Client came into the office today. As soon as I greeted him, he goes. "I have a horse for YOU."
"Big, Bay, and Free?" I say.
"Big and bay." He confirms.
"And free?"
"Sorry, my hearing's not all that good." He says. Hahaha.
But, oddly, he really does have at least one, if not two or three geldings he thinks I'd love. We've had this go round before, back when I still had Poly and Sprout and most assuredly was NOT looking for another horse. I'm still not looking - my heart doesn't want another one, nor does my bank account. One (Crockett) is enough. But....... I have this huge weakness for Thoroughbreds.
Plus, it turns out that he is liquidating 95% of his stock. The racing industry is absolute crap here in AB, and, well, he just can't do it anymore. And, of course, he has a couple earmarked for me. He told me to bring my saddle, try em out. Yikes!
So.... On Saturday, I am off to check out and photograph and hopefully help re-home 25 or so thoroughbreds. They're a pet project of mine, I truly believe that despite the popularity of warmbloods, the movement, etc... that thoroughbreds are truly the most amazing of all horses. Yes - that's my opinion, but I absolutely adore them. And if I can help spread the word and rehome some, that would be great. Because while I have some issues with ethics, one thing about this guy is he truly does give a manure-pile about his horses, and he is not going to ship them unless he has absolutely NO other option.
But...scarily, I think I could nab one. And I don't really want another horse, yet. And Crockett needs to be broke, still.. but not having my own to ride makes me really NOT want to ride... so who knows. If I love one, well.... I can't be responsible for my actions. But I'll think long and hard, I think, because after the soundness nightmares I had with my last off-the-track project, I don't know if I want to go through it again. It's just that TB's are my achille's heel. I can't help but get sucked into NEEDING one.
The thing is, though....if I help move the others, I might just get away with "free" afterall...
And then I have to board it. Fine - it can go to the barn, since Crockett's at my friends, and they can swap afterwards. But THEN... that cuts into Crockett's training credit that I'm working off....
Lots to think about..
but I'm tired of riding someone else's horse (especially now that they're using him in the occasional lesson and he's a jerk afterwards). And... a project.. and a TB...
Lots to think about.
And stress about.
But hopefully we can rehome them all.
Such amazing athletes, the thoroughbred racehorse.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Living with a Superstar
...Or... at least, a dog who THINKS she's a superstar.
So the last week or so has been highly eventful in Lex's life. Last Thursday, we went to my friend's to play with sheep. The most I've done with her for a while - all summer, really - is walk through the flock and call her off - like, no, you can't mess with them unless you're told to.
Thursday, we (on leash) peeled some sheep out from the lambing area upstairs in the barn, I let her "drive" (use the term loosely - basically they ran, she ran behind, I followed further behind) them out of the barn, and then let her mess around trying to get them out of the shelter area they wedged themselves in. She was pretty good at bringing a group out and then leaving them alone - going back for more. But it was wholly unproductive so I walked away and called her with me before she got frustrated at what was realistically a lack of success. But I was kind of impressed because she thought about what she was doing and seemed to know that her job was to get the sheep outta there.
Excuse me. Must go rescue my bathmat.
Ok. I'm not sure why, but she's horribly fascinated with the bathroom.
So after that, while friend was practicing for the demo with her dogs, we took the opportunity to cut Lex loose on, oh, approx 40 lambs (March babies) out in the middle of the pasture. It was actually surprisingly well. Was she too close? Absolutely. And she'd sometimes cut in when we changed direction. But we ran with her, the lambs actually pretty well stayed stationary, and at the end, I walked away and called her off and - lo and behold - she called off. So I was pretty pleased! I have no earthly idea what I'm doing, but hey - that's what friend is for :)
Then, Friday we played frisbee at the barn, and then wandered the property "Off leash" (Trailing leash behind, so I could grab when necessary) and working on our obedience. The nice thing about being the office person is I can have the odd perk, like that ;-)
Saturday, we tagged along with my friend to the local rodeo grounds, where she was doing a stock dog demo. Lex and I went to watch. Friend's husband was announcing for her. So they go through her four dogs, and then the husband - lord love him - calls LEX in. He cited the "unbridled enthusiasm" a young talented pup displays.
Well, she displayed enthusiasm, alright.
Not much control, but a lot of enthusiasm.
A LOT of enthusiasm.
Incidentally (Or, maybe, CO-incidentally), the sheep also displayed a lot of enthusiasm.
They were nice big suffolk, whom we deemed "fence-proof", as the finns my friend breeds would have happily fit UNDER the fencing in the arena we used. The Suffolk, not so much. This was a good thing, with Lex at the helm. It was also good that, while enthusiastic, the sheep were pretty good about NOT mowing people down. People being friend and I, of course.
She had a blast. The crowd loved her.
Friend and I, on the other hand..raced around trying to keep her out, on footing that would break a horse's leg it was so pot-holed, and then somehow I lucked out and managed to, I have no idea how, get between Lex and the sheep. Got a FABULOUS lie down.
