| There's A New Horse In The Family! |
| Dakota's pages last updated: Tuesday, 24 January 2006 |
On the 3rd of June 2003, Dale became the newest owner of a horse in our little family. He's
been looking for a horse of his own for quite some time and he's simply been smitten with the
sweetest little QH mare that we've seen in quite awhile. Dakota isn't anything really special,
except to us. She's a 2-year old sorrel QH with a disposition almost as laid back as Cherokee.
take care of that. She's quite happy with a rider, although she isn't really trained in any
serious way yet. She's awful willing to try anything and we're planning to take her out on
short trail rides several times this summer. We'll be teaching her the ropes for most of the
summer.
In the meantime, she's spending a few days in Blackie's old corral while she meets the rest of
the guys/gal and gets to know us too. She'll probably be let out this Saturday.
Well! Dakota's officially part of the family now. Dale let her out of the corral on Sunday, 8
June 2003 (there wasn't much point in keeping her there any longer as it was obvious that
she'd been accepted by the others) and after a bit of celebrations (running all over the place
with Blue, Banjo & Cherokee) everything settled down quite nicely and it's been that way ever
since. Cool!
22 June 2003 - WOW! What a weekend! This was the first time this year that we've taken
the horses out on a trip and they were magnificent! Dakota & Max spent the entire weekend
with us out in one of the local parks in the mountains, and we rode them both most of Saturday
& Sunday. Max was his usual self - steady as a rock and totally relaxed - which made it very
easy to keep Dakota cool & calm. Actually, everywhere they went Max was watching over his
shoulder to make sure Dakota was keeping up with him - and when she occasionally fell behind
(remember, Max is close to 16 hands vs Dakota's 14) he's actually stop and wait for her,
usually without being told to. He was definitely her security blanket for the weekend.
Dakota's really a wonderful little lady. It's easy to see that as she grows up and gets more
strangth she's going to be a wonderful trail horse. Dale rode her all weekend - and he's no
'little guy', weighs in at about 220 or so. She never faltered with that load, not even once,
and she was always ready for another round. We'd ride for a half-hour or so and let them
rest for another half-hour, munching on the great grass & clover.
Saturday night, when we got them back home, the rest of the guys/gal were waiting for them
- right at the front gate. When we parked the truck, Arizona let out a hollar and Max
answered from the trailer. That did it! Everybody was calling them and they were answering
each call. Tonight (Sunday), it was a bit calmer but not much. Of course, on both nights they
got extra grain & hay for their hard work.
Shoot, I'm so proud of them both I could bust!
14 July 2003 - The last several weeks have been absolutely wonderful! We've taken Max &
Dakota out several times now and they've done really well, no problems at all. Each return
home is met with a family re-union, lots of calling and running around. Arizona's made it quite
plain to everyone that Max is hers, Dakota's claimed both Blue & Banjo, and everyone's quite
happy.
19 October 2003 - Something's changed and we don't know what. Dakota, who was totally
docile and easy-going when we got her, has become a rather defensive young lady. She bites
and kicks out at anyone who comes near her.
4 July 2004 - Very little progress with Dakota. She'll at least let you rub her head now, and
she takes a halter like a pro. She'll lead just fine, take a saddle just fine, but try to ride her
and you've got problems. Still a lot of biting and agressiveness.
20 December 2005 - Nothing much more than the note above. Definitely worried about her
future. Have had vets look at her - nothing physical. It's all apparently psychological.
24 January 2006 - Well, it's done. Dakota is no longer part of our family of
horses. Dale gave her to some good friends that train horses professionally. They live just a
couple miles from our horses and we can visit her anytime we want - but it was, at least for us,
an impossible task turning this little lady around. When they came to visit us, she took to them
right off - haven't seen her this happy/perky in quite awhile. It's as if she KNEW they were
going to take good care of her. I'm hoping this all works out for the best - they say she'll be
just fine and I have to take them at their word. I know they've been very successful with a
lot of other "problem" horses, all my hopes go with her.
been looking for a horse of his own for quite some time and he's simply been smitten with the
sweetest little QH mare that we've seen in quite awhile. Dakota isn't anything really special,
except to us. She's a 2-year old sorrel QH with a disposition almost as laid back as Cherokee.
take care of that. She's quite happy with a rider, although she isn't really trained in any
serious way yet. She's awful willing to try anything and we're planning to take her out on
short trail rides several times this summer. We'll be teaching her the ropes for most of the
summer.
