All About Tack

I love tack.  I think it's a good thing I don't own a tack store, because I don't know that I could sell anything.  I like researching the best saddle or pad or bridle for our situation.  I love looking for the best prices.  And I love saddle pads.  Crazy colors are all the better, but right now we only have boring colored pads.  With more riding time I'm finally working out what works and what doesn't work.

Here's what Tommy's wearing right now:

Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle

I have a traditional bitted bridle too, but Tommy's soft and light in his bitless bridle.  It's easy to put on once it's set up for the horse, and I don't have a cold bit in the winter.  We've been in all three gaits with this, and I've not had the first problem.  It's the beta version, so super easy to care for.

Beta Grip Reins

I love grippy reins!  These don't get all slippery when they're sweaty either.  These reins were leftover from General.  I think the next time I get a pair they'll be extra long so he can put his head down without me hanging over the pommel of the saddle.

Barefoot Tahoe Saddle

I'm still on the fence with this saddle.  It's not really a love-hate relationship, because overall I love so many aspects of it.  It's more of a dressage type saddle, and allows me to ride in a centered position without constantly fighting the saddle.  No chair seat or legs in front of you here!  The seat is comfortable enough.  I like the way it looks.  I have the plain black model, but I think the two tone is gorgeous.  I like all the d rings and ties for all our crapola.  Most importantly it fits Tom.

Here's what I don't like:  I've been so used to having synthetic tack though that coming back to leather is such a pita with the cleaning.  The saddles do come in a synthetic version, but I bought a pre-owned leather model.  The seat could be cushier.  A little layer of supracor would make my butt happy!  The very worst thing is that I cannot mount from the ground with this saddle.  It could be Tom's height, it could be my weight, it could be the saddle, it could be the pad, or the girth, or any combination of those, or it could be something entirely different.  I don't know, but I don't like it.  When riding I have to make sure I don't dismount without something around that I can use to get back on.  It puts you at a disadvantage on the trail.  

I even watched an instructional video on how to properly mount a treeless saddle.  This involved reaching over the horse and holding your off stirrup leather so that you can exert counter pressure as you mount, thereby (theoretically) keeping the saddle in place.  Looked super easy too on the 14 hand pony she was using.  I can't even reach my off stirrup leather.

Toklat Woolback Endurance Pad

Yummy thick delicious wool!  I was lucky enough to find a distributor that just happened to have the exact weird ass size I need for that treeless saddle.  I was so on the fence.  I dithered and dallied, researched and re-researched, and scoured the net for the best price.  I really dislike buying online without first seeing in person.  I like to touch it, smoosh it between my fingers, hold it up and envision it on the horse, rub it on my arms...can't do that online.  In the end I made the jump though, and I'm very glad I did.  It fits the saddle perfectly, works the way I hoped it would, looks great, and best of all....sale price because it was a custom order that didn't work out.  SCORE!  If I can figure out a solution to the mounting problem I'm going to have to get one in blue!

Toklat Woolback Dressage Girth

Tommy is girthy.  Yes, my sweet perfect angel, is not so sweet and perfect at girthing time.  I tried a couple of different western girths with my endurance saddle, and then used a Montana Cincha with the Barefoot.  The cincha did make some difference, but he'd still swing his head around and give me the ole hairy eyeball.  I've been pleasantly surprised with the woolback girth.  I'd read several online reviews that others were having good luck using it with girthy horses; and what do you know...I am too!  I got this girth on sale, and I'm going to have to keep my eye out for a good sale on the western version for the other saddle.

The Great Parade

Hello handsome...

It's time for some excitement.  Not too much excitement.  I don't want to hear the sound of thundering hooves as you gallop off into the distance.  Just a bit of excitement.  A change of pace from riding the waterways with your good buddy Ted.

This is what I have in mind:  The Delaware All Horse Parade on September 11th.  This is a special year as the parade is honoring the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.  How better to honor during the parade than decked out in our Fourth of July garb?  Minus the tank top.  I will not be showing floppy arm fat to the estimated 50,000 spectators.

Delaware is 2 hours from home.  Close enough for an easy trip, but if we're naughty or have some silly moments, there will be nobody there who knows us to carry tales.  Last year there were over 550 horses traversing a 3 mile Parade Route.  That's encouraging.  Surely we can't be worse than 550 other horses.

I love the idea of this parade.  I don't know if I will love the reality; but I'm willing to find out.

1 Year

One year ago I signed the purchase agreement for Tommy.  At the time I had no plans to buy a draft horse.  I'd admired them from a distance.  I'd ridden one during a guided trail ride in Gatlinburg, TN.  I'd never considered buying one as a riding horse.  I'd sold my TWH gelding the year before, and hadn't found anything I wanted to take home yet; although I wasn't really seriously searching until that summer.  I went to Tommy's barn to see a gaited horse.  After a short test ride I knew that horse would not work for me.  His owner and I were just yapping afterwards, and she walked me behind the barn to see Tommy.  For my part it was Love.  My heart was warm and fuzzy when I looked at him, and I didn't even think about the trials of owning a draft horse.  I still have the pictures from the first day I met him on my cell phone.   These were taken the day we went to pick him up for a trial period.

My friend Donna and I picked him up and hauled him to her barn so I could have a trial period with him.    Neither of us had a bridle big enough for him, or a bit for that matter, so her son and I rode around with a halter and lead ropes.  We were very careful of riding him with his abscess and stuck to the grassy areas, he really only seemed sore going across the pavement or the gravel.  We started out in the small paddock, and then made our way down the lane, across the creeks, and the farm and fields.  We used the tire feeders to mount.  Tommy didn't care. After a few days I was even more infatuated.  