Score!
Happy with that. Lex went back on leash. Lex how has a huge complex, figures she's a "Superstar" with her own "Fan Club" and everything.
What she really is is "Super-Psycho" with an overblown "Ego" ;-)
But I love her.
So the last week or so has been highly eventful in Lex's life. Last Thursday, we went to my friend's to play with sheep. The most I've done with her for a while - all summer, really - is walk through the flock and call her off - like, no, you can't mess with them unless you're told to.
Thursday, we (on leash) peeled some sheep out from the lambing area upstairs in the barn, I let her "drive" (use the term loosely - basically they ran, she ran behind, I followed further behind) them out of the barn, and then let her mess around trying to get them out of the shelter area they wedged themselves in. She was pretty good at bringing a group out and then leaving them alone - going back for more. But it was wholly unproductive so I walked away and called her with me before she got frustrated at what was realistically a lack of success. But I was kind of impressed because she thought about what she was doing and seemed to know that her job was to get the sheep outta there.
Excuse me. Must go rescue my bathmat.
Ok. I'm not sure why, but she's horribly fascinated with the bathroom.
So after that, while friend was practicing for the demo with her dogs, we took the opportunity to cut Lex loose on, oh, approx 40 lambs (March babies) out in the middle of the pasture. It was actually surprisingly well. Was she too close? Absolutely. And she'd sometimes cut in when we changed direction. But we ran with her, the lambs actually pretty well stayed stationary, and at the end, I walked away and called her off and - lo and behold - she called off. So I was pretty pleased! I have no earthly idea what I'm doing, but hey - that's what friend is for :)
Then, Friday we played frisbee at the barn, and then wandered the property "Off leash" (Trailing leash behind, so I could grab when necessary) and working on our obedience. The nice thing about being the office person is I can have the odd perk, like that ;-)
Saturday, we tagged along with my friend to the local rodeo grounds, where she was doing a stock dog demo. Lex and I went to watch. Friend's husband was announcing for her. So they go through her four dogs, and then the husband - lord love him - calls LEX in. He cited the "unbridled enthusiasm" a young talented pup displays.
Well, she displayed enthusiasm, alright.
Not much control, but a lot of enthusiasm.
A LOT of enthusiasm.
Incidentally (Or, maybe, CO-incidentally), the sheep also displayed a lot of enthusiasm.
They were nice big suffolk, whom we deemed "fence-proof", as the finns my friend breeds would have happily fit UNDER the fencing in the arena we used. The Suffolk, not so much. This was a good thing, with Lex at the helm. It was also good that, while enthusiastic, the sheep were pretty good about NOT mowing people down. People being friend and I, of course.
She had a blast. The crowd loved her.
Friend and I, on the other hand..raced around trying to keep her out, on footing that would break a horse's leg it was so pot-holed, and then somehow I lucked out and managed to, I have no idea how, get between Lex and the sheep. Got a FABULOUS lie down.
Score!
Happy with that. Lex went back on leash. Lex how has a huge complex, figures she's a "Superstar" with her own "Fan Club" and everything.
What she really is is "Super-Psycho" with an overblown "Ego" ;-)
But I love her.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Super-Duty Border-Collie, a versatile employee...
Lex helped me shell peas on Sunday.
I had picked them, came back in, let her out of her crate and settled into the best-chair-ever with a bowl of pods to shell. The job went something like this:
Lindsay: Grab pod
Lindsay: Shell out peas into bowl
Lindsay: Toss empty pod into bucket at foot of chair.
Lex: Pick pod up out of bucket
Lex: Take pod across the living room
Lex: Drop empty pod in random location. Maybe chew on it a bit before going back for another.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Apparently, she is indispensible. I could not have shelled the peas without her.
Forgive the crappy pictures
Best help ever!
(Whatever, Lex. I think I need to teach you to clean up your own messes.)
Nah. That's the mom's job.
(Whatever, Lex...)
Hey, I have fans now. Remember the demo?
(I remember. That was wacked.)
I was the best. I have fans.
(More on that later. And she was the best at being the entertainment, not at demonstrating proper sheep dog tactics. :-) )
I had picked them, came back in, let her out of her crate and settled into the best-chair-ever with a bowl of pods to shell. The job went something like this:
Lindsay: Grab pod
Lindsay: Shell out peas into bowl
Lindsay: Toss empty pod into bucket at foot of chair.
Lex: Pick pod up out of bucket
Lex: Take pod across the living room
Lex: Drop empty pod in random location. Maybe chew on it a bit before going back for another.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Apparently, she is indispensible. I could not have shelled the peas without her.
Forgive the crappy pictures
(Whatever, Lex. I think I need to teach you to clean up your own messes.)
Nah. That's the mom's job.
(Whatever, Lex...)
Hey, I have fans now. Remember the demo?
(I remember. That was wacked.)
I was the best. I have fans.
(More on that later. And she was the best at being the entertainment, not at demonstrating proper sheep dog tactics. :-) )
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)