lucky kachina dancer

Baby Season

2010-05-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

So..what happened? Was I just teasing you with promises of a comeback? No, no, nothing like that. It's just been really busy up at the ranch. But it's a good kind of busy.

This is officially 'Baby Season'. There are seven little foals out in the pasture -- two fillies and five colts! -- and four calves out in the herd. Which means that most of my weekends thus far were spent riding through the tall pasture grass, searching for hints of black or brown that may or may not be a newborn tucked away. It also means moving the cattle from one pasture to another. All of which I adore, but it leaves little time to spend with my painted pony.

More than I want to learn to be a team penner, or a competitor, I want to learn the life of the rancher. I honestly don't care if I ever win a thing out there in the arenas; to me, getting the chance to gallop across an open pasture to turn a herd, or calmly search for the calves in their secret grassy cradles, or ride a fence line looking for gaps and faults -- that's bliss!

I even crave the parts I don't like (like cutting the horns and castrating the bulls) because I learn so much. And this past weekend, I discovered another part of ranch life that I dislike: stacking hay. Not because it's hard work (I like the hard work, and I've stacked hay plenty of times before), but because when move hay on a ranch, you inevitably run into mice and their nests.

Now, I'm not afraid of mice at all. But I detest moving a bale and uncovering a nest of babies that will need to be moved (if I can move them without the others catching me) or are accidentally brushed aside or, worse, stepped on or crushed by the bales in the process. I hate, hate, hate this, because you can't stop working, and it just can't be helped. My stomach sank every time we disturbed one of these nests, but all I could do was apologize and keep stacking hay ("Forgive us for these tiny lives that were lost..").

It isn't that I can't do the dirty, often difficult tasks when they need to be done. It's when the deaths are pointless and unavoidable. It's situations like these that are my biggest obstacle while working at the ranch. As I've mentioned before, I'm sometimes forced to walk the edge of my own personal morals and beliefs (such as that every life, no matter how small, is precious and should be respected), and "the way things are." Most of the time I can find a way to compromise, but sometimes -- as with the little mice nests -- it's more difficult.

But! I am lucky that the trainer that I'm mentoring under is more compassionate and respectful toward his animals than many I've met in the past. And everyone at the ranch is not only extremely nice, but they genuinely care about the animals, so I'm very fortunate.

Aside from Baby Duty, I've also spent my weekends practicing on cattle. There's another penning this weekend, and I'm hoping to compete. I can feel myself getting better, but I still have a very long way to go.

I will post pictures and names of the babies soon! Right now names are being tossed around, and haven't really settled yet.

As for Kachina, her training is coming along well, and she's getting big! I think she's already as tall as Maverick, and growing still. She's going to tower over her big brother very soon! I probably won't be able to take pictures of her this weekend, due to the penning, but they're coming. Promise.

Oh! And Kachina turned three on May 5th (she was deprived of a birthday party, however I did talk my trainer into giving her a few cookies on our behalf). I can't believe it's been more than a year since I got her (18 months, to be exact), and a whole year since I put her in training. Can't wait to see her progress this year!

Earning Your Salt

2010-04-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've heard the saying more than once. Once upon a time, when it was not the abundant resource it is today, the Roman legions used to be paid in salt, hence the saying "earn your salt." Aside from being an excuse for a history lesson, it's also a favorite of my trainer's ("earn your salt," "worth your salt," "if you've got any salt"...). And Saturday, we definitely earned our share.

My trainer picked up about thirty head of new longhorns last week. We spent all day doctoring on about sixty head -- shots, wormer, antibiotics to those who needed and, in some cases, cutting horns. On days like that, I really start to feel like a ranch hand. It's a thrill, however, when we can all work together smoothly to get such a large task done without any hitches, and keep everyone -- cattle, horses and humans -- safe and relatively calm.

The days when we doctor are some of the hardest at the ranch for me. Not because of the physical work, which is hard but enjoyable, but because it forces me to balance my own beliefs and ethics with what's necessary on a ranch. Sometimes it's a razor edge. However, I can say that my trainer and those that work with us treat the animals' welfare as a top priority. He has a lot of respect for his cattle. Still, it isn't always easy. I can't imagine the strength of character of a person who can watch the birth of an animal, raise it with care and respect, and sell it for slaughter, or even slaughter it themselves. I'm not sure that, at this point, it's something I could do.

On a lighter side, after the work was finished I was able to take Kachina for a walk and do a little bonding. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the grass is tall and green. Luckily, I had my phone on me so I was able to snap a few shots.

Kachina looks perfectly content munching on the grass, watching the cows we'd just spent the day doctoring on as they relaxed in the pasture:

Springtime

2010-03-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

First, let me say that I'm really, really sorry for not updating for such a long time. I received a lot of inquires about Kachina -- was she alright, did I still own her, is she still in training -- and I want to thank you all for your concern for my little painted pony and I! (I got a few scoldings, too, even from my fellow apprentice who sees Kachina just as often as I do!)

Yes, I still own Kachina, and we're both fine, and we're both still in training. The hiatus was due to my computer dying, troubles with my ISP and life just generally getting all crazy and hectic. I'm sure that if Kachina had known that I'd been disappointing her friends and fans she'd be mortified.

Now that things have begun to settle back into a more manageable rhythm, I hope to get back to updating this blog more. And there's a lot to update!

Spring is the season of change, rebirth and rejuvenation. I can think of no better time to rejuvenate this blog, and catch up on all of Kachina's changes and growth. Like the fact that she has a tail! I can hardly believe it, it's down to her hocks already. And how big she's gotten! She's not much smaller than Maverick now (who isn't that big, granted), and growing still.

Kachina is progressing very well with her training. Already she knows more than a lot of adult, "finished" horses that I've grown up around. I'm constantly amazed with what she knows, and how quickly she learns.

For example: Saturday was our first trail ride in the pasture beyond the ranch. It included tall grass, a small ravine (ok, more like a ditch I suppose...), and a pond. She took to her first splash in the water better than I expected, and seemed to enjoy splashing around and getting me extra wet.

After the ride, we went to the annual Escalon Longhorn Auction (which, unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of), and then to a huge annual sale at Oakdale Feed where I bought Kachina a beautiful saddle pad, and a cinch to fit her. Look for pictures Kachina all dressed up soon!

As for me, I've been growing too. I've finally started competing in Team Penning; I've ridden in two competitions so far. It means a lot to me to be able to compete in the same association, and the same arenas, that my grandfather competed in. This is been a goal of mine for a very long time.

I can't wait for the day when I can compete on Kachina and show off what I know she's capable of.

Not Dead Yet

2009-12-23T07:36:00.001-08:00

*blows the dust off the blog*

Eek. Where did the time go? I knew it had been a while since I've updated, but I had no idea it's been this long!

No worries, Kachina and I are both healthy and well. Which is more than I can say for my computer, which died a few months back, along with my internet (double-whammy!). I've been living off of my smart phone since the last you all have heard from me. But! I have a new computer, and new internet, so I'm back in action.

And I just couldn't let the year end without sending long overdue love to all of Kachina's internet family.

As for Kachina, she continues to do well in her training. She's growing taller, too. The popular theory is that she'll reach about 15hh. It's still hard to imagine that the little filly I saw a year ago is turning into a real horse.

She is moving very well under saddle, and is turning out to be very willing to work the "human cow." She's definitely showing that she is a cow horse, as that Jesse James blood starts to boil to the surface. I've also taken her on a few rides outside of the ranch, and I'm very pleased to see that she's more curious about the unknown than she is afraid of it. It's so exciting to watch her progress.

Me, I'm progressing too. Although, sometimes, it feels frustratingly slower than Kachina! But when I think of all of the things I can do now -- not just while riding horses, but also while handling them and working on the ranch -- I'm truly amazed at how far I've come. I hope to only get better in the new year!

So, from Kachina and I, happy holidays! I hope that the new year brings you even more joy, love and adventures than the last one!

OT: New Blog

2009-11-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

News of Kachina will be coming this weekend, promise!

In the meantime, I've created a brand new blog for my personal use/my adventures as an aspiring dog trainer. Check it out!

Going for the Gold

2009-10-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was a very important day for me. My fellow apprentice and I entered our first Ranch Sorting competition.

To say I was nervous was a serious understatement. Not only was it a spur-of-the-moment decision to enter, or that I only had a day to practice, or that I hadn't worked cows in at least a month, but it was my first competition. Ever. I was never into sports as a kid, so I was never in any games or matches.

Well, that's not true. I went to a martial arts tournament as a kid, and I've done some play days on Rico, but none of those were serious. Not where I paid an entry fee, or where the competition was packed, or where the winning prize was a very beautiful buckle. Eek.

Now, I tried Ranch Sorting back in August, but it wasn't a real competition. We paid $5 to do a random sorting, more a "fun game" than anything. This time, every one was good, and they all came ready to win that buckle. Some of the runs were so amazingly fast, and the horses moved so well, I couldn't believe it!

I spent most of the day warming up horses, watching the other competitors and talking my poor partner's ear off. See, the only way I can combat nervousness is by feeling prepared. And since I didn't feel prepared, I had to settle myself down by dissecting every scenario in my head, making tons of plans, noting things about the cows or about other teams' runs. Would I remember any of it when I got in the pen? Most likely not, but talking about it made me feel like I was doing something. Fortunately, I had a great partner who just listened and nodded his head, even though I was probably getting on his nerves! (Sorry!)

It's funny how you can spend all day nervous but, once you're up, it just goes away. It's like you don't have time to be worried. Suddenly, it's just you, your partner, your horse and the cows; you can hear the people calling to you outside, but you can't hear them.

Even more amazing was how the horse I was riding felt so ready the minute we got in front of cattle. I've been riding this mare a lot, and I feel like we work well together and have a good relationship, but in that moment we suddenly felt like partners, like we were 'on a wire'. It was a really powerful feeling.

So, how did we do? Out of twenty-two teams, we came in second place. We were so close to winning the buckle -- we lost it at the last minute by four cows -- but I'm still extremely excited and happy with what we got. I have a great trainer, a great partner, and I was riding a great horse. Plus, my mom was there to see it. More importantly, I'm doing what I promised my grandfather that I'd do: following in his footsteps.

Besides, how many people can say they got second place on their first go?

I got a $101 for second place, which is going toward a new pair of nice spurs. I love my spurs because my grandfather bought them for me, but they're super light, 'learning spurs' and I think it's time for an upgrade.

Now that I've got the bug, I can't wait to compete again. It's a sport that I think Kachina would excel in, and I think it'd be a good competition for a young horse once they have more training of them (not as much running or turning in Sorting as there is in Team Penning). We'll see!

Next time, I'm getting that buckle!

Besides all that, Kachina's doing fine, and I did take a picture of her for you guys:

Just before I gave her a bath (which she hates). She looks all awkward and teenager-y in this photo. Definitely not a baby anymore!

OT: The Animal Rescue Site

2009-10-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a new button on the right side of this blog (if not, now you will). Clicking on this button will take you to The Animal Rescue Site where, by clicking another button, you can help to feed a rescued animal without paying a dime. This is how it works:

You click, and their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned, neglected and abused animals in exchange for advertising. Currently, their having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily so that they can meet their quota of FREE FOOD (have I mention that you don't have to pay anything?) donated every day to these animals in need.

Hey, you're browsing through blogs all the time anyway, right? So while you're looking, click on the link, click on the big purple button on the website and, boom, you've just fed a little kitten that was found abandoned along with its littermates on the side of a highway, or a puppy that was abused and left for dead in a junk yard, or a starving horse that was rescued from some tiny, mucky, bare pen in someone's backyard.

And it doesn't cost you anything but fifteen seconds of your day. How awesome is that?

From Filly to Mare

2009-10-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a while! Life's been a little hectic, and this blog has suffered for it. But I promise it'll be back in full swing once things calm down (whenever that will be!), and both Kachina's doing great. She's really coming along in her training -- my trainer thinks she'll progress fast.

Besides that, she's growing like crazy! Well, not so much growing (though she is taller) as transitioning from filly to mare. Here's a picture of her from last week:

Her tail's longer, too! And that missing plug in her mane is almost even now. Pretty big difference from when I got her back in January, isn't it?:

(looking at this picture still makes me grin)

We're going to tackle our first "trail ride" in a few weeks, so keep checking back with us; as long as Kachina's around, this blog will be too!

The Apprenticing Life

2009-09-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

There was a CCPA (California Cattle Penning Association) penning this past Saturday. Show days means waking up early in order to drive out to La Grange (a two hour drive on a good day), get the horses fed, wash and groom the horses we'll be taking, loading everyone into the trailer, changing into show clothes and hitting the road. This is roughly how my Saturday morning:

- Wake up at 12:30 (I don't usually go to bed until 12:30!)
- Ride with my fellow apprentice two hours to La Grange (he drives, thankfully!)
- Get caught up to speed with my trainer
- Wash four horses (in the dark, mind you)
- Groom up said horses until they shine (still in the dark!)
- Help feed the remaining horses
- Gather all the tack we'll be taking with us and store it in the trailer
- Help load the horses into the trailer (sun's just coming up)
- Check the trailer then hit the road!
- Arrive at the penning and unload horses
- Touch-up grooming and tacking up
- Warm up my trainer's horse
...all before the 9:00 start.

Once the competition started, I helped out by working the gate. If you're planning on competing in any event, I definitely recommend working the gate at least once. It's the best seat in the house, and I learned a lot -- not only from watching the runs, but also from the commentary between teams. They discuss their game plan as they enter the arena, they talk about what they did right as they leave the arena after a good run, and they talk about what went wrong after a bad one. Also, the teams waiting to go into the arena will analyze the run of the team that's in the arena, so there's tons of information milling around that gate. Plus, everyone in the CCPA is extremely friendly, so they were all willing to answer any questions I had about strategy, the cows and the rules.

Besides that, I really liked being able to wish each team good luck as they entered, and congratulate them as they left, no matter how their run went.

After the show, I helped break down all the sponsorship posters, which gave me a chance to talk to the president of the association. Once that was done, it was time to take the tack off of the horses, groom and load everyone in the trailer for the trip back home.

I did get to see Kachina, briefly, and try on her fancy new halter (which I tried to get a picture of her wearing, but it was too dark!). We fed the horses their dinner and, finally, packed up for the two hour drive back home. I was in bed at 11:30 -- long day!

Sunday more than made up for it, though; P and I took a drive to Mt. Tam. It was beautiful and warm and we scored tons of this great, soft, green rock that looked almost like jade. No idea what it is, but I want to do something cool with it eventually.

For those of you who have followed Kachina's twitter, you know that I've been dying to make Cash a rattlesnake skin collar all summer. Well, with Ana's help, I finally got it done on Monday (even though she was freaked out by it). It looks amazing! I can't wait to take tons of pictures of him in it. Now I just have to get him a Good Dog Tag and he'll be all set.

It's been a long, long week, and it's only Wednesday. Expect some pictures of Kachina next week, as well as a little dive into her family history!

Goodbye, Rico

2009-09-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't meant to neglect this blog. Actually, I felt like I couldn't post in it without first closing the chapter on Rico, and I haven't had the heart to do it. But I've had a little time, and it isn't so raw anymore (though still painful), so I think it's time.

First, I wanted to thank you guys for your support and kind words in the last post. I really appreciated every one of them. I'm not going to post about Friday, but I do want you guys to know that Rico went as peacefully as I could hope. The doctors at UC Davis are amazing, and I felt like they really cared about Rico, as well as understood how I felt. I couldn't have asked for kinder people.

When we bought Rico (for $600!), he had been surrendered to the stable because his owner was behind on board and couldn't pay. He had used Rico in illegal races, and Rico had been so abused that he was absolutely terrified of being ridden (he had scars on his sides from being spurred so hard and so often). It took four people holding him, and almost forty-five minutes for me to just get on his back the first time -- he would move around, come up in the front and just try to get away. When I finally mount up, he just froze and trembled and, when I asked him to go, he took off.

To be honest, I was afraid of him, but that was because I didn't understand. I had to learn to let go of my presumptions (like he wasn't just some psycho horse that had it in for me!) and figure out the root of his problem and how to best address it. It took me over a year to get Rico to trust me but, once I did, there was nothing I couldn't ask him to do. Rico would follow me around without a halter or lead; sometimes we would go racing through the stable, but when I'd stop or slow down, he would match my pace.

Rico was never stubborn or disrespectful, he never refused to do anything I asked and he never showed an ounce of aggression. In truth, he loved to work more than anything. I rode in my first parade with him, and when I started doing gymkhanas on him he took to it like a fish to water.

I learned so many lessons from Rico -- lessons that I've applied to all things in life, not just with horses: patience, understanding, trust, and how to let go of the past and start over are just some of the gifts he gave me.

So good bye, Old Man, and thank you. I hope you find endless space to run, and lots and lots of pretty Spanish mares to court until I see you again.

Stepping Up, Letting Go

2009-09-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

I had this great post planned for this week about how well Kachina's been doing in training, her first interaction with a cow, a practice penning we did on Sunday, the holiday...

But I just found out that Rico -- who in only the span of a month has developed a large growth that is very likely an advanced form of cancer -- will need to be put down. Suddenly the thought of writing a light, fun post flew out the window (just typing the words "put down" just now gave me a sudden wave of nausea).

I got the news yesterday, and was told that an appointment had been made for today, and that a vet from the track would do it, and then..take him away. I knew that the decision was coming up, but I had no idea that it would be so sudden, or that I would have less than a day's worth of time to come to terms with it.

P and I went out to see him yesterday, and feed him lots and treats, let him spend time with Gypsy and just be with him a while. My mother and her boyfriend came out to see him, too, but I noticed that there was something strange about the way they talked around me. Finally, she said to me: "I don't want you coming out here tomorrow. Don't come." I protested that I had already made arrangements to be there, and that I didn't want him to be alone. But she just kept asking me, very adamantly, not to come. "Promise me that you won't come, please." Suspicious, I pressed her until she finally told me: "They're going to take him around the back and shoot him."

After the initial shock, I tried to assure her that our stable manager had arranged for a vet to come out and put him down. She only shook her head and told me that the manager himself had told her that the plan was to take the money, then take him around the back of the stable and shoot him. I was furious. They lied to me, and they lied to my grandmother, who was under the impression that her horse -- a horse who had once belonged to the manager's wife! -- was going to be put down properly and humanely. It wasn't a vet they'd called, but some yahoo with a pistol and a pickup truck.

Of course, there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen. I immediately called my grandmother, then the manager, and made him cancel the appointment (it's hard to stay professional when you're that angry). I couldn't believe that they would flat-out lie to us, especially in regards to something so important and heartbreaking, knowing how much we love our horses. That stable has never been paradise for horses, but I was ill at the thought of such blatant disregard for not only the treatment of the horses, but the feelings of it's boarders (not to mention that they've known my family for a few decades!). This is why I'd never take Maverick back there.

But, I'll get off my soap box.

I plan to call UC Davis today. Mom said she would help me haul Rico there, and I've made arrangements to take the day off from work. It's strange, in the course of only a few hours, I've gone from not knowing, to being afraid to be present, to spearheading the entire task. But under all the weight and sadness (and there's a lot of it), I feel a little better -- a little lighter -- knowing that I'll be making sure that he has a proper, easy and peaceful sendoff, surrounded by people who love him and with kind, knowledgeable doctors who care.

I owe him that much, at least.

Yosemite

2009-08-25T07:10:00.000-07:00

I was invited to join some friends on a camping trip to Yosemite this weekend (well, we were in a "cabin", so I can't really consider it camping). Of course I jumped at the chance, having never been to Yosemite and seriously needing a break from the city and stress I've been under.

It was a little mind-boggling to be among scenery that, until now, I'd only ever seen in pictures. Everywhere you looked was a photo opportunity.

We were planning on hiking up the Half Dome, but it was raining hard so the trail was closed off. Which, really, was for the better, since I don't think I would have been able to make it, but I certainly wouldn't have admitted that front of my friends. Thanks for giving me an out, Mother Nature!

We ended up hiking to the top of a waterfall instead, which was perfectly fine with me. The water and the mist was beautiful, the hike was appropriately challenging, and the rain was actually a very welcomed relief.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip:

A tiny rainbow that marked the beginning of the trip.

I was obsessed with the misty cliffs and trees. Can you tell?

~~Cybernetic~~ Deer roamed all over the park, coming shockingly close to visitors. These four stags in particular were total hams. (there are three pictured - the other one was off entertaining another photographer)

Halfway to the waterfall we conquered. I've just discovered that I love waterfalls!

A swallow's nest we found back in the town of Groveland.

In town we ate buffalo burgers at the oldest saloon in California, The Iron Door. Everyone was extremely nice.

On the way home, we stopped in Oakdale, "Cowboy Capital of the World," and one of my favorite towns. We found a Native American store and I ohh'd and ahh'd over tons of stuff I couldn't afford (including Kachina dolls!), before picking up a necklace and a few beads.

It was a fantastic trip! Much needed. Though I can't wait to see my pony this weekend.

Long Awaited

2009-08-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Spent the night at my trainer's again this weekend. There was a penning in Modesto on Saturday, where I helped ready and warm up horses. It was the same arena where my grandfather last competed, where had me walk around the arena with him and introduced me to everyone. He'd been so proud then that I was training to follow in his footsteps and compete in team penning. It made the trip a little bittersweet.

Sunday, we had an easy work day around the ranch. The owners of one of his horses in training came out, and he showed off what the horse had learned, then I cooled the horse off. Of all the horses at the ranch, he was probably the horse I liked the least when I first started apprenticing. I was amazed at his progress; this is a horse who, the last time I rode him, reared and threw tantrums. This time I was riding him around on a very loose rein, using mostly leg cues and no stirrups. He's practically a month away from going brideless! The more I work with him, the more I start to find little things to like about him.

