Finally, some pictures!

 

Apologies, but I haven’t had a lot of time to wander around taking pictures since being home.  Between running errands, trying to clean up the place, and getting horses groomed (probably for the first time all winter) and fed, I just haven’t had the time or energy to walk around with the camera.  However, today when Glenn and I got home from town, I found a scene that simply had to be captured.

 

An all male slumber party happening in the stud paddock.

The mud and filth on everyone just made me want to throw my brushes into the burn barrel and give up on the whole grooming thing.

 

But seriously, how cute are these two (dirt and all)?

 

The fact that Kincaid let me get so close for pictures while he was lying down was impressive enough.  He’s still skittish about certain things, and usually hops up if someone is within 50 feet of his snoozing spot.  Then to further impress me with his lackadaisical attitude, he did this.

 

The sun, it’s warm.  My belly, it’s full.  The hay, it’s comfy.  And I am simply too tired to care that you are that close.  I will smile for the camera, though.

 

I thought it was rude that all the larger horses laid down for a nap and left the littlest ones of the bunch to stand guard.

 

Or stuff his face, in Dagwood’s case.

Good night boys, have a fun sleeping in the hay.  Better you than me!

Unusually unusual

Today should not have gone near as well as it did. 

Mark your calendars, ya’ll.  I won’t say that very often.

Remember Jethro?  I get the feeling that he really wants to be an easy keeper, but no matter how much Safe Choice and free choice hay I give him, he still doesn’t have a very nice top line.  His spine sticks up just a wee bit and the top of his ribs can still be seen.  So my thought was that after spending a month locked in a 12x12 stall at the shelter and two and a half weeks stuck in a pen in my yard with Jed his muscles might just be atrophied.  His gut has shrunk a bit after two wormings, but is still more than adequate for his size and his butt has filled out nicely.  However, even though his pen is about three times the size of his stall, there still isn’t any room to run and play when the urge strikes.  Last week I wondered briefly if I could put him in with the Fairmont studs, but then thought better of it because strange stallions will almost always fight and I didn’t want anyone hurt.

Then yesterday I woke up to find Drunken Neighbor’s proud cut gelding standing in my driveway and whispering sweet nothings to Don Juan over the fence.  Don Juan was calm, accepting, and even looked like he wanted to play with the big gelding.  Hmmmm….  This set my little brain to whirring and I made the executive decision this morning to try putting Jethro in with the other stallions and see how it went. 

It was terrifying!  I doubted Jethro would make it out alive.  Don Juan was so aggressive and kept rearing and striking out at poor Jethro…

 

 

 

Um, yeah.  The two of them hit it off like old college chums running into each other in a gay bar.

 

 

Kincaid made nice with the “I’m a baby don’t hurt me” suckling motions and little Rusty just couldn’t get enough of Jethro.

 

 

 

Dagwood knows that the surest way to tell a stud from a mare is to sniff their hooves and chew on their lower legs. Huh?

When you’re still not sure, just pretend you’re a dog and take a long whiff right where it counts.

 

Jethro never panicked or became annoyed.  His ears were always up, he never lifted a leg to threaten a kick, and his teeth stayed hidden.

 

I had left Jethro’s halter on at first in case I needed to pull him out of there quickly.  But the introductions only lasted a few minutes and then everyone settled down together to eat some hay.  Right now everyone has squished themselves into the run-in shed to share in the shade.  So much for strange stallions always fighting!  It probably would not have gone so well if there had been mares in the area, but I guess a Lucille donkey in the yard doesn’t count.

 

Now, would someone please come up with something organic to kill all the burdock plants on the farm?  Please??

The Fairmont Boys

I promised pictures of the stallions that I still had left over from the Fairmont seizure and I’m finally delivering.  Better late than never?

This is Chip, and I would like someone to supersize him for me.  Because I love him and he is the black stallion horse that I always wanted as a little girl, only trial size.  I would like the family pack sized version, please.

 

I think next spring I’ll find a pony-sized harness, fix up the pony cart that has been sitting up on the ridge since before we bought this place, and turn Chip into a cart pony. 

Everyone falls in love with Don Juan.  Granted, he’s very handsome, but he’s just not my type of horse.  He’s very narrow and I prefer to feel like there’s a full-dress Harley under me rather than a moped.  I’m sure once he’s gelded and evaluated under saddle, he’ll have a home in no time.

Dagwood… I love him!  He and Rusty are so affectionate and whenever I’m out there, the two of them are right next to me, one on either side, following my every move.  He’s the first to nicker at me when I come out the door in the morning, and was the first stud to make Riley welcome at weaning time.  Does he know he’s Riley’s father?  I wonder.

 

Little Rusty… this is as far away as I could get for a picture.  He’s like a fat leech with legs and fur.

 

Fraggle is much sleeker and shinier than when you last saw him.  He’s also a big sweetheart that’s always looking for attention and a head rub.

 

 

Last, but certainly not least, Kincaid.  He is quickly becoming the new Maverick!  Kincaid is showing a lot of the same intelligence and need to please that endeared Maverick to me.  He nickers at me every time he sees me and has the same sense of humor that I saw in Mav.  He’s still jumpy and shy around strangers, but is always looking for a scratch behind the ears when I’m alone.

   

 

Riley went to his foster home today.  His main job in life is to keep Huey company and I’m sure the two of them will get into all sorts of trouble once they’re together again!

Introductions – Everyone else

I think this is everyone else, but don’t quote me on that. 

Casper isn’t a mini, but he is a very small pony.  Maybe Welsh?  He’s very skittish and doesn’t think humans are necessary, but he’s coming around slowly.

 

Jubilee is also a small pony, and is very pregnant.  She’s a sweetie who discovered quickly that humans = treats and being petted doesn’t hurt.

 

Peppermint is a cute little mare, a little on the large side to be a mini so may be a small pony.  I’m no expert, so you tell me.  She’s also becoming friendly very quickly and loves to have her head rubbed.

 

 

Daphne is very shy and tends to stay by herself.  She doesn’t really have any buddies that she hangs with and is always the last one in to eat.  I haven’t seen anyone picking on her, I just think she prefers solitude.  She did take a liking to a little boy that came to visit today and walked right up to him and allowed him to pet her.  She just doesn’t have a use for the big humans.  I can’t really blame her.

 

Frankie is a cute little blue-eyed girl that was one of the first to become friendly towards us. 

 

Dagwood is one of the five mini studs in dire need of castration.  He’s become enamored with people and treats, but chases poor Casper around constantly.

 

Blondie is Dagwood’s girl and is probably carrying his baby.  She looks like she’s about to pop any time and her udder is starting to bag up.

 

Opie never leaves Blondie’s side and seems to be very young, so I’m assuming he’s her last offspring from a year or two ago.  He’s very shy, but figured out what treats were tonight and let me rub his head just a bit.

 

Possum is stealing everyone’s heart!  He’s the smallest mini in the herd and also one of the friendliest. 

 

Peanut is a mare that actually doesn’t seem to be pregnant, or at least not very far along.  She’s shy and hasn’t come close enough to discover treats yet, but it shouldn’t take too much longer.

 

River is Chip’s main girl and the two of them are rarely apart.  And of course she’s pregnant.

 

Sorry for the picture overload tonight, but I just can’t wait to tell you about the two new arrivals to the farm that happened earlier this week.  More on that tomorrow! :)