Bruno Advice-A Bruno Story

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Exechorseluver

From the artist Amber Brooks comes a symbol of the loves of my life-animal anyway-with the Poodle and the thoroughbred.

I just received the above watercolor drawing today. I LOVE it. It seems to sum up what is near and dear to my heart. What a talent this Georgia lady is. She owns poodles and horse like I.

From a conversation on my office about how siblings have the same genetics yet turn out so uniquely, so can be true in the thoroughbred world. Thoroughbreds are (usually) thoughtfully bred to produce the best assets a breeder can give them through choice of sire, dam and the rest of the relatives as well. I have blogged before about Bruno (registered name-Fiddler’s Pilgrim) being well-bred with AP Indy, Seattle Slew, Secretariat and others. I just had never spent too much time looking at his dam’s side of the family.

Today I glanced at the pedigree once again. I realized while his grand-sire on one side was AP Indy (pictures in blog further back) I had not noticed that his maternal grand-sire was Hansel. Hansel was a top horse as well-most would say greater than AP. Winning two legs of the Triple Crown (the Preakness and Belmont) and many other big stake races.

Bruno’s great grandsire, Hansel.

It was a little difficult to come to grips with such a prestigous horse with so many famous relatives, rolling in the mud at my little place in Wharton. Talk about a long way from New York. The fun of the OTTBs is their great heritage and lineage.

I texted my friend and sometimes farrier, Sean, who grew up in the thoroughbred world, his grandmother one of the first female managers of a large track in the US. He has also spent time as a jockey. He rode AP Indy. I texted him about Hansel. He replied that having Hansel and AP Indy as your grandfathers is pretty much Thoroughbred royalty. I gave him a little update about how Bruno was doing, that we were starting training and even had done a few jumps

I love dry humor. I received Sean’s text back. He told me Bruno was bred to run, that he was a great horse. I certainly agreed with him. He had ridden the great AP Indy and gave Lauren some tips previously. Then he made me laugh out loud with his final comment. ” I would suggest one thing when you get that horse back in shape and ready for the jumper ring, GO SLOW!! That is one horse that was born for speed and Lauren better never let Bruno take off with her. GO SLOW!”

Absolutely made my day. It is kind of like in the Disney movie, Secretariat, when jockey Ronnie has clearly won the Belmont race and his trainer yells, “Ronnie, don’t fall off”.

I can just see me in the stands watching Bruno and Lauren attack a big jumper course and me yelling., ‘Remember, go slow!”

The Barrel Jump-a Bruno Story

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Mickey jumping the infamous barrel jump. Set here at 3’6″.

We got these metal jump cups that attach to the side of barrels. A lot of our friends, actually a lot of my friends all my life have been barrel racers. I have owned and run a top barrel horse in my youth. My arena will always have some barrels in it. When I found these jump cups that make my barrels into jump standards, I had to have them.

A barrel is about three foot high. With the jump set on the top cup, with a regular pole, it is a solid 3’6″. With Mickey, we made it an oxer as well. Mickey was sailing over the jump, but he was an experienced jumper. Feather has not jumped the barrel jump before last night and not on the top setting.

We took Bruno out to work and I was armed with my camera not wanting to miss a shot of Bruno finally jumping a fence. We started the barrel jump as an X. It was about two and half feet tall. Honestly, he could walk over it. I saw him trot towards it, move into a canter, easily jump and come back to Lauren (as opposed to running off strong). For OTTB Bruno, with his racer’s soul, it was something good to learn. That he has stayed sound as our work-outs have increased in intensity and now over the jumps is great as well.

Lauren has never jumped Bruno over anything other than an X. I wanted to take the jump up to a vertical, which is really a horizontal pole across the width of the jump (don’t know why it is called a vertical but it is). Lauren said no. I set it up anyway. I will be first to admit his jump is not perfect, no nice even knees, he will hopefully continue to learn. The main point of the picture below and while I squealed with glee when I first saw it, is how Bruno makes this jump look like a toy. Ask any barrel racer, they will tell you they don’t mind racing around a barrel, but they sure would never consider jumping over one.

While this jump is not the full height or width of one Mickey is jumping above, it still was the first balloon we have floated out there to see if Bruno might have the makings of a jumper. Lauren has never competed in a division with fences over 3’6″. In this picture, Bruno’ s giant OTTB body, absolutely dwarfs the barrels. His back feet are still on the ground. His upper body is easily a foot over the top of the barrels. It was quite an ‘ah hah!’ moment for us. I quickly texted one of my friends to tell her the news. She told me she was excited to see where this Bruno story was going.