After that, we worked with Kachina. We were having such a good day, and Kachina was doing so well, that what started off as just a driving lesson quickly advanced into a riding lesson. We saddled her up and I got on and, even though we had her on a lunge line, it was my job to guide her with the reins and use my legs to drive her. This is the most work we've done with her on the bit, and the first time we've really started to leg cue her.

She took to it so well that, in no time, I was walking, trotting, loping and stopping her around the round pen using mostly leg, voice and rein cues. It was the first time she'd done any of that with someone on her back.

Unfortunately, I only had my phone handy, but we did manage to get some of the long awaited Riding Kachina shots that I've been promising:

As I've mentioned before, I've never started a young horse, or even ridden one so green. It's a challenge to remember that she isn't a finished (or even green broke) horse like I'm used to, and can't be ridden the same way. I'm not refining or tuning up previous training; this is a completely blank slate.

Still, Kachina did amazing! She doesn't fight anything. The most she does is stop when she's confused, and I have to patiently drive her forward again. No hopping, no tossing her head, no rearing or bucking -- just a desire to get it right.

It's amazing, too, realizing just how much your body cues a horse. With a young horse there's no "white noise" between the rider's body and the horse -- every signal comes loud and clear. The first couple of times I moved her into a trot I'd post and, after that, whenever she felt me posting she'd move into a trot (or slow into a trot, if she were loping). If she felt me sit back, she knew that I wanted the lope and would start to extend her trot until I moved her into a trot.

Perhaps the most amazing example was when we were working on "woah." I had stopped her once or twice into the session (she stops very nicely for a colt, by the way!) and, on the third time, my trainer told me to stop her when we passed the gate. So, just as we passed it, I sat back, lifted my reins a little and...she stopped! I sat there surprised and a little dumbfounded.

Did my pony has E.S.P.? Did she understand what my trainer meant when he said "stop her at the gate"..? It took me a minute to realize that Kachina was completely tuned into my body. She felt me sit deep, felt the little shift of the bit as I lifted my hands, and knew what I wanted; my body was telling her stop before I ever got the chance to pull back on the bit and say "woah." It's something I've always read about, but hadn't ever experienced to that level. Riding a colt is truly special!

My trainer was pleased with both of us. He seemed to be really excited about Kachina's progress (he even stroked her more than I've ever seen him do, and gave her a lot of praise). Because my trainer is honest (brutally so, sometimes), and I was curious from a trainer's perspective, I asked him what he thought Kachina's biggest training issue will be in the future. "None," he said, "She does everything I ask, she doesn't fight, she gives to the bit and flexes well...As of right now, I don't anticipate any problems."

He also said that she learns fast, and that she's very strong bodied, so we should be able to put her on cattle sooner rather than later. I can't wait to take some Kachina vs. The Cow shots!

Getting My Feet Wet

2009-08-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday I got my first taste of competition.

We went to a very relaxed Sorting Match in Gilroy, California. For those of you who don't know what Ranch Sorting is, essentially it goes like this: There are ten head of cattle, numbered 0-9 in one pen and that is joined to an empty pen. A number is called (we'll say 3), and a two-person team has 75 seconds to sort the cattle through the gate into the empty pen in sequence (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, 1, 2..) without letting the wrong number get through. One person guards the gate, and one sorts the cattle. Often, you'll see the team members switch off.

I was there warming up my trainer's horses, helping him get ready, observing..the usual. It was great watching all of the competitors, and they were all really good! At the end of the match, they had a pot draw: you pay $5 and get a playing card, and the person who has your matching suit is your partner. My trainer offered the other apprentice and I a chance to play, and I agreed, even though I was extremely nervous (I couldn't, however, back down from the challenge! No way!). I ended up drawing the King of Clubs, which was fortunate for me since Kings go last!

My partner was an extremely nice guy, and one of the best sorters there. Unfortunately, he also didn't speak any English and relied on his partner to call out the numbers for him in Spanish. Ho-boy, I was a complete rookie and we couldn't communicate. Frantically, I went over my high school Spanish lessons in my head (uno, dos, tres..).

I was a bundle of nerves waiting but, once we were in the pen, it was like no one else was there. You just don't have time to be nervous. In the end, the cattle totally ate me alive, but we managed to sort out five before an odd cow got through, which definitely didn't make us the worst run! I thanked my partner profusely, and apologized, to which he only smiled and shrugged and said "Was fun! Good job!"

All in all, it was a great introduction to the sport. I wouldn't mind trying it out again. After some practice.

And, of course, Kachina was well! Since we were at the show, I didn't have much time with her, but she looked happy and healthy and gave me a congratulatory snort when I told her all about it.

Helping The Economy

2009-08-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

I found this on the Western Shooting Horse blog and had to share it!:

* * * * * * *

MEMO

TO: President Barack Obama

FROM: Ange Finn

RE: Economic Recovery Stimulus Ideas

Mr. President, it has come to my attention that you're having some challenges with the economy.
If I understand things correctly, we're in a recession, consumer confidence and spending is down, credit is tight, investors are spooked , we need renewable energy, and health care costs are through the roof. Trillions of dollars, not to mention our future, are at stake. Mr. President, I'm just a regular citizen, but I think I have a solution.

Give every American a horse.

My proposal may not make sense to you at first, but let me give you a little background. First of all, horses in the U.S. are a multi-billion dollar industry, and that’s just at my house. I suggest you have your economic advisors do a little research on the spending around horse ownership.

You'd be surprised, Mr. President.

Start by visiting the tack and clothing retailers like State Line or Dover. Look at the variety of goods available there. Now take into account that every horse owner, especially if it’s a woman, is buying not just one or two, but tons of these items. Believe me.

So my thinking is that if you give every American a horse, starting when they reach the horse-receptive age of 10, you're going to do two things: boost consumer confidence and boost spending immediately.

Horses make us feel good, and once Americans all own horses (at the government’s expense, of course), they will all logically fall into the pattern that every horse owner succumbs to: accessorizing. For starters, we need horse-care implements like buckets and muck rakes, hoof picks and curry combs. And we need at least basic tack, halter, leadline, saddle, saddle pad, bridle and bit. But then the fun begins.

Zebra print leg wraps. Neon bright fly masks. An assortment of sheets and blankets for all seasons; you've got your cooler, your lightweight blanket, your medium blanket, your heavy blanket. Then there’s your stable sheet and your pasture sheet. Also your hoodie, and tail wrap items.

And that’s just the clothing for the horse. Don't get me started on the clothing for the rider, even if he or she doesn't show. Since most Americans don't have a basic riding wardrobe, the stores would be swamped for jeans, boots, breeches, T-shirts, dozens of pairs of cute boot socks, and the ubiquitous ball cap. Tell the retailers to get ready. It'll be Christmas all year long.

Now let’s talk about support industries. In addition to the usual veterinarian and farrier expenditures, people also give their horses chiropractic, massage and acupuncture, not to mention buying more beauty products for their horses than they do for themselves. All those professions and industries will benefit. And of course there will be a big spike in hay and grain demand, so the farmers will be happy too.

You see, that’s the secret to jump-starting consumer spending through my stimulus package. People will spend money on their horses when they won't spend money on anything else.

But, your advisors might say, there’s a catch. Aren't we paying the price, in global warming, of the large number of livestock animals we currently have? They produce a all that methane!

Ah, Mr. President, here’s the real beauty of this idea. When you introduce the Methane-Assisted Natural Unrefined Renewable Energy plan (M.A.N.U.R.E. ), you'll be a hero for coming up with an alternative, renewable, home-grown source of clean energy. Just challenge the energy gurus to come up with a methane gas collectio system that can harness all the “natural resource” produced by all those horses to power our cities. Talk about shovel ready-projects:
M.A.N.U.R.E. fits the bill!

And you keep stressing how we need new industries for investment; well, under the M.A.N.U.R.E. plan you can sell Petroleum Offset Opportunity units to investors. By buying these units, investors can help us gradually convert from a petroleum-based economy to one basedon horse P.O.O.

Health care costs will go down, too, as everyone cares for their horses. You can give tax credits based on the amount of time people spend working, riding and hanging out with their horses, which will automatically make them healthier. (Don't tell the docs, but most horse owners already get their own basic healthcare from their vet.)

One more thing: everyone is annoyed by these corporate CEOs and their big bonuses in a down economy. So give the executives, say, one horse for every $100,000 of bonus money they've received. Those bonuses will be plowed back into the economy in no time.

Finally, because you, Mrs. O, and the girls are such role models, you can encourage us all by getting a pony for Sasha and Malia. It will teach them responsibility, help the First Lady plow the garden, and as a bonus: free fertilizer for the Rose Garden.

If you don't believe me that horse ownership stimulates spending, go ahead, Mr. President. Buy that pony for your girls. You'll see.

* * * * * * *

Driving Lessons

2009-08-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

If you follow Kachina's Twitter, you'll know that this weekend was my first time staying overnight in La Grange. You'd think this would give me more opportunity to take pictures of Kachina, but it was still more work than leisure time. I got there at 11:00 Friday evening, worked until 5:00 Saturday morning, up at 6:45 and, by the time I got home and in bed Saturday night, it was 11:00. Ah, the apprenticing life!

I did get some shots of Kachina's driving lesson, however! She did really, really well -- it's amazing to watch her learn right there in front of you! I also rode her again, while my trainer drove her, and introduced bit pressure. It was interesting: there were things about the driving, like backing up, that she'd throw a little fight about, but she was noticeably more compliant when I was on her back. Maybe it was the extra weight, or maybe she was tired, but I'd like to think that she may have been reluctant to put me in any danger.

Kachina didn't go to bed until 5:00 Saturday morning, too. I think we were both feeling it!

Starting the driving lesson!

I don't know if you guys can tell how much she's grown from these pictures (they aren't the best by any means), but I notice it. That plug of chopped hair that was so short it practically stood up is now more than a third the length of the rest of her mane, and her tail is now down to her hocks. She's definitely looking more "horse like" -- though she still has that tiny baby mouth!

No pictures of me on her yet, but they will come. Promise!

Sasha: The Matriarch

2009-07-31T07:26:00.000-07:00

I've posted about 'The Herd' before, but I've yet to touch on 'The Pack' much; they prefer to stay out of my horse life as much as possible. But, with Kachina gone off to school, I figured it was a good time to introduce the other side of my passion for four-legged critters.

I share my life with six dogs, and I love them all tons, but Sasha is the only one of my little pack that has ever felt truly and wholly mine. She runs the canine portion of our household -- from Anubis, the 125 lb. Pit Bull/Mastiff mix, to Capone, the 4 lb. long-haired Chihuahua -- and it's pretty much an understanding that the hierarchy goes: Humans > Sasha > Everyone Else. And even that line of command is situational (for example, if Sasha wants the couch, and my brother also wants the couch, you can pretty much bet that Sasha's getting that couch).

We found Sasha, along with her two siblings, in a dumpster when I was eleven or twelve. The lid was closed, and we only investigated it because I had to throw something away and heard whining and sounds of movement. I can't even say how old they were, but I'm certain that it was somewhere between 7-10 weeks. So young, and someone just tossed them in the trash to live or die.

The other two went home with friends, but I wanted to keep Sasha. The family already had two dogs -- Cirra: a huge, working stock German Shepherd who I still say was the best dog in the world, and Blossom: a black Labrador who acted nothing like the neurotic, spazzy labs I see now. My mom and I begged my great-grandmother if we could keep Sasha and, after some debate (although I think she only argued out of parental obligation; there's no way she would have turned away an animal in need), she agreed with the understanding that "if she destroys anything, she's sausage" -- hence the name "Sasha."

Sasha and I have been through a lot together: When I was twelve I was convinced that we, alone, would win the Iditarod, and began our "extensive" training (I even ordered an official Iditarod patch in preparation!). We've mourned together over the deaths of her mentors, Cirra and Blossom, my great-grandmother, my cousin and Buffy and Bootsie, her adoptive doggie "aunts." Even recently, when I lost my grandfather, I came to Sasha when I needed to cry. She saved Taco's life when he was attacked by a Blue Heeler/Dingo cross; she earned a very dashing scar across her nose from the fight, which she still wears proudly to this day.

Sasha was the reason I realized that I wanted to train dogs. Which is ironic, since I never had to "train" Sasha. Sasha didn't learn, she understood. It was more like having a partner than having a pet; you asked her to do something and she knew what you wanted (except for walking on a leash; she never did quite grasp the concept restraint, which I have to admit is another reason that I love her). She was immensely intelligent and patient with everyone (except she took no crap from other dogs), and still is.

Sasha's thirteen now. He body's a little more gray and a little frailer than it used to be. Her hips don't work quite as well, and she can't run quite as fast (though don't tell her that) or dash up the back steps, and she might be a little rounder and squatter than she was a few years ago. Still, she's got the same shinning, dark eyes she had when we were both younger, and the same contented, easy smile.

I've learned so much from Sasha, but probably the most important lesson is that love has no expiration date, and it never runs out. I know that she's old, and that we are very possibly reaching the twilight of our years together. However, no matter how tired Sasha's body has gotten, her heart and spirit and ability to love have never once weakened. She still nuzzles me now the same as she did when I climbed into a dumpster and gathered her into my arms for the first time.

Winters Clinic (in Summer!)

2009-07-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

..ok, terrible pun.

But! I'm very excited, I'll be going to a Richard Winters clinic in Livermore, California in August! You may remember me posting a bit about meeting him at the HorseExpo this June, and how knowledgeable and (more importantly) friendly and likable he was. I can't wait to go to the clinic. I should find a way to take Maverick - maybe iron out some of his little issues.

Anyway, I was wondering: Is anyone else going to the Livermore clinic? Let me know! I'd love to meet some other bloggers.

If California is not your area, I'd still suggest checking out a clinic near you!

One Door Closes, Another Opens

2009-07-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my second ride on Kachina. I was able to introduce some minor leg and rein cues (using the halter and lead rope) and, like the last time, she preformed perfectly. It's great to see how quickly and easily she's coming along. I know that that might change as she ages - I don't want to assume that it'll always be this easy - but, for now, I'm savoring it.

Yesterday was my grandfather's memorial. I was very surprised at the number of people, from all backgrounds and walks of life, who came to pay their respects to my grandfather and share their stories. Generations and generations of people who had known him. There were Drugstore Cowboys and Old Hands and people who had never been on a horse in their life, and they all said that they had learned something from my grandfather. One statement that I heard over and over, no matter what type of person said it, was that Granpa was a real cowboy and a real horsemen. In a time and place where that's swiftly becoming a rare breed, it made me proud to know that others saw him the way I did.

One speaker summed up Granpa pretty well: when asked why he didn't get surgery sooner, she said "Jewell wanted to live, not stay alive."

I met tons of people - some who knew me from my childhood, some who'd heard Granpa talk about me or had seen me with him, and some who had no idea who I was - and all of them were supportive of my commitment to horses. So many offered their advice, and invited me to events and were just genuinely good people. I even met a few who not only knew my grandfather, but are also followers of this blog! (Hey!!) How amazing is that?

They say that the horse community is dwindling, especially among African Americans. But yesterday, I saw it just as strong and diverse and tightly knit as I remembered from my childhood (and how amazing that Granpa was the catalyst for that!). I just wish that it didn't take his passing to make it all happen.

First Ride

2009-07-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Kachina carried a rider for the first time!

Her lesson started with saddling. She took the saddle well, but she got a little pushy, so my trainer had to give her a couple of firm nose-bumps to settle her down. She's a nice, smart, friendly little mare, but I see that she has the attitude of a horse who'd be perfectly happy being in charge if she thought she could get away with it - I saw glimpses of this the first day I got her, when she tried to herd Gypsy around the arena! But, she's also perfectly happy not pushing the point if you make it clear that you're the boss. It's like "Let's see what I can get away with. No? Ok then."

My trainer let her pack the saddle for a bit, while we saddled our mounts for the day. My horse was Bandit, a black-and-white paint mare and one of the most gorgeous horses I have ever seen. She's won money in every penning she's been in, has great handle, and is incredibly sweet. She can be a little "woke," and I had a migraine and had never ridden her before, so I was expecting to have a bit of a battle, but she was perfectly calm and patient.

Kachina, however, was running around, bucking (with her nose tipped! I told my trainer that it was amazing to me that she could buck so high with her nose tipped off center and he smiled and replied: "Yeah, it's called agility, and all the best horses seem to have it")

She settled down after my trainer chased her around a bit, but she still followed us at a safe distance, ever curious. After our riding was over, and our mounts were tied and unsaddled, we went into the arena to untie Kachina and mess with her a bit. After a good rubdown, I did a lot of rubbing my knee on her side and belly, patting the saddle and moving it around. Then I leaned across her back, on both sides, while my trainer walked her forward a few steps; all of this without incident.

My trainer then stopped, regarded Kachina a moment, and said: "Well, I think she's ready. That's what she's telling me," and he asked me how I felt, and if I wanted to try it.

Of course I did!

Pat, my friend and fellow apprentice, gave me a leg up and I slowly eased into the saddle. I expected at least a little hop when I sat down, but Kachina only swiveled her ears back and tipped her head a little so she could see me. She didn't even look frightened, just curious! I patted the saddle, her rump, wiggled around a little and leaned -- everything I could think of, and she stood as still and as patient as a statue.

My trainer acted as the Leader, while Pat stayed at my right side as the Catcher (in case things went bad) and I, of course, was the Rider. My trainer lead Kachina up the arena, as I gently instructed her ("Waaaalk~"), stopped her ("Woooah~"), turned her and backed her up ("Baaaack~"). As we did this up and down the arena a few times, three thoughts were running through my mind:

I'm riding Kachina!

Wow, she's being really, really good..

..Man, he ears look huge from this angle!

Kachina was perfect through the whole thing; not a buck, hop, not even a balk! She did everything we asked and even stood still while I clumsily dismounted (clumsily on purpose mind you!).

I praised her bunches, took the saddle off, and turned her loose to run. But, really, all she wanted to do was stick close to me and be pet more, so we walked around the arena together and I talked to her, and pet her, and thanked her and told her how proud and excited I was.

Then I went over to the fence to talk to my trainer's wife, Kachina coming up at my side with her ears pricked, like she wanted to be part of the conversation too.

"It looks like you two are really bonded," she said as she stroked Kachina's nose, "all she does is watch you."

"Yeah," I replied, feeling pretty good, "I think we are."

My trainer gave Kachina a nice pat on the neck as I lead her to her stall and told me that she'd done very well. "I have a good feeling," he said.

So do I.

So Far, So Good

2009-07-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

It's felt too long since I've updated. Between the funeral and the holiday, I've been too physically, and mentally, drained to post. That, and there was nothing really to post about until now.

Kachina has started her training under saddle, and she's doing really well! My trainer really likes the way she moves both with and without the saddle, and how easily she took to it (I've never saddled her). But what really impressed him was how she carried her head. She drops it very low when working, something he calls "bird dogging." When she was younger, I showed him a short video of her doing it while herding Odin, and he liked it then but said that it may not be consistent once she's working under saddle.

Apparently it is.

He also said that he often let the rope drag when he lunged her, and every time she stepped on it she gave into the pressure on her halter. This may mean that she'll be very soft with the bit. We'll have to wait and see.

I like to think that he was as excited as I am about her potential, but maybe I'm just being an overly proud parent. I don't want to set my expectations too high. Still, he was impressed enough to ask me how much of this stuff I'd done with her before he got his hands on her, to which I assured him that I'd done nothing but sack her out, teach her to flex and disengage her hindquarters. She's just a natural.

Pictures soon, I promise!

Cows, Mounts and Sunburns

2009-06-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my trainer, my friend and fellow apprentice and I went to a big penning competition.

Show days long and exhausting - they usually start at 1am (it's a three-hour drive to my trainer's ranch, and we have to get there early enough to feed all of the horses, cows and various other livestock, groom the horses, load them into the trailer and change) then, once you're at the show, you spend the rest of the day grooming and exercising horses. It sounds simple, but it's hard work, and it doesn't help that you're in direct sunlight all day long and temperatures reached 110° - eek!

I don't burn easily, however I my arms and back are currently an angry red color. Though the tan does make my arms look more toned..

Still, if I was going to get a sunburn this Summer, I would much rather do it at a penning than at the beach! And it was all worth it: my trainer ended up winning both the Open and Pro-Am division, all thanks to our excellent warm-up skills! (well, maybe not all thanks, but even he had to admit that his horses were at the top of their game and perfect because we did a great job of warming them up - long live the lopers of the world)

I would have taken pictures, but I was just too busy to grab the camera. However, it was great to watch the other competitors run and get tips, learn what made the bad runs bad and what made the good runs good, and get more experience reading cows. I got the chance to speak to some of the Novice riders and learn how they deal with the pressure and nerves, I got good advice from the more seasoned riders, and listened to the comments of the spectators. I think a few things about the sport clicked in my mind during this penning, and I walked away with some good ideas to keep in mind.

I also had a chance to ride a Paint mare named Cherokee (not to be confused with Granpa's Paint gelding, also named Cherokee, whom I think I've mentioned before), a former student of my trainer's and a horse that's well known as one of the best penning horses around. She's the dam of Bandit, the mare my trainer's son competes on (and he's killing the competition! He may even go to the World show this year!). She's won a ton of money at the sport, and her get all seem to excell at penning and working cows. My trainer has always spoken very highly of her, and everytime I've heared her name mentioned it is with admiration and fondness. It was great to be able to ride this mare who, at least to me, is sort of a local legend.

When we got home, I turned Kachina out and watched her while we talked about colts - about starting them, how soon you can tell what they may end up like in the future, how you can get an idea of how their training will go - and I asked him how long did he think it would take to start Kachina, judging by what he knew of Kachina right now. He told me that, as long as she doesn't completely switch personalities on us, and going slow and starting her correctly, she should be walking, trotting and loping perfectly under saddle in under two weeks. This is exciting news! Of course, there's no way to tell yet how she will take to training until we actually start it, so I don't want to jinx it.

