The Most Handsome, The Most Talented, The Most Humble, MOI!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Catch up time on the Duck BOy - Gary Lane - one of the foremost gaited clinicians came HERE last weekend for a two day clinic -just MM, Blu and Donn'as boyfriend's horse - Pearl. So MM, being the most beautiful and talented, was pronouced the most consistently gaited day one and got to work on more advanced stuff - like not poking his nose out in front - SO the big lug - laid on the bit constantly all day saturday - YUCK - both Jolee and I were dead tired from fighting him all day

Sunday - Gary experiements with a different bit - OH MY GOD - MAGIC - TOTAL DAY AND NIGHT!!

here it is

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.as ... 1276917526

I FEEL HORRIBLE - here I was thinking I had a nice gentle bit in the boy's mouth - and instead - the poor boy - had NO WHERE TO PUT HIS TONGUE!!

He is a changed DUCK! - ride him around with a loose rein - and what's more - he GAITS!!!

He got a blue ribbon from Gary for the most consistent gait

[Rowdy]

That is awesome! It is wonderful what the right bit can do for a horse. I am so glad you found a way to get the great steed into a better frame of mind--he can concentrate on you instead of his tongue now. I imagine things will only get better from here!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Well it seems to have solved 80% of his issues - the other 20% is the LAZY I don't want to do this right now part. Jolee and I decided to test drive him with Princess in the paddock - do some bending around the buckets and walking over some poles - I'm on the short girl - Jolee is on the Duck boy - all is well (except Princess kept wanting to trot - so when I decided to practice my posting - she'd quit! ) then Jolee takes the Duck Boy over to the other side of the paddock - Princess and I stay on our side - I see the beginning of a spin out of the corner of my eye - it gets shut down in an instant with this bit - they proceed along the far fence - see him try it again - once more - foiled - then they get to the back fence - a third time - curses - foiled again - So - the Stud Duck goes to PLAN B - which is to try to race! I see some high stepping and prancing - Jolee has his head - he's ticked off - we decide he needs a wet saddle pad - so we go into the round pen - he has to flat walk for about 20 minutes - it's pretty warm here - and humid - he got his butt worked off - the good news is that he is only dropping out of gait once around the round pen now and only falling into a pace once - during the circuit - he was pretty much pooped when we were done -

The only way I know to combat the LAZY DUCK SYNDROME is to make him work

[IMustBeCrazy]

That is just incredible! Something as simple as a bit can make all the difference. The bugger is finding the RIGHT one!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

well there's still the LAZY boy aspect we're dealing with and you might know - he's developing NEW tricks!!!

[EquinePhotographer]

Midnight... will you ever cease to amaze me?

My dad wanted to go on a trail ride tonight, he rode Lucy, I decided to ride Midnight, since he needs the work. Used the spurs which seemed to work so well on him yesterday. He was a little bit tense, I kept contact on the bit at first, but by halfway through he had relaxed and I was riding him on a loose rein. He didn't try anything. He had one genuine spook when a dog jumped up against the fence behind him and made a loud noise against the fence wire, but that was it. He spooked, but relaxed right back. We even rode in the ring, and he didn't spare the scary corner even a glance, no matter if Lucy was right there or not. I tried it with Lucy next to him first, got no reaction, he didn't even tense up, then tried it without Lucy, same result.

He did his stop drop and roll routine afterwards in the grass, rubbed his head against the ground and pulled his halter halfway off!

I'm thrilled, he behaved a ton better than I expected him to!

[IMustBeCrazy]

That is such great news to hear! I look forward to riding the new and improved MM on my next trip up.

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

MM"s new hat - he LOVES it of course

[Rowdy]

Too cute! I hope it does the trick for bug determent...

[Beth]

Joe has 2 of those, the challenge is tying the string under his face before he gets it in his mouth...it really helps with the flies when you ride, they've been AWFUL this year. Must be all the rain. Its almost August and I've had to mow the yard twice a week ALL summer...

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Well you know the Stud Duck is such a fashionista!! He'd like it even if it didn't deter the bugs - yes this summer has been CRAZY!!! hot humid - grass growing like crazy - perfect conditons for flies

Jolee and I got the kids hats (all different of course) because the last time we went to Shaker Village for a trail ride - the kids looked like they had some sort of crazy neurological issue - with all the head shaking etc. Also found some of those shoo fly thingies - to use as well.

MM is probably upset that his hat didn't have bells or crystals or something like that - but overall I think he was quite pleased with it - from the rear he looks like a big blue Easter Bunny ambling down the bunny trail

[Beth]

That is a very good description of those ears!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

especially if he decides to bunny hop! sideways

tonight he kept doing what I think is shoulder in in the roundpen under saddle - ding dong! watch when we get to actually trying to do that - he'll forget how - so I figured he was bored - so had Jolee take him OUT of the round pen and work down the fence line - I put some ground poles down to make him have pick up his feet - and LOOK where he was going - that helped - then we practiced turn on the forehand - one side is BEAUTIFUL - he is still struggling going to the other side - same with his side passes- so we'll work with this program for a bit and then go back to developing his gait.

[Colleen]

A couple of bells are definitely in order on the bunny hat.


Colleen

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

He is such a goober -

[IMustBeCrazy]

You must put jingly bells on it to go with his necklaces!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

I will do that - I think I have a lot of silver bells left from our horsey necklace making days!!! I still need to send Lori the extras plus his "gasp" necklace that was the second victim of your trail ride

[IMustBeCrazy]

If you can't find yours, I have mine!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

deal!! MM will be a sight to behold!!! and HEAR!! LOL!

[snowshoehair]

Send those bits and pieces on up Penny!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

will do lori - along with the extra beads, fun stuff I have for your collection

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

MM's world is about to be rocked in two weeks.........(more to come)

I think he was skateboarding last week - not sure - but he managed to step on something (rock or ???) that wedged his hoof away from his foot (think big hang nail) Uncle Woody recommended soaking and wrapping, Uncle Tony trimmed away from the offending piece of hoof

The Mighty Duck I think likes his new footwear - we generally give him a flake of hay to keep him busy while he soaks his tootsies. Last evening - sat two buckets of water with the horse quencher in front of him - what resulted is best described as
"DIVING DUCK"

[Colleen]

I saved the picture of him with the water dripping off him. He's so beautiful.


Colleen

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

and such a goober

[Rowdy]

Poor, sweet goober! Here's praying he heals quickly.

[Beth]

Did he pick up the bucketand throw it after he was done with his bucket swirlies??

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

no - he didn't throw them he knocked over the soaking bucket -

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Jolee and I decided to see if the Duck's footsie was up to riding - been two weeks with him well LOUNGING!

VERY happy to report - HE WAS A GOOD BOY - even took him to the back paddock - scene of many "DESPARADO DRILLS" - and he was PERFECT!

Do you think he knows????? that a NEW BABY IS COMING??????