An EPIC week!

This past weekend saw both of us at home (for a change) and with empty calendars for Saturday (for a change).  So we decided to "rent" an extra horse so the two of us could ride together for a few hours out on the trails.  Tucker was in a grand mood, as was his new buddy, Bella.  Though it was drizzly and cool, we headed out to find some new trails among the beautiful Redmond forests.  Fall is arriving at Seattle's doorstep and the smells are filling the woods.  Cooler weather means friskier horses, and these two were definitely feeling their oats!

Bella is a youngish Thoroughbred who's been evented and I suspect is from the racetrack.  She wasn't interested in having Tucker and Shanna in front, and she was very strong. (my shoulder muscles are killing me!)   If she wasn't at a full-out gallop she wasn't content.  But for the most part, after we covered the first half-mile or so, both equines behaved quite well.  Bella got frustrated a few times when I asked her to sidle up next to the blackberry bushes for the occasional snack, tending to dance around and rear up.  One of the most impatient mares I've been around in awhile!  And her naughtiness made Tucker look like the "good one"! 

Shanna and Tucker had an awesome time bonding on this ride, and both of them had wide, wide smiles.  He was bold and forward and brave, at the same time obedient and responsive.  Shanna got to spend a lot of time in two-point at the collected canter, and both of them built some more muscle.  The scenery was phenomenal, the horses were a blast and the pace was exhilarating.  A ride none of the 4 of us will soon forget!

After a day off of R&R in his field, we showed up at the barn Monday for a lunch-time ride.  Tucker seemed to be in a good mood from the start (perhaps it's the new snaffle that Shanna bought him?) and while I warmed him up in the sunny outdoor jumping ring, Shanna laid out a zillion cavalletti for walk and trot work.  Tucker was game to maneuver through the ground poles like a champ, picking up his feet (his new bell-boot-covered-feet!) and moving forward nicely.  Even his canter transitions were nice! The more muscle he develops the more balanced he gets and the more easily he's able to get underneath himself and move forward. This ride was going so well that I thought I'd take him over some of the little fences in the ring since Tucker seems to enjoy jumping so much.  The jumping he really dug, and the cavalletti he excelled at, so the only outlet for his usual shenanigans was a rather significant excursion up the hill, out of the arena.  Crazy red fella had to do something naughty or we'd suspect a lobotomy.....

There were two "scarier" fences in the ring -- more solid than just the regular poles.  I figured Tucker would look hard at them, and maybe skid to a stop the first time, which he did.  And this was his second attempt at the 20" picket and roll-top.  Rockstar!

Tucker was being so good in the arena that Shanna decided to try her hand at a few cross-rails and their joined-at-the-mindedness was evident as they cruised around the arena in synch.  I'm not sure who had the larger smile between the two of them.....  I'll make eventers out of them yet!

Three New Things and A Good Mood!

We're delighted to report that Tucker seemed his old chipper self today!  We arrived just as Salvador was feeding everyone so we managed to remove Mr. T. from his dinner before it happened, rather than mid-bite.  I expected some grumbling about that but he was surprisingly okay with the arrangement.

During our lesson yesterday with Jordan we discussed the merits of lunging him and decided to tack him up and introduce him to side reins.  At first we lunged without them, just learning how to go around the circle on a giant leash, the point of which he didn't really agree with.  But he complied so I put on the outside side rein, rather loosely.  That added an additional element, part of which bugged him but it also intrigued him a little, I think.  Shanna also bought Tucker a new bit, this one a 1/4" smaller than the last with a slightly different configuration. He seemed to take to it easily and gummed it a lot less than the snaffle we had been using.  After he seemed to get the hang of one side rein I introduced the second one, also loosely connected.  This didn't make much sense at all to him, and it was tough to get him moving forward.  A couple of times he seemed done with the exercise and attempted to free himself with a buck, a kick or a rear.  We laughed at him and shooed him on, reminding him that the purpose of the lunging was to move forward. 

Stopping on a good note Shanna wanted a mini lesson while I was still attached to the other side of the lunge line, so she hopped on and trotted Tucker in a 20m circle while I gave small pointers.  Her equitation is improving dramatically, and they both seemed more relaxed than usual.  Shanna because she knew he'd easily stay on the circle and Tucker because he was relieved to have a point to this lunging madness -- a rider!