I also asked if she reminded him of any of the horses he's trained. He watched her for some time while he thought, and Kachina watched him right back, her little black-trimmed ears tuned to him expectantly, almost as if she were also waiting for the answer. Finally, he answered "You know, I have to say that she reminds me a lot of Cherokee at that age."

Kachina has some big horseshoes to fill.

What's Important

2009-06-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my mom, P and I went out to my grandfather's stable to clean out his stuff, organize it and store it safely in our trailer before the vultures out there start grave robbing. It was solemn and heart wrenching work, but I managed not to sniffle - though I might have teared up when I thought no one was looking.

The situation is a mess, but I'll spare you all the ugly details. To summarize: my grandfather left no will, only stated what he wanted to leave to whom verbally (because he was a cowboy, after all, and didn't believe much in legal documentation over his word), so everyone's scrambling to make claims on what is theirs. Even people who aren't related are claiming that he wanted them to have his trailer, or his equipment, or that he agreed to sell his National PTPA Championship saddle (which is a Billy Cook, by the way) to them for $700. It's so frustrating and infuriating, seeing all of these people come out of the woodwork making claims when we haven't even gotten his service squared away yet.

As of now, I'm the only one with keys to his tack room and trailer, but people have broken into tack rooms before, so we decided to squirrel his stuff away in our trailer before it comes up missing. His working saddle, his tack, his supplies, his tools..all of it.

People are squabbling over his saddle, of course, and his expensive show tack, and the rest they disregard as useless junk. In that "Useless Junk" category, however, are some of the items that are most important to me - more important than the show saddles or the trailer - so my mom and I made some claims of our own, and kept those unwanted treasures:

Like his chinks. You'd rarely see Granpa on a horse without them, whether he was working or competing. They aren't fancy - just old, broken in, brown leather - but they suited him. They were like a second skin, as important to him when riding as his saddle and reins and, surprisingly, they fit me.

For my birthday one year, he bought me a beautiful pair of chinks (which, surprisingly, suited me very well, proving that Granpa had great taste). It was the first time I felt like he'd accepted me into the horse world, and here was my badge to prove it. I never wore them because I thought they were too nice, and they meant so much to me, that I didn't want to wreck them. Thinking back, I regret not using them. It feels a little selfish; he probably had hoped to see me use them, but he never said it. I'm determined to break those beautiful chinks in as well as his were.

I also took one of his bridles with matching reins and martingale. They aren't fancy show tack; they were what he's worked every horse I've ever known in, including Maverick. It's the set I used learning how to ride (God, how many times did I hear "Shorten your inside rein!" "Take up your slack!" "What are you doing? Drop your outside rein!"). I remember loving the feel of those reins, and wanting a pair just like them, but I could never find a set that was just right.

I gave Mom his working spurs. Their straps are just plain, simple leather, and there's no decoration on them at all. But he trained many, many horses in them, and took good care of them.

I took his rope. I told him one day that I wanted to learn how to rope, so he tried to show me by roping my legs as I ran away. I never did get the hang of it, but I'm determined to eventually.

Mom took another old bridle that belonged to Jackpot, a white Arabian and probably Granpa's best horse and greatest partner.

I took the Navajo blanket that he had across the seat of his truck. It will go in Calamity as soon as I wash it.

I took his old lunge whip. The one I learned how to lunge horses with (I hated lunging and was never very good at it).

I took his favorite bit, a thin twisted snaffle.

And I took his old, working saddle pad. I don't have much use for it now, but I have fond memories of it; it's what I used on Whisper when I used to ride her.

While no one else can see the value, to me these were the most important treasures in that tackroom.

Honest Scrap

2009-06-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Paint Girl over at Adventures of the Painted Creek Farm gave me this awesome award:

Thank you so much! I love your blog (and Pony Girl's too!), so I'm honored to get an award from you.

The terms that come along with the award are as follows:

1) You have to tell your followers ten things about yourself that they may not already know.
2) You have to tag ten people with the award.
3) You have to let the people who you tagged know that they've been tagged, and..
4) You have to link back to the person who gave the award to you.

Alright! Here we go:

1) I hate dresses. Not just the I-don't-like-dresses-because-I'm-a-tom-boy hate, but dresses fill me with disgust. Probably because, as a child, my family used every holiday as an excuse to dress me up in these flouncy, frilly monstrosities, put ribbons in my hair and parade me around, taking pictures. There are hardly any pictures of me as a kid not wearing one of these nightmares. Even on Ground Hog's Day! Ground Hog's Day for goodness' sake! So I have this deep-rooted dislike for all things lace, pastel-colored and dress-like. Also bows.

3) When I was a kid, we had two ponies, one named Peanut and one named Sally. We kept them both at the stable where we were boarding our horses, and I'd often hang out with them and ride them around. Peanut was my favorite, but I loved how sweet Sally was. My family was planning to breed them, but Sally suddenly got very sick and she would not get better. Finally, they took her to U.C. Davis and it was discovered that Sally had gonorrhea (yeah, you read that right). They put her down and told me that they sold her to a Russian circus. While I eventually figured out that they had put her down, I didn't find out why until I turned fourteen. Mom says the police caught the culprit a week after Sally was put down -- I hope he got all he deserved in prison!

4) I was born at 10:22 pm on 10/22. Also, my first, middle and last name all have seven letters.

5) Everyone thinks that I was named after my grandfather, Jewell, but I was actually named after my great grandfather (my grandmother's father), Julio.

6) I have to sleep with socks on, even on very hot days, or I will wake up with the sniffles.

7) ..I also have to sleep with a stuffed animal (or a real one). I have a bed full of them, and I'm used to them, so if I don't have one I don't sleep well. This means I have to pack a "snugly" every time I travel.

8) I have a phobia of going under water. I actually like being in the water, but once the water goes past my nose I panic. This is because my half-sister purposely put me in a dangerous situation and then allowed me to almost drown (yes, she has issues and, no, we don't talk anymore). Since then, I can't go under the water, even in my own bathtub, without freaking out.

9) I really like Australian accents. Really. I don't know if it stems from my childhood love of Crocodile Dundee and The Man From Snowy River, but I've always thought that Australian accents were really, really cool.

10) I'm not squeamish about rats, snakes or spiders; the things that get me are maggots. I can't stand maggots. Just the sight of them makes me ill. Also, I hate drool. You'd think working with dogs would get me over it, but I can deal with any other bodily fluid that you could imagine coming out of a dog, except drool. It makes me gag just to think about it. And it's not just dogs, but all drool. Especially baby drool, yuck!

Ok, so those are my ten things! So, now I tag:

A Year With Horses
BrownEyed Cowgirls
Live Earth Sky
California Cowgirl
Bush Babe
The Barb Wire
Anapoeland
Highland Hooves
The Mare's Tales
On The Way to Critter Farm...

All great blogs, and definitely worth checking out!

Initiation

2009-06-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

Last night, in my post about my grandfather, I mentioned my little mishap with a stallion. So here's the full story:

Hootie is a pretty little three-year-old, sorrel-and-white Paint stallion, and an up-and-coming penning horse. He's a sweet little thing who loves attention, and about as docile as you can expect any young stud to be.

My trainer had me saddle Hootie up and get on. Then he asked me to do some walking exercises with him outside of the arena, and I did, and he was fantastic, even when it came to walking past a few nickering mares. Like I said, he's a good-natured little guy, and he's been started well.

So, then we move into the arena. The sprinkler's going, and that causes him a bit of concern (or maybe I was concerned that he was concerned and that, in turn, made him concerned!), so we kept to one side and worked in circles. When we got the full arena, we worked at a walk, and then a trot.

Then my trainer asked for a lope. No big deal. We loped fine around the arena several times, la-de-da, when suddenly he starts to buck. Now, I don't know if it was as bad as it felt, but up there in the saddle he was bucking. At least, I've been on horses that have bucked before, and this was nothing like that. And not bucking in one spot either, like I'm used to, but bucking down the entire length of the arena.

Now, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I don't have much experience with bucking horses. Like I said, I've ridden out a few bucks, but not that many and not that hard. And I will admit, I froze. I froze wearing spurs. Not good. I knew I should have dropped my feet and snatched up his head, and I heard my trainer shouting instructions, but I just couldn't make my body do what my head was telling it.

However, I was ok with the bucking -- at least, that wasn't what worried me; I was pretty confident that I could ride it out. It was the fact that we were quickly approaching the arena wall, and Hootie wasn't slowing down. We crashed into the wall and Hootie reared up, and I suddenly remembered that I was in Oxbow stirrups. Oxbows are designed to be ridden with your entire foot in, not just the ball, and keep your foot from slipping out. I don't like these stirrups. Maybe it's because, all my life, I've heard "Don't put your foot in! Ride on the ball!". I just haven't gotten the hang of using them.

Anyway, my first reaction is to get my foot out of the stirrups. Then I see the horse tipping over, and I blank. Now, my biggest fear has always been a horse falling over on me. I've heard all sorts of horror stories, I've known people who have broken their leg, back or pelvis that way. So, I'm thinking, crap, I'll get out of this with a broken leg at best.

I hit the ground first, and I'm trying to make my body move, but it won't. Then the horse lands on me. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt -- it actually felt really soft, considering it's a huge freakin' animal. I was positive that I'd be injured, so it was completely shocking to me that I wasn't. I wanted to get up right away and get the horse, but my trainer wouldn't let me. He actually had to push me (gently, of course) back down and make me sit still, even though I kept trying to convince him that I was perfectly fine.

Of course, afterward, I understand why: when your adrenaline's pumping, you can't feel pain, so you may be hurt and not know it. Fortunately, I really was fine.

You'll all be proud to know that I got back on Hootie, and continued loping, and he was fine. I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't nervous, which was a strange feeling; I can't remember ever feeling nervous about riding. But Hootie was fine, and after a few times around the arena, I was too. And I assured Hootie that there were no hard feelings (in fact, I like him more now).

I was sore by the time I got home, though (we left early, because I got the news about my grandfather right after riding), and really sore yesterday. Today I'm stiff, but not in quite as much pain.

But I've been officially inducted into the Cowgirls of America Association, and I'm not quite so afraid of having a horse fall over on me (although I certainly do not want to tempt fate and let it happen again).

Speaking of initiations, I'm told Kachina finally got a barn name: "Julie" -- after me, of course. I'm disappointed and proud at the same time.

The Hardest Father's Day Ever

2009-06-21T22:36:00.000-07:00

If you've been following this blog for the past couple of weeks, you know that my grandfather has been very I'll, to the point of being hospitalized. I lost him yesterday; he passed while I was away at my trainer's.

My grandfather has always been more like a father to me than my actual father. He encouraged my love of horses, cattle and the cowboy way. He was as good a horseman as any top-name trainer or clinician I could name; his knowledge came from experience, time-tested methods and living a life that some of us only experience in books and movies. Today he would have been the first person that I called.

We had to go into his tack rooms and trailer to see what was in there before we have to clear them out. It was eerie seeing all his tack, some of which he's used since I was a kid, and know that he won't be using it again. I think the most heartbreaking was seeing his trademark chinks, the pair he always worked and competed in, hanging in the tackroom of his trailer.

Granpa was the reason I fell in love with team penning. It was my dream that we'd compete together one day, but I would have been happy just to have him there to watch me.

My trainer, who was frequently my grandfather's partner and one of his best friends, told me that the last memory he had of him was at the last penning that they both competed in. It was my first penning during my apprenticeship and I was riding one of my trainer's young horses. Granpa took me in the arena with him, along with the other competitors; he wanted me to ride alongside of him. I'm trying to hold onto the feeling of that memory, instead of the pain of his passing.

I had a stallion fall over on me yesterday, a few hours before I heard the news (there will probably be a whole other post about that tomorrow). I'm extremely sore, heartbroken and exhausted; right now I'm hurting in all the ways a person can hurt. But I'm slowly getting better, and stronger, although in both cases I wish that experience and growth didn't come at such a high cost.

Cowboy Mounted Shooting

2009-06-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, so about a month ago, at my trainer's, the other apprentice and I were talking about what kind of equine sports we'd like to try after penning that doesn't involve cattle (because I love cattle, and most of the things I want to try next involve cattle, i.e. roping and reining cow horse). Well, I said I'd like to try Versatility Ranch Horse, but what I'd really love to do is Cowboy Mounted Shooting.

Well, at the Horse Expo on Sunday the California Range Riders had a booth and demo (it was a CRR booth, not CMSA -- ignore my Twitter, it doesn't know what it's talking about!). I absolutely fell in love! The gentleman at the booth was extremely friendly, patient and helpful, and I found out that there are classes and such in Navato, about forty-five minutes away from me! He also gave me a free copy of Western Shooting Horse Magazine, which I've been obsessively pouring over since I got my hands on it.

Unfortunately, as much as I really want to try it, the sport looks expensive. Guns alone can cost hundreds of dollars -- then there's ammunition, travel expenses, costumes...eek! As you guys know, the two things I'm shortest on are free time and funds.

The other problem is the horse. I love Maverick to death, and I think he'd be good at it as far as the guns and balloons and the noise -- he doesn't spook at anything! -- but his handle leaves much to be desired, and he's just so lazy! So that leaves Kachina, who will probably be fantastic at it, since she's more inclined to be curious about scary things than afraid. However, the little girl just turned two in May, so I've a long way to go before I can ride her that hard. Besides, she's a cow horse first! Gotta train for one thing at a time!

Still, I'd really like to try it someday. I'm doing all the research I can (yeah, I'm a bit O.C.D.) -- signing up for mailing lists, following blogs, talking to people. I might subscribe to the magazine, too. Also, there's an Old West Gun Shop not far from me. Hmm..I wonder how much a gun safety course will cost..

Poor Kachina, my future cow/roping/shooting/what ever's next horse! She has no idea what she's in for!

Free Gift!

2009-06-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

In today's bad economy, who doesn't love a free gift? And because you guys are awesome, and I've been posting about Maverick so much lately, I thought I'd toss out a little love on the blog.

Now, you guys know that P is a great photographer, and a great horse-poop-scooper, but he is also a great singer-song writer. Yep, my friends are extremely talented in many areas (that's why I keep them around).

One day, P was wanted to write a song, but he had no inspiration. Jokingly, I told him that he should write a song about Maverick. I was kidding, but he produced lyrics the very same day and, by the next day, he handed me a CD with a rough recording. Now, it's his best song (no, I'm not biased at all), and definitely one of his most popular.

You can find the CD that the song is on for sale, and more music, on P's MySpace. But, lucky you, you guys get the song Maverick and Juliene for free (yes, you've finally learned my name and, yes, I guest star in the song!).

Enjoy!

Belonging

2009-06-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Busy weekend. Went to my trainer on Saturday to work, ride and see Kachina, then hit up the Western States Horse Expo Sunday.

First off, Kachina looks great. She's just as sweet and good-natured as she was three weeks ago, when she was here, and no one at the ranch had any bad things to say about her. I made it a point to not handle her too much, because I wanted to see how she behaved with others, and she didn't disappoint. Even walking next to a flirting stallion, she remained focused on the handler and calm. I was very proud of her.

My trainer explained a little more of her anatomy to me, what he liked about her, and his predictions for what she'll look like when she's older. He says that she'll be close to fifteen hands, if not fifteen solid, and that she looks like she'll be a strong horse. His opinion is that she'll have good hindquarters, but her real strength will be in her shoulders, which will allow her back end to do some nice things that it ordinarily couldn't. He says her back legs look solid, and can get under her quickly, that her chest is nice and wide, and that she has a good amount of space between the ears (which he likes, personally). He also explained that her neck is already very strong, which is another clue that she'll have a good, strong front end for quick pivots.

I think the highest compliment, however, is one I got from a fellow apprentice: "she looks like she belongs here."

Going into the barn and seeing her, I had the same feeling. My little feedlot pony with her hacked off tail, who was only a couple of days from slaughter, was stabled right next to a daughter of Freckle Face Smoke and an own son of Genuine Doc and she looked like she belonged.

Any person walking through that barn could never tell that she wasn't a Freckle Face Smoke baby, or a Powder River Playboy baby. And it wasn't just her look, or her build, but also her attitude; she behaved like the daughter of a champion. Watching her there, holding her own next to those well bred horses, I couldn't help but swell with pride.

I'm hoping to start her official training next week. I can't wait to see her bloom into a genuine performance horse.

But Kachina wasn't the only one fitting in: at the Western States Horse Expo, I had a chance to rub elbows with people I've only ever seen in magazines and, to my surprise, I was able to hold my own in a conversation with men like C.J. Murphy and Russel Dilday. I could talk cowhorse, knew my lingo, and could ask questions.

Kachina's not the only one getting her feet wet in a new pond.

The rest of the Expo was great, too. I got to talk to all of the trainers. I really liked Richard Winters; he was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and I felt like he'd talk to me for hours if I needed it. I liked Tommy Garland a lot, too; he gave me some really good tips on helping Maverick with his neck reining that I can't wait to try (the boy's a little dull at it). Stacy Westfall is a personal hero of mine, so it was great to have a conversation with her about training, and especially about riding bareback. And, of course, I grew up with John Lyons, so it was great to see him in person.

While I was at the Expo, I had the pleasure of sitting in a McDaniel saddle. I'd never heard of them, but I gotta say, it's the best saddle I've ever sat in, and I've had the opportunity to ride in big name saddles, like Billy Cook and Martin (up until now, Martin was my favorite). I visited his booth three times! Unfortunately, I don't have the spare $5,500 (spare? I don't even have $5,500!), but if you do I'd definitely recommend checking them out. The man I met was Ron McDaniel, who was extremely nice. The saddles are made by him, his son and his father, which is something that I really liked.

I'll probably dream about that saddle for the next few years, but I did walk away from the booth with a pair of awesome reins!

My Other Boy

2009-06-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

While it's obvious that I love horses, that adoration is rivaled only by my love of dogs - I am a dog trainer, after all - and I'm surrounded by dogs almost 24/7 (in fact, the only time I'm not is usually when I'm with horses).

Currently I own five dogs of my own: Sasha - a German Shepherd/Husky mix I've owned since I was twelve, Taco - a rather large Chihuahua, Anubis - an overweight Pit Bull/Bull Mastiff mix, Zorra and Capone - both long-haired Chichuahuas.

Then there's Cash - an almost 80 lbs. Beauceron Shepherd/Rottweiler mix that I co-own with my friend, and boss, Kelli. Cash lives at my work, acting as a sort of canine peer councilor as well as security. He's an awesome dog, with a personality similar to Maverick's, which could be why I love him so much.

Cash spent three of his four years living in a garage in Richmond, California, with the name "Pequito." The name alone was probably torturous enough but, worse, he had almost no training and had spent his life locked away from dirt, deer scat, muddy water - you know, nature. So P and I make it a point to take Cash out into nature when we can.

Usually we go to the dog park (despite how much I, as a trainer, hate the dog park, it's still a relatively safe and enclosed area where dogs can run and swim, which has its value), but yesterday I though it'd be fun to take Cash to my new favorite spot, the Serpentine Prairie, and let him run while I checked out the trails.

Cash had a total blast! You'd think he'd never seen an open field before (which is possible, I suppose); he tore up and down the hills, through the tall grass and trees, rolled in something I can only guess was bobcat or fox scat, then rolled in dried horse poop, then rolled in a fresh gopher hole. It was great to take him out there, follow him off the trail to go exploring, and just watch him be a dog until he was about ready to collapse.

I really do believe that there are some things you can only notice or experience when you're with a dog (or riding a horse, for that matter). They draw your attention to places you never would have looked had you been alone, and keep you from doing distracting human things, like talking on the cell phone or listening to your iPod.

I saw so many plants and flowers that I might not have noticed had Cash not gone over to sniff them. There were crazy tree formations and very cool, hidden deer trails, and the aforementioned wild animal poop. This is probably my favorite flower discovery so far (does anyone know what it is?):

We also saw a California Alligator Lizard. Unfortunately, we did not get a picture because, just as we were pulling out the camera, Cash promptly came over and flopped down on top of it.

I guess there are things dogs don't notice either.

Serpentine Prairie

2009-06-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

I've been having a rough time lately so, to combat this, I've been trying to hang out with my friends a lot more - both two-legged and four. With Kachina being with my trainer in La Grange, I have a lot more time spend with Maverick, and we've just recently discovered what is quickly becoming my favorite spot (so far) in the hills: the Serpentine Prairie.

It's this great, winding trail uphill, with the backdrop of beautiful green forest. In some places, you can look at it and not see any sign of buildings, streets or man made structures, which is rare here in the city. Also, riding bareback up those hills (some of which are pretty steep) is great practice for your balance!

It was very relaxing, spending the day with Maverick again, exploring and letting him graze while P took pictures (mostly pictures of flowers):

Did I ever mention that P's obsessed with taking pictures of flowers? Especially yellow flowers. Not that I blame him, this yellow flower was really beautiful, although I have no idea what it is. Maverick seemed to enjoy it, however!

Further up the hill, we reached this plateau of golden fields. It was beautiful, blowing in the wind, overlooking the hills. Of course, Maverick didn't appreciate any of the scenery; he just wanted to snack.

The Good Ol' Days

2009-06-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

Another weekend gone by without seeing Kachina. It's driving me a little crazy! But Granpa was released from this hospital, and Mom needed my help taking care of him, and of course I wanted to be there with him and make sure he was ok and settled.

I missed the penning finals. Sigh. But, I got to hang out with Granpa and watch old tapes of his pennings. There was one where he won the penning at the Grand Nationals in 2001 on his little white Arab, Jackpot (no, not all cow horses are stock horse type!). It was really amazing to see my grandfather, sick even then, making one of the best runs of his life. And my trainer, who has Kachina now, was one of his partners!

It was funny, too: I remember Granpa pulling me up onto Jackpot as a kid, after one of his runs, and thinking that he was this huge horse. In reality, while tall for an Arab, he was pretty tiny. I also remember the excitement of the show, and how proud I was to be sitting up there with him, on that horse, after a big win.

