I think if I had started this back in the fall when I first took on horse duties, arranging these postings might have been a bit easier. I'm kind of having to think through the order of these first few posts. How about an introduction to the horses? Dude first.
This shot of him makes me laugh every time I see it. Our 4H club did a routine to the song "Men in Black" from the movie of the same name for Club Class at the state show. All the other members were aliens, and Dude and Katie were Men in Black, since he was coming off an injury and couldn't trot and follow the aliens' "routine." He was such a good boy, standing there square through the whole song, with his little black tie and Ray Bans tucked right below his ears.
Dude is a sorrel Quarter Horse gelding, officially named Heza Flashy Dude Mr. 15/3 in height, white socks, a stocking and a blaze on his face for markings. We got him when he was eight, and now he is 15. His bloodlines contain Impressive breeding; actually, Impressive was his granddaddy. Impressive was one of the Quarter Horse world's most well known breeding stallions, turning out lots of champions particularly for halter competition. Unfortunately, he also contributed a genetic disease, Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP), to his line of progeny. HYPP is a condition characterized by intermittent episodes of muscle tremors (shaking or trembling, weaknesses and/or collapse)--that's straight from the American Quarter Horse Association web page. We've had Dude tested and he is positive/negative. Or maybe it's negative/positive. :)
Physically, Dude clearly has the Impressive "look." He's got a big muscled neck, barrel and hindquarters atop slender dainty legs with tiny hooves. Old-style Quarter Horse all the way.
When he first arrived at our old barn, he was so pumped up on grain, alfalfa and no turnout that no one could go in his stall without caution. He had been on the circuit showing in halter and was HUGE. The story goes that the guy who owned him wanted to concentrate on his other horse and decided to sell him. His diet was changed, he started going out, and became a completely different horse.
We had been looking for a horse for my older daughter for a while when the barn owners suggested we take a look at Dude. I thought they were crazy, given his personality when he first crossed our radar. But amazingly, he was completely different under saddle, and was pretty quiet in the stall and on the cross ties.
We had a vet check done to see how he looked since we were concerned about the little legs and feet with the big body. He did have a quarter crack growing out at the time of the vet check. If I had known then what I know now, I would've proceeded with much more caution! The next couple of years were an endless cycle of abscesses and quarter cracks. Finally we got a new farrier who in cooperation with a holistic vet, suggested a new way of shoeing him. Although I hate to put this in print for fear of jinxing (!), the quarter cracks have ended-- not one in the last four years.
Katie did great with him in 4H and local shows in pleasure, equitation, fitting and showmanship and 4H project classes. Not so good in trail, because some things would freak him out (and they never practiced!). Then three years ago he was turned out in a small stallion paddock by a well meaning barnmate and he completely freaked out. All the sitting and spinning did something to a major hip muscle and he was dead lame. He could barely lift his right hind up for the farrier. Vet's recommendation: No turnout, only handwalking for about a YEAR. Talk about a long haul. She stuck with it though and he finally got sound.
At our current barn the horses do not go out in the spring until the fields dry out, so sometimes they are in for as much as 8 weeks. Dude can go stir crazy during this period and revert to his old cranky, bullying ways, dragging us around at the end of the lead rope when we try to hand graze or walk him. He's always good under saddle though, no tricks. In an attempt to save my lead arm this year from all the yanking and pulling, this year I tried something new: Equilite's Mellow Out flower essence in his water every day, and a couple of drops soaked into a treat that I feed him about a half hour before I take him out to graze. Saw no change for about two weeks, but he's been good the last THREE days, walking out to hand graze like a perfect gentleman.
He loves dogs, cats and chickens (at a friend's barn, "his" chicken would roost on Dude's stall partition every night). He's also great with little kids, very gentle. He's totally a horse of contrasts. An animal communicator once characterized him as Charlie Sheen. I'm not sure about that, but I can't think of anyone better. He does have his tough guy moments, but then he'll surprise you with a nicker and a nuzzle.
Favorite things about Dude: His big ol' Quarter Horse butt. His willingness to put on whatever my daughter came up with for costume class. His raspy nicker when he hears me in the barn. How he hurls everything off his door when he wants attention.
No comments:
Post a Comment