Cudas Dandy Fritz (aka Dexter) April 22, 2006 - March 5, 2016

My beloved Dexter died senselessly when he slipped on the asphalt floor in the barn and hit his head so hard that he never regained consciousness. It has taken me two weeks to be able to write this post. I truly thought Dexter would be the horse to carry me into old age – especially given his talent for laying down when asked to let me get on. Some days it seems unthinkable that I will never play with that special little horse again.

It was divine intervention that took me to meet Dexter in the first place. I was looking for an untouched, uncomplicated horse to replace Nugget, who had become lame with arthritis. I was intrigued by the ad on Kijiji for a 4 y.o. quarter horse - even though there was no photo. When the owner sent me photos of a beautiful little chestnut, and a long history of his already complicated past; she also admitted he could no longer be caught. To this day, I can’t explain what compelled me to go meet Dexter but what I saw was a friendly, curious little horse that was extremely skeptical of people. It was a frigid 30 below that January day in 2011 so I was covered from head to toe with only my eyes peeking out. Intuitively, I sat down in his pasture and got very small. It took Dexter only a few minutes to come over and drop his head in my lap and from that day on, playing with Dexter has been pure joy.

When it came time to start Dexter under saddle, I enlisted the help of trainer, Rob Kroeger because I had never started a horse under saddle before. Rob agreed to let me do all the work under his guidance; with a caveat that I could speak up if something didn't feel right for Dexter or me. Since Dexter had a history of bolting when he got bothered, I worried he might do the same under saddle. My fears were completely unfounded as he never seemed to get bothered – except the time our friend Ron flew over our place with his helicopter while I was riding Dexter – even then I got more bothered than Dexter. After only 4 days under saddle, we were riding in the mountains through creeks and over Rob’s bridge from hell; and that was the way it was throughout our entire time together.

There were a couple of times when things could have gone horribly wrong but Dexter always kept his head and pulled us through. During one of our first rides, we were going up a steep hill that still had some early spring ice under the grass. Dexter’s front legs slipped out from under him, tossing me forward enough to kick my feet out of the stirrups. There I stood unharmed as Dexter slipped down the hill between my legs. He calmly stood up when he came to rest against a tree and allowed me to lead him to solid footing.

Another time, Gord and I were riding up a creek at Blue Rock looking for a trail head to take us to the waterfall. When we decided to scramble up a rocky slope, Dexter lost his footing and went over backward dunking me in the drink. Again, he calmly got up and never lost a step as we headed back to camp to get me dry clothes.

However, there was one ride that stands out when I honestly believe Dexter saved my life. My friend Lena and I were riding in the mountains; on a trail that runs along the edge of a gorge that dropped straight down hundreds of feet. We came up behind a couple of ladies walking their black lab who graciously moved off the trail to let us by. Dexter and I were in the lead and just as we came up beside them, the dog lunged at Dexter, growling and barking. The dog was on leash and the lady was able to pull the dog back immediately. Thankfully my brave boy did nothing but spook in place because there was no margin for error on that narrow trail. Lena’s horse had not been very relaxed on that particular day and we were both so grateful that Dexter was in the lead because we didn’t think Cash would have been able to handle the situation so calmly.

One of my students loved the story of my initial meeting with Dexter. While we knew Dexter’s registered name, and the name of the breeder in Saskatchewan, the AQHA couldn’t help me obtain a copy of his registration paper. Unbeknownst to me, Jen used the information I had, and googled until she was able to surprise me with contact information for the breeder. It took an affidavit, photos and two years, but when his papers finally arrived, I was bursting with pride as I added his framed registration paper to the “wall of fame” in my tack room.

Since November, I have been working with Ruth Ratcliffe, an exceptional riding coach who has been helping me improve my technical riding ability. With the combination of the glorious weather this winter and my newfound riding skills, I discovered a joy for riding Dexter I didn’t even know was possible.

In the end, things went horribly wrong for Dexter that fateful day but I will be forever grateful to have had him in my life – even if it was only for 5 short years.

There is still so much to be grateful for that will help heal this horrendous ache. The compassion of the ladies who were there when the accident happened; my dear friends Sherri, Uli & Jaclyn who came over immediately after the accident to sit on the barn floor and cry with me while I stroked Dexter; and the many other friends who came over for a hug or called throughout the week that followed; and of course my other beautiful, sweet boys - Leopold, Navar, and Fonzi - they are all such a joy to be with. The day after the accident, I was playing with Navar for some much needed equine therapy, when a bald eagle flew right over my barn roof. Since that day, I have seen a bald eagle every couple of days. Perhaps the eagles have always been around but I prefer to think it is Dexter encouraging me to keep soaring.

