Luc's Riding Adventures

Luc's Riding Adventures 2005

I was once told, “Donkeys are trained the way horses should be”. In all reality Luc’s training came from much of my horse training background, only without all the repetition that horses need. My theory is; if your riding animal can understand cues from the ground it comes easier from the saddle. In training Luc I found that I could move on to the next step much quicker as long as he fully understood the previous lesson. I certainly felt safer on Luc than I have on any colt.

I discovered that some training techniques worked well and others had no effect. For instance, sacking out meant nothing to Luc but I gave it a shot anyway. In a snaffle bit I did tie his head around in the very beginning to let him figure out how to take the bit pressure off, I think that was very effective.

Ground training that worked well included lounging, turning on the forehand and moving the hips over. I did some in hand walking and trotting under saddle all prior to his first ride. This was the perfect time to practice showmanship and halter class. Each maneuver was performed on both sides. Remember we had been driving Luc in a training cart so most of the ground work was not new to him.

His first ride was in a round pen for about ten minutes in an endurance saddle that fit him well. The most difficult part of this session was mounting as I found the saddle wanted to turn each time I put weight in the stirrup. Due to his pear shape I needed smaller girths and a less slippery saddle pad. Little did I know at the time the saddle issue would take over a year to figure out, but I would eventually get there.

My seven year old niece rode Luc his second time. I led him as we journeyed down the road. When we returned she took him by herself around the yard and got along just fine. By now I was using a shorter cinch and adjusting it a little tighter than I care to. The hunt for a different saddle was on, in the mean time I had resorted to using a mounting block.

Before we would start riding I asked Luc to give me his face each direction. Using only one finger to gently move the rein he began to understand I was asking him to turn his head towards me. We also backed before going forward. I found that by turning his head and bumping my heel on the opposite side to turn him in a circle, it was easy for him to understand he needed to move his feet. We started off each time in a turn instead of asking for forward motion going straight.

We had our fifth ride before I asked him to trot. By now we were riding around thirty minutes each session in a large arena. I could tell it was time to venture into the big bad world. We have a cattle pasture that wasn’t being used and with company I figured he would be fine. My sister-in-law, Nancy, was riding a young colt, Bill, and her daughter, Kristen rides a bomb proof horse named Roanie, they were happy to come out to the farm for a ride.

Bill had decided he did not like this long eared creature and Nancy had no desire to climb aboard while he was trying to get it sorted out. Roanie was curious but could have cared less. Nancy walked her colt while Kristen and I rode. Luc was actually more comfortable in the lead. We pasted the machine shed and rode to the pasture. Luc was unsure of himself when it came to crossing a dry creek bed and said, “No thank you, I don’t believe I can go there.” Nancy led Bill across and Kristen followed. With everyone on the other side Luc decided that it must be okay. Right after the crossing Nancy mounted Bill and rode the rest of the way. Again Luc picked up the lead position. The grass was tall and tickled his belly. We rode past honey bees working the blooming thistles. Luc suddenly started kicking at his belly. I could not tell if it was bees or the tall grass that was upsetting him, but I suspect it was the grass as it didn’t last long. On the way back Luc regained the lead and this time he crossed the creek bed first. He did excellent for his first ride out in the open. He now has a total time of four riding hours.

We started venturing out by ourselves after that exploring the farm fields as harvest was over and we had plenty of places to ride. One afternoon as I was riding thru the hay field I looked down at our shadow and was shocked at what I saw, Luc had spit the bit out. I slipped the bit back in, tightened up the headstall and stepped back on. The bit was still hanging low but he could not get it out again. Luc never moved as I was remounting. That comes from sitting quietly right after settling into the saddle. This was my first time stepping on without the mounting block.

