A Tex Update

In addition to gardening, I continue to work with Tex.  I couldn’t be happier with him and our progress.

For the past few years, Tex has been hanging with Flash in one pasture, and the mares were in another pasture.  With the arrival of Luek, and the need to manage the seniors (Flash and Pistol) differently, we did some pasture shuffling.  As a result, Tex now hangs out in a pasture with Luek and Lucy.  This is the pasture that I clean, morning and night.  So, I have been working with Tex when I go into the pasture to clean. To earn a cookie, he needs to stand still — without flinching or stepping away — when I approach.  I can now walk up to him, at a normal pace, and scratch his withers while he stands still and looks at me with soft eyes.  He is shedding, so I spend some time rubbing off his loose hair while he crunches his cookie.  He is beginning to enjoy the grooming, instead of just tolerating it.  I’m not sure that he’ll ever be like Lucy who searches me out while I’m mucking, places her body between me and the muck cart, and expects a massage.  But, I’ll take this.

Sometimes, I take Tex out and groom him while he grazes on our native bluegrass and clover.  I haven’t had much time to ride, since I have been spending most of my time in the garden.  But, now the garden is where I want it to be, and I can ride.

Although we got Luek with the idea that he would be my horse, it is turning out that he is mostly Brett’s horse.  Brett has ridden him a couple times now and really likes him (who wouldn’t).  Luek is very solid, level headed, and not inclined to race off and do anything unexpected.  He and Brett enjoy playing silly games together and have definitely bonded.  Brett rides Luek in his western saddle and Luek looks stunning.  Of course, he looks stunning in anything.

Me?  I’d rather ride Tex.  I am enjoying this journey with him and the challenge of it too.  Luek isn’t a challenge to ride, other than the challenge of keeping him forward.  That, to me, isn’t fun.  I’ve always loved sensitive, forward horses.  Tex isn’t reactive like Lucy, and his biggest issue is relaxation and trust, but he is sensitive and we are making great progress.  I have learned that the journey of developing a horse is what I most love to do.

Brett has been mowing the back pasture this past week, which is not being used due to poor fencing issues, and it looks beautiful.  This morning, I opened the gate to the pasture before we rode.  After a short warm up in the arena, where Brett got more confident on Luek, we headed up into the beautiful meadow that is that pasture.

Even though I’m 60, I remember the feeling of racing around a meadow on horseback from when I was 17.  Back then, I was riding bareback and I slid off a fair amount, doing stupid stuff like trying to jump logs.  But it was a joyful, happy thing.  Tex is not an arena horse.  It makes him tense.  So, I thought he might enjoy a romp in the meadow.  He did.  We both did.  We worked on walk-trot transitions and he even offered me some canter.  We had fun.

And isn’t that the whole point, really?

A Break in Weather

We have a few days of clear skies on tap before the next storm comes in so we all got busy.

I headed out right after chores and breakfast to the grocery store.  What a surreal experience that was; wiping down the cart with Purcell, making wide circles around the other (relatively few) shoppers; entire empty sections in the aisles with quantity limit signs everywhere.  There was no bread at all.  Fortunately, I know how to make bread so I’ll get cracking on that this afternoon.  We bought TP a month ago so I didn’t even go down that aisle.  They did have tequila — I see many margaritas in my future.  I bought the limit on butter (two packages) and I should have bought flour, but didn’t think of it at the time.

On my way home, I stopped by the corner market to see if they had bread.  They didn’t.

When I got home, Brett was busy hooking up the trailer to his truck to go make a hay run.  Pistol and Flash are doing great on alfalfa so we need to get more.  We only bought a few bales initially because Pistol has a history of allergy to alfalfa.  Fortunately, she appears to have outgrown that; not a hive to be seen and calm as can be.

The horses were, ahem, busy as well.  Pistol and Flash:

Looking out past the barn

Looking towards the road

And, in the long pasture, the other three.  Lucy was laying down with them — so all five horses were down at the same time which is a major violation of herd protocol — but she got up as soon as she saw me coming with my camera.  Guilty conscience, most likely.  Not that I blamed them for napping in the sun; its been a long, cold, and wet week.

Luek in front, Tex behind, Lucy standing

Seamless Integration

Luek spent a quiet night in his paddock.  This morning, he was back standing at the gate with Tex and Flash discussing the morning news.  They looked like a group of old men, sitting on a bench, discussing their surgery scars.  Brett calls them the three amigos.