Again we ended that on a good note and because he seemed in such a good mood still I decided to hop on and take full advantage of his willing compliance.  We had some nice trotting and a few cavalletti poles on the circle, then we did a handful of trot/canter/trot transitions.  Building on what we learned yesterday with Jordan we collected, half-halted and entered the canter going into the corner on the rail, helping him to get underneath himself and pick up the correct lead.  After just a few of those I praised him a ton and called it a night.  After a light ride no bath was needed and we plied him with apples, wafers and fly repellant.

It feels great when we leave the barn on such a high!  Tucker seemed pleased with himself, and contentedly munched his grain and hay while I loved on him a few last minutes (and Shanna managed to put all our gear away neatly).  His mood tonight was refreshing and we're hoping that maybe we can school cross-country soon.  It'll be good for all of our bodies and minds! We adore this fellow and endeavor to do everything we can to ensure his happiness.  Today was a good day.

Plateaus....

This week's been one of highs and lows.  Tucker displays moments of pure genius in the ring -- light, airy trots, collected work over cavaletti, forward circles, and a willingness to loosen his back and be round.  And then he decides "to hell with this, I'm outta here!" and bolts out of the arena and down the stall aisle! He's been crabby in the cross-ties this week, despite the regular smoochie ambushes and even the occasional snack.

Trying to ease whatever seems to be bugging him, we got him a fly mask so the nasty little things stay out of his eyes.  His new shoes seem to fit really well still and he's got no visible saddle rubs. But that doesn't stop him from being grumpy.  I wanted to make last week's trail ride really fun, so I didn't even tack him up.  I skipped a visit to the cross-ties and didn't get near him with a brush.  We went directly from his pasture to the trails, and all along the way I picked black berries for him.  By the end of the ride the sides of his mouth were purple and my hands were covered in sticky dirt!  But I was focused to keep him moving forward on a long rein, not asking anything of him except to go where I directed. We walked down to the pond and he had a drink, we cantered across a sandy area on a loose rein, we explored a neighborhood and even got patted by kids. He seemed relieved to just have a mindless ride without demands and requests, and the berries (not to mention the bareback pad) were a definite score!

We've also considered the fact that his human Mama just gave birth to twins last week, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's feeling that vibe.  Tucker no doubt loves and misses Beth, but it wasn't until the day after the babies were born that it occurred to us that maybe he's just a little "off" as a result.  We're reminding him that all is well at home with his real family, and that maybe soon his Mama and little sisters might come visit him.  And that they'd be so proud of him for all the learning he's accomplished here at Camp this summer!

So today's lesson with Jordan went pretty well after Tucker's multiple days off.  Shanna only rode once last week while I was gone, and my only ride was the leisurely trail ride.  Last weekend we worked over cavaletti at the trot in a straight line.  He had some really lovely extended trots over the poles, and he's learning to half halt.  Kind of. So I had high hopes for His Highness' happiness under the watchful eye of our teacher.  In all it went pretty well.  We worked on round 20m circles, walk and trot leg yielding from the quarter line to the rail, trot/canter/trot transitions, and submission (not his strong suit).  The lateral work went really well and he's learning to get underneath himself from the trot to canter. He still likes to lift his nose like a giraffe and trot like mad into a flat canter, but he's clever and we'll get there.

Meanwhile, we're curious to see if we can discover the source of his seeming frustration.  If his teeth check out and the body worker/chiropractor doesn't find anything major subluxated or needing to be exorcised, I think maybe an afternoon of cross-country jumping will be just what the doctor ordered!

So the plateaus are okay.  They're teaching me patience, Shanna consistence and Tucker confidence. We're all making progress over time and sometimes a big, deep breath is in order.

Supraspinatus, biceps brachii, lateral vastus... and ribs!

Going through pics today from some Arena jump play last night I noticed that the handsome fella has developed some rather nice muscles--and I can see his ribs! No wonder the ladies are looking when he prances by. Erin decided to give Tucker a lot too look at, and left no chance for mind numbing circles. They went over jumps, some times at a walk, some times at a trot, and often at the canter. Dare I say that Tucker and Erin probably couldn't have done this a month ago? Three more days will mark the 1 month anniversary with the handsome devil.

Trails under the stars...