Just before our ninth ride I started asking for the side pass on the ground in front of the fence line. During this ride I asked Luc to move his hips over at a walk by taking my foot out of the stirrup and with my heel as far back as I could get it tapped on his side, eventually I would leave the foot in the stirrup and simply reach back. We had been doing some turns on the forehand and it was coming together very nicely. The field rides make great training grounds as the training becomes a natural part of the ride. I need him to move his hip over in a walk so he will be able to pick up the correct lead in a lope.
This was the ride that gave us our first little spook. Maybe it was birds flying off at the pond or a huge metal disk that hangs on a corner fence post. Took a little convincing but we got past all the scarier stuff he had never paid any attention to in the past.

The tenth ride was Aug 27th and it was to be the biggest one yet for Luc. With Nancy & Bill, the colt who is still scared of Luc, we rode thru Spencer’s Ranch, a large cattle pasture with varied terrain. Our first obstacle was a herd of pairs, no problem until a curious calf snuck up behind Luc and started stalking him. No spook on Luc’s part just a little concern. He was pretty okay with riding thru the cows and calves. Yep, he’s going to make a team pennin’ donkey someday.

Then it happened, this would be the world’s scariest obstacle to a donkey… Nope it wasn’t the whitetail deer bouncing out of sight; it was the dreaded stream crossing. Down the creek bank, next to a thorn tree that drew blood on one side of me in several places, was a creek. It was about six feet across and two inches deep. Perfect for his first crossing! I spend the first fifteen minutes with Luc at the bank and me in that #@!!# dang tree with Luc saying, “No I can’t do it”… finally he sniffed at the donk eating water. Meanwhile Nancy splashed across, rode to the top of the next hill and out of site. A heifer on the hillside above us was acting like she would like to come down for a drink. Luc, in major stress, did the only thing he knew… he brayed! Next thing I heard was Nancy saying, “Whoa Bill…Bill whoa… whoa whoa whoa Bill whoa, it’s Okay Bill, WHOA!!!!!” I dismounted and Luc followed me across the stream. When we got to where Nancy was still trying to calm Bill down, the eyes on that colt were as big as saucers, whatever he had heard it had come from where he had to go back across that creek. Bill had to check Luc over to make sure he was okay, he had a new found respect for the little donkey boy who must have fought off a terrible monster down by the creek all by his little ole’ self.

It was almost sunset and time to head back. I had accomplished everything I wanted to on this ride. Rode Luc back across the creek, yes… I was glowing with pride! He followed Bill across just fine. Bill was still looking for that colt eating horrible noise most of the way back. Truly a great ride, deer, cows & calves and our first creek crossing.

11th Ride August 31st We were field riding when I noticed a strange SUV at the pond. I did not recognize the vehicle and was interested in finding out more. At the stream crossing instead of going down into the dry creek bed Luc cleared it in one smooth easy leap, our first jump!
Once on the road I asked for more than a trot and Luc broke into an easy lope going back to the pond, our first lope. It turned out to be fly fishermen trying their luck. After a short visit Luc and I headed to the back gate and up on top where Jim had mowed the tall dry grass for me. I asked Luc for another canter, it was no big deal and we loped across the top of the pasture.
Luc has now graduated from a Myler comfort snaffle into a Myler Combo bit which is working very well for him. We have completed 8 hours of riding time.

Sept 5th Labor Day On this ride we tried out a flex tree saddle with balanced ride rigging, I even switched my endurance saddle to the single cinch system which later I discovered was a mistake. The double cinches work much better on a donkey.
In the wheat field Luc would walk and trot but he did not want to lope, I wondered if it was the saddle. Luc would not go straight and wanted to take off on his own agenda. I solved the problem by making Luc do circles and lots of them. It did help. He has become so comfortable with me riding him that he is now testing the waters to see exactly how much he can get away with.

