Hoof Trimming Time on the Largo

Billy Hibbler, the horseshoer/trainer, came today. Before he came, I begged the animals to not embarrass me with bad behavior. Billy doesn't think women can train horses. But of course, my animals pick up on his Mt. Dew high and their brains go to sparkin'.

Chester was the worse. Normally a good mule, he took a kick at Mr. Hibbler. Not a real I-want-to-kill-you kick, but a swishy kick that says, "I'm watching you, buddy!" I told Billy it would help if he would take a minute and scratch Chester right above his tail. Mr. Hibbler tried it and sure enough Chester calmed down a couple of notches.

Cisco Kid tried to not get caught, so we had to lure him into the small pen using Paisley as the bait. Cisco got his first ever trim (front feet only). Then because Cisco would not let Billy get near his right hind foot, I asked Billy to hold the lead and I got Cisco to move the right hind, then lift the right hind, then hold the right hind up for me.... and then left it at that. You just have to start at the right starting place.

Mr. Hibbler irritated me, just as he always does, when it came to Rita. Rita is Billy's horse. He had her for a couple of months and she comes out here as a basket case. He starts telling me that he will have her broke to ride in 30 days, well, at the end of the week probably. Then he says "her problem is her last owner. She was a lot like you. She didn't know nothing about training horses." I turned and asked him why he was keeping her here if he could just take her home and get her broke in 30 days. He said he thought I wanted her down here. I said I have 8 other animals and don't really have time to spend on her if she doesn't need it. He asked me if I was getting mad, I just said, "if its not doing her any good to be here, then you should just train her yourself."

Well, after we had trimmed most of the herd we went to Rita's pen. He tried to pet her and after five minutes she let him touch her face. He then explained something about her history.... he said the previous owner had gone out and bought a roundpen in her attempt to work with this horse. No wonder Rita is so ready to run, she has had lots of practice. While she was at Billy's, Billy had a guy helping him named D.J. I was at the restaurant working the other day when D.J. came in and was eating lunch. We got to talking about that mare... D.J. said what he noticed about her was how much she liked to be chased around, so he obliged her. The poor mare! No wonder she has no concept of joining up! She tried it and it just never worked out for her.

Billy finished up the trimming and I showed Billy the pups and got money out of the cookie jar to pay him. Then on the way out, I said, "I will show you how I work with that mare." I got the halter and a can of grain. I asked her to come to me and she did. Then I held out the halter and ask her to put her head in. She put her head under my arm and started rooting around looking for the nose opening. I gave her a bit of grain and thanked her for trying to make me look good.

Yrs,
Patricia