I ran into Barbara at the barn after work today and we decided to take a short trail ride... 5+ miles later and pitch black under the canopy of trees there we all were: Barbara, Luna, Tucker and I, at the mercy of one another... I'm not sure what it is that clicks into place for Tucker 5.0: Bombproof, but he was a saint this evening. He maneuvered around people sized rocks, stepped over flourescent orange fences, crossed roads under construction, and had his "go" button keyed up. A blast was had by all. I can tell my seat is growing stronger and hopefully this makes schlepping my butt around more comfortable for Tucker. I had the bat with me but didn't have to use it once. It was a night full of praise. He had one ear forward and another twitching back on occassion--listening as I talked to him.

As usual he met me at his paddock gate when I arrived, and stuck his head in the Disco for one last smooch when I left. He absolutely loves to have his head scratched and eyes rubbed. He zones out and leans into you when you hit all the good spots. What a great way to wind down after a long day under florescent lights.

The extremes

Erin & I have both experienced how wonderful Tucker can be over the last couple days... and also his cantankerous side. I can tell he's gaining muscle since he decided he didn't want to leave the barn area and put up a stink to move down the trailhead, and he had the fortitude to stay with the fight about 15 minutes. Luck for me, Jordan was close and stepped up with some timely suggestions on how to get the fella moving forward and not backing up, or sidestepping, and other general naughtiness. I can predict the areas he might be a stinker, and yesterday was no exception. At the second road crossing T decided he was done for the day and forgot to clear it with me first. He pushed me to my first diciplinarian action (A smack) and an angry voice. The actions that led up to this outcome included rearing, bucking and general disobediance! Everyone keeps telling me that he's "got my number" or he knows who to take advantage of... I think I gained a few respect points back yesterday and followed up with many diversions, stops n starts, turns and movement forward on the trail back to the barn.

The Enforcer!

I had planned a lesson for this morning, but had to bail due to post insomnia buzz. Instead, Jordan took Tucker for a spin in the arena while we watched!

Big T's Second Lesson

Video pending... check back soon!

Tucker Jumps!

All 3 of us are delighted with our ride today!  Tucker is clearly a little event horse in the making and since our steering, circles and strength are all getting better each day we decided to spend a little time jumping a little cross rail today in the indoor arena.  He ATE it UP!

Shanna took some great video of the progression from trot poles (which he mastered instantly) to a small cross rail (which helped him figure out how to pick up his feet) to a slightly taller cross rail (further aiding his desire to get under himself and push off his hind end, to an 18-inch X which he jumped like a champ.

Erin spent about 30 minutes mixing in nice collected circles and both trots and canters over the jump.  He was clearly tickled with himself, shaking his head with joy after the first few fences.  As the lesson wore on he took his job more and more seriously, and he'd actually speed up toward some of the jumps!  By the end of our time in the arena he really had the hang of it (he's a very quick learner) and was quite pleased with himself.  As were we!

To cool him out (it actually made it in the low 80s today in Seattle) we took a chance and decided to strike out and explore the trail system near the barn's property.  Double!  Shanna took the lead in the saddle and Erin brought up the rear, literally!  Tucker was unphased, though he wasn't pleased that his work day hadn't quite ended.  It took some coaxing (and a near squash of someone's precious Mercedes in the parking lot) to get him down the trailhead.  But thanks to his successful lesson, the fact that he was indeed tired, and the added incentive of having two people aboard to encourage him forward, he went!  And went, and went, and went!  We switched seats about half-way through the ride giving both of our breeches a chance to get filthy.

Ninety minutes later, after discovering a beautiful trail system and working through a few spooky things such as deadly tarps on fences, horrible swampy bogs, creepy logs and killer chipmunks, we arrived back at the barn a happy trio.  It was the first time Shanna and Erin had been able to ride together outside of the arena in a month, and Tucker seemed to appreciate the added support and encouragement more than he minded the extra weight on his back.

Back at the barn Tucker was fully bathed, treated and rubbed down with that yummy-smelling Bigel Oil!  And he stood patiently.  Since everyone else at the barn was partaking of dinner during his bath, Tucker's patience did have a definite ending point.  Realizing we were running out of good behavior time we squeegeed him off and plied him with a carrot.  Shanna tidied up the barn aisle and put away the freshly cleaned tack while Erin walked the Emperor back to his pasture and awaiting meal.  Actually, Tucker pranced his way back and Erin just did her best to stay out of the way....

Tomorrow Erin has a lesson with Jordan and Shanna's got one the following day -- with all this work it's been fun to see his muscles building and his work ethic improving!

