Saying Goodbye--We're Not Giving Up Yet

Bochica's tumors continue to come and go, but otherwise he seems to feel good most of the time. Occasionally he seems a little cross to Moe, but never to me. I think he has been missing our rides--I see him really watching closely when I am walking Rufus. But I've come upon a way for him to have a "job' to do again.

The other day for some reason he picked up his feed bucket and dropped it. Aha! I decided to watch him and if he did it again, to give him treats, praise him and teach him to do it upon command. It only took a few days--he is one smart horse and eager to please. Check this video out:

Now is I can jut get him to pick up Moe's bucket!  As soon as it is a little warmer, I plan to get another exercise ball and play with him. Even though I am so tempted to ride him "one more time", I am going by my "gut feeling" which says NO. He is developing more tumors around his hip and is giving a little more to his back end. So we will just have fun in other ways.  I just love that little horse!!!!

Stay tuned for more fun ways to enjoy a horse!

Colombia - A Dream Come True - My Second Horseback Ride

I was eager to try out one of the horses at Hacienda San Jose (or "the finca" as we now call it). We walked down the path to the stables and saw several horses tied. I commented that I loved the Paso Fino that I had ridden in Cartagena and our host immediately assigned their one Paso Fino to me. Their other horses were criollos. Zorro, my horse, was an older horse, probably not a show horse like Marinara, but nevertheless I found him to be extremely smooth--I was now even more determined to buy one upon my return home!

Hmm, which one is mine?

What a sweetie!

Zorro and me

As you can see, our host personally inspected the rigging and adjusted my stirrups.

We had a delightful ride, going through pineapple fields, orange groves, and a bamboo forest. The mountains in the distance provided a great setting. And what lush grass--these horses have it made.

Lush grass for the horses

Bamboo forest

Their bamboo trees are quite a bit larger than ours here. Notice the fence post of bamboo. They also use it a lot for building. Wish I had bamboo fencing!

Mango trees

These trees provided our fresh mangoes. Delicious!

Pineapple fields

These pineapples were personal size--small - and very sweet!

Oranges ready for shipment

Another view of mountains

By this time it was late afternoon and the men decided that they wanted to ride to a sugar mill and watch the sunset. I felt uneasy about being out on horseback after dark, so my daughter-in-law and I elected to ride back to the finca (by ourselves). Of course we didn't know the way back, but our host assured us that the horses knew the way. He guided us to a road and said to just follow it and the horses would turn off on the path to the finca. To this day I can't believe I was brave enough to ride off through the countryside of Colombia!  Obviously I have a very plucky daughter-in-law.  Well, as we rode along, my daughter-in-law's horse shied (just a little) at the first couple of cars that we met on the dirt road. So I waved the others to slow down and said thank you in Spanish. The people were very nice about it. I'm sure they wondered what on earth we were doing there. Just as we began to feel a little nervous about getting back, the horses turned off on a small path. As the sun slipped behind the trees, we saw the lights of the finca welcoming us . A welcome relief!  We thankfully sank down in the sofa cushions and had appetizers and drinks while waiting for the men to return. What a great day and what a great ride! I love Colombia!!!

Stay tuned for our next adventure - a different kind of  ride -a jeep ride up the side of the mountain!

Colombia - A Dream Come True -A Life Changing Ride

What a special day!! As you may remember, my son coaxed me into visiting him in Colombia by promising me a ride on a Paso Fino. Early one morning as we finished our breakfast, his friend (the editor of the Cartagena newspaper) came to our hotel in Cartagena. I had practiced my Spanish, hoping not to make a fool of myself saying hello. Turns out, he spoke perfect English. He and I chatted a little about the Paso Fino breed and then we all set off for his finca, a few miles outside of Cartagena. Remember when I said that  I was only nervous once? (make that twice)  On the way out there he mentioned that he had talked to the head of the army in the area and checked to verify that it was safe this day to go. Hmm. We did have an army checkpoint on the highway. Soon we turned off to a narrow road leading to his finca. Once again, I was impressed by how gracious the Colombian people are to their visitors. I know he was a busy man, but he acted as if he had all the time in the world to entertain us. We met the people who worked for him there and were served tea under the trees. As we drank our tea, he  filled us in on the history of this finca. His family had owned it for generations,and he came there often as a child, spending many hours on horseback. H shared with us his dream of breeding the perfect Paso Fino.  Huge guard dogs came to say hello. We were told that they would be friendly as long as he stayed with us. Needless to say, I didn't test that. All the while we were talking I kept glancing at the horse I was to ride--a beautiful bay.

