Gear It Up Update - New Oct Pics, AND groundwork is started

BridledObsession · Postby **BridledObsession** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:40 am

magic code wrote:We have a couple mares who'll come over and plant the body part they want scratched right in front of me.

That reminded me of our OTTB. He was sick when he came to us and since he was such a sad little puppy, I took on most of his care and subsequent initial re-training/conditioning. He grew to trust me and I thought we really bonded. He didn't feel the same way about my boyfriend though, who owns the farm and feeds him every day. Eventually, he needed to go to the track so my boyfriend took over the training completely. While our guy still looks forward to seeing me, he's definitely not mine anymore. :lol:

His new favorite person is my boyfriend. And I figured out why too -- he loves to get his butt rubbed (the horse!!! :wink:

). When Bob (bf) walks in there, Champ (horse) turns his butt to him for a massage. He will literally keep pushing his butt against him while he cleans the stall, etc until he gets it done. That's cheating if you ask me, but at least he's happy!!

hemphill · Postby **hemphill** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:03 pm

Bridled--At least Champ has shown you a sure fired way to get Bob's attention.

BridledObsession · Postby **BridledObsession** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:18 pm

hemphill wrote:Bridled--At least Champ has shown you a sure fired way to get Bob's attention.

Funny, funny. :lol:

Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind!! :wink:

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:21 pm

Thanks everyone for all the stories. Today I went to see Jura and I was grooming him as usual. I wash his face with a damp cloth first and clean his nose and eyes. He seems to like that. This was the day that my friend Stacy who is also chair of my department came with her two kids to visit him for the first time. Stacy used to walk hots at Delaware Park and loves horses, she's been excited to see Jura ever since he arrived. She immediately wanted to curry him and do all the grooming things, but her son Robin is allergic to horses and I didn't want him to feel left out, so I made him the official cameraman for the operation. I went away to get my camera and then Jura started moving around and seemed a little perturbed when Stacy was the only one there grooming him. He calmed right down when I came back - so I actually think he must be getting to know me. Stacy said she thought he seemed very comfortable with me. I'll share some of the new pics when I get time.

So maybe he does know me after all. Somehow there is great comfort in that when even now I can't stop crying about my dog. I so want the horse to be happy.

winds · Postby **winds** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:58 am

The longer you have him, the more he'll grow attached to you. You obviously have his trust, what a great beginning. He'll eventually give you unconditional love, just like your dog did. There is nothing like it.
Both you and he are extremely lucky.

winds

Ramona · Postby **Ramona** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:56 pm

Beautiful dog!!!

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:16 am

Well here we are after about three months in Spokane. Jura recognises his name as long as it goes with a treat. His winter coat is coming in so he's a little furry now (not in the pictures below as they were taken about a month ago). The new shoes on the front have solved the sore feet problem and now his gaits (particularly the trot) are very smooth, although more extension is needed. He looks beautiful when he is on the move, although he's a bit lazy so it's a bit hard to get him on the move.

One of my students is from a family that used to race horses at Playfair and the Tri-Cities, and she has tack and the expertise to show me how to start him on groundwork, which we did the other day - just free lunging. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! Well for me anyway, I think he was worried other horses were eating his hay.

The vet prescribed Strategy as a supplement to put weight on but which keeps him from getting 'hot'. He has definitely put on weight since the pictures below were taken, and we are considering discontinuing the supplement, but I have to check with the vet as now we have started working him we intend to continue. Everybody loves him. The various people who have had some involvement with racing through Playfair and who have come to see him all think that he's too docile and not competitive enough to make a good racehorse. However I saw him out in the field today, and although he didn't hurt any of the other horses, it was pretty clear that he wouldn't tolerate them getting at the best hay, nor would he let them near any potential source of treats (me).

I found on the Cal Replay site two videos of his races - one is the performance where he broke his maiden in a 25k claimer first time out at La Downs. The second is where all the problems started, where he was kicked seven times by the 2 horse and developed an osselet. Watch them yourselves and see if you think he might have had any potential.

Meanwhile I'm posting a set of pictures which I took to try to get input on his conformation. I don't think I did a very good job. But any input, positive or negative, would be welcome, and also if there's something in his conformation or makeup which suggests (or argues against) retraining in a particular discipline. For scale the person holding him is 5 feet 10 inches tall. (Obviously that isn't me since I'm 5 feet 2 - I'm hoping my friends on the pedigree query board will club together to get me a ladder for my christmas so I can climb up on him when he's finally trained to ride). I have to say though, purple is definitely his color, and I just got him a lunge whip to match his halter and lead rope.

Again, any comments, positive or negative would be helpful (and I do know that it would have been more helpful if I'd had someone to hold aside his tail but there wasn't anyone).

How's my butt?

What about the front? Can you see my nice new shoes?

Has anyone groomed me yet?

