Being Social

When I first met DH, I was told to steer clear of him.   I was told that he wasn't a pleasant horse, that he bit people and was nasty with other horses.  For a gelding, DH displayed studdy behaviour and was not social with animals or humans.  What I found out was that DH was actually used as a stud before he partnered up with DH's Mom.   Because of that, he was kept in a stall away from everyone, only brought out in public when he was expected to compete or breed.   Gives you a whole different perspective on his personality when you take the time to understand his isolating circumstances prior to teaming up with DH's Mom.  Of course, it was a big culture shock for him when DH's Mom bought him and transported him to LA's. 

DH lost no time in establishing that he was the top horse when he was turned out with Gem and two other geldings in a small field.  Sort of funny to see a 14.3h paint giving 16.0h Gem the business!  It could be a bit nerve-racking getting Gem from the turnout area;  DH would try to come in between us and try to herd Gem away from me.  He was doing his job as leader.  Eventually, what I ended up doing was bringing a handful of horse treat kibble and throwing it off to the side.  While DH was busy looking for kibble, I would hook Gem and walk out of the gate.  The other geldings eventually were put out with the herd and Gem and DH remained roommates for the next 5 years. 

This past spring, DH was turned out with the herd.  He is now 16 years old and not as grumpy as he was 5 years ago.  After a bumpy start, he has settled in and has 3 girlfriends to call his own.  :-)  He is happy.   He is really socializing for the first time in his life.  I thought Gem might miss him, but it was basically a non-event for him.  Gem's turnout area is right on the main throughway for the herd to get to the watering trough, so he gets to see the comings and goings.  He is also surrounded by other turnout areas so any way he faces, he sees horses.  Sometimes nickers pass between him and members of the herd.  Gem is socializing from afar.  He's like me.....I nod to my neighbours over the fence or have a cordial chat as I am getting out of my car, but I don't encourage anyone to walk on to my property.  I like my privacy.  :-)

A few weeks ago, LA asked if it was OK to put Hank, a 15.1 QH, in with Gem.  As winter approaches, the older horses are brought into the largest turnout area near the house so they can be monitored.  If she could double up on the number of horses in the regular turnout areas, it would allow for horses to be out all day instead of rotating between morning or afternoon turnout.  We have been on trail rides with Hank and his person, and in fact, Hank's turnout was right next to Gem's so they know each other.  Made sense to me and I said go for it.

Later that same day I got a call from LA:

LA:  "Well I wanted you to hear it from me and not another boarder with added drama...."

Me:  "Oh, dear...."

LA:  "It didn't work out with Hank and Gem.  It started out well, but a couple of hours later I heard screaming.  I raced over to the turnout area and Gem was beating Hank up and I had to separate them."

Me:  "Is Hank hurt??!!!"

LA:  Well, to be honest there are some pretty bad bite marks and he already has a couple of areas that are swollen due to kicks.  I don't want to chance a more severe injury and I am sure his owner doesn't either."

Me:  "OMG!!!  I feel so bad."

LA:  "Don't feel bad.  This is what horses do.  Don't take it personally."

I saw Hank a few days later, and my stomach flipped.  His neck and back had quite a number of bites that were scabbing over - he was a mess.  I suspect that due to where the bites were located, his owner was not riding him.  I felt awful.  And as much as it's horses being horses, Hank's owner did take it personally and has not spoken to me since the incident! 

Rascal looks like this guy.

Early last week, LA called to ask if it was OK to try Rascal in with Gem.  Rascal is a beautiful white-faced QH, closer to Gem's size.  Somehow this gorgeous guy ended up on a feed lot and LA rescued him.  Up until 6 weeks ago, he was a stallion; LA had him gelded when he arrived.  Perhaps there was some residual chutzpah after he was gelded that would make him a match for Gem attitude-wise?  I said go for it.

