# So have I finally found a good horse? (A few pics added)



## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 7, 2009)

As some of you know, my dad and I were given a free horse in the beginning of May. It was my dad's decision to take her in and he made the decision without riding her or even working wiht her for too long. Of course, finding out we were getting a new horse was quite the surprise when I came home from college!

I haven't had a real good riding horse for myself since we had to put down my mare. My dad and I looked, bought a horse, and he turned out to be a lot better for my dad than for me. So fortunately this girl found us. We were a little nervous to get on her back, but after a few weeks of round pen work in which we didn't see any craziness, my dad got on her. I finally had the chance to get on her today for the first time. I was nervous, but my dad kept telling me to relax because she was fine.

Sooo...I rode her around, she had a beautiful head set at the walk, direct reined like a dream (and worked off leg pressure as well, although not as responsive as with rein pressure), she stopped fairly well, backed, and I even got her to do a nice little jog! No head shaking, no bucking, no jumping around. Her head was a little high at the jog and she was a little fast, but nothing I can't work on. She was a little spooked/distracted by yelling kids next door, but again, she sort of lifted her head, danced a little, and re focused on me when I turned her in a circle. My dad was able to throw in cones, set them up, throw in a big bouncy ball, and then drag in a big tarp without any spookiness. This horse even walked OVER the tarp without a second thought and actually WANTED to. I've never had a horse get so excited to show me what she can do! LOL She saw the set up tarp and said "Oh boy! I can do this! Let me show you!"

So suffice to say, I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with this horse. She definitely needs work on a few things here and there, but i think she has the personality that is perfect for me to get back into the swing of horses. She's just generally very calm. (This is a horse the previous owner told us would flip out over anything dropped near her head! Haven't seen it yet!) I'm hoping this will be my new trail/riding partner and that I have FINALLY found a horse that will help heal the holes left behind by my other horse. I was devastated when we had to put her down! :-( 

I think its completely amazing how horses connect with people. I find myself so attached to this horse already, where I am still not attached to the two year old or the other gelding we've had for three years.


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## wynedot55 (Jun 8, 2009)

so glad your new horse is working out for you.


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## Bronco Hollow (Jun 8, 2009)

Thats fantastic!  Sounds like you have found a horse that wants to click or partner with you!  It only gets better with time!  Ummm pictures, we all want to see pictures!!!


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## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 12, 2009)

I don't have any recent pictures (I keep forgettign the camera), but these are a few I've posted before. This was when we round penned her for the first time. I have to get more with her saddled up. Critiques are welcome!


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## KareyABohr (Jun 12, 2009)

She is BEAUTIFUL! Isnt it amazing how you can see into their souls through their eyes!
Congrats on your girl! Love her to pieces!


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## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 12, 2009)

She definitely has a very sweet personality and you can see it right in her eyes! Amazing how you can tell a horse with an attitude from a laid back horse almost instantly when looking at them!

I rode her the other day when we had a little break in the rain. The round pen was a little too slippery to do much more than a jog. I round penned first for about 10-15 minutes, then rode for about a half hour and then fooled around with some desensitizing things for another half hour or so. She's still a little fast in her jog and I'd like to slow her down, but that will come with time. I also need to work on backing and stopping, but she needs work backing on the ground, so I will do that before working in the saddle too much. Once she knows "back" I'm sure she will do it fine in the saddle. 

I've yet to lope her, but I don't think I'll have any issues. The ground has just been too wet to risk slipping. Once the ground dries, I will try getting her to lope.

She's also doing so well with her back legs! We could barely touch them when we brought her home and already she's lifting them and putting them back down. We still aren't able to hold them up, but that too will come with time. 

We also brought a bicycle into the round pen to see how she'd react. She really didn't care too much about it. She followed my dad around while he was riding it. She was a little apprehensive when it went towards her, but she calmed right down. So far I think she'll make an excellent trail horse!


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## Countrymom (Jun 15, 2009)

Chickerdoodle that is a very nice mare.  I bet she is smooth as her shoulder slant is nice.  She seems a bit weak in the flank, but riding will definitely fill her out and balance her up.  Just LOVE her nice little mare ears.  You just can't believe how many mares I see with mule ears.  Drives me nuts! LOL  

You need to find a local show and take her.  That does amazing things to a horse to be out in public.  

This weekend we had to laugh - even though I lost money big time - as we watched our young cutting horse in the pen for the first time.  His first run he spent looking over the wall.  LOL  Poor trainer was constantly reminding him he had a cow to look at.  The second run he discovered the turn back riders in the corners.  He would track a cow from across the pen and then look up at the turn back like "wow who are you!"  Trainer would pull his head back to the cow and he would look like "oh yeah, there is a cow to follow!"  Had to die laughing myself even though it cost a few hundred dollars.  LOL  

We will be dragging him around working at different places - shows and ranches.  He should be well traveled and hopefully get over that lookie see kind of interruption. LOLOL


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## jettesunn05 (Jun 15, 2009)

Beautiful! I like her alot! She seem proportioned well.


