Today I would like to introduce you to a new horse.
"What? A new horse?" you say.
Well, ok, then....not an entirely new horse,
but a "remodeled" horse, let's say.
Dear friends, I would like you to meet the new and improved Pete.
If you are new to this blog, then you might not know that
Pete is (supposedly...but who knows!) an off the track thoroughbred.
Dr. Becky (Hubbs sister and equine vet) rescued Pete
who was on the brink of collapse from starvation, rain rot, injuries (you name it)
and the like. She nursed him, fed him and loved him back to good health.
And I would love to tell you that Pete repaid her by turning into a magnificent riding horse.
Unfortunately, Pete remains a diamond in the rough...
a work in progress so to speak.
Pete is kind and gentle and tries so hard to please,
but Pete needs a lot of work!
Finally after months of care, he has gained enough weight to be saddle-worthy.
Becky has spent hours working on his hooves, shoeing him, and floating his teeth
so that he would be comfortable with a bit in his mouth.
And so, this weekend, she put a saddle on him to take him for a test ride.
He made it through the "tacking up" just fine with lots of peppermint treats for standing still.
However, he was quite nervous around the mounting block
and proceeded to dance his way around it.
Over and over they walked around the arena...
each time stopping at the mounting block.
A reward for standing still...
and Becky climbed the block.
It was obvious after about 45 minutes of just ground work,
that it will be quite a while until Pete is ready to be ridden.
Becky has the patience of a saint with horses, though,
so I have no doubt that at some point Pete will be ready to ride.
So, for now they will work on ground manners and building trust.
And hopefully one day Pete will relax enough to be ridden.
If you have been following my blog,
then you will agree with me that the change in this horse over the past 3 months
is nothing short of miraculous!
He still needs to develop a lot of muscle,
but he is so very much healthier than he was.
I had hoped to tell you the story of woman and her beautiful rescued horse
riding off into the sunset....
but that would be a fairy tale.
No, this story will be much more interesting than that...
with twists and turns in every direction.
Stay tuned to see how it all works out!
Comments
Way to go Dr. Becky on saving Pete!!!
I look forward to stories of RePete's continued "education"...and I hope all goes well with time and patience.
Baby steps! It will be fun to follow the continuing saga...
The pictures you posted tell the story through Pete's body language. At first, a worried horse head high, nervous and unsure; to a calming, dropped head, relaxed walk, and finally a happy horse following his leader.
Thanks for sharing his progress, what a joy to see an animal in the hands of a wise and loving caregiver.
Heather in PA
Becky
Hugs from CO ... Marcia
: ) Kris
To see him today is as you say a miricle! He looks beautiful and in time I'm sure he will come to trust his loving caregiver and finally decide that they can ride off in the sunse together celebrating his physical and emotional healing! Until then the two of them can share time learning to love each other a little more each day!
Thanks for sharing!
Blessings
Tonya
I cannot believe this is the same horse! He looks wonderful.. Thanks to the love and care of you and Dr. Becky and the will of dear Pete!
Thank you so much for your visit.. Always so nice to see you there.
Have a wonderful week.
Penny
Looking forward to the day you post photos of Becky & Pete enjoying a sweet country ride.
Hugz
>^..^<