Red goes to his first ACTHA Ride

Alex hauled Red to his first ACTHA ride this weekend.  She had taken him out on trails this week and he did really well with her other than kicking at the barn dog.  Red is not a huge fan of dogs....he never bothered the barn dogs except when Maxwell ran by him when he was on the walker.  OMG he fired off with both barrels. 

They competed Saturday and Alex and Red took a 5th out of 6.  Sunday was another story!!!  They cleaned up - 1st out of 6!!!  Woo Hoo!!!!  I couldn't have been more thrilled.  He remembered how to side pass and turn on his haunches and forehand.  Good boy!!!!  He gave Alex a little fuss over going through mud.  I told her he did the same thing with me and told her he was buffalo'ing her.  I told Toni I rode him in spurs and she said Alex did too as he was hard to get going without them!  LOL Yep...that is my Red...a lazy boy!!! 

Grooming the Biscuit

I went out to the barn yesterday.  OMG the wind was blowing like crazy and was overcast when I first got there around noon.  I got Biscuit out and brought him up to the washrack.  I got out my grooming bag and gave him a few treats and then started on his front hooves.  Much more concavity now than in the past.  They are slowly getting better.  I also brushed and brushed and brushed him.  I used the Furinator on him pulling out quiet a bit of hair.  I enjoyed brushing out his mane. 

The Lee Anns and Alison came up and Lee Ann P rescued a big mastiff that is so sweet.  He is a slobbery fellow but so sweet.  I hugged him up some.  We talked about our rides this weekend.  Legato did great up at Ebenezer when they went Sunday but some trees were hard for her to walk over.  It will just take a little longer to get all the soreness gone.  Legato was running around like wildfire when we loaded the horses Saturday - she wanted to go.  The Lee Anns said she did the same when they brought the trailer Sunday.  She knew she was getting to go!!  Glad she is doing better.

I took Biscuit down to his paddock and he gobbled up some clover and ended up choking on it - he coughed up a bit of clover!!  Poor guy!!! 

Riding in Ebenezer

Barry and I got up yesterday and headed out to the barn to load up the horses for a ride in Ebenezer!  I had reservations to stay overnight but it was too cold to sleep in the trailer.  Dang...it was 32 degrees last night and a very cold 43 this morning.   Normally, with no wind and sun shine the 43 degrees isn't bad but this morning it was pretty chilly willie!  Barry walked down to get the horses and I loaded up the tack and got feed for the horses.  He walked them back up and they loaded up to buckets of fee.  They always like that. 

We hauled up to Ebenezer and went across Hwy 255 from Hwy 96.  It is a shorter by about 10 miles.  We unloaded and put the horses in the pens with hay and water.  I stumbled on a dang sweetgum ball and fell against the trailer.  Ugh.  Randy came over and said Kellie was riding a little later because of the cold.  She has been under the weather with a bad cough.  I was going to walk over to talk to her and stumbled on one of those freaking sweetgum balls again.  I nearly fell.  Randy and Barry grabbed me and kept me from falling over.  They got my cane for me and I went to visit with Kellie.  Barry later saddled both horses and he left with the group and I told Kellie we'd wait until it warmed up some. 

We left a little later and I put Biscuit's bridle on and Randy held him while I got on.  My legs were a little weak from stumbling so bad twice.  We rode for more an hour and 10 minutes according to my camera recordings.  My camera wasn't fully charged.  I think we rode almost an hour and a half.  So maybe 3 miles because we were walking not jogging.  Maybe 3.5 miles.  Anyway, it was a nice ride. 

We got back and Barry and the others had already arrived.  One of the ladies riding with Jimmy had come off a horse and had broken her finger.  Ouuuuchhhhh!!!  Stacy bandaged it up with a spoon handle and tape.  Always good to ride with ER nurses! 

We went to eat at The Stump with Kellie, Randy, Stacy, Dusty, Kent and Melody.  Always so much fun with them.  Jimmy and his friend, Jennifer, and the lady who broke her finger, James and Beverly didn't go...they were missed!!!  Kent's daughter Amber was up there for the first ride and we haven't seen her in ages so it was good to see her.  She rode Beverly's mare, Nickie, because Bev is still not riding from a injury.  LOL we are all ate up with something!  When we came back across the dam, there were whitecaps on the water.  The wind had really picked up.  Brrr....made it colder than it should have been.

