Ben

Well we went and picked up the horse we're having on trial this morning. He's a 14 year old buckskin gelding, named Ben. He's probably around 15hh but he looks a lot bigger because of his condition and neck/mane. We got there at 9am, expecting to just put him on the truck and take him home. But the owner (our farrier) had a saddle out, led us over and saddled him up. I never like riding strange horses infront of their owners, they always seem to want you to go faster, telling you to do this and do that. I was relieved though when the owner got on first...it always makes me more comfy to see what they're like under saddle before jumping on. After about one lap of the roundyard, he put him in a canter and started doing tight turns on him. There's no doubt he was good at them, but the owner had him pretty wound up when I got on him. 'Great' I thought. 'Here goes nothin!'

I got on and he was still wound up a bit, expecting to be spun around any second. I ignored the calls from the owner to take him for a canter straight up, and just kept him walking around on a loose rein. After we had both settled, I asked for a trot. He jumped a bit, thinking it was go time, but settled once he felt me ignoring this. After a little bit of this I did put him in a canter, and wasn't it beautiful! He's so light in the mouth he stops at a thought. The owner called out, "bridge your reins, tighten them a bit and just touch the left rein." WHOOSH! He was heading the other way before I knew it, I still don't actually remember it! He's done campdrafting and station work you see, so he knows the lot. After I caught up and done it a couple more times, I was having soo much fun! So light and easy, I couldn't help but think I could learn a lot from this horse. But the fun stopped when the owner came inside the roundyard and there wasn't enough room to canter around...I didn't want to trample him!

So after learning all that I was doing wrong in mounting from the owner (which he does have a point, he taught me to tuck my knee in behind the horse's elbow so if it moves your leg is already in position. I always mount from the shoulder with my knee facing back.), he was on the truck and we're heading home.

There's no doubting he's a great horse, but whether he's suitable for us and what we do I'm not sure. On the other hand, some down time could be just what he needs! I'm just not sure if he's a fizzy horse that I won't be able to calm down, or if he just needs some time away from people who just spur him as soon as they get on. Time will tell! He's the third horse we've taken on trial from this man, and the other 2 were duds...to put it nicely. Third time lucky? Or the last horse we ever get off him?

Click on photos to enlarge.

The Welcomers, in theory. Rowie (with the fly veil on) is very protective of Bundy, which is strange because he's the leader of the two. She doesn't want the new horse anywhere near him.

"Hello!"

Meet Ben!

He might a a bit camped under (can't tell so much in this photo), but he's a compdrafter so it really makes no difference.

Also today, this morning when I went down to feed the cattle and horses, I found this gorgeous little bub. She's very lucky, her mum nearly went to the abbotiors a little while back. We brought her in because we thought she was getting close to calving (almost a year ago), but she must have slipped (aborted) her calf, because she started 'bulling' (on heat, in season) thrre times. But I thought I'd give her until spring and if she wasn't springing she'd go. Well she's definetly not barron (unable to reproduce)!