Our original plan was to keep Luek in the paddock for a few days, or more, until they all got bored with each other and then move Luek into the pasture.  After walking Luek around the property and up to the dressage court, we decided to go ahead and make the transition.  Luek was not particularly happy with the paddock and they all were getting on fine.  The boys pasture looks green but it is chewed down to the nubs so we weren’t worried about Luek getting too much green grass.

We carefully orchestrated the transition.  Brett got Flash and Tex to come down to the main gate by bribing them with carrots and cookies.  While they were occupied, I opened the gate between Luek’s paddock and the pasture and he sailed through.  I slipped out his paddock gate so Brett and I were safely out of the pasture, should there be any fireworks.

There weren’t.  Little Bear had even climbed to the top of the goat tower to watch the show.  He was disappointed.

Tex and Flash wouldn’t leave me and Brett.  Meanwhile, Luek explored the pasture.  When he got to the far corner, he noticed that Tex and Flash were hanging with the humans, and probably getting treats, so he high-tailed it over.

Tex would not leave me alone.  It was very cute, given how flighty he can be at times.   He clearly needed reassurance that he is still my main squeeze.

Eventually, they all wandered off to graze.

Dinner was also calm.  Sometimes dinner is when the alpha sorting dynamics come out.  The new horse won’t be allowed to the feeder until order, and proper respect from the new horse, is established.  Apparently, they worked it all out over the fence last night because they, all three, ate quietly together.

I guess he’s meant to be here.

Too Much for Tex

Tex is our resident worrier.  He worries about Brett’s truck, and the horse trailer, and the tie rail, and anything that looks strange — like a wood chipper, or Sage’s agility equipment.  When Sage runs through her agility tunnel, Tex loses his mind.  The agility tunnel is in the arena next to the boys’ pasture.  There is a wide walkway between the pasture and the arena.  The tunnel is located in the middle of the arena.  When I work with Sage, Tex stands in the middle of his pasture, ears pricked, legs ready to spring, and stares at us.

A few months ago, our neighbor got a new dog.  It’s a large dog, I’m thinking Rhodesian ridgeback, and it spends its time running and leaping around in a joyful, bounding way.  Tex worries about the dog.  A lot.  Nobody else cares.  Sure, Kersey and Sage barked at it for a few days when it was new but not anymore.  You can see that the neighbor’s house is not particularly close to Tex’s pasture.

Last Monday was clear and sunny.  There was a nice breeze blowing when Jason, our farrier, arrived to trim and shoe the horses.  Lucy, Pistol and Flash were all dispatched with no drama.  All our horses stand quietly and lift their feet for the farrier; even Tex.  Jason got Tex’s shoes off and was starting to trim when the neighbors came out to play.

See this nice house?  In it lives a tall, burly fireman, his very pretty slender wife, and three small children — all under five.  Oh, and two dogs — a docile lab and that Rhodesian ridgeback that loves to run so much.  There is a trampoline next to the house.  Tex hates it when the little girl jumps on the trampoline.

So, Jason is trimming away.  Tex is standing quietly.  The family comes outside.  The dog starts jumping in joyful circles around his family.  The father and his little blond daughter start flying a kite.    It soars, it dips, it crashes, it soars again... Tex starts losing his mind.  He poops.  He swings right and he swings left.  But, he’s still picking up his feet and then hopping.  Next, dad gets on a dirt bike, with the little girl behind him, and they ride toward our fence line with the kite flying behind them.  The dog is leaping behind them.  Tex poops again.  He stops hopping and he starts spinning.

We moved to the other side of the barn where Tex couldn’t see the neighbors.  He immediately settled down and Jason was able to finish filing Tex’s feet and nailing on his new shoes without getting smashed by a side-stepping, butt-swinging, pooping horse.  Poor Tex.

Practicing Agility: Week One

I bought a few pieces of agility equipment so Sage and I can practice at home in between our lessons.    I work with her for about 15 minutes in the afternoons and when she sees me walking towards the arena, she races ahead and does a few things on her own, just for the fun of it.

She nailed jumping quickly.  Kersey follows us around, but doesn’t participate other than looking for treats that Sage might have missed.

The ramp was a little scary for her at first but she loves it now.  She is good about pausing at the end — she has to finish with her paws on the green area so I give her a treat there to ensure that she slows down before leaving the ramp.

The tunnel was a piece of cake.  I bought the tunnel when we first brought her home, almost a year ago, so it isn’t new.  The weave poles are the most difficult.  I have them set up with the poles leaning out, forming a “V” so she can learn to go through.  Eventually, I will add more poles and straighten them up.