That was back when horses were still a big part of the community in Oakland and Richmond. It wasn't unusual to see saddle shops and tack stores, or advertisements for rodeos and gymkhanas. There were once a lot ranches scattered the area, and ponies at birthday parties, and organizations that brought horses to the schools and educated inner city kids about African American and Native American cowboys (I know, my Grandmother and Grandfather ran one of the organizations). And it wasn't that long ago -- as little as ten years. It's really sad how horses, and western culture, has been practically wiped out here.

Which makes watching those tapes even more special. It was Granpa's exciting runs that first sparked my love of Team Penning and working with cows. I can't wait for the day when I'm in the middle of that excitement again, this time on my own horse.

Maverick and I

2009-06-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

One good thing about Kachina going off to the trainer is that it frees me up to spend more time with Maverick. I haven't ridden him for some time, and I was really starting to miss the mule.

The late afternoon was beautiful up by his stable, so I took him for a little stroll out on the trail and let him graze for a while. It was great just hanging out with him, letting him be a horse, while I tagged along for the ride.

Sometimes it's nice to just hang out and not ask too much of your horse. I miss doing it with Kachina. Can't wait to see her this weekend!

Assessment

2009-06-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

I called my trainer yesterday (it was really, really hard to wait until the evening!) to make sure Kachina didn't bust up any stalls or break down any fences or any of the other horrible things I imagined. He said that she acclimated to the stall very well, and continues to be on her best behavior (that's my girl!). I asked him his opinion of her, and this is what he told me:

- She looks good and strong, with a nice chest, nice hindquarters and very strong, straight legs, which he really liked.

- She looks like she'll end up being high in the front so, when we do start her, he wants to teach her to collect and flex at the poll right away so that she doesn't carry her head too high.

- Her front end looks powerful, which will allow her to push off of it and pivot after a cow easily.

- She has a nice, strong neck.

- She's very smart and has a good attitude.

- She's very curious and easy going, and doesn't show much fear to new things.

- She travels well and acclimates quickly and easily to new environments, which will be a very good thing when we start going to shows.

Yay! Her first report card was a good one! I'm hoping to be able to start her real training soon, but for now I'm just happy that she's safe and doing well at the trainer's.

He also said, with a chuckle, "I'll tell your 'baby' that you called. You won't hear me say that word too often, but I want you to know that I respect my clients."

He's learning.

Chapter Two

2009-06-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Plans changed this weekend, due to Granpa's hospitalization. I didn't want to be two-plus hours away from home, so my trainer came down to pick Kachina up instead. It was incredibly hard to load Kachina into the trailer and watch them drive away, even though I completely trust her with my trainer, and I knew I would see her Saturday.

This must be how our clients feel when they leave their dogs with us at daycare for the first time! I kept repeating the mantra that I tell all of the puppy parents: It's easier on them if you just wave goodbye and leave. Don't make it a big deal. Although I did whisper assurances that I had not sold her, and that I would see her soon, in her ear as I slipped the halter on.

Despite my sudden neurosis, Kachina trailered perfectly. My trainer called to say she had made it alright, and that he was really surprised and impressed at how well she traveled, how polite and easy she was to handle. This made me feel better. He promised to take her out today and watch how she moves; I'm trying hard to wait for him and not to call and check on her.

It feels like a new chapter is starting for Kachina and our journey together. She isn't a baby anymore, and we've both taken our first big step into the "big league." Hopefully we can keep moving forward together at a good pace.

And for those of you who left well wishes for my grandfather, I sincerely thank you. They must've paid off because, miraculously, they're sending him home tomorrow! I have to admit that I was scared and, for a while there, it didn't look good. I have no doubt that all of your kind thoughts helped his recovery in some way. So, again, thanks.

Bittersweet

2009-05-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow will be the last day for a whole month that I'll be able to see Kachina freely, as I have been. Mostly, my trouble is trying not to be selfish and ignoring what's best for her just because I want her close. Plus, I have to remember that her intended future is that of a performance horse; I have to give her the best shot at reaching her potential, and that's just not going to happen if she's sitting in a stall getting treats and pets from me (she'll still get them on Saturdays, though!). It really is like sending your kid off to college.

Even though I've made my decision, and I believe that it was the best one for Kachina, tomorrow will be bittersweet.

Sunday, Mom and I will be trailering her to La Grange. We'll probably take our time and make the drive somewhat leisurely, so I'll be sure to take lots of pictures of me and Kachina's first road trip together! Of course, it'll probably be very uneventful (that's a good thing, though, isn't it?).

On an unrelated note: If any of you are following Kachina's Twitter you probably know that my grandfather was taken to the hospital last night. As of Midnight they hadn't found what was wrong with him, so they were planning to do a CAT scan. I don't know anything else yet, but I'm hoping there will be some information soon. The results may affect Kachina's trip to La Grange, obviously.

What Would You Do?

2009-05-28T07:40:00.001-07:00

So, I'm facing a tough decision regarding Kachina -- probably the toughest decision I've had to make since buying her -- and I only have until this weekend to make it.

The situation: Donna and Tony are going out of town for about seventeen days starting next week. Fancy is going to be boarded at another place, which leaves Kachina alone. I can't be there in the morning to feed her, due to work, so I'll need to board her somewhere as well for that time.

At the stable down the street, where Maverick stays, it would be about $300 for just those two weeks. The trainer I apprentice with said that he'd board (not train) her for a month for me, because I'm in his program, for $300.

The problem: If she's at the stable with Maverick, I can see her just about every day, same as now. However, for the same price I can have her with my trainer -- whom I trust and can evaluate her potential as a cow horse -- for a longer amount of time. But she'd be in La Grange, two hours drive away without traffic, and I'd only be able to see her on Saturdays when I go up to train.

Either option costs the same.

So, what would you guys do? Would you board her at the more expensive stable for two weeks, but be able to see her every day? Or would you put her with your trainer, who is an old friend of the family and who you trust, get her evaluated and, possibly, give her a little nudge on her road to being a penning horse (but I stress, she won't be getting official training -- I can't afford it right now. Just advice, and getting familiar with the work), but see her less often.

The kicker is that I have to decide by, well, tomorrow. Donna and Tony are taking Fancy on the third, which means that if I move her to La Grange it'll have to be Saturday.

Eek.

(And just so you guys don't think I'm a total flake, I had a plan to board her at the stable in Richmond with Rico and Gypsy weeks ago, but it fell through, so this is a last minute thing. I do plan things ahead, I swear!)

Edit: Thanks for the advice, guys (and keep it coming, I love hearing your opinions)!

I think I'm going to take her up to my trainer, at least for this month, since I have to get her out rather quickly. I'm just trying to think of it as a sort of "camp" -- she'll go for a month and be away from me, but she'll be exposed to new things and learning under the professional care of someone I can trust. Then, when it's over, we can continue working and learning together.

Jeeze, it's like sending your kid off to college or something!

Indian Pony

2009-05-28T06:54:00.001-07:00

Taken with P's phone.

Sage

2009-05-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Since a few of you asked, I scrounged up some pictures of Sage.

This was Sage when she was younger; two, according to my mom. Her mane was a beautiful white that darkened as she aged. (One of her foals, Billy, changed color drastically as well; he went from a coal black foal, to sorrel, to pure white, to a silvery coat similar to his mother's):

This is Sage at five. You can see how the red came into her mane later:

This is my mom playing around on Sage. If mom looks freakishly short, that's because she is. Seriously, I'm 5'5" and I can pretty much eat soup off her head. (ok, some of it is also bad lighting, but she is really short!):

Mom and Sage warming up before a parade. They rode in the Black Cowboy Parade every year, and they often dressed up. My favorite picture is of Mom dressed up in traditional Native dress, riding Sage bareback. It hangs on the wall (it's big, no way to scan it!). A salute to our Native blood! Not sure about the hat-and-jacket combo in this picture; mom usually had much better fashion sense, I swear!:

And a bonus! I stumbled onto this picture of my grandmother and grandfather and instantly loved it, so I decided to post it too:

(by the way, the horse in that picture is Billy Chico, the sire of Sage's aforementioned foal, Billy)

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day, to me, has always meant more than remembering just military heroes. It's a time to reflect on those who have helped me become the person I am, or given me the opportunity to lead the life I do, and who have made the roads I take easier by paving the path ahead of me.

I have a long list that includes both humans and animals, as my experiences with both have helped to shape my view of the world today. They're all equally important, but since this blog is ultimately about horses, I felt inclined to talk about my first equine teacher.

I've mentioned a horse named Sage in this blog before. Sage was my mother's horse, a red roan Appaloosa mare that she bought as a filly for $125.

Sage was a true, classic Appaloosa, right down to her Indian Shuffle. She's the reason why I love the breed -- and horses in general -- and to this day I still secretly crave an Appy (well, maybe not so secretly; just don't tell Maverick and Kachina!).

She was the ultimate teacher: patient, loving, wise and, when she needed to be, firm. A horse of all trades, she often went from being a baby sitter in the morning, a barrel horse in the afternoon, a parade horse in the evening and a ranch horse the next day. It was on Sage that my mother won over 300 barrel racing trophies -- sometimes competing in two or three gymkhanas a day! My mom and Sage were very close to going pro, but she got pregnant with my older sister and rodeos just sorta fell by the wayside.

I have a picture of me at ten-months-old, bareback and alone on Sage, while my mom lunged her around the round pen. She was that good. That was how I started riding, and Sage was my first partner.

Sage and my mom had the kind of connection I can only dream of having with a horse. Mom would leave her untied to do chores, and Sage would stand where she was put. When she wanted her, mom would whistle and call her name, and Sage would perk her ears and trot off after her. Mom could lunge her at liberty in an open space, even in the middle of a park or out on trail. I remember times, as a kid, when I was on her back in the round pen while my mom cleaned stalls. She'd call out "Woah" and Sage would stop, then say "Turn. Walk," and she'd make an about-face and start walking in the opposite direction.

The most amazing story of their bond, however, was on the day that I was born: Mom was six months pregnant with me (yep, I'm premature), and riding in a parade. She went to get Sage from the arena, when she discovered that a boarder's stallion had gotten loose and jumped the arena wall to get to Sage. Mom ran in to get her when the stallion attacked her; Mom was kicked in the stomach and she was in so much pain that she couldn't stand, she could only crawl away as the stallion reared and stomped. Then, to her horror, Sage attacked the stallion, giving my grandfather enough time to jump into the arena and carry Mom out while my Grandmother and help secured the stallion and Sage.

Both Mom and I nearly died, I'm told; obviously we all made it out fine -- except the stallion; he was shot -- but I can't help but think that it would have ended differently if Sage hadn't stepped in to defend her "herd."

Many people don't believe me when I tell them that story, and that's fine; Mom has the scar to prove it.

Unfortunately, the area where I live isn't hospitable to horses. The city was building a new freeway, and they wanted to use the land where our stable was to park their trucks and equipment. They did everything they could to push us out of there. Finally, they muscled my Grandmother enough that she was forced to sell to the city, and that meant selling the horses. Mom couldn't sell Sage, so Gramma made the hard choice; she sold her when my mom was away.

I'm told that Sage was sold to a man for his grandchildren, and she taught them how to ride. Then she was given to his nephew, and taught his children. When it was time to retire her, she lived in their pasture until the end of her days. Losing her broke my mom's heart, and I'm sure it affected Sage as well, but I can't think of a more fitting life for such an amazing horse.

My mom couldn't ride horses again until I bought Maverick. She told me that he was the first horse she loved after losing Sage. When I bought Kachina, she told me that she was Sage reborn -- something I took as a glowing compliment.

I'll have to dig up a picture of Sage and scan it. She really was beautiful, ratty tail and all!

OT: Calamity Jane

2009-05-20T07:29:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, as I was getting gas, a guy came over to me and wanted to demonstrate some "Top Secret" NASCAR cleaning product on my truck. I had a few minutes to kill so I humored him, although I already knew what would come of it.

He sprayed and scrubbed and sprayed and scrubbed, but the spots he labored over looked no different than when he's started. Frustrated, he tried to explain that, probably, it just needs to sit on for a while before it gets scrubbed off, so he tried waiting a few minutes with no improved results.

Finally, unable to watch his frustration and confusion swell any more than it had, I explained to him that, while I was sure the product he was promoting was indeed amazing, my truck has been through mud and dust and gunk and all sorts of nasty environments, it's hauled hay and horses, and probably hasn't been cleaned for, oh, four or five years (save for a rinse at a Solar Car Wash back in November). He was baffled. Poor city creatures know nothing about a ranch truck.

A ranch truck, like its equine and canine counterparts, has been everywhere and done everything. Like a good ranch horse or ranch dog, it can preform the difficult tasks that trucks half its age and twice its cost balk at, takes care of you in situations when it should, by all means, fall apart, and wears the dirt that comes from a good day's work like a badge of pride.

This is my ranch truck: A 1990 Ford F-150 Lariat fondly known as Calamity Jane. Calamity was/is my first vehicle, passed down from my grandmother after she bought her newer F-250 that I've named The Honker (although I think she was always meant to be mine; she was bought on my birthday, after all!). She's been a patient teacher and a reliable partner, even if she drinks gas like there's no tomorrow and drifts a little. One of the best things about her is that she gets instant respect from the other cars on the road; no one wants to tangle with a real truck!

She's in amazing shape for her age. Her rear end is definitely her best side.

This bumper sticker was left over from when my grandmother owned her. It's proven not to be true, since I have helped a few people move. Notice the spiderweb? That's Calamity's second favorite accessory. The first is the little dream catcher that hangs on her rear view mirror.

This sticker was part of a care package P gave me one birthday. Calamity can often be heard blaring Johnny Cash, Willie, or The Highwaymen. But what makes this sticker extra special is the dog Kelli and I co-own, who often rides shotgun in Calamity, named Cash.

Paco Collars do, indeed, rock. They're all handmade, latigo leather, with techniques based largely on horse tack. A little urban, a little western, a bit hipster and punk, you can definitely find something for everyone there. They're the best collars on the market -- I should know, I help make them! (If you go to the website, keep an eye out for the collars named after Cash and Maverick!)

I love to pick my niece up from school with this one! You wouldn't believe all the dirty looks I get from the elementary school moms.

I'm proud to be a gypsy! Some of my favorite clothes and accessories that I own come from The Junk Gypsies. They're a little pricey, but definitely worth it. When I have the extra money (which is rarely), it's my favorite way to spoil myself. Well, that and books. I bought my grandmother a matching sticker for The Honker, so now we look like a little troop when the trucks are parked together.

A little love for Rico. What can I say? I love the little Pistolero!

I got this sticker when I first bought Maverick and transferred him to my name. I always said that I'd put it on my first car, so there it is. I'm since no longer a member; I didn't keep up with my dues. But one day I will be again! (Hopefully I'll get a APHA sticker too one day, jeeze!)

Calamity's newest "tattoo." Kelli bought this for me; she has a matching sticker on her car. Now we also look like a troop when our cars are parked together. I'm going to take over the world with gypsy cowgirls!

My favorite sticker, and probably the one that sums me up the best. No truer statement has ever been said.

Because they do. And, often, they drive them better.

Can you tell I love my horse?

That's Calamity. I have a superstition about naming cars: I feel like, if you give them a good name, they'll take care of you better and longer. I haven't been proven wrong yet.

Maybe I can get P to let me take pictures of Grandaddy ("G.D." for short and, yes, she is a girl -- or as female as a car can be) and Greased Lightning ("G.L." -- he's a boy) to post up, too.

Foiled?

2009-05-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have been following Kachina's Twitter probably know that I received Kachina's paperwork back from The Sun on Thursday. I was super excited at the prospect of finally registering Kachina after such a long, up-hill process.

Unfortunately, I called the APHA this afternoon and they said that The Son wasn't authorized to sign any paperwork for the horses; he never bothered to fill out the required paperwork to get authorization, which would require sending in death certificates and such. Seeing as how it's taken nearly five months to get him to put a signature on paper, I don't see any chance of him actually finding a death certificate, filling out the paperwork, calling the APHA and getting registered. I asked the woman what I was supposed to do, seeing as how the original owner was deceased. She told me that there were two owners listed -- the old man, and his wife -- and to her knowledge, the wife was still alive and she told me her name.

So, in a desperate attempt, I Googled the wife's name. After some investigative work that would make Sherlock Holmes proud I found her address and phone number! And, as it lists her husband and son's names too, I'm positive it's the right person. I'll call today after work and see if I can get her to sign the paperwork instead.

Wish me luck! Let's hope she's easier to work with than her son.

Lazy Days

2009-05-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

As the weather gets warmer, I've been content to just spend the day being lazy with Kachina. I feel a little guilty, since this would be the perfect time to start schooling her, but I also really enjoy just spending time with her without any pressure. Then I realized that I am teaching her; she's learning very subtle, but vital, life skills that only come when we spend this sort of time together.

She isn't head-shy about her ears any longer; in fact, she sort of enjoys having them stroked. She let me braid the bit of mane along her bridlepath, dangerously close to her ears, without a fight, something that would have been unheard of a month ago (although she didn't like me spending too much time there fiddling with my makeshift rubberband). I'm tempted to braid feathers in her mane and really make her look like a little Indian Pony!

Before, she wasn't too sure about my habit of kissing her muzzle, but now she actually puts her face close to mine and asks for kisses. Sometimes she'll even put her face against mine and blow softly, in a sort of horsey kiss of her own.

When I groom or scratch her, she will crane her neck around to lip at my hair, back or hip. At first I was concerned, believing that it was best not to let her get into the habit of mouthing me, least it turn into nipping or biting. But I had to realize that lipping is not nipping; there's absolutely no malice or brattiness in it, and she's incredibly gentle and happy while doing it, with her ears floppy and her eyes soft. So I figured, how hypocritical of me would it be to expect her to stand still and let me groom her when I'm not willing to trust her enough to let her do the same? So now we groom each other, and she's extremely sweet and careful about it, and I try to be as well.

At feeding time, she's learning to be patient and polite when getting her grain. She will walk behind me and throw her head excitedly (and probably in an attempt to hurry me up), but she's starting to get the idea that trying to stick her head in the bucket before I clip it to the fence just means it'll be that much longer until she gets to eat. Then, when it's clipped, she's perfectly willing to let me back her up and stand patiently until I release her. The goal is to have her back up on just vocal command and wait until I say it's ok to eat. Call it the dog trainer in me.

She still does not like the fly spray.

She's learning to pick up all four feet without being haltered and tied, which she's willing to do, but sometimes she loses interest before I'm done and walks off. Ah well, we're making progress! My goal is to get her to stand still without a halter and lead, long enough for me to work with her (i.e., braid her entire mane, brush her down, pick her feet, etc.).

Pretty soon we'll both have to work on the harder, "big horse" things; she'll need to learn how to walk, jog and lope, take off on the right lead, back up, flex at the neck and poll, pivot on her rear and her front, grab dirt when she whoas, rollback, rate a cow, give to the bit, sidepass, work on a loose rein, ground tie, so on and so forth. But there's plenty of time for that. For now, she's learning more important things.

Mother's Day

2009-05-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

My mother and I have a tradition of making, not buying, gifts for each other on special days. For Christmas last year I gave her a charcoal drawing of Sage, an Appaloosa mare who was my first teacher and babysitter, and with whom my mother had a particularly close, deep, and almost mystical connection with. The year before that, I gave her a handmade plushie of Maverick (my first adventure into sewing which, amazingly, hasn't fallen apart yet).

I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time for any art; the last time I drew anything was last July! So I knew I wanted to draw my mom a picture for Mother's Day, and Kachina was my muse!

It was meant to be just a sketch, but she's so colorful that I couldn't resist messing around with it in Photoshop. Now, after a week, it's finally done! Well..that's not true, I'll probably fiddle around with it between now and Sunday, since I never seem to be satisfied with the completion of a project. But let's call it done anyway!

To anyone who has ever cared for, and loved, another living thing - human, animal or flora - Happy Mother's Day! I hope you get everything you deserve and more!

Birthday Party

2009-05-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we threw Kachina an improvised birthday party, complete with a grab bag of birthday goodies that she got to open.

She, of course found the apple first, and made quick work of it (and the apple-flavored receipt that I forgot was in the bag -- oops!).

Then we passed out carrots to Kachina and Fancy. Even Odin joined in the celebration!

The biggest hit were the Oat & Honey bars (Maverick loves these too)!

Finally, I had bought Kachina a Jolly Ball because she loves to paw and mouth at things. But Odin decided that it must be for him, and very happily carried it off.

Ah well, I'll find Kachina a more horse-appropriate gift. Any suggestions?

Despite the gray weather, it was a lot of fun to make a celebration out of Kachina's birthday. P took some great pictures too. I'll post them as soon as I get copies. Here's to many more happy, healthy birthdays together, Kachina!

Special Day

2009-05-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day! No, not Cinco de Mayo; today is Kachina's birthday! Everyone's favorite painted pony is now officially two-years-old and, although she's technically a filly until she's four, to me it's still a big stepping stone for a horse. Now it's time to introduce more of the Big Mare concepts she'll need for the real world. Not to mention that it's extra-special because it's her first birthday that we've spent together. It's just too bad that it's so rainy and ugly out -- not good picture taking weather.

Now the issue is To Start or Not To Start. I'm from the old school teaching of "Start 'em young and easy" -- meaning start a horse around twenty-four to twenty-eight months, but start them very slow and light, with no pressure and no strain.

Of course, there's also the thought that horses shouldn't be started until they're four, five, six-years-old to ensure that their joints and bones are all set and strong. This makes a lot of sense, and I certainly want to ensure that Kachina lives a very long and healthy life. I've been giving her calcium supplements for just this reason.

There's also the fact, however, that she's going to (hopefully) be a performance horse, and as such I need to be sure that she has a fair shot against the competition. That means allowing her the time to learn, train and practice. Most penning horses are started early.

