horses tend to be mouthy and can be nippy. You've got to nip it in the bud (no pun intended). Don't slap 'em on the nose. Use your elbow and a loud, scary "NO" or "Auh Auh Auh"! Or, if they are a confirmed biter, put a stud chain over the nose and add a jerk with the "NO". If your horse is this bad get an experienced person to show you how. As far as standing for the farrier, I simply put him in front of a hay bag the first few times since he's pretty much food motivated. Problem solved. I do his feet myself now (topic for another post).

He's a Tenn Walking Horse/Thoroughbred cross. Lovely, thick, long, flaxen, mane and tail that hits the ground. 

Rocky at four

He is basically pretty lazy but kind. Not a mean gene in his whole being. Learns quickly and loves to go exploring in the woods. Arena work, not so much. I had visions of a dressage horse but his gaits are so wonky (he has a bit of a four-beat canter and will even do a single-foot type running walk) and pure gaits are important in dressage. He can perform many nice movements but was never competitive quality. No worries. I'm not into showing. I can take him anywhere and do anything with him. 

He's also my hothouse flower. Got the TWH skin things gene and the TB lousy feet. He should probably live in Nebraska or somewhere but we live in the rain forest of North Florida. Rubs and scratches himself all summer long with bug allergies. I have tried everything from diet changes, medication, home made concoctions to medicated powder. Even thought about acupuncture but haven't gone there yet. Fall will come and he will grow a new coat when the days get shorter (this is what triggers hair growth, not necessarily temperature) and should be as handsome as always. He also tends to get "scratches" what we old timers used to call "cracked heels" up north. Little sore, scabby areas on the pastern. I'm proactive and a dab of nitro-furacin when the wet weather starts usually keeps it under control. It you let it get away from you it can be a serious condition. And we are always fighting white line disease here in the jungle. More about this later.

One of the first things I taught him was to "park out". This is something Saddleseat type breeds are taught to do. It's a hold over from the time when ladies rode side saddle. The horse stretches his front legs a bit forward and his hind legs out behind. It lowers the back a bit and keeps the horse from being able to walk off without bringing his legs up under him. Now it's used mostly in the show ring to make the horse look more elegant and longer bodied while being judged. It can hide some conformation faults. I recommend it for horses who won't stand for mounting. Play around with it. You will find you can control the hind legs by using your hand on the point of the shoulder. As Rocky's getting older now I only ask him to stand squarely and still at the mounting block now and not to stretch out all the way.

teaching rocky to park out.

confirmed

We haven't been able to ride much lately because of the rain all month and he's pretty out of shape (he hasn't really been fit for about 2 years-for me more about 10!) but like most horses, he doesn't care. As long as the salad bar opens on time.

Pray for our rain to head out West where they really, really need it.

Mirrors-No, not around the arena

I thought I'd get a bit crafty on my post today and share what I do with old, unusable tack. I make what I call "Tacky" mirrors or picture frames. I have used mirror tiles in the past because they are inexpensive but harder to work with (no frame) so lately I've been working with what I can find in thrift stores. You can pick up frames for a dollar or two with the glass or mirror still in them. Try to find ones with fairly thick frames. They are easier to drill into without breaking mirror (if it's not removable) and gives you more area to play with. Get your old tack together and clear a space to work.

You'll need:

Old tack

Frames

Fishing line

Drill 

Small drill bits

Heavy duty glue (contact cement)

Picture hanging hooks

Wine (always good if you work in the evening after dinner)

Coffee will have to do if you work in the AM

I usually start with a length of rein or girth (depending on the size of the frame) and layer on top of that with bigger pieces of tack like a bit or horse shoe and fit smaller pieces around that.  The larger pieces you will have to secure with the fishing line as well as glue or they will fall off. Drill two small holes through the frame close together, like this > : .

Be careful, of course, not to hit the glass with the drill bit and make sure you put a layer of wood or something under your project. Especially if you are working on the dining room table the mother-in-law gave you even if you have always secretly hated it. 

Picture frames are usually a lot easier because you can remove the glass to work on it and look for mirrors like that too. You can go back and cover the drill holes with leather keepers, small buckles or pieces of reins, etc.. Anyway......Feed the fishing line through the hole, around the piece of tack and through the second hole. Try to hide the fishing line as much as possible, pull tight and secure (tie a knot) in the back of the frame. I add a dab or two of glue underneath the line on the back too to keep the piece from shifting. 

Play around with your design and placement. Try to cover the places where you cut the leather or secured pieces by layering on top of them. Use buckles, leather keepers and small pieces. You can do one all western or one all English. Even one for horse racing or eventing fans. For my friends that show I will even add a blue ribbon. These make great gifts for all your horsey friends or fund raisers for you local 4H Club.

Here's some projects in various stages of done:

Basic start

in process

Needs a few finishing touches (more layering)

I've been thinking about the mirror over the sink in my horsey themed bathroom. 

More recycled and crafty stuff to come.

Have fun and keep the cover on the contact cement!