reinersblog.com

As soon as we arrived at the ranch today, I jumped out of the car and starting searching through paddock after paddock for Leo. Jim whistled for him. We didn’t know where he was. Jim went to chat with the owner, and I headed for the stalls. Since the sun was so high outside, it seemed very dark in the halls. “Leo?” “Leo?” I peered into stall after stall, until finally there he was! LEOOOOOO!!! He poked his little nose out at me and I couldn’t have been happier.

He looks a little thinner, but beefy, like he’s been working. The trainer saddled him up to show Jim how he’s doing after two weeks. After a short warm up, they ran some steer. First I watched Leo, how still he was in the box, and how well he rated the steer when he came out. Then I watched the broad smile spread across Jim’s face. HE IS NOT SELLING LEO!!! Haaaaaahaaaaaaaaa!!!! YAY!!!
This trainer is pretty wonderful. Leo looked so easy and relaxed under him. I wanted to hug him when he was telling us how bad it is to jerk or kick a horse around. He has a lot to teach and a nice way of teaching it.
I had a lesson with Leo that went so well. I learned a lot that I want to talk about and will in the coming weeks.

Main things though:

• Leo was signed up for another month of training
• I’ve signed up for lessons with Leo and the trainer for every weekend
• The trainer is extremely familiar with Les Vogt’s 5 easy pieces (he’s been to 10 of his clinics) and weaves them into his own lifelong experience

When I put Leo up and said my goodbyes, I told him with a huge grin on my face and watery eyes, what a good boy he is, how smart he is, and thanked him for all the hard work. I kissed his fuzzy nose, gave him way too many treats, and just about danced back to my car. It was a good day.

Wow what a week! We have a “little” Norwegian parade in my neighborhood on the 17th of May (Syttende Mai) each year. It’s to celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day. This neighborhood has always been known as the Scandinavian area of Seattle and our Syttende Mai parade is the biggest one outside of Norway.

I’m part of a committee that organizes a group of Norwegian Fjord Horses to participate in the parade. It’s so much fun to see the kids interacting with the ponies. Some of them have never met a horse in real life. Oh! And we got a first prize trophy for the 2nd year in a row! Woo! Woo! Heres a good little video of the parade, we’re in there somewhere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWi7Pa1Hfx0

About Leo. guess WHAT!!! He’s doing great! One of the trainers called Jim and said, “Well, you know, your horse has a temper….” We got a pretty big chuckle out of that. But the good news is that they don’t think there is anything seriously wrong with Leo. They think he’s got all the tools and will make a great rope horse. The only thing is getting past his temper.

I can’t wait to see him. I just really want to check on him and make sure he’s doing ok; you know, give him a hug and let him know we haven’t abandoned him. It’s going to take me about 3 hours to drive out. Long drive for a lesson eh? I can’t waaaaait to see him though!
I’m feeling really good about having a lesson too. Even though my last lesson was such a bad experience, I have a good feeling about the trainer. Also, I’ll be with Leo, not some horse I don’t know. I feel a lot more secure with him, temper or no, he’s my pal.

Well, it’s either summer camp or the auction block. I’ll find out in a week. Yesterday, Leo’s owner told me that it was time to have Leo assessed and that assessment would start today, May 10. The trainer will have him for a week, rope off of him, and let Jim know if he’ll be a good “jackpot” rope horse. If the trainer gives it a thumbs down, than Leo will be sold. SOLD!

I drove out to the barn yesterday, wanting to spend some time with Leo, and had a long talk with him. I told him to be on his best behavior and do everything the trainer says. Jim later admitted that he’d had a similar conversation with Leo and told him to pay attention in class.

I rode over to Yakima with Jim to drop Leo off. On the way over, Jim noticed my furrowed brow and general look of concern, so he ASSURED me that the trainer was not going to hurt Leo at all. He said he was a wonderful trainer and very good to horses. I know he’s right because I’ve heard good things about the trainer before. But I still worry. Maybe I’m just really going to miss little Leo.

On the way to Yakima, Jim stopped at the ranch in Ellensburg where he ropes. He wanted to let me work with Leo one more time in my favorite outdoor arena. It was the best ride. Leo just did everything I asked with gusto. He even stopped well. Jim was smiling. He got on him for a few also (He had decided last winter not to ride him while I was working with him, so Leo wouldn’t get confused with possibly different signals).

With Jim up there, I said, “Try to steer with just your legs.” He did and I got a big smile from him. Leo is really rockin’ now.

Leaving Leo in Yakima was hard. Super hard. I gave him a kiss on the nose and told him to be a good boy. Now I just have to wait and see. This week will decide his future. He’ll either be staying for a month or two or he’ll come home to be sold. Either way, looks like I’m without him for awhile or forever. I wonder how he’s doing…

I had a great weekend. It was opening day of the Summer Series at the ranch–let the team roping commence! Even though Leo isn’t trained for roping yet, Jim likes to take him out there so he can get used to all the activity.

I was hoping Leo would be on his best behavior, and he was! Although, he had a hard time concentrating because of the new setting. We worked in the arena before most of the ropers got there, but there were plenty of steer, horses, and strange newness everywhere to keep his ears perked up the whole time.

My friend Monica took that picture of us. He was just as good as he could be. Last month Leo was getting really ornery with the snaffle I was using (D-ring, slow-twist). So when I went to the Les Vogt clinic, I picked up an Elevator bit. It’s a strange looking bit to be sure, but so far, a wonderful training bit. It’s cool because it also kind of acts like a full-cheek snaffle, which seems to help with training in lateral movements. Les says that you give a horse a new bit when he asks for one. I think it finally sank in that Leo was asking for one. He was getting pretty brave with his rearing up and being generally disrespectful.

Last week, first day in the new bit, like clockwork, he had a tantrum and came off the ground with both front hoofs. When he was on his way up to classic Trigger position, I bopped him once (quick jerk on the bit with one rein), he grunted in surprise (and no small amount of discomfort I’m sure) and replanted both hoofs firmly on the ground. I’m not sure if that was the right thing to do, but for the rest of the ride, he was a perfect gentleman. We had two more arguments like that in the days followed, and then he just quit behaving badly. There are no ornery tantrums.

SO! This is what we have so far in terms on the “five easy pieces.” Leo knows how to independently move his head, his shoulders, and his hips on both sides (Yay! Finally turning on the forehand in both directions). He’s great two-tracking to the left, but falls apart on the right, so that’s what we’re working on now.

Back to Saturday at the roping; it was great! Leo was so good. I didn’t work with him long because he was behaving so well and trying so hard. So we hung up the gear, he had a carrot, I had a Cliff bar, and we kicked back and watched Jim catch!