Impressions-Read this first...

Poor Kidd, never really been off the farm and he is plunged into a new herd with nary a friend in site. The first night here he was not frantic, but he sure made a lot of noise wondering where the heck he was and where the heck was his herd. Come to find out he is quite the talker. He often will whinny at me as I am coming out in the morning. And even though he hasn’t really made a friend, he will whinny when anyone leaves or is coming back. Those first couple of days he sought me out every time I was in the field.  I was at least someone that would be nice to him. Good for me to start our relationship this way, hopefully he will continue to seek me out!

Our first adventure was down to the round pen to see what kind of language he had and understood. I guess I was speaking pretty clear horse because he was responding quite well. I did notice that he would rather step into me than away. Although he is not a dominant horse in the herd, I think he would kind of like to be, thus stepping into my space. We certainly talked about that, especially when it came to picking up his feet. Silly Kidd, he thought perhaps he wasn’t going to be able to balance. So after a good long conversation about his responsibility in keeping his feet nice, we got his front feet trimmed. He has VERY nice feet. I haven’t seen such nice concavity in many horses recently. He will do very well barefoot.

We went for a nice walk through the play yard, not really attempting the obstacles, but checking them out. Down across the bottom of the field, leaving the herd well behind us, we went to our woods. Kidd is super curious about everything. In the woods I let him choose the path, which wasn’t the path previously trod, but one of his own making. Which was fine, mostly I could keep up, and when I couldn’t, I grabbed his tail and let him help, which he was also fine with. Every horse should be able to pull his rider up a hill! (This will definitely be an obstacle in the trail course I make one of these days.)

Kidd is most definitely and extrovert. I look forward to finding the games that he likes best to play!

Beautiful Day

So it was too nice today to stay in the arena. Yes I know this only was Kidd's second day with the saddle but what the heck lets go. Trina was riding with me. She too was riding a 4 year old, Boo,  but he has been working since last winter and has quite a bit under him, so he was supposed to be setting the example. Hum, well, KIDD WAS FANTASTIC! and Trina got bucked off. She is fine, nice soft landing.

We did start out in the arena, just to make sure we had stop and go and turn, which we did quite nicely. The owners of the arena I use came down with their little boy Beeja, he is almost 4 and was very excited to learn he was almost the same age as the horse. Well he always is interested in doing something with the horses, but with these two horses I didn't feel comfortable putting him up, and I told him so,  he thought it was a good idea if they stayed and watched us. They sat on the table and watched for a good 15 minutes or so until Beeja started to get restless. We were nearly ready to get out on our walk, so I had Beeja start down the road and I told him we would catch up to him. Trina opened the gate and out we went, Kidd didn't even wait for Boo.

Kidd was super interested in mostly the grass of course, but we had been establishing on the ground when he could eat and when we needed to keep going. So it wasn't too hard to communicate that same idea from his back. Luckily he understood, well I guess it wasn't all luck...

Down the road we went with our two dogs and Beeja and his mom following. Every now and then Kidd would stop and look back at what was happening with Beeja, but really he wasn't bothered by them or the dogs. Actually, nothing bothered him, he was happy with it all. The rocks on the road were a bit tough on him. He has great feet, but they aren't too calloused so he was still tender. We got to the road and our horses across the street were right there to greet us. Kidd knew a couple of them and even whinnied a response to Frenchie's greeting.

A half hour later and perhaps 1 mile and Kidd was showing signs of getting tired. He has a nice soft trot! I wasn't sure what it would be like as in the arena he looks a bit choppy, but it is nice and easy. He walked through the big grassy field without too much stopping and trying to grab and we even found water to slog through. I really couldn't have imagined a better first ride (besides Trina getting bucked off) On the way back I got off for the pointy rocks as I didn't want him to get a bad taste. Trina got back on at that point and Boo was fine...

I think Beth has a winner!

Better Late than never...

Oh boy am I slacking on my part of keeping up with letting the world know about these wonderful young horses that I get to work with. Kidd has been here a month already and just now I am getting to write about him. I am still getting up to speed on the new computer, which means that transferring pictures from my phone is not happening. And taking pictures on the real camera isn't happening either. Never there when you need it. Anyway, no pictures yet, so I will do my best to paint a nice picture in words.

Kidd is pure kid. He is silly and wants to play and wants his dinner now, and why are you taking so long, and where have you been and why won't anyone play with me. Luckily for Kidd, I brought Chaco home. Chaco wanted to hang with the girls, but Larz said no, so Chaco is hanging with Kidd, much to Kidd's enjoyment. Chaco will actually play with him, and not just the play to get Kidd out of your face kind of play, really play and enjoy it. You know the who can score a bite on the nose or cheek kind of play. I almost bought Kidd a jolly ball the other day, I still may. He picks up all the buckets in the field and throws them about. I looked out the other day and the two youngsters were playing in the kiddy pools I have out in the field as feed tubs. They were both in the pools, pawing and making a racket, then as they stepped back the pools flop up in the air popping them on the nose, making for more fun and more need to stomp on them. They survived that attack (the pools), now they are full of water from the storms!

Kidd is predominately an extrovert. Mostly he keeps his wits about him and is Left brained, however, he can easily switch when he is unsure, which happens a little too easily right now. I need to be very careful that our communication stays pure as he can very easily switch to assumptions. I hate to tell the world this, but these horses teach me everyday!. I will take our #2 Principle (Make or teach no assumptions) very seriously right now. He is such a sponge that he can just as easily learn the wrong thing as the right. So slow and right here will certainly beat fast and wrong.