BO DIAMOND DANDY BY: HY DIAMOND DANDY by HY DIAMOND (tb) OUT OF: BO’S HOPE by HOBO ADAM by HOBO (1964-1991) Bo Diamond Dandy was foaled in 1964, when we lived on the Lightning M Ranch west of Houston. She was one mean little motor scooter. As soon as she wobbled into a standing position, I touched her on the rear, and she pinned her ears and did everything a newborn foal could do to kick me. That set the tone for our encounters throughout her weanling and yearling years, and the only thing that stopped her from trying to kick me every time I walked into her stall was me throwing a bucket at her. One time, she got the bucket hung between her hind legs, and that scared her so bad she never tried to kick me again. After she was weaned, I started putting the baby surcingle (a padded donut-shaped training harness)
44
Pat’s Horse Tales
on her with driving reins and a soft rubber bit. Things would go great until I put any pressure on her mouth. She just couldn’t stand it. She’d flip over in a New York minute. I had our saddle maker at the store make me bit holder that included a bosal (noseband). Well, her nose was almost as soft as her mouth, but I learned to get along with her. When I could wait no longer, at about 18 months, I put my saddle on her. It only weighted 28 pounds, fully rigged. I put a very light bosal on her and stepped on. It was just Bo and me—no one else was around. I had driven her so much, that with a light cluck and a squeeze of the leg, she moved off, nice and calm. That went so well that after a bit, I eased her into a trot and then an extended trot. It was all pretty colt-like, but we were moving forward with no bucking or bad behavior. At one point, while she was in an extended trot, I thought, let’s see if the girl will stop in an acre or less. I picked her up and asked her to whoa, and I almost fainted when she kept her head in perfect position and using her withers as a fulcrum, dropped her butt down and came to beautiful stop with her hind legs under
