First Ride at Home

Luek continues to settle in.  At the present time, he has inserted himself in between Flash and Tex in the pecking order.  He’s pushing Flash around a bit at the feeder so he may move up to alpha.  Flash, at 24, just doesn’t care about that stuff like he used to.

Both yesterday and today, Luek stood guard while Tex and Flash took a long nap in the sun.  I haven’t seen Luek nap or roll yet; he’s still very clean when I groom him.  He is thoroughly enjoying the big pasture water trough though.  I don’t know if he had a bucket or an automatic waterer at the barn, but here we have big deep water troughs.  He loves thrusting his nose into the water, almost up to his eyeballs, and then splashing water back and forth.

Since we brought him home two days ago, we’ve been hand-walking him around the ranch a couple times a day.  The first day was windy and cold, and he had his head high as we walked.  After that, he’s walked on a loose lead while we explore and hand graze.  We went on troll patrol in the dressage court, and he didn’t find any.

So today I hopped on him for a short ride.  We are both out of shape so we’re going to ease into this riding thing.  I’m a firm believer in riding for 20 minutes and making it count versus going around and around for an hour.

There is something about riding at home that is so good for the soul.  Maybe because I’m not worried about being in someone’s way; maybe its the sound of birds in the pines and oaks; maybe its the quiet that allows me to center, breathe and connect.  I don’t know why, but it just works.  We worked in the arena for about 15 minutes; mostly at walk but a bit of trot and canter.  We’re figuring each other out. And we had fun.

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.