Road trip to meet new horses

Copious_Amour · Road trip to meet new horses

Tomorrow, or should I say today really, since it's already 12:48am, I go meet some potential new horses in my life. I haven't slept much the last three nights because I am so excited and it looks like tonight will be no different. I took a Melatonin to help force me to sleep and the pages of Dover, State Line and Smart Pak look like a highlighter went crazy on them.

The horse I am hoping I will click with is a yearling Percheron/Clydesdale/Quarter Horse/Gypsy Vanner cross. He is currently 14.3 and dark bay with black undertones. He has a blaze that gets crooked in some spots that I love. He should mature to 16h or above and from the looks of it, he has a very strong canter and a typical heavy weight trot. I am hoping to hit it off and I hope that he is a left brainer. Preferably LBE but LBI would do too. My plans for him are to show him in sport horse halter classes to get him used to different situations. I have three years to create the most incredible connection possible on the ground with him. I'll start him lightly at four and having known him for three years, it should be very easy. I want to clinic on him, go camping with him and learn natural message with Karen Rohlf which will hopefully branch out to natural evening. I miss eventing and if I can figure out how to do it naturally, this guy sure would make a good heavy weight eventer. There are four other horses I plan on visiting when at this ranch but my heart races every time I see Dillion so I really hope he and I get along.

I've packed my 12' line, my draft size Parelli halter, some apples and carrots and some health treats for us on the drive. It's a two hour drive and we will be going through Santa Cruz which is one of my favorite places. Mom has never been so I want to take her to falafel while there

Crossing my fingers this works out

I'll take tons of pictures and videos.

Meet Dillion:

sebocat

Wow, he's stunning

but he doesn't look like a yearling.....
He reminds me a lot of Paco.
I love my draft cross - hope he works out!

becdubie

Sounds like a wonderful day planned. Horses and Santa Cruz.... Santa Cruz....ah...brings back some memories of when I was much younger. I've been told the boardwalk was getting pretty run-down..hope that's not the case. Post some pictures of the horses and the beach please.

Copious_Amour

Suz my thoughts exactly. Doesn't look like a yearling. If he turns out anything like Paco? I'll be in heaven

Bec, I will post tons! Haven't been to the boardwalk. Went last year for Valentines and was on crutches so we didn't go. I hope not either.

misstux

He's a cutie! I am looking forward to hearing all about your visit with him.

Copious_Amour · The skinny on the horses I met today

I slept for 15 minutes this morning. It became 14 when my alarm clock went off at 6:30am. I closed my eyes and didn’t want to go see Dillion. I was just falling asleep! I yanked myself out of bed and splashed my face with cold water about six times. I could have used more splashing of cold water. About ten times more. Tied my hair in ribbon and thought of Trisha Yearwood. This gave me enough hope to get dressed. Pulled open my drawer full of Parelli halters and leads and searched for the draft sized halter then decided I probably didn’t need to take a halter and it would probably, okay positively, stay in the car for a couple of months too long if I took it.

Filled up the car with gas in our trusty Kia Soul which we didn’t get cleaned out like planned. Filled our stomach with healthy snacks like we had planned. I made a good back seat driver for about twenty minutes before I decided to “rest” my eyes to my mom’s appreciation.

About 15 minutes later my mouth got really watery. That’s funny I thought, I don’t remember sucking on an Air Head. About t-minus 2 seconds later, I needed a bag and I needed it fast. Yes, what you can imagine came next, came next. A few times actually.

I felt better. Much better. We pulled over to the side of the road and found a trash can. I was relieved that our trusty biodegradable dog poop bag turned out to be so sturdy. Now I was in need of some Dramamine and fast. We pulled into a small town right outside of Santa Cruz. The man in the gas station was not from the bay area. He was tapping his fingers on the counter and smiling. I felt better just looking at someone so happy. We grabbed some stomach friendly drinks, put more fuel in the car and took off on our search for these beautiful horses once again.

