Two steps forward and one step back

This past week I worked with Biscuit Monday and Tuesday with the lounge whip; I ran it all over his body and was popping it around him.  No problem.  KD came out and rode him one morning.  She had a little trouble keeping him in a canter - I told her to shorten his reins and push him into his bridle like Lee Ann P and Lee Ann B taught me. 

I was able to catch him every morning and afternoon EXCEPT Wednesday morning.  He refused to come to me and walked off.  I walked around the pasture and then gave up.  No feed for him.  That afternoon he was more than happy to let Barry and I catch him.  Haven't had any problems with him since.  He and I walked down the ranch road Friday morning. 

He is a little jumpy around his head area.  It is like he is still "Goose" - the horse I brought home from Kenny's instead of the horse he became.  I will just have to keep working at it.

I go to the doctor Monday and am hoping I get to ride.

Biscuit gets a bath

I have worked with Biscuit every day this week.  I worked with a dressage whip - snaking it around his feet, touching him all over with it.  Also worked on his ground manners of stopping when asked.  Haven't had a problem catching him to halter him. 

Saturday I gave him a bath so I had my hands all over him.  I used blueing on his mane and tail and they were whiter. 

Today I got out there and his break away halter was on the ground.  It was too large on him so after I fed him and cleaned the arena, I poked more holes into the halter breakaway leather piece.  I then worked on his ground manners and with the dressage whip.  He did a good job today.  I walked him to his pasture and gave him a treat and then turned him loose.  He trotted then cantered over to the water barrel and then rolled. 

I went back late this afternoon and he came into the pen area and I put his purple halter on and fed him.  Lots of treats and good boys going on. 

Working on trust

All this week I have worked on gaining Biscuit's trust back.  He is a little bit skittish - not crazy but he flinches like I am killing him.  Tuesday Craig came out and did his hooves.  He did well with that. 

I have rubbed him all over, walked him and asked him to back up.  I am giving him a treat in the morning and the afternoon and he really looks forward to those! 

Today I went out and didn't have a problem haltering him.  I cleaned the arena and then fed him.  I paid July's rent while I was there today.  Woot!!! that is nice to have that done.

I went back this evening right when Jamie was feeding.  I drove down the road with Biscuit trotting beside me.   I put him in the pen and Jamie gave me a bucket of feed for him.  After he was through I led him out and let him eat grass.  A huge horsefly landed on his shoulder and I reached over and slapped at it.  OMG he shot sideways about 6 feet like I had killed him.  Poor fellow...he is so jumpy.

I took him up front and tied him by the tack room while I got the lounge whip and some treats.  I started rubbing the whip on his shoulders, neck, butt and face.  He was a little unsettled but I kept talking to him telling him it was ok.  I popped the whip on the ground and that upset him some but calm words and treats helped.  I then was swishing it back and forth on the ground in front of him.

He did ok but was nervous and moving around to get away from it.  Once in the arena I turned him lose and he followed me.  About halfway around the arena he stopped and walked to the water bowl for a drink and then headed for his hay.  I went and got him and showed him a treat.  He followed me and I would walk a way and then stop and rub his face.  He would turn his face from me at first to avoid my touch but finally he would follow and let me pet his face.  I will just have to keep up so that he gets used to me again.

Running Biscuit

Got to the barn Monday morning and Jamie had fed him.  Dang.  I tried to put the halter on Biscuit - he backed up and walked off.  Dang.  I ended up making him move/trot/jog for an hour and a half.  He would act like he would want to come in but would back up when he saw the halter.  OMG what the heck is wrong with this horse?  Alison tried to get him to come to her or let her back up to him.  He was having none of it.  She said the same thing I have...he has the distrustful look on his face.  Sigh.....

