Friday, June 19, 2009

Strider's Beginnings

Years ago I had a quarter gelding, Strider. I owned his mother Winnie. She was a Cal Bar mare. Nice mare. She'd had her hock broken when she was coming four. A pony and a gelding sandwiched her between them, and kicked the snot out of her I guess. Busted her hock. I got her when she was 8. She'd had two foals. The folks that had her, had been riding her. I got her so she wouldn't be ridden, could hang in the field, and make me a foal. This was back in '88. There is no way I could have afforded this mare if she wasn't so damaged. I also really liked the mare. I'd tried to purchase the filly she had at two days old. One of those, 'omg...that's the horse' moments. Doesn't happen to me often. It's immediate, I can't explain what it is...it's just a feeling.

So, the owner of the mare said I could buy the filly when she was weaned. I showed back up when she was five months old. The owner said, "Oh, our daughter wants to keep her. So we sold her to our daughter for $1000." I almost had a full blown temper tantrum on the spot. I didn't...I bought the mare, and the older gelding. Screw em, I'll make my own. Yeah, the conceit of youth.

I bought the gelding for my boyfriend the chef. His name was Ohm. Gotta love it. He was very calm...do anything you asked. Ohm fit him. Kind of like the meditation mantra ...'ohhhhhmmmmm'.

So, I bred Winnie to Poco Joe Satan. Terrible name. Great horse. 15+h black AQHA stallion, by Hot Lightning out of a Poco Bueno bred mare. I knew the stallion well. I used to work and ride him, and handle him for breeding. We got on well. You didn't pick at him, but you didn't give any ground either. You just had to be clear, and fair and he was great. He had a sense of humor. As I've noted before, not always a good thing in a horse. I swear that horse could tippy toe...stealth horse. I was bent over cleaning out his water trough one day. Never heard him. He put his nose on the back of my neck and blew. Scared the living crap out of me. I jumped about 5' in the air, screeched and swung my arm at him as I turned. He hopped backwards, just out of range, ears straight up like he was grinning at me and saying, 'What? I didn't do anything.'

I remember one afternoon I was riding him out on the trails. He decided he wanted to go one way, when I wanted to go another. We were at an impasse. He was a stout old boy. I couldn't even bend his neck. I was like the little kid on my giant Shetland pony that wouldn't move. I'd yard on the reins, kick his side, kick his shoulder, lean and pull. Yeah, my big 120lbs was really going to knock him off balance. (Bastard) So now I'm cussing him. Giving him the Alpo lecture (you know...'Do you know what Alpo is? Do you want to be Alpo....) basically starting to nut up.

He's a giant black rock underneath me. Well, he takes a step in the direction he wants to go. Steps on a branch that snaps and drills him right in the gut...or further back, not really sure. He thought I'd gut shot him. He rocked back on his hocks, and turned the direction I wanted to go in the first place, at a pretty good clip. I slowed him up...pet his neck and said, "Good boy." You bet...take your gifts when they present themselves. Serendipity. That sulling up...we call 'Poco Bueno-ing Out'. Stubborn...but once you win, you win forever.

Well, the lady that owned Satan sold him to Winnie's owner. The new owner thought it was cool to have him all wound up a blowy. (Yeah, novice). Satan was more than happy to oblige. It's a good thing whoever trained him originally had really ingrained his manners on him. Satan never hurt these people. I remember one day the owner came running in the drive with Satan. He'd take him on walks. He wasn't much into riding. Well, Satan saw my colt Shad, and wanted to go visit over the fence. So he's basically dragging this guy over there. The guy tries to set his heels, and is kind of skiing-skipping along. Well, he gets to the apple tree. He thinks if he plants his left foot against the tree, and braces with his right foot on the ground, he's going to stop this 1200+ pounds of testosterone that is in motion.

It levered the guy through the air. It was like he leaped through the air off his left foot that he'd placed about three foot up that apple tree. (Think para-sailing) He landed in a face plant and let go of the rope. Satan jogged on over to talk to the yearling, oblivious the havoc he'd created behind him. The guy jumps up and says, "Well I'll be damned." At this point I started cracking up. Told him, "I've never seen anyone catch that much air. It was like a Tom & Jerry cartoon. " The guy was a good sport, and is laughing too. Then he tells me he used to be a wing walker. The guy is an adrenaline junky. He now builds canons and blows things up. He's great fun, and has great stories.

His wife on the other hand is always getting hurt. It's like inevitable. You ever meet people like that? She decided she wanted to groom Satan one day. So, I get sent out to supervise, and handle the horse while she grooms. She's grooming away, brushing his tail and falls down. Falls right under the stallion. I tell her, "Just roll away, get clear, then stand up." She wallows herself around until she's sitting 'indian style' directly behind the stallion. Before I could say or do anything she reaches out and grabs his hock with one hand, and his tail with the other and heaves herself out of the dirt. I quit breathing. Satan whips his head around and looks at her, whips it back to look at me. Little wrinkles above his eyes...like, "What the hell? Did you see that?"

After she left I went inside with the previous owner. She made me a White Russian.

25 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Too funny ! I laughed at "Satans antics" I learned to ride on a old ranch broke quarter horse named Satan , seems like the name gives them that sense of humor !

GoLightly said...