Beautiful Marinera!

I felt very privileged to be able to ride his wife's mare.

He explained some of the training methods and had his trainer demonstrate for us.

Notice the tied tail

The tail is tied while training so the horse learns to hold it still-they are penalized in the show ring for tail swishing. This man definitely believes in treating horses kindly. He talked at length about the wonderful traits of the Paso Fino and how he believed they should be treated. We also saw a baby, just a few days old, gaiting naturally.

Baby in gait--notice just one foot off the ground

He also showed me a 100 year old bit, still usuable. He had found it while cleaning out an old safe on his property.

An education about Colombian bits

Once I felt our host tensing, looking out at the jungle and listening--we did hear monkeys in the trees. I felt a little nervous, wondering what else (or who) might be lurking there. But he soon relaxed, as did I. Then it was time for our ride.

Adjusting my stirrups

Our host adjusted my stirrups and gave me a few pointers about riding a Paso Fino. I felt pretty nervous at first.  I wasn't used to direct reining and keeping my legs off the horse but soon got the hang of it. It did help of course that I was riding a highly trained (and expensive) horse.

Talk about a life changing experience! I marveled at the smooth ride and responsiveness of this horse. Absolutely no bouncing - push button. I was sold!  We rode through the countryside and by the time the ride was over, I vowed to return home and find a Paso Fino to own. (You can read about my success on former posts).

This is the place where I found the name for my place-Salsipuedes. 

Another wonderful day in Colombia!

Stay tuned for my next Colombian adventure - emerald shopping.

Our host!

Saying Goodbye - Bochica, the Snake and Me

Well, my next interesting experience with Bochica occurred about two weeks after the spooking incident.  I was riding out in a pasture behind the barn, focusing on a spot in the distance. I had been reading some training books and one of the things that was suggested was to focus with your mind on a spot where you wanted your horse to go. Suddenly Bochica began dancing to the side a little. I looked down, and -- Yikes -- there was a snake right beside us, moving parallel to us. Well, in about a 30 second period I remember thinking the following:

"That snake is the length of a yardstick, he's going to dump me on it, I'd better jump off."

 So, can you believe it  (I hardly can), I put my hand on the pommel and vaulted from the saddle,  landing on my knees with the reins still in my hand. Poor Bochica! I was crawling on my knees toward him, all the time wondering where the snake was--Bochica  was backing up, scared to death! Finally, he jerked the reins out of my hands and ran back to the fence by his paddock, where he proceeded to graze. As for me, I was looking around thinking, "Where's the snake?" I'm sure it was long gone by now and wondering what that crazy human was doing. I then realized the foolishness of my action--I should have just slowly guided Bochica away from the snake. I walked back to the paddock and mounted Bochica - back to the arena again. (The arena was my confidence building area.)

The next day we went back out to the pasture and the entire time I was saying out loud to myself, "If we see a snake, we will turn around." During my time in that horse community I ran across several more snakes while riding, but did manage to stay cool.

Next I'll tell you about how I trained Bochica to like the clippers. Stay tuned!

Saying Goodbye-Finding Bochica

As I told you in one of my earlier posts, I decided to buy a Paso Fino after riding one in Colombia. When I returned home from that trip, I immediately began checking out breeders in Texas. I visited a breeder and rode the horse for sale. He was probably bomb proof (as much as a Paso Fino can be), but it turned out that he was a cribber, so I decided to look further. Then I had a recommendation for Bochica's breeder. First I went to their web site--and fell in love with that little boy, Bochica Tejas Santo. I called and set up an appointment to visit. He lived about 4 hours away, out in the country, down a dirt road and pretty secluded. He seemed like a sweet horse--I liked him, but wasn't sure. The owner told me to look around some more and not to be in a hurry making a decision. So I made an appointment with another breeder, but thought their horse wasn't the one for me. I then went back to see Bochica, and still just loved him. I took a test ride down the road--he seemed a little nervous, but so was I. I had a quick lesson on riding a Paso Fino--he was very sensitive to my slightest signal). His owner told me he was recovering from a bout of strangles--he was a little thin but gaining. She also told me that she bought him sight unseen for his bloodlines, but didn't think he was stallion material so had him gelded. He was then sold to a man who sent him for training as a buggy horse. Apparently he came back to him spooky and very thin. So she took him back. Anyway, there was never any doubt that he was definitely the horse for me.

