Of Critters and Snow Storms

 Pop quiz!! How many animals is Dom currently caring for every day? If you guessed fifteen, you are correct!

2 dogs, 7 horses, 4 sheep, and 2 cows!

WW: Tookie

Tookie Ride

Not much to report on the Tookie front. Just another photo dump. Mike went back to work today so I'll be on my own for media during the week.

The last time I worked with Tookie, he was a little ornery. It was the first time he's displayed any "bad" behavior, and I think he was just in a bad mood. He came up eagerly to be brushed and saddled, but after that, he wanted to opt out. I put him in the round pen and lunged him anyway. He started off pretty distracted and blew me off a few times before I got his mind back in the game. He didn't do anything rotten, and he's only been worked with a dozen times or so. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Eventually, though, he settled down and I put him in the side reins for some more productive work. He performed beautifully.

I wasn't sure I was going to ride Tookie that day, but by the time we were done round penning, he was more compliant, so I hopped on board. He still wasn't really in the mood, but we found a good note to end on. I kept the ride short to make it a positive experience, and that's all I can ask for right now.  The good news is that he's really getting the hang of this trotting thing.

By the next day, Tookie's mood had passed and he was back to mugging me for attention. The nice thing about him living here is that I can go out and make nice in between training sessions. Nothing like a handful of cookies and some quality grooming time to butter up the big guy.

Tookie Updates

I got two more rides in on Tookie before it started to rain again and everything got re-drenched.

This time, I did use a saddle. We started off lunging with the side reins on. As usual, he was willing and obedient.

In fact, as he got the hang of it, he was downright fancy.

I took the side reins off after a few minutes. I don't want to over do it. Instead, we tried something new. I put a ground pole down in the pen and lunged Tookie over it. He walked and trotted over it without a second glance. At the canter, he gave it a cute little hop.

After a few rounds, I put up a tiny vertical and lunged him over that too. He went over very willingly, but I don't have any photos. Don't worry, it wasn't amazing like Booger's first jumping attempt, so you're not missing anything.

With no further ado, I went ahead and got on Tookie. Mike kindly built me a mounting block the day after I hopped on Tookie bareback. I don't know what I'd do without the man.

My ride with Tookie went well. We mostly worked on staying on the outside edge of the pen and maintaining a walk. Then we picked up the trot. This was only the second time I'd trotted Tookie under saddle, and the last time was in the fall. Thankfully, Tookie was forward and eager to please. In fact, he's much better to ride at the trot than the walk. I think he wants to be a distance horse. Haha. After a few successful laps, I hopped down. Again, I'm taking it nice and slow with him so he continues to enjoy the work and not get overwhelmed.

When I got down, Tookie was clearly bursting with energy, and I sent him around the pen a few more times so Mike could get some pictures of him in motion. That energy spilled over and we ended up with a pretty frisky horse! I am very thankful he doesn't do this stuff under saddle.

Nope, definitely couldn't sit a buck like that!

The cool thing is that he was completely listening to me the entire time he was bombing around the pen, and when I called him back to the center, he came right over, neck arched, prancing. Between the half-Arabian thing and the stallion thing, the horse really does have a gorgeous neck.

Best of all, at the end of our session, Tookie was still eagerly awaiting my next move. He was totally pleasant and perfectly happy to be playing with the human. I love the clear curiosity in his face.

"Ok, now what?"

But Tookie's not the only one who is curious about the goings on in the round pen. Oreo is pretty clearly jealous of the attention Tookie is getting lately. He follows us around while I get Tookie ready, and watches every session from the sidelines. He also pesters Mike to pay attention to him. Don't worry, Oreo gets plenty of love, treats, and grooming while we're out there. I'm hoping to play around with him too once the weather gets nice. Oreo is broke, broke, broke and I can't believe I haven't sat on him in the seven or so years I've known him!

The next day, we were back at it again. I had given Tookie a bath the day before, but the results obviously didn't last, what with it being mud season here in NJ. Still, I decided to spend some time on the grooming and the tacking up. I even put polo wraps on Tookie for the first time. I was admittedly disappointed when he didn't take a single funny goose step once I had them on. I was really expecting some kind of reaction, but nope, nothing. I even asked my landlord if he'd wrapped Tookie's legs before, and he claims he never has. Well then.

I may be biased, but I think Tookie looked stunning that day as we did our lunging warm up.

And in case you're wondering, this latest set of polos was made to match my skull and crossbones saddle pad. I am totally in love with them because I am a child. The girls at the barn were calling them my rock and roll wraps, and said they looked like something that belongs in the Guns 'n' Roses collection.

I cut right to the chase that day and was on Tookie before long. Our steering lesson from the day before seemed to really stick and he gave me the best walk warm up we've had so far, not that we've had a lot of rides. From there, we picked up the trot again. I'd say he's really getting the hang of it! Not so secretly, I'm dying to canter the horse, but I'm making myself be patient. 

