Samantha K.

Sammie loosening up a bit....

Samantha is leaving. I'm really excited, and kinda sad! Sam has been here at Cowfeathers since, about 2006. I stole her from Kendra Z. I mean, Kendra kinda knew I was taking her, but neither one of us knew it would be quite so permanent! Sam is Kendra's horse, given to her for her 16th birthday. She is pretty and athletic and the color of dry corn....

Which is not a known color in the horsey color charts, but her color just the same. 

When Sam was at Kendra's she took a bit of advantage, and landed with some bad habits, not the least of which was intimidating Kendra. She was also getting fed a diet too high in energy and did not have an outlet for it all. Consequently, Kendra was a bit cowed by Sammie K. Kendra was babysitting my kids at the time, and I could sense she was not enjoying her horse experience to the fullest. I offered my assistance. It didn't take long for me to realize I needed to get Sam some exercise and some low cal food QUICK! So, I went over to Kendra's house and rode her to mine. For a while I was riding her back and forth. Ride her home, run back to Cowfeathers. Run from Cowfeather's to Kendra's, ride home. Unfortunately, she was not the safest of road mounts at the time, and eventually I just stopped returning her. Stolen. Right there.

At my house she had equine company, and someone patient enough to ride her. It took a while ( 2 years?) But at some point, Sam started trusting me, enjoying being groomed and relishing her under saddle adventures. She became a real star on the trail, doing overnights, and 30 miles. She would trust me enough ( and I trusted her) to ride deep into dark caves, slide down hills on her hocks, pick her way under waterfalls. She became fun and tolerant in the dressage arena, even scoring over 70 pts. at a dressage show! She learned to jump and enjoy fences in the ring and in the open. She became brave and would tackle odd obstacles, just because I said it was okay.  Last year, I added a new dimension to her enrichment program : Foxhunting. The art of the chase. Wonderful fun, and she was marvellous. Calm and easy, having a wonderful time. Not at all fazed by the hounds, or the charging field of horses with their riders. And roads were no longer worrisome. We even got passed by a street sweeper-in the country! She just moved aside, closed her eyes, and we were pelted by sand, small rocks and enough dust to choke a dinosaur. On with the ride.

Tied at Airplane Rock in Hocking Hills State Park. Nice butt.

When she arrived at Cowfeathers, she had a tendency to turn her butt on you in the stall or field. I changed that promptly. Then it turned into a tendency to avoid being caught. A couple years ago, I was in Kentucky on a horse related errand, and my Huz was in charge of the farm. He called at 9 pm or so, irritated, because Sam wouldn't be caught. I told him he could try grain, but I don't reward bad behavior with grain. He asked "What then?" I told him my method; "I go in the pasture, and offer her the opportunity to stand and be easily caught. If she obliges she gets at forehead rub and some soft words. If she does not, I just take that as a sign that she hasn't had enough exercise today, and I chase her around the pasture, not allowing her to stop and graze AT ALL, until she puts her head down, chews a bit, and approaches me. Then, she gets the forehead rub and soft words. I get exercise. Usually only takes 5-10 minutes of running around. " Our front pasture is big. He chose the grain option. She is now easy and ready to come when I get to the pasture. And, leads easily with more than one horse.

The only photo I have of Sam Jumping. Picture taking is problematic from the driver's seat.

Sam, with Middlest at the county fair. Showmanship Class.

She was my main mount, my go-to gal. Then, I found Oslo, and poor Sam didn't get much riding time after that. She spent spring with an occasional young rider, and my friend, Carly who jumped her in one lesson. She got a summer of an occasional turn around the pasture with Kendra, and pressed into trail service for Emma J. when her mount went unsound. She got pulled out last minute for a hunter pace early fall when Oslo had a loose shoe. It just isn't enough for this fun, easy, sweet horse. So, she is going to live at a large barn for a while with a lot of opportunity for rides, and even get to go Foxhunting! I think she'll be really happy. And, I'm gonna miss her.