The only one not happy about agility training is Tex.  He runs laps when Sage runs through the tunnel.  Silly spooky horse.

Time with Tex

Over the past two years, while I was working working working and hardly ever home (it seemed), Tex was hanging in the pasture with Flash.  In the summer, I’d put on his fly mask before leaving for work and take it off in the evening.  Sometimes I’d hang out in the pasture with him and share an apple.  But mostly, he just hung out.  I think that for Tex, having all that down-time was a good thing.

That stressed out, worried, please-don’t-hit-me horse?  I haven’t seen him in a long, long time.  In its place is a relaxed, friendly — and a tad mischievous, handsome red dun.

Friday was clear, sunny and cool; perfect weather for being outside.  I gave Tex a good grooming and got all the tangles out of his luxurious mane.  Brett and Flash joined us; Brett wanted to ride Flash around a bit.  I told him to go ahead but that I wasn’t sure I would ride.  Sometimes Tex doesn’t like to be saddled, or doesn’t want to line up at the mounting block so I figured I’d be spending all my time working on that stuff; taking my time; making it a no stress, no expectations venture.  After all, its been months since I’ve been on his back.

He took a few steps back when he saw me with the saddle pad.  But he stood still as I settled it on his back and didn’t move a muscle when I swung up the saddle and set it gently in place.  My, my, that was a pleasant surprise.

Brett mounted first and as I walked up to the mounting block, Tex lined himself up.  Honestly, I wasn’t even to the top step and he was already there, waiting for me.  Once on, we walked around the arena a bit.  Sage thought this riding stuff was very exciting.  She ran behind us, and around, crouching and leaping and running and barking.  Flash didn’t look up and Tex didn’t mind either.  So, Tex and I pretended Sage was a wee little heifer and we tried to herd her around.  Sage didn’t like the game much, but we did.

Back at the tie rail, after a short walk around the ranch, Tex was not ready for me to dismount.  Every time I asked for halt and shifted my weight to get off, he’d move off.  He cracks me up.  Once I was off and had removed his tack, we took Tex and Flash with us out the front gate to get the mail and to let them graze where the grass is lush and green.

Lucy watched us over the fence.  She gave us a hard stare before turning on her heel and galloping away, striking at the air as she went.

Lucy is really fun to ride.  But, Tex... well, he’s stolen my heart in the same way that Jackson did.

Clear and Cold

We are finally getting some rain.  Today, we have one day of icy cold sunshine before the next storm arrives. 

Tex was feeling very frisky this morning; leaping forward, striking playfully, and romping across the frost coated grass.

Pistol has the sweetest expression -- sort of, "why, hello there.  I'm happy to see you." 

Lucy is sweet in her own princess sort of way too.  But its more like "Scratch my back, and I'll consider scratching yours.  But in the meantime, don't you dare touch -- or even look at -- another horse."

Once the ice thawed a bit, the birds enjoyed my new bird bath (Christmas gift from Brett). 

Another cold night tonight, then the rain returns tomorrow morning.  I'm going to bake bread and make a pot of soup.  What do you like to do on rainy days?

Getting Ready for Rain

A couple small rain systems came through last week.  Nothing very cold or very wet.  But today, a substantial winter storm arrived.  We spent Sunday getting ready.  Brett clawed leaves out of the rain gutters and shoveled them out of the drain pipe where our driveway meets the road.  I added more straw to the goat shelter.

Before dinner, we brought the horses from their pastures to the barn.  Lucy and Pistol were led in first; Lucy wanting to prance but holding it together, and Pistol slowly walking behind.  Pistol will be 22 this year and in the past month we've noticed that she is walking slowly.  Her appetite is good, and her attitude bright, but she walks slowly now.

Brett led Flash to the barn next and then I attempted to lead Tex to the barn at liberty.  He was very tempted by the grass growing around the barn.  He struggled, but stayed.  Until we got to the barn door.  He stopped; he looked down the barn aisle; he looked at the grass; he looked at me -- pondered a minute and then walked off to the grass.  I followed.

He had his head down, as I approached, under a maple tree behind Flash's stall run-out, when Kersey jumped up from where she had been sitting and dashed past him.  He was already feeling uncomfortable with me approaching to move him along and, as she flew by, he threw his head in the air, planted his feet and then pushed sideways, exploding into flight behind the turn-outs.  He stopped when he got to the corner, spun and stared at me with his head high and nostrils flared.

"What do you want to do, Tex?"