It didn't take long to find a nice trot that was consistent and rhythmic, and we called it a day there. I am hoping to ride him again today, assuming that the ground here is dry enough. I am thrilled with the quick progress that Tookie is making, and it's really fun to be working with a blank slate again. They are my favorites. I am bummed I didn't get to start Tookie years ago as a youngster. At the same time, his age means he's mature both physically and mentally, and we can do things I wouldn't do with a two or three year old! 

Tookie Goes Back to Work

Last fall, I put in ten sessions on Tookie to get him going before winter. Unfortunately, he came up a little sore behind and I gave him a couple weeks off. Then it rained forever. Then I got two sale horses and ran out of time. Before I knew it, winter had arrived in full force. Ever since Brooklyn sold, I've been waiting on pins and needles for the ground to dry so I could go back to working with my favorite stallion. Having a horse to ride all winter filled the void for me, but now that the weather is getting nice, I miss having a horse to hop on whenever I want more than ever!

On Wednesday, it was 80 degrees here in NJ. We finally got a dry spell, and while the ground was still a little soft, it was dry enough that I could do a little round penning without completely tearing up the footing.

Tookie has been up in my business for a few weeks now, and has made it very clear that he's ready to have something to do again. When I approached him in the paddock, he practically haltered himself.

I spent about half an hour just grooming him. He's starting to shed and he was caked in mud. Plus, his mane and tail were in knots from the winter. My guys get brushed pretty regularly, even during mud season, but Tookie hadn't had his mane detangled since the last time I rode him in October. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy the grooming, and didn't so much as question the cross ties (not that he ever has). I had enough hair on the ground to make a second horse by the time I was done. He was still pretty dirty, but I'm waiting until the ground is totally dry before I bathe him.

Hunky man :)

My plan was just to re-install the basics and spend some time interacting with the stallion. Nothing major. I didn't even put a saddle or bridle on him in case he needed a refresher.

We started out with the halter and lead rope (I have misplaced my rope halter! Oh, the horror!) Tookie remembered everything. Move the haunches, move the forehand, back up, and desensitizing.

Haunches right, then left. Repeat with shoulders.

I removed the halter and repeated the exercises, then sent Tookie out on the circle to lunge. To my great delight, he remembered that turns are only to be done by coming towards the human, never away.

I tested the brakes, and asked Tookie to come in to the center. Instant response!

I love how focused he is.

One of these days, I'm going to bring my camera out there and just take pictures of him in motion. He's so pretty!

Wish his eyes were open!

I was also thrilled when Tookie worked on a small circle right around me, choosing to stay within listening distance instead of taking advantage of the whole pen. I bet I'll be able to do liberty work with him in an open space before long! He didn't even need the round pen.

We played with some rollbacks and quick changes of direction, and Mike snapped some pretty cool photos.

Feeling satisfied with this warm up, I went inside and grabbed a bridle. I had been waiting to see Brooklyn's old bridle on Tookie for quite some time! I was not disappointed.

So handsome <3

I did some bending exercises, which Tookie nailed on the first try. I did my untangle exercise as well. Nothing new.

Tookie stood patiently in the round pen, awaiting further instruction. I glanced at my watch. I only had a little bit of time before I had to hit the road for my next lesson. I hadn't been planning to sit on Tookie on his first session back, and I didn't have time to saddle him up. I glanced at Mike and asked, "Would it be crazy for me to sit on him bareback?" Mike is pretty good about shutting me down when I'm going a little loony. He didn't seem opposed to the idea.

So Mike gave me a leg up, Tookie's first. I bellied across his back first, and he just glanced over his shoulder at me like, "You're supposed to throw a leg over, silly."

That's exactly what I did.

Teenage Dom is squealing about this.

I rode Tookie around for about five minutes, and he was a very good boy. He's still not a huge fan of wearing a bit, and I promised him that the end game is to go bitless. Still, he tolerated it, and I got down and called it a day.

Over all, I'd say Tookie remembered everything we worked on last year. He wasn't the least bit concerned about anything we did. I was delighted to be back on him already. He is proving to be a very nice horse. Today is another lovely day and my plan is to go back out there and do an actual ride. :) 

Photo Dump: Horses at Home

Continuing to clear out my hard drive and post all the photos that I never got around to blogging about. Next up are the horses at home: Ozzy, JR, Tookie, and Oreo. These were probably taken over the course of a year.

Shaggy boys last winter.

Oreo waiting for a cookie in the barn. 

Ozzy looking sleek in the spring.

Tookie's dapples and JR's lucky streak.

Grazing on a hot summer day. I miss the green grass.

Fall rolled around.

Fat!Pony on the move.

Shiny Ozzy!

I am dying to go back to riding this horse. Come on, ground, dry!

So pretty.

But also kind of a jerk.