About twenty five minutes and one hundred cute orchards later, we finally turned into the second driveway on the right into the Mitchell Ranch where I my heart swelled and I stuck my face up to the window while my eyes darted in search of a horse that looked like he might be Dillion. After stopping and staring at what would seem like the most adorable foal to ever walk the earth (because all other foals aren’t as cute as the one standing in front of you) we inched forward slowly in our car. I spotted a horse itching his neck against a jolly ball hanging from a tree. “That’s him!” Sure enough Mr. GQ turned his big beautiful head towards our car and met my eyes. He came walking over to our car to say hi. By now there was a car that was driving slowly behind us. Sucked to be them, I hopped out of the car anyway because I had to see Dillion, he was walking over to me as it were. I snapped a couple of pictures, pet his nose and hopped back in the car urging my mom to now pick up the speed and get us to the barn.

Pulling into a driveway with bamboo flanking each side of the road, there were colorful beautiful horses in paddocks everywhere. Palominos, Buckskins, Smoky Gruellas, paints of every color.

Parking next to the round-pen we learned that the person with Idaho plates that was stuck behind our car when I hopped out of the car in a fit of seven year old girl syndrome was Kelly, the sales manager.

I took everything in. Then I took Callin in. I spotted him with his big beautiful patches of palomino and his big cresty neck. Walking closer to him I discovered he had warts all over his nose. Oh no. No way.

I wasn’t going to touch him. Goodness. Someone was getting some hanky panky without protection. At such a young age too, shame shame Callin!

Huckleberry demanded a pet next. He was handsome but he didn’t make me want to break my neck turning back to stare at him.

Remmington stood in his stall munching on cubes of Alfalfa and Oat hay. When he lifted his head out of his manger I thought I might be having an asthma attack. He was absolutely stunning and my heart ached. He stood tall. His back short and coupled. His front legs long and lean. He looked like a hunter under saddle champion. Upper echelon. He had big beautiful jaws that stuck out from his face like only a horse that has been kept a stallion a while can display. His big beautiful dapples would put Cruella to shame. Still, I had my heart set on Dillion.

Next we walked down a steep hill of soft dirt. I knew that I would shortly be sporting the next fashion in dirt accessories.

What happened next can only be described as magical. Time did indeed stop. My mother and I locked eyes. Locked eyes with a giant voluptuous mare that is. She turned her face this way and that, modeling her best angles. Looking at her feet made me feel like a miniature horse looking up on the world’s tallest horse. She sported the best in china wear for feet. Thick white feathers hung over her hooves like bangs on a magazine vixen. We learned that this beautiful mare had a name. Maggie to be exact.

At the sound of her name, Maggie looked at us through her long, thick forelock and melted our hearts with her kind eyes. Mom decided I needed Maggie instead of Dillion. I decided I need Dillion more than Maggie. We both decided to have Kelly show us Maggie’s movement in the arena.

Dillion watched all the fuss go down and stood patiently in his paddock, and by patiently, I mean he continued to stuff his face with delicious Alfalfa and Oat cubes. I couldn’t blame him. I was about ready to dive into his bucket and start stuffing my face too. It was all too much. I needed food to comfort my senses that were being overwhelmed by beautiful horses.

Dillion lifted his magnificent head long enough to take a sniff of my hand. Probably disgusted by the smell of mozzarella cheese balls on my fingers. If he was disgusted, he never showed it. He was a gentleman.

Kelly put a halter on Dillion so I could pull his lips apart to look at his teeth. He didn’t really like that. Thought it was quite strange in fact. Teeth straight, check. So his longer upper lip wasn’t from being parrot mouthed. Hmmm. How curious. Kelly pulled Dillion out into the sun to hand wipe off some dirt and show me some of the roaning that was coming into Dillion’s flank. At this point his curious upper lip retracted and he didn’t look like Iago. This relieved me. Next Dillion was lead in front of us up to the arena. We were able to marvel at all that junk in that trunk.

Released into the arena Dillion announced to everyone and anyone who cared or didn’t care that he was now in the arena. He called to geldings. He called to mares. He called to a stallion that was trying to do his own showing off.