Drive-by Smooching!

Last night Erin got in from a trip rather late but drove all the way out to Redmond so that we could give the Emperor some apple wafers and a few organic carrots.  This shot looks like we merely drove by, but of course that wouldn't happen.  He got a full body scratch and numerous smoochies before we drove off to snag some Thai food en route home!

We're planning a lazy day at the barn today in the 80F sunshine.  Had hoped to "rent" a barn horse and go for a long trail ride together today, but the barn's emptied out as everyone's at a show this weekend.  So, we'll go and have some more arena time then maybe a double bareback ride through the woods for a short time and see how well the fella can carry both of us!

Chic Magnet

We've noticed Tucker taking a liking to his new surroundings. He's become quite the chic magnet. Here's one of his new girlfriends:

As you can tell, he's sending swagger her way!

The Emperor's new shoes

Tucker finally received his mani/pedi on Tuesday. One of the ways we lured him down to the Redmond area was by way of promising not only new friends, but new shoes. Who knew this guy would prance and strut after receiving the aforementioned spa treatment. The farrier commented that T's feet were excellent, but he would benefit from front shoeing. So here they are:

I had the chance to take the fella out for his first spin with a rider and the new shoes. He was outstanding in the arena, on the trails and didn't even hesitate to pick up the trot through some gravel. He's given me the 4-shoes up!

We had some paramount firsts:

- Trained in the arena with another horse and finally were able to make a pass without slowing down, bending or stopping!
- Shanna climbed into the saddle while out on the trails and T didn't run away and she didn't fall off!

It's the little things that make your day :)

Tucker's First Lesson

Forgive our failure to update Tucker's blog this week!  You know how it goes trying to pack 31 hours of stuff into a 24 hour period....

Last Friday Erin and Tucker got their first lesson with Jordan, the head trainer at our barn.  Check out her accomplishments at:  http://www.jordanlinstedteventing.com/wordpress.  For the better part of an hour we worked in a 20-meter "circle" at the "safe" end of the outdoor arena.  I use the term circle loosely since the poor fella isn't down with such exact shapes yet; he's rather like riding a 2x4 board -- straight and zig-zaggy!  (Which is perfect for the awesome trail horse that he is, no doubt!).  And Erin's known among the horsey set for her own distinct inability to get a horse to walk, trot or canter in an actual circle....

But despite the shape challenges and the fact that each time they neared the "other" end of the arena, all hell was on the verge of breaking loose (his field is down there, and he figures if he manages to unseat his rider he'll get to head home sooner -- more on that later), the lesson went rather well.  Jordan helped us learn about how to push his body off the leg and free up his shoulder using a slightly wider rein.  We're teaching him to bend in the ribcage toward the inside of the "circle", which he's only strong enough yet to hold for a few strides.  He's getting there.  With the regular work and the fact that he's amping himself up more and more all the time, he'll be Mr. Muscles in no time!

Jordan said he was well put together, nicely proportioned, and has a quick mind.  :)  So quick, that, the following day Tucker and Shanna had a little "excursion" from the scary side of the arena where all manner of naughty behavior tends to occur.  He'd decided he was done with her stupid circle-like patterns and done with moving around on the bit and done with whatever other nonsense might be asked of him.  So he left.  With Shanna trying fruitlessly to stop him! 

Thankfully no one was hurt and she won in the end, but I'll admit to having a rapidly beating heart as I stood there helpless to prevent the rapid exit. And while Tucker still appears to have Shanna's number from time to time, she's definitely gaining the upper hand with each passing day.  He still tests us both, which is part of what we love about the handsome fella, but we do also love those days where he settles into the work and drops the Wild Arabian Stallion act.  ;)

Tucker goes to school!

Today is Tucker's first lesson with Jordan... stay tuned for pics and videos of Erin & Tucker!

Jordan's comment: "I think his mind really works fast--it looks like..."

Finally, a day of rest

I went to visit T this afternoon over lunch. I brough a few treats and had him come and follow me around his pasture (could he smell the treats on me?) and then I spent some time scratching his head and rubbing his back. I gave him his treats, a few kisses and returned to work!

