Buckwheat - 22-27 year old gaited gelding

[Whitewolf821]

Hey Jaime, now that you've had him and he's settled in for a few days, do you suspect any arthritis in him?

[schwung]

I'm sure he has it at his age, but I haven't seen any lameness in him. He is not terribly active so he moves around kind of stiffly, but seems relatively ok. I am giving him MSM.

[Whitewolf821]

Awesome. I'll put in an order for some MSM for you to have around. Seems we have a few horses with SAFE that could benefit from it!

Anything else on the wish list lately?

[schwung]

Thanks Crystal! Yes, we can use it! And I posted a big wish list in the thread I posted in the Help Needed forum titled "Our current state". Thanks so much!

[Sara]

That's too bad Jaime. Thank goodness for the safetynet SAFE has in place for just this situation.

[Sara]

This old man is too adorable! He was still eating his breakfast at about 1pm when I left jaime's farm. If it weren't a torrential downpoor I would have snapped a pic of his sweet mush face. I don't think he ventures too far from his feedbucket-making his paddock blessedly easy to pick.

[Whitewolf821]

So how is Bucky feeling? Is the medication helping him to be more comfortable?

[schwung]

Well, Bucky sure gave us a surprise today! His weight is looking great, no more ribs, and he's now wasting half of his mush so I've had to cut him back. Allison and Katie decided to take him out and saddle him up and see how he did. He was great for tacking up...he's just a doll with his little ears! You can see he still has a little bit of that long hair hanging on, but the winter coat he is getting looks quite normal. His feet still need a lot of work but he seems to be moving soundly.

Here he is in the cross-ties getting ready:






We put him on the lungeline for a few minutes to see how he was. He doesn't lunge super well, and he surprised us by being pretty excited, putting his tail up and letting out some cute little bucks. But once he started moving, we noticed he moves a little strangely. We couldn't decide...is he lame or footsore on all four feet, or is he gaited?? Here he is on the lungeline:



But once I got on him, it was pretty apparant that Bucky is, in fact, gaited. He was like butter to ride...I absolutely had a blast. I have never ridden a gaited horse before so forgive me if I don't know how to describe his gaits. He has a very smooth running-walk like gait where your butt barely moves in the saddle, and another trot-like gait but there is barely any bounce at all. And then a canter-like gait but there is more like a side-to-side motion without the moment of suspension like a true canter. In any case he was SUPER smooth. I don't think he was a gaming horse at all. He really was quite sensible, although a little barn sour and tried to go towards the gate a few times, but he just feels like he is wound up because his legs are doing a lot underneath you. He has a lot of go in him but he was easy to stop and steer and really, really fun. He is very out of shape and he got sweaty pretty quickly but he is really a fun ride! Here's a video under saddle:



And more photos!

















He often stands parked out like a gaited horse also:


So what do you think? Could he be Paso Fino, Peruvian, Tennesee Walker? I have no idea of the different gaits..all I know is he was smooth as silk.

[zebradreams07]

I am by no means an expert on gaited horses, but his body type looks more likely that of a Paso, rather than a Walker or Saddlebred. His gaits appear to be similar to the slow gait and rack of a Saddlebred (also called a tolt). He could even have Icelandic in him.

[schwung]

Bucky is ready for adoption! He's at a good weight and UTD on everything, and his winter coat that is growing in looks normal and healthy now that he is on the Cushings medication. I found him a very fun, smooth ride but he is a bit barn sour and probably best suited for an experienced rider if someone were to ride him, but he's got great manners and would be an excellent companion horse also. His adoption fee is waived but of course, all adoption requirements still apply.

[winterlakesfarm]

okay he is toooooooo cute in those pics!

[lyn51]

He reminds me of a well loved and woren teddy bear.

[winterlakesfarm]

YES!!!!!!! The Velveteen Rabbit!!!!!!

[shekaberry]

He is the softest horse I have ever touched. And those ears are almost too much, I have to rub them everytime I see him. He is pretty hot under saddle, but he could be calmer on the trails; in the arena though he is a bit of a firecracker.

[trailsnail]

Lots of guesses here about Bucky's heritage. I'm sure he ain't no Quarter Horse; nor do I see Paso, Saddlebred, Walker, Icelandic, or any of the others guesses that have been tossed around. Here is another possibility. Take a look at some of these horses, browse around the website and make up your own mind. www.brightonridge.com/lady.html