You can bet I've been talking to as many people as possible -- trainers, competitors, veterinarians, old-time-cowboys, English riders and just your average horse person -- to learn about their experiences and get their advice on the subject, and I'll continue to do so. If anyone wants to share they're opinion, I'd love to hear it (just be nice, of course!).

Besides all that, Kachina's growing up big and healthy! I measured her weight Sunday and she's almost 700 lbs! I don't know if that's normal for a two-year-old, but when I first got her she was only about 500 lbs. Way to go Kachina!

Hopefully the light will allow me to take pictures of her, and show off how much she's changed since I first saw her in December. The difference is amazing to me. It's like I came to visit her one morning and she was suddenly a horse!

Hmm..what to get her for her birthday?

Tag and a Surprise Visitor

2009-04-30T07:07:00.001-07:00

Kachina was still without Fancy yesterday, so I had the opportunity to get the little filly all by herself and play around with her. One of Kachina's favorite games is tag; she loves to run, and she's so incredibly athletic and aware of her space (and where I am in it). She has amazing body control, and can literally run at you full speed, put on the breaks inches in front of you, and spin around and take off in the other direction, all without making you feel the least bit endangered. She can twist herself into a pretzel in midair and hit the ground running. Obstacles are cleared effortlessly, without ever breaking stride, and she moves without any awkwardness at all.

She's also extremely sensitive to pressure, and she enjoys playing stalking games. Even from across the paddock, we'll square up and watch each other; if I take a step to the left, she takes a step to the right, if I move forward, she backs up, I'll run up the paddock and, at the same time, she will run down. It's a very interesting and amazing dance, each of us mirroring the other. I wish I could have gotten it on video.

Unfortunately, by the time we decided to pull out the camera, both Kachina and I were a little exhausted so we didn't get pictures of all the galloping, rearing, bucking and jumping - you know, the good shots. Plus, P was using his new camera, which we haven't figured out yet, so the picture quality isn't great. Still, they're some pretty nice pictures of the game:

While cleaning up the paddock, I noticed that Kachina was very interested in the trees on the hill. So, trusting her to see things I couldn't, I followed her gaze until I spotted what she'd noticed: a surprise visitor!

I guess Kachina wasn't so alone after all.

Alone Time

2009-04-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

It seems the scare was for nothing; Fancy was fine through Monday night and, yesterday, she went off to Davis for her spay surgery, which will take place today. This will be the longest amount of time Kachina's has been alone in the paddock (and possibly in her life), so P and I made an extra trip out yesterday to spend a little time with her.

She was extremely cute and happy to see us, and she nickered to us as we came up the driveway. Inside the paddock she was friendly to the point of being a pest, putting her head over our shoulders, sniffing our hair, and nuzzling out cheeks.

After cleaning up the paddock, I played a few games of hide-and-seek and tag with her, which she loves. She throws her little tail up in the air and bounces around, tossing her head and chasing me, always staying a safe distance. It's amazing how athletic she is, and yet she's so conscious of where P and I are in the paddock, careful not to run into us or jump on us when she's running around, bucking, jumping and rearing in play.

It wasn't long before Odin came down to see us, and the real game was on! She herded her fuzzy cow up and down the paddock, stopped him and turned him around, and herded him the other way. Poor Odin was so tolerant of it, but he eventually opted to abandon the paddock and wait for us to come out to shower him with attention.

Because we wanted to leave on a good note, I prepared Kachina's supplements and grain just before leaving and added and extra carrot. She was so enthralled with her treat that she barely noticed our exit, so I'm hoping she did fine alone the rest of the night.

Donna won't know how the surgery went until later today, but I'll try to update as soon as I get information. The paddock will have to be roped off into two separate sections while she heals, which I'm imagining will be difficult for both she and Kachina.

It's amazing, as a dog trainer spaying is no big deal; it's such a basic operation, hardly worth getting worked up over. But when it's being done on a horse it's a different story. The size difference alone is enough to make me fret, not to mention Fancy's age, the fact that she's already had two foals (that we know of), her compromised physical condition, etc. I'm impatient for any news on how she's doing, and I have to keep reminding myself that it's just a spay, same as any other spay, just different.

A Scare

2009-04-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

Last night I came later than usual to clean Kachina and Fancy's paddock and I had an awful scare. I came in to find Fancy lying down on her side, unresponsive to my calling or even to my presence. It's amazing how quickly the human heart can go from relaxed and normal to oh-my-god-I'm-having-a-heart-attack in less than a second.

I walked over to her, calling to her, and still she wouldn't respond, although her eyes were partially open. I pushed on her a little and she lifted her head, then flopped back down again. Immediately I thought it was colic, but she wasn't showing any of the other signs (groaning, rolling, pawing, poking her belly with her nose). I pushed again, harder, and she finally got onto her feet and walked away a few steps. Just when I thought I could relax, she whirled on me and tried to kick me!

We spent the rest of the night observant but wary of her, while she stood there and lashed her tail around (and it's freezing here right now, so I'm positive there were no flies) and looking just generally dull. I also noticed that there was some very loose, diarrhea-type poop that I'm 99.9% sure was hers. We stayed with her as long as we could - until almost nine o'clock - and didn't see any further troubling signs.

What worries me is that Fancy isn't particularly trusting, and she's not attached to me at all, and I wouldn't say that she knows me very well, so I find it very odd that she'd remain down on her side when I approached her. I mean, she didn't even twitch her tail in my direction. And then to walk off, turn around, and try to kick me?

I'm just hoping that she was (really, really) deep in sleep, with her eyes open, and me waking her up just startled her into kicking. Or that she was just cranky - I'd be fine with that. Donna and Tony weren't home, but I left them a message explaining what happened. I haven't heard back yet.

Kachina, however, was dashing around the paddock, as happy to see us as always. Although I noticed she was being wary of Fancy too.

Herding the Fuzzy Cow

2009-04-24T06:55:00.001-07:00

Heat Wave

2009-04-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple of days, and the sudden heat wave has made things harder. I've been trying to do more with Kachina in regards to training, before the rains pick up again, but we've both slowed down a little.

The Cat and I took Kachina for a hike Sunday, and I barely made it up the steep hills. Granted, I was pretty dehydrated, but I think Winter has made both Kachina and I soft (she was sweating and tired too). She did, however, take to leaving Fancy a lot better than she has in the past, so that was a lesson in and of itself.

She's turning into a horse so quickly, it's unbelievable. Her body has finally caught up with her hips so her butt no longer looks super high. Her jaws are also getting more Quarter Horse-y and her chest is squaring out, although she still has her tiny baby mouth and chin. She is, however, developing a hay belly. I've heard that it's typical for young horses, because their bodies are still growing, but I think she looks fat. With the nice weather will come more exercise!

I'll take my camera out tomorrow and snap some good photos of her. I'd like to compare them to the picture I was sent when I first bought her (the one in the blog profile). In the meantime, you get one of my favorite pictures of my little painted pony!

Horses of a Different Color

2009-04-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't been updating lately because there's been nothing really to update about. Kachina is growing fast, and she's losing more of her winter fuzz (how is it clinging on this long?!). She's going to end up a very pretty, burnt dun color -- not exactly buckskin, but close.

The cutting horse trainer I apprentice with told me once that, if I want to own Paints, I should stick with the sorrel-and-whites or the black-and-whites because that's what people like to see. Screw that! I like Kachina's unique color!

To be honest, I've never liked Paints. My mom loves them, but I've always thought they looked gaudy and boring (I think the only Paints or Pintos I ever thought were really beautiful was RJ, who starred in the movie Hidalgo and the mustang stallion Painted Desert, but I think I was more attracted to the horses themselves, and that made them look beautiful to me). I've always had a fondness for duns, buckskins and grullos -- especially with primitive markings -- and that was what I found attractive about Kachina's color in the beginning.

After having Kachina, I'm noticing that I've started to develop more of an appreciation for Paints. Maybe it's just loyalty blooming for my little painted pony, but more and more often I'm seeing Paint horses and thinking "Wow, that's a really beautiful horse." Despite that, however, I still prefer the more unique colors. This inspired me to find pictures of other, more uniquely colored Painted horses that I found particularly stunning. Here's what I found:

Bay Roan Paint
Black and White Paint
Grullo Paint (probably my favorite of the bunch! This horse is gorgeous! Here's another picture just for the heck of it!)
Buckskin Pinto (my second favorite -- so cute!)
Buckskin Paint
Blue Roan Paint
Black and White Paint

Starting to see a trend?

I still think Kachina's the prettiest Paint of all.

Tweet!

2009-04-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Kachina now has a Twitter! You can see it updated on the right-hand side here.

Of course, since I'm not with Kachina all of the time, it'll probably apply more to me than her. Hey, I need some spotlight on this blog too!

She Gets It From Her Mama

2009-04-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

I was sent more pictures of Cremello from the website, so here they are. Isn't she beautiful? It's obvious where Kachina gets her stunningly good looks!

I did some research on Cremellos and Perlinos, and this is what I found:

"A Cremello or Perlino horse is simply a sorrel (cremello) or bay (perlino) horse that has recieved two copies of the "creme" gene. This gene, when in it's single form, makes what would have been a sorrel horse into a palomino, and what would have been a bay horse into a buckskin. Every time a palomino to palomino, buckskin to buckskin or palomino to buckskin cross is made, you have a 25% chance of getting this rare and beautiful coloration, but there's more! Aside from being extremely rare, this coloration makes a horse extremely valuable in the breeding shed. Because a Cremello or Perlino horse has two copies of the "creme" gene, making them homozygous, they can never produce a bay or sorrel foal no matter what they are bred to. Most foals that result from breedings with a Cremello or Perlino will be Palominos or Buckskins. A small percentage of black and gray foals can also be produced as these colors hide the palomino and buckskin coloration." -- Cremello and Perlino Educational Association

Well, guess we know why both Kachina and her brother are dun colored.

Brother From the Same Mother

2009-04-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture that the woman who owns Happy Horse Haven took yesterday of Cremello (Miss Patch Pilot) and her 8-month-old son, Buckskin Chaps (wow, he's huge! ..or she's really small).

Can you see the resemblance to Kachina? Obviously the dun gene runs through the dam's side. He was born May 25th, 2008, while Kachina was born May 5th, 2007. This makes them almost exactly a year apart.

The woman who runs Hooves of Hope, the rescue that originally saved Kachina, told me that there were about fifty mares sent to slaughter, all with yearlings (that'd be Kachina) and all pregnant, meaning that this little guy was the colt Miss Patch Pilot was pregnant with when she destined for the slaughter house. It's so cool to see them both healthy and happy, living together. I wonder if Chaps is as amazing a horse as Kachina.

I sent the woman a picture of Kachina and a link to her blog, and she may feature Kachina's story on the website, too, as an extension of Cremello's story. If you guys have a minute, you should check out her webpage and read some of the amazing stories; Kachina's dam is just one of many fortunate horses listed there.

More on Miss Patch Pilot

2009-04-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

This morning I called the woman who runs the sanctuary where Miss Patch Pilot, Kachina's mother, now resides. The name of the rescue is Happy Horse Haven; if you scroll down, you'll see Miss Patch Pilot (now named "Cremello") and read a little of her story.

The woman was extremely nice, and said that Cremello is happy and healthy, running free on over 120 acres. She offered to send pictures, so as soon as I get them I will post them here.

There may be a chance that she can help with registering Kachina. Regardless of that, it's great to hear that Kachina's dam is alive and doing so well.

Kachina also has an 8-month-old buckskin brother! I hope his life ends up wonderful, and he never has to experience the horror that almost claimed Kachina and their dam.

Long Lost Mother

2009-04-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

I found Kachina's mother! And by accident, too. Although I've Googled her a thousand times, I decided to try again just for the heck of it, and a new website came up:

Horse Rescue Faces - Diamond Horses

If you scroll down, you'll see her picture (well, a picture of her eye - she's the Queen of Diamonds!). She's listed as a "Cremello APHA Mare," but they say her registered name off to the side. Although she's registered as a Perlino, I'm sure it's her.

I've just contacted them for more information. Keep your collective fingers crossed!

Registration Drama

2009-04-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated about my uphill battle to register Kachina in a while. Mostly because there's been no progress to update about. I sent another copy of the paperwork off to The Son almost two months ago, this time having it directed to my work address, and I still haven't gotten it, even though he claims to have sent off both. Funny how two different copies sent to two different addresses at two different times can both get lost in the mail!

My next effort was to contact one of the previous owners who, supposedly, has the paperwork and offer again to pay her to find it. This is the response I got:

"I know you can not reg her that was my problem. There is NO paperwork for her, she was a rescue and the papers have been lost. I know about papers I breed paints. When I got her I got her as a rescue to help out a friend. When Holly took her I made it very clear to her that there is NO PAPERWORK for the filly. I thought she would have told you that. I hope she becomes something good papers are not everything. If she is a decent horse someone will love her. That is why her price is so cheap. Sorry I couldn't help but there is nothing I can do. All I was trying to do was save her life. If her papers were THAT important to you, you should have bought a horse that could have been registered. I can not help you I'm sorry."

Sheesh! She told me back in January that she had the papers, but she had just moved and they were all packed away and she didn't have time to find them. Now she says she doesn't have them at all (even though I've contacted the woman who runs the rescue who first took Kachina from The Son, and she says that she definitely gave this woman paperwork along with the filly).

I've called the APHA countless times to find out if I have any other option, and it seems like my only chance is to find the dam, have her and Kachina both DNA tested, then send it off. Ack! Even if I had the money to do that, I have no idea where the dam is, or if she's even still alive. Last I heard, she was weak and sick and taken to Texas back in '07.

So what now? I'm going to keep sending The Son registration application after registration application! I'll be worse than a bill collector. He'll have to cave eventually, right?

This woman said "If her papers were THAT important to you, you should have bought a horse that could have been registered." That bothered me. It's not that I won't love her and do my best with her if she isn't registered, it's that I think she deserves the best possible future she can have, and having her registered will definitely help. As a breeder of paints, I'd think she would understand that.

And The Son! Honestly, all he has to do is sign his name. I've filled out the rest, I've done the research, I even sent along a self-addressed envelope with postage! It's no skin off his nose, he doesn't even have to get off the couch to do it. Just sign his stupid name. Then I can register Kachina, and he will never have to deal with her or I again.

In a last-ditch-effort, I think I can at least register her with the PtHA, but I'm not even sure about that.

I'm printing out another copy of the APHA form now. Let's see how many I'll have to send before he breaks.

Horsing Around

2009-04-02T07:10:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a pretty light day, so I mostly just played with Kachina.

I'm amused by silly things, like Kachina playing with my Carhartt (good thing they're durable):

Here's Kachina's super bright face:

And Kachina herding Odin, her "fuzzy cow":

OT: P's Amazing Photography Corner!

2009-03-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

P was a little heartbroken that his stellar photography from Sunday wasn't used in the previous post. Well, it didn't pertain much to Kachina and the goings-on (we could have gotten really cool pictures of Kachina rearing, but he was taking pictures of yellow flowers instead), so they get their own post. I present you with P's Amazing Photography Corner!:

Said yellow flowers:

And also white flowers:

A ladybug enjoying said white flowers:

And some green:

And grass:

And a leaping spider:

Rodeo (and a surprise guest!)

2009-03-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was so nice that Donna, P and I decided to walk Kachina and Fancy up to the public arena and do some work. It was Kachina's first trip, and the first time I would try to teach her longing on a line (from what I know she's done some work at liberty in a small round pen, but not in a big arena).

After a rather harrowing fifteen minute walk on the road (which Kachina was very good for, considering the cars and motorcycles speeding past her), we passed Maverick's stable just as Kelli was working Maverick in the arena; or, rather, just after Maverick's roping rein broke on one side, and Kelli was recovering from her first equine wardrobe malfunction. After I was sure she was alright, Kachina and I continued up the hill to the public arena to join Donna and Fancy.

Kachina was very excited when she saw the space and, of course, she wanted to go running off with Fancy. She started rearing up right in front of me. I've never had a horse rear so high and straight, so close to me before; it was both awe inspiring and a little irritating, but I can't say I was afraid of being struck. We practiced some disengaging to calm her down and get her mind working. She's gotten very good at disengaging her hindquarters, even though it's pretty obvious that she doesn't enjoy it.

Meanwhile, Donna longed Fancy in preparation to ride her. Fancy's just getting re-used to being ridden; this would be her fourth time under saddle, I believe, since her old life in Montana.

After working on the disengage, we did some flexing. She wasn't wearing her rope halter, which she's better in of course, so it took a little time to remind her of what I was asking. Even still, once she got the idea, she was flexing like a pro.

Once she was all settled, I teaching her to walk around me in a circle without much success. I have never taught a horse to longe without a roundpen, and she has never longed in such a big space on a line, so we were both a little baffled. She thought she was supposed to disengage and turn in towards me (something I did teach her on the leadrope), and ddin't understand that I wanted her to keep walking. I, on the other hand, didn't really know how to encourage her to keep straight and go in a circle; I knew to stay behind the drive line, and I used my stick to tap her rump, but she still thought all of that meant "face the handler" not "keep walking." I'll be the first to admit that longing is not my strong point!

Donna, on the other hand, was on Fancy's back and had started walking her when, all of a sudden, Fancy started bucking and hopping! I ran over and grabbed Fancy's halter to stop her. Even though she stopped bucking, she kept kicking out, so Donna and I decided that, rather than Donna get off and letting her win, I'd walk them around on lead for a while. Donna used her reins and legs the same as always, while I stayed on the ground and gave Fancy a nose bump every time she kicked out. Eventually, Donna was able to walk her around a little without Fancy being attached to the lead. Although Fancy didn't like it, she didn't win in the end by bucking, so I think it was a huge hurdle cleared.

After she was done on Fancy, Donna showed me how to teach Kachina to longe on a line. She made it look so easy! And Kachina took to it very quickly. It made it painfully clear just how much I have left to learn about training a young horse.

While she was longing, five more people came into the arena, along with three more horses and a dog. Lots of stimulation! Donna asked Kachina to go around a few times on both sides, and stop on command, and then we ended it all on a good note.

Even more distracting was that two of those visitors were Kelli and Maverick! It was the first time Kachina had seen her "big brother" since January. I'm pretty sure they remembered each other, and she seemed very excited (check out that smile!).

We grabbed our things after that and left to sit in the grass and let the horses graze for about ten minutes as a reward for a good day's work before heading home:

Potential

2009-03-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted. Life's gotten busy and distracting. It's been great having Maverick so close by, where I can see him and Kachina on the same day, almost every day, as opposed to having to split it up during the week. This is a really good thing since the apprenticeship at the ranch takes away one of my weekend days.

Kachina's doing great. She's getting bigger, and with that bolder, and she's taken to stealing Fancy's grain. She does this in the most amazing way: she waits for Fancy to take a mouthful and lift her head, then she grabs the feeding pan and drags it as far as she can away from Fancy. This gives her enough time to help herself to a couple of bites before Fancy comes to chase her off. Then Fancy takes another mouthful, lifts her head, rinse and repeat. It was hilarious to watch; Kachina's not lacking in cleverness.

We're suspecting that Kachina's craving the supplements in Fancy's grain -- calcium phosphate, cod liver oil and flax seed -- so I've decided to try giving her some. The flax seed is proving a little hard to come by, but Donna volunteered to pick some up in Livermore the next time she visits S'Prize.

As Kachina loses her winter coat, her color darkens. Her socks are very black now, and her shoulder bars and ear bars are getting very dark. Her front half, which shed out first, is not a darker dun than her back half, which is still relatively fluffy. (I promise there will be pictures Monday!)

This past Saturday there was a team penning show, and the family that owns the ranch where I apprentice was competing so I got to go along and help groom and exercise the horses. This meant waking up at 2 am (and coming home at 2 am!), and about ten hours in the saddle! But it was worth it; my grandfather was there, and I got to see him win the Open division and almost win the whole thing (the family I apprentice for actually won it).

On top of seeing my grandfather ride, I got to see some really nice penning horses and compare them to Kachina. I know that she's only a filly, but I already see so much potential and athleticism in her, not to mention her natural curiosity and intelligence. When I first bought Kachina, I had no idea what I was looking for; I only had a basic idea of characteristics that I thought would be important in a penner. I think I really lucked out, accidentally finding a horse with so much natural ability. As soon as she's old enough, I'm going to work alongside my grandfather and get her started right. That'll give me time to save up some money so I can send her to The Ranch for some polishing.

I have a feeling she's going to end up being one of the best penning horses to come out of the area. Of course, I may be a little biased.

OT: Hero Dog

2009-03-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

I promise that this blog will get back to Kachina soon! But, I saw this over at Christa's blog and I had to post it.

This is the reason why I work with dogs -- and animals in general -- and couldn't imagine doing anything else. No matter how much time I spend with them, or how many books I read and videos I watch, or how many lectures I attend, I'm constantly amazed by the things animals do.

Meanwhile, the other night I saw a show called What Would You Do? for the first time, and I was horrified and depressed at how many people wouldn't speak up or act out against what they knew was wrong.

In some cultures it's believed that, if you commit horrible acts and live an awful life as a human, you will be reincarnated as a dog. I'm more inclined to believe the opposite is true.

Giving Up

2009-03-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

A few of you know -- most of you don't -- that my first equine love was a buckskin mustang mare named Whisper.

It had been three years since my family had to sell our horses, and I was fourteen. The lack of horses in my life weighed on me, so my grandmother called my grandfather, who still had horses, and arranged for me to visit him and ride.

When I got there, I was introduced to a two-year-old mustang, freshly captured, that my grandfather had just bought and was now training. Instantly I loved her; she was everything that a horse symbolized to me: beauty, raw power, intelligence and freedom. Granpa put me on her back and lunged her, then let me loose with the reins. At the end of the day he told me that I could have her -- she would be my horse, and I could ride her whenever I wanted.

