Bucky's Story

Part of a group of 40 horses given up to the Humane Society of North Texas. Bucky had it rough. She was destined for the killers in Mexico, but could not be loaded into the trailer. She is not four yet but has a 6 month foal at her side as well. She escaped and finally ended up on Interstate 35, where she was roped down and dragged by 5 men, injuring her knee. The treatment made an impression, and that impression boiled up a week or so later when she all but removed a finger of a caring lady trying to console her. HSNT asked for my help or she was going to be euthanized. She presented a huge risk to people. Without hesitation she would strike, kick to kill, and bite, in a word she was dangerous in the extreme. She had reached threshold and was very protective of herself and her foal. SHE WAS NOT TO BLAME.

Did she survive, read on and see.

Bucky is very resistant and in control. She internalizes her fear, then explodes in a tirade. Because of this fact she is very dangerous, she gives no warning of the impending attack, and it’s over before you realize you have been injured.

My first encounter with her was about 20 minutes, we go a lot done. By the end of lesson one she tolerated me in her pen with her foal without aggression.

Bucky’s feet were very long, untrimmed, and probably never have been touched. She has naturally beautiful hooves. Working her for 2 hours in a large round pen gets her to a place where she will let me trim her feet without issues, she just stood there, lead rope on the ground and relaxed without aggression.

A very positive outcome for her today, her true base attitude is surfacing and I am liking what I see. She is starting to bond and trust me and this opens up the possibility that I will go further with her, I like this mare......... a lot!!!!! She has no idea what I have in mind for her on our next meeting.

I turned up the heat and made her evaluate the new stimulus and determine that she could handle the input without negativity. A little over an hour and this is the result, tension free acceptance of what was initially a very scary object. I am liking this little mare more and more all the time. I don’t demand brilliance but she is showing me just that every step of the way, time to turn up the pressure even more!

She shows me she is ready for more, and she is. She is bonding with me well, trusting me, walking at her station alongside of me, following me at liberty, turning her head with the lightest touch of halter pressure. yes, she is ready.

I use a bare back pad for the initial girthing up, it is light, won’t slip around, and allows her to feel the girth tight on her belly. Two crow hops and then she is trotting relaxed around the pen. Now, when she feels uncertain she comes up to me for security instead of running away. I know I can proceed to the next step. Notice the low, relaxed head set..... perfect. No fear opens up the floodgates of learning possibilities. Excellence happens if you let it, she is telling me GAME ON!

Bucky is now calm, relaxed, and moves easily and rhythmically. I work her on the ground to ensure she is moving flat and relaxed, as if she did not have a saddle and pad on at all.

She displays more brilliance, so it’s time to begin her life as a wonderful riding horse, and she will be, I will make that happen.

Well......Did she live up to her name? ClickHERE to find out.