Update on Billy

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

As many of you know, I purchased a nice CMK gelding, Belizair (Belesemo
Trad x Naliza), from Michael Bowling this last year.  "Billy" is a smart,
very sensitive horse and, because of this, we felt it incredibly important
to go slowly and steadily with his training in order to preserve maximum
brain. ;-)  He had been ridden some before I got him, but was still very
green!  

Billy spent his first couple of months of training here doing lots of
ground work (learning to stand still, listen, lunge like a pro, and so on)
followed by about 4 months of arena dressage work and more ground work.
Aarene (student/boarder/riding buddy/ridecamp lurker <g>) started working
with him about 4 1/2 months ago to learn "sensitive green horse" education,
help out my busy schedule, and have the opportunity to compete on him next
year.

Billy's arena work was followed by several trips down our road (dogs, big
trucks, kids on trampolines, bicycles, and so forth) and a couple of times
up into the hills behind our farm.  He did so well we felt it was time to
introduce him to a little more challenge.  Yesterday he had his *first*
trailer trip to the Tree Farm (our very nice training area) and his first
time encountering steep(ish) terrain, creeks, thick brush, and lots of
uneven ground.  Blaze (believe it or not!) was the School Master and Billy
watched him (and everything else <g>) quite intently.  HE WAS A STAR!  (And
Blaze was an awesome teacher!! ;-))  

Aarene, as some of you may know, earns part of her living as a story
teller.  You may remember the humorous note she sent me about Billy
(Goooood Boooyyyy) learning to stand still.  The following is her account
(actually *Billy's* account) of our trip yesterday.  Enjoy. ;-)

Sue

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Subject: Billy's First Ride
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<<...unbeknownst to Aarene and Sue,  the geldings slipped out the back of
the trailer during an ice-cream stop, and ran into an instant photo-mat to
get their slides developed for tonight's presentation after lights-out in
the barn...>>

Billy:  Okay gang, grab your popcorn and beetpulp, this is gonna be a great
show.  A fabulous adventure starring your favorite handsome, athletic,
charming...

Blaze:  But enough about me.  Billy went too. 

Billy:  Nearly a hundred miles, I think...

Blaze:  Seven.  Almost seven.

Billy:  Okay, here's the first picture of us at the trailer.  Notice how
handsome I look with my head way up and nearly touching the Girl's, uh,
elbows.  I was very excited to be here.  

...and here we are, off down the trail.  This is a picture of Blaze's butt.

Blaze:  Nice picture.

Billy:  Whatever.  I sure saw a lot of it.  
This next picture shows our fabulous descent down a sandy hill.  I tried
out a new technique here:  I balanced on my front toes and paddled with my
back feet and my tail.  
At the bottom of the hill is a mighty river...

Blaze: Creek.

Billy:  Whatever.  I drank some of the water, and I washed out my ears, and
I wanted to roll in that lovely stuff but the Girl said "no."  She says
"no" a lot, I think.  
Then after the creek we went up a huge mountain...

Blaze: Hill.  Sandy hill.  Medium sized.  Boring.

Billy:  Whatever.  I used my powerful front feet to drag the rest of my
body up this hill.  I was huffing pretty hard, I can tell you.  But THEN it
got really challenging.  There were roots everywhere, and huge branches
grabbing at me, and the ground was all bumpy, but I was great...

Blaze:  Here's a picture of Billy falling on his nose.  Smooth move, dude.
Here's another picture of him falling on his butt.  And this one is great,
where he fell off the whole trail...

Billy:  I was just exploring my parameters, that's all.

Blaze:  Whatever.  Oh, and this is the best, where he jumped over a root
and banged his face on a tree.  Two points for style there, big guy.

Billy:  Shut up.  I heard about the time you were afraid of the driveway.  

Blaze:  Tonight's YOUR night to shine, fella.  
Here's where we stopped to eat.  I like these pictures the best.  Look at
my tremendous form on the eating part.  I'm really good at that, you know.

<<chorus from the audience>>:  WE KNOW!

Billy:  I tried to eat blackberries like Blaze does, but I like grass
better.  
Oh, and here's the very last picture, when we came back to the trailer, and
the Mighty Blaze spooked at a doggie.

Blaze:  Shut up.  The dang dog yelled "Boo," what was I supposed to do? 

Billy:  I had fun.  It was hard work though.  Howcum you guys only ever
talk about the fame and fortune and gorgeous babes in spandex, and never
told me about how it was hard work?  Huh?  

Blaze:  Hey, bud.  You ain't seen nothing yet.  Just wait.

<<...at this point, a bulb burned out in the projector.  Lacking thumbs to
aid in the repair, the horses will have to continue their show after the
next adventure...>>


*>>>>>>>>>>>*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>*>>>>>>>
The grace of God is found between the saddle and the ground.
*<<<<<<<<<<<*<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*<<<<<<<
Aarene Storms
East of the Sun, West of the Moon
aarenex@earthlink.net  and aarenex@excite.com
http://home.earthlink.net/~aarenex



sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.