Each of these small steps, takes closer and closer to having a show horse. We are going to take it slow but it is sure a lot more fun watching him jump than watching him stand in his stall!

Pixie had a good solid ride. She seems to be maturing before our eyes. We got finished up with those two and Lauren saddled up Feather for workout. We don’t jump Feather much at home, preferring to save her legs for lessons and shows. But the barrel jump was calling to her. Again, not set up as high as Mickey jumped, Feather was her usual over-achiever self.

Feather did a pretty good job of making those barrels look small as well. Maybe, we got a couple of sterling youngsters (three if you count Pixie) gaining ground and showing promise at our farm today.

Thanks for riding along!

Another Hot Summer Day

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Getting Snow’s stall all set for his return! If you look carefully you can see the poodle’s reflection.

As the hot summer days continue (no rain since Fourth of Ju-LIE-as my momma would say), the heat index has tipped over 100 each and every day, Lauren has been readying the barn for the Snow’s return. In some sort of manic phase of activity, Lauren has stripped the hay stall, cleaning out cob webs, moving hay, moving pallets from stall to stall, leveling the floor, adding dirt, adding rubber mats, and (are you ready for this?) changing out the gates herself.

I was actually, shocked! More of her father’s genetic code must run through her system than what I thought. I did not even know that she could possibly take down on six-foot gate and replace it with a four-foot stall gate. We keep the hay locked behind higher walls and higher gates. So, Lauren had to remove the boards from the stall that will be Snow’s and then cut (with a saw) the boards to fit the new hay stall. I was just amazed.

I think Jordyn is going to be thrilled when we surprise her with Snow’s return to Six Meadow Farm. The stall is not done yet, we have a fan to install, plywood to set in the back of the stall and of course, shavings.

Dev suggested that next weekend when we have a horse show that Snow is attending, that we just take him home then. That will save an extra long trip to Dev’s to pick him up. We had planned to bring Jordyn down for a lesson on Labor day weekend and just, SURPRISE! Snow was home. Ally and her kids are headed to Denver to help Amber and kids celebrate their birthdays so Jordyn won’t even be in town when Snow gets here. Hopefully by the 21st or so, we can get the big surprise done.

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Meanwhile, I am continuing to work Pixie in hopes of turning her into an all-star hunter pony. She has been a little reluctant to work hard with heat. She has been getting extra time on the lunge line. I decided to try her over a small jump. She is young and never been jumped with a person on her back. She jumped the first time I asked and each time thereafter. We are going to get Dr. Criner out to check her alignment, back, and sternum. She does not like her back feet worked with and is still mareish when I tighten the girth.

Not perfect, but her first jump in Texas. She was totally willing to do whatever I asked.

DC will look at Bruno as well. We have scheduled Bruno’s first lesson at Dev’s. Lauren was telling farrier Roland last night as he marveled that Bruno still had his cast and shoe on, that she had ridden him eight times in the last ten days-and that was more rides than we had ever had since we have owned him. He seems to be getting physically stronger and easier to handle each time they ride.

Roland was watching him last night as he finished up with the horses, “He really is a great looking horse, I hope he does great things”. Ditto, Roland, Ditto.

Thank you for riding along. Going out right now (temp just dipped to a cool 99 degrees) to ride Pixie, Feather and Bruno. Good night to all of you!

JUMP-A Bruno Story

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Exechorseluver

X makes the spot!

Two hundred and thirty-three days since OTTB Bruno underwent surgery to clear a long-time infection to his coffin bone, Lauren simply headed towards this X and Bruno jumped.

Regular readers will know all the trials and issues we have endured trying to get Bruno back to sound. Five months in his stall, totally. Months confined to a small area. Boring days and critical accidents that we did not think Bruno would survive. But he has and since his shoeing (with a cast, straight bar shoe and equi-thane filler) a week ago last Saturday each day he has been moving a little better and with a less of a limp. We will need to do exercises to strengthen his hind end so he does not fall so hard on his forehand. Any dressage trainer anywhere near Wharton? But we can do that. It will take some time.

Lauren usually works Feather in the morning. Then Bruno and Pixie are worked in the early evening. I have not been ready for her to ride Bruno when I am 100 miles away. But each day that he has been worked his attitude and mental state are better.

Last night, Lauren wanted to ride Feather so she would have me there as she worked Feather through the jump grids assigned by Dev as homework. I had Pixie saddled. I wondered then what would happen when Bruno got to the ring and saw the jumps. Like a lot OTTB owners we don’t know a lot about his life before us. We can chronicle and even watch some race footage. But there are big gaps for us. Questions like why did such a big, well-bred colt start racing so late (at age 4)? Did he have hoof issues all along?