From the first moment I met Dexter, there was just something about that playful little chestnut horse that grabbed my heart a little tighter than most.

Say hi to Applejack for us all Dexter; and thank you for 5 years of pure joy!

I will forever be grateful to have met you!
Tovie

Happy 2016 and Goodbye Applejack

I say that with a heavy heart today but it can only get better from here. This morning we said goodbye to Outback Jack (aka Applejack). Jack crossed the Rainbow Bridge after a mild bout of colic on Sunday, that actually corrected itself; however he still refused to eat. On Monday, the vet could find no physical reason for his lack of appetite and by Tuesday night we felt it best for him to be put down before the next cold snap set in. Jack would have been 24 in March.

It was wonderful hanging in the barn alone with him this morning; reminiscing over the 20 years Jack was in our lives. I bought Jack from a horse dealer when he was just turning 4, back in 1996. Initially I wasn't going to meet him at all because I had not heard very favourable comments about Appaloosas. Luckily the  young fellow who worked for Kevin Pole had been riding Jack at the dealers place. I`ll never forget Trent telling me that Jack was one of the nicest Appys he had ever ridden and that he was 4 going on 12. I trusted that Trent knew the horse and my level of inability and so I went to meet Jack. When I arrived, he was in a large pasture with about 30 other horses and when the gate rattled, his head came up as if to say ``people`` and he ran over to greet us at the gate. In the moment I didn`t realize this was the horse I came to meet but needless to say - I bought him on the spot.

According to his registration papers, Jack was born in Yorkton, SK where he was sold at auction and purchased by the dealer I bought him from. I remember being wary about buying this horse from a dealer and waiting for something horrible to be wrong with him - but he was awesome. I wrote a letter to the folks listed on his papers to let them know I now owned Outback Jack and acknowledging how lovely his manners were. A couple weeks later I received a phone call from the lady who bred him saying she was visiting the Calgary area and would love to come see us. Apparently Jack was a darling from the moment he was born and her elderly father had a real soft spot for him. They were delighted to receive my letter and learn he would be loved and cared for. During our visit, she took video of me and Jack and gave me a very special gift - baby photos of him with his mama.

For several years Jack was my learning partner - always patient while I practiced TTouch, Clicker Training, Carriage Driving, Extreme Cowboy Challenge and Natural Horsemanship. There is no question I made my share of mistakes with Jack; including a carriage driving wreck and a trailer wreck but neither caused him resentment or resistance. However, my biggest mistake was trusting his teeth to Grant McKinnon whom my vet sincerely believes, greatly shortened Jack's life by taking off far more tooth than he should have. For nearly 3 years, Jack thrived on mash twice per day. He made looking after him so easy by meeting us at the gate, following us to the barn without a halter and when he was done eating, following us back to the gate. I knew something was seriously wrong when Jack was no longer waiting at the gate.

He was always the steady, reliable boy we could trust to get the job done safely. I took Jack to our bi-annual cattle drive up at Water Valley for 16 years. Unfortunately, that was the only time we got to play with cows so it took us 16 years to get it right; but he was so fantastic the last year I took him, it was definitely worth the wait. While Jack was too laid back to be competitive, I was always proud to have him as my partner.

When I started teaching beginners about horses, Jack was my first choice because he would stand patiently during lessons and help folks learn and practice the basic ground skills.

One of those students was a young woman named Lisa Schmidt who fell in love with Jack and ended up becoming his guardian angle for nearly 3 years; right to the end. Lisa, Sherri and I shared many memories and tears last night as we celebrated a wonderful horse. As sad as it is to lose him, there is comfort in knowing how much Jack was loved by many throughout his life.

Tovie, Lisa and her Doodlebug (aka Jack)

Great Teachers

One of my goals on the horsemanship journey was to find a great riding coach that could help improve my technical riding ability. Last summer one of my former students/now friend, invited me to watch her lesson with Ruth Ratcliffe, at Moose Hill Ranch in Bragg Creek.

My friend Dar bought Echo as a 2 year old - Echo is a big, beautiful black mare who, as a youngster, was quite strong willed. There were times when Dar doubted that she was the right person for Echo. Seeing their harmonious riding partnership was truly magical and Dar attributed much of her success with Echo to her riding coach Ruth.

