It has been a very long time since I have posted in my blog. So this is going to be the official first post of my blogging. I am not an avid writer, but I thought it would be fun to document my process with DeeKay, I will try to write (even if it's like a few sentences) every couple days. So please be patient with me!
I will tell you the story of DeeKay..............
I bought him about 4-5 months ago, I liked his personality and color....and price! He has very good breeding and one very trusted horse friend of mine told me that he would be excellent at barrel racing (which is what I was looking for). So I bought him and very soon realized that he is very, very green broke, okay, he's past the bucking (I think! hope..) but he is still slow on his commands. For instance, I tell him to walk and he sloooowly steps out, I ask him to turn and it seems as if he was constantly asking "why?" "where are we going?". Me being very new at horses (DeeKay is my 2nd horse) was getting quite frustrated. It then dawned on me when my friend pointed out that my gelding was trained to be a roping horse, more specifically a head horse. She said that ropers usually use their seat and their legs to control the horse rather than reins and bit. She taught me some certain leg pressures that I can do while riding that make him quicker to respond to my cues.
Well, about a month or so went by and I waited too long to get his hooves trimmed. My trimmer was sick at the time and I don't usually like to use anyone but her because I have had too many farriers mess up my horses feet. So when I finally did call the farrier out my horses were way past due, and unknown to me, certain things on the inside of the foot happen when the hoof grows out long. So the farrier came over and trimmed DeeKay too short, in turn? my horse could barely walk, my horse was getting laminitis. I called a vet did the whole ex-ray thing and $350 later I learn that he will be okay with some meds, special feet trimming and an expensive pair of boots.
It's been a little over a month and I'm happy to say that DeeKay is doing great! He is walking alot better, and with the boots I can take him for small rides......two weeks ago that was un-thinkable!
Today I took him out bareback, it seems as if I am more comfortable bareback than with a saddle, don't get me wrong, I can ride with a saddle and be totally fine with it, but saddle or no saddle it's no big deal unless I'm doing sharp turns, loping and things along that line, but for a ride around the block? ditch the saddle. So, back to the ride, it went great! DeeKay is a very focused horse, he was concentrated on walking and doing good at it, he is not easily distracted which will come in handy when I start him on barrels. The only thing I am not comfortable with is that he is unpredictable, don't get me wrong, he doesn't just start out bucking or spooking at who-knows-what. It's usually the tiny, tinsy, small things. The big green garbage truck is cool to him, but a plastic bag, or a dog food bag will EAT him.
I think it's going to be great fun working with him and learning a whole different world of riding a rope horse. But hopefully we will learn each other and it'll all work out.
Thank's for reading.
Cya!
♥Iris♥
I will tell you the story of DeeKay..............
I bought him about 4-5 months ago, I liked his personality and color....and price! He has very good breeding and one very trusted horse friend of mine told me that he would be excellent at barrel racing (which is what I was looking for). So I bought him and very soon realized that he is very, very green broke, okay, he's past the bucking (I think! hope..) but he is still slow on his commands. For instance, I tell him to walk and he sloooowly steps out, I ask him to turn and it seems as if he was constantly asking "why?" "where are we going?". Me being very new at horses (DeeKay is my 2nd horse) was getting quite frustrated. It then dawned on me when my friend pointed out that my gelding was trained to be a roping horse, more specifically a head horse. She said that ropers usually use their seat and their legs to control the horse rather than reins and bit. She taught me some certain leg pressures that I can do while riding that make him quicker to respond to my cues.
Well, about a month or so went by and I waited too long to get his hooves trimmed. My trimmer was sick at the time and I don't usually like to use anyone but her because I have had too many farriers mess up my horses feet. So when I finally did call the farrier out my horses were way past due, and unknown to me, certain things on the inside of the foot happen when the hoof grows out long. So the farrier came over and trimmed DeeKay too short, in turn? my horse could barely walk, my horse was getting laminitis. I called a vet did the whole ex-ray thing and $350 later I learn that he will be okay with some meds, special feet trimming and an expensive pair of boots.
It's been a little over a month and I'm happy to say that DeeKay is doing great! He is walking alot better, and with the boots I can take him for small rides......two weeks ago that was un-thinkable!
Today I took him out bareback, it seems as if I am more comfortable bareback than with a saddle, don't get me wrong, I can ride with a saddle and be totally fine with it, but saddle or no saddle it's no big deal unless I'm doing sharp turns, loping and things along that line, but for a ride around the block? ditch the saddle. So, back to the ride, it went great! DeeKay is a very focused horse, he was concentrated on walking and doing good at it, he is not easily distracted which will come in handy when I start him on barrels. The only thing I am not comfortable with is that he is unpredictable, don't get me wrong, he doesn't just start out bucking or spooking at who-knows-what. It's usually the tiny, tinsy, small things. The big green garbage truck is cool to him, but a plastic bag, or a dog food bag will EAT him.
I think it's going to be great fun working with him and learning a whole different world of riding a rope horse. But hopefully we will learn each other and it'll all work out.
Thank's for reading.
Cya!
♥Iris♥
