One Good Thing...

...Leads another.  So to speak.

Joker has had a month of rest, and he's feeling much better.  Which means he's starting to want to run and play, and is in general a troublemaker.    I've seen him running and playing with Deuce and Chuck...mainly Deuce because Deuce has always loved to run.   Trying to stop it is like try to reason with a tornado.    But last week I looked at Deuce and said huh, I swear just a few weeks ago you had this long, thick forelock that hung down between your eyes, and now it's really short and thin, and it almost looks like a big bite mark in it....

Deuce, didn't you used to have more hair?

I also could have sworn his tail was really thick and dragged the ground.   It's almost like another horse is flossing his teeth with Deuce's hair...

So after a brief discussion with the vet, she said if Joker is that rambunctious, let's try putting him to work 2-3 days a week doing something short and really easy.   We agreed ponying Joker would be a good place to start.    When you "pony" a horse, you ride one and lead the other - think of the post parade before a horse race: the race horses are being ponied, usually by a buddy or a solid and steady.    It would get Joker thinking a bit, it would let him get used to a rider above him, and the goal would be eventually get him out on the trails for exercise and experience.    

All 3 older horses will pony and be ponied.  It's a good skill to have.  Hubby offered to let me use old Chuck.    Chuck is a good, steady horse, and he's the only one still taller than Joker.   But I said no, I'm gonna use Deuce.  Deuce has helped start several young horses.  He's patient, but also good with handing out discipline when needed.   Plus Deuce and I have the kind of working relationship where I can just trust him to do his job and have my back, so I wouldn't have to think about him at all.   

So I took Deuce out for a ride to let him stretch and get any excess energy out, and then hubby caught Joker and helped us get started.   Joker did great!  The hardest part for him so far is he walks much faster than Deuce wants to, but that will settle with time.  Right now Deuce wants to keep his eye on the kid so he can keep things in control and that's ok.

Off we go!

We kept it short, and then hubby took Joker back and we were done.    Not once during our session did I have to think about Deuce, and that's why he's my right hand dude around here.   He knows his job.   Joker didn't blink about me sitting above him giving instructions, and he listened to voice commands pretty well.    We'll keep up the short sessions while hubby is here to help and slowly work on becoming a bit more independent.

And Deuce, he's 17 now.   Every so often I think about the injuries he's had, his back problem, and his recurring ulcer issues.   I ask him if he's ready to start easing up on his workload, quit competing, just enjoy himself and be a pleasure horse from now on.    He doesn't owe us anything.   And of course, he always looks right back at me with those lively eyes and says "Nah, you'd be lost without my help!"  He still has lots of things to teach Joker.

Now if I can just get Deuce's hair to grow back...

Happy Trails!

J.