What an exciting day!

 So I bought him and took him to a boarding facility at a very busy 18 stall barn  (my first mistake). Little did I know how much my life would change. All of a sudden I couldn't wait to get up every morning and drive out to the barn.

What a sweet little boy!

 I don't know who was more nervous, Bochica or me.Everything at the barn made him nervous. He was so afraid of anything that moved (or didn't move).  I spent the first few days just hanging around him, brushing him, getting used to him. We slowly bonded (he hadn't tested me yet). I rode him in the round pen a few days and he did fine, then in the arena and he did fine there also. Then I took him out through some woods--another mistake--we weren't ready. I was nervous, which made him nervous, and all of a sudden he spooked and jumped sideways. I didn't even know I had fallen off until I was sitting on the ground. Luckily I wasn't hurt (even though I had a hoof pick in my back pocket). He immediately began grazing. I picked up the reins, got back on and rode back to the barn--more arena work. Not a great beginning.  Stay tuned for my next post-the first test!

Saying Goodbye-First Colic

The moment I dreaded came to pass last week-I was sitting on the porch in the late afternoon, chatting with my mother. I glanced out at the barn, and saw Bochica standing in his stall with his head down. Uh, oh. Then he began pawing and kicking his stomach. I knew immediately it was colic. I went out and checked him--he looked absolutely miserable. When I called the vet, he told me to give him an injection of Bantamine and if it didn't resolve in a few minutes, to call him again.. The only problem with that was that I had never given a horse a "shot". He explained where to give it--a hand's width in front of the shoulder and halfway from top to bottom of the neck. Well, I nervously went out with my syringe. Bochica thought it was wormer at first and began backing up. But I soon calmed him (and myself) and managed to give it. Whew! That little horse seemed to know that I was trying to help him and stood perfectly still for me. I walked him around a little and the colic did resolve. Well, the next morning I went in to the vet's office to discuss the situation with him. He said we would just have to wait and see if he has another one. But imagine my surprise, as we were discussing my giving him the injection, he mentioned that I should have given it between the top of the neck and the spine! Wait a minute--isn't the spine at the top of the neck??? As it turns out, NO. I can't believe I have had horses all this time and never realized this. The vet even drew me a picture. Well, I immediately went to the library and checked out our new animal anatomy book. Sure enough, there it was--a drawing of a horse's skeleton. Check this out!!

Who knew!

It's a thousand wonders I didn't place the needle right in his spine. Luck was with me, though. I hit just the right spot!! I just can't believe I've been around horses all my life and didn't know this. I have talked to several others who didn't know either. Did you know this??? What wonderful creatures horses are!

Stay tuned!

Saying Goodbye

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

Anatole France

Bochica Tejas Santo

I've begun to say goodbye to Bochica. A few months ago he was diagnosed with cancer--cutaneous lymphosarcoma-- and it is spreading. He has meant the world to me!  Be careful what you ask for in prayer--I had prayed that I would outlive him because I was so concerned that he would get an owner that wouldn't take good care of him--and now it looks as if I will. He has tumors that are spreading along his side and under his jaw. He also is gaining weight rapidly and we aren't sure if that is fat or fluid from the tumors. The vet tells me that the favorite place for these tumors to spread to is the lining of the intestines--in that event, he will colic and I will have to "put him down". Or it could spread to his esophagus and he will begin to choke. It's as if I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Each day I look for signs that it has spreading more rapidly.  I try to enjoy my time with him, but it is difficult. He is much more loving these days--almost as if he senses what is happening. I'm sure he does--horses are much more intuitive than we know.

I think the best way to say goodbye is to remember the good times we've had. I've said many time that I believe Bochica saved my life. I have serious lung disease and have outlived the statistics by many years. Bochica is partly to thank for that. When I bought that little horse, my life changed in so many ways! We've had quite a journey together. So I will share with you some of my fondest memories of my journey with Bochica. Stay tuned!

