My Old Man Turns 22

No, I'm not talking about My Man...I'm talking about My Old Man...

Tucs Big Boy aka "Toby"

Way back in 1987, I was living in Marana Arizona (just north of Tucson) working for a guy riding his horses. He raised cutting horses. One day he said to me that if I wanted that big sorrel colt in the pen of weanlings I could have him...he said he saw him cribbing and couldn't have him around.

I asked if he'd give me the papers too, and he said yes as long as I gelded him...not a problem...so this huge 8 month old colt comes home with me.

Now, I'm 5 feet tall, so you can see that at 8 months, this guy is pretty tall. I named him Toby, and he turns out to be just a sweetie. At 1 year old, he's gelded and gets his wolf teeth pulled. But, the funny thing is that this colt never cribbed. I think Jim had mistaken Toby for another colt...which he got rid of too. So, I got a perfectly good horse by accident!

I stayed in Arizona for another year or so and than came on back home to Oregon. In the spring of 1989, I took him down to the local boarding stable that had an indoor arena and started him under saddle. He was a piece of cake to start. We started trail riding as a late 2 year old and even won a competitive trail ride that year!

Look at the legs on him!

At that time in my life, I was starting a few colts and mostly just trail rode with my girl friends.

Riding around Timothy Lake on Mt. Hood.
Me 'n Toby on the left.

Then in 1993, I got a wild hair to join a drill team. Toby really wasn't a finished horse by any means...I didn't even know how to teach him to do flying lead changes. I could start colts pretty well, but didn't know to finish them...but, riding drill pretty much self taught Toby to handle himself to make everything easy...he was a super horse!

1993 at our very first demo exhibition.

Our team was practicing once or twice a week and competing 3-4 times a year and also riding in local parades. In 1994, our team decided to ride in the Portland Rose Festival Parade...the biggest parade of the year in Oregon.

All dolled up and waiting.

Riding down the streets of Portland...it was a blast...
something I never dreamed I would do!
Me and Toby even made it onto the TV cameras!

I've never had children, but Toby was still a good baby sitter for the kids I did have...here's Cowboy hitching a ride at his first camp out!

1997 at Sheep Springs campground,
Deschutes National Forest

A very monumental day in my life was on July 10, 1999. My Man and I got married. And we did it in the best way ever possible...

My Man on the late Carina & me and Toby.
A day never to be forgotten!

Drill team continued on for a total of 7 years for me and Toby. It's a hard sport when you have that many women (with different personalities) and that many horses (who always seem to have lameness issues). But all in all, it was a great experience.

The team in 2000.
Toby on the left and his twin on the right.

This was my favorite of all the outfits we ever wore.

In the latter years, some of the team members wanted to participate in rodeos as a pennant team. That was the most fun out of all the drill team stuff. The crowds, cowboys, and running fast...it was a true adrenalin rush!

Yamhill County Fair and Rodeo
Year 2000

The year 2000 was my final year in drill, and somehow I ended up being the coach as well as riding on the team. It was one of the most challenging things I've ever done. I'm proud to say that our team tied 3-4 that year at the Oregon State Meet...something the team had never done before!


We moved to Central Oregon that same fall and Toby has continued to be a super trail horse for me and My Man. And the years have gone by so quickly since then...I've gentled 4 mustangs, bought Colt and started to train him for working cow horse...something I never did with Toby.

But, with Toby's breeding as a cow horse, I thought I'd try him out as a practice horse (practicing cutting training on him while getting Colt ready to start cutting). So, Toby started his cutting career at the age of 20!! We just cut with our local club here and it's a perfect environment for beginners like me.

2007 - 2nd place year end standing
in the Novice/Novice class
after 7 competitions!!
I absolutely love this old man!

Toby injured his hip after a fall on the ice in 2007 and I gave him all of 2008 off. He's sound again, but I think I'll just ride him lightly. He loves to help me with the colts...

Toby ponying Dakota up our hill.

Toby grew to 15.3 hands and actually did pick up the bad habit of cribbing when he was about 4. But, he has been the best horse I could ever ask for...willing and kind...with good looks thrown in for good measure.

Thank you Toby for the years of friendship and fun you have given me...may you live a long and happy life here on the Rough String.

~~Happy Birthday my friend~~