A Kat And Horse Tale
An Explosion, A Tacktastrophe, And A Partnership In The Making
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So, like a lot of other kids, I was totally horse crazy when I was a child. Um, I might still be a little addled in the horse section of my brain now. My papa had a cattle farm and always had at least a dozen horses in the pasture, so one could find little me either staring at the herd or right out in the middle of them petting muzzles and talking with the horses in low and hushed tones that we both seemed to enjoy.
That said, as I spent most of my childhood in Alaska, I never did have my own horse, and a few years ago my dear friends bred their Quarter Horse mare to their Quarter Horse stallion, and an entire year later my little Kula came into the world. Kula means golden in Hawaiian, and I think suits my golden palomino boy perfectly. I could write posts a plenty about the mischief that the creature got into his first few years of life, but this particular post is about our current events together.
My friends that bred him for me also offered to start him for me too. I was completely cool with that, as Kula is a bit of a character. In fact, he is such a character that he wouldn't let anybody but my friend M ride him. He is especially annoyed by people with the name Tom or Thomas. Like, buck a person off and give them a black eye spastic. Even so, I missed my horse as he was over at my friend's place all summer. They wanted to take his training slow and let him learn to trust that no one was going to hurt him instead of bucking him out old school. I am of the mindset when it comes to horses that I would much rather ride a horse that engages in a partnership with you than sit astride a vacant, fearful creature that goes through the motions.
A few weeks ago Kula's training had progressed to where M wanted me to come and try to ride him. Of course I wanted to ride him! Now, it should be noted that I have no fear when it comes to horses, and proceeded to hop right onto Kula's back. Before I did so I noticed my friends were sort of nervous, but I tossed that observation on the thought dung pile and plopped onto my horse. Immediately I noticed him tense up all through his barrel. His head came up and he felt about as uncomfortable as first time driver in a rush hour scenario. I sat super still and just chilled, waiting for him to decided what to do. Well, my boy decided to not launch me like a SpaceX rocket and started moving out.
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My friends were super happy with his performance, and I went over to their place and rode him many more times. Each time it became more and more apparent that my pony likes me. Which is a good thing for reasons I found out a couple of days ago.
Kula returned home a couple of weeks ago, and I have been trying to ride him at least every other day. The other morning I decided he needed to learn to work when I wanted him to work, as most of his training sessions were always in the afternoon and evening, but I needed to ride him in the morning that day. I took him to the round pen, and boy did he gnaw on everything like a hungry beaver. While I was tacking him up he chewed on the railing, my reins, and even the curry comb! He just seemed really unsettled and irritated.
Before I ride Kula, I lunge him until he decides to partner up with me. It is kind of like a moment of submission, or offering to join you in your request to work together. Usually it involves a few minutes of trotting around in both directions followed by my horse stopping, facing me, and walking to my outstretched hand.
Not so this particular morning.
Instead, my horse decided to buck. And by buck I mean that my golden gelding proceeded to unleash a bouncing fury that would put a rodeo bronc to shame. He honestly checked out for a good five minutes, bucking and snorting like a cougar was in the saddle. It was in that moment that a couple of things happened to me.
One, I finally realized that I am aging. It's not that I am old by any means, but I actually felt something that I am going to label a touch of fear. You see, for most of my life I have just dove into situations without any regard for my person. I have always been in a constant state of bruised, for I tend to roll pretty well and didn't have time to consider potential pain. In that moment, as my horse went all PRCA, I reflected on the fact that I might actually get hurt, and that my friends was a huge transition in my behavioral timeline.
The next thing that I pondered was more of a resignation to just take my time. I became more chill in that moment than a Dip n Dots factory and just let my horse do his thing. Within a few minutes he bounced himself back to Earth and continued on like nothing had happened. After the partnering step, I usually walk around the pen, clicking my lips together so that he knows to follow me. Follow me he did, and I wandered around, with occasionally arm throws and yells at random, with a horse on my shoulder. When I stopped, he stopped, when I went backwards he went backwards, and so on. After about ten minutes of ground work, I muttered, Duck it, tightened my cinch, and laid across the saddle.
My super strange horse didn't even flinch.
So, I hopped down, tightened the cinch again, threw the stirrups and latigo around, all over the place for good measure, and mounted up. Do you want to know what happened?
Absolute horse and rider magic!
I honestly think my horse was just testing me, a battle of the wills so to speak, for he was an absolute angel for our morning ride. I am teaching him to neck rein and the progress we made in the round pen that morning was awesome!
