Skeeter Bug

Meet Skeeter.  He's the newest addition to our family.  He is an 8 year old, Appaloosa gelding.  Friends of ours from Cowboy Mounted Shooting found him for Matt, and I think Skeeter and Matt are going to be just about perfect for each other.  He came with the name Skeeter, but the previous owners also gave him an alias of  "Big Dog".  They said he would need a little work neck reining, but I don't think that's quite it...it's more like attitude.

However, we have already seen that Skeeter is extremely trainable.  Already he more than willingly comes when we call and it didn't take long for Matt to get this big guy's attitude in control at meal time.  It seems Matt has rode him enough, now, that he is not trying the bucking that he tried with Matt initially. I honestly think it was just a matter of us getting to know him; and he getting to know us.  It almost seemed like he wanted to like us before he would work for us.  But I can see the bond has started.  Matt is trying to ride him as much as possible, but with all the rain we have been having he missed a week or more, and when Matt went out to ride him yesterday, Skeeter didn't even try to buck or balk as he had done previously. 

He still has a few issues - he doesn't like his feet picked up for cleaning, trimming or shoeing.  That isn't going to make Jake happy, but we have been steadily working with him and he is getting better all the time.  It will come; I think in his heart this horse wants to please.  He is not a gentleman in the way that our Lady was a lady, so he will be a bit more of a challenge for Matt, but I know it will be good.  Sometimes Lady seemed like a delicate, little princess with the endurance of a race horse; Skeeter is like a big, brawny farm kid, with maybe more muscle than brains....but he will do anything for a treat. ;-)

I think Matt is going to have a great time training him; though he may not be ready for mounted shooting this season, I know they will have a lot of fun trying.  I can see the bond is already there.  I know it is for me.