Tuesday Arena Play

Tuesday was a day for arena play. Trotting, walking and cantering in circles. We rode for about 45 minutes and T didn't even break a sweat but I did. Compato, one of Jordan's horses, was in an open stall at the end of the arena and every time we passed he pawed, reared or whynnied at Tucker. This was a huge distraction, but a good reminder to keep T focused. I can now notice when he clamps his mouth in defiance or perhaps obstanance and to just slow down and wait for him to collect himself and relax--and then we go back to work.

I've found that once you establish that we're "here" to work, T is ready to go. He has a great work ethic once you move through the initial shinanigans... i.e. the head fling and buck on first request to canter! But as Erin taught me, he telepaths, so if you tune in to his frequency, you're ready for it, and you can also use this to channel good energy back his way.

Suburban Obstacle Courses

I dropped Erin at SEA and ventured to the barn arriving shortly before sunrise at 0530. I'm not a morning person, but I was anticipating an early ride with Mr T. Tucker seemed happy to see me, ears pointed, bright-eyed and a slow meander towards the gate as I called him. We tacked, I popped up on his back and ventured out into the trails--the opposite direction from yesterday's jog.

Tucker was excited, always edging to the trot; I practiced staying centered in saddle and sending him the right signals. And then it happened: the crosswalk! Tucker has sauntered across many paved roads before, but none with a wide sidewalk, manicured hedges, vehicle discouragement posts and a sloped apron. The first time he stopped I thought it was the wooden 12 X 12 posts cemented in to prevent cars from driving on to the trails. We finally cleared that maneuver. Then we danced... for about 15 minutes until I finally convinced him to cross the road by stepping off the curb instead of the lazy graduation. I felt a sense of accomplishment and elation that he finally trusted me enough to move forward. There was absolutely no nastiness, just uncertainty. Another 10 minutes into the ride and another crosswalk. Same response. I'll go backwards, sideways, turn, dance if you ask me, but I'm not going across the crosswalk! We stepped off the curb again. The access road was borning so I decided to see if T would be game for some cross country trail blazing. Of course he was. We trotted up one hill and down another. Crossed drainage ditches without a second thought. Walked through the boggy creek mud at the second asking, and back into the brush. At this point we turned around and headed back. Oh the dreaded crosswalks! Tucker is still unsure of these suburban obstacles but it took far less asking on the way back. As soon as he realized we were getting close to the barn--the singing started. I think he needs a nickname...

Untacked, brushed out, and delighted to nibble on a few apple treats, I took Tucker back to his pasture where he found breakfast awaiting him.

He seems to like having a job. It doesn't matter if it's a trail, a jump or even arena movement on the bit--he's game for anything, even scary crosswalks.




Dun: A horse coat color that features primitive markings: a slightly darker hair shade from the base coat located in a dorsal stripe along the horse's backbone, horizontal striping on the upper legs

 
I like the "primitive" markings on Tucker the best. His dorsal stripe and the leg barring. He's a smart and unique equine fella and he teaches me something new every day.

Bratty McFatty!

Day Three of Summer Camp and already he's copped an attitude!  Mr. FancyPants has decided that he's a stud muffin, and he's taken to yelling for the girls every time he manages to catch his breath.  Sadly, no one usually hollers back...

But when he's not charming the ladies he's actually settling down to work.  Sunday dawned gorgeous and we'd decided to take it easy on the boy and just have a bit of gentle exercise.  He greeted us happily, having just awakened from a nap next to his buddy.  Erin rode him up from his pasture bareback with just his halter and lead rope, and she mistakenly thought that was how the day was going to go -- nice and leisurely.  But surprisingly, as soon as he was tacked up his VIP attitude kicked in!  Why walk like a gentleman in the arena when you can crow hop, leap around sideways, rear, snort, spin, lurch and otherwise act like a maniac?!

It took Erin awhile to get him to listen and move forward as opposed to jittering around everywhere.  He was merely feeling good, having digested that high-quality hay and oats, and was game to push through a different agenda!  Countless circles in the outdoor arena finally yielded a forward-moving and sometimes-collected horse, but he was still very much feeling naughty.  After we got a few things established Erin decided to see if she could channel his boundless energy into something new.

