Christmas in Alafia

December has been a wonderful month of riding. We had a great camp out in Alafia River State Park with the horses. We stayed in a tent (that part sucked) and went riding on both Saturday and Sunday. The weather was beautiful and we stayed up late Saturday night with the gang talking around a campfire. It was awesome.

Chicken Massacre

Something ate our chickens!

I don't mean one or two of them.. I mean like almost ALL of them. Over a couple of days, they started coming up dead.

Actually, Cody tipped me off to the first carcass I saw. He saw me outside, and came thundering down the fence to me... then turned and ran back to the corner, then back to me.

Being a stupid human, I just blinked with all the clueless wonder I had and said something dumb like... "Are we playing a game?" and Jokingly added. "What's that, Lassie? Timmy's in the well?"

And he ran back down the fence, stopped, put his nose down, then came back to me with feathers all over his nose. Damn, I guess Timmy really WAS in the well.

So I followed him down the fence again and found his pile of chicken feathers, and then he snorted and pawed and stared at the fence, and there was a buzzard on the fence post. On the ground beneath was a chicken carcass.

A couple of more chicken carcasses were found in the pasture that day... and within a few days, the chickens in the coop were piles of feathers, beaks, feet, assorted parts strewn about like a bomb went off.

Needless to say we spent yesterday fixing the chicken coop to protect the few we had left. Luckily our Giant Cochin, Godzilla, and the Muppets were ok. Sadly, Runner was among the missing.

And Papa Chicken died a few weeks ago (seemingly just keeled over, no feathers plucked) so he didn't live to witness the carnage of his beloved flock, at least.

Back in the Saddle

Well, Cody is back in the swing of things. He's gaiting great and other than an occasional mistep he's as good as new. He'll see the Doctor in January most likely, and then once a quarter.

We rode at Alafia on November 14th for the Alafia Barn Fundraiser, and we rode this weekend at Caloosa Park. We tried to ride last weekend, but T's coggins were expired by two days and they wouldn't let us in the Little Manatee River Park (bah). We had already pulled a new coggins but it wasn't back yet.

Since we were already out and about, we decided to stop by Alafia to ride there, BUT the horse trails were closed due to some marathon or something... so it wasn't in the cards. We took our horses for a nice long trailer ride :P

Luckily the coggins came back in time for us to ride at Caloosa Park last weekend.

It was an interesting ride at Caloosa. It's pretty open, lots of bicyclers and we met two other riders. Cody is doing real good and we're looking forward to camping!

The Road to Recovery

2 months of Dr. DiAmato has been miraculous for Cody. He's gained weight back, his body looks normal again and he's walking like a horse and not a crab.

Cody loves going to see the doctor and anticipates every exercise. He even helps!

At night, I do several reps of sternal lifts, pelvic tucks, and leg stretches with him. It really helps keep him in alignment between visits. He is back to his old self as far as attitude goes and he seems to be improving physically every day.

I'm hoping I can ride him before the December camping trip!

Amazing

I had no idea that a chiropractor could do so much for a horse.

Cody's first trip to see Dr. DiAmato made such a difference. I trailered him over to the Polo Club to meet the Doc. He was a very nice man and Cody liked him right away, even though he was worried about being in such new surroundings.

The Doctor took his time getting Cody used to the thing he stands on to adjust horses (it's like a bale of hay only light weight and covered in vinyl). Then he started to work and I could tell it HURT. Cody was prancing in place and arching his neck, hating it...

But then... something clicked and everything relaxed. I swear he sighed in relief, closed his eyes and just stood there. Cody was sold on equine chiropractors and so was I.

The next day, Cody was feeling so much better than he had been. I saw a glimmer of life in his eyes. It was nothing short of amazing. No more bute. And he'll see the doctor again in two weeks. He's moving better and is a lot more alert and happy.

Back "off"!

Well as the month passed, Cody seemed to be moving better, but looking worse. He dropped weight, his front end seems to look alot bigger than his rear end.. All in less than a month! He is in pain and on bute.

Just yesterday, he came up with swollen legs, hobbling and acted like he had to urinate but couldn't. Another trip to the vet was in order.

He was given Lasix, and urinated pretty quickly. The vet has decided his problem isn't the stifles, it's his back. A thermal inspection showed heat in the lumbar and the stifles. The vet really feels that the problem is the back which is throwing the stifles and everything else off.

