Cross-Training the Standardbred Endurance Horse

Thursday September 23 2021

Sure, you can break up the trail conditioning miles with arena work (gaaaahhh)(which we do occasionally and somewhat reluctantly), but there’s nothing better than Linda’s Menagerie Training Center to stimulate and broaden and strengthen the equine mind. Sure, your Standardbred has been exposed to so much at the racetrack, so he’s not too spooky, but you won’t find this situation at racetracks.

Because what horse couldn’t use exposure and ‘sacking out’ with a passel of polar bears (big white dogs), tiny dogs, cow dogs, goats, more goats, Ted the Wonder Horse (and benevolent dictator), Hattie the spotted mule (and sweet beauty queen), Hercules the mini-donkey (who follows Linda around while poop-scooping, walking so quietly and patiently waiting for treats), Edna the donkey (and loving steamroller), Hoot the mini-mule (and little sh*t), and, best of all, the biggest training tools of all, 2 huge waddling pigs, Pork and Pig. (Many of these animals choose, or don’t choose, to participate, or not participate, or start to participate then decide to go home in the middle of, Linda’s annual Oreana July 4th parades) 

It’s such a chaotic zoo, especially when you first walk in the driveway. Your Standardbred will not be sure as to what he should most worry about: the shaggy circling (but friendly) Polar Bears, the milling goats who really would just like a pet, the short and stubby and wiggly wiener dog Booger, the chasing heeling dogs, or - THE PIGS!

Chatting outside with Linda with her Menagerie swirling around, as if absolutely nothing is abnormal, your Standardbred eventually relaxes, and even wants to follow and sniff the goats around a bit. 

But those pigs - that is something a Standardbred might not quite figure out. When Linda calls the goats and pigs to come get a few treats (so that the goats don’t follow us home, because sometimes they go on unsupervised Walkabouts), the pigs ‘run’ toward Linda, slow-motion waddle waddle jiggle jiggle, and your Standardbred will follow their progress with a very puzzled look on his face.

By the time you leave, your Standardbred has a whole ‘nother arsenal of unusual situational bomb-proofing experiences that you won’t quite get anywhere else.

And Willie’s such a social beast he’ll remember that he always has ‘different’ kinds of friends at Linda’s - especially those pigs!

Hot New Sheriff in Town

 

Tuesday November 3 2015

(You can see he's got a sense of humor, too.)

This Hot New Sheriff Dudley

with his Assistant Deputy Cardinal (it's really The Raven!)

tracked 4 WANTED OutLaws 50 miles across the desert in the Owyhee Hallowed Weenies endurance ride.

He apprehended and deposed two at the vet check. He followed the other two over hills,  down washes, across creeks and through old homesteads, 

till they all ran out of gas after a 50 mile chase. 

The Sheriff turned them in, had a good meal,

then hung up his badge on a job well done.

He's not The Sheriff anymore, but he's still Hot.

See more photos and a story from the last endurance ride of the 2015 season here:

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2015OwyheeHallowedWeenies/

Who You Callin' Fat

Tuesday September 29 2015

What!?

A score of between 7 and 8, in between "Fleshy" and "Fat" ?!

That's what Dr Washington marked Dudley for a body condition score at the vet-in for the 55-mile Lost 'n Lava endurance ride. (Please note Dudley's excellent pulse of 40.)

I was shocked. I was sure Dudley would at least be a "6," what with all his diet and hard exercise, and the fact he'd already completed five 50 mile rides so far this year (and 4 last year!).

Well. We showed him. We finished the 55-mile ride at Lost 'n Lava near Gooding, Idaho; Dudley pulsed down right away at both vet checks and at the finish; the 55-mile ride was the longest ride he's done; and I know he lost even more weight during the ride, enough to now be a "5", no matter what anybody else says. (Not that he has a complex or anything; he knows he's Hot Stuff.)

And while we're at it, I think some of the Body Score Conditionings should undergo a little revision.

Something like:

1. Seriously, Too Skinny

2. Greyhound

3. Thin

4. Lithe

5. Huggable

6. Voluptuous

7. Sexy

8. Carrying Some Extra Baggage

9. BlubberButt, Definitely Too Fat

I think Dudley looks pretty darned Huggable after his 55-mile Lost 'N Lava ride!