Since the previous day's ride had gone so well for both of us, Erin knew he understood what was being asked.  He's settling into getting on the bit, moving forward, working out these circle things, and generally showing great progress.  Here's proof that Tucker's got the makings of an eventer as evidenced by his willingness on the flat:

But since today wasn't shaping up to be one of cooperation and ease, Erin wondered if he'd be game for an experiment: jumps!  The outdoor arena was full of jumps so she decided to trot him toward a little "X".  His ears flicked forward and over he went!  So we tried another, and another and another, each time he seemed to be more and more willing to settle into the work.  He clipped a rail now and then, and when he wasn't sure what to do with his legs he hesitated, but overall Tucker seemed quite interested in the notion of doing something other than circles.  Shanna worked as ground crew and created two little jumps in a line.  The first X was nice and distracting so that he could trot out of it and nicely jump the little straight bar 4 strides later.

We did this for about 15 minutes, making sure he was good and tired before Phase Two.  Shanna handled him beautifully at all 3 gaits in the outdoor arena, and as a reward we decided to cool him out along the wooded trail.  She rode him and Erin walked behind with Tori the Akita, who'd just been introduced to his first barn (and subsequently his first equine) today. He was un-phased, as usual. Once we were off the property and starting down the trail Tucker quit singing out to his ladies and seemed thrilled to have a taste of the outdoors.  His first love, after all, is trail riding -- he's superb in this domain, which makes us think that combining jumps with his love of the woods will make him quite a game eventer.

After his ride (that turned out to be quite a lengthy workout due to his resistance to settling down) he got the yummy bath and requisite treats he's become accustomed to.  And for a special indulgence post-strenuous workout, Shanna rubbed him down with Bigel Oil Gel!

Tucker's shenanigans are quite harmless as he really seems to both trust and respect his Aunties.  And while he can be naughty it's clear he's not being deliberately nasty.  Frisky, handsome, quite full of himself!  And we're loving every minute spent with this awesome horse....

The Weigh-In

The words "fatty boobalatty" come to mind here.  :)   Since his momma's been otherwise occupied and we've been bad about getting up north to ride much this summer, Tucker's gotten.... rather plump.  We were wondering just how rotund, so we taped him: 1149 lbs.  Kinda chubby for a 15.2 h horse -- so in addition to Camp's regular activities we've decided to keep a running tally of his measurements.

We awoke this morning wondering how Tucker fared his first night away.  Seems we had no worries -- when we arrived at his field he actually left his food to greet us.  It appeared that he'd very recently been given his nightly rations, and while we hated to interrupt what looked to be a delectable dinner, we had work to do.  He was totally game.

We had another saddle to try and it was unanimous -- the Aunties both like the same saddle, and Tucker appears to be cool with it too!  Erin's had a long-standing love affair with rubber rainbow reins, and thanks to Shanna's generosity she was able to get Tucker hooked on them today as well.

As we'd hoped, Tucker was eager to get to the barn for his one-on-two time.  Not only was he not bummed about being temporarily removed from his dinner, but he was also not phased by getting right to work in the arena.  He understood what we were asking him to do and he animatedly moved from one gait to the next.  In his new tack he acted workmanlike and, in keeping with the big fella's personality, managed a few "I'm-feeling-great" bucks here and there.

At the end of our 45-minute saddle-testing, circle-making, gait-changing ride, we learned about Tucker's new love affair.  Just a few minutes before we were done in the arena he started acting like a stallion -- whinnying, running around with his head up like a giraffe, completely oblivious to the task at hand.....  Tucker has fallen in love.  Her name is Frosty and she's a flea-bitten grey who really couldn't care less about the poor fella.  But he was so concerned about her whereabouts that we decided to walk away while we were all still happy.

At Tucker's insistence we gave him a bath.  After all, he had a hot date back in his field!  The anticipation of his across-the-fence rendezvous with Frosty a bit later caused him to be nice and quiet for his bath. We even got his face, buns and tail clean!

As we headed back to tuck him in for the night he pranced around like a peacock, tail held high, singing at the top of his lungs.  Ahhh, young love.....

He's here! He's here!

Beth, Cassidy and Tucker arrived safely in Redmond this morning, much to our glee.  After we introduced him to camp and his new buddies, Cass decided she wanted to say goodbye.  What a brave little rider she is -- definitely showing symptoms of becoming a future eventer!

 

Once mom and little sister headed home Tucker got right to work with his first day at Camp.  First order of business was helping his Aunties select a new saddle.  We're in the market anyway for a nice, quality saddle and there's definitely no time like the present.  Shanna picked up two possibilities yesterday after work so we were eager to try them out on Tucker. While he didn't seem to have much of a preference, we both agreed that one was more comfortable than the other.

