October 3, 2025: Bee’s big lessons, new herd mates, and rodeo wins
Some weeks are slow. This one was slow in the saddle, but a wild ride everywhere else. Bee and I got a few rides in with Melinda and her trusty Calvin around the property, and I have to say our girl impressed me. No “mare-ish” antics toward Calvin, just calm focus. I think all our round pen work is finally paying off, especially with Calvin living right next door.
Standing Still and Standing Out
I’ve been teaching Bee to stand at the mounting block (or really anything I put her against) and stay put both while I get on and after I’m settled. She was a star in the round pen. Out on property it wasn’t perfect, but picture this: her entire herd circling, eyeballing her, and calling as if to say, “Why aren’t you going with us?”
When Bee balked at leaving the herd, we put a little Clinton Anderson into practice (IYKYK): back her up firmly, then walk her forward. After two or three tries she understood I meant business, and Calvin was waiting patiently. Together with Calvin, who is on modified stall rest and allowed only to walk under saddle for now, we circled the property without issue until the back pasture, where herd politics got spicy.
Arena Lessons & Sage Wisdom
Calvin, Melinda, Bee, and I continued our walkabout in the back pasture. A warm breeze, sun on our faces, and good company (and you wonder why I love horseback riding so much?) made it pretty perfect. We wandered into the small arena on property, where we played for quite a while.
Melinda shared some fascinating insights about her riding disciplines compared to the barrel racing we are more familiar with. That conversation inspired me to call Bee’s prior owner, Jackie, to be sure I was using my voice, hands, seat, and legs in the way she had taught Bee. Horses have incredible memory, and while Bee can learn new things, why reinvent the wheel if her foundation is already there? We even made a plan to take the horses to Trophy Club Parks in a few weeks, provided Calvin is cleared for longer rides, so we can enjoy the amazing trail system here. (Can you see my heart swelling at the thought? Swoon.)
If you’ll forgive one more brag on Bee: while we were standing and chatting in the arena, we sidled right up next to Calvin. I knew Calvin would be fine, but I wasn’t so sure about Bee. She still has issues with other horses, but she did great — stood quietly while we talked. When Calvin got a little too curious and sniffed her backside, she gave him a polite mare-ish warning, and that was that. Time to head back out into the pasture to continue our ride.
Enter Joker
Then came Joker, true to his name, charging up to us. Bee didn’t appreciate his boldness one bit. Calvin stayed cool and collected, but Bee and I felt the pressure. She threw back legs to make it clear she wasn’t a fan of Joker’s antics. I rode it out, literally, and when a moment of calm came and Joker backed off, I decided to jump off before I was thrown off.
Cue Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman: “Big mistake. Huge.” I thought I’d have an easier time keeping Joker away from the ground, but he was determined to crowd Bee. So, I let her flash him her back end again while I held the reins. Melinda and Calvin headed toward the gate, drawing Joker away, which gave me the chance to step between him and Bee and make our way out to the front pasture… where, of course, the herd swarmed us again with sniffing and crowding, and this time I was still on the ground.
Back to the Barn
Even in that chaos, Bee gave me a gift: she stood still long enough for me to mount from the ground without walking off. For me, that’s a small victory. It’s a long way up to get my leg into her stirrup from the ground, so I definitely need to work on that hip flexibility!
Sunny followed us back toward the front of the property. It was endearing how much she wanted to be near Bee, and under saddle Bee tolerated her without issue. Sunny did toss in a little jealousy, though, pinning her ears and slipping between Bee and Calvin like a possessive friend saying, “Back off, she’s ours.” Herd dynamics never stop being fascinating. With that, it was time to head back to the barn and give these horsies some extra love.
Bee had her entourage here. Sunny played protector, standing between her and Calvin, while the rest of the herd came running to support.
Training: Gate Goals and Road Miles
We saddled up on a different day with Calvin, and once more I was grateful for the slower pace he sets outside the barrel arena. Bee has really taken to following him anywhere. It may look like a leisurely walk, but do not let “slow” fool you. These rides are some of the best bonding opportunities for Bee and me. They give us time to practice leg, body, and hand cues in real situations, just at a more relaxed tempo.
She nailed two big wins on this ride. First, all our work on yielding the hindquarters paid off when I asked her to help me close the arena gate from the saddle. We sidled up to the open gate, I picked it up, and with just a little leg pressure she moved right toward it. No hesitation, no fuss. The gate drags the ground and is hard to manage even with two hands from the ground, so it took three tries to get it latched. But Bee listened, stayed patient, and earned herself plenty of praise and rubs.