And then he performed. And then my heart stopped. And then my mom tapped me to ask if I was catching this on tape. I don’t know if I was able to vocally respond. Dillion had decided to put on his ballerina slippers and leap across the arena channeling his famous Arabian great grand long time ago grandmother twice removed and once shoved to the side. Except that, he didn’t have any Arabian blood. He flagged his tail back and forth like his not grandmother twice removed and shoved to the side. He lifted his powerful shoulders, shoved off from his giant badunkadunk and floated, that’s right, you didn’t read that wrong, floated across the arena; this way and that. Was I catching this? I don’t remember. I do remember needing to pick my mouth up off the ground though. Next came his hoppy but powerful yearling canter. He spent equal time moving forward and moving upwards. I’d seen this canter somewhere once before. An athletic Arabian/Appaloosa mare I rescued. Hop like a deer. Dillion had some ‘splainin to do. I was beginning to think he was an illegitimate colt. Dillion’s dam wanted everyone to believe that Dillion was the product of a careful breeding with her strong, beautiful husband, but in reality, mom was sneaking off with the next-door-neighbor’s Arabian stallion. It was the only explanation for Dillion’s grace in such a heavy body.

He continued to slap the ground so loud that I could hear him performing his petits jetes from across the arena. As he came back towards my mom and I he channeled his Friesian ancestry. He was doing a lot of channeling today. I was smitten. Oh so smitten and he was oh so pretty. Dillion announced his presence to everyone who didn’t care again and once he realized he wasn’t going to be getting any outside stimulation from the crowd, he decided to pick on a tumble weed. He bit the weed and started cantering around the arena with it in his mouth. Once the tumbleweed dropped and scraped up against his legs he bucked in defiance and tried to kick the offending weed. He circled around to go attack his prey once more.

I went into the arena to see what new moves Dillion would pull once I was able to see his movements from a side view. He galloped around the arena and gave me his eye. I walked backwards as soon as he locked his eyes onto mine. He locked onto my ask and came walking swiftly towards me. I backed quicker and he walked towards me quicker. I stopped. He stopped short in front of me breathing hard, nose flared, head high. Good boy! I wanted to touch his neck, his face, anything at all. I reached up to pet his neck. He wasn’t having any of it and decided he would nip my arm to push me out of his way. I was in his way apparently. I blocked his bite and got a good shove instead. He took off trotting in the other direction. I wanted him to come back. Was it something I said? Please come back you beautiful Arabian/Friesian freak horse you.

I wanted my mom to see Remmington. She wanted me to see Maggie. We went by Remmington’s paddock anyway. We ooohed and ahhhhhhed over his beautiful jaw and face. Then my mom reminded me of Maggie and that it was a good idea to look at all of them. I told her I wasn’t personally interested in Maggie. Then she said the magic words, “I want her for me.” That’s all it took for me to want to see Maggie in action as well.

My mom and I waited up by the arena while Kelly took Dillion back to his paddock and fetched Maggie.

I wanted to see more of Dillion. Maggie was released into the arena and I wasn’t too impressed. She looked slow and bored. And then all of that changed. The whip was cracked and off she went trotting in her big manner with her knees flat and stretched out. I instantly imagined her tacked up in hunter gear. We fell in love. She stopped. She isn’t used to arena work and couldn’t quite figure out why she wasn’t leading a pack of horses on a trail or pulling her wagon. That’s right. Maggie is trained to pull a wagon.

We walked into the arena and asked if we could see her being ridden. I watched as she was brushed and tacked up. I walked up to Maggie’s face and stood about a foot away. She took a step forward and bumped me lightly with her nose. I petted her face and then leaned up against the railing. She took another step forward and bumped me lightly with her nose about four times in a row. I took my hands and put them on her cheeks. That is what she wanted. She melted into my hands and lowered her head. I instantly announced that I wanted to ride her. My mom instantly announced that no, I would not be riding. That I would end up in the E.R. in pain if I did. She told me I was not going to ride. I wanted to ride.

We watched as Kelly rode Maggie. Maggie was more forward under saddle but still laid back. Kelly bounced up and down in the saddle and I announced again that I wanted to ride Maggie. My mom asked what I would do with my casted foot. Then Maggie cantered and I knew that I needed to ride her. So I rode her. And I fell in love. And I rode that big cushion for probably about six minutes while my heavy cast laid outside of the stirrup bumping Maggie in the side. Maggie wanted to trot. I let her trot. I think I became one with the saddle. And then it was over. I decided my mom needed Maggie. My mom had decided she needed Maggie long before that.

We listened to Maggie’s experience. Packing. Camping. Pulling a wagon and a cart. Giving lessons to 11 year olds. Leading guided trail rides. Becoming every ranch visitor’s favorite horse.