And while we were testing saddles Tucker was working out his ya-yas.  Actually, he was very good.  Way better than we were expecting the big fella to be since he was at a strange barn inside a dim arena.  Tucker's a master at wooded trails and exploring the outdoors, but his experience trotting circles in arenas is thus far limited.  And he was a rock star today!  (Although it was clear that he couldn't see much point in drawing endless circles in the sand, never really getting anywhere fun....)

  

With the narrowing down of the potential new saddles done, the three of us decided that in order to help Tucker fit in among his new peers here at Camp, we'd pull his mane.  Now Mr. T. is a sensitive sort of fellow so we weren't sure how this would go.  Some horses actually have to be tranquilized before their mane can be messed with, but Tucker stood like an absolute gentleman in the cross-ties for over two hours for his beautification procedure.  Of course, having his sheath cleaned and his entire body massaged by his Auntie Shanna made the time veritably fly!  

We have no doubt that he really gets how handsome and clever he is.  He soaked in the attention in the barn like a sponge, introducing himself to Ginger and Hazy and their humans. He acted like he's hung out at eventing barns his whole life!  It's clear his Momma has done an amazing job teaching him everything from manners to how to behave like a great horse. He knows right from wrong. He's got three good gaits and a very willing heart. Once we work down that grass belly and start building a little more muscle (for all 3 of us, that is) with our weekly lessons, we're hoping that the three of us can make our Seattle debut at a local schooling show.  Oooh, what fun!

After his long first day at Camp we tucked him into his new pasture, which he gleefully checked out.  Various bits of poop from unknown horses were ripe for the sniffing! 

And there where new neighbors to nicker at!

Clearly we see that Tucker's quite food-motivated, so he was absolutely tickled to discover grain in his bucket! He savored every, single last morsel of it.....

.... from all directions..... 

.... and then a few leftover morsels that had somehow departed the bucket.....

... and just in case there was any residual dust, he gave the bucket a brisk shake!

With a full belly, a happy sigh and a cheerful laugh we left him to his new home for the night.

But we'll be back first thing in the morning, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready for a little more exercise and a warm sudsy bath!

 

Obviously there will be no shortage of love at Summer Camp this year.....

Mr. T. arrives today!

Shanna and I could hardly sleep last night -- our excitement about Tucker's arrival today resembled that of a 6-year old's Christmas Eve bedtime!  We stayed up late into the night chatting about his summer with us and happily donned our breeches and boots this morning.

We just spoke with Beth and she and the handsome fellow are en route to Tucker's new summer camp, an eventing barn in Redmond.  He'll have a big pasture in which to play and maybe even a buddy or two to beat up.

The barn's great.  Just 10 minutes up the road from Shanna's office it's so convenient that he'll get loved on every single day, even when Erin's on a trip.  Saddle Rock Stables is a professional barn but it's got a nice, laid-back feel.  The folks we met when we interviewed them seem friendly and capable, and we're looking forward to meeting fellow horse addicts and making new buddies.

The facilities are awesome -- an outdoor jumping arena for when Tucker's a bit more fit, and a covered arena for those gloomy wet days that sometimes happen in the Northwest.  ;-)  There is also an extensive wooded trail system that runs right through the property for more than a dozen miles!  So when he's not being asked to go in circles Tucker will be able to chill out under the shade of the trees on superbly groomed trails like he's used to. (And there are maps of the trails for when Magellan (Erin) goes out by herself -- she'll hopefully be able to navigate her way back on the same day!)

Each of us has different goals for our summer spent with this sweet horse.  Shanna's eager to increase her fitness and learn more advanced skills on this challenging and forward horse.  She's been riding off and on since she was a kid with her own horse, and she's looking forward to learning about some of the more refined aspects of English riding.  Erin's, not surprisingly, keen to get back into the show ring after a 15-year competition hiatus.  She hopes that as Tucker gets fitter and they all get weekly lessons together, both on the flat and over fences, they'll have the pleasure of getting all spiffed up for a schooling show or two before he heads home in a few months.

Stay tuned for our daily adventures with Tucker as he hangs out at Summer Camp in Seattle!  Right now we've got to go welcome the big guy to his new digs!

(And a HUGE thank you to Beth, for entrusting us with her Boy.  We'll pamper him and smooch on him and pretty much spoil Tucker rotten....)