I called him two weeks later to arrange another ride, and he told me that he had sold her.

Fast forward four more years. I was eighteen now, and working, and I was determined to get back into horses. I knew my grandfather still had horses at a tucked away, rundown stable in Richmond. I knew roughly what times he liked to feed, so I caught the bus down there, eventually found the stable, and begged him to re-teach me how to ride. He said that there was only one horse available to ride -- a horse that he was training for a client -- but that she was a bit difficult. I told him that I didn't care, I just wanted to ride, and he pointed out the stall of my new partner. I looked in to see the same buckskin horse I'd met four years ago. She didn't have a name back then, but I knew her.

Whisper's owner barely came out to ride her, and she had very little human contact, so she had begun to revert back to being wild, avoiding humans but, at the same time, craving companionship. She'd become testy, but she was well trained, and I was confident that I could help her get over her issues. I came out every weekend and talked to her, putting no pressure on her, brushing her, feeding her and just spending time with her until she began to look forward to my visits. Then I moved to riding her (Granpa still insisted on riding her first, to warm her up and tire her out for me), and we had a few clashes but we worked through it slowly. Eventually I could take her out on trails with Granpa and ride her on my own when he wasn't around. The more I worked with her, the more I fell in love with her.

The first time I met Whisper's owner (a year after I'd started riding her), I was excited. I wanted her to see the progress that I'd made with her, and show her some of the things I noticed about her personality. I was naive and thought that she'd be happy to see how far her horse had come along. However, she brushed me off, wouldn't even talk to me, and went to grab Whisper and put her in the arena. I watched in horror as she hit Whisper over the head with her headstall (bit attached) when Whisper refused to follow her. My first instinct was to take the rope away from her and get Whisper as far away as possible, but I went over and, as calmly as I could, asked her if she needed any help, to which she sharply replied that she didn't. She never did get Whisper in the arena.

I saw the owner "working" with Whisper twice more after that day. Each time she became frustrated and resorted to trying to bully the horse, or hit her with things to try to make her behave. That's when I decided that I was going to buy Whisper. I saved up the money, got the owner's number from the stable manager, and called her to arrange a meeting. I had heared that she was pressed for money, and since I knew that she was a single mother and had no time for Whisper, I figured it'd be pretty easy. I offered to pay her $2500 -- $500 more than she'd bought Whisper for when she was in shape, which she certainly wasn't now -- and, if that wasn't enough, to put that down now and pay off the rest. I was desperate to get this horse. She told me that she knew that she had no time for Whisper, that she'd only been out to see her roughly four times in two years, and that it would be the best thing for Whisper if she sold her, but that she wouldn't because Whisper was "too pretty." She liked her color. She wanted to breed her and get a foal the same color. So, even though the horse was suffering for it, she wouldn't let her go.

I was brokenhearted, but there was nothing I could do. I continued to ride Whisper, but I knew I was just getting more and more attached. And I knew that her owner would come out eventually, beat on her and yell at her, and undo everything I've worked so hard to accomplish. At the suggestion of my mother, I started looking for another horse to buy, but I couldn't see any other horse but Whisper.

One day, Whisper's owner came out with her friend, and her friend's son who was about the same age as me. They had never been around horses before and promised to let them ride. I already had Whisper saddled up to work with her, so I reluctantly handed her off and watched as the son mounted up. Whisper immediately "took off" with him (granted, she was only loping, but it scared him) and he had trouble stopping and guiding her. The owner was frustrated, and asked what was wrong with her. I quietly explained that she was in a snaffle, so plow reining would work better than neck reining (which is what she told him to do), and I offered to show the boy, which she agreed to. After I had showed him, he was able to ride her fine, and he had a really good time. I thought I had been helpful, but the next day I was told that she didn't want me riding Whisper anymore. The manager said I had embarrassed her in front of her friend, and not to worry about it, that was just the way she was.

Three weeks later she moved Whisper without anyone knowing. I asked everyone at the stable if they knew what happened, but no one knew, or else they weren't saying. I was hurt and at a loss. Eventually I bought Maverick, who I love dearly, but I never forgot Whisper, and I cried every time I found a picture of her on my hardrive, or hidden in a book.

Last year P and I were visiting our friends Tony and Donna's house for the first time. The evening was winding to a close, and they asked if I wanted to walk down the street and see the stable that was near them. I never pass up an opportunity to see horses, so the four of us walked down to the city stable to look at the horses. It was getting dark, and we could barely see, but I knew her when I saw her: there was Whisper, stalled just a few feet away. When I saw her I started crying (much to Tony, Donna and P's confusion and concern). I mean sobbing. I'd spent nearly six years searching, aching and worrying for this horse, and suddenly she was right in front of me. I'd told Donna my past with Whisper before, so once she realized what had caused my breakdown, she hatched a plan to sponsor Whisper and find out more information.

Donna sponsored Whisper for a few weeks, and each report she gave me was more disheartening than the last. Whisper had become afraid of people. Clearly abused, she panicked whenever she saw anything that resembled a whip, stick or crop, he was no longer safe under saddle -- she wouldn't stop, wouldn't turn and wouldn't walk, and the stable manager there told Donna to be careful, because she was known to bite and kick at people and that, if he were here, he wouldn't be caught dead on the horse. This was such a far cry from the Whisper in my memory who, although spirited at times, was gentle, well-trained and well-mannered, and safe in just about every situation.

After establishing a relationship with Whisper's owner, Donna found out that she was looking to sell the horse. Donna told her she knew someone who would be interested, and the owner seemed genuinely excited to find out who. When Donna told her who I was, the owner's personality did an about-face; she told Donna that she would absolutely not sell her to me, but would not tell her why. Donna never heard from her after that.

The news was heartbreaking, and for a while afterward I couldn't even talk about Whisper. But I had to accept the fact that, for reasons unknown, the owner would not sell Whisper to me. I had to let it go. I consoled myself with the knowledge that, although something had happened to Whisper to change her opinion of people, she was at least being fed and sheltered and taken care of, which is more than a lot of horses get.

I visited Whisper a couple of times after that. Each time hurt, but it hurt less and less, as I kept reminding myself that she was being cared for. Eventually I could talk about it, and tell everyone that I was over it, although I never was completely.

Then I found Kachina. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't think of Whisper when I saw her. It was part of what drew me to her initially; it wasn't that she looked a lot like Whisper, but that I had the same feeling of instant adoration when I saw her in the trailer as I had when I'd first saw the buckskin mare. Kachina acted as a salve, and I told myself constantly that the reason that I didn't get Whisper was because I was meant to have Kachina.

Yesterday, Donna took Kachina and Fancy up to the stable where Whisper is boarded to have their feet trimmed. Somehow Whisper came up in the conversation, and the trimmer told Donna that he did Whisper's feet too, and what bad shape the horse was in. He said that the owner owed him $400 that she had no way of paying, and that the mare was going lame and no one knew why, that she had a lump on her side that the owner wouldn't have checked by a vet, and that she was looking to give Whisper away to a good home. Donna told him our story -- about how I reacted when I first saw Whisper at the stable, about how she sponsored her and told the owner that I was willing to buy her, and how the owner refused but couldn't say why. She told me that he shook his head angrily, and told her that he could get me the horse, free, if I still wanted her.

Donna made the offer. Here was my dream horse, back in my life for the fourth time. Only now the choice was mine, and it came down to which horse I wanted more, Whisper or Kachina?

I won't say that it was an easy choice. It wasn't even really a choice. I didn't have to think about it, I knew that I wouldn't give up Kachina, not even for Whisper, but that didn't make it any easier to turn her down. I thanked her, and asked her to thank the trimmer too. It was just too late.

Now I'm left to wonder if there's a reason Whisper keeps appearing in my life, only to make me give her up again and again. It's like having a cut on your knuckle: no matter how many times it heals over, inevitably it's going to be ripped open again.

How many times can a heart break over one horse?

Conformation

2009-03-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that I know very little about a working horse's conformation. I know enough to buy a horse that will move nicely, I know when something is obviously wrong, I know how to check the feet, the legs, the neck, the chest, and I know what a horse should look like and how it should move.

What I don't know is how to tell at a glance -- especially in a young horse -- what traits are good for what sport, and what traits are hindering. I knew I wanted to work cattle, so I figured I wanted a horse with a nice, wide chest and a high, full, powerful back end. I knew I wanted one that stood square, one that was not too leggy but also not too bulldoggy. I knew I wanted one that carried its head low (but not too low) and moved with no problem. Other than that, however, I'm lost. I have no idea what small, minor details in build and bone structure stacked up to make a winning horse. When I bought Kachina, I was going on a hunch, and instinct, and hope.

I asked Granpa what he thought, and he shrugged and said "You can't go wrong with any horse for $500." Not the confirmation I was hoping for. It's a question that's always nested in the back of my mind; Kachina has the will, and the instinct, and a good foundation breeding, but she lacks fresh performance blood, and I had no idea if she was even built right for the job I had in mind for her.

Saturday I took pictures of Kachina down to the cutting horse trainer I've been apprenticing under. He breed cow horses, so he knows the conformation intuitively, and I figured he'd be the best person to ask.

He studied her pictures for a while, asked some questions, and told me that, A) he'd have to see her in person to be fair (of course) and, B) he didn't see anything in her confirmation that he didn't like (except he, personally, only likes sorrel or black paints. Personally, I like her unique color). He told me at this point all I can do is try her and see how she does. He also said not to worry too much about the current bloodlines; that there are a lot of champions who only have foundation blood, some that go back five or six generations.

This eases my mind a lot. Now that I know for sure that she has the build for team penning, and I'm already convinced that she has the will, drive, intelligence and athleticism for the sport, there's nothing to stop us. I'm thinking that, once she's old enough to start, I'll let my grandfather take her for a little while to introduce to cows. Or maybe I'll figure out a way to take her to the ranch.

Either way, I'm fortunate enough to have some seriously good resources.

Guest Starring: Maverick!

2009-03-12T07:08:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we moved Maverick from the stable in Richmond to the stable near Kachina!

He trailered nicely, of course, but I did freak out a little when the trailer and the car I was in seperated -- I realized that I had never trailered him without being right there in the truck, so it was a little heartbreaking. I was honestly worried that he'd think I had sold him (how silly is that?).

P and I got the the new stable first, so I was able to greet him as soon as he unloaded and take him to a stall myself. Right now he's in the barn, but I'm hoping to get him moved into an open stall ontop of the hill, where it won't be so stuffy and he'll have a view.

He was a little nervous moving (and Maverick is so calm, that by "nervous" I mean he was not asleep), but he's been boarded at the former stable since he was two, way before I bought him. He kept eating the sawdust, something he's never done before. I'm hoping he's just "tasting" his new environment, and that it'll pass in a few days.

At the last stable, everyone rode Western. Here, the manager, Kelli and I are the only Western riders, so I feel a little out of my element. It doesn't seem as relaxed as my old stable, which is both a good thing and a bad.

It is a nicer stable, however, and Maverick will be well taken care of. Plus, Kelli will get to take her lessons on him and play with him whenever she wants, which will make us all happy.

Kelli's going to check on him this morning, so I don't worry all day (because I will).

I'm thinking of starting a blog for Maverick, if only to keep him off of Kachina's. Besides, the Favorite Son deserves a blog of his own.

The Great Escape

2009-03-10T06:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Kachina decided to play Wild Mustang with Donna and busted out of the paddock, running right down the middle of a long, winding road, that people frequently speed on. Donna said she chased her, calling to her, but Kachina just kept on thundering down the blacktop, cars zipping past her. Luckily Kachina turned into the park and, with the help of a stranger, Donna was able to corner her and get the halter on and bring her home.

Donna told me about it Sunday, so of course Kachina was out of danger, but I was still so scared and relieved and thankful. Kachina's lucky she didn't get hit by a car. Someone was looking out for her that day.

Sunday she and I played tag and hide-and-seek around the paddock. It was very cute watching her try to find me and then, once she did, throwing her head up and racing off. She'd run, spin, half-rear, buck, and herd me -- everything but try to kick me.

Kachina's really growing fast now. I'll try to get some pictures up this week.

Making A Connection

2009-03-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

I remember the first time Maverick answered to his new name (his old name was "Bulldog." Yeah.) and how exciting that was for me. There's something a little magical about making that kind of connection; where a word that doesn't necessarily translate to the horse (or dog or cat or parrot..) still comes to mean something to it, where it begins to make an association between itself, its name and you. It's a very small and often overlooked little wonder of communication and understanding, and it amazes me every single time it happens.

Lately Kachina's been answering to her name more and more. When P and I come to visit and we call to her, she will leave her shelter, Fancy, and at times her food, and come trotting all the way across the paddock to greet us. We don't bring her treats when we come -- we don't bribe her to do it -- but we do lavish her with plenty of love and attention. She's just developed an association between her name and being with us, and she'd decided that being with us is something she enjoys. And even on the days when she prefers her food to our company, she'll still lift her head and prick her ears when she hears her name to let us know that she heard us, and that she understands what it means.

When Kachina visits with us, she comes to us each in turn. Sometimes, when we're petting her, she tries to groom us back. She's also taken to herding Odin away from us as if she feels the need to protect us, especially when he's very excited and we're playing roughly with him. She's curious about the things we do, and the tools we use; she'll often paw or bite at the manure fork and the muck bucket. In general, I think she enjoys spending time with us (unless the food's just been served, and we're keeping her from it, in which case she gets a little fussy).

I also think she's getting bored in the paddock. We haven't been able to take her for walks lately because of the rain. The trails all have very steep hills, and the mud makes it a little too stressful and miserable for all of us. I was thinking about getting her a toy, like a Jolly Ball, to keep her entertained, but I don't want her to develop any neuritic behaviors or obsessions over it like I've seen horses do in the past. It's probably time I start working with her on things that are more challenging than just sacking her out (there isn't much that seems to scare her). I'll have to browse through my books and find some cool horsey games we can do together, and some exercises I can teach her.

This might be a good time to introduce the clicker.

Apprenticeship

2009-03-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I started the first day of my apprenticeship with an old friend of my grandfather's. He's well-known in Northern California as a breeder, trainer and competitor of cutting a team penning horses, and he has colts in his barn whose parents I've only ever seen in magazines. I'm excited that I'll be able to ride, and learn from, such high-end performance animals.

Of course, my training is in exchange for labor and, even though they "took it easy" on me for my first day, I came home after nearly thirteen hours of work extremely sore and exhausted. But it was a good feeling that only comes from doing hard work that you love. And I'd much rather be doing ranch work than housework.

Despite all of the good things about the day, I was a little intimidated by so many well-bred horses. Kachina may have a lot of foundation blood, but nothing new or current in the sport right now. Would her breeding put her at a disadvantage in the sport? Was it even worth pursuing?

Sunday, she put my mind at ease as I watched her snaking Tony and Donna's dog Odin, cutting off his bath and herding him out of the paddock. She seemed to really be enjoying herself, working her furry "cow" (who was very confused as he believes it's his job, as a German Shepherd, to be herding her). She may not have fresh blood, but that old blood is still worth something. She has the heart and the cow sense in her. I think she'll be just fine.

Visitors

2009-02-26T07:17:00.000-08:00

I went to watch my friend Kelli's riding lesson at the stable where Maverick will soon be staying, right up the street from Kachina. It gave me the chance to look around the stable and see where everything was, and get a sense for the environment. It's really nice so far, although I'm still a little put off by the fact that I have to wear a helmet (I'll be the first to admit that it's a good idea, but I've never worn one; I wasn't raised that way). But it'll probably be good for me to get used to the idea of them.

I'm going to aim to move Maverick next weekend, but may have to put it off until the weekend after. I'll have to talk to my grandfather and see if he can move him for me and, if not, we'll have the stable manager for the new place do it. It's all very exciting.

I need to get a helmet soon. Bleh. I've only seen one that I like, and that's a whopping $125. Plus Maverick might need a set of EasyBoots, since the trails in the hills are a little more rocky than he's used to. And he needs his teeth floated. He's lucky he's worth it.

After her lesson, Kelli came to visit Kachina. Kachina politely left her food to be a good little hostess and let us pet and fawn over her. Only when we were done did she return to her dinner. She's such a sweet little horse.

She's lost a lot of her hay belly, and she's gotten a little taller. I'm going to have to post some Before and After shots up here soon, after I get her all cleaned up. She likes to sleep in the mud, so her whole bottom half is now black!

I sent another copy of her paperwork off to The Son yesterday. The woman at the post office said that it should reach him by Saturday or Monday. This time I'm having him send it back to my job, instead of my house; with so many people living together, it's easy for mail to get misplaced. Hopefully it makes the full journey this time.

More Rain

2009-02-25T06:48:00.000-08:00

I broke down and called The Son the other day to find out what happened to Kachina's paperwork, and he told me that he received the papers a few days after I'd called him, and sent them off the next day. That was almost three weeks ago. Ironic that the one letter I'm waiting on is the one letter that gets lost (why can't they lose my phone bill instead?). I'll be sending off new copies today. Hopefully these make it through.

The sun came out yesterday, but I couldn't go see Kachina and now it's raining again. Blah. I can't wait for the days to get warmer and longer.

On an unrelated note, I found this quiz-thingy on the web somewhere:

What breed of horse are you? Find out!

Of course I am.

Sorta Like An Oscar

2009-02-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

Kachina's first award! Given to us by the awesome Horseypants (if you aren't already reading her blog, you should!). Right on time for the Academy Awards too.

When I first started this blog, it was to log my experiences with Kachina. I never thought anyone would find it interesting enough to read, much less comment on. I've been pleasantly surprised and, as a bonus, I've discovered some amazing blogs with unbelievable stories, and people who love their horses as much as I love mine.

That being said, I'd like to pass this award on to a few others who have left me encouraging comments, and whose stories inspire me to continue posting about my little pony:

Alpaca Love, who was my first follower and left me my first comment (I was floored and delighted to know that someone I didn't force was reading my blog!).

Bandit's Blog, a story I can definitely relate to, an adorable horse, a sweet person and some amazing photographs.

Saving Argus, a truly amazing and inspiring blog about a beautiful horse that was rescued from the worst conditions imaginable. I spent the better part of a weekend avidly catching up on Argus' story, and it continues to amaze and inspire me.

Argo's Journey, a great blog about a gorgeous rescued mustang! Another one I couldn't stop reading.

Gentling A Mustang, something I've always wanted to do. What an awesome pair, and a very informative and interesting blog!

Pony Girl Rides Again, I love this blog! Very funny and cute. Plus great photos!

Whoa Horse Art, a great blog updated by talented equine artists!

ANAPOELAND, because she'll think it's super cheesy that I gave her an award. Too bad! You get to be number eight!

Thanks again, everyone who's reading! I promise more updates are coming.

Oh, and for those who are interested, Maverick passed the assessment Saturday! I'm so excited that Kelli will be using him to continue her riding lessons. I know it's kinda cheesy, but I'm really proud that my guy is helping a friend learn and grow and experience something new that she loves (and it gives me someone other than grungy old cowboys to ride and talk horses with). And the really good news is that we'll be moving him to a nicer stable, right down the street from Kachina! I'll get to see them both more often now.

That also means Maverick will be making more guests appearances in Kachina's blog. Keep an eye out for him!

Firsts

2009-02-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was pretty clear. P and I spent the first part of the visit cleaning up manure (it's amazing how much only two horses can produce!), then I decided it was time to bring out the cap gun my friend Kelli gave me and work on some tougher desensitizing.

I started off with the toy gun empty, just getting them used to the loud clicking when I pulled the trigger. It did make Kachina nervous -- and Fancy too -- which, of course, resulted in more poop. But after a while they got used to it, so I loaded the caps in.

Unfortunately, toys are toys, and the caps wouldn't fire. So much for my master plan! We did manage to make a few go off, which frightened Kachina, but it wasn't consistent enough to really desensitize her too. Oh well! I was happy to see that, even though she was nervous about the sound, she was also very curious and stretched her nose out a few times to sniff the toy gun. A good sign!

Toward the end of the visit I caught a glimpse of Kachina "squirting" (those who've dealt with mares know exactly what I mean, I'm sure!). I guess it's a sure sign that Winter's coming to a close. I've heard so many horror stories about mares in heat, but I've never really had to deal with it (Gypsy has such quiet heat cycles that you can barely tell when she's in season), and it's something I was a little nervous about when buying Kachina. I don't know how long she's been in heat, but I haven't noticed any real change in her personality, except she's been maybe a tiny bit more fussy. I hope she keeps a level temperament. Does it even affect them much when they're that young? Does it change as they get older?

Today Kelli will be bringing her riding instructor up to meet Maverick to see if he'll be a good horse for her to continue her lessons on. I'll be interested to see someone else evaluate my horse. Of course, I'm biased.

Hay Day

2009-02-19T06:48:00.000-08:00

There was a break in the rain yesterday, so I swapped my Wednesday for Saturday and took the day off to fetch some hay from the race track. Which meant we spent most of the morning bucking oat hay, something I'm not very good at it.

It was warm enough to take the blankets off, which meant lots of rolling, and then lots of brushing. Kachina's winter coat is falling off in blankets; it just keeps coming no matter how much I brush!

For the past few weeks Odin, Donna and Tony's old German Shepherd, has taken to picking on Kachina and nipping at her legs. Yesterday, she saw her opportunity and ran him over, rolling him under her. She was careful not to step on him, but it still freaked me out and I checked him over obsessively. Odin was fine, of course, although embarrassed. I guess Kachina finally got tired of his bullying.

After Kachina I went to visit Maverick and the others. It was much too muddy out there to do much more than take Mav for a spin bareback, and let the horses graze a little while their stalls were cleaned. I'll be happy when everything dries up again.

Kachina's getting so much taller, and she's lost her hay belly. It's almost time for her to graduate to her adult halter!