After lunch we drove over to where La Paz B and B is .  Kellie wanted to see it.  On the way back coming up the steep road we encountered what looked like a mountain man, ax and all.  He had a "cabin" building with a Johnnie on the Spot outhouse.  He was staring Barry down which was kinda creepy.  

After lunch, we all sat around the campfire to warm up.  It was chilly!  We saddled up again and headed out.   Sarge was happy because he was in the front.   We went down where we had gone this morning but crossed the water.  Sarge stopped and really drank a ton of water.  He rarely does that so he must have really been thirsty.  Biscuit crossed the water easily and it was pretty deep.  Jennifer was on a little Welsh Cob named Oreo Cookie.  OMG he was darling.  Full of spunk and energy.  Cute and a button.  We crossed a few more creek, wound around the bottom land and up to the corner of the park.  We went down a trail we hadn't gone down and got to a tee in the trail and went left.  I soon realized we should have gone more straight as we passed two water crossings next to each other and a raggedy downed tree.  We turned around and went back and then I recognized the trail.  The smaller trail from the corner til it connected there I had never been on.  Dang...it would be nice if these trails were marked!

We did quiet a bit of jogging on this ride which is good for my legs.  We got to the main trail back to the trailers and Barry said he wanted to go to the beach so we took off in two different directions.  Got in some more jogging.  Unfortunately, my Garmin gave out on the first ride and I don't even know how long it recorded.  I am thinking this ride was about 6 miles or so.  Hard to tell.  Not even sure how long we rode!!  Maybe right at 2 hours so it might have been 6 or 7 miles because we did a lot of trotting in spots. 

We got back and I gave Biscuit hay and water.  Barry came back.  I ran in to the lady Lee Ann from last year and talked to her and her buddy Barbara.  They were so  nice and she remembered me and said she had wanted to get on the blog and couldn't remember the name!  We met her last year when the Lee Ann's and I rode up there.  Lots of Lee Ann's!

We all gathered around the camp fire and ate Kent's wonderful chili.  He said some friend's 2300 lb bull broke his leg so they had to make a ton of groundmeat.  Literally a ton I guess!  Poor fellow - the people had raised him from a little calf. 

We had to pack up and go and I made it all the way back to the trailer with no problems.  Then, on the smooth asphalt, I stepped on another one of those sweetgum balls and rolled my ankle a THIRD freaking time.  OMG I was hanging on the to the bumper of the truck.   Sigh...I hate this unbalanced baloney.  My ankle is hurting even this Sunday morning.  We got the buckets back in the trailer along with hay bags, loaded saddles, etc. and then the horses.  They were more than glad to hop in the trailer for the ride home and dinner.  We saw 9 deer just around the corner from the camp grounds...8 in one group and a single deer about a 100 yards away.

Crazy people driving home that night.  I told Barry we needed to hurry up and get home before we were ran over.  We dropped the horses off at just before 9:00 PM.  Not enough riding but it will have to do!!

Shedding out Mud Puppies. Red's New Home

I went to the barn yesterday.  OMG Sarge is a filthy beast.  He normally isn't a dirty horse and his jowl was covered in mud!! 

I went out there this afternoon and he wasn't as dirty.  I started with Biscuit and was currying him and brushing with a body brush.  OMG blonde hair was going everywhere!!!!  I set my brushes on his butt and they fell off and startled him and he scooted up about 10 feet.  LOL Poor guy.  I didn't mean for them to fall off and scare him.  I brushed his face and legs to get mud off and his body was shedding out.

I brushed Sarge.  His hair is curly.  It is the oddest thing!!  He was muddy and he in not in good shape at all.  His chest is soft and he is losing top line.  I need to start riding Sarge in the arena.  I love that horse so much!!!  He is such a nosy rosy.  He was digging in my tack bag.  I think he thought there was a snack in there for The Sarge.

