Welcome Back Maverick

Welcome back Maverick!

I’d talked with the trainer this past Friday and he said Maverick was ready and I could swing by and pick him up on Sunday. We made arrangements for me to pick Maverick up in the afternoon.

When I’d dropped Maverick off in April, I’d shown great concern for being very uncomfortable around him. I actually had him come out to load Maverick and take him out of the trailer when we got there. So I know the trainer knew how uncomfortable I was around him originally.

When I got there, Maverick was a completely different horse, very much assured of himself and self-confident. I love seeing a completely different horse after the trainer works with them. ABOS-FREAKING-LUTELY LOVE it. I’m very satisfied with how the trainer works with the horses.

He greeted me when we got there and took me back to where Maverick was staying. The first thing he did after haltering Maverick was show me the two cuts Maverick acquired while staying there. I of course wasn’t worked up over it at all. Maverick is a fence rubber. I probably should have warned him to put him in a different stall where he might not ruin the trainer’s facility.


The trainer lead Maverick out on a loose lead rope, actually just draped over his shoulder. I think that was to show me how calm Maverick is. He tacked Maverick up, slowly and did a bit of cinch work to make sure he wouldn’t buck. He led Maverick to the round pen where he proceeded to do just a bit of ground work making him go in both directions at a trot and a lope. Maverick responded beautifully. Then the trainer showed me how he decent zed Maverick with the whip and grocery sack. The trainer then got on. Maverick stood like a gentleman. The trainer trotted him around the round pen and then moved out to the bigger arena. May I just add, this facility is awesome. Nice round pen and HUGE arena to work in. The trainer trotted and loped Maverick. He got him into the correct lead and showed me the two different stops he put on Maverick. I think he worked more on stopping Maverick because of my concern for handling and riding him.


I’m really satisfied how the trainer worked with Maverick and focused on areas of my concern. When the trainer got off he had me get on Maverick and try him out. I know it’s going to take a bit of work. Maverick likes to push buttons and will push mine but I need to remember to be consistent and patient. Something I’m not. So from today on I’m going to work on being consistent and patient with Maverick.

I trotted around the arena and walked him. I even got him to move off my leg. I need to remember that to get him to constantly move, to keep bumping his side and when I stop bumping his side, that’s the cue for him to stop. He even put some neck reining on Maverick, which I think Maverick prefers. I think Maverick prefers that I stay out of his mouth, which is what I prefer too!

As the trainer was leading Maverick back to the saddling area, I mentioned that Maverick had had thirty days put on him as a two year old. I told him the name and we both proceeded to tell our stories. We both came to the same conclusion. In fact, that same “trainer” name came up on the Crooks Trail Ride and I believe those people were on the same page as myself and trainer. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one out there with the same thoughts and feelings about certain “trainers”.

After unsaddling Maverick, we went to load him. Unfortunately the trainer didn’t get a chance to work with Maverick on loading. It took a bit to get him back into the trailer. I think it’s a sign Maverick wanted to stay. Haha Really I think Maverick needs a job and I need to make sure I give him a job!

It took a bit of persuasion but Maverick loaded. To top it off, Maverick stood in the trailer while we gabbed on about horses and life in general. Maverick didn’t paw the trailer at all. I was very pleased with his behavior. He whinnied a couple of times but that’s’ it.

When I got Maverick home, I put him in the smaller dry lot. I played around with Maverick just a little to gain my confidence. I was afraid I would lose my confidence the minute I put him back into the same pen he was in. We walked around on a long lead rope and he followed like a puppy dog.

The trainer pointed out that Maverick needed to be wormed and that he had bots under his mane, which I thought was weird. I looked a bit closer when I got home and found out it was lice. So I doused him with fly spray. Unfortunately that just made the lice crawl to a different spot on him.

The big herd didn’t know he was there until I went around the corner and Maverick whinnied for me. Yes, he actually whinnied for me! Then the herd appeared and that was the end of me messing with him. I didn’t think about the lice until after mom and dad had left and I was sitting there. The horses had been playing across the fence with Maverick and I started to worry that the entire herd would catch the lice. So I pulled Maverick back out and put him in the pony pen. He’s been there before when I first got him. I was a bit worried that he would freak out since he’d be by himself. But at the time he had the ponies to see. But I put the ponies in the smaller dry lot (that’s a story for another day).

I proceeded to completely cover Maverick in fly spray. I’m going to do the same thing again tonight to see if I can’t kill off the lice. Maverick whinnied a few times but settled down to eating and watching the big herd. I checked the big herd over for lice and pulled off a few on Chaos. I think I’ll worm everyone and douse them all with fly spray tonight to make sure I kill the little buggers. I need to buy some luster.

This morning I was a bit worried that Maverick would be upset being alone. This would be the first time he would be completely alone and void of horses. While at the trainers, he was surrounded by horses. But Maverick is pretty comfortable and assured of himself so I wasn’t as worried. I did open the door so he could get peeks of the ponies when they walk by. I’m not sure my panels will hold up to much beating and fighting if Maverick decides he is definitely going to escape.

Both times I put the fly spray on, Maverick stood there like a gentleman. He did get anxious the first time, which spooked me but I need to start treating him like I do the others, and I trust the others. If I’m not afraid of him, he won’t pick up on my nerves. I was a bit wary of Brego and look how much I do with him. I have more stories of Maverick already but I’ll save those for a different entry.

Doesn'tMaverick look like a completely different horse in the pictures? Of course I never really got any good pictures when I had him before. He gained alot of muscle and some weight while staying with the trainers. I'm pleased. I'll have to get better pictures of him tonight and when I put him under saddle (probably not until after the lice is gone).