I thanked Maggie for being such a good girl for allowing me to ride her off balance and while she was out of shape. She thanked me for getting off of her.

My mom and I thanked Kelly profusely for showing us the horses on the ranch and we climbed in our car and started talking about new names for “our horses.” We started talking about where we were going to keep “our horses.” We talked about what the future held for “our horses.” We didn’t stop talking about Dillion and Maggied for two hours. And that is how I ended up back home, here in my bed without feeling like we drove for two hours.

That dear friends, is the story of the horses I met today. My mom and I want Dillion and Maggie. Can you tell?

Pictures of Maggie 10 year old American Drum Mare and Dillion yearling colt

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/WickedDetour/IMAG2329.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/WickedDetour/IMAG2347.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/WickedDetour/IMAG2333.jpg

Copious_Amour

Well it looks like we might have two new horses within the next three weeks. And two very new big journeys to start. I don't know anything about draft breeds other than that they are pretty. I've heard they are lazy but I can't help but want to teach my new colt some cool moves like piaffe in hand and the Spanish walk. We've got a lot of cool exercises we will be enjoying together for the next three years while he grows and some of the things you can imagine a light horse learning with ease, I don't want to ask him something he can't physically do. It's all new to me.

I have no idea where to get draft sized things. Dylan will grow to be about 16.2hands and Maggie is a little above 16. But they are wiiiiiiide. REALLY wide. Will definitely need a specialist to help us with saddle fitting.

This will be the first horse my mom has owned since her big accident in 2003 when she was riding her mare bareback that spooked and she fell off onto lava rocks and a big pile of red ants and broke 13 bones in her back. You can see why she's only ridden once or twice since then. I've been begging her to get back into horses with me for years. I guess Maggie is what she was looking for (without knowing she was looking.) Maggie is real thick and stout. Real slow. Even her fast trot is slow. She has the kindest eye and learning that she's teaching an 11 year old how to ride is just what my mom needed to be reassured that she would be the right horse to get back into riding. I am really excited. I love riding with my mom and watching her gingerly brush her mares face.
When I hopped on Maggie yesterday, I felt safe. Real safe. I wasn't expecting one sideways glance from her. She was a bit all around with her feet since she only has trail riding experience, but even then, I knew that she was going to be something really good for my mom.

It's all very exciting. Dylan is a good boy, someone I will enjoy spending the rest of his life with. He has quite a bit of energy but is calm about it all. He will be a great horse to have a lot of fun with. He will be able to do what I was looking for in a horse. A camping partner, a good steady trail horse, a teacher and student when we attend clinics. He'll be a wonderful challenge for the next three years. I hope to get to a pretty high level at some in hand tasks.

Bodie/Buddy's mom doesn't plan to sell the horses any time soon to my knowledge so it's kind of like I get the best of both worlds. I get to go visit Bodie and Buddy when I want and I can start my own adventure with Maggie and Dylan soon

sebocat

Excellent!

Don't worry about the draft stuff, its easy to find. More and more big tack stores are stocking draft tack from saddles and breastcollars to bits and bridles and everything in between. Its not as hard as it used to be.

The only trouble I have is specialty bits. Bob had a 7 inch mouth, and all I could find was rind snaffles and driving bits. Of course bosals and someother things are trick, but they are usually unnecessary. You can even get big blankets and sheets

I am in LOVE LOVE LOVE with by Barefoot Tahoe for Paco. He's round and hard to fit. I have a nice Zilco (?) breastcollar, and a waffle-neoprene girth and slippage is not an issue. (Seriously, its like trying to fit a saddle to a barrel...)

Ooooh you are going to have so much fun! I am so excited for you!!

Copious_Amour

Thanks so much Suz!

Here are two videos I took of him when I was visiting. Sorry they are shaky. I was paying more attention to watching him than my hand being steady.