My body brush quickly was clogged with hair!

Nibbling some grass.  He was swishing his tail to beat the band.  

This is just part of the hair that he lost today!

Red has gone on his first ACTHA ride.  I am hoping he does well with Alex.  She is already madly in love with him.  Too bad it was this weekend as we are going up to Ebenezer but he is at the ride west of Bryan/College Station.  I talked to Toni and she said Alex took him on the trails and Tammy's dog came too close and he kicked at him.  LOL  I forgot to tell Toni that Red sometimes takes umbrage to dogs that get in him personal space.  Not all dogs - he never got upset with Ginger or Candy, but he kicked at Maxwell when he ran across his personal space on the walker! 

So glad my Dashing Big Red is closer to me.  I am planning on going up there on a Monday and riding with Alex in the woods.  I can leave by 8:00 in the morning and get there around 10:00.  Alex gets off at 11:30 and we can eat a quick lunch and be on our way.  I can't wait to explore the woods from Tammy's stable. 

Here are some pictures of my Sccweeet Man and Alex.  I can't wait to hear how they do.  The first picture looks like Alex is swearing in as Red "Cary Grant's" owner!!!  She was stunned!

Her first ride...it is raining...but it was raining the first time I saw Red so that is a good sign!!! 

Red meets Alex

I went to the barn Monday morning to haul Red to Jasper.  Lee Ann B got to see him before I left.  I fed him some grain and stuffed a hay bag with his beloved alfalfa.  I brushed him while Lee Ann and I talked.  She thought he looked fit and said she read that it takes about a year to loose that huge muscle from racing he always had on his shoulders.  She said "you would love riding him again" and I know that I would.  I will do that in the near future!  He kept nuzzling at me and I know he remembered me just fine.  He was hugged up and kissed up quiet a bit.  I missed him so much!!! 

I asked him to load up and he only gave me the smallest amount of trash by coming off the said.  I straightened him up and ask he to load up and up he loaded up nicely.  Good boy!!!!!!  We took off to Jasper only stopping in Buna so I could get something to eat.  I left at 9:40 which was 40 minutes later than I had wanted to leave.  Half way to Kirbyville it started raining and was raining cats and dogs.  It stopped after Kirbyville and just sprinkled a little.  I talked to Toni and told her how far out I was.  She said "it is a shame it is raining!" and I said "Toni, the very first time I saw Red it was raining cats and dogs so this is a good sign!"  Called Barry and told him he gave Toni a rabbit when she was a little girl and I was one upping him and giving her daughter Alex a horse!  Went through Jasper and up to Hwy 63 past Hwy 225. 

I turned into Tammy's place and OMG it is NICE!!!!  Red will like it there. Nice pastures, gorgeous barn, nice sand arena and best of all, right next to the woods.  It was raining so I hauled to the front of the barn and turned the trailer around to back it up.  A man came out to direct me but I am pretty dang good at backing up the Brenderup.  I hopped out and there were quiet a few folks there - Doug and Brenda, Toni and John, Hanna and Alex, and Tammy and her husband.   I lowered the ramp and told Red to back out and he started backing out on his tip toes.  LOL he isn't used to the ramp being there now so he was a little rickety. 

Alex had been told it was a new boarder that was arriving.  I winked at Brenda and she was smiling from ear to ear.  I gave everyone a nice little speech about Red - his pedigree, his racing career, his trail riding with me all over the place and that he spent two years learning dressage and winning ribbons.  I said that I had picked him up the day before in Louisiana and now I was there to give him to Alex.  Alex was so stunned she didn't say anything!  LOL  I told her "come over here and get your horse Alex".  She came over and took his lead rope and still had a stunned look on her face.  Toni had earlier showed her pictures of him and she had though he was gorgeous which he is.  I told her he was Cary Grant and Brenda said "she won't know who that is" and I said "and there is no young actor that can compare - they are all pretty dang crusty".  LOL 

Red all the while just stood there basking in the attention, calm as can be, just like he did the first time I ever saw him.  I had left my dang camera at home so I will have to get pictures from Toni.  I got out my saddle and pad and we tacked him up.  The Aussie saddle has a dressage girth so it is different than she is used to but she liked the saddle.  I gave her his very first bridle but it has Chicago screws in it and they will have to undo those and change the bit so Tammy got him out a snaffle to use.  She went up and down the hall way for just a bit and then we all had lunch.  Toni had bought her a nice little grooming tote with brushes, a halter and lead rope in blue.  Hahahhahahah  I think he looks better in turquoise and purple. 