Then we left the comfort of the Ponderosa and explored the easement road behind the property. New territory always carries a question mark. New sights, sounds, or even a critter darting out can test a horse in a heartbeat. But with steady Calvin leading the way, Bee walked calmly past lawn crews, delivery trucks, and all sorts of neighborhood commotion.
The road dead-ends into a busier street along the front of the Ponderosa pasture, so we followed the fence line with weed whackers buzzing, blowers roaring, and heavy traffic rolling by. Bee did not spook or sputter. She was calm, cool, and collected. We even rode over to Miss Ashley’s place across the road and came back the same way without a single issue.
Closing a gate from the saddle was one goal, and confidently walking along the road was another. Both got big check marks on Tuesday. We are not “masters” yet. It will take plenty more practice. But with Calvin leading and Bee stepping up, it feels like the sky just might be the limit.
I tried twice to mount Bee from the ground, and she failed me by turning circles to keep me off. I had to walk her over to a downed tree trunk, stand her beside it, and mount quickly before she moved. If you are keeping score, that made it Bee 2, Me 1. Yesterday’s success did not carry over to today, at least not in this arena.
When we came back in from our off-property ride, the back pasture horses (Spur, Royce, and Skye) were curious and wanted to meet us. Bee has not spent time with Spur, but she knows Royce and Skye well as former pasture mates. Royce, you might remember, was Bee’s stall neighbor back when she lived in the outside stall-and-paddock combos.
Spur’s interest set off quite the chain reaction. The more Spur tried to edge closer to Bee, the more Royce ran interference. Neville in the front, and now Sunny, both act protective of Bee, but Royce raised the bodyguarding to a whole new level. He planted himself firmly between his girlfriend Bee and the competition, and whenever Spur tried to slip past, Royce chased him off. No kicking or rearing, just a strong, decisive run-him-off move. It was fascinating, impressive and humbling to watch the herd dynamics play out so clearly, and after months apart, the fact that Royce remembered and protected Bee so fiercely was truly heartwarming.
Lesson learned: small victories build trust, and with consistency they add up faster than you think.
Rodeo Highlights
Our barn family had a banner week beyond Bee and Calvin’s adventures:
Spur and Amelia turned in a clean 16.3 barrel run — their personal best. After nerves and a tipped barrel last week, they worked hard to shake it off, and it showed. This week Amelia is trading in her spurs and hat for a beautiful corseted dress and homecoming.
Mercedes and Payton, one of Bee’s trusted babysitters, took home the top prize at the State Fair of Texas Youth Rodeo. Payton didn’t just win her age group — she had the fastest time of the entire rodeo. Mercedes must have sprouted wings for that run! Pole bending for them this weekend.
Spur and Amelia: Fast, Clean, Flawless (and a PR).
Sister goals: Payton and Mercedes winning big at the State Fair of Texas Youth Rodeo, with Reagan on the rail cheering them every stride.
New Faces: Dream and Cruella
We also welcomed two new horses at the Ponderosa this week, Dream and Cruella. Dream had a tough start. She was used to being stalled right next to her sister, Cruella, but here they are on opposite sides of Silver Doll. Dream paced her paddock all day and all night, working herself into such a sweat that by the next morning she was exhausted and still anxious.
After I round penned Bee, I let her graze in the back pasture on the morning-dew grass. It is sweetest then and adds just a touch more water into her system. While Bee grazed, I walked over to Dream and held my hand out to her. She was pacing, eyes fixed on Cruella, and wanted nothing to do with me at first. But when Cruella turned to eat her breakfast, Dream cautiously approached and sniffed my hand.
I gently touched the side of her face and whispered to her. We stood together for nearly 20 minutes while I stroked her worn-out, overheated body. Slowly her breathing eased, her heart rate settled, and the sweat began to fade. It was one of those barn moments where time seems to pause, just horse and human finding calm together.
Of course, the spell broke when the rest of the herd wandered over, but for those few minutes Dream let herself relax. A few days have passed since then, and thankfully she seems to be settling in — pacing less, eating, and drinking more like herself.
Cruella, on the other hand, has taken everything in stride. She is a calm, steady paint who seems content to watch the commotion around her without getting worked up. Where Dream shows her worry on the outside, Cruella seems to carry a quiet confidence. It will be fun to see how their different personalities settle into the rhythm of the Ponderosa.
We haven’t met their owner(s) so I can’t post pics, but suffice it to say they are both beauties!
Between Bee’s mounting-block patience, friends proving themselves in the arena, and new faces, the barn was buzzing all week. Some lessons are in the round pen, some out on the trail, and some watching others chase their dreams. One thing is certain: there’s never a dull moment at the Ponderosa.