I have been referred to a chiropractor who can tell us if it can be fixed or not. If not, I will not leave this young horse I love so much in pain.

Stifles Gone to Hell

Well, Cody is a hurting unit. He came up very stiff and hot in August and we've put him on rest and relaxation for a while. He had scrapes and scratches like he might have slid on his side. He is very sore on the rear, and his stifles are really acting up. Looks like he might need the injections or surgery. Going to give him some time and see if it improves.

Bo Nose

As horses somehow manage, Bo gashed his face open in his stall. We coud not find anything he cut it on, so it is a mystery. Many stitches later, he is all fixed up. He was a real champ during the cleaning and stitching. He has been very good about the cleaning since then as well.

We cannot help but wonder if his previously bad esculating behavior was due to "lack of attention" since I've been focusing on Cody so much. I'm going to take him out this weekend.

Peg has been riding T the last few trips. He and Cody are working very well together. I've been moving Cody around to several different positions during the ride. He has calmed down a lot about having horses behind him on the trail.

He is doing excellent on the trail. His gait consistancy is improving more each ride.

Tacoda Gets A Bad Habit!!!

Well, it's not a habit yet. But it's happened twice.

Last ride out at Alafia (2 weeks ago), he suddenly started trying to bolt out of hand and when I held him back he arched his neck and bounced along kind of cantering in place. He was monstrous. We had been riding along next to Sweetpea, four horses behind us and the rest ahead. Probably about 10 - 12 riders in full.

The four behind fell well behind, and I made Cody stand to let them catch up. Sweetpea rode ahead. Cody was fine until they caught up and were about 20 feet away, and then he started the hopping and bouncing. He fought me the next hundred yards or so until we finally caught up with Sweetpea on the winding trail. Now I had ridden him ahead of her before and he was fine without her. So I just figured he was upset because she rode ahead of HIM.

Now this last week, it began again. Right before we reached the same spot. This time there were two horses behind us, Sweetpea was beside him, and there were four horses ahead of him. And he started hopping and bouncing like a rocking horse, actually bucking a little. He did this several times and even went into a few bucks coming up a ditch. The whole ride he had been sullen and putting his ears back, turning his head slightly so he could "glare" at me. I was a little confused by the behavior.

And then it seemed to escalate. Finally, I asked the horses behind us to go around..... and it was instant... He calmed right down and went about his gait in a business like manner. The ears went up and once again he was my happy little Tacoda.

Cody has decided he does not like horses behind him. Even if they aren't that close.

Obviously we have to fix this and like it or not, he cannot always ride at the back of the pack. It is something he will just have to get used to because I'm going to make him ride in the middle of the pack for a while on each ride until he gets over it. Hopefully, I'll survive it!

Endings and Beginnings

The last part of May, Casey, my little 11 year old dachshund who had recovered from paralysis when he was 4, started having problems. At first it appeared to be another bout of paralsysis. He was unable to walk and seemed depressed. I treated him for pain and crated him. In a few days he seemed to improve but then started having digestion issues. It was a roller coaster month as he would improve then decline. After several trips to the vet, Xrays and bloodtests, a mass was found affecting his stomach, pancreas and esophagus. He also had a lot of air pockets in his body cavity. Options were limited. The doctor didn't think he'd survive surgery as he was getting weaker every day. Finally, I made the decision to end his suffering.

I miss him so much. I cried for days and found that my bedroom is a very empty place. I would talk to him out of habit then realize he wasn't there. Feel for him in his usual sleeping spots in the bed, and more than once I dropped a crumb or something and called him to get it before realizing he was gone. It was such a gaping hole.

I realized that I had not been without a dachshund since I was 12 years old. There has always been a furry little warm pup in my bed. I knew what I had to do. I started dachshund shopping.

I found a puppy at Petland, but then after considering that Petland buys most of it's dogs from puppy mills I changed my mind. I went on line and monitored the newspapers and ad magazines until finally finding my new puppy.

She doesn't have a name yet. She is a beautiful black and tan, long haired dachshund. She's very sweet and mellow. She hugs your neck the way my old Dachshund, Morty, used to (also my mother's dachshund, Beaver, used to be a neck hugger). She has very kind intelligent eyes and is adorable when she bounces around and plays. VERY clumsey still, even at 11 weeks. She does the Ooooze thing on the bed, where she lays down and pushes with her back legs to move around. That's just adorable.

