Alright, let me tell you about my time working with what folks called the ‘Twin L’ performance horses. Wasn’t an official brand name, just what we called this pair I got my hands on a few years back. They came from a place that had ‘Twin L’ on the gate, simple as that.
So, I got these two geldings. Not actual twins, mind you, but looked real similar, both bays, built sturdy. The goal was clear: turn them into solid, dependable performance horses, mostly for ranch work and maybe some local timed events. First thing I did was just turn ’em out in a big pasture for a week. Let them settle, watched ’em interact. You learn a lot just by watching.
Getting Started: Groundwork is Key
Then, the real work began. I pulled them into the round pen, one at a time initially. Started with the absolute basics:
- Leading: Just walking calmly beside me, stopping when I stopped, backing up when asked. Had to establish I was the one calling the shots, but gently.
- Tying: Getting them comfortable standing tied without fussing. Spent hours just having them tied near where I was working on other things.
- Handling Feet: Crucial. Picked up all four feet, every single day. Made sure they were okay with me handling their legs and hooves.
- Desensitizing: Used ropes, tarps, plastic bags. Rubbed them all over. Got them used to sudden movements or sounds nearby. Took this part real slow, especially with the slightly more nervous one.
Dealing with Two Personalities
Now, these two horses, though they looked alike, were different upstairs. One, let’s call him ‘Boldy’, was pushy. Always testing fences, testing me. Had to be real firm and consistent with him. The other, ‘Shy’, was hesitant about everything new. Needed loads of reassurance. Working them together later on was a balancing act. Couldn’t push Shy too hard, or he’d shut down. Couldn’t let Boldy get bored, or he’d invent his own (usually troublesome) entertainment.
Under Saddle and Moving Forward
Saddling came next. Introduced the pad first, then the saddle. Lots of letting them sniff it, stand with it on, before cinching up. Did this for days before even thinking about getting on. First time I swung a leg over, it was just leaning my weight on their back while someone else held the lead rope. Kept sessions short. Walked circles, figure eights. Praised every little try.
Progress wasn’t a straight line. We had good days and bad days. Some days they felt like seasoned pros, others they acted like they’d never seen a saddle before. That’s horses for you. Persistence was the name of the game.
We gradually moved from the round pen to the main arena. Introduced trotting, loping, stopping square. Started working on neck reining. For the performance part, we practiced basic patterns, tracking a dummy steer, opening and closing gates from horseback. Boldy took to the faster stuff quicker, real athletic. Shy was more careful, methodical, but once he learned something, he was super reliable.
Where They Ended Up
Took the better part of a year, maybe more, of consistent work. Sweat, patience, and probably a few choice words muttered under my breath sometimes. But eventually, they came around. Became just what I wanted: reliable working horses. Could use either one for a day checking fences or sorting cattle. Boldy even did alright in a few local barrel races, nothing major, but he had fun. Shy became the go-to for trickier gate work because he was so steady.
So yeah, that was my journey with those Twin L horses. Wasn’t always easy, but seeing them develop, putting in the time day after day, that’s the rewarding part. Just good, honest work building good, honest horses.