Scritch's Pick 2-19-13

After a wonderful drive the Krystal from our local Las Vegas NV BLM office we arrived at the Ridgecrest holding facilities.

( Krystal's truck and trailer in Baker)

The facility is very nice with many LARGE paddocks so the horses have plenty of room to move and easy access to necessities (hay, water, shade, etc) I swear very horse there looked fat and happy LOL. 

  (Group of yearlings at BLM Ridgecrest facility)

After talking for a bit the wranglers headed out to being in some horses for us to pick from.

 (Wranglers heading out on their Saddle Horses)

Bringing in a herd of as many as 50 four and five year old geldings for us to pick from. There were some absolutely BEAUTIFUL horses!

(Herd coming in)

 

First they let us view their movement

(The herd checking us out in the round pen)

They divided them into 3 smaller groups so we could get a closer look at movement and temperament. Then again into a 4th smaller group of our favorites.

(our favorites)

Through the entire process there where 3 horses I kept coming back to. A dun appaloosa with a roan blanket, a chestnut with a large blaze and four white socks, and a chestnut with only a blaze. They were  all on the taller side, stocky, straight legged, with good backs, great bone, nice movement, and of course beautiful. But the chestnut gelding with just a blaze insisted he was the one coming home. 

(Scritch hanging out with me and happily munching)

From there it was time for paperwork and a long trip home. About this time my camera decided to die LOL

Scritch did fantastic in the trailer and at every stop we got to know each other work. We found after trying both apples and carrots, making incredibly funny faces with both, that he preferred apples and was very curious about the world around him. Being more inclined to go to the side of the trailer were the most activity was and watch interestedly at everything around him. 

By the time he arrived in Pahrump it was dark but that wasn't a problem for Scritch. If anything getting him motivated to get out of the trailer was. Krystal ended up coming in the side door to put a little pressure on him and he decided to very leisurely stroll out of the trailer, stopping half way out to crain his head around and look at Michelle on one side of the trailer then reach out with his nose and touch me on the other, before stepping the rest of the way down and very quietly strolling into his new pen to explore. 

And that was the end of one chapter and the start of another in Scritch's great adventure of life.