I have no idea if he has good or bad movement for his breed, but I enjoy his personality which to me, counts the most

Your BF doesn't slip? Really? I'm looking at a Fhoenix saddle because Chloe told me it doesn't put you into the chair position like the BF do. Wait, I had a Black Forrest, not a Barefoot so the positioning might be different. Do you feel like you're in a chair position? Have you ever jumped in yours? Any problems with it slipping? Chloe also mentioned that you can mount from the ground with most horses if using a Fhoenix. I just want to make sure I'm not sitting directly on my horse's spine and it's not causing pain and that will be good enough for me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BridleLessEquus#p/a/u/1/66-WlQbkq7s

http://www.youtube.com/user/BridleLessEquus#p/a/u/0/fTj8mJErwF8

I'm pretty proud of this little guy. I have been worried the last couple of days, just trying to see if he's as great as I am in love with him and after adding music and slowing some stuff down in spots, I decided, yes, he is really as great as I think he is. He has a great personality and doesn't seem afraid of anything at his young age

sebocat

No slippage and I mount from the ground on a nice, tall roughly 15.3-16hh horse with lots of grunting involved.

I ride in the mountains, in the arena, and all over w/ no problems.

What I like best, is that I can take the saddle off Paco, then put it on Ty with only the breast-collar adjustment and a smaller girth. I have a soft cantle insert, but you can get fiberglass firm ones. If you go the barefoot route, and want the extra-wide fiberglass, I have an extra I am not using.

I have the Tahoe, and do not end up in a chair position.

However, I suppose you'd want to try a saddle, because the lady that rides Paco said it feels like it pitches her forward. I don't find that to be the case, but she is a larger size than me, and the saddle seat may be too small for her. She also prefers the security of the western saddle with horn.

I think he moves very nice. Can't wait to see more pictures!

Chablis

Oh wow - Dillon is stunning!

Copious_Amour

Thank-you Suz and Chablis!
Signed and faxed the contract tonight

Going to go back in a couple of weeks to visit him and can't wait to get better pictures and video

Suz, Howe you liking Ty?

Copious_Amour

Well it's official. Faxed the paperwork last night to have Kelly hold Dylan for me until the 30th of September which is when I will pay for him. I just pay for board on him until then. Today he gets his feetsies done. Thank goodness. They are getting cracked. His current owners are paying for that. Kelly said they worm him every two months. She said he should transfer to hay just fine from the cubes. He is getting 15 lbs of Alfalfa/Oat cubes in the am, 5 lbs of Alfalfa/Oat cubes with his grain and supplements as lunch and another 15lbs of Alfalfa/Oat cubes at dinner.

Doesn't that seem like.... a LOT? Last week they said he got 12 lbs a day, so he was an easy keeper. Anyone know how much that transfers over to in hay? Guess he'll be eating a bale of hay a day?

I have a LOT I need to get for him before he comes home. It's exciting, yet nerve wracking. But mainly exciting.

jackspark

How close to you will he be? So exciting for you both!!

Looking forward to pics of you two together.

misstux

Congratulations Emili! I am looking forward to lots of pictures and reading all about your journey with Dillon and lots of pics. Did I mention lots of pics?

Chablis

bit

Yeah! Those big horses are supposed to be ultra smooth! What a cool adventure for you two!

Copious_Amour

He will either be about 7 minutes down the road, or 45 minutes away. There is a military farm about two exits down the road right next to the beach and I am going to apply for him to live there. I have a lot of family in the military and it costs $100 a month for board with an indoor and outdoor arena. Everyone pitches in work and you have to work on Saturday out of the month cleaning the paddocks and feeding everyone's horses supplements which is why the board is so cheap. If we don't get approved there, then in Petaluma at a place I have boarded before. He would get his own broodmare sized stall (he's a big boy already) with a 180' x 40' paddock attached to it. Five-seven hours out of the days he would get to go play with the grown up horses on 20 acres of short pasture. That place has a round pen which would be very beneficial for us. It has an outdoor arena but no indoor. There is a track around the property but no trails to walk/pony on like at the military facility. Both places have their benefits.

Hehe Misstux, you know me, I take way too many pictures that most people don't even see half of. I don't know if you have ever seen those art projects where people take a picture of themselves on the same day each month or year and make a book out of it? I'm going to do something similar with Dylan. I want to take a picture of him every month on the same day and then it into a beautiful flip book that will show his growth up until about five years. I will be sure to take a lot of pictures on our trip to see him in a couple of weeks. Thanks for sharing this excitement with me

Deb, have you ridden a draft type horse? They are silky smooth

Chablis, thanks so much! Can't wait to hear about your own colt!!!

bit

Hey Em, no but I'd love to. I was talking to a woman at Tony's farm show who had percherons. They were huge! Gentle. I fell in love. Spent the whole day with them while Tony looked at farm equipment. She said at a gallop? They are heaven. I know she meant an all out run, too. Ok, most horses are pretty amazing like that, but she made it sound like an out of the body experience. You'll find out. You are gong to be flying down the beach on this bad boy, scattering those little surfer boys like birds!

