A Full Bird Colonel!

Last year we purchased a nice AQHA stallion we felt was a real bargain. He was on the fast track to a successful career when he injured a hind leg. The previous owner felt he would recover and successfully compete. We liked his blood lines, attitude, and athletic ability. So we bought him to breed to some mares we have. We changed his barn name to Colonel. Little did we know just how appropriate this rank would be.

He is usually pretty easy to handle and is routinely ridden around the ranch as well as off the place. We have no plans to send him back into reining. The leg healed completely, but he is just too nice a horse to spend his life spinning circles in a ring.

The other day we went to worm him and the mares in his paddock without a second thought. The mares were all easily caught, tied, and wormed. Colonel just happened to be last and no one expected what came next.

All the training given him suddenly left his consciousness and Colonel decided he didn’t want to be caught. Yep, we also have these issues every once in a while just like everyone else. Colonel was driven into a catch pen where there was less room to run and could be more easily caught. Much to our surprise, he jumped the fence. It measures 52″ to the top and he flew over it like a bird. He is an athletic animal and now holds the rank of a Full Bird Colonel!

Story ended well, we caught him about 15 minutes later, let him settle for a minute, and completed worming. Maybe when we have a little more time, we’ll work on learning to stand instead of flying.  Moral is when you go to change a horse’s barn name, be careful what you call him!

See Colonel’s Bloodlines