Do I look Fat to You?

Can't you tell that purple is my color?

yukidragon · Postby **yukidragon** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:30 am

He looks gentle.
A tad ribbie .
You might need a mounting block instead of a ladder.

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:12 am

He is gentle, and he has filled out quite a bit with the supplement since these photos were taken.

I was joking about the ladder - I daresay there's a mounting block somewhere around the farm.

spex4me · Postby **spex4me** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:29 am

Geo .... he wrote me and requested that you buy him something other than purple...... hehehehehe ( this stems from a debate I have with one of my gf's about putting pink and purple on her rough tough QH gelding... all in jest but I call him Denita when his name is denny!!) :twisted:

I think he's very affable looking. Kind eye. Nice butt!!

I don't know very many ppl's feelings on this but I supplement corn or veg oil on their grain ration. Never has not succeeded in putting on pounds and a gleam on their coat. :wink:

pfrsue · Postby **pfrsue** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:36 am

Oh he's a cutie! Makes me instinctively want to reach for a bag of carrots to feed his face with.

Once he gets into condition and learns to move in a frame with which to muscle up his topline he's going to be one very nice prospect. Have you decided what direction you're going to go with him yet? Western? Hunter? Pleasure?

Sue

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:18 am

He looks great.
I'm sure he'll show his talents and inclination in time.
With that apparently very muscular butt, maybe he could be a cutting horse, especially if he's told that the cows are after his grain . . .

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:12 pm

Spex, not only is Jura beautiful, he is literate! Amazing! Purple is a very manly color, and I hate browns because my school uniform was brown and I have an aversion to anything beigy browny yucky. Don't forget to reply to his letter now. If you send it to the Jura Fan Club at B.L. Stables, Spokane, WA, he may send you a signed fan photo of himself.

Pfrsue, believe it or not he doesn't like carrots or apples, in fact he spits out carrots. However he loves the special peppermint horse treats. So when you're ready to stop by and join his growing fan club in person I'll have some on hand just for you.

I was hoping that someone might suggest a discipline based on my admittedly bad conformation shots. The only comment I've had is that his front legs might be a bit short for hunter/jumper, but I'm not sure about that and he still has a bit to grow. I don't doubt he'll be riding a few trails at some point, since he's boarded at a Western Pleasure Center, but if nobody else has a preference I'd like to head him towards dressage because if I fall off I may fall from a great height, but not at a great speed. At my age that is something of a factor. When we tack him up for the next phase of groundwork we will be putting an English saddle on him.

Toccet, I don't really see myself as a tiny wee Scottish cow cutter. Are nice muscular hindquarters good for anything else? (in a horse I mean).

What exactly do we mean by his topline, and what should I be doing with it?

pfrsue · Postby **pfrsue** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:34 pm

Peppermint horse treats it is. He must get them by the ton with a cute face like that.

Hey, dressage never hurts. In fact, dressage basics are terrific to teach, no matter what discipline you have in mind down the road.

By topline, I mean essentially the muscling (or lack thereof) along his crest and through his back and quarters. Without seeing him trot, and just from looking at the pics, he looks like he'd be a little hollow, traveling with his head up and pulling himself along on his forehand rather than pushing athletically from behind. (Although he's got a very nice behind!) That's very common for a horse off the track. I want to stop short of saying he's ewe necked because one of those pics looks like he is and the other doesn't, plus you say he's put on weight which might make a difference. He does look like he needs some muscle there though.

A lot of that will come with working him, riding him, teaching him to relax, lower his head and accept the bit, and improving his balance and way of going with bending exercises and whatnot. (I have no idea how detailed my answer was supposed to be.)

To have a better answer on what he's suited for, I think we'd really have to see how he moves and uses himself. But an all-around horse that can do a little of everything and do it sweetly....that's a horse worth his weight in gold.

Hope that helps,
Sue

geowarrior · Postby **geowarrior** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:44 pm

Yes, that does help Sue. Until he got his new shoes he was footsore and lame, and he has certainly lost conditioning (except for the aforementioned butt). My recollection of him on the track was that he did not carry his head inordinately high, and I seem to remember that on the one occasion when I saw him breeze he had a good chin tucked under, crested head carriage. And of course that's him in my avatar doing the noble crested head thing.

When we were working him in the round pen (and this is free lunge remember so no side reins yet), it was hard to get a sense of his trot. However I was watching him in the field yesterday, it was windy and rainy and all the horses were cantering and trotting about so I finally got an unimpeded view of a free trot and my impression is that the trot is now extremely smooth now that the feet are healed, although I would like to see more extension. It was notably smooth compared with the other half a dozen quarter horses in his pasture. I don't think he is ewe necked, but he is lazy so if he can lay his chin on anything for a rest, he will, and he gets into all sorts of contortions that way.

But that's very helpful Sue, thanks.