Later I tried to get close to him and offered him ice out of my glass.  He took it.  I went around and pulled grass and got him to eat it out of my hand.  Lots of grass.  Finally FINALLY F.I.N.A.L.L.Y. got him to let me put the halter on him.  OMG it took HOURS.  I let him graze outside of the arena and then tied him up and went to get a break-away halter.  Got the halter and bucket of NickerMaker treats.  Lee Ann Potter said he had me trained!  LOL  maybe so but this is how I got him to trust me when I first got him.

I told them not to feed him - that I would come and feed him myself and clean out the arena.   So everyday this week I have gone out and he has let me catch him with no problem.  He has to put the purple halter on over the break-away halter before he gets his pellets.  He eats with his halter and lead rope on.  I give him hay and walk him around, backing him up and I used the long lounge whip to rub it all over him to show him I wasn't going to hurt him.  I had a Sonic cup in there Tuesday and OMG it fell over and he dang near jumped on me.  He is so jumpy like when I first got him.  

Caught the Biscuit! Now on to camping!

Friday morning Barry and I went to the barn without the trailer to see if I could catch The Biscuit.  He was standing at the gate with his head over the top and not standoffish acting at all.  Let Barry pet him and pick up his feet.  Barry put the halter on him and led him to the front.  Tied on the wash rack for a moment and then I tied him in the arena.  I had to go have the trailer plug checked out as it wasn't working.  I was gone 3.5 hours.   Barry left for Ebenezer a few hours before I did.

Duvall's fixed my plug...the wires had came loose but there was actually a fuse blown in my car so that was really the problem.  I was repaired and on my way.  I hauled to the barn and Biscuit was watching when I went by.  I loaded Sarge first and then went to get Biscuit.  No problem with him at all and loaded him up and fed them breakfast. 

They moved around quiet a bit on the drive up - I will have to get new trailer ties to stop that baloney.  Both horses behaved really well though all weekend.  Kellie and I drove over to pick up Dashing Big Red and Alex so she could ride with us.  So good to see Red.  I put him in a pen and Biscuit and Sarge were together. 

Barry and Alex went for a Friday afternoon ride.  Sarge had a total meltdown when they rode off.  He paced and walked, whinnied and snorted the entire time they were gone.

Hey...come back here!!!

Sarge calling to Biscuit to come back right NOW!!!

Red came back huffing and puffing some but ok.  I made "breakfast" for our dinner and we turned in for the night.  The trailer was so nice to have!!!  I so wish we could by one of our own!!

Saturday morning I tacked up Biscuit - dang...I had forgot my girth and nearly had a cow til I remembered I kept one in the tack closet for just such an occasion.  KD arrived and they all mounted up for a ride.  I cooked while they were gone...I made lasagna and a spaghetti sauce for Barry with turkey and chicken sausage. 

All three of my favorite horses...Biscuit, Sarge and Red

Alex and Red ready to go!!!

Barry and James in the foreground for early morning ride

Red and Alex ready for their Ebenezer ride

KD and Biscuit getting used to one another

KD, Randy, Kellie, Barry, James, Beverly and Alex

Sarge and Barry showing off

This is what my trailer should look like on a camping trip!!!

This is what I like to "camp" in!!!  Toilet and shower and AC that freezes me out!!

KD and Biscuit

Alex and Red

My saddle after Biscuit laid down in the water at the lake

Randy and Reagan

KD fussing at Biscuit for laying down

Sarge looking like a little doll

Kellie and Elan

Barry and Randy

Kellie and Randy

Sarge has an abscess blow out on Sunday morning

 They came back later and I found out Biscuit laid down in water.  What a pill.  KD took him in and he started pawing.  She took him out and then was going to let him drink.  He folded up and laid down!!!

KD dumping water out of her boots!!!

Biscuit can be a pill!!!   All of the horses were pretty cool when they arrived from their ride.  They had all got in the lake.  Red did just fine.  We went to The Stump for lunch.  After we got back I took Alex and Red back.  It was so much fun to have her there and see Red.