More stories, pictures at

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2015LostNLava

Trickster Dudley

Friday January 23 2015

Dudley cracks me up.

I decided a couple of months ago to teach Dudley tricks, and I joined Jain Brand's Horse Tricks Academy at Horsetricks101.com.

She's got step by step videos of building basics of different tricks, and points out that sometimes it's the horse that gives us clues as to what tricks he might already know. Dudley already learned from a long-ago trainer to bow - and we aren't even working on that trick yet. He already had a habit of throwing his head up in the air - as you see here from my 2008 post, America's Next Top (Equine) Model. I just turned that into a trick, by timing my training cues right.

Dudley and I don't practice every day, and when we do, it's only two carrots' worth: I cut 2 carrots into bite-sized pieces, and we practice a few tricks until the carrots run out. It's just a little fun during the day when he's hungry and wants a snack to eat!

I made this short video to show how he's progressing with minimal practice. As you can see from the video, he just cracks me up.

[embed]


or link:
http://youtu.be/8Z1UFNxV9KM

Peeping Dude

Friday September 5 2014

Sometimes Dudley has a free choice day - he gets to choose the trails we ride. This particular day, he chose to come back down our home canyon, and halfway down, since he never forgets the location of a food source, he chose to detour past Connie's house. Connie wasn't home, but he didn't know that. What he DID know, is that when Connie IS home, if he waits long enough, (and if I call to her to come out), she will come outside bearing horse treats.

The Dude walked up to her house, and waited for her to come out.
 He stood there and looked around and waited, and waited…

And when she didn't come outside, he walked up to her porch and waited…
 

and when she didn't come outside, he walked up to the windows and checked to see if he could see her inside.


He finally realized she wasn't home, so, disappointed, he ambled on homeward.

Don't worry, he got plenty of treats from me to ease his disappointment!

Stormy Water Dragon

Wednesday July 16 2014

I was astonished to see my horse Stormy playing in the water. All these years, I'd never seen him do that. He's a rather dignified old retired racehorse; I've rarely see him play at all, although Jose the Social Director has taught him a few glamorous moves that Stormy pulls out of his hat once a year or so.


But water? Stormy is a Water Dragon? I never suspected!

We have the perfect little pond where Stormy can teach the rest of the herd a thing or two about playing in the water.

Video here:


(or link):
http://youtu.be/SSVlJf4WMgk

Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, is the star of Chapter 23 in my book, Soul Deep in Horses: Memoir of an Equestrian Vagabond, available on Amazon.

HEAT

Friday June 28 2013

The picture of that burning yellow globe in a flaming orange sky in the weather forecast, accompanied by the words "Heat Advisory in effect blah blah" brings some of us to our knees whimpering piteously.


Others beat the heat by playing in the water - like Jose.

I can't do anything with a water hose out by the paddock without Jose coming up for a hose-off. If he has access to a sprinkler, he'll stand over it and spin himself around that to cover all sides, but best is when I hold the water hose and he gets wet just exactly how and where he likes it.

Here he is last year at City of Rocks, doing his thing in the heat.

Smoochies!

Friday November 30 2012

Is it love?

Smooch!

Eyes closed!

Neck hickey?

We'll see Part II of this Smoochfest next.

O Noble Beast

Thursday October 4 2012

I think that I shall never see

a beast as noble as is he.

He soars like an eagle with me on his back,

sometimes he's chased by his friend Rushcreek Mac.

He skips up the ridges and glides down the hills

sharing with me a thousand miles of thrills.

He stops on the peaks to take in the view - 

what goes through his brain, I wish that I knew.

He reasons and thinks with a mind so smart -

it's that intelligence of his that sets him apart.

He listens and nickers, he nudges and stares,

it's unique what we have - this communication so rare.

He rears in the air with pals in his pack

and snorts when he's bitten and rolls on his back.

He runs with the herd and teaches them play;

he naps in the sun and sleeps through the day.

He paws up the dust and loves to play tag.

If he had a tail like a dog it surely would wag.

He plays in the rain and dances in snow,

he leaps in the sand; Jose's got Mojo!

I comb his mane and I brush his tail;

at the end of the day I never fail

to hug his head and stroke his face

as I know this beast is full of grace.

 

He's noble and true

and downright smart too,

What else can I say?

I love this Jose

(very noble, yes? kiss the nose, yes?)