I happened to be riding in the arena on Thursday when I overheard LA talking to one of her staff about turning Rascal out in another area.  What???  So I called LA to see what was going on.  Apparently, everything was fine between the two of them for three days.  But then all hell broke loose, resulting in Gem kicking Rascal in the mouth and one of his teeth being knocked out.  Sigh.  The vet had to be called in.  Again, LA told me not to take it personally.  But it's hard!  I don't want my horse to be the one that gets a bad reputation.  I don't want him to be thought of like DH was.  I don't want people or staff to be nervous of him.  LA told me that wouldn't be the case.  DH continues to have incidents with humans (he nipped a guy on the chin), but Gem hasn't been mean to the humans around the barn so there shouldn't be a bad reputation issue.  So, Rascal is now turned out with another horse and Gem is.....alone..... again......

When Gem left the farm where he was born to go live with his new owner, he was the only horse on her property.  He was out 24/7 and was ridden occasionally.  He was more of a pet.  I believe that it was this lack of socialization with other horses over a number of years that has impacted how he behaves when it comes to roommates.  He gets rude and territorial.  I often wonder how DH ever became the boss of Gem.  Being an aggressive horse to begin with, DH must have just bamboozled Gem from the moment Gem entered the turnout area when he first arrived 5 years ago and the hierarchy was set instantly and remains to this day.   

I think both LA and I have come to the realization that Gem will probably never have a roommate again.  This will mean that he will only get a half day outside during the winter, instead of 10 hours.  Better than a kick in the pants!  Makes me sad though, but it doesn't affect him at all, which is the main thing.  

On Sunday, I was sitting on Gem, waiting for my trail riding buddy to arrive when LA, accompanied by her Aussie cattle dog, came up to chat.  Her dog commenced wagging his butt and assumed a slightly submissive stance in front of Gem.  I have seen this many times and have never been concerned.  Although initially concerned because her dog had been kicked a few times by horses, LA no longer worries when he's around Gem.  I loosened Gem's reins, enough so that he could lower his head and allow the dog to lick around his mouth and nose ever so quietly and gently.  Gem then licked the dog back a couple of times.  I smiled and I could see that LA was amused also.  You see, when Gem was with his previous owner, his only real companions were a lab and a barn cat.  LA's dog knows that Gem won't hurt him.  And, the cats at LA's make themselves comfortable on Gem's window ledge regularly (sometimes leaving a present of a dead mouse!) or walk along his stall wall, allowing him to sniff and nibble at them.  So he may not be socialized with horses, but Gem is certainly socialized with the other barn residents.  He has company when he's IN the barn, which is sort of cool. 

I am OK with the current set up.  I think that Gem is getting what he needs.  If he wasn't, he would be a lunatic.  Perhaps he just has discriminating tastes when it comes to who he wants to spend time with....I think I might have made his short list.   :-)

Being Morbid

First, checkout the Sunday Serial The Cursed Gift over at Joyous Art.  The weather has turned  colder and the days are shorter...the perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and get lost in magic and mystery!  

* * * * *

A friend of a friend of a friend is trying to re-home 9 cats for a lady who passed away.  This is not a hoarding case.  Individually, these cats came into this lady's life because they were in great need and she took them in out of the kindness of her heart.  She could afford their upkeep; they were all well-fed, vaccinated and groomed.  Unfortunately, as much as she cared for them in life, she had no plan for their upkeep should something happen to her. Now neighbours and friends are scrambling to re-home the cats so they don't end up at the shelter.

This is not a unique situation.  I regularly see dogs that were obviously cared for and loved by their owners, end up in shelters after something happens to their caregiver.  I see the same situation for horses who end up on feed lots.