In the meantime, she's spending a few days in Blackie's old corral while she meets the rest of
the guys/gal and gets to know us too. She'll probably be let out this Saturday.
Well! Dakota's officially part of the family now. Dale let her out of the corral on Sunday, 8
June 2003 (there wasn't much point in keeping her there any longer as it was obvious that
she'd been accepted by the others) and after a bit of celebrations (running all over the place
with Blue, Banjo & Cherokee) everything settled down quite nicely and it's been that way ever
since. Cool!
22 June 2003 - WOW! What a weekend! This was the first time this year that we've taken
the horses out on a trip and they were magnificent! Dakota & Max spent the entire weekend
with us out in one of the local parks in the mountains, and we rode them both most of Saturday
& Sunday. Max was his usual self - steady as a rock and totally relaxed - which made it very
easy to keep Dakota cool & calm. Actually, everywhere they went Max was watching over his
shoulder to make sure Dakota was keeping up with him - and when she occasionally fell behind
(remember, Max is close to 16 hands vs Dakota's 14) he's actually stop and wait for her,
usually without being told to. He was definitely her security blanket for the weekend.
Dakota's really a wonderful little lady. It's easy to see that as she grows up and gets more
strangth she's going to be a wonderful trail horse. Dale rode her all weekend - and he's no
'little guy', weighs in at about 220 or so. She never faltered with that load, not even once,
and she was always ready for another round. We'd ride for a half-hour or so and let them
rest for another half-hour, munching on the great grass & clover.
Saturday night, when we got them back home, the rest of the guys/gal were waiting for them
- right at the front gate. When we parked the truck, Arizona let out a hollar and Max
answered from the trailer. That did it! Everybody was calling them and they were answering
each call. Tonight (Sunday), it was a bit calmer but not much. Of course, on both nights they
got extra grain & hay for their hard work.
Shoot, I'm so proud of them both I could bust!
14 July 2003 - The last several weeks have been absolutely wonderful! We've taken Max &
Dakota out several times now and they've done really well, no problems at all. Each return
home is met with a family re-union, lots of calling and running around. Arizona's made it quite
plain to everyone that Max is hers, Dakota's claimed both Blue & Banjo, and everyone's quite
happy.
19 October 2003 - Something's changed and we don't know what. Dakota, who was totally
docile and easy-going when we got her, has become a rather defensive young lady. She bites
and kicks out at anyone who comes near her.
4 July 2004 - Very little progress with Dakota. She'll at least let you rub her head now, and
she takes a halter like a pro. She'll lead just fine, take a saddle just fine, but try to ride her
and you've got problems. Still a lot of biting and agressiveness.
20 December 2005 - Nothing much more than the note above. Definitely worried about her
future. Have had vets look at her - nothing physical. It's all apparently psychological.
24 January 2006 - Well, it's done. Dakota is no longer part of our family of
horses. Dale gave her to some good friends that train horses professionally. They live just a
couple miles from our horses and we can visit her anytime we want - but it was, at least for us,
an impossible task turning this little lady around. When they came to visit us, she took to them
right off - haven't seen her this happy/perky in quite awhile. It's as if she KNEW they were
going to take good care of her. I'm hoping this all works out for the best - they say she'll be
just fine and I have to take them at their word. I know they've been very successful with a
lot of other "problem" horses, all my hopes go with her.
| DAKOTA'S GALLERIES |
| Gallery #1 June 2003 |
Gallery #2 26 August 2005 |