The breeder is Midget's Minnies and she states that to her knowledge, none of her dogs have ever had any spinal issues and tend to live to 15 and older. She seems like a very responcible breeder who only breeds her dogs a few years and then puts them up for adoption as pets while they are still young (6 and under) or she retires them in her household as pets. She had several pets there to prove it. Her puppies go pretty fast apparently.

June Bugs

What a great month for Cody this has been so far. He expanded his horizons to strange new worlds. So far this month we've been to Little Manatee River State Park and Duette Preserve "Headwaters" in addition to GW Griffin Park. His gait is more consistant with every ride.

At Little Manatee River State Park, he encountered alot of water logged trails and had to trudge through black water, filled ruts, green water and flooded grass fields. Once he got his first good boy he went LOOKING for water to walk through so he could hear "Good boy" again. He's such a suck up.

He also went down close quarter trails for the first time. Up until now it has been roads, wide trails and open fields. He was jumpy at first when the vegetation brushed his side and belly, but he quickly adjusted and again, after finding out it would get him a "Good boy", he went looking for opportunities to go "off trail".

We went over logs, around snags, through deep dirt and sand, mucky mud, palmetto stumps and shell roads. He handled it very well.

Peg and I joined Myakka River Riders Saddle Club and took our first ride with a large group at Duette Headwaters. Cody was very excited and ansy at first. While waiting for the others to finish saddling and mounting up, I had to take him off to the side and do a few circles until he finally stood. After the first 15 minutes of the ride, he had calmed down and was moving out nicely.

He's doing fantastic with his gaits. Slowly but surely he's becoming consistant coming out of the dog walk into the flat walk and even into the running walk. I'm so proud of him.

The bugs are really coming out as the trails are heating up. It was muggy like a sauna and flies and gnats and mosquitos were looking to gnaw on us.

Stampede!

Today Bo ran me over. Not like "oops" stepped on me. But like flat mowed me down.

I was leading him out to the pasture this morning and paused at the gate to shoo the goats away. The gate was slightly open with me on the inside and Bo on the outside. I had a leadrope around his neck. Just as I started to turn away from him to shoo goats, he charged through the partially open gate. His shoulder went into me, knocking me down and he leapt over me. His back hoof (might have been cannon) struck me... (cough) right in the butt.

Now it might have been funny if it hadn't been so painful or terrifying. I mean, I was sure I was going to be stomped. But the impact sent me tumbling over and over. I landed in a heap, covered in sand and in big time pain.

Luckily it didn't aggravate my neck SOMEhow (got a couple of bad discs). But I have a huge long ridge on my butt.

I think he's trying to kill me.

Esme: I am NOT a goat!

Esme has slowly graduated from the house to the barn and yard. She started out in late April, going outside during the day. And then, the second week of May, Val went to Georgia to visit Justin and during those two weeks, I transitioned her outside at night.
She is most unhappy.

May Day

May has been a really great month for Cody. He's picking up everything so quickly. He takes verbal cues very well. We've ridden four times out at GW Griffin this month and he's taking everything like a Pro. Whenever something new comes up, he gives it a good look then tries to put his nose on it. He insists on touching his nose to every sign post and the big concrete things. It's almost obsessive compulsive. Does my horse have OCD?

He learned to Pee on command today. Every time we ride, he pees about a half hour in. I'll feel him slow down and ask him. "Do you have to pee?"

Well, he slowed up today, and I asked, "Do you have to pee?" And he stopped right there, stretched out and peed. I told him what a good boy he was and gave him a peppermint horse treat.

Five minutes later, he stopped and stretched out again, squeezed out a drop or two, then instantly turned his head for a treat. I'm like... hmmm.....

A little down the trail (much too soon for him to have to pee again), he does it again, but this time it's very "Stop, Park out, and turn your head for the treat." I guess he learned a new trick!

On the way back he stopped again and this time he did have to pee. And yes, he immediately looked for the treat.

This was the first time the ditches and road ruts had standing water in them too. And he wasn't sure about that at all. After some snorting and uneasy looks, he stepped in the water. I told him what a good boy he was. So then he made a huge point of walking through or close to every puddle he found. And was downright indignant if he didn't get a "good boy" out of it.

He opened all the gates, both coming and going. He's really got the gate manuevers down. I had my camera around my neck so this video isn't great, but it does capture how fast he manuevered the gate. I am having a great time with him on the trail and can't wait to go new places now that he's becoming steadier and more confident.