I have always had a plan for my four-legged companions should something happen to me.   When friends and I talk about our companions, most stare at me like I have antennae sprouting out the top of my head when I mention that I have a plan for my dogs, and now Gem, should I become incapacitated or die.  I am amazed that not one fellow boarder that I have spoken to on this topic has a plan in place for their horse should something happen to them.  Horses live a long time (my friend's horse passed away at 36 years of age).  Gem has another 20 years of living yet to come and his long-term needs need to be considered.  My friends and fellow boarders think I am morbid.  They don't want to think about the future or their death; they want to enjoy their horse NOW.   I find it intriguing that no seems to think like I do.  :-)    


The reality is that your Will outlines your "wishes" and it's important that you have someone you know well and trust to make sure your wishes are carried out.   My Husband will obviously manage the care of the dogs and Gem should something happen to me.  I have an amount set aside for Gem's board and care so that he can retire (hopefully at LA's) without worry.   My Will states that he is not to be sold under any circumstances.  Depending on his age, having him ridden by a staff member a few times a month to keep him tuned is OK, but only my niece is allowed to ride him socially.  If he cannot stay at LA's, he will be moved to a reputable retirement farm 1.5 hours away.  I have a very close friend who act as my executor should My Husband pre-decease me and she will take over the responsibility of the care of my dogs and Gem. She also happens to live 10 minutes from the barn.  So, if she is managing my estate or helping me if I am unable to get to the barn, she has committed to grooming Gem on a regular basis and checking on his well-being.  My niece will be helping her in this area.  


I am guessing that the topic of this post has probably got you squirming a bit.   But you know, it gives me comfort to know that my companions will be looked after.  Does thinking about my death make me morbid?  I guess in some eyes it does, but I look at it as being prepared.   I would be interested to know if there are any other "morbid" people out there.  Hello?  Hello?   :-)

There's Good News and Bad.....

Bad News:  There were some abnormalities with some blood work I had done for my 13-year old Cairn Terrier.  Her liver enzymes were elevated.  In addition, a small growth was found near her hip and the biopsy indicated that it was cancerous.  It was decided to do an x-ray to see if there was anything else going on with her liver - unfortunately the results were inconclusive.  An ultrasound was done, showing that there were some tumours on her liver.  My vet booked an appointment for us with an oncologist.  Initially, we talked about using ultrasound to guide a needle to her liver to collect material for a biopsy.  I explained to him that I wanted a definitive answer on whether or not she had liver cancer.  We decided that while she was knocked out to have the little growth removed from her hip, that he do some exploratory surgery so that we know what we were up against.
Good News:     The doctor removed the tumours on her liver; they were benign!  Yipee!!!   The small growth has been removed and sent to pathology, but he is quite hopeful that all the bad stuff has been removed.  Yay!

Gem's version of free lunging.....

Bad News:   Gem's recovery from his abscess was slow.  I took him out of his stall last week and he was still limping!  I free lunged him or walked him as recommended whenever I saw him.  I was starting to worry.  My vet was on holidays, so I decided to wait for his return and have some x-rays done. 
Good News:  LA mentioned on the weekend that he looked fine during turnout (running and bucking), so I saddled him up on Sunday and rode him at a walk for 20 minutes.  He was actually happy(?) to be doing something, I think.  He had a spring in his step and was enjoying being out.  With LA's permission, I took him on a lovely trail ride yesterday - the first real ride on him in 6 weeks!   He was amazing.  We walked through some really muddy patches, without issue.  I know!!  Mud!  It felt so good to be riding him.

Bad News:  The flies around the barn are horrific.  Gem's stall is located at the end of the barn, next to the back door.  Under normal circumstances, it's a great spot; sun, fresh air, nice view.  However, flies multiply in the manure pile around the corner.  I have a fly trap at his stall, but it has not had much of an impact this year.  When I took him out of his stall over the weekend, his left eye was a bit swollen, red and gunky; conjunctivitis brought on by the flies irritating his eyes.  I picked up some eye ointment and he has been wearing his fly mask. I hope there is some improvement soon.
Good News:  The fly spray I have been using has been doing a really good job.  Neemella not only smells nice, but it seems to keep the flies away for longer than the traditional sprays.  And, even with the billions of flies around, Gem does not seem to be suffering with bot eggs like previous years (knocking on wood as I type that).

