11/18/05 Pardner II

Pardner II Today I'll continue the story of a young ranch horse we tried for too long. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back. Yesterday I told you about Pardner's sneakiness finding ways to practice his bucking techniques. My brother, Dane and I thought the horse had potential so we decided to give him all the riding he needed to succeed. Pardner's first ride that spring was strictly for mileage and the first three miles was up a steep grade that he took at a long trot. My mistake was making him walk the third mile. At the top he saw the only excuse he needed to performa fence out of placefunny how well you can ride when you're all alone and might have to walk home. Later, Dane had Pardner working cows on a bad hillside. Pardner saw a beetle he didn't like and the devil took a holiday. A horse can really gain ground while practicing a "Lipizzaner Leap" on a steep hillside. Dane was riding well until his coat hung on the saddle horn, then it was all rocks and dirt. Dane remounted and eased up the hill; on the flat he tried everything but couldn't get Pardner to even crow-hop. Later that summer after a long haul and a long day checking cattle, I stopped at the local team roping. Pardner was a perfect gentleman. On the way home I stopped to get a hamburger. I gave Pardner an atta-boy pat that woke him upI didn't know a horse could buck like that in a two-horse trailer. I tied the trailer together with my rope and slipped home in the dark. Eventually Pardner went to the bucking string and enjoyed himself as much as we enjoyed not being on some hillside-begging Pardner for mercy. I'm Jeff Keane.