I just love his name! He was lucky enough to arrive during the few warm days where I could get him a nice bath. We clipped him and of course he stood there perfectly. It was time to get to work but then it got super cold again and we got about 3″ of snow. Wait he doesn’t have shoes on..I can make this work.
So I decided to do his first ride when it was 20 some degrees out with snow on the ring. The top layer was unfrozen enough to make it safe to ride. I started out trying to lunge him but he thought that was about the stupidest thing in the whole world and truthfully I was too cold to even try to explain it to him. He was as relaxed as a horse can be that has not had tack in a year and is getting pulled out with a fresh clip on a freezing cold day. I generally go with my gut and my gut said he is the type that will just be easy. His race record shows that he had a ton of heart (he was hitting the board just not able to move up in class) and he struck me as a horse that would be very professional.
He stood perfectly while I got on from the mounting block and Kurt walked us a lap around. My saddle felt cold as can be and very slick. The thought did run through my head that if he did anything I was likely too frozen to hang onto him but he felt totally relaxed. Didn’t look at anything and just wanted to get moving. I am sure he was cold too so I didn’t waste time walking around. We had a little trot and canter each direction and called it a day. Just enough to see what he was all about (um, really good!) and then back in the barn to get warmed up.
Don’t I look frozen? My back was so cold and tight I couldn’t even do anything but hunch over and hang on. Total cold weather wuss!
It had warmed up enough the next day to melt the snow off the ring and just make it more of a wet mess. I wanted to introduce a bit of contact to him and see what he thought. He picked it up right away and was starting to soften to the bit. He is a bit stiffer going left and easier to the right.
He actually reminds me a lot of Corey in the way that he rides. He isn’t spooky and he tends to just go about his business in a very professional manner. Very brave and willing to think about what I am asking of him and give it a try.
This is a video of him in the first ride. Good boy for first ride in over a year!!!
You can tell how much more relaxed we both were the next day 
Deer hunting had ended and we are now getting more daylight so I am looking forward to hitting the trails. I will get him out this week for his first little off the farm trail ride. He seemed to catch right on to the little jump that I popped him over. Very smart!
Letterman does have a splint on the outside of his left front leg. It isn’t fractured but he is extremely painful on it so he is getting time off…again. He just plays so hard in the field and I am sure this is a result of him either getting kicked or Junior coming down on him during the rough games they were playing. I guess he will now only be allowed to have solo turnout. Tired of him being hurt.
I refuse to dwell on it and instead I went out and bought another horse to play with..take that Letterman! He should arrive this week and I will have more details then with pictures. I have only seen a picture of him but I liked what I saw.
His dam was 27 when she had him??? Yikes!
Wow, he has a really interesting pedigree…his sire had an older sire and his mother is a grand daughter of Bold Ruler…very old lines (Slew, Icecapade) really close up…sort of crazy for a horse born in 2008, but very cool.
Is he for sale?
Yes, he will be here in another few weeks. I want to get him off the farm and out for some trail rides. He is very easy and straightforward but we like to really get to know them.
How much are you asking for him?