In the pasture Luc wanted to stay on the bottom where we had not ridden before, on the way back we rode across the top. He was coming down a hillside, moving right along at a pretty good clip. I’m not sure what happened exactly. He may have stepped in a hole or fell to his knees but that darn saddle slid up on his neck and there was nothing I could do about it. I rode to the bottom fortunately it wasn’t far; there absolutely was no place to dismount on that rocky hillside. In a dry pond bed I bailed off and hit the ground hard, it was the only way I could dismount. Hurt too! Luc stayed with me while I laid there deciding if I was going to be able to get back up. Once up and after I carefully checked him over, I led him into a fairly deep dry creek bed and was able to easily remount. No more rides without britchin!

The next ride started off with an obstacle course. I had set up poles in the drive way for Luc to walk over and back through; it was something new and fun. First we walked through them from the ground then I rode him. Jim reset them up about a foot off the ground and we went over those also. He had his first side pass lesson from the ground down the fence line. We now have ten hours under saddle.

13th Ride Sept 9th Enterprise, OR Hells Canyon Mule Days Show
After settling in at the show grounds I saddled and rode Luc into the arena and around the area for about 30 minutes. Luc received a good introduction to the show pen. I am back riding the endurance saddle as I returned the flex tree saddle. He was doing very well and felt ready to show.

The next day to warm him up before his class I rode out to the track where the footing was good. I walked, trotted and then asked for the lope, after about two strides Luc’s head disappeared and his rear end came up. We did not have britchin on (again) but as soon as his ears caught the saddle he quit and this time I was able to step off. Back to the trailer we went to put britchin on. We had just enough time before our class to go back to the track for a walk/trot session. It was Luc’s only attempt at a buck; it may have lasted longer if the saddle had not ended up on his neck once again!

The class was canceled and rescheduled for the next day. Luc had shown in halter, showmanship, drove in a parade, and driving classes so he was more than done for the day. 11½ hrs under saddle

Photo by: www.uniquenorthwestimaging.com

Luc’s fifteenth ride happened in his first Western Pleasure Donkeys class, how would he do? In the class we had easily mastered the walk and trot so when Lee, the announcer, called for a lope I wasn’t quit sure what to expect. I asked Luc and he moved into a comfortable canter... then it got a little silly... Lee asked for a reverse... we were all loping and he wanted us to reverse at the lope? What the ‘ell.... I started laughing hard. Looked around at the rest of the contestants everyone was doing exactly what I was, laughing! I yelled out, “You want us to do WHAT??? Hey, these are donkeys be happy you got a lope!” About then Lee caught on and he started laughing! The judge and ring steward were laughing, the audience was laughing. Lee apologetically regained control of the class as we got underway at a walk, then a reverse at the walk.

The second time Lee asked for the lope, Luc picked up the correct lead and cantered off. He had hit both leads and was the first donkey to change gaits each time. Luc won a ribbon and a belt buckle for all his efforts. The Judge looked over the Myler combo bit but did not disqualify us.

When things get much too serious at a show ... here come the donkeys and for sure they will shake up things a little… or a whole lot!

The Key Hole Race was next, Luc placed 3rd with a time of 33 seconds again we were not pushing it. Best time was 19 seconds. We went through the trail class. He wasn’t ready for most of the obstacles but it was fun to see what he would do. Later we practiced on the trail bridge; he never really got to where he liked it. It was a four foot square and about 8 inches tall, not the best design. When he walked over it from both directions we quit. The weekend was a great introduction to showing under saddle.

For our sixteenth ride we chose Spencer’s ranch again. This time Jim joined us riding one of our Quarter Horse colts that we raised and started, his name is Senor’ PepA. Kristen was on Roanie, Nancy rode Bill and I rode the Luc-Man. This was the first ride in another saddle I was trying out. It stayed in place with britchin and actually did a pretty good job even through I had to continue using the mounting block.
The cattle had been moved so we took Baby, Nancy’s dog with us. Luc was not thrilled about that. As we were walking through the pasture Luc caught sight of Baby running towards him from behind. Luc bolted and I could not get him stopped. Thirty feet later he stopped and whirled to look behind him the same time as Baby ran around the opposite side of where Luc was looking. I doubt if Luc ever saw the dog run past him. We proceeded on as if nothing had happened. I really liked that! The next item we encountered was a plastic bag hung up on a weed blowing in the breeze. The horses avoided it, Luc walked right to it, no big deal!

