Bato Loco es Mucho Terrific!

OTTB Bato Loco and new mom Melissa are working hard several days a week

OTTB Bato Loco and new mom Melissa are working hard several days a week

Loco is coming along great. I am at the barn at least five days each week; two days round pen, three days ride. We’ve made a lot of progress. Loco stands perfectly still at the mounting block for me and comes in from the pasture when I call him.

He has really “gotten it” in the round pen. He can lunge! In the ring, we are focusing on bending and making smooth turns. Lots of figure eights. We are doing well at the trot. It helps to be at the end of the ring, going side to side so the fence can help keep him turning. Cantering figure eights is a BIG challenge. He is doing better cantering half the ring, but even that is tough. I know once he builds up some new muscles, it will get easier.

Loco and Melissa occasionally use the fenceline as an aid when working on bends

Loco and Melissa occasionally use the fenceline as an aid when working on bends

Yesterday, we got in eight or ten strides of a beautifully paced, collected canter. Sounds small, but it was a huge accomplishment.

Earlier this week, to keep things interesting, we left the ring and hit the trails! Loco couldn’t have been any better. We walked past streams and a couple of small lakes. He was fantastic!

He has started going out with some other geldings. I felt like a mom putting her child in daycare for the first time! There were a few kicks and pinned ears, but they all got over it, and everyone is happy. He seems to look forward to time out with the boys now.

Loco and I are getting better every week. I am proud of the many milestones we have turned in such a short time. To think he was on the race track just over a month ago is crazy!

Melissa

Read more updates on Bato Loco and see more photos in Bato Loco’s photo gallery.