Bad News:  Jean and Stu will be leaving the barn soon.  Jean's husband has been transferred so she will be leaving at the end of the month.  Back in June, Jean had another fall off of Stu.  A few of us met on a Sunday to go out on a trail ride.  Her lessons had been going fairly well, and Jean felt she was ready to try Stu out in the open.  Jean, RO and I were walking our horses around the paddock, waiting for DH's Mom to join us.  Jean was at the far end and all of a sudden, RO and I heard "whoa!  Whoa! WHOA!"  We turned our horses around to see Jean basically lying flat on Stu's back pulling on the reins with all of her might as he cantered out of control.  We had (stupidly) left the gate leading to the yard open, thinking that DH's Mom wasn't far behind us and Stu took advantage of the opening and raced through.  Fortunately, Jean fell with a thump before Stu ran into the barn - she would have hit the top of the barn door and sustained major injuries if she had stayed on him.  DH's Mom was still in the barn and was able to calm Stu before he hurt himself or another horse.  She made Jean get back on him (unlike the last time she fell) and she held the bridle and walked Jean around for a bit before she got off.  Jean is not exactly sure what it was that set Stu off; it might have been her boot scraping the side of the fence.  Unfortunately, Jean has been sort of reluctant to ride Stu ever since.  She will be going to a very small boarding facility that does not have an instructor or arena.  My fingers and toes are crossed that she will push herself to improve Stu's (and her) confidence and abilities in spite of the limitations at her new place.

Good News:  The weather has been decent and I am looking forward to riding my boy this week!   

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

 

Couch Time

I am a keener when it comes to spending time with Gem.  I don't consider myself a fair-weather rider; I go out to the barn if it's hot, humid, raining, snowing, cold.  Perhaps it's because I only see him twice a week, three if I am lucky.  The amount of time I will be spending with him will increase in a few years, but with my current family obligations and work, along with social activities, twice a week at the barn is what I can manage and still maintain a sane balance to my life.

Yes, I admit that I look with envy at some of the riders that I started out with who have increased their riding skills and confidence in leaps and bounds, to the point where all of them can go out on the trails confidently and ALONE.  I have to remind myself that these riders are at the barn 4-6 times a week.  It is going to take a bit longer for me to catch up.  :-) 

The week of January 14th brought some weird precipitation activity; snow, freezing rain, slushy snow with temperatures around the +2C to -5C mark.  Sunday before last, we ended up riding in the arena because the trails were very icy.  By the time we finished up, warmer temperatures had created a very thick fog, rising off the fields of deep snow, and I was very nervous coming back from the barn.  Visibility was probably only 5 car lengths ahead at times.  Making a left turn was nerve-racking due to the lack of visibility of oncoming traffic.  I crossed my fingers as I pulled out......

I did manage to ride in the arena last Friday.  DH's Mom and a couple of other boarders braved the -10C temps after work to practice side passing over a pole.  I am still having issues with my one-handed steering and with relaxing the tension on the reins.   Another exercise we did was riding with our eyes closed.  I know!  Sort of scary.  You start at one end of the arena and walk down the middle to the other end, with your eyes closed.  You are not allowed to steer.  It really makes you aware of how balanced you are in the saddle and the goal is to walk or jog a straight line.  We took turns.  Gem and I excelled at this!  :-)   

On Sunday, it snowed, and snowed.  Road conditions were bad (they closed portions of Hwy 401), so instead of going to the barn, I snuggled on the couch in front of the TV with my dogs.    Monday brought us the deep freeze.  With a high of -18C on Tuesday, our lesson was cancelled. 

I considered going out to the barn on Tuesday in spite of the lesson being cancelled.  I thought I would just give Gem a little groom and visit.  But, as I left the office and walked across the parking lot, the skin on my legs started to freeze through my pants and I lost the feeling in my gloved fingertips.  I could hardly breath.  I am a keener, but.....!  I reconsidered and went home and snuggled on the couch with the dogs....again. 

