Mustang Saga

I haven't had anything to blog about. I hurt my back and then got the stomach flu, so hadn't been doing much with the horses. Actually I didn't see them at all for a couple days.

Yesterday Tonka had a bad bout of gas colic for some unknown reason. I've never heard a horse belch and rumble so much. I walked him, gave him some Banamine, and put him in the round pen for the day, going back regularly to check on him and encourage him to walk. By evening he was his normal dorky self.

Day before that Huckleberry showed what an excellent cow dog he can be. My neighbor's calves got through the fence and made their way to this side of the creek and got into my hay. So after I called the neighbor I went out to chase them off. At first Huck didn't do anything, but I told him several times to "Git 'um!" and he did! He chased them off, and after a couple "Leave it!" commands got his head back together and came back to me. After that he was spot-on. He'd hold them by standing and growling, and if they'd step back toward us he'd move forward and bark, and come back for lots and lots of praise, then hold them some more. I wish I knew how to teach him directional commands, but even if I did, we have nothing to practice on.

I've decided to start riding Tonka in the dressage saddle. It seems like such a waste to trail ride in such a nice saddle, but it's light and that makes my back happy, and probably his too. And I think it fits better than anything else I have. I need to find a way to carry a saddle bag though. It doesn't have any dees in the back, and I like to carry a few things with me out on the trail. Can anyone think of anything I could rig up without spending any money? Maybe I could hook something to my front dees.

I haven't ridden Scout again. It doesn't seem like a priority to me right now. We've had some projects to work on around the place. Once things settle down and I can get back into a daily routine I'll get back in the saddle.

So... Now you see why I haven't been blogging. Not much to talk about!