Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Travieso update

Travieso is really doing well. Although it is hard to get a good body picture of him, because he is always sniffing the camera. Curiosity though is one of the most desirable qualities of a horse, so I'm not about to nock it out of him. He is an interesting combination of sweetness and macho at the same time. I really love him, which is bad, because I really can't keep "stealing" all of Raul's horses.
The other day some customer walked by the arena when Travieso was out and with a horrified look on her face she asked if a vet had been called to see this horse with the HUGE cut on his neck.
I couldn't but laugh, and she nearly got mad at me before I could explain her the details about his huge cut. It is TINY now, and closing fast. What remains
is a faint wrinkly line running up his chest, where the scar is covered by new winter hair. And the skin around the small open wound on the neck is a bit tightened as if someone made a mistake sowing. I'm sure it will always stay that way to some extent, to remind us... But he is looking great and totally enjoying his second chance in life.
Armando has taken him out for short, light rides on the trail a few times now and he seems to enjoy seeing the bigger world again.


Friday, October 12, 2007

Playing ball!


Madeira has been hanging out with Tuff a lot lately. They are being turned out together and having a blast. Madeira is mainly pushing Tuff around and he is loving it.

Well last weekend we filmed parts of my level two test and as I was watching it at home I decided that it wasn't exactly what I wanted my level two to look like. So I will have to do it over. Madeira has gotten so calm now, that she actually looked a bit dull. She doesn't FEEL dull for me when I'm playing with her. I rather like her newfound calmness, since I'm so used to seeing her flying around the arena totally right brain. (which means that she is not thinking, just reacting.) Right brain extrovert is her innate horsenality and she still exhibits that behavior quite often. So when she goes into that calm left brain, thinking state of mind, looking dull or not, I cherish every moment of it. However I don't think it will pass my level two, so I will have to find a middle ground between dull and right brain. How to keep her energy up while keeping her left brain. we will work on that.
In a mean time everyone was playing with the big green ball Dan was kind enough to lend us to use. It was a hit! Tuff absolutely LOVES that ball and the plain sight of it gets him excited. We had hard time keeping him from popping it as he wants to pick it up with his teeth, lay down on it and kick it all at the same time. It's the most hilarious sight.
Steal and Madeira decided that they could really do without the ball.
Momma was very curious as was baby, who ran after it without ever questioning the fact. The ball is nearly as big as her.
However the very same ball looked a lot tinier next to Travieso.
Travieso is doing fantastic. I have been playing with him a little bit lately in the big arena and he is proving out to be quite a challenge. I'm guessing that he was gelded very late, because he is showing some very studly behavior. He
is also much like Cruiser, (a left brain introvert) and not to my surprise, I realised while playing with him, that I have absolutely NO experience with left brain horses, especially introverts. I guess I have always been more attracted to the Right brain types, the jumpy, fast, spooky, well, overall "crazy" horses that seemed to provide more challenge. And now they are no challenge for me anymore, only a fascinating project. I have noticed lately as I've played with some other RB horses that I have become very comfortable and very experienced with them, having always picked that types of horses. I have NEVER before picked a left brain horse. They seem slow and dull and boring, something good for beginners. I thought my time would be wasted with one of those. Well, Now I am challenged with a rather confident, manipulative thinker, who is DESIGNED by nature to outsmart me. I'm again loving the challenge, but I may have to resort to Beverly for help. After all she does have two EXTREME (to say the least) left brain cases. One introvert, Cruiser, and one extrovert, Tuff.