We know he came here to Texas to Sherre Sims, an excellent hunter-jumper rider and trainer. But we do not have details about what work she did with him. Has he ever been jumped through a course, if so how high?

Lauren texted me early this morning that she was getting on Bruno. Just like I had with Pixie a few days ago, we set a time limit and if we have not heard from the rider within say an hour, it is time to dispatch the ambulance. We are out in an area without close neighbors (or at least neighbors would might even notice if we fell off) and we ride alone, a lot.

I kept track of the time and saw Lauren’s call come in on my cell. I was scared-was she okay? She told me I would be mad at her-heart pounds faster. “Why what did you do?” “I jumped Bruno”. The rule is no jumping when you are riding alone. Still, instead of from fear my heart started to pound with excitement. “How did he do?” I wanted to know.

She said they were just going through the paces, the X came up on the outside line. Lauren made a decision to jump. Bruno continued his even pace, rounded his back, jumped, landed athletically and continued to canter. So, he cantered. He spotted the X. He jumped the X.

And he walked off sound! I will get some photos soon. Tonight all I have is photo of what the jump must have looked like to Bruno as he cantered up to it.

Praise God!! It has been a long time coming. A new big chapter in the Bruno, My OTTB story has just started. Please keep riding along!

Hot times in the Summer

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Jp and Alice-run out of their cool tack room by Control Cat-lounge around in the cool dirt.

Some days around the barn are just catch up days. The heat index has exceeded 100 degrees for several days now and rain is no where in the forecast. I felt like I needed to strap on the Gatroade IV and just get going. Since we have made the decision to bring Snowboy back home, we will need to get moving on some neglected chores. We have two stalls devoted to hay storage-one for coastal hay and one for alfalfa. We will have to merge the hay rooms (which will reduce our winter storage capacity) to make a stall for Snow.

I started cleaning out the ‘to-be-Snowboy’ stall. There were a lot spider webs and spiders in the many things haphazardly thrown into the extra stall. I am not freaked out by spiders like my friends Gaylyn, other Lauren and Chelsie. But… I do not want them touching me or biting me. Being covered in sweat let all the webs and dust adhere to me-I was one attractive women when these chores were done.

In the past, I have brought the small mower over and mowed the bit of grass that grows under the barn roof along the fence line. I decided that was way too much work. Instead, I engaged Pixie the-cleaner-upper to work her way down the fenceline. The work got done and she got some special attention.

Pixie, the ultimate weed eater!

I threw out all the old cat food that had sat in the various feed bowls since Control Cat moved in necessitating the set up of multiple feed stations since the other cats could no longer go in the tack room. Kona and Lula were on hand to clean up all the cat food. What a helpful group of animals I have.

At one point into the hot summer morning, I saw Kona, with his long, black coat , overdue for a clipping, just hop into the horse’s water trough. He stood there for some time just languishing in the cool water. I know Kid was not going to be happy with him for getting dirt in the tank but Kona did not care. Kid only likes to drink out of clean water troughs. Water is at a premium, Kid, buck up!

I got Pixie saddled for a ride. I texted Lauren to let her know I was riding alone (always a good idea). First, I thought I would try lunging the little pony, who has recently come into heat. Boy, was she feeling like a hormonal mare! I cinched up the girth and she angrily stared at me like I was puncturing her uterus. When I got her on the lunge line, I really wasn’t thinking and immediately as we started off at a trot, she bolted off, yanking the lunge line out of my hands (must have been watching the ‘Feather bolts on the lunge line show’ of the other night) and took off out the open gate (should have shut the gate as well). I was feeling hot and stupid at this point. I went, collected the mare, tied her up, went back to the tack room for gloves and my helmet and started over again.

The gloves let me keep a firm hold on the line. The helmet protected me as she raced and kicked at my head. Fun times! But it did get a lot energy worked out of the pony, before I stepped in the saddle. She was still wanting to duck and buck but we came to an understanding pretty quickly. As Robert Earl Keen says there is nothing like a mother bucking mare! And I did not want to be the mother she bucked off.

Later, I went to visit my mom and she is deep in her own fantasy island. She told me Jim had stopped by and brought her the new outfit she was wearing (which was a pink sweat suit circa 1990). She talked excitedly about how they had gone out for brunch and what a wonderful time she had. Far be it for me to insert any dose of realty to a happy woman. I just let her croon on about Jim and being so pleased to see him. I know he misses her and would be here to visit if he could.