Now that he's got opening and shutting the gates down pat, it's time to get his gaits in order. He's still showing a heavy preference to the stepping pace. If I say "1 2 3 4" to him when he's gaiting right (four beat), he is able to maintain it longer (especially if I throw in a lot of good boys), but he so often pace walks on the trail and it's hard to work on the gaits out there. He really needs some long straightways or an arena to just work on gaiting. Turning him takes him out of that pace walk into the dog walk, and then I can get him to flat walk a bit.

Next week is the Spring Gaited horse show at the Tampa Fair Grounds and we're going on Sunday to watch and probably won't ride. I'm very excited to see Gravedigger, the fantastic racking horse, there. I'd really like to send Cody to Digger's trainer for a good 30 days to work on his gaits. Maybe in the fall!

Out in the World

Tacoda got to take his first ride out in the big world. We trailered to RV Griffin Park, which is a SWFWMD conservation area that allows horseback riding. He was more excited than nervous and was just in wonder at seeing other horses that he didn't know out on the trail. It was very busy there with lots of other horses. I used the sidepull with a hard rope nose so it had a little more bite if he got out of hand but I didn't need it. He stayed in line. I need to break out the snaffle bit though so I can keep soft contact on him. I'm trying to keep him in a nice 4 beat walk.

We kept it brief.. only an hour. And on the way back he got to ride alongside another group of horses which was really good for him. By the time we got to the final gate, he wasn't prancing and trying to rub all over the other horses. He was minding his own business and doing what he was supposed to... though he did keep peeking at them. He was very animated out there.

Here's a pic after I hosed him off after the ride. You can see other trailers and people in the background.

Here is a pic of Sweetpea and Peg. She's doing great. A very steady and bold trail horse. Great Paso gaits. She gets a little fiesty on the way back but listens well. She's very repsonsive. Her weight is fluctuating. She seems to gain a couple of pounds then lose one. The weight going across her topline is slow. But she looks a world better than she did when we got her.

The Hunchback of Goaterdam

Pardon the corney title. Honey (Whose name is totally wrong for her. It should be Bitchy) had her babies!

She had triplets but the first one out was very small and weak. And also the only girl. She is tiny and black like her father. The second and third out were bucks, a black and a light caramel, both larger and stronger.

The little doe just couldn't seem to suckle and both bucks were up and going gangbusters before her. She was so wimpy we were afraid to leave her out there so we milked colustrum from honey and brought the little one in.

Since Val is living at home for now (Val is 22), she assumed maternal duties.

The little caramel boy was hunched over and we worried he might have something wrong with him despite his enthusiasm for nursing and running around. We decided to name him Quasimodo (hunchback!). So it seemed fitting to name the other two Pheobus and Esmeralda after other characters in the Disney version of Hunchback.

We've ended up calling Esmeralda "Esme" for short (like the Twilight vampire mom). She is doing very well and just adorable. Already housetrained! Here are a couple of videos of her at 6 days old.

Casey wanted to play with her so much.

Stepping Pace

I haven't had a lot of time to work Tacoda lately. Here is a video showing him doing a stepping pace. Actually most of the time it's a full pace. It's not rough but it's not the gait I want or the best gait he is capable of.



Taping him has helped tremendously. I can see that when ridden he is often walking with that laternal pace, therefore he speeds up doing the stepping pace. I'm not super concerned about it at this point. We'll work on the walk, stop, turn, flex, side passing. Then we'll go back to easing out of the walk into something a running walk or rack. Do some work over poles since I don't have any hills around. At this point he's still working in the sidepull. Next month I will probably introduce the snaffle and get him working in that so we can do some half halts.

No flying bounds lately! He just hops a little when something gets him excited. Note the red truck turning in the road behind him. He decides that is cause to hop.

Tacoda's Progress

Coda and Bo

Tacoda is doing well. I'm having a few problems keeping him in gait at the moment but we're still working on it. He took his first ride all the way around the neighborhood last weekend and did very well. Peg walked Sweetpea along with us. She didn't bat an eye.





And our neighborhood is like a trail class obstacle course. We've got dogs, kids running around in yards, basketball hoops, goats, sheep, cows, other horses. Funky fences, a path that winds around right along a fence line with other horses running around and chickens running around loose. There are golf carts and ATVs and a plant nursery with flapping plastic.





I'd still like to send him to the trainer for 30 days. But we'll see.