I went over his paper work with Tammy but I don't know exactly which shots he was given so I couldn't tell her that.  We went over his feed, his habits (he is pretty dang perfect), his personality and talked about his anhydrosis.  I suggested they keep him in during the day with a fan and turn him out in the evening.  I said he wasn't aggressive with other horses and pretty passive. 

Alex saddled him up again and we went out in the arena.  It was set up with ACTHA obstacles and she asked Red to walk over the long bridge from the short end.  He wasn't too sure about that so I told her to come over it on the short side.  I told her we did a bomb proof clinic and that is how we started out was on the short side.  She did that and he willingly went several times and then he went over the long side several times.  Good boy.  Did the rope gate and she was working with his side passing but was using one hand in the western mode.  I told her he had been trained to side pass with two hands and the lessons I did on him with Esther was more in an English manner.  Tammy knows Esther and Margaret and quiet a few of the people I ride with so that is terrific!!!  Tammy said she would work with Alex this week on the cues for Red.  They are taking him on his first ACTHA ride this weekend.  I am sure Robin is going!!  She will recognize Red when she sees him.  They are going up to Mineola I believe.  Red will do just fine and I won't be surprised if he comes back with ribbons.  Alex is going to work with him this week getting to know him.  Toni said she was up and begging to go to the barn at 7:00 AM Tuesday.  LOL that is terrific.

So happy to have my boy back here in Texas close enough where I can see him whenever I want to.  We are going to Ebenezer this weekend and had Alex not been hauling to a competition we would have gone there and rode out on the trails from Tammy's place with Alex.  I am hauling Biscuit and Sarge to Ebenezer this weekend.  Can't wait to go.  Ready to spend time with my boys. 

I went out to see them Tuesday afternoon.  OMG water is everywhere and I hugged Sarge up.  Biscuit didn't come up to the gate as he always respectfully stands behind Sarge!  I didn't go in the paddock as there was standing water around the gate where they have it sunk in.  UGH.  Going riding Wednesday though!!

My Dashing Big Red Comes Home

I drove to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana today to pick up Dashing Big Red.  I was so thrilled to see him.  His maneis short now and his tail is shorter.  They will grow out.  He trailered well as he always does.  I stopped in Lake Charles to grab a bite to eat as I had only had a latte for breakfast.  I stopped again in Orange at Tractor Supply to see if they had some feed for him as our barn doesn't feed Triple Crown.  I wanted to close the window  as there was some rain coming in and a man was nice enough to close it as it was too tall.

I went in and the didn't have Triple Crown.  I bought a container of treats, some fly spray and a compressed bale of alfalfa.  I came out and put the hay in the truck and a man came up and asked me if I had a Clydesdale in the trailer!!!   That was a hoot.  I said " no, just Dashing Big Red  -  A Quarter Horse!"  He said "this is a really tall trailer!"  I told him it could hold a 17hh warmblood and that the trailer was European and made to haul tall horses.   My trailer always attracts attention. 

We hauled on down the road to Plum Nearly.  I pulled in and turned the trailer around so the truck was heading back out of by the water trough of his old paddock.  I got out and lowered the ramp and told him to back out.  He was a little hesitant and on his tip of his hooves as he kept thinking he had to step down.  He took one look around and got a little excited.  He was looking at everything and grabbed a few bites of grass.  I am sure he remembered exactly where he was.  I took him to the arena and it was totally dry so I turned him out.  He walked around then trotted around a little.  He went over to sniff up Jarbaree and give him a little nibble.  Sada was pretty dang interested and strutting around but Red did as he always did with Sada - totally ignored him.  I just let him meander around and then I went and got him a little feed.  Just about 2/3 of the little pail the barn uses of Safe Choice.  I walked out to the arena and he was on the other end and I called out "Dashing Big Red" and he turned around and broke into a fast trot to come over to where I was at.  LOL  I always hollered his entire name at him and he'd come running.  He ate some and dropped some (he is still a pig when eating) and he lost interest in that and went exploring again.  He came back and I handed him some alfalfa.  Now that he was interested in. 