We encountered no problems at the creek. This time we decided to try crossing a small bog. Luc was really unsure and it took some coaxing but he went over it as everyone started down the trail ahead of him. He did not want to be left behind! It was the same way when we came back and he had to recross it. This time Nancy was behind me. It took a couple of minutes but he did it!
The ride involved going down a hillside, making a loop at the bottom, back up through a draw, picking our way through trees, heavy brush and over a rocky ridge top. Each one our mounts performed perfectly!

Luc's next test was a steep hill climb. He took it like a little trooper. No one had to wait for the donkey boy; he came right up it like it was an everyday occurrence. We rode across the top, dropping back down a hill to the bog and over the creek. Luc decided two things on the way back. First he wanted to chase deer with Baby. Nancy was doing a good job calling Baby back to us. Luc did take off a couple of times towards deer and I had to circle to stop him. He also broke into a trot several times so I had to check him to bring him back to a walk. He was energetically charged and was having a great time on this ride! The second thing he decided to do was to check out the water tank. A four sided concrete box, six plus feet tall with water spilling out of a pipe on one side. As everyone else got closer to the gate Luc decided maybe he had better rejoin them. He was fantastic; again I was thrilled with his performance. He is such a thinker and to ride a donkey like Luc you really need to pay attention as to what is going on inside their head as well as outside their body!

When we got back Kristen used him to practice 4-H showmanship. Then we tied Luc next to Bill. Nancy went to get grain for her horses and Luc started to donkey whisper. Bill was not sure about that sound. At least Luc did not bray this time.
We are now up to 15 hours of saddle time.

Oct 30th it was a beautiful day on the Camas Prairie. Loaded Luc in the front of the trailer and took off for town. At Nancy’s I unloaded, brushed and saddled. We took some extra time to fit a smaller britchin on Luc that should work better. We loaded Nancy’s two colts in the back of the trailer and then up the side ramp and into the trailer Luc went. By the time we got to the upper end of the WhiteBird Battlefield it was noon. Since everyone was saddled it didn’t take long to get underway.
Luc was really interested in looking everything over. He had never been here before and he was incredibly observant of his surroundings. When we started towards the trail he was shaking his head and trying to put it down, I knew there was a buck in there. He was also trying to run off. I put him behind the horses and made him stay there. He was thinking everyone was moving way to slow. I had a pretty strong hold and if I let off he took advantage of the loose rein. Finally I was able to have the reins where he knew I was on the other end but was not putting to much pressure his mouth. I’m not sure what got into him except this looked a lot like the desert country where he was originally from, maybe he thought he had gone home again.

The trail we took dropped down to a fence line and we followed it for a ways before heading uphill. It was a pretty good pull and it helped to take the edge off. He wasn’t sure he liked the feel of the britchin but it held the saddle in place. We rode thru the bottom of a draw knowing the trail lay ahead. Kristen took off along a side hill. We followed her for a long way before we hit the trail. It was a pretty good side hill for Luc. We made a huge loop thru a large flat and spooked about a half dozen deer. Luc watched them run off and continued looking up the draw. He had kicked at Baby when we first started. Baby came back and settled in behind us leaving plenty of distance. Luc was okay with that.
Again we encountered some fairly steep hills on the way back, and more deer. Luc knew they were there and didn’t spook when they took off, but Bill jumped several times.

It must have been about 60 degrees with a cool light breeze. It was perfect. Luc never broke a sweat. He was a different boy by the time we got back to the trailer than when we left. The rolling hills had taken the wind right out of his sails. I could tell he was in his element and was one happy boy.
With a total of seventeen hours of low-key diversified saddle time we ended Luc’s first year of riding.