Just last week I started taking lessons with Ruth and have already acquired a better understanding of western riding after only two lessons. I've been fortunate to have many wonderful horse and human teachers along my journey and Ruth will be right up there for me. Ruth Ratcliffe is a truly gifted coach; compassionate, funny, knowledgeable and very accomplished. It came as no surprise to learn that Ruth has also been awarded Coach of Year.

I've never been delusional about my riding ability - while adequate I'm not a great rider. However, now that I am doing more rehabilitation work with horses that I want to re-home, I want to be able to bring them to another level under saddle. Not to mention I would like to bring my own personal horses, Dexter and Nevar to another level.

Leopold has also been a great teacher for me. Riding Leopold has been rewarding but his fidgety, nervous behavior in the barn was frustratingly irritating. I tried hard to stick to more traditional training methods with Leopold knowing it would likely be more in line with his future when he finds his perfect person. However, after one extremely annoying evening in the barn with him, I heard Linda Tellington-Jones in my head saying he doesn't know how to be any other way - so show him another way to be. Even trying to do TTouch on Leopold was irritating because the bugger simply wouldn't stand still so the other day I reverted to clicker training. The change in our interaction was profound. Instead of dreading another barn session with Leopold, I now happily anticipate playing with him and thinking of new things to teach him. When I read articles or hear folks saying that clicker training is a bad thing, I can only think they don't understand the power of operant conditioning and they haven't seen it done well, if at all. Just like any training method or tool, used badly, it can get ugly. Leopold is now standing quietly in the barn with his head relaxed and giving me each foot nicely without falling out of position. This may not seem like a big deal to some folks, but I do my own trimming and when a horse doesn't stand still and balanced, it makes the job so much harder.

Leopold's bravery is beginning to emerge now that he is relaxed and thinking rather than being fidgety and reactive. Anyone who has handled many horses knows that training a relaxed, curious horse is much more effective than training a tense, worried horse; as well as being much safer for the rider/handler.

Ruth is teaching me to be a more effective rider and Leopold is teaching me to trust what I know to help him be a calm, happy horse.

Tovie and Leopold

Is there a Difference Between a Horseperson and a Rider?

A horseperson has time, knowledge, and skill; or the desire to learn, to help a horse through an issue or prevent undesirable behavior before it becomes habitual.

A rider is somebody with a very busy life that simply wants to ride once a week on a safe, uncomplicated horse.

Determining which of the above realistically applies to you is important to know before buying a horse. Horses that do everything we want in any weather or circumstance; and can handle our mistakes are rare - if they exist at all. They are typically the older experienced horse that has been there done that; or they can be a younger horse that someone has put hours and hours of time into.

My experience with folks buying horses is they don't want to buy an older horse because of the potential for health issues, such as worn out joints and teeth, that can accompany them; and they don't want to pay the amount of money required for a really well trained younger horse that someone has put hours and hours of time and experience on. Although, even a young horse that has received hours of good training and consistent use can easily develop behavioural issues when mistakes are made by an inexperienced horse owner or they are neglected due to busy lives.

It is my belief that once we become horse owners, it is incumbent on us to become the best horseperson possible, for the horse's sake.

I went to see Fonzi and his new owner last Sunday after learning that things had gone from bad to worse over the past couple of weeks, due to an ill fitting saddle. Fonzi tried to tell her by not standing still for saddling and mounting; and when he wasn't heard, things escalated into him bucking her and the property owner off. When I saddled him with a saddle I knew was comfortable for him, he didn't disappoint and I was happy to discover that he hadn't learned to buck from this small incident.

However his new owner doesn't feel she can overcome her jitters; and then seeing how well Fonzi did for me, she is now convinced she isn't the right person for Fonzi after all. Fixing horses that are mistrustful of people is a far easier task than fixing people that mistrust their horse.

Since my mission in life is to help folks get started well with horses, taking Fonzi back was never a question. If I don't take him back, what would become of him. How can his new owner sell him if she isn't comfortable demonstrating him and he is way too good of a horse to become a pasture ornament.

Tovie & Fonzi

Life is Good

Since my last post I have managed to ride Leopold every day without incident. After the one episode of crow hopping with the saddle, he has never offered to do anything remotely silly again. Saturday morning we even progressed to a canter without incident. During the first few rides, I prefer to use the halter or side pull (bitless) but I found it difficult to soften Leopold at the poll for vertical flexion. Yesterday I decided to see how he goes in the mylar bit. Once again Leopold didn't disappoint. He responds nicely to the bit and flexed beautiful through the poll.

