September 3, 2011 - Show prep

Today I shortened Rory's mane and gave him a bath.  It was too hot and humid for a sheet to keep the dirt off so I took Rory out to graze for a while until he was dry before putting him back out.

I debated using boots for the show because at "real" dressage shows the horses aren't permitted to wear leg protection.  Tomorrow's show is just a local schooling show and leg protection is allowed.  I eventually decided to use the boots because I'd be really mad if he clonked himself hard enough to prevent us going to the cup qualifier.

It's been so long since I have taken a horse to a show that I was feeling a bit discombobulated and unsure of what I needed to do and pack. 

Three years ago my other horse and I finished second in our division at a championship show and won a prize of a Greenhawk cheapie leather halter.  My horse had a nice custom halter so I dropped the prize halter into the show box to have as a spare in case of a broken halter at a show.  I prefer to use leather halters while shipping and hoped I'd be able to crank the halter down tight enough to fit Rory's cob sized head.  Much to my surprise the halter was about the same size as Rory's nylon one.  I pulled the tag out of the garbage and discovered that it was a cob size.  A pretty neat coincidence!

October 28, 2009 – Time to grow

It's been a month since the last Rory update. Sorry Rory fans.

Rory's been doing well. His latest lesson is in not doing the head flip and duck to pull out of his halter the moment the human goes to take it off at morning turnout. He still tries it, but I'm getting better at letting the halter slip from my fingers (and stay on his head) so the flip and duck trick doesn't work.

I have been doing next to nothing with him because October belonged to my quarterhorse Tommy - chestnut #2. Tommy was euthanized Monday October 26th. 4XChestnut's herd is down to two.

Rory's training will resume after I stop falling into the hole Tommy left in my heart. This blog is about the journey to the end of our time together, the decision to euthanize and the realities of dealing with that decision.

http://endgame-journeys-end.blogspot.com/2009/09/and-so-it-begins.html

April 14, 2009 – Next halter size

Rory graduated into the next halter last night. It's a tiny bit big in that it makes his head look small, but it's okay (and yes, it is a breakaway halter too). The red one was getting snug. It still fit but my BO was complaining that it was a little tight when slipping over his ears. I had to put his leather halter bigger on Sunday (last hole!) so I thought it was worth trying the next halter on again. It was still far too large the last time I tried it on Rory.

This halter is black with royal blue overlays on the cheeks. When brat first got this halter he was a little bigger than Rory. He didn't wear it for long as he lost it out in the very big (8 acres or so) field and I didn't find it for weeks - by which time he'd pretty well outgrown it and I'd made him a new one. I will have to take a picture of Rory wearing this new halter so we can see how he grows into it. This will be the final hand-me-down halter from brat. The next halter bratboy had for over a year and pretty well wore out so Rory will get a brand new one.

January 19, 2009 - Brown leather and brass hardware

I went out in the middle of last week's deep freeze to check on my boys. Rory and TOF were tearing around their paddock, bouncing and playing. They weren't cold! Chestnuts 2 and 3 were just fine too.

They grow so fast at this age! I put a snap on the throat of the leather halter he wore at the second line show and even with the extra length it barely fits him! The nose is on the biggest hole and the crown on the second largest. But Rory looks fabulous in the brown and brass! I mean it REALLY suits him. I guess I'll be seeking brown tack for him if he stays this colour. I am going to make the noseband bigger so he can wear the halter a bit longer... In the meantime he's back in the red one with newly added throat snap.

I may have to rethink his fancy browband design...

August 20, 2008 – A night of firsts!

Last night was a night for firsts for Rory! We went exploring a little bit on the way into the barn. We did our jog across the parking area, then came back and went down the hill. He put the brakes on briefly at the shadow on the ground, then trotted after me. We went into the barn and out the other door to look at the hay wagon (full of fresh hay), then came back into the barn to find mum happily eating without any concern for where he'd gone. Rory was a little unsure about the hay wagon, but he nosed the hay bale on the ground beside it.

I rasped his feet a tiny bit - he really didn't need much, all that running around he does is wearing them down nicely. He wiggled a little bit on a couple of feet when he felt the rasp, but wasn't bad at all.

I moved him into the next size of halter. It's on the tightest hole at the crown and the second tightest on the nose and is maybe a touch big around his cheek, but it's okay. This one is red and he looks just as cute in red as he did in the royal blue one. I did try my leather halter on again, but it's still too big for him so we will have to borrow a leather halter from his breeder for Saturday's show. I tried it on and it fits quite nicely. He looks good in black too.

He didn't mind the wormer at all. Good thing because he needed 15ccs and I only had a 12cc syringe. He stood and rolled his tongue around with great concentration and swallowed it all without dribbling a drop, and then accepted the second batch equally well. Good boy!

Of course he got lots of scritches.

July 28, 2008 – It’s official!

I introduced him to the trailer on Saturday! Followed mum up twice, then went in and out three times while she stood outside. He's too cute! Wasn't sure about going down the ramp - he walked like he expected it to be level with the trailer floor.

I picked up a foot three times yesterday. The third time I held it for a second and he hopped, stopped and tried to paw when I went to put it down, so I held it and made him put it down gently. And he got whacked for thinking about rearing on me. He went to mum afterwards, but came back without concern a few minutes later.

I had to make the halter nose bigger, and move out the crown to the third hole already! I dug out the next halter on the weekend so it would be ready when needed. This one will last a while longer.

We agreed on price on Saturday after the show. I haven't handed over the $ yet, but the agreement is there.

July 24, 2008 – and the answer is...

Arrgh! I went and asked for the number last night and was told he doesn't have it yet. However we did discuss what all that number would encompass so... I'd say 90% chance at this point. Patience...

We need to decide which registry to put him in - CSH vs CWB. He's not breeding stock so it's not super important either way. There are more opportunities for CSH line shows here, but I don't know if I want to go that route (line shows I mean). Feel free to offer ideas.

I feel like a kid with a new toy - I'm hanging around at evening chore time so I can bring him in. The teenager doing chores laughs at me when I ask if I can bring him in. He's grown enough that I have to do the halter up on the second tightest hole (not the tightest) now. We go into the barn first with mum following, and all the other horses nicker at him as we parade past. It's cute.