OT: Warning, Extremely Graphic Images

2009-02-17T12:16:00.001-08:00

Kachina's fine, no worries. This is a bit off topic, but still important. And I promise this blog won't get political, I'm not going to force my views on anyone, and I won't be doing this sort of thing often, but this issue hits very close to home:

This was forwarded to me on a horse mailing list this morning, and then I saw it again on Fugly Horse of the Day. The images on the following page are extremely graphic. I'm warning you. I've seen a lot of disturbing things, and I have a considerably strong stomach, but even I could only stand looking at three of the five-hundred images.

From the original post, which can be found here:

* * * * * * *

"After a three year battle, the USDA was finally required to release pictures of horses who were injured or killed during double-decker rides to the slaughterhouse.

WARNING: Extremely graphic. Don't look if you can't handle it.

http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/foiaphotos.html

From the site: 'Thirty-six months after making a Freedom of Information Request of the U.S.D.A. regarding violations of the “Commercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter Act” at the horse slaughter plant in Fort Worth, I received the documents. Nothing could have prepared me for their content. The 906-page FOIA includes almost 500 separate photographs of severe and alarming cruelty at the plant during part of 2005. I am an exceptionally seasoned investigator but was unprepared for the very extreme level of inhumane treatment of these animals on U.S. soil.
...
Click here to find out how to vote for HR 503 to ban the transport of American horses out of the country for slaughter.

Click here to read about HR 305, the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009 that would ban double-decker transport in ALL states. More information. This bill provides for penalties of $100 to $500 per horse for violations...now THAT will do something toward keeping our horses off of double-deckers.

You can always identify and write your representatives at this link. Please ask them to support both HR 503 and HR 305!'"

* * * * * * *

What does this have to do with Kachina? If the rescue had waited one more day, or hadn't chosen her as one of the handful of horses -- out of over a hundred horses -- they could save, she would have been on one of these transports bound for Canada. I'm talking a day's difference. The thought literally makes me nauseous.

That was almost Kachina.

Old Bones

2009-02-16T07:04:00.001-08:00

There's people following this blog! People I don't know/didn't force! Hello! Welcome! And thank you for all of your comments -- I'm using this as a way to respond to all of them at once. I've been catching up on your blogs as well; there are some amazing stories out there.

I haven't been updating as frequently, because there hasn't been much to update about. The rain and the cold still haven't let up -- it's worse than ever, in fact -- so the work I've been doing with Kachina has been minimal, more of the same. And I still haven't received word from The Son regarding her paperwork, so I'm still chomping at the bit (yeah, that pun was intended) to get her registered. However, I'm eager to start working with her once the weather clears up, so hopefully I'll have something more substantial to post.

Friday, when P and I were cleaning the paddock, I found a bunch of old deer bones half buried under the thistles and leaves. Donna's been using that spot to dump manure in for over six months, and as a driveway for at least a year before that, and she says she's never seen a deer carcass there. So these bones are, at least, over a year and a half old. Some of them are missing (the skull most notably), but the leg, toes, lower jaw, pelvis, ribs and vertebrae are all there. I dug around to see if I could find the skull but I had no luck. Most likely it was claimed a long time ago, by people or by another animal.

I took a few of the bones and, out of respect, buried the rest again (although Donna's dog Odin did snag himself a rib). I'll get pictures up soon -- my camera decided to be difficult this weekend.

Kachina had a small cut on her mouth last night. Nothing serious, but it was a little swollen and painful, and it obviously bothered her when I tried to clean it. I'm afraid that, by trying to put medicine on it, I may have undid a lot of the progress I'd made with being able to touch her face and ears. I bought some gentler antibiotic, so I'll probably spend today's visit getting her to trust me enough to treat it.

This is the biggest thing I have to remember (and frequently forget) about Kachina: not to take things for granted. I'm so used to Maverick, who trusts me so completely that I can do whatever I want with him and he doesn't put up a fuss. Kachina's new, and although she likes and trusts people, she and I still have a very young and delicate bond.

I forget that she's only known me for a handful of weeks, and I even though her temperament is amazing, and she's incredibly polite and willing, she's still a new, young horse who was born on a PMU farm, has been passed around a lot in her short life (and only to people who own rescues and breeding ranches, and who had very little time to devote to just her), and who hasn't had much handling. I doubt she's ever had the opportunity to really establish a deep bond with a person, so this is all just as new to her as it is to me.

Scary Things and "Snow"

2009-02-12T06:38:00.001-08:00

It's been too cold and too wet to do much work with Kachina lately. There's mud everywhere, and puddles, and rain and wind; I haven't had the energy, nor the heart to tear her away from Fancy's warmth and her food.

Tuesday I did work on some desensitizing. I introduced Kachina's Bag O' Scary Things -- a shopping bag full of scary objects to get her used to. This week's bag was full of umbrellas, a lariat and a leather belt to make popping noises!

The umbrellas were, I figured, the scariest item, and the one it'd be most important to get her used to, so we started with that. She didn't care much for me opening and closing it around her, but she got used to it a lot faster than I had expected. Pretty soon I could open it all around and underneath her, rub her down with it (open and closed), hold it over her head and face, shake it around and over her, and let it sit on her back.

It was a very productive day; I learned that she's more comfortable with foreign objects than she is with sound. She did not like the sound of the leather popping, and it took her longer to get comfortable with it, and even then she wasn't completely relaxed. She also didn't mind the lariat, and she was ok with having it tightened behind her front legs like a cinch, but less ok with having it further back, where the back cinch would be. She didn't kick or buck, but she did try to run away from it, which is useful to know before I put a saddle on her.

I went out again yesterday, but it was even wetter and colder than the days before. So cold, in fact, that it had haled and tiny balls of ice did not melt. They clustered together in pockets and, for a second, I thought it had snowed. Since Kachina and Fancy were already snuggled together, eating and keeping warm, P and I spent most of the visit taking pictures:

The creek, which had only been a trickle of water the day before..

...Patches of hale on the side of the driveway...

...More hale (and Odin's tail)...

...Mushrooms popping up through the fallen leaves...

...The redwoods...

...And a handful of "snow."

Cold Spell

2009-02-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

A sudden frost rolled in last night. It's freezing cold here. Well, ok, compared to other places I guess it's not that cold, but for the Bay Area, this is cold. Ice on my windshield might as well be a blizzard.

I didn't visit Kachina yesterday. I needed to go out (in the opposite direction) and put blankets on Maverick, Rico and Gypsy, while Donna blanketed Kachina and Fancy.

Donna once told me that, if Fancy were still with the people she'd been living with in Montana, she'd be suffering days of -20°, with nights being even colder, with no blanket, no shelter, no lean-to or windbreak, underweight -- practically skin-and-bones -- and arthritic and too sore to move around much. I can't imagine. I'm glad Donna has her now, where she's fed, cared for and warm in the Winter.

To a degree, yes, my horses are "California horses," and anything below 45° causes me concern. But just because a horse can stand some low temperatures and only be uncomfortable, why let them? Why not make them comfortable? Humans can withstand some pretty low temperatures without freezing to death too, but wouldn't you rather have a coat if one was available?

Anyway, I'll probably go out to see Kachina today. It'll be a good day to introduce her to umbrellas and rain coats.

Quiet Days

2009-02-09T10:06:00.001-08:00

The past few days with Kachina have been quiet and uneventful. The rain's made it cold and gloomy, and most of the time it's enough to go out, clean up after the horses, groom Kachina and watch her eat.

As Kachina sheds her winter coat, I'm discovering new, subtle markings that weren't there before. Cobwebbing is starting to appear where her forelock sprouts, and she's got shoulder and leg bars now. I haven't noticed much of a difference in her color, but she's still shedding and I anticipate her darkening a bit by summertime. It's really exciting to watch them appear. I love primitive horse markings; they're one of the reasons why I love dun, buckskin and grullo horses.

I still haven't received the signed paperwork from The Son, so there's no progress on her registration. I except them sometime this week, but that's only if he signed and sent them off promptly, which may not be the case.

If it isn't raining today, I'll drag a few thick branches and tires up from the side of the road for her to step over. My plan is to have her fully desensitized to almost everything I can think of by Spring.

Xochitl

2009-02-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Kachina got a surprise visit yesterday from Xochitl (pronounced "soh-chee"), a Xoloizcuintle puppy I was sitting for my friend Ana. And no, she doesn't have a skin condition -- she's supposed to be bald!

They may not look like it, but Xochitl and Kachina are kind of like cousins. They were both bought impulsively (or should I say it was fate?) in the same week, for the same amount of money. Both fell into their respective owners' laps and, in both cases, it was love at first sight.

Kachina was very interested in the squirming little bundle of joy but, despite their kinship, Xochitl wasn't too fond of the horses. She was, however, very fond of their poop.

Overnight

2009-02-04T05:35:00.001-08:00

Fancy has an appointment with a chiropractor in Livermore today, so Donna trailered her there yesterday to spend the night, and took Kachina along so that neither horse would be lonely.

I'm not worried. I trust Donna and Tony, I know that they know what they're doing, and I know that Kachina will behave herself.

Donna called to tell me that they had arrived safely, that Kachina was great in the trailer, but that she and Fancy were basically velcro; they wouldn't leave each other's side. Last I heard they were running aroundd together, with Fancy guarding over Kachina.

They're coming back today, so I'll go up and find out how everything went. Hopefully Fancy's appointment goes well; she's been in serious pain for the past few days.

Extreme Makeover!

2009-02-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, maybe not that extreme. But Kachina did get a haircut. Donna did most of the snipping, because I can't be trusted with scissors. Kachina, of course, was patient and perfect for the whole ordeal.

First we worked on her badly chopped tail and made it look a little more natural and a little less like a "power bob."

Then we cleaned up her uneven mane. Some bits were really long, some really short, one patch is missing altogether. Now it looks a little neater and cared for (couldn't do anything about that missing bit, though)!

The result?

A cleaner, neater looking (but weirded out) Kachina!

On The Trail

2009-02-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

What a long weekend!

Due to computer problems I couldn't post on Friday, but there wasn't much to say. It was still rainy and dreary, so I did more desensitizing with Kachina; I had her walk over poles, tried to get her to step in a tire (still working on that) and, my personal favorite, flung a piece of mylar around her head, rubbing it over her body, hanging it from her face and having her walk across it.

I was surprised by how calm she acted around the mylar. In fact, I think she kind of liked it. She didn't mind me flipping it over her, or around her, or the feel or sound of it rubbing against her or under her, me covering her head with it or wrapping it around her. And when it came to having her walk across it and stand on it, she pawed and sniffed at it like it was water -- very cute!

I also sent her applications to The Son on Friday, so hopefully he'll get them this week, sign them and send them back promptly so that I can get them by this week/next week. Yeah, I'm impatient.

Saturday I hung out with Maverick, Rico and Gypsy, but yesterday I went on a two-plus hour walk with P and Kachina. It was such a gorgeous day (how could anyone spend it inside watching some stupid football game on TV?). Kachina was much more comfortable on the trail this time, although leaving Fancy was still a little stressful for the both of them.

We took a different trail than last time, which ended up being the better of the two. At one point Kachina met two extremely interesting people from Brazil who dotted on her, and crooned about how much they loved her name. The guy actually started chanting and dancing for Kachina, which she found very interesting; I'm sure she was dying to join in.

There were a lot of beautiful desert-like patches on this trail, and we stopped in almost every one of them for a rest...

...and a little work on disengaging the hindquarters before continuing on.

These desert patches were probably my favorite part of the trail. I have an inexplicable love for the desert, even though I've never been to one -- although the Oakland hills are far from a desert area, still it was easy to pretend.

I liked the area so much that I decided we should take the shots for Kachina's registration papers right then and there. P posed Kachina while I dictated and took pictures, and we ended up with some I really liked (I'll post them when I get her registered!).

After that, we found some really cool tucked away places and deer trails, where we marveled at the tracks of a doe and her fawn.

Unfortunately, by then it was time to start heading back. We were all tired, but very happy with the walk.

I was pleased to see that Kachina could go for two hours on some pretty tough trails without getting too tired, despite being a little out of shape. The public arena where I'll be working with her is about an hour's walk through the park, so next time we might try to find it.

Success!

2009-01-29T07:07:00.000-08:00

I just got off the phone with the APHA and it looks like I can register Kachina! All I need is the signature of the person who owned the sire and the dam at the time of breeding -- which The Son already agreed to do last night -- and then I can send in my application and payment (that's the other tricky part, seeing as I have no money) and then she's good to go!

Later today I'll call The Son, get his address, and send off the form along with a pre-addressed envelope. Then I just try to scrape together the fee while I anxiously await the paperwork's return. Then it's off to the registry, and then Kachina will be a registered Paint.

Hopefully I can register her with the AQHA through the APHA. The APtH won't be a problem, or so their rep told me. I guess they're a pretty loose registry.

Why is it so important to me to get Kachina registered? I don't plan on ever selling Kachina, but the fact is we can't predict the future. If something unexpected happens to me, she'll have a much better chance at finding a good home if she has papers. Also, if she's ever lost or stolen (not a big concern around here, but..), I can prove she's mine with her paperwork. And if I ever want to compete in the big shows, she'll have to be registered.

It's my obligation to make sure she has a good life -- with or without me -- and lives up to her full potential. The more she's registered, the more likely that will be.

Progress On The Paperwork

2009-01-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

So, I called "The Son" who owned the ranch where Kachina was born, and he was actually very nice! He sorta-kinda remembered Kachina, but unfortunately the only copies of the paperwork he had were the ones he sold her with, which are now missing.

He suggested calling the APHA and finding out what needs to be done, and he said if I needed any signatures to just mail them to him and he'd sign them.

Just goes to show that you can't judge people based solely on what other people say.

Red Blanket

2009-01-28T07:12:00.001-08:00

It's freezing cold here! Well, "freezing cold" for the Bay Area at least. I'm glad Kachina's blanket came; she'll get a lot of use out of it this week. She was still perfectly fine with me putting it on and wearing it around the paddock, and I've gotten to the point where I can let it hang over her face and she won't get nervous.

It's been so wet that I haven't done much work with her, other than basic handling and working on her ears. Hopefully today will stay dry enough that I can safely take her on another walk through the park.

Donna told me last week that she thought Kachina would be a good competitor in Ranch Trail Competition (you can see video of it here and here). I've been looking at videos and reading up on it, and it looks like a lot of fun. I have to agree, if Kachina shows this same level of confidence and willingness as she gets older, I think she'd do really well in it. So today, I'm going to work on setting up some scary things and, if we go for a walk, finding tricky things on the trail to desensitize her to. Donna, who used to compete in Trail Competitions herself, said she'd help me design some real monsters for Kachina.

I love having such a young horse, but sometimes I can't wait to be able to ride her. I just know she's going to be an amazing horse; she has so much potential, and it's really exciting to work with her. Now I just have to find some cows for her to meet...

On Names

2009-01-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

I took my friend, The Cat, out to see Kachina yesterday. It was more of the same -- rain, mud and lots of brushing. But on our way back, he asked about her name, what it meant and why I chose it. I was surprised when I realized that, for some people, "Kachina" is not a well-known term. So, of course, I felt I had to explain (and for the record, this is what I was taught, and by no means do I boast to know every aspect of the Kachina or the Hopi):

Kachinas -- or Katsina -- are sacred religious figures for the Hopi and Zuni religion. They were physical forms of everything from a Force of Nature to an Animal to an Idea or Emotion. They acted as messengers of The Creator, bringing prophecies and instructions down to Man and taking Man's wishes up to The Creator. The Kachina would appear for religious ceremonies and dance sacred dances for the people. A Kachina would never, ever remove its mask during a ceremony (in fact, it's said that the End of This World will occur when The Blue Star Kachina removes his mask during a dance).

The Kachina dolls were carved meticulously from weeds, and given to young girls by their uncles. They sacred, and taught the children of the Kachina (of which there are literally hundreds) and their history.

The original word -- qatsina -- literally translates into "Life Bringer."

So why did I choose that name? Like I mentioned before, I didn't consciously name Kachina. I knew immediately that that would be her name. There was just no question, or need to mull it over and, once it had come to me, I never once doubted or second-guessed it.

The same happened when I renamed Maverick. When I decided to buy him, I just instantly knew what his name would be. It was almost like Maverick and Kachina chose their own names, and just informed me somehow.

I added "Lucky" because of her sire's name, and because she was very lucky that, thanks to a few amazing people, she was given a chance to live and grow. The "dancer" came after I watched her move -- she was the lightest, most balanced and graceful horse I'd ever seen, and she would throw her little tail up in absolute happiness when she pranced. To me, this truly looked like she was dancing a sacred dance.

So that's how Lucky Kachina Dancer got her name.

As for me? Why do I refer to myself as "The Girl"? Well, using my real name would be boring, and this blog isn't really about me, so I tried to think of how my horses would refer to me.

They would know me by smell, but I can't convey that in words.

They would know me by sound, but I wasn't about to call myself "psst-psst-psst~".

So, I thought, how would Maverick know me? "The Girl that feeds me" or "The Girl who brushes me" or "The Girl who drags me away from my breakfast, puts that rope thing about my face, climbs on my back and makes me move around when I'd really rather be eating."

So that's how I was named "The Girl."

Desensitizing

2009-01-23T19:16:00.001-08:00

My time with Kachina was a little rushed today, and most of it was spent picking up manure in the rain. But her blanket did come in the mail today, and I had the chance to try it on.

She was completely tolorant of me running the bright red blanket over her head and back, and rubbing it along her body, although she was obviously nervous; she pooped when I tossed it over her head, but she stayed perfectly still and kept her eye on me. She even stood still while I adjusted it to fit her. When I let her go to see if she'd kick out at the straps or buck, she just wandered back to her feeder and started eating. Donna told me that she has yet to find anything about Kachina she doesn't like, and I have to agree -- she's pretty perfect so far.

The rain made the lighting so bad that it wasn't even worth pulling out my little camera, I promise I'll get a picture up of her wearing her blanket. The huge logo on the side kinda makes her look like a NASCAR entry.

Rainy Day

2009-01-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the first rainy day we've had since I got Kachina. And, of course, her blanket hasn't arrived yet, so when I came out to see her she was damp and dirty from the dusty gravel, which meant I spent the entire visit grooming her. Fancy, was being a bit of a hovering "mother", so I groomed her as well.

I worked with Kachina on letting me touch her ears. I got to the point where I could rub a finger along each ear without her flinching away, so we left it at that. I don't think it's going to take very long at all for her to accept having her ears handled.

Tony and Donna's place is amazing in the rain. Everything is so green, and the redwoods look extremely red. I tried to take pictures, but my camera couldn't do the colors justice.

When I left, Kachina and Fancy were standing under the shelter, pressed against each other, keeping one another warm.

Investigation pt. 3!

2009-01-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

I received a reply from the (extremely nice) woman who runs Hooves of Hope, and originally took Kachina from the PMU farm:

"I am happy to know you now have her...I can only tell you that the PMU breeder [the son] is not a nice man. He inherited the horses when his father died last year and positively hated them. He wanted to send them to the kill buyer and we had a hard time making him wait until weather wise I could get my hauler there to pick them up..."

This guy just sounds better and better the more I hear about him. I did get his contact information, but now I'm wondering if it's even worth it to call him and ask him if he has pictures or copies of the parents' papers.

How does someone hate horses -- or any animal for that matter? You can not like them, you can even be afraid of them, but hate? Hate is such a strong word to use, but everyone I've talked to has repeated it. He "hates" horses. It's just beyond my ability to comprehend.

Family

2009-01-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

I've finally managed to track down a picture of Kachina's mother (It isn't a very good picture, but it's something)! Here's what I know about her parents so far:

Sire: Lady's Lucky Mister (1990)
Breed: Paint
Color: Bay Tobiano
Height: 15.2 hh.
Weight: 1250 lbs.
Pedigree: Lady's Lucky Mister

Dam: Miss Patch Pilot (the mare, obviously)
Breed: Paint
Color: Perlino Overo
Height: ???
Weight: ???
Pedigree: Miss Patch Pilot

Other than this, I know nothing. I'm hoping a few of the rescues I've e-mailed can give me more information. I did get the number of the son of the man who owned the farm where Kachina was born, and I'm planning on calling him today. Hopefully I'll catch him in the right mood.

Investigation pt. 2!

2009-01-21T15:21:00.001-08:00

Got another reply, this one from a woman who rescued Kachina's half-sister:

"This guy [the son] and his dad have a closed pmu farm. His dad is (was) real nice, but [the son] on the other hand is temperamental and not real compassionate and will take horses to sale if he needs to. I have gotten some horses from him in the past and my last one went to South Dakota.... your horse's half sister."

So it was a PMU! Although apparently this guy bred selectively, in order to place the PMU foals(?). That's the impression I get from the rescue that has two of Kachina's siblings. I'm still waiting for them to contact me back.

Investigation!

2009-01-21T11:09:00.001-08:00

I received a reply from the woman Holly got Kachina from. This is what she had to say in her e-mail regarding Kachina's past:

"I am glad that she got a good home. I got her from a friend who has Hooves for Hope in Lompoc, California a year ago...She came from a farm in South Dakota and the man who owned these horses passed away. As his son inherited 50 pregnant mares with foals already at their side, he hated horses. He was going to sell all the horses to a slaughter house in Canada, as this plant was only a few miles from the farm. Lisa got 6 babies and tried to get more, but just did not have the funds. I am not sure what happened to the rest, but I know most went to rescue places. I know her dam is Miss Patch Pilot and her sire is Ladys Lucky Mister. I have tried to locate that reg paper and have not yet come across it. She is registered as an overo..."

This seems to confirm the story I'd heard from Holly, as well as a bit of my own research. One of the PMU Rescues that had two of Kachina's siblings said that they were from a place called "B Ranch" in North Dakota. This rescue takes over PMU farms that have lost their contracts, in order to find homes for the horses. I've already e-mailed them, so hopefully they'll reply with a few more pieces of the puzzle. I'll try locating this Hooves for Hope place to see if they have anything.