The deep freeze has continued all week.  We have been hovering around a high of  -20C (-4F)....without the windchill factored in.  Brrrrr!   Wednesday evening was -30C.  Frostbite warnings have been the norm.  No earrings or rings for me this week; the frozen metal makes my skin and bones ache when outside in these temperatures.  I have been wearing my "SSG 10 Below" riding gloves when outside; they are much warmer than my regular gloves.   Except for Book Club, I have been on the couch in front of the TV snuggling with my dogs every evening this week.  Tonight, temperatures will only dip to -22C (it's getting warmer!!!) so the couch routine will continue, much to the delight of the three snuggliest dogs in Ontario!   Sunday's temperatures are looking a bit better, though.  A high of -12C is forecasted.  Warm enough for me to ride my boy!  Yipee!  I have missed seeing Gem so much.

Hope you are getting time with your horses in spite of winter.  Stay warm and have a great weekend!!

Woof!

There is a new puppy/dog at the barn. He's an Australian Shepherd. Talk about a bundle of energy! LA's daughter got him as a puppy and he's been around for about 6 months. He's a good dog. Gem is used to dogs. I believe a dog was his only companion in his first life and where he was boarded for a short while before I came into his life they had 3 chocolate labs that ran around the place.

Although it was against the rules, a previous boarder at LA's facility used to bring her lab/hound mix with her to the barn (why is it that some people don't think rules apply to them?). Chubby had a few favourite horses that she would sit in front of and then wait for the grooming to begin. It was so interesting to watch. The horse would go up and down Chubby's back mouthing and gently nibbling. Gem had an opportunity once to groom Chubby. He has actually groomed the barn cats, too.

I am fascinated by the relationship between a "predator" and "prey". Their lives have been intertwined for centuries. It got me thinking about what dog breeds have an affinity to horses.

Great Danes and mastiff-type dogs have long been coupled with horses. Great Danes are probably one of the oldest breeds. Dogs looking like the Great Dane appeared on Greek money 2,000 years ago! These powerful dogs were used for hunting bear and boar and for attacking opposing warriors during fighting. They were greatly admired and a status symbol. Can't you just picture them running along side horses?

The Wolfhound, Deerhound and Greyhound are also ancient breeds and were bred as hunting dogs in addition to guarding livestock and property. Their speed and agility was prized for running down prey.

Who has thought of a horse drawn carriage or a fire truck and not pictured a Dalmatian? These dogs were used to guard the coach when the owner was doing errands. Their great stamina allowed them to keep up with horses. When horse-drawn fire engines were in use, Dalmatians would run ahead barking to warn pedestrians and other vehicles - they were the sirens before sirens were invented!


Hounds, of course, were used with horses to chase down prey and that tradition exists today. More progressive countries and areas are now using a scent trail instead of chasing a live animal. A scent trail guarantees a good run, where depending on a live animal to chase/kill can be hit and miss, unless you are in an area that stocks animals for this purpose (don't get me started!).


The relationship between dogs and horse is not just confined to hunting and war activities. Having a good barn dog was worth his weight in gold. He was used to herd and guard barn animals and control vermin. Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Corgies, and Jack Russells are amongst the more popular breeds when it comes to farm life.

Australian Shepherds and Border Collies have endless energy and endurance coupled with great herding instincts. Although small in stature, the Corgi is still a favourite of horse folk in Britain. They are a cattle dog and ratter and were highly prized by Welsh farmers over the centuries. The Jack Russell's tenacity and energy makes him an excellent vermin exterminator around the barn.


So, what makes this work? How is it that horses and dogs have this relationship? How can a horse discern that a dog is not a threat? How can two animals who, in the wild would be prey and predator, learn to work together? Human intervention. In my opinion, man needed both of these animals to work together for his ultimate gain. The necessity of keeping the rodent population down in stables and barns was important. Man became the leader of both of these animals and forced them to work as a team. I believe that over time, each horse/dog passed down its tolerance of each other to their offspring and centuries later we continue to see dogs and horses living together in relative harmony. What do you think?

Life Lesson: It is your responsibility to make sure you are safe. Do not depend on anyone else for your safety and if you are uncomfortable in a situation, leave (this is where that $20 bill tucked in your wallet comes in handy!).