Lisa came up and I said "come see Red".  I had told her all about Red when we rode together out at Tyrrell Park.  She used to exercise and breeze race horses and Kash Kitty is a former race horse too.  She thought he was a nice looking boy!  I told her he had lost the huge muscles he used to have on his shoulders but I think that may make saddle fitting a little easier.  We went into the arena and he came up to us. She said he was really a good looking fellow and Red always basks in the glow of praise.  We chitchatted and then I moved my truck so she could go down and see Kash Kitty.  I got Red several flakes of barn hay to put in the arena so he would have plenty of forage over night. 

The barn cat came up while I was on the wash rack and was meowing up a storm.  I went into the feed barn and checked her bowl and it was empty.  She jumped up on the counter and was thrilled to have feed dumped into her bowl.  Later she appeared on the wash rack again while I was sitting there admiring Red...rubbing up against my legs meowing her thanks.  What could be cuter than that?  She appreciated the meal and let me know it.  What a well mannered little Quaker girl she is!!!

Tomorrow I will take Red up to Jasper.  He will have red ribbons in his mane and we will have one surprised thrilled happy camper girl when Alex realizes she now has her very own horse and doesn't have to ride a lesson horse.  Red will participate in his first ACTHA ride next weekend.  He knows how to side pass, turn on his haunches and turn on the forehand so he should be able to do dang near anything she needs and he isn't scared of dang near anything.  I am giving Alex his one of his old bridles and his blue bell boots and loaning her my Aussie saddle and pad til she gets a saddle. 

The best thing about this is I will be able to see him anytime I want to.  We go up there on a regular basis and so I will be able to kiss him up whenever I want to. 

One round around the arena

I went to the barn yesterday and all of the ladies were there, both Lee Anns and Alison and Lee Ann P's daughter.  I went down to get Biscuit and had to walk to the other side of the pasture to the other gate to get him.  They were laying in round bales today so the boys got a brand new round bale to munch on.

I brushed Biscuit at the pole by the tack room.  Lee Ann B was riding in the arena and I brought Biscuit in and mounted up.  He moved once and got fussed at.  He stood stock still when I mounted...good boy.  Went around twice and the ladies wanted to go out to lunch.  I took Biscuit's tack off and turned him out in one side of the arena. 

I stopped in at the office and paid the horses board and then we went to Carmella's for lunch.  Always fun to be with my peeps from the barn!  The nachos were great and Devin's (Lee Ann's daughter) burrito was called giant burrito and they weren't kidding - omg it would have fed all of us! 

We went back to the barn and Legato was kissing up Biscuit and then gave him the shove off.  He started running around the arena bucking and snorting.  :-)  He put on quiet a show!  I passed out treats to Tookie and the old mare Yoshreanna.  She is in her late 30's and she first had to sniff the treat repeatedly before she would accept it.  Tookie didn't need any such exercises...she gobbled it up!

Riding in the arena

I went out and got Biscuit out of his paddock and walked him up to the wash rack.  I curried and then brushed him all over.  He is shedding and hair was flying all over the place.  I used my round knife to clear out his frog channels....just a little touch up.  He got several handfuls of treats.

I saddled him up and took him in to the arena.  He moved the first time I went to mount up and I fussed at him and put him back in the right spot.  I was able to mount up with no trouble.  We walked for a few rounds and then started jogging/trotting.  He did a good job after he settle down.  He always tries to evade the bit by turning his head to the left.  He was a total toot about backing up but he yielded across the arena dang near perfect.  We rode for about 36 minutes and then I put him up.  I gave Sarge a carrot. 

I am hoping to ride every day this week except for Thursday.  It will be in the arena but better than not riding at all.