| Abrazos Adventure Portales New Mexico offering family and individual recreation to Portales, Clovis, Cannon AFB and the surrounding area with horseback riding and lessons Wendy Toombs owner/instructor 575.607.7344 MEET TEEFA |
On a summer day in 2003, a man stopped by to say he had a horse to donate to the
school. Ray and I looked at each other with a bit of skepticism. Then he said she was an
Arabian and we both had the same thought, hyper – nervous, not suitable for a riding
school. He saw our look and said he thought she would work out. If not, she was ours to do
with as we saw fit.
When he brought her to us I asked all I could think of. A few months earlier I had purchased
a new bit, which I wasn’t using on any of the horses. When we went to the barn so he could
show me what she worked best in it was that bit. He also told me that she would drive to a
cart. I tried her one time and she did.
The grandkids and I rode her about 60 days to get acquainted before putting her into the
school. I still remember the first time I rode her. It was a big time of testing as to which one of
us was going to be in charge. The good news is that she agreed (after a couple of days)
that I could be.
Her previous owner thought she was 21 when he gave her to us on June 8, 2003. Since
then he said he ran across information that indicated she might be 31 at the time. My vet
has looked at her teeth as recently as this year (2009) and thinks she is younger than mid-
twenties. Who knows? She is a cutie and very opinionated.
She has a ‘princess’ attitude and makes sure all who come in contact with her know about it.
She just has a ‘look at me’ way of moving – absolutely nothing bad. She likes to go and the
students just love that. She is a bit rough in the trot but her trot is a good one to learn about
posting. She just puts you in the right place every time.
She is one that has caused me to re-think animal communication. The first time was when I
went into a big pen to catch her (she was with other mares at the time). When I started her
way she was looking right at me. As I approached, she stood still and turned her head to
look over her left shoulder. She then turned back to me and looked over her right shoulder.
When her head turned back to me, I had to laugh and I told her that I was after her, there
was no one else even close.
Another time a mom was tacking her up in the barn and her husband was nearby. All of a
sudden I heard, “Teefa, he didn’t mean it. You don’t look like a lama.” When I stepped over
to see what was going on Teefa had her chin on mom’s shoulder and a look of one who had
been highly insulted. I asked what had happened and mom said that dad made a comment
to the effect she looked like a lama with her winter coat.
Last summer I put a 4-year-old on her for her lesson. When I caught Teefa I told her I didn’t
want her trotting because the little girl wasn’t ready – especially not for her bumpy trot. As
we went to the arena I reminded her again. As the lesson progressed, it was time for sister
to trot her horse. Sure enough, Teefa started to trot too. I immediately started her way and
was telling her to walk and of course on and on. She stopped trotting after the third step
and when I got to her (still nagging) she dropped her head, backed her ears and glared at
me. In my mind I heard the following words with the appropriate tone of voice, “I forgot,
okay?” I shut up and went back to my place in the arena and she completed the lesson at a
walk. The little girl handled everything just fine.
This flea-bitten gray mare is 14 hands 1½ inches tall. The Arabian is a lighter breed so she
will weigh between 750 and 800 pounds. I have one young rider that can post on Teefa
riding bareback. A few of the kids are able to ride her trot bareback and not bounce off.
school. Ray and I looked at each other with a bit of skepticism. Then he said she was an
Arabian and we both had the same thought, hyper – nervous, not suitable for a riding
school. He saw our look and said he thought she would work out. If not, she was ours to do
with as we saw fit.
When he brought her to us I asked all I could think of. A few months earlier I had purchased
a new bit, which I wasn’t using on any of the horses. When we went to the barn so he could
show me what she worked best in it was that bit. He also told me that she would drive to a
cart. I tried her one time and she did.
The grandkids and I rode her about 60 days to get acquainted before putting her into the
school. I still remember the first time I rode her. It was a big time of testing as to which one of
us was going to be in charge. The good news is that she agreed (after a couple of days)
that I could be.
Her previous owner thought she was 21 when he gave her to us on June 8, 2003. Since
then he said he ran across information that indicated she might be 31 at the time. My vet
has looked at her teeth as recently as this year (2009) and thinks she is younger than mid-
twenties. Who knows? She is a cutie and very opinionated.
She has a ‘princess’ attitude and makes sure all who come in contact with her know about it.
She just has a ‘look at me’ way of moving – absolutely nothing bad. She likes to go and the
students just love that. She is a bit rough in the trot but her trot is a good one to learn about
posting. She just puts you in the right place every time.
She is one that has caused me to re-think animal communication. The first time was when I
went into a big pen to catch her (she was with other mares at the time). When I started her
way she was looking right at me. As I approached, she stood still and turned her head to
look over her left shoulder. She then turned back to me and looked over her right shoulder.
When her head turned back to me, I had to laugh and I told her that I was after her, there
was no one else even close.
Another time a mom was tacking her up in the barn and her husband was nearby. All of a
sudden I heard, “Teefa, he didn’t mean it. You don’t look like a lama.” When I stepped over
to see what was going on Teefa had her chin on mom’s shoulder and a look of one who had
been highly insulted. I asked what had happened and mom said that dad made a comment
to the effect she looked like a lama with her winter coat.
Last summer I put a 4-year-old on her for her lesson. When I caught Teefa I told her I didn’t
want her trotting because the little girl wasn’t ready – especially not for her bumpy trot. As
we went to the arena I reminded her again. As the lesson progressed, it was time for sister
to trot her horse. Sure enough, Teefa started to trot too. I immediately started her way and
was telling her to walk and of course on and on. She stopped trotting after the third step
and when I got to her (still nagging) she dropped her head, backed her ears and glared at
me. In my mind I heard the following words with the appropriate tone of voice, “I forgot,
okay?” I shut up and went back to my place in the arena and she completed the lesson at a
walk. The little girl handled everything just fine.
This flea-bitten gray mare is 14 hands 1½ inches tall. The Arabian is a lighter breed so she
will weigh between 750 and 800 pounds. I have one young rider that can post on Teefa
riding bareback. A few of the kids are able to ride her trot bareback and not bounce off.
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Notice that she is drinking out of a
human water fountain.
We had finished the Relay for Life ride
at Ned Houk Park and needed to water
the horses. We had a bucket with us
and there was a spout on the stand so
we could have filled the bucket.
Granddaughter Kelsea started playing
with the water fountain and I caught
several pictures of the horses drinking
from the fountain.
human water fountain.
We had finished the Relay for Life ride
at Ned Houk Park and needed to water
the horses. We had a bucket with us
and there was a spout on the stand so
we could have filled the bucket.
Granddaughter Kelsea started playing
with the water fountain and I caught
several pictures of the horses drinking
from the fountain.
During the 2009 vet visit, it was determined
that Teefa needed her teeth floated. She was
put under sedation and this rig was inserted to
keep her mouth open while Doc rasped the
teeth. Definitely not a dignified look for a
princess.
that Teefa needed her teeth floated. She was
put under sedation and this rig was inserted to
keep her mouth open while Doc rasped the
teeth. Definitely not a dignified look for a
princess.
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