Sweetpea's First Ride with Us - January 2009

We rode Sweetpea for the first time this weekend. She has been hard to catch and wil only come to us when we have food. She is more trusting than she was but still wary.

After all, she was neglected for a long time. And then some cowboys caught her, slapped a saddle on her bony back and rode her to the point of exhaustion for a half day, leaving her with a saddle sore the size of a fried egg.

Her back is healed, she has gained quite a bit of weight but that wariness isn't going to go away over night.

So the hooftrimmer was Saturday morning (yesterday) and after, we trimmed her whiskers, ears and bridle path, straightened out her ragged mane and combed the knots out of her tail. She got a good brushing as well. She doesn't mind the attention at all.

Then we led her up front. She was nervous but obediant. We saddled her up using my lightweight Abetta Cordura. I swear by this saddle. It fits every horse I've put it on. It's simple to swap out cinches and change the stirrup length. It is so light and easy to handle.

Sweetpea stood still for the saddling and for the mounting as well. She was increasingly nervous. We used a simple egg butt snaffle on her to start. She was head fussy and gapped her mouth a bit on it but she stopped and turned well.

She is very pressure senstive under saddle and turns on a dime. She has a fabulous Corto and a decent Classic Fino, though she didn't shuffle, she can Fino slower than I walk. We didn't try her Largo as she is still a little nervous. We'll give her a few rides to settle down before we let her move out. She's very side sensitve and even stomach kicked once. She's got the wonderfully smooth Paso gaits but is not very collected. Peg enjoyed her smooth gaits for a few spins around the yard and then we let her graze as a reward.

After she gains a little more weight and I might ride her myself a few times to see what she does. But she is too small for me to ride her on a regular basis.

Interestingly, she is easier to catch today. Even coming up when you don't have food to see what you are doing. It could be she's been so terrified of being caught and ridden that when it happened she thought. "Oh that wasn't too bad." Hopefully her bad memories of the times before she came to us will fade in time.

I can honestly say, our horses don't mind being ridden too much. They are always eager to get in the trailer and go and you can catch them with a bridle in hand when they are in the pasture.

Tacoda - Weekend 01-24-09

Cody did well again this weekend. I've ridden him twice and may get one more ride in this afternoon later. Luc took him around the yard once or twice. He did well then too but he was ready to be done.

We practiced mounting from the side of the trailer and he caught onto that pretty fast.

I also have stopped letting him graze during saddling because he keeps moving around. Now he has to stand there. He's not happy about that and is sullen. Luckily though, when I lead him over to mount he seems to forget all about his surly "tude".

When he sees Luc it's all playtime to him. Luc jogged ahead of us at one point, and Cody instantly threw his head up, prepared to buck off after him. A sharp "QUIT" and he settled right down.
He is definitely a horse you need to stay alert on. In a few years though, he should be a very consistant mount.

Tacoda - Weekend of 1/17/09

I rode Tacoda several times over the weekend. He did quite well. We used the new rope noseband sidepull. The rope is pretty stiff and if I have to pull his head around fast, he doesn't fight it at all. That head snaps around. He moves quickly away from the pressure.

When the reins are relaxed, the nose band doesn't bother him at all. And he doesn't fight it when pressure is applied, he yeilds quickly.

We've stayed in the yard and about a half mile stretch of dirt road. He starting to gait more consistantly. I particularly like how he comes running to the gate when I call him. I bridle him right there and he can't wait to get saddled. He's standing at the mounting block (ok still the pickup truck) and doesn't move out until I tell him to.

Now that he moves out to a cluck well, I'm starting to give him a light leg squeeze with the cluck now. Sometimes I have to tap him lightly with the crop to get his attention.

Tacoda - 01-10-09

I took Tacoda around the yard several times today under saddle. He did very well and even gaited a bit. No shenagins. I think we will spend a little more time in the pasture and the yard before we venture out into the neighborhood again!

I've ordered a sidepull bridle with a nylon rope noseband rather than a bosal. His refined muzzle would make the bosal hard to fit.

Tacoda - 01-7-09

Fifth Ride - I led him up to the mounting block and he stood well as I climbed on and got my stirrups. Then went went around the yard a few times at a walk. He was eager to go out on the road so we did. I didn't want to take him down past the dogs again after yesterday, so I cut through a neighbors yard to get to a vacant field. He was very hesitant through the yard, worried about different colored grass, the pump, a shed. But we got through it.

