|
|
 |
|
Buddy (Buckeye Buddy, his racing name) arrived at Cheval
Manor on July 11, 2010. We have decided to keep a chronical of sorts: #1. to keep New Vocations Adoption Agency apprised
of his progress, and 2. to serve as a tribute to such a beautiful, big-hearted animal, and #3 to keep his breeders/donors,
Jack and Sharon Tucker, up to date on his progress of transitioning to his new life style. Jackie and I feel so fortunate
that he has ended up here with us!
Thank you Jack and Sharon for letting Buddy retire and
start a new life!
Additions to Buddy's page will be in choronological order, beginning
with his formal "sight unseen" adoption on July 5th.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
July 5, 2010 - Reported
to be just a big gentle Teddy Bear type....just right for Jackie (and maybe me, too)! This guy is a 17 hand, 7 year
old Thoroughbred racehorse, with prior leg issues but given a "clean bill of health" from his Orthopaedic surgeon.....will
be transitioning to a more sedate lifestyle with us! I sure hope he likes the slow pace here!
(And the answer is "NO, Jackie...he cannot sleep with you!")
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Arriving Saturday July 10th (time uncertain)....needless to say, we are beside ourselves with excitement!
Adopted from New Vocations Thoroughbred Adoption facility in Lexington, KY., these folks are wonderful to work with.
If anyone would like additional information about their adoption program, please don't hesitate to email me!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
July 12 -
Buddy arrived "home" last night about 5:30PM! Talk about excitement for us! He traveled well,
spent a restful night inside, was the perfect gentleman, and will begin on some very slow ground work early this week.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
July 14, 2010 - Buddy's first ground training
session begins! After having 2 full days off and settling in a bit, Buddy, Jackie and Linda Daniels work together to
soften his responsiveness on the ground. Still lacking total confidence in his big pasture, he's getting used to
being taken in and out, staying out for a few hours at a time. His pasture buddy is Maverick...Heidi's big old gentle
quarter horse gelding that seems to know that Buddy just needs a little time to discover that it's OK to be out here!
Linda and Jackie feel very excited about the progress Buddy made today!
Sharon shared this photo of Buddy:
|
|
|
July 17, 2010 -
ONE WEEK HOME! After a full week of settling in, alot of attention and love on the ground, meeting all his new friends
here at the ranch, Buddy is coming along beautifully. We've learned that he IS very patient, loving and sensible.
He is still uncertain of night turnout, but we're working on that. He prefers the "safety" of a smaller
pasture, so he's been using the roundpen as his outdoor home. He and Maverick are good friends and were turned out
in their new smaller pasture early last night (see photos below). Still not been saddled or ridden, all his work has
been on the ground, hand grazing, grooming, learning "manners" that most racehorses had never been taught.
He is loved here!
| Buddy and Maverick - small front pasture |
|
|
|
|
|
July 26th, 2010 - Jackie and Buddy and another
week of ground training under Linda Daniels! Buddy is doing SO well! Linda has soft hands, a soft voice and a
consistency that is SO important. She uses a combination of the natural horsemanship giants (Parelli, John Lyons and
others) to create an open, willing and communicative relationship with the horse. We have found Buddy to be very dependent
on human contact (which is good and not so good at the same time). He almost prefers human contact to other equines,
and we're learning that there are certain pastures here that create internal stress for him. Why?....we don't
have those answers yet, but Linda is working patiently with him, getting him used to these "stressful" pastures....learning
how to relax after getting himself worked up. Last night, when he balked at entering a "stressful"
pasture going forward, Linda was able to "talk" him into going into it backwards on his own! After that, it
was old hat. Here are some photos of last night's work....
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 2nd, 2010 - It's hard to believe a horse
could get more relaxed than Buddy is right now! 3 weeks here and he acts like he was born on the place! One afternoon
last week, I had to get him inside quickly for a pop-up storm that came in unexpectedly, and he led beautifully with just
the lead rope tossed around his neck! He keeps his head low and relaxed and is very respectful on the ground.
Jackie and I both rode him briefly this weekend and he stood very nicely for everything. I really think he enjoys learning
new things. He's starting from scratch with leg cues, and vocal cues, but already he is giving to the bit nicely.
He's very inquisitive, loves people, easily engaged and seems happiest when he's working (actually PLAYING!) with
Linda, Jackie or me. His is one VERY special guy! Jack and Sharon (his owners/breeders)
sent huge supply of peppermints for Buddy....and I swear he can smell them from 20 feet away!! He LOVES them!
We've scheduled him for a chiropractic adjustment on the 10th of August at Linda's recommendation.
She thinks he would benefit greatly from chiropractic. I'm so glad we have her guidance! She is a godsend!!!!
So Buddy has 1 mom, a gramma AND an Auntie Linda here...who all love him. 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
August 13, 2010 - After a blistering 2 week period of temperature indices in the low 100 readings, it looks like
we'll be back to training again with Buddy next week. During these hot, humid days, training takes
a back seat. Buddy had his first Chiropractic adjustment earlier this week and enjoyed it! He's probably the
easiest horse to catch, halter, spray, pic, bathe, and love here at the ranch! In the mornings, bringing him in, I simply
open the gate and let him walk out, since his pasture buddy keeps me busy otherwise. Buddy stops about 3 feet out of
the pasture to munch grass and wait til I put his lead rope around his neck. Hard to believe this guy was a Racehorse
just last year!!!! :) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ August 19, 2010 - Not much news to report....finally we're getting a reprieve from
the blistering heat of summer! Linda/Buddy and Heidi/Koda went on their first trail ride together last Sunday and did
VERY well. Koda was the "anchor" and Buddy stayed calm and cool with Koda nearby. There was a time or
two where Buddy had a little fearful moment, but he doesn't lose his cool. Linda is so good with him!!! She
says Buddy will soon be ready for mounted traffic patrol! Below is a recent photo of Buddy and Dinero, his current pasture
mate:
|
|
|
|
|
|