Did I tell you he failed the vet check?  Yep.  The vet took a look at his legs and said LOOK at that sidebone!  

Heck No, this horse will not hold up!  Well, that's not QUITE what she said, but you get the gist :)  We didn't even do any x-rays.  He had the abscess at the top of the hoof, and didn't flex well on that leg. He didn't flex well on the other leg either.  We didn't even do the hind.  We weren't sure what to attribute to the abscess and what to attribute to the sidebone.  Any normal person would have probably walked away.  Heck, a normal person wouldn't have taken him home in the first place.  Or maybe a normal person would have xrayed.  I've never claimed to be normal, so I can only guess; but I was in Love.  

I thought about exactly what I wanted in a horse.  I knew with my hectic schedule I didn't have the time to ride every day.  After my TWH I knew I didn't have the time or effort to devote to a project horse.  I wanted a horse that had already had the wet saddle pads on the trail. My riding time was for peaceful relaxation and wandering down the trails.  I thought it would be fun to do some ACTHA rides but that was as much ambition as I had.  I wanted a well trained gelding between 15 - 16 hands.  I wanted zero fussing.  I wanted a big swinging walk that covered ground.  I wanted sound, safe, and sane.  I also wanted a safe horse for the boys to ride when Weapon passed away.  Tom's silver beauty tarnished on the size and soundness criteria, and he prefers to mosey rather than move out down the trail, but otherwise he seemed like the perfect horse.  I thought The Abscess would clear up in no time, and he was so calm and felt so safe.  I took cash out to the owner, signed the purchase agreement, and hauled him to his new home.

He made the transition to a working farm with ease.  Machinery? Tractors? Plows? Semi trucks? Combines? Grain wagons?  Check, check, check, check, and check.  He always answered the same way.  Anything else?  As a matter of fact, Yes!  Hunters with Guns? Cows? Deers? Ponying Weapon? Children running amok? Check, check, check, check, and check again.  

Do you know what Tom cares about?

We've had our disagreements about Who's In Charge and we've had Come to Jesus Meetings.  I didn't think about sourcing draft horse tack.  Didn't think about having to eventually find a boarding situation with draft size stalls.  I had no clue how hard it would be to find a farrier willing to work on draft horses.  I'm still searching.  I didn't know how big draft horses poops were.  Do you remember that scene in Jurassic Park where Laura Dern is digging through dino poop?  Yep.  It's like that.

I NEVER considered that what looked like simple blown abscess would turn into such a....well, I don't really know what to call this.  What's appropriate here?  Hot mess?  Assuredly!  There were (and still are) times I thought, WTF are you doing?  Why are you spending all this money on this horse?  He's not Weapon who's been in the family 20+ years, what loyalty do you owe him?  How are you going to justify this?  Sometimes that little voice inside turns loud and says THIS ISN'T WORKING!  Or I think about the type of horse I could have had if I'd spent this money upfront on a purchase price.  Those are the times when I have to hold to the idea that if THIS horse this kind, gentle, and willing soul is not worth saving, then who is?  What is?  

Journey?  Surely it's been one, but it's not complete yet.  So much of his story is still unfinished.  I look forward to sharing it with you.  For now I'll leave you with one of Tommy's smiles:

The Other Horse

 Tommy's not our only horse.  I know, you're all *SHOCK* right?  Why have you never heard of him?  Because he's sound.  Yep.  Not much drama going on there :)

 He's still a character though.

This is Secret Weapon.  We just call him Weapon.  He's a 31 year old NSH, and he's been in the family since he was 7.  He's pretty much retired now, but he still likes to get out and about sometimes, and takes the kids on a ride around the farm.  These pictures are from last fall.

The End of the Line

Tommy had another farrier appointment on Friday the 15th.  The remaining piece of hoof wall from the hole came off this time.  It's been wiggly and jiggly for a couple of weeks now, so I'm just glad we made it to his appointment with hoof and shoes intact.

The hoof has almost fully grown back in.  Still a bit of blood and bruising, and the thrush is still there despite 3x weekly injections into the heels and under the pads.

In this photo you can clearly see the lack of hoof wall from just behind the first nail all the way around to his heel.  I took this picture before the gap was packed with Magic Cushion.  I love Magic Cushion, but more on that another day.

Do you remember the beginning?  I can't believe how far we've come.  

The End of the Line...I can almost see it!  Can you?

Happy Fourth of July from Tommy Blue Foot!

Tommy's been in consistent light work for 2 weeks now, with 3 rides each week.  We've been out about 30 minutes each time.  It sounds so puny when I say it, but we're happy to be out there.  Tommy is particularly happy to be wading through the tall grass.  Tall grass that tickles your nose is made for nibbling, and Tommy is an expert nibbler.

He comes out of his stall a little stiff, but works out of it.  I'm noticing that he has lame steps where there is a sudden rise, or where the ground is rutted up.  I'm guessing that this is the ringbone/side bone finally showing up.  Last summer I never knew what was the arthritis and what was the abscess; so this will be our summer of discovery.

Our next farrier appointment will be coming up in July and I've been investigating some different pad options.  I know Dr. A and The Devil feels that the leather pad is fine and plenty shock absorbing, but I feel if that were the case we'd all be running around on steel and leather Nikes.  I've sent the new farrier a few links and he's given me some as well, so I'm sure that together we can figure out the right pad for Tommy.  My goal is to provide the whole hoof coverage that Dr. A wants, and the best shock absorption I can find for the ringbone.

Here's what I'm looking at right now:

Supracor Hoof Pad

Thinline Hoof Pad

Horse Trax

The Shock Tamer

Anyone have any experience with any of these pads?