We made it to the field and started around the perimeter. The field is pretty barren but runs along our property line. The part that runs along our fence is wooded. As we rode along the wooded part, he heard a rustle and spooked. It was just a quick stop and a half turn. I turned him back around and coaxed him past the spot. We went a few more yards and he suddenly leaped up in the air, rather like he does playing in the pasture. I stayed on and got him stopped then scolded him verbally. Then took him in a few short circles and we went on. He did this twice more as we went around the field. The third time, I growled "QUIT" and he did.

He wanted to move out so I let him gait a bit. It was a lovely slow rack. I didn't let him do it for long though and rewarded him with alot of praise. We had been out about a half hour so I figured it was time to go back. Just as I made that decision, there was another hopping incident about the same place as the first one. So we had to go around the field again. We even gaited a bit more. He was pulling for more speed but I wouldn't let him.

After a last sucessful circle, we headed back through the neighbors yard and back home. He let me dismount at the block, though it took a bit for him to line up. We had to go forward and backward a few times and sidepass. He does not like sidepassing under saddle.

All in all, a good ride. Though I was ready to get off after that hopping. I braved it out and I'm hoping we won't have any more of that.

Tacoda - 01-07-09

Fourth Ride - I got home with about an hour of daylight left, so I called Tacoda up to the gate and he came running. Then I haltered him (he shoved his head eagerly into the halter) and took him out of the pasture. I tacked him up without issue.

I walked him over to the mounting block and lined him up. He stood perfectly while I got on and continued to stand while I put my feet in the stirrups, though he did turn his head to watch.

We rode at a nice walk around the yard a few times and he kept pulling to the road so on the third or fourth time around, I let him go out to the road. We walked liesurely down the road, stopping to sniff everyone's garbage cans and trash. He had to put his nose on everything new in the driveways.

We got to the house with the horse that always runs up to the fence, but it was stalled in the back, so I was relieved of that. We rode nicely all the way down to the goats at the end of the road. Tacoda was a perfect boy.

On the way back, we stopped to wait for a truck to pull out of it's driveway. While we were waiting, a man opened his gate to drive his truck and trailer out and two pit bulls got loose. They ran straight for us, snarling and snapping.

All I could think was.. "Oh shit, he's going to throw me and I'm going to be eaten by dogs."

As they reached us, I saw one leap up in front of Tacoda. Until then, he had been frozen there watching the dogs. He's not afraid of dogs and wasn't sure what to make of it until then.

When the dog jumped up, Tacoda wheeled around and bunched up. At first I thought he was going to explode but then in that second, I noticed he was tucking his head, as if trying to turn his back and pretend they weren't there. I knew he was scared, I could feel him tremble.

When he had turned, the dogs started circling. By this time the owner was running out to get them. So I picked the whip off the saddle horn and shooed it at the dogs yelling "GIT. GO"

That kept them at bay until the owner caught them. Tacoda stood there a few more minutes and then finally turned his head to see if they were gone. I praised him for the way he handled it and we started home. He walked out nicely and by the time we got home, I could tell he was tired, probably from the scare more than the ride.

I was so proud of him. He's doing great.

Tacoda - 01-04-09

Second Ride and Third Ride: I rode Tacoda today again. Once in the morning and another time in the afternoon.

In the morning, we just went around the yard a few times. He did very well. Very relaxed. We stayed at a good swinging walk. Rode him about 15 minutes, just practicing turns and stopping. Backing up. I made him move to the mounting block to mount and dismount. He did good on it.

The second ride was in the late afternoon, my sister brought Jackie, her mule, along on a lead line. We rode down the road to the end and back. Tacoda did very well, though all we really did was walk. Not alot of turning. We did practice stopping and waiting as cars went by. Only a couple of cars though. He did very good.

Tacoda 01-03-09

First real ride - Up until now, Luc has been the only one to sit on Tacoda's back. He's steered him around the yard a little bit with me walking beside.

Today was Tacoda's first real ride. I brought him to the mounting block (Ok, so it's the back of the pick up truck), lined him up and got on. He stood very well and let me get my stirrups on and then I sat there, still, a few minutes. I talked to him and petted him. Then I wiggled a little, shifting my weight so he could feel it. Then I clucked for him to move out. He did at a walk, and on his first turn he staggered a bit, getting used to the weight. But on the second turn, he did fine. I guided him around the yard for several laps, no more than 20 minutes, with lots of praise. Then I took him back to the mounting block and got him lined up, then got off.

A job well done for Tacoda!