However, with fifty pregnant mares, all with sucklings already, it's even more likely that this place actually was a PMU farm.

I've contacted the APHA and the AQHA to see if there were any options to register her without a breeding certificate, but apparently there's not. If I don't get her paperwork, I may have to settle with just registering her with the PtHA.

Hand-Me-Downs

2009-01-20T20:25:00.000-08:00

I went to see Kachina today, but since we'd walked so long yesterday, and I had family obligations, I kept the visit brief. I mostly spent the time brushing her, taking my time and working on her aversion to having her ears touched. I also gave her a paste de-wormer, which she took without problem (seriously, this horse is perfect).

It's amazing how attached to Kachina Fancy is. She kept a very close eye on me the entire time I handled Kachina, and even put her head protectively over Kachina's back. I had to use the training stick to back her away a few times, but overall she complied. It was fun to spend time with the both of them and watch them interact with us without too much pressure. Donna says Fancy and Kachina are slowly getting better about being separated.

It was a little too dark to take pictures, but I really want to get some of Fancy the next time. She's such a beautiful horse, and what a survivor; she's had such a hard life, but she's still so sweet and social.

I should mention that the red halter I'm using for Kachina was Maverick's first halter; it came with him when I bought him (it was too small for him then). Just the thought makes me smile.

First Walk In The Redwoods

2009-01-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

Today P and I took Kachina for her first walk of many through Redwood Park.

Fancy was reluctant to let her go; they'd become so close that Donna tells me they threw a fit earlier in the day when she went to take Fancy for her walk. Fancy, she said, even struck out and reared. I'd hoped they would become close, but I'm amazed at how quickly Fancy's adopted Kachina as her foal! I'm sure they'll both settle down as the walks become more of a routine.

As for Kachina, she was wide-eyed and antsy for a minute or two, but she lead without a problem and settled down pretty quickly. At one point we came across another horse on the trail and she became unsettled again, calling out and wanting to forge ahead to catch up to it. But it only took me stopping once or twice and letting her calm down before she was relaxed again.

Further up we came to her first stream (ok, it was actually more of a mud puddle)! She was reluctant to cross it, and it took me showing her twice before she'd follow me through it. After that we saw plenty of people, dogs and bicycles. Kachina did very well with every new encounter, although she did grunt at dog who seemed a little too interested. Once everything calmed down, and we'd reached a good spot, we rested and admired the view for a few minutes and I took the opportunity to rub her down and desensitize her to the leadrope (which she was terrific with).

Eventually we had to turn around and make our way back toward the park entrance. We'd gone up some pretty steep hills, so going down was a challenge for all of us. There were many places that looked like the drop of a cliff, and she hesitated to follow a few times, but she never really put up a big fight. After a while she just learned to trust me, and all three of us slowly and carefully made our way back down.

I was surprised to see that it had turned dark by the time we left the cover of the trees. The "short walk" I'd planned and ended up lasting almost an hour and a half!

Fancy was waiting for us when we got back to Donna's, but she'd visibly calmed down (Donna told us later that she'd been calling for Kachina and digging a hole to China). The first thing Kachina did was take a long drink from the waterers, and then she headed for the hay. P and I went inside to visit with Donna, and she presented me with a gorgeous leather-adorned journal she'd made for me to use to keep Kachina's papers (when I get them) and records of her growth! And yes, that's an actual lock of Kachina's mane, plus a piece of turquoise from Montana.

I've started researching Kachina's past, starting with information about her sire. All I know is that her sire is Ladys Lucky Mister, and her dam is Miss Patch Pilot -- both registered Paints. So far I've found nothing on her mother but her pedigree, but I did find a picture of her father and a few of his offspring (one in particular looks a lot like Kachina). I've noticed that all of his offspring that I've found are in rescues, or have been adopted from rescues -- many of them PMU rescues. I have this unsettling suspicion that the "breeding ranch" Kachina was supposedly born on may have actually been a PMU farm, but I can't confirm anything until I actually get ahold of some information. I've sent out some e-mails, so we'll see what comes back.

For now, I'm just as exhausted as Kachina. These walks are going to be good for both of us, but I really need to invest in some hiking shoes if I'm going to be climbing up such steep hills. Cowboy boots are not the best on slippery slopes.

Moving Day

2009-01-18T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today was the day we moved Kachina to Tony and Donna's, and introduced her to Fancy, who would be her "herd" for the next couple of years.

My grandfather drove out to the stables this morning to load her up, then came and picked me up from my house at nine o'clock and, together, we headed to Donna's, where we met up with P. As expected, Kachina loaded and rode in the trailer like a dream; she really is perfect.

Once we were there, Donna came down to help us unload Kachina, then we took her to meet Fancy. I didn't hear it, but Donna told me later that Fancy nickered to Kachina when she saw her coming. Although Kachina was a little wide-eyed at first, she took everything in stride and soon made herself at home. Fancy seemed to take well to Kachina, and it only took a short grunt from her to establish their two-horse hierarchy -- Fancy is definitely lead mare!

We let the horses get to know each other while we unloaded the four bales of oat hay I brought with me onto the old wooden bridge beside the horse paddock. After a little grunting and maneuvering, we stacked the bales on top of Donna's stack of Timothy bales, and went to check on Fancy and Kachina.

By that time, Kachina had learned to drink out of the automatic waterer, and feed from Donna's specialized feeder. This ingenious feeder is set up at a slant, with a grate in front. It's designed so that when you put a bale in, the hay slides down the slope and sticks out in sprigs through the grate, allowing the horses to mimic grazing by pulling a few sprigs through the opening at a time. Donna was a little concerned that Fancy, who had almost starved to death at one point in her life, would be possessive of the food and keep Kachina out of the shelter. But in no time the two were feeding side-by-side, sticking to their own separate feeders.

Donna called me later to tell me that Kachina and Fancy were doing fine, and that she'd caught them grooming each other. "I think Fancy thinks she's got her baby back," she told me. I hope their relationship lasts as Kachina grows older.

Donna's house is truly amazing. It's set atop a hill, right in the middle of the redwoods; just being there gives you a sense of awe. Sometimes you can hear deer walking around higher up on the mountain, and you can see mockingbirds and cardinals flit past. One small tree in particular was covered in the most amazing gathering of ladybugs. They were literally everywhere.

Tomorrow I'll go visit Kachina after work. If I'm lucky, I'll get the chance to take her for her first walk through Redwood Park.

I just realized that I referred to Kachina's halter as her "collar" in an earlier post. Er..dogs, horses, all the same right?

The Cast of Characters

2009-01-17T23:39:00.000-08:00

Lucky Kachina Dancer: Or Kachina, an 18-month-old Paint (dun lineback tovero) filly that was rescued from slaughter. The Girl, who'd met her by chance and fell in love with her, bought her in January of 2009 for $500 - what she would have been sold for at slaughter. She's a natural athlete, incredibly intelligent and willing. Together, Kachina and her girl will train to compete in Team-Penning - a first for both of them.

The Girl: Kachina and Maverick's 24-year-old owner (and Rico's co-owner, and Gypsy's servant). She's currently a dog trainer, and learning to train horses. She's been riding horses all of her life - being literally born into it. She dreams of turning Kachina into a
top-notch competition horse. She currently lives in Oakland, California.

Zans H. Maverick: A 10-year-old chestnut Quarter Horse gelding. Maverick is The Girl's first horse, leader of the herd and something of an older brother to Kachina. When The Girl first bought him, he was skin and bones, a week away from starvation, and badly neglected; now, after four years, he's healthy and happy. Even though he can be stubborn and bratty, he's a good, reliable, smart horse with a lot of personality; there isn't a person who's met him that doesn't instantly love him. He took an immediate liking to Kachina the first time he met her. Despite his prestigious lineage (he's the grandson of both Two-Eyed Jack and Zan Parr Bar) and his natural athletic ability and talent, Maverick is extremely lazy and would much rather spend the rest of his days bossing around the other horses and munching on grass. He knows that he's the favorite son, and makes sure everyone else knows it too.

Rico (El Pequeño Pistolero): A 22-year-old bay Paso Fino gelding. Previous to joining The Girl's herd, Rico was savagely abused and forced to run illegal races. The Girl rehabilitated him, and now he follows her around like a puppy. He's completely infatuated with Gypsy and, lucky for him, the feeling is mutual.

Gypsy: A six-year-old chestnut Peruvian Paso mare. Gypsy was bought to be The Girl's grandmother's horse, but somehow became The Girl's charge. She spent most of her life on pasture, so she has very little experience being ridden. That said, she is very sweet - although a bit finicky. She absolutely loves Rico, and the two of them can often be seen grooming each other.

P: The Girl's friend. If The Girl is the captain (which she is), then P is the pilot (which he is). She often drags him places because he's good company, and because she doesn't like to drive if can avoid it. He's also a singer/songwriter; his number-one song is about Maverick. (and yes, that is an actual picture of him)

Tony & Donna: The Girl's friends, and long-time horse people. Kachina lives with them in Redwood Park, along with their rescued mare, Fancy. Donna makes beautiful handmade leather clothing and accessories (check them out at Oat Couture-USA!).

Satin's Fancy: A bay Tennessee Walking Horse mare. Fancy lived a hard life of abuse and neglect before she was rescued by Tony and Donna - the effects of which she's still recovering from. Her foal, S'Prize, was just recently weaned. Hopefully, Kachina will help ease her loneliness.

Odin: Tony and Donna's twelve-year-old German Shepherd. He's an ex-schutzen dog, although you'd never know if for all of his goofiness. He and Kachina have constant issues over who is the herder and who is the herdee. Unfortunately, because of Kachina's size, Odin more often than not ends up acting as her "fuzzy cow." He does, however, get in a few good nips now and then. Despite their disagreements, they do get along very well (most of the time), and it's not uncommon to see Odin egging Kachina into a chase. Odin's favorite job is accompanying P and The Girl to the manure pile during cleaning time.

Lucky Kachina Dancer

2009-01-16T06:46:00.000-08:00

The Story So Far:

I first saw Kachina late December (2008), in a trailer bound for Redding, CA. The woman who owned the trailer had just picked her up from Southern California and was breezing through my stable, where she was picking up a horse she'd just bought from one of the boarders.

The woman casually mentioned that she had a paint for sale, in case we knew anyone who was interested. I was not interested. Paints have never really floated my boat; I've always found their flashiness overrated. But, being curious about any horse, I strolled over to the trailer to take a look. I only saw her face, but I was breathless, instantly in love.

When I asked for more information about the horse, trying (and probably failing) to seem nonchalant, the woman had nothing to provide. "Well," I asked, "what's her name at least?" The woman shrugged, gave my an apologetic half-smile and replied "I dunno. I don't remember." Then she loaded her new horse into the trailer and left me there, with only her card and an unsettling sense of longing. I'd already named the horse before the trailer disappeared from view.

I was not looking for a horse. I owned one, I shared the cost of another, and I worked with one more. I was responsible for three horses already, and I did not have the time or the money to throw another into the mix. I didn't even have the spare $500 the woman was willing to sell the horse for, and I could see no way of raising it with money being as ellusive as it was. But I couldn't get the filly off my mind. I dreamt about her that night (and almost every night since then), and it only took one more day before I e-mailed the woman about going up to Redding -- a four-hour drive -- to see the horse.

I figured there was no harm in just looking. I'd always wanted to go on a road trip, and I'd heard that Redding was very beautiful. I'd drag my friend P along, and we'd make a day of it, get up there and realize that the horse was bratty, or fearful, or pushy, or there was just no connection, and then I'd forget the whole thing.

I told no one but P about my plans; about wanting the horse or going up to see it. I claimed I had to work that Saturday, filled up my pickup truck, and my co-pilot and I headed out, not entirely sure of where we were going or what would happen.

The drive was beautiful. Redding looks a lot like how I'd imagine Colorado to look; with mountains, snow-topped mountains, in the background and long, flat land dotted with cows, crops and the occasional old red barn. The day was chilly, but bright, and we sang along to Bob Dylan almost the entire way.

When we reached the ranch, the first thing we noticed was pastures and pastures of Haflinger horses (which was the owner, Holly's, specialty). The second thing we noticed was a camel in one of the paddocks. The third was my filly, out in the roundpen. We pulled into the drive, by the barn, where Holly and a Pudel Pointer named Dee-Dee came out to meet us ("You're the first person to know what she was!" Holly exclaimed when I'd asked her if Dee-Dee was a Pudel. "Well," I'd replied, "I am a dog trainer").

Holly brought the filly in -- who's name, she told me, was "Sheila" (yeah, I cringed too) -- and let me brush her down. Then she rounded off her hooves, which I were relieved to see were barefoot and in good shape, and gave me the leadrope to do whatever I wanted.

I brought the filly back to the roundpen. I'd never actively sought out a horse to buy; my other horses had all been rescues who had found me, or been dropped in my lap. I had a basic idea of what I should be looking for -- conformation, hooves, movement -- but really, I just wanted to get a sense of her personality and temperament. In the first few minutes she tried to establish a bond with me, and with my pilot. I rubbed my hands all over her, and she sniffed me curiously but did not protest or move away. Then I walked away and she followed. So then I asked her to trot, and she complied (she had the most beautiful and graceful movements I'd ever seen in a young horse). I instantly knew that my plan had failed; the horse was perfect.

Holly took us inside and told us she'd gotten information on the filly's parents. We looked them up on the All-Breed Registry and, I should have known, her pedigree was amazing. Seven hall-of-fame horses that I knew of on her sire's side alone. All racing or cow horses, with a few halter horses thrown in. Not only was she beautiful, graceful, willing and smart, but she was also genetically setup for what I'd always wanted to do: compete in cutting and team-penning.

Holly told us that Sheila was born on a breeding ranch, owned by an elderly horseman. When the man died, his son inherited the property. The son only wanted the land, and hated horses, so he shipped them all -- Sheila included -- off to slaughter. A woman saved as many as she could, and dispersed them to different horse people she knew in order to find them homes. Holly, who raised Haflingers, wasn't interested in Paints; she told us that she liked Sheila's mind, and wanted to help her. Hence the $500 buying price -- not much more than what one would get for her at the slaughter house.

I thanked Holly, told her I'd be in touch, and P and I drove off. I asked what his opinion was, and he told me that he thought she was an extremely special, extremely sweet horse. I didn't need his varification; I already knew, before we left the ranch, that I'd have to find a way to buy her.

The next person I told about the horse was my mother. Most of what I know about horses, I've learned from her. When my mother was seven-months pregnant with me, she was attacked by a loose stallion while going to get her mare out of the arena, and kicked in the stomach. My mom's mare, Sage, fought the attacker off long enough for my mom to be pulled out of the arena and taken to the hospital. As a result, I was born premature, almost in the arena. My mom and I have shared a special love of horses ever since. All I had to do was tell my mom about the filly -- tell her how I felt when I first saw her, and how she acted around me -- and my mom knew that I'd found my "diamond in the rough" like she had, once upon a time, with Sage. But she warned me, I had better ask my grandfather first, or I'd have trouble in the long run.

My grandfather has been a cowboy all of his life. I'm not talking the drugstore vairety. I'm talking in the mud, breaking colts, moving cattle, mending fences cowboy. In his younger days, he was one of the best known Team-Penners in the country; he competed nationally, all over the country, and has a room full of trophy saddles and buckles. He's certainly one of the best known Black horsemen in California. It's rare to see him without his dirty straw cowboy hat, his cigar, or his beaten old boots (I don't think he's ever bought a new hat or pair of boots). He's broke, trained and competed on countless horses, and even the people who don't like him have to admire his skill. He's also gruff, critical, blunt and onery. So of course, I wanted his opinion, but I was also worried that he wouldn't approve of the filly. My mom and I both knew that, if he didn't like her, it was for a good reason, and neither of us wanted to think about the prospect of me not getting her. But the hard fact was that I just didn't have the money to invest in a horse that wasn't worth investing in, no matter how much I liked her.

So, that weekend, I printed out her parents' pedigree, researched and highlighted all of the notable horses and their accomplishments, worked up a convincing argument ("Look at all of these hall-of-famers! And she's a very unique color, and a mare! And look at that conformation! At the very least, we could resell her for twice what we paid.") -- but I didn't need any of them. Granpa took a look at her background, almost bored, folded the paper back up and handed to me, lit his cigar and said "You can't go wrong with any horse for $500." Then he told me to send $250 as a downpayment, and if I didn't have the rest of the money by the time the horse arrived, to let him know. My mom cried while we cleaned stalls. I just couldn't stop grinning.

I sent the downpayment off the next day, but I was still worried about how I'd get the rest. Ontop of the additional $250, it would cost $90 to bring her down. I knew Granpa would help if I needed it, but I hated borrowing money and this was something I wanted to do on my own. I just couldn't see a way to cut back, especially with Christmas only a week away. But Mom told me not to worry, that it'd work out. Man, did it.

I work at a Dog Daycare. I love my job, and the people I work for, and our clients. Before joining this business, I worked at another daycare that could care less about me, about the dogs or about the clients. It was all about making money. I truly believe that some of the best people in the world bring their dogs to where I work now, and they proved it. I needed $340 for Sheila. In gifts from clients, and from my boss, I received $345 -- enough for my horse, and to buy lunch that day (which I was going to skip). I will never doubt the cosmos again.

The filly was scheduled to be delivered on January 10th. By now, there were more people involved: P and Mom, of course, but also my friends Donna and Tony. The filly would be spending two years at their beautiful home in Redwood Park, keeping their mare Fancy company. Fancy's foal, S'Prize, had just been weaned and the mare was feeling lonely. We all thought it'd be a perfect fit, and now Donna and Tony were just as excited to see the filly arrive.

January 9th came. I'd been all week planning a Welcoming Party at the stables, and inviting everyone (it's extremely rare that I attend parties, much less throw them). All that was left was to call Holly to confirm the time of delivery. Unfortunately, when I called, Holly told me that she'd had trouble with a hay delivery, so she wouldn't be able to bring the filly down until Tuesday. Disappointed, I had to inform everyone that the party was off, and prepare myself for four more days of anxious waiting.

When Tuesday came, I took off from work half an hour early and P and I zipped out to the stables. The first thing we saw as we pulled up was Holly's huge five-horse trailer. Then we caught sight of Holly, sitting on the ground next to the hitching post, and my filly tied up and munching on Timothy. I jumped out of the car (I think it was still moving), thanked Holly and gave her the other half of the payment. We chatted for a bit, but it was mostly due to politeness; I couldn't wait to put my halter on the filly and walk her around. As we watched Holly drive off, I gave the filly her new name -- Kachina.

I spent the rest of the day brushing her, walking her around the stable and introducing her to her new herd. Maverick, the leader of our little three-horse (now four-horse) herd, took an instant liking to her, making Kachina's assimilation into the herd seamless. In a few seconds they were all running around together, her little hacked off tail held high in pure bliss.

The next day my boss insisted that I only work a half-day ("If I'd just bought a horse," she said over a text message, "you wouldn't even see me!"). I left work around 11:30, which gave me enough time to drive out to the Thoroughbred racetrack nearby and buy her a bale of Timothy hay to help her transition. When I made it out to the stables, the first thing I did was put all of the horses out in the arena again to see what would happen. Like the day before, they raced around the arena and played, Kachina now an official member of the herd. I took some video of her to show my boss, then took her out to start working with her.

The only problem she seemed to have was her tendency to shy away when you tried to touch her ears, so I spent a good amount of time rubbing her neck and face, working my way up around her ears. When I could touch an ear without her flinching away, I praised her and moved on to desensitizing her to my training stick and string. She stood there as I tried everything I could think of to spook her, completely trusting and willing to do everything I asked. "Whoever the old man was that bred her must have really loved her," I marveled. After a few minutes of working with her and the stick, I put her away for the night.

Because of family obligations, I couldn't visit her the next day (something I bemoaned about the entire day), so I didn't see her again until that Friday. That same day I had received her own, personal training stick, training lead, and grown-up rope halter (she was already almost too big for the yearling size I'd bought) -- all in red, her designated color.

We put her out with the other horses, and I had intended on desensitizing her to my leather chinks, but I spent the whole time marveling at how she interacted with the other horses. Maverick, Gypsy and Rico were all out there, and one of the other boarders put her horse Vinnie out with them. It was amazing to watch how closely she had bonded with Maverick. When Maverick began herding the other horses into a huddle, she broke from the group and began mimicking him.

Saturday was her last day with Maverick and the others before we moved her to Tony and Donna's, which made it a little bittersweet. I left her out in the arena with them while I cleaned stalls, and snapped a few pictures. The stable, which is pretty empty during the week, becomes active on the weekends, so this was my one day to really show Kachina off.

While the herd was in the arena , Brian -- one of the boarders -- saddled up his giant Belguim mare, Lily, and took her in to ride. Lily is very athletic for a giant draft horse, but isn't entirely trained under saddle yet. The mare took off, headed straight for the herd and, while the other horses deftly raced away, Kachina figured the best escape route was over the arena's five-foot wall. I turned around just in time to watch her clear the barrier completely, and land on the other side without so much as a bit of soreness. Even more amazing, after she'd settled her nerves, she stood still and allowed me to come up to her and grab her collar without trying to run away from me.

I've never worked with a horse that's so intelligent, willing and athletic. I'm both excited and afraid; she came to me as a blank slate, so any problems she develops will be entirely my fault. It's equal parts a rare gift, and a daunting responsibility.

That's Kachina's story so far. Tomorrow she will move into her new home, right in the middle of Redwood Park, and meet her caretakers, Tony and Donna, and her new companion, Fancy, for the first time. Based on what I've seen so far, I don't anticipate any problems between Kachina and Fancy.

I'm going to miss watching her run and interact with the herd -- especially with Maverick -- but Tony and Donna's place will be the perfect place for her to spend her young years. And, eventually, she'll get the chance to rejoin Maverick's herd.