Hah, I remember that story...

Great story!

Can we haz Pictures, pretty, pretty please?
What happened Blueheron??
I thought you'd trained her to do pictures...

whine,snivel,

snork..

horspoor said...

I'm pretty sure I have some pics of Satan and Strider. Uhm...blueheron will be back in August. lol I really do have to figure out the scanner thing.

Dena said...

HP I love love love when you write these stories.
I would promise to be good if you would write more.
But you might promise to be more diligent in watching.
And then, I would be right back where I started.
Waiting for more stories.lol

GoLightly said...

August, huh?
Blue, didn't you even introduce the two of them?
Scanner,this is horspoor.
Horspoor, plug this darn thing in.
Oops, no, load the software first,and follow the directions. They are almost comprehensible. I sort of did it!

Of course, I don't have horses.
Easy for ME to say. I'm not worrying, I mean working 24/7, 7 days a week.
Well, I am, but nope, not nearly your load. Kudos and good luck, as always.

Oh, well, I can wait for stories less patiently. Lucky for you;)
Helllo, Top?
Oh, you are a handsome boy!

(scritch, scritch, scritch)

blueheron said...

Sorry, GL, the scanner is an inanimate object, and we were busy with animate objects (horses, plants) in June. lol.

I didn't get to meet Strider, though I met a relative. Which one of Sheri's horses is related to Strider?

I'm still thinking about Leggs and the evil Troll woman.

horspoor said...

Yanki is Strider's full sister. You know...Cami's hero. lol

blueheron said...

Yanki. Oh. Yeah, Strider comes from a good family.

LOL Cami's hero... "I want to do what SHE's doing! Can I do poles? Can I do barrels? I want to go FAST!!!" And Cami wasn't even really cantering under saddle yet, if I recall correctly. lol.

horspoor said...

No she wasn't. Man that was funny. She was so enthralled with the whole deal.

nccatnip said...

Wow, Strider is beautiful.

Oh wait,no picture.

Sorrrryyyyyy

horspoor said...

Nope, have pics but they aren't on disc or digital. Gotta figure out the scan thing.

Wait. There may be some online still past shows and clinics. Doubtful, but worth a shot.

horspoor said...

Okay, I'm failing. I'm probably going to put blueheron on it. See what she can dig up. She's good at finding stuff.

blueheron said...

I have found nothing, and I've looked. I'll keep searching, but I think we'll be scanning oodles of photo in August. lol.

Dena said...

HP what kind of deal do I have to make to get you to start the yellow ground covering ballet star monster on cans?

You may find me extremely amenable.
I may want him back.

Wanna see some new pictures? Cause you need a can chaser.
And so do I.

horspoor said...

I've got Iris the Virus coming up. lol Not sure I want to ride her when she's done...on barrels I mean.

I was thinking you are quite aways from me. There has to be an easier way.

Dena said...

HP easier isn't always better. It took me 10 months to find the first person outside of me to work with him.
I am back at the 10 month mark looking for the second.
He is a special case.
Who requires people with special skills.

horspoor said...

Minnesota to California, northwest CA at that is a long haul.

If you can get him here...I'll ride him. I have a new very cool camcorder (purchased used of course). I just have to figured out how to download the pics. I'd send you video updates. lol

I need some sort of 'firewire'. BH isn't going to be here until Aug. I may have to recruit my son's friends.

Dena said...

HP all I use is a standard cable from my camera to my laptop to download.

I think you would get a kick out of this horse.
He has this way of looking at you like he is all attention and then just slowly pivoting and sauntering away(I mean big butt swing)it is so clear he is saying I am so done with you now.

I do not know if he is a 1D horse. I have never really been able to rate him speed wise.

I know his breeder was somewhat taken aback when I asked if all of these horses were slow like him.

He can drop down to digging and grunting in a split second.
I guess I just don't take him seriously. I do know if he ever set his mind to it he would be a solid 2D.

So you haven't rode about 2300 horses either?lol

horspoor said...

No, I haven't ridden that many horses. I honestly have no clue how many I've ridden, nor can I remember them all (or most for that matter). But I know I'm not in the thousands. lol

I'm 46. I've been riding steady since I was 4 (before that was pretty much pony ride stuff with mom and cousin). Still don't think I've hit that number.

GoLightly said...

Maisa!

That's who I forgot.

Funny. I never thought I'd EVER forget a horse's name.

I'm getting better at listing all of your beautiful critters..

(cough,cough)
Oh, sorry. Just thinking/waiting out loud.

horspoor said...

Cat, Iris, Maisa, Cami, Divi, and Top.

Dena said...

WWWWHHHHOOOOOOOAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
Stop the train.
Who is Divi!?!?!?!?!?!?

horspoor said...

Oakers Dividend. The mare in the avatar. lol Pretty cute for 21, don't you think?

Dena said...

Why HP...You hoarder of fine horseflesh you...lol

I really hope you have another story in the making.
I slammed out my hours at the WalMart store so I could have some consecutive training days.
I figure I will be dog tired for 2 days.
And on the 3rd day depending on what is going on in the world I could be rested up enough to start tussling.lol
Provided I am not properly distracted and all.ROFLMAO

GoLightly said...

Ditto Dena.

Divi??

For cryin' out loud...