Meet T.P.

Okay, tonight I'm going to write about something that does *not* annoy me! Meet "T.P." our loveable, 1400 pound 16.2 hand teddy bear, Tennessee Walking Horse Stallion! "T.P.'s" real name is "Power's Touch of Power" so you can see why we call him "T.P." Sometimes I call him "Clunker" (And I mean that in a totally affectionate manner.)

We bought T.P. from a wonderful couple in Mississippi by the name of Bob & Tommie Weathers. These people were about the nicest and most honest horse people I have ever dealt with. They promised us we would be happy with T.P. and we are not only happy, we are thrilled!

"T.P." is a perfect gentleman at all times. We trail ride him with other mares and stallions, we pony youngsters off of him, we show him out of the trailer at shows where we tie him next to our other stallion and there is NEVER a fuss. "T.P." is the perfect southern gentleman at all times.

He has been doing very well for us in the show ring and hopefully we will soon be standing him at stud to other outside mares. The horse has a hilarious personality. He is not too fond of being saddled as it usually means a long trail ride is to follow. Oh, he isn't hard to saddle at all, he basically just stands there as long as you are watching him. But if he thinks for a minute you aren't paying attention.....

Well today for example, I trailer him over to a friends to go for a trail ride. I toss the saddle on and go to cinch it only to realize I had used it on a smaller horse the day before and had changed the cinch to one that was too small for "T.P." No problem, I have another "T.P." sized cinch in the trailer. I remove the small cinch and leaving the saddle on his back turn to go back to the trailer to retrieve the longer cinch. I couldn't have gone more than 3 steps and I hear a very loud "WHUMP"! I turn back and there stands "T.P." with the saddle at his feet with this wide-eyed look of innocence on his face as if to say...."Gee mom, I really don't know how that happened"..."It must have just fallen off."

I stomp back to the innocent looking stallion, grab the pads off the ground, replace them on his back and toss the saddle back up where it belongs and turn back to the trailer to retrieve the longer cinch. Again after three steps I hear "WHUMP!" I turn to see the saddle on the ground again but this time it has landed at his front feet and he is desperately holding up one front leg, trying *not* to step on the saddle, as he knows 'then' he would really be in trouble! Again, he has this innocent look on his face as if to say..."But Mom, it just keeps jumping off! I can't help it!"

Okay "T.P."! This time I have your number. I leave the saddle at his feet and this time I get the cinch BEFORE I replace the saddle. I come back with the replacement cinch and saddle him up. Never once does the saddle try and 'jump off'. Funny how that saddle doesn't do that when I am looking at it the whole time isn't it?

I swear he was laughing at me!