In the end, as I removed his head stall, my big beastie took a moment to ruffle my hair with his muzzle and I paused to scratch his chest in just the right spot. I am pretty sure that my horse could and might possibly damage me someday, but the benefits of our time together far outweigh any potential ouches, and I am so looking forward to whatever mischief we get into together.:)
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Are you sure the turkeys aren't getting into Kula's ear? They might be trying to recruit. Wildlife starts getting crazy ideas when winter approaches.
Then again if you can keep Kula on your side, you can run roughshod over the invading birds this winter. Hmm, sounds like a coin flip right now. Just so you know I'm pulling for you Kat!
Hmm...the turkeys have been hanging around in larger numbers lately, now I wonder what they have been up too. I plan on riding Kula after acapella practice this afternoon, perhaps if I promise my wonder horse that he can herd turkeys he'll stay on my side, I mean, those turkeys don't deliver the alfalfa and grain;)
And thanks for the support my friend, I might need a hand up someday, LOL!
Having grown up with sheep and goats in the pasture, I still find horses 'way too big and 'way too intimidating. So I am doubly impressed by your riding skills! Yes, the day does come when we begin to think twice about what we are doing, or about to do do. Sometimes we think twice about it after we have already done it and are in pain. There's a story I could tell about pulling my granddaughter along the sidewalk with a rope tied to a big wheel trike....
Ahh, I am not that impressive in the riding department, I just love being in the saddle:) It sorta sounds like you got to be the horse instead of ride one with your grand baby, ha ha!
The whole thinking twice thing is completely new to me, and I don't yet know how I feel about it. Perhaps it means that I am just attaining some wisdom, I mean miracles do happen:)!
Hope you are enjoying our beautiful weekend!!!
Oh yeah I felt that fear before! Going in to lunge a huge American Quarter horse fresh off the racing circuit and me a total noob...and I was going to lunge him? More like he was going to lunge me lol. I think they can smell the fear....and there was plenty to be had after he reared up with his hooves in my nose doing his best Hi Ho Silver!! A few other horses since, I am happy to report I am out of the horse business for the foreseeable future and I am not complaining about it either. ;)
Ah, OGP, I so, so wish there was some OGP the Horse Whisperer footage to enjoy, that would be epic! You are right about the fear thing, I think that is why I get along with horses so well, I'm too dumb to be scared of them, lol!
Your pocket book is probably saluting you for being out of the horse business;) Hope you are staying warm this weekend!
Friend a pleasure to say hello as always your story catches me, between you and Kula there is a unique connection, you look very good and he is very beautiful
Hi there! You are far too kind, and it is marvelous to have a special bond with animals, I enjoy my Kula a lot:) Hope you are having a spectacular weekend and are doing something super fun!
Hello Friend how are you? Kula seems to me a nice name, great work was done by your friends, they created something special among you, true friendships fight against any forecast, you look great you are not old.
I send you a big hug!
It was a moving story
Ha ha! Ah @jennimorillo, you are just the sweetest! Every person that I have been blessed to call my friend in life are definitely my joy and you totally said it best:
Big hugs sent to you in return!
I'm glad you take me into account as your friend, it's so nice when you make real friends through this platform, I really appreciate your friendship (:
I had no idea you ride!! I used to ride more but, I still work Henry, our 7year old Chincoteague pony. Keep him working!!
How cool to be taking another pony and feeling them in. They have personalities just like we do. I like that you are perceptive and don't miss the clues. They can feel it for sure.
Great story and i wish you both luck in your bondind. Once bonded, never brokem.
You have a Chincoteague pony! AHHH! My favorite book when I was a kid was my National Geographic book about the ponies:). You are just awesome!
I've been riding horses for as long as I can walk, but am by no means an equestrian. I have been blessed to ride in some pretty wild country though, and my favorite place to be is on some mountain trail that's about a foot wide with a few thousand foot cliff off to one side. I'm looking forward to bringing Kula to the point in our partnership that we can wander some of our glorious Idaho wilderness together.
Thank you so much for dropping by, I hope to hear about your work with Henry in the future!
I had horses most of my life. My experience is the young ones can do some odd things. Sometimes that continues their whole lives, but usually they settle by the time they are 5. Love how they took the time and brought him along gently.
Ha ha! Yes, young horses are full of surprises for sure. I am heading out to work Kula in a bit, and I am wondering what's in store for me today, lol!
Do you still ride? You seem to be super busy with all that homesteading. It seems to get harder to have the energy to do everything that needs to get done and still find time to get out and ride. Hope you are having a fantastic weekend:)
We've not had horses since closing the stable in 2001. No way I could afford or find the energy to care for horses now.... Have to live vicariously through you.... :))