Hot times continue. Thank you for riding along!

Kona Goes to the Jungle

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Kona already hot at the top of the trail.

I am on a wellness and fitness kick. BORING-I know. Being on a fitness kick in south Texas in August is good because it is so freaking hot that you burn more calories just trying to keep your body cooled. It is also horrible because it is so freaking hot. The heat index yesterday was 106!

In the morning I did work around the barn. There was a lot to catch up on. I have a pedometer to keep track of my steps and had walked a couple of miles just doing chores. I decided to get back to the walking habit I used to enjoy in Florida-trying to walk three miles a day (most days).

Lauren and Blake were off to World of Hunting or some equally exciting trade show. I was off to the state park with Kona. The closest one was Bravos Bend State Park-known for its swamps and alligators. I was guessing that the dry spell we were in would have minimized the swamp and driven the alligators off the beaten path (I hoped).

I was smart enough to bring water but not smart to bring with us when we started walking. We headed down a path in the woods. Kona thought I was nuts. First, why were we walking when it was so hot? Second, where were we? I might live in the country, but Kona might as well have been dropped in the jungles of Southeast Asia for all that was familiar to him. In our rural little corner of the world, there are unlimited views, corn, grass and some more grass.

From the moment we stepped onto the trail, Kona acted like a high-strung Arabian at his first parade. He jumped at every little sound. The squirrels in the tree sent him spinning (I have no idea why we do not have any squirrels but we do not). The breeze rattling the palms sent him scampering away. As we continued down the path (headed toward the 40 Acre Lake-according to the map) Kona walked along with me but was ever vigilant, shying away from imagined foes.

I was really surprised. Kona has successfully negotiated many horse show venues, been inside Reliant Arena with no issues, hung out with the residents at the nursing home, but Bravos Bend park was undoing my poodle. I think his senses were overloaded with all the intense smells, the sounds of insects, animals and who knows what and the glimpses of unknown animals through the wooded knolls. As we walked along, we both got hotter but Kona never really settled in. Kona kept pulling me into the shade on the side of the trail as if to say, let’s stop here-we can hang out where it is cooler.

As we made the loop around, deer jumped out about 200 yards ahead of us. Kona halted. His nose to the wind. Pointing. He gave a little bark and would have given chase. He had no idea what those strange animals were but they looked a little like small ponies so at least Kona had something to relate to.

I think the only time Kona was comfortable was when we finally stopped at the turn-around point on a wooden bench. He immediately jumped up beside me as if to say ‘this is more like it!’.

We took a picture together (there may be something a little sad about taking a selfie with your poodle) and headed home.

Kona says “Finally, some civilization and a place to sit”.

Feather Bolts!

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Mickey does not appreciate Jordyn!

We have tried to get by, furthering Jordyn’s riding experience using the horses we have here. It has been okay. There have been times like above, where she has pulled too much in their mouths. There have been times when the horses have been either too stubborn or too fast. But we got by okay, until Jo went off to horse camp at Miss Dianne’s. Then she learned to trot.

Jordyn has her own pony or I guess you could say, we have a pony, Snowboy, that we have had for years but Lauren can no longer show (and has moved past anyway in skill level) that we have lent to Dev to use for his beginner students. Always with the caveat that he would come home when Jordyn was committed and ready to ride. Honestly, she probably has been for some time, but I have dragged my feet. We have five horses at our house now. Five to feed, exercise, shoe, vet-well, you get the idea. I did not need one more mouth to feed, etc.

Jordyn came down Thursday night to ride. Lauren was riding Bruno. I had Pixie saddled up. We saddled Feather for Jordyn. Mickey was big time lame so there was no riding him.

No where in any horse planning book would it suggest to use such a young horse for such an inexperienced rider. Jordyn got on. She immediately had Feather walking around the arena and even successfully over the trot poles (which takes a lot steering and planning). Still I was reluctant to let them go on while I got on Pixie. I kept stalling. I was worried big Bruno would get moving pretty fast and stir up Feather. I wanted to be close by if anything happened.

Jordyn wanted to trot. It is all she wants to do. I was afraid. I should go with my gut feelings. I suggested putting her on the lunge line like we had Mickey. I kind of forgot that Feather was not a great lunger-Mickey has years of experience-Feather is terrified of whips and things moving behind her. STUPID!!!