He trotted over to me and stopped, reaching his muzzle toward me.   I'm not sure if it was "sorry" or "save me" or "do you have a cookie?" -- I didn't really care about the reason; I was happy he had chosen to come to me.  It was getting dark so I slipped the halter, which was hanging from my shoulder, on and led him quietly to the barn.

Wednesdays with Tex: Splish, Splash

Another thing that happened last week while I was at work...

Brett replaced another section of fence in the boy's pasture; the front pasture; or pasture number 3.  It has many names (also known as the swamp in the spring).

While he was working on the fence, he put Flash and Tex in with the donkeys, in their pasture.

Funny, how a new location can be exciting.  Tuffy loves to run.  Finessa not so much.

So most of the time Tuffy runs by himself, or not at all.  Tex loves to run, too.  So, they raced around the pasture, leaving deep divots in the mud.

Then Tex discovered the pond.  He waded into the middle and pawed at the water, splashing himself with the icy water.  Then he added running through the water to his race course in the pasture.  There wasn't much water left in the pond by the end of the day.

...and both he and Flash were covered in mud.

Wednesday with Tex: The Limits of Trust

Last weekend, Brett and I were out of town celebrating our anniversary.

While we were gone, Tex lost a shoe.  Our horse sitter found the shoe and put it in the barn.  I sent the farrier a text and to let him know -- and also suggested that he come out after we returned home since Tex might be difficult to catch.

When the farrier arrived, Brett moved Flash into the barn.  When Tex is left alone in the pasture without his buddy Flash (goats don't count as company, in his mind), Tex becomes very motivated to be caught so he can join Flash.  Brett typically does not have any trouble catching Tex anymore (Tex knows that Brett always has cookies on his person), but it is an extra measure ensuring success.

Our farrier gets along very well with Tex.  He is calm and kind, and Tex stands quietly for his shoeing.  The farrier knows Tex's trust issues and has spent time showing Tex that he understands.  So, when the farrier asked Brett if he could try catching Tex, Brett gave him a handful of cookies and sent him to the pasture.

Tex said no.  Tex didn't run away but he stayed at a safe distance, circling and refusing to let the farrier approach.  After a few minutes, Brett went into the pasture and took the halter.  Tex was fine with Brett approaching and slipping on the halter -- which made Brett happy.  A year ago, that wouldn't have been the case.

So, Tex has become almost a pocket pony with me and he trusts Brett -- but that is clearly as far as it goes.  Its good to know.

Wednesday with Tex: Riding

Sunday morning I rode Tex.

I've only ridden him a handful of times since he transitioned from being Brett's horse to being mine, a couple years ago.  Mostly, we've been laying groundwork and building trust.

Talk about paying off.  Tex was the most relaxed he's been under saddle.  He was pretty chill.  And, instead of worrying, he tried really hard to figure out what I wanted.  I'm sure my aids are much different than the cowboys he is used to.

We worked in the arena first, making sure he was relaxed and that I had brakes.  Of course, I had brakes.  And he tried hard to understand.  He didn't freak out or worry.  If he wasn't sure, he slowly and carefully backed up.  It must be his "go-to" skill.  I've been on horses who rush backwards when worried; this wasn't like that at all.  So I laughed, and said "whoa" and we tried again.

Brett was riding Flash at the same time and after awhile we left the arena and wandered under the oaks.  Tex was happy.  He put his head down and carefully looked at the dry stream bed before calmly walking across.  He did jump forward when Flash jumped the same stream bed, behind us.  We marched over the bridge, around the house, down to the front gate, over some downed logs, and then back around the barn before calling it good.

Afterward, I sat on a flat rock next to the pasture.  Passage weaved back and forth behind me, rubbing against my back the way cats do.  Kersey was sprawled at my feet, all four feet in the air, hoping for a belly rug.  Tex came over and hung is head way over the fence.  We sat there like that for quite awhile.

My definition of perfect happiness.

Wednesday with Tex

Today the farrier came to trim and shoe the horses.  So, we brought them into the barn for their breakfast.  As the farrier finishes work on each of them, Brett will return them to their pastures.

It was a nippy 40F when we went out in the grey morning light to do chores.  Brett had the stalls set up with hay and water.  All we needed to do was add their morning bucket of vitamins and bring them in.  I added an apple to Tex's grain bin, already containing his pelleted vitamins and carrots.

I talked to Robin after the last time I brought Tex into the barn, at liberty, for feedback.  She advised that I not carry food on my person, but that I load up the destination (the stall in this case) with a bonanza of goodies.  She also gave me advice on what to do if Tex walks off -- which she said he would do at some point.  I was ready.