Copious_Amour

Shipper confirmed to haul Dylan. Extra wide, extra tall stall, extra bedded. For my extra special boy. Just kidding about that last part

It's only going to set me back $300. That's so cheap. I was expecting around $800 or so.

He's on Platinum Performance. Got that waiting for him from our new vet. The same vet who will be gelding him and keeping him over night to watch him. I want to order him some Dark as Knight. I got really lazy on crunching up flax seed and I never quite knew how much paprika to feed so I figure it's easier if I just have Smart Pak do it. Wish they would carry the PP as well.
I would feed another supplement for vitamins, but quite honestly, I have NO idea what I'm doing in that area.

He's on the 45 lbs of Oat/Alfalfa cubes now. No idea how that will transfer over as far as hay goes but there's no way I'm keeping him on cubes- not with all of the chokes happening lately.

He's just had his feet done about a week ago. Already found an amazing barefoot specialist that's spent a lot of time with Pete that I am going to have do his feet every 4 weeks. Erin said if I get him on a good schedule like that, it's very possible for him to have nice hooves. Not the short, EXXXXXXXXTRAAAAAA wide perch hooves.

I've done a lot of research on keeping his feathers healthy and scratch free. Help from Erin and Jody as well.

I'M SO EXCITED! I was going to try and hold off on using big caps but I am just SO EXCITED TO HAVE MY OWN HORSE AGAIN I couldn't help it!

bounce

and every other cute emoticon that could possibly try to come close to how I feel.

I feel bad- Bodie said he was sad that I got another horse. There wasn't much I could do in that department. I'll still visit him when I come home to visit though

I've been LOA'ing like crazy and everything is lining up for me and it's like the heavens have opened up, the stars have aligned and the angels are singing.

College classes start again for me January 3rd. That will give me about 3 months to settle into my new town and let my foot heal some more.

I found a Jamba Juice I can work at right down the road from where I'll be living to give me a little extra cash for spending on Dylan. (I've worked at a JJ before.)

There are two cars in really nice shape that I want to go look at- they would be very dependable.

I connected with a NHM trainer down south- I also found a couple of new friends who have a holistic barn who said they would help get me connected to the right people. (They do the whole pasture paradise bit etc)

There are several places for rent that only charge and extra $100 to have Dylan in the back yard. That is an option as well.

I just need to envision the kind of facility I want for Dylan and I am sure I will find that too

I found a facility in Oceanside that has an incredible horse agility course and instructor. I think that and clicker training, WHR and Parelli up to L3 is what will keep Dylan and I happy for the next 3 years.

SO EXCITED GUYS!

bit

Congrats! Bet his, "who cares" attitude changes once he's gelded. I didn't know he was still a stud. Geeze, no wonder.
Did you know if you feed that smart pack bug off, it keeps your horse black? It's not that impressive with keeping the flies away, but it works great for keeping the black in your horse. I think it's cheaper than the tall, dark and handsome.

Copious_Amour

misstux

Woohoo! Emili. What a fantastice update. If your horse's minerals are balanced, he won't fade. Easier said than done. That being said, if Dylan's going to be on grass hay, check out California Trace. Sally Hugg, an excellent barefoot trimmer, tested a lot of hay up and down the state and made up a formula based on the averages of that hay. No iron in it. It's really important not to have too much iron in the diet as it interferes with the absorption of some necessary minerals among other things (per Eleanor Kellon VMD, one of my heros) and a lot of the state is iron overloaded.

Copious_Amour

misstux

Annecdotally from my trimmer: she's found horses who get oat hay have thick soft walls.

Copious_Amour

Copious_Amour

Dylan still isn't mine but I hope to be able to work something out. He's pretty special

Chablis

Road trip to meet new horses

The skinny on the horses I met today