Here you go, Kristen!!

This post is for Kristen over at Sweet Horse's Breath. :-) About a week ago, we were "chatting" over at Sarah's blog (Miles on Miles). Sarah's dogs were having some skin irritation issues and I mentioned that my sister makes her hound dogs a special stew. Kristen asked for the recipe, but I thought I would post it in case anyone else was interested. I am actually glad that I now have this recipe....I was dependent on my sister giving me some of hers. :-)

So, Kristen....all the way from Africa (my sister is traveling).....here you go!

"Here is the dog stew recipe with rough estimates of quantities:

base: 1 small turnip (or half a large one) 1 sweet potato, 2 small white potatoes, 1 parsnip, 1 celery stalk options:

• 1 cup of meat of your choice cubed (I prefer to choose meats that are considered traditional for my breed -- you can google to find one, mine came from Animal Wellness magazine)

• 2 or 3 additional veggie options (I either use up the veggies in my fridge or use the frozen California mix -- cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, but green beans are also excellent. There are some veggies not suitable to dogs, so google Animal Wellness to find out which ones).

Other ingredients:

• fresh rosemary (promotes good heart health)
• garlic (helps with the immune system)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Put everything in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 3.5 hours. If you are worried about your dog's weight, then remove the root veggies -- sweet and white potatoes and the turnip and add brown rice afterward (I tend to store the brown rice separately because it tends to 'spoil' when mixed and stored with the stew for more than a day or two)."

I am telling you, this stuff smells delish when it's cooking! My sister separates the stew into weekly portions and freezes what she's not using. Mix a couple of heaping tablespoons of this stuff with a good kibble and your dogs will never leave you!!!

Fence War

I love my bed. I didn't realize how much I loved it until I returned from the hospital last week. My 1000 count sheets, feather pillows and feather comforter....nice cool breeze on my face.....birds chirping.....yep, I love my bed.

The first few days home, I was confined to bed. I had filled my pain medication prescription, but I only took it the first night so I could sleep. I haven't taken anything since. I know this is going to sound weird, but I actually like to know how much pain I am in so I know if I am recovering. Weird, eh? I can tell you that I am recovering nicely. :-)

I am not the type to lie in bed, but this time I had to; I could not get out of bed without the assistance of my husband. The first day home, I lay there dozing in and out of wonderful, blissful sleep. The second day I was a little more aware of what was going on around me. When you work all day, you have no idea what really goes on in your neighbourhood between 9:00-5:00 p.m. Having to lie in bed and actually "listen" to my neighbourhood was educational.

The highlight of my education was Pep and Lil, a male and female spaniel. They are gorgeous dogs. They are well cared for - their coats glisten. Unfortunately, Pep, the male, is not fixed. So, if my three dogs are outside, Pep has the need to show his dominance by hysterically barking at the fence, trying to inflict has much viciousness as he can through the 1 inch gaps between the boards. This is not new. The Fence War has been going on since my neighbours moved in 3 years ago. However, Lil recently joined the family and follows Pep's lead. We now have two hysterical adult dogs at the fence. My guys respond by puffing themselves at the fence and a barking/growling throw down ensues. It's awful.

My dogs are pretty good at responding to "enough!". Pep and Lil aren't. Well, actually I don't know because our neighbours never try to calm their dogs down. Although one or the other adult is home during the day, they are completely oblivious to the Fence War. On top of the barking, Lil has taken to gnawing and pulling on the fence boards (it's our fence, for cripes sakes!) in an attempt to tear down a board or make a hole big enough where her brother can come over into our yard and REALLY show everyone who's boss.