Sherri came out to ride Magnum while I was riding Leopold in the round pen. The weather was a balmy 20 above and Leopold was super calm and responsive and so we decided to see how he would do out on the trails and in the back hay field - FANTASTIC! Leopold was relaxed and confident and actually took the lead away from good ole' Magnum who got stuck and didn't want to go into the trees. Nothing is perfect and my only complaint is that the trees on the trails seem much lower when riding taller horses. We did some walk/trot transitions out in the field and we practiced our leg yields while riding down the road.

Hopefully this dry footing continues so we can get a few more rides in before the snow flies.

Tovie and Leopold the Great!

So Much to Be Thankful For

After The Fonz moved along, I hesitated to bring another horse in so soon; primarily because I wanted to spend some time with Dexter and Nevar while the weather is still good.

I am so grateful that I changed my mind about taking beautiful Leo after all. He has been an absolute joy to play with. Even though I sound like a broken record because I feel that about every horse I play with - it is so true. It could be the somewhat unconventional variety of training methods I employ to help horses overcome their issues that makes it all so much fun.

It is hard to know what groundwork exercises Leopold was exposed to before he came to me as the only videos I saw showed traditional lunge work and chute jumping him. Yet, his focus and relaxation make everything I ask of him seem like he has done it a million times before. Yesterday, I put a saddle on him and he stood quietly throughout the process and then quietly walked out to the arena. However, as soon as I sent him out onto the circle - he started to crow hop. His behavior was strangely odd in the sense that he didn't seem scared or mad - just crow hopped a few times and then we carried on with our business without further incident. The TTouch body exploration work indicated no apparent back pain and he wasn't cinchy at all as I gradually tightened the girth. Will be interesting to see how he responds to the saddle today.

Gord took video of Leopold yesterday showing how well he is coming along with the ground work; lateral flexion, parking at the mounting block, and w/t/c transitions up and down. He doesn't mind when I bounce the giant equine ball off his back and around him, nor does he mind my slapping the ground with the stick and string. He actually seems to become more confident every day. Once the video is ready, Gord will download it on You Tube.

Tovie, Gord, and Leopold

Big Mistake...

All my friends at our barn decided that Leo's name wasn't sophisticated enough for such a gorgeous animal and so we now call him Leopold.

Typically when a new horse arrives, I spend several days introducing the new horse to one or two of our geldings at a time. Occasionally we meet a horse that causes nary a ripple amongst our herd and we turn them out sooner. That was Leopold - clearly not challenging any of our "boys" over the fence and so I made the decision, early Saturday morning, to turn Leopold out to the large field with our "boys". Erika had told me that Leopold had been turned out to pasture with wire fencing so I mistakenly assumed he would be OK.

Naturally, Leopold was excited to run. Our 4 laid back "boys" didn't even bother to run with him; and Dexter, Skeeter and Navar ran with him for a short while before giving up. Leopold however, just kept running all by himself - looking like he was having the time of his life. It was glorious to behold until suddenly Leopold started running straight at the 3 strand barb wire fence. As I stood watching in horror, thinking he was going to jump it, he ran straight through it. It didn't even slow him down and now he was running through our hay field where the gates are wide open to our neighbour's field. I stayed calm and tried to call Leopold to me and just when I thought he was heading my way, doesn't he go through the barb wire fence again to get back into the field with the other horses.

Thankfully, our boys come to a call so I quickly put out several piles of hay and Leopold came in with them. I was sickened by the thought of what I would see when he finally came in as I have seen wire fence injuries and they are, more often than not, horrific. I quickly put Leopold back in the rail paddock with a hay bag and was shocked by what I saw. Aside from a couple of minor scrapes of hair missing on his chest, one superficial scrape on a hind leg, and one tiny little drop of blood on his front leg - he was absolutely fine. First I cried with relief and then I pondered how to tell Gord he would be fixing fence that day.

I had so much to be grateful for that morning, including the fact that our lazy stock horses had given up following Leopold because with all that wire down, it could have been catastrophic.

In hindsight, it may have helped to put hay piles out in the field first and then taken Leopold in hand around the perimeter of the entire field so he had an awareness of the fence line.

Needless to say, Leopold will be staying in the rail paddock for the time being. Not sure if I will ever be comfortable putting him out to the pasture again. It is a lot more work to have him in but he is definitely worth the extra effort.

Tovie, Leopold and Leopold's Angels