Wizard Rides 321, 322, 323: I am Just a Cowboy

This Sunday (12/18), Wizard’s barn hosted a team sorting event, and the cows stayed in the arena overnight. I swung by the barn to visit Wizard and took him in the arena to see the cows… he likes them! He was putting his nose over the gate, ears forward, hoping to make friends. Maybe I’ll try riding him with them someday.

Thursday, 12/8/11

I turned Wizard loose in the arena to let him stretch his legs, and then longed him for a few minutes in the indoor arena. We had an okay ride until I asked for the canter, and then he got more into the ear-pinning behavior, swishing his tail and bouncing a lot with his hind end. He kicks out, but not exactly bucking. Mom took a few pictures- at least he looks dapper…

Sunday, 12/11/11

My friend stopped by the barn and dropped off some bute for Wizard. She watched us ride in the outdoor arena. He got a little nappy at the in-gate so we worked on that. We also practiced mounting and dismounting until he was not as snarly when I got in the saddle. He was even more upset under saddle than he was on Thursday. As an experiment, I’m giving him 2 grams of bute each day for a week to see how it affects him.

Saturday, 12/17/11

Wizard was on bute every day for almost a week when I rode him next. I turned him loose in the arena to see how he was moving. Usually, he has to warm up a little before he does his “pretty trot” and looks a little trappy while he warms up. But on bute, he looked loose and limber from the beginning. I longed him, just to give him every opportunity to warm up, and he longed perfectly normally, just a little tight at the canter. I got in the saddle and… ugh. Kicking out, ears pinned, tail swishing. I rode through it and tried not to “stop riding” when he reacted. It didn’t matter- he is simply uncomfortable. The bute does not help under saddle, Time to get back out of the saddle and call the vet out again for further evaluation.