I didn't realize how bad the Fence War was until I had to stay in bed and listen to this madness every time my husband put our dogs out for a bio break. Good bye cool breeze on my face. Good bye birds singing. I feel bad for Pep and Lil. Their human parents should be taking more of an interest in their well-being and setting acceptable guidelines. Pep is just doing his job and his job never seems to be done. He has never been told when to quit and relax. My husband and I always take it upon ourselves to call our dogs in so that Pep calms down. It sucks, but because we don't want the whole neighbourhood to suffer with the noise, we do what's quick and easy. Yes, we are enabling our neighbour's inconsiderate behaviour.

My husband set up the patio furniture this past weekend so I could sit outside while I recover. I have been avoiding taking advantage of the nice weather because of having to leave my dogs inside. No longer! I will not be a prisoner in my own home! It's a sunny day today and I intend on sitting out on the deck with my dogs beside me. Yes, Pep and Lil will be going berserk and my fence will no doubt take a horrific beating. But I have every intention of winning this battle today. My strategy involves a lounge chair, music/earphones, book, daydreams of riding Gem, lots of patience and (several?) vodka soda.....

What was I thinking...?

Three Times the Charm

Charlie is adorable. He's cuddly, cute, and energetic. He's got a wonderfully happy personality when he is with us (not so with visitors - he has fear issues from not being socialized properly). Charlie is the newest addition to our dog family. We picked him up from a rescue located in Montreal. He's very smart (he had to learn English!) and believes that he is the size of a Mastiff when in reality he is 10 lbs. of Tasmanian Devil. It was a bit of an adjustment for everyone in our household. He came to us with attitude. There was a lot of fighting at the beginning, which we were not used to. Our dogs had always gotten along, even when new ones were introduced. The difference here was that Charlie was an adult dog (3 yrs. old) when we got him, was not neutered until he went to the rescue group and although loved by his previous owner, Charlie had lived a solitary life before he came to us. Our three dogs have sorted it out amongst themselves. The similarities between Charlie's story and Gem's prior to becoming part of my life is actually quite amazing.

When I ask my dogs to "come", my older girl and male will come immediately. Charlie will pretend that he didn't hear you. He casually looks away (she doesn't mean me) and may even start to saunter off in another direction. You ask him to come a second time in a sterner voice...maybe he will look at you (wonder if she means me?) and start to slooooowly walk in your direction. You ask him a third time in a much sterner voice and he will look at you (oh, she does mean me!) he will pick up the pace and come right to you. Having to ask Charlie 3 times to do something is now the norm. Unless, of course, there is a C-O-O-K-I-E involved, then it reduces the number of requests to 2. Why??

I have come to recognize the same pattern with Gem. When we first start our session, he's not bad. I think he's more excited about hanging out with the other horses than he is with hanging out with me. :-) We do our warm up. OK, now it's time to work.

Me: OK, time to to do crazy 8 patterns. Let me press my leg against you to show you which way I want you to go.
Gem: What?
Me: Come on, now. I am pressing my leg against your side. Move it.
Gem: You talkin' to me?
Me: LET'S GO!!! Move it! I want you to curve this way!
Gem: Oh! You want me to do the crazy 8 pattern.
Me: sigh

This scenario is usually played out throughout our session. It might only happen sporadically, or it might happen every single time I ask him for something. Of course, it usually happens when I am having a lesson. LA seems to regularly see the worst of him. I am at a loss on how to make him more consistent with his response. On a bad day, it can be exhausting.

But, when we have a good day, it rocks. Today happened to be a good day. The sun was shining and the temperature was around 12 degrees Celsius. It was windy and the dust was flying, but we didn't care. Gem and I rode out in the front paddock. The moment I put my foot in the stirrup, I knew it was going to be a good ride. I could see it in his eye. His trot was amazing; steady, consistent, his head slightly tilted to the inside, his chin was down. Another rider commented on how good Gem looked. My seat was solid, my hands fairly quiet and I was conscious of my breathing which was easy and strong. At a walk, we did squares to practice turning and bending. He stood patiently when I asked. We worked together for well over an hour. Today's ride erases the last bunch of exhausting rides. It was an awesome afternoon. Wish LA could have seen it. :-) BTW, I wouldn't recommend dust as an exfoliant.

What was I thinking....?