Feather also has a trot that is not the simple western jog of Mickey but a big, flowing trot of a larger horse. Things went okay for about one minute. I held the lunge line and moved Feather forward from behind. Jordyn was squealing ‘trot, trot!” and Feather obeyed. But immediately Jordyn started bouncing in the saddle (not the smooth trot she was expecting) and Feather flat a** panicked! I think Feather thought Jordyn had become a leopard which had pounced on her back. I was still holding the lunge line and watched terrified as Feather bolted into a gallop. In huge strides, she ran in the sand around as I stood helplessly.

I will give Jo credit as she hung on for at least five or six laps around our little lunge circle. I finally got my wits about me and shortened the line to pull Feather to a stop. When I did, Jordyn went flying off the tiny English saddle and landed screaming on her side.

As a mother or grandmother, there are few worse moments than when you see the young one bounce from the saddle. The praying starts in earnest! PLEASE let her be okay! It was five of the worst minutes of my life as Jordyn lay in the sand. Feather came tentatively over as if to say she was sorry-she just freaked out.

Jordyn, thankfully, is fine. She has road rash from the sand on her face, chest and shoulders. She has a sore back. She has an impressive bruise on her leg. But she was tough and determined and okay!

I do not have a horse that is safe for Jordyn to go to the next level beyond a walk with. Regardless, of the extra work, it is time. Time for Snowney, the white pony, to come home to Six Meadow Farm. Jordyn’s birthday is September 4th. He will be her birthday surprise.

They say God protects small children and fools. I am grateful on both counts.

The change my life diet

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Exechorseluver

I don’t know what really made me stick with it this time. I have undertaken a million diets over the years, but this time, maybe because Ally was involved in an actual diet program or maybe because my cousin was blogging about his diet success, I decided I would really do it!

I was athletic and fit most of my life. Pretty much until I moved to Texas and had some hard times. Food seemed a good consolation prize. At one point I was 35 pounds heavier than I am now and I am not lean now.

I got that 35 pounds off but struggled to get the next 20 off. I know what to do, I exercise, but I just eat too much of the wrong thing too often. To me (like a lot of things) it is simple math. There are 3500 calories in a ONE pound. So to lose weight you have to cut that many calories out of your diet for every pound you want to lose-it takes time. Exercise helps but it is about eating less-at least for me.

My daughter Ally Taylor (I have her contact information at the bottom if you want to learn more) is an Advocare distributor. She talked my other daughters (Amber and Lauren) and myself into doing the diet (actually, they do not call it a diet but a change of lifestyle) all together. I set some monetary rewards for October if we have met our goals.

I know, I know, another diet. But for me, this one made sense. It is about eating lean protein, fresh vegetables, fruits and staying away from any compound foods. They have their supplements and shakes but for me it mostly about changing what I ate. I have not been hungry on this plan once. And it is not crazy expensive like so many. It was a couple hundred dollars, but that was also an incentive to take it seriously! Make an investment in myself, I thought.

It is an initial 24-day challenge. Today is my 24th day. I have not lost a lot weight-only five pounds, but it is five pounds that I could not budge for years so I think it is a good start. I am continuing with the plan and know it will continue to move the scale down. Additionally, I lost over TEN inches in these 24 days. Last week I posted pictures of me holding the horses and my mid-section is smaller-no question! That weight around the waist is hard to lose. I lost almost two inches from my waist. Makes my five pounds look better, huh?

The girls, Amber and Ally had similar 24-day results. They lost 5-7 pounds and lots of inches. We all have had children and I swear fat sticks to us more than our non-baby bearing kin. Lauren, fit already, made much better food choices, stopping her serious ice cream habit and replacing it with healthy items. She lost just short of TEN pounds and almost 14 inches. Of course she did (pretty annoying, right?)!

The biggest thing for me? Since I was 13 years-old, I have drunk Diet Coke or its equivalent (then it was TAB and Diet Rite) in mass quantities every day. I called it my biggest vice. At a party I showed up with a six-pack of Diet Coke. I drank over ten cans a day-every day that’s a lot of Diet Coke over the years. I have now had maybe ten diet sodas in total in the last 24 days!!! I am drinking water. Believe me if I can do this with my habit, anyone can.

So, Advocare has given me the structure to finally re-organize my life. As my friend Sandra said yesterday, each day we are only older. If I don’t commit to making these changes now-when will it be time?

My cousin has lost the big 20 pounds already so I have some work to do to catch him. I ordered some new walking shoes today. I am going to make this change in my life! I will keep you updated.

Ally Taylor Distributor # 130627191 Sparkfame@yahoo.com www.sparkfame.com

Ally Taylor
Distributor # 130627191
Sparkfame@yahoo.com
http://www.sparkfame.com

Exechorseluver

The life and times of modern day horse woman

Monthly Archives: August 2013