A Lesson in De-spooking Bochica

As I may have mentioned, when I bought Bochica, he was very afraid of many things. Remind you of Rufus? I seem to be destined to have spooky animals. Maybe that is my purpose in life--to de-spook them. :) Over the years I have worked many hours with Bochica, using many different objects to make him less afraid.  I have definitely become a more patient person. Wish I had owned Bochica before I had children. :) This training lesson involves two types of objects --a pom pom and swimming pool noodles. First I began with the pom pom, shaking it around him, getting it closer and closer. And by the way, Bochica didn't read the book that said you can't train horses with  treats. I have used treats very successfully to get him used to many things-- clippers, having his ears handled, etc. So first I shook the pom pom around him, all the while rewarding with treats when he stood still and lowered his head. Then I brushed it over him--at first he jumped to the side but eventually calmed down. Then I threw it over his back and then his head, all the while rewarding him with a treat when he didn't shy away. This is the final result. I decided the pom poms sounded too much like a rattlesnake, so moved on to the noodles.

Gee Mom, I look like a dork in this getup!

                                             
 First I began by setting the noodles up in the pasture and letting him get used to them. Then after a few days I led  him up to them, let him look at them and then backed him away. Then I asked him to put his nose on one of them--rewarding him with a treat each time he did it without jumping around. Finally, I opened them up a little and led him through them. I did that around 20 times, then saddled him and walked him up to them. He put his nose right on one, then I backed him up, gave him a treat from the saddle and walked him up to them again. That first day I quit on a good try. Then the second day he seemed eager to go to them. So I walked him up the first time, let him sniff, walked him up a second time, and he walked right through, calm  as a cucumber. (Are cucumbers calm?)

Success-here are a photo and a video. Next step is moving them all together and doing it again.

Gee Mom, why were you so worried? This is fun!

                                         

Bochica

Bochica Tejas Santo

I truly believe both  serendipity and synchronicity played a role in Bochica coming into my life. The story begins about 13 years ago in Puerto Rico. My husband and I  were on a reward trip there from his company, to be the last before he retired. We were staying in a wonderful resort. The entertainment one night was a man riding this magnificent little chestnut horse-the horse was highstepping across a cobblestone courtyard, and the man's hat was not even moving. I was entranced, and asked what breed of horse this was. I was told that it was a Paso Fino
.
Unfortunately, my husband became ill on that trip and when we returned home, things progressively got worse. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that was the beginning of the most terrible year of my life, watching day by day as the man I loved wasted away. At that time we lived in Georgia and were planning to retire on the Guadalupe River in Texas. After a long hospital stay,  much  treatment and a lot of thought, we decided to go ahead and build our dream house, hoping that he could spend a little time in it. Alas, it was not to be. We moved to Texas a month before the house was to be finished and rented a little cabin nearby. We had been in Texas two days when I had to rush him to the ER in the middle of the night. He went by ambulance to San Antonio that night. The next day the Dr. did exploratory surgery and informed me that the cancer was widespread. He died a month later. I moved into our home two weeks later with my two standard poodles. It was a trying time to say the least. The only people I knew there were my builder and the realtor.

Well, although still in shock, I decided to carry on and invited his grandchildren to visit during the summer. I took them to nearby dude ranches in Bandera. And fell in love with horses all over again. I told one of the ranglers that  I had always wanted to ride an Arabian and he suggested that I try a Paso Fino. Synchronicity? Well, I looked around and could not find one, but did find an Arabian to ride. I didn't like the breed after all.

Fast forward three years--by that time I had moved from the river-to Sun City-I was very unhappy and just floundering. My son had moved to Colombia and wanted me to come visit. I thought it was too dangerous at first, but he convinced me to come by telling me that he had met a man who bred Paso Finos and had one I could ride. Hmm, synchronicity at work? Well, to make a long story short, I went, rode a Paso Fino and fell in love with the breed. What a smooth ride-no bouncing! I came home, and much to my family's surprise (and dismay to some), I bought  Bochica. . I fell in love with his picture on a breeder's web site. After two visits, I bought him and moved him to a boarding facility. Boy, was my knowledge about horses about to be broadened! I thought I was a good rider and understood horses, but lo and behold, I had purchased a high strung, spooky and probably abused horse. I was to learn that Paso Finos are very different from Quarter Horses. To be fair, the sellers did tell me this in so many words, but I didn't understand those words. :-)
I credit Bochica with literally giving me life again.(But that's another story) Now I had a focus-training him. We've come a long way in these 7 years. I now have had Bochica at home with me for 5 years and they have been filled with lots of hard work, lots of lessons, training and reading and most of all, working with this little horse almost every day. I love to ride him-it's a fun ride. He is still spooky and I've taken a few spills, but in my old age :-) have become very careful. Yesterday I rode him after us being idle for the winter. He was a dream!

Remind me to tell you about Bochica, the snake and me! And Moe, the companion horse! Stay tuned!