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## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 15, 2009)

Thanks countrymom! Out of all of our horses, I definitely like her looks the best! She's a little pigeon toed in the front, but I'm happy as long as she is not lame!

Surprisingly, this horse has been sitting in a field for the past couple of years with minimal riding. I'm surprised she even has the muscle she currently has! I really can't wait to see how she tones out as I work her more and more. I try to do as much trotting as I can with her, but she is definitely out of shape, so I have to go slow (For both her and myself! We are both out of shape! LOL) When I'm actually riding I mostly walk with a little trotting, but haven't been able to do much else with such a wet ground!

I deifnitely want to take her to a local show. I'd like to work on backing up and leading on a rope a little more before taking her, but I think she'd do pretty well (Even if she didn't place in anything!) She leads awesome in the round pen and is pretty good on a lead rope, but I want to make sure she doesn't "forget" her training in different atmospheres! I also have to to work on getting her used to the trailer. She trailered to our house fine, which was pretty amazing considering she hadn't been on a trailer since she was a yearling! I think a few times on and off the trailer and she'll be good to go!

That's funny about your little guy! Its so funny to watch the horse's expressions! Some of them are so good at expressing themselves, you'd think they were talking to you! Sounds like he's trying though!

Thanks Jettesunn! I'm hoping the rain holds out tomorrow so I can at least get out to work with her. I got all set to ride today and then we had a bunch of thunder. The sky looked like it was going to open any minute! I decided just to feed and forget about riding. Wouldn't you know...it only drizzled! So tomorrow I am going to try again!


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## jettesunn05 (Jun 16, 2009)

Chickerdoodle13 said:
			
		

> Thanks countrymom! Out of all of our horses, I definitely like her looks the best! She's a little pigeon toed in the front, but I'm happy as long as she is not lame!
> 
> Surprisingly, this horse has been sitting in a field for the past couple of years with minimal riding. I'm surprised she even has the muscle she currently has! I really can't wait to see how she tones out as I work her more and more. I try to do as much trotting as I can with her, but she is definitely out of shape, so I have to go slow (For both her and myself! We are both out of shape! LOL) When I'm actually riding I mostly walk with a little trotting, but haven't been able to do much else with such a wet ground!
> 
> ...


LOL go figure! I dont mind getting wet but the thunder and lighnting bothers me! Good luck and be careful!


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## nightshade (Jun 16, 2009)

Congrats on the new horse she is gorgeous.  It is good to hear you found one that you can really bond with. I joke that my boy is my soul mate. It is really nice to have one you can trust completely and you sound like you are well on your way to that. It will only get better with time and she learns more about you and you about her.


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## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 17, 2009)

My dad took our two geldings trail riding yesterday, but he also took all of my equipment! I was determined to work with sedona so I grabbed our lunge line and a lead rope. Our round pen was pretty slippery, so I only made her walk and jog real easy. I worked on stopping and backing up and she did real well! Unfortunately her front hooves really need a trimming, so I can't do much else until my dad gets the farrier out here (Hopefully in the next couple of days!)

Now of course I've been spending too much time on this other horse forum looking at horse critique pictures and videos. This always gets me scared that one of my guys might be lame (Don't ask me why...I guess its like other people who watch horror movies and then are afraid of ghosts!) When I was jogging my horse yesterday, she bobbed her head a few times, so I spent all of last night looking at videos of horses trotting. Of course I'm pretty sure the reason she bobbed her head those few times was due to the mud and her longer front hooves. I don't always pick up on lameness (mild lameness anyways) and it should be a bigger concern of mine especially with all the slippery mud. It is all too easy for one of my guys to slip while running out in the field and pull something!

I'm hoping to get dressed and call her down from the field so I can work with her again this morning. Its supposed to rain AGAIN tonight! Gah!


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## Farmer Kitty (Jun 17, 2009)

Beautiful horse! What breed is she?


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## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 17, 2009)

She's not papered so we aren't fully sure of her background. However, we're pretty sure she's either full or part quarter horse. She's from South Dakota I believe and really she could have anything and everything in her. Even though papers don't make a horse, I really wish she had them so I could see her lineage!


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## Farmer Kitty (Jun 17, 2009)

She reminds me of a horse my FIL had but, she was a Belgian and would now be 21 years old.


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## sweetshoplady (Jun 19, 2009)

She's a beauty!  I love her coloring.  What color is she?  SHe looks mystical.  

I believe in magical ponies.


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## Rafter 7 Paint Horses (Jun 19, 2009)

You finally found her!!!!  Congratulations!!!

I'm so glad you found one for you. I was wondering if you were going to have to use your Dad's older horse, since Stetson and him were bonding so much.



Jean


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## Oklabarrelracer (Aug 9, 2009)

She sure is pretty. Love her kind eye. She has a front extention movement that is very nice. I'll bet she is smooth to ride. Congratulations on a nice mare.


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