Another ride was taken late in the afternoon and they all seemed to have a great time.  I had dinner ready for later - Archie arrived to have dinner with us too!  We all piled into our trailer and I dished up lasagne, salad and rolls.  Some went outside to eat and later we went down to Kellie's to get out of the sun.  Ended up back at the trailer because it was so freaking hot and humid outside! 

What a blast we had.  Love camping out with the horses.  The next morning they went for another ride and I cleaned the pens and cleaned up the trailer.  KD had gone home the night before so Biscuit didn't go for another ride. After they came back Barry and I had lunch with Kellie and Randy. 

I learned to dump the black and gray water at the dump station and we headed home.  I put Biscuit in the arena so I wouldn't have trouble catching him.  He was good as gold all weekend long though. 

Putting up a little corral

I couldn't catch Biscuit Wednesday either.  Ugh.  I wanted to use the Gator to take the panels down there but the barn staff was baling hay and using the Gator.  I called KD and asked her if she would help me Thursday so we met at the barn, got on the Gator and away we went.  We put 4 of the panels on the back of the Gator and secured them and drove down to the pasture.  We took them off and set up an "L" shape to make a little corral. 

So what is up with those two girls coming down the road?

Sarge is a little curious!

Just what is going on?

Sargent has to check it out for himself!

KD hauling panels

Biscuit joins Sarge to see what is up with the panels

Panels on the Gator

Done!!!

A little grass hay and alfalfa for a treat

Gotcha!!!

Sarge is removed from the panel

....a bucket of water but no shade.

What are you going on the other side?

Biscuit still doesn't want to be caught.

We managed to entice Biscuit inside with hay and leaving to go up to the front.  When we returned we closed him in and took Sarge out.  He still wouldn't let me catch him or get near him.  I called my cousin Bruce about helping me.  He said he could come after lunch tomorrow if we weren't able to catch him.  Bruce said to keep his feet moving - done that without results!  Dang!!!  Biscuit has had grass but no grain since Tuesday.  Now just some grass hay and water. 

Biscuit runs from me

Last Tuesday I went out to the barn to get Biscuit as KD was going to ride him.  That was a big negative.  OMG he ran from me.  Running in circles, flagging his tail.  I kept him moving for more than an hour.  KD helped me but we still couldn't catch him. 

Barry came out that evening to try and catch him and he couldn't either.  Don't understand it.  The day before I caught him with no problem at all.

Maryalyce Visits The Biscuit

Maryalyce and I were buddies in elementary and shared a love of horses.  She was my maid of honor in my wedding years ago.  She came out to see Biscuit last Monday. 

She brought apples for the boys and we took Biscuit up to the front.  He was a good boy but acted like I was killing him when I rinsed him off.  Mary thought he was pretty.  As soon as I start riding him again I want her to ride him.  She hasn't rode in quiet a while.

Cleaning my saddle and fitting it on Sarge

I brought my Allegany Renegade Endurance saddle home the other day to clean it and take new pictures of it.  It was a little dusty because it has just been sitting in the tack room.  I used the Bick4 conditioner Staci told me to use so that it wouldn't darken.

I wiped the conditioner all over the saddle and used it on the ties.  It is such a pretty saddle.  I hate the thought of selling it because I really like it.

Sunday I took the saddle and the girth out to the barn.  Stopped and got my saddle pad and Biscuit's bridle.  We went down to the pasture and I got in there to hug up my boys.  Barry handed me my bridle and I put it on Sarge.  He looks GORGEOUS in purple.  Even better than Biscuit!  We put the saddle on and I had to put the girth back on.

I took this picture of Sarge with the saddle.  It fits him just fine. 

 

Barry mounted up and rode him around.  He said he didn't care for the saddle but that it was comfortable.  Biscuit started cantering around after Barry and Sarge.  He is so funny.  

The saddle fits Sarge and it fits Biscuit but it does push forward on Biscuit.  Dang.....looked up fitting roach backed horses with saddles and it was non too promising.  Ugh.....I hate going through all of that again.  What a nightmare.