Misty Blue Lucky Star

 

 

 

A Homecoming                 7/17/09

 

On December 22 of 2004, we received a woolly and scraggly wild weanling filly from the plains of Alberta Canada.   We knew what we were getting though as we were fortunate to have her full brother, Sir Valiant Too, who was a year older and he was my pride and joy.

 

Unfortunately we lost Val in July of 2006 to causes unknown. 

 

They were a pair.  Nearly identical in so many ways.  Val was to be the horse, who was to carry me into my doterage.  We had just begun our journey when he died. 

 

The load has fallen to Star Baby.

 

Star Baby has been a little more reluctant to carry the load.  We have had some adjusting to do .   A good part of this has been my problem as she planted me into the side of the barn a good while back and two things happened.  She learned how to buck and that bucking could relieve her of a nuisance.  Breaking three ribs, again, dealt a crushing blow to an old mans ego. 

 

In days of former glory this was the kind of horse I rode all the time.  Financed part of college making good horses out of problems.   But this one showed me that I was a fat old man and not a nimble young cowboy anymore.

 

Took her to another trainer because I wanted a man to ride her rather than the young woman who initially started her.  I think part of the problem was the weight difference, which is considerable, between me and the lady trainer.   Things went along for a couple of weeks until she put the second trainer in the hospital. 

 

This was getting to be a problem.  Some friends recommended Donnie Gill.  I called and told him the situation.  He told me when he would have room for her.  I took her two months ago yesterday. 

 

I went a month ago and watched Donnie Ride her.  I knew I was not yet ready to ride her.  Asked Donnie to ride her another month.

 

In the mean time,  I managed to acquire Palladin Perkins and begin to get myself back into riding shape.  If that trot won’t get you into shape, you are beyond redemption.  Perkins has shown me that I can still set a horse.  While I am a lot more top heavy than back in the day, and my balance and strength are not what they once were, I can still ride and even weather a few big jumps and a couple of big monster shys.

 

This morning I rode with Jim and Colleen Leahey again on their trails.  We did not ride long as the heat and the May flies were AWFUL.  Perkins had a liberal application of Wipe and some Swat and his riding fly mask and the May flies were swarming him as well as their horses.

 

Had a nice visit with Jim and Colleen and then brought Perkins home and went over to check the steer calves and the cows.  Was shocked to find that we had a new baby calf.  Calves are not due until Labor day.  The mother is one of the good cows, but then we only have the top end higher priced cows left.  This cows last calf is in my bull pen being developed as a bull and has already been spoken for by a customer.   The new calf is a healthy and pretty slick black heifer and she sure does not look like a preemie.  I had noticed that the cow had substantial udder over the weekend but that is not real unusual. 

 

Racked my brain over how this cow could have gotten bred.   Then it hit me.  Last Fall Reagan, the bull we had at the time, had gotten out into the road and the local Sheriff deputy had called me and helped me corner him and get him out of the road.  We put him through a gate into Jack’s pasture and I hauled him home a day or two later after I fixed the fence.  This cow had calved on August 28,  2008 and apparently was rebred on October 9^th 2008.

 

It started to rain and I never did gat back to the steers.  I could see them grazing the back pasture in the distance.

 

Came in and ate some lunch and let the dogs out to answer natures call.  Our old dog, Maggy,  has been going thru a rough few days and Marie has been distraught and distracted over her.   She seemed stronger and better today.  I was thrilled. 

 

I had an appointment to meet Donnie at 1:30 to see Star Baby.  I got there at the appointed time.  Just as it started to rain.  Donnie has an indoor so no big problem.  We started to tack her up.  Then another customer came to deliver a horse to Donnie and he had to go and attend to them.   While they were doing that the feed truck came with two tons of feed and he had to come through the indoor arena to unload.   The other guy had to move his truck and trailer and I had to move my truck and trailer so that the feed truck could get in.  So then four of us unloaded two tons of feed.  I had the easy job.  I got into the van and handed the bags to the other guys who toted and stacked.  But then I got to handle all 80 bags.  Star Baby stood quietly while the truck drove within ten feet of her while he was turning and leaving.

 

We took a couple of minutes to wipe off some of the sweat and then Donnie went and got on her.  She really has a nice handle on her and she was super responsive to him.

 

Great brakes.  Neck reining, Side passing.  Backing.  He rode her at all three gaits and she was tuned in to him.  I asked him about his cues because they were not all obvious to me.   He explained all he was doing. 

 

He asked me if I was ready to try her and I said yep.  I told him that I was as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs but that I was going to get on and try to ride her.   I was pretty sure that if we made it ten steps I would be okay.  We made those ten steps and I was riding my girl.   Should add here that it was raining pretty hard outside and the thunder while not close was rumbling.  At first she was tense because I was different than Donnie.  But we both soon relaxed and I reckon I rode her for a good while at both the walk and the trot.  Good brakes, backing, turning on the hind feet. 

 

And her trot……..I love Perkins.  He is kind and good and in your pocket and a wonderful and hardy fellow.  But riding both today, it was like climbing off of a jackhammer and climbing onto a lazy boy.  Collected and easy and soft.  She can move out but we have plenty of time for that.

 

Donnie told me that she was very handy for a big horse.  Said that most big horses just could not move like she can.  I think he liked her.  Said she could move like a little quarter horse.  Very athletic.  

 

Donnie was explaining some of her idiosyncrasies to me and telling me things to look out for, and I was saying yeah she is like that.  He told me that he could tell that she liked me.  I said I was a bit disappointed because she appeared to be more comfortable with him than me.  He said well he had been riding her for two months and that she was used to him and that she was smart enough to learn, but that she sure did not like him.  Said she had not bonded to him at all.   He said usually he works a horse for that long they bonded some but that she had not.  Said he could not catch her.  His son had to catch her.  He said he could tell that she had already relaxed and that she liked me.  I said feeding one for five years will do that.  I hope she likes me.   

 

He said that she did not like the other horses either.  Said she was definitely the boss mare with any horse he tried to put her with.    With some she was just plain mean.  She did not appear to have any battle scars.  I told him that when she got home she was going to be by herself.  Don’t  want her beating on Perkins. 

 

When we got home, Junior and Perkins were out in the pasture.  Junior was watching.  When he saw her step out of the trailer he called to her as only a mule can and flew thru the pasture and down the lane to see her.  Perkins even nickered and came trotting along.  The driveway separates the two pens and they all hung over the fences and exchanged pleasantries.     She seemed glad to see little Junior but was not agitated about being alone.

 

I put some fly dope on her and a fly mask and gave her a couple of cookies and let her have a little grass and she settled right in.  Before I came to the house she put her head in my chest for me to give her a hug and a rub.   

 

We are glad to have the big blue beauty home.