Smokey
- Thread starter KarinUS
- Start date
I love that we got Smokey. And we got him for the price of what a companion pony would have cost us anyway.
But I just don't see him as that beginner friendly been there don't that kind of horse I was expecting. He's so worried about everything.
He's a trooper and despite him being scared so far we've managed to get everything done. Doctor his butt. Measure for a bit with a bit sizer. Use a measuring tape to estimate his current weight. Walk in a circle. Lol
But everything gets a worried big eye, head up response.
If I had to ride either one of them I'd actually trust Minnie more to not freak out about stuff.
But I just don't see him as that beginner friendly been there don't that kind of horse I was expecting. He's so worried about everything.
He's a trooper and despite him being scared so far we've managed to get everything done. Doctor his butt. Measure for a bit with a bit sizer. Use a measuring tape to estimate his current weight. Walk in a circle. Lol
But everything gets a worried big eye, head up response.
If I had to ride either one of them I'd actually trust Minnie more to not freak out about stuff.
He's only been with you a few days, give him time. It sounds as though he has had a lot happen to him in the last few years - he will need to leave that behind before his confidence comes back. You'll know when he's ready.
true. And I'm piecing some of it together I think.Like his over the top reaction to me trying to treat the sand burn with red kote. Red kote is Scarlett oil and ît doesn't burn at all. It prevents the sand burn from cracking and peeling. But he's terrified of the spray.
He has scars in his face and legs from a trailer accident 2 years ago and a common inexpensive treatment for injuries is blue kote. It's an effective antiseptic but it is alcohol based and it burns very much of you get it on an open wound. The spray cans are the same.
I wonder if he remembers the blue kote spray.
If I put the red kote on a paper towel I can apply without issues. Just no spray
He has the kindest face and eye, but somehow his expression does convey underlying anxiety. I am sure he will come to trust you, though, and gradually the anxiety will fade. Did you not tell me that his owner said he was hard to catch? But he is obviously coming close to you willingly and trustingly. You've made a great start.
Oh we have no problem with the horse catching (up to) me. Lol
The problem of me catching the horse remains. Getting near him with a halter is doable but takes bribes for sure.
We've been incorporating just putting a lead rope on him without halter.
If we do need to halter him he does let us do it as soon as he has a lead rope draped over him.
So making the lead rope thing easier by itself will help us with actually getting a halter on later I think
The problem of me catching the horse remains. Getting near him with a halter is doable but takes bribes for sure.
We've been incorporating just putting a lead rope on him without halter.
If we do need to halter him he does let us do it as soon as he has a lead rope draped over him.
So making the lead rope thing easier by itself will help us with actually getting a halter on later I think
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Definitely possible.
My fearless test rider reached out to the guy that sold him to the guy that sold him to me. Feedback from the previous seller from two years ago was that he was a fantastic horse.
There's also the issue of perception. The guy I bought him from got him two years ago shortly after the accident when the wounds were fresh I think. And he was the one that thought Smokey can do anything for anybody.
But... He also isn't a scaredy cat like me so as long as the horse still performs the tasks even if it's wide eyed and snorting he probably wouldn't be as worried as I would be.
I've had the same horses for twenty years. Maybe what I would think of as tense and jumpy would appear as lively and alert to someone else?
Maybe it's just me and I'm being a baby. But even if he wasn't that skinny and could wear a saddle I wouldn't want to go on a trail ride with him like that.
While he gains weight we can get to know each other on the ground.
I'll take Western lessons elsewhere to get in shape for riding.
And then we'll see where we all are at in a couple of months.
My fearless test rider reached out to the guy that sold him to the guy that sold him to me. Feedback from the previous seller from two years ago was that he was a fantastic horse.
There's also the issue of perception. The guy I bought him from got him two years ago shortly after the accident when the wounds were fresh I think. And he was the one that thought Smokey can do anything for anybody.
But... He also isn't a scaredy cat like me so as long as the horse still performs the tasks even if it's wide eyed and snorting he probably wouldn't be as worried as I would be.
I've had the same horses for twenty years. Maybe what I would think of as tense and jumpy would appear as lively and alert to someone else?
Maybe it's just me and I'm being a baby. But even if he wasn't that skinny and could wear a saddle I wouldn't want to go on a trail ride with him like that.
While he gains weight we can get to know each other on the ground.
I'll take Western lessons elsewhere to get in shape for riding.
And then we'll see where we all are at in a couple of months.
Hmmm so Jessey's comment made me curious and I inquired some more with my test rider Lily since she had talked to the guy who had him before.
There's actually was no trailer accident. The scar on his face is from him bumping his face in a trailer.
The leg injuries were not there when the horse was sold two years ago.
So something significant did happen to him in those last two years.
There's actually was no trailer accident. The scar on his face is from him bumping his face in a trailer.
The leg injuries were not there when the horse was sold two years ago.
So something significant did happen to him in those last two years.
Aw poor guy. Sometimes knowing the history helps you understand, but sometimes it’s good not to know to much then you just work with the horse in front of you.
Yeah I just don't want to be scared. Lol
I'm not qualified to do anything major.
But I think it sounds like he was well cared for for the first 15 years of his life.
It's only the last couple of years that were kind of rough. So that would make it very likely that the 15 good years is a really good foundation and he'll remember that as long as he understands that he doesn't have to worry so much anymore.
I'm not qualified to do anything major.
But I think it sounds like he was well cared for for the first 15 years of his life.
It's only the last couple of years that were kind of rough. So that would make it very likely that the 15 good years is a really good foundation and he'll remember that as long as he understands that he doesn't have to worry so much anymore.
Absolutely, and kindness goes a long way to heal those types of things, so he’s landed on his feet with you!
Today is our 2 week anniversary and I can now put a halter on without bribing him with food.
I do give him a cookie once he's in the crossties
I do give him a cookie once he's in the crossties
I got a special gift from the Guy that traded Smokey to the guy I bought him from.
Smokey was his roping horse specifically a 'head horse'. He described him as big thick gelding. Fantastic horse. Smooth lope.
And... I got pics and video of him from his roping days.
I've been feeling worried about me being too big for him once he regains the weight but it sounds like he has potential to really fill out.
Smokey was his roping horse specifically a 'head horse'. He described him as big thick gelding. Fantastic horse. Smooth lope.
And... I got pics and video of him from his roping days.
I've been feeling worried about me being too big for him once he regains the weight but it sounds like he has potential to really fill out.
That’s cool. Does it reassure you that it isn’t a different horse with those papers now having seen the pictures/videos?
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