Introducing the only horse that has a guaranteed "forever" life contract with me - Diala Dandy Dolly -aka-"Woofer".
Woofer @ 24 years of age
Woofer was born on our ranch 24 years ago. I lost the coin toss the summer she turned 2 and ended up being the one that was stuck with breaking her. The mare scared the beggezus out of me. I was 15. She could snort and rattle her nostrils like an experienced bronc and the way she watched you - it was spooky. She could look you right in the eye and you swore she was telling you to "bring it on". My dad climbed up on the fence and said, "she sure is woofy." The name stuck. Thank God it was all bluff. She bucked the first couple times we saddled her, but I cannot ever remember her bucking with a person. That summer I decided I wanted to buy her because my dad was a horse trader and I knew she wouldn't stay at the ranch for long. I sold all kinds of stuff, wrestled calves and rode another colt to come up with the $500 she was priced at. Funny how that has become my magic number for horses. The next spring she was mine.I could fill pages with all of the stories about this great old mare. As anyone with a "special" horse can relate to that. She tolerated so much crap, logged tens of thousands of miles being hauled around the country with me, took the very best care of my daughter when she was little, learned everything from western pleasure to barrels and poles and then to do working cowhorse and cutting, sparkled in showmanship, taught me how to do flying lead changes and how to ride bridless and produced a few beautiful babies too. She is the mother to my current barrel horse, Moon. We are anxiously awaiting her foal in May.
Last year she was bred. She got huge. We aren't sure what happened but think that because she was so big that when she got up that day, she tore her placenta and by the time we got the colt pulled he was dead. A beautiful grulla stud colt. It was devastating. We thought we were going to loose Woofer too, but she pulled through really well for her age and when the vet checked her again, he gave her a clean bill of health and said to breed her back if we wanted to. Amazing! This year, she has been on a strict diet and kept by herself because she still does the darnest things.
As good a care as Woofer has taken of me in my youth and the special care she showed with Megan when she was little, there is nothing she will ever have to want for again. She is the queen and so will be treated like royalty. I hope for many years to come.
Woofer @ 20 years old
8 comments:
Gorgeous horse. I love the name. I am hoping that soon we will have our own 'special' horse that will be as good to our girls. Most of the horses that we have now are to advanced for beginning riders.
awwwww, she's wonderful. I think that when you spend so many years together....you kind of "blend".
is the only riding problem with the mare in yesterdays post that she is too light and sensitive? My suggestion would be to learn to use a marker word and desensitize her to legs/hands a bit. When I proof stays for dogs one of the things I do is evoke an oppositional reflex by gradually pulling on the lead, working up to a fair amount of pressure and asking the dog to resist moving. I'd use the same principle with the mare and her sensitivity.
if you want to explore that further but don't want to work on that here.....email me.
Thanks Holly. I appreciate the tips for Okie. But she is too crippled to show anymore and even light riding causes her to be lame for days. So she is living the life of luxury in the pasture.
As far as her sensativity when Megan tried to show her, well, Megan was only 10 and Okie was too advanced for her. With Okie you really only had to think about what you wanted her to do-ie-pick up the left lead, stop and so on. I swear that mare was telepathic. She really made you focus. I never had any problems with her but Meg just worried about it too much and Okie worried too. For some reason they did really well in english but western got a little off. Megan moved to another horse and has never had the same problem. Just not a good click with the mare.
Glad to meet Woofer! She is beautiful and very pregnant! Poor girl! Looks great for 24! We have my daughter's first horse (hubby's retired roping horse) here and he will 26 in April. He earned his spot here and now just lives the life of luxury! Me and mare have a special bond like that-I agree you blend (or have that extra speical bond!) with certain horses! She is just awesome and I have done tons of things on her and my daughter started riding her this year. My current goal is to ride her bridleless and bareback! About Okie-Pesky (our retired horse) when I first started roping I would use him and it just got to be too much for him. He would be stoved up for days after. Boy it is a same, because he is awesome at heading! But I have started heading off my mare and she rocks as well, but still not him! He is starting to show his age and I dreed the day he goes on. Thanks for sharing your beauties with us and look forward to seeing the foal.
geez, finally someone blogging with more horses than me!!!
Just stumbled on your blog from One Cow Girl, but I really enjoyed this story of your special mare. What a shame that you lost last year's baby. Hope things go better this year.
I loved reading about your 'Woofer'. It has inspired me to work toward having such a special relationship with my new horse, who we'll be bringing home this week. She's a 15 year old paint mare and has done everything. So I hope she teaches me 'the ropes' like your Woofer did for you.
Your Blog is a fun read. Thanks!
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