We brought all the other horses into the barn first.  Being with the herd would give Tex added incentive to walk with me to the barn, on top of the knowledge that breakfast was waiting in the stall.  When we went to the boys pasture, Brett opened the gate and let Flash out first.  Flash broke into a trot and skidded across the barn aisle and into his stall.

I asked Tex to come to my shoulder and we started walking.  Half-way to the barn, he paused and looked around.  I asked him to continue and he complied -- for a couple steps.  Then he calmly walked off.  I calmly followed.  He broke into a trot and ran behind the barn.  I calmly followed.  He dropped his head to the dead grass and I said no.  He lifted his head and looked at me -- I was still quite a distance from him, just rounding the corner of the barn.  He thought for a moment.

He broke into a trot again -- but this time, he trotted straight over to me, slid to a stop, and stood at my shoulder.  I praised him and we walked back to the front of the barn, down the aisle, and I indicated he could go in his stall.  I talked to him the whole way.  "That was amazing, Tex."  "I'm so proud of you."  "Look at you; making good choices."  "You are the best horse, ever."

As he stood in his stall, his lips wet with apple juice and slobber, he reached his head out and looked at me.  He looked awfully pleased with himself.

Friends

Flash and Tex have become very good friends.

They are always together in the pasture; often sharing the same bin of hay.

Tex, in particular, is very bonded to Flash.  When Brett rides Flash or, like yesterday, takes Flash to a clinic for the day, Tex is completely undone.  He calls and paces the fence line, whinnying to every truck and trailer that drives down the road.

Flash is a very independent horse.  He likes Tex but he doesn't need Tex in the same way that Tex needs him.  When I take Tex out of the pasture, he hardly looks up.  But, Flash does share food and space with Tex in a way that he doesn't do with other horses.

Its good to have close friends.  I know that I've needed my friends and family this past summer, more than usual.  I suppose I'm like Flash in regard to my friends.  I am okay by myself, but I love my time with them as well.  And, as I went through all the testing and biopsies and surgeries that go with ruling out cancer, I was very thankful for my friends and family.  I dodged that bullet, thank goodness.  A big thank you to those of you who knew, and who called, sent messages and had my back.  It was a scary time for me and Brett.  Moving forward now.

The Mane Focus

Tex has a long, thick mane of burnished copper with burgundy and gold intertwined.  Gorgeous.  Unfortunately, it is also very prone to dreadlocks.  I've tried keeping it braided but even the braids twisted and turned and snarled together.

Tex isn't sure he likes being groomed.  Initially, he was sure he hated it.  From there he advanced to suspicious and then to resigned tolerance of the whole thing.  He has his own set of soft brushes, and I use grooming time to spoil my horses; pausing at their favorite spots for a massage.  Tex didn't let me know which spots he enjoyed having groomed for a long time.  But I watched him closely, and he let slip some pleasurable lip twitches and I remembered the spots.

Everyday, I go into the pasture with a brush and some ShowSheen.  I spray his mane with the de-tangler while he munches a cookie.  I scratch his favorite spots and then brush out the mane.  There are a few more cookies involved.

I've also filled a bucket with treats and set it by the tie rail.  Tex stands quietly, munching the apples and sucking down the mush, while I give him a thorough grooming.  He used to plant his feet and pull back when I brought him to the tie rail.  Not anymore.  He's continuing to learn and trust.

Tex Rocks

This weekend was miserable, weather-wise.  The days were hot and smoky.  There are wildfires burning south of us, near Yosemite, and the smoke is settling over the mountains.

We've been bringing the horses into the barn during the daytime, to escape the heat, flies and smoke.  In the evening, we turn them back out so they can stretch, and roll, and shuffle through the dust that coats everything in September.

Yesterday, as I was tying my boot laces, bent over to the ground, sitting on our old green mudroom bench, Brett said "I think you should bring Tex into the barn at liberty."  I laughed, shook my head, and muttered, "yeah, right."

But, as I walked out to the barn I kept thinking about it.  I poured Tex's mix of vitamins and carrots into his stall grain bin and realized that Tex's stall would be a reward destination -- full of hay and carrots and tasty vitamins.  Tex doesn't love the barn (unlike Lucy), but he does love his bucket in the morning.

We brought in the other horses first.  I wanted to make sure that the barn was someplace Tex would want to go.  I wanted him to be successful.  After Brett slid Flash's stall door shut, I went down to the pasture to get Tex.

Tex did so well, that I walked him at liberty back to the pasture that evening.  And back to the barn this morning.  I'm thinking he's a pretty awesome horse.