Training Updates

 

It’s either feast or famine around this blog lately.  I either hit you with multiple posts in a week or zip, zilch, nada for weeks at a time.  Sorry about that!  Here’s what you’ve missed:

1.  Jethro was adopted and just left today.  The kids were also trying to sneak Amigo into the trailer without me noticing.  It didn’t work, but it was amusing to watch them lead him around with just their arms around his little neck.

2.  Traveler went for his fourth ride and first trail ride ever on Wednesday.  He was AMAZING!  Read all about his ride on Tamara’s blog.  Traveler heads over to my pony foster next week for daily riding and further training.  Then, it’s likely he already has a home waiting for him with Jethro’s adopter!

 

3.  At the same time Traveler heads to the foster, Chip will be headed to the vet for some much needed brain surgery.  Then he’s off to the foster as well for training.

4.  Did I tell you the story of Whiskers?  She was actually rescued by a friend, but turned out to be too dangerous and unpredictable for her to keep at her barn with larval humans running around.  She’s three, but I wasn’t going to start her training this year because we had so many other youngsters.  However, she kept hanging out around the round pen, watching everyone else and  looking left out.  So just to see how crazy Tamara really is, I asked if she wanted to work with Whiskers and see if she accepted the saddle as well as I thought she would.  Whiskers never batted an eye when she was tacked up, so Super Crazy Volunteer laid across her back, then swung on up.  Whiskers went berserk!

 

 

Can’t you tell?  I know it’s not a video, but that’s what happened.  Whiskers stood statue still, just swishing her tail at flies.  Tamara dismounted, untacked, and called it a day.  Now that we know Whiskers accepts pretty much anything, we’ll start her ground work and teach her voice commands and cues.  Once that’s done, the rest will obviously be pretty easy.

5.  Jasmine is doing so well that we’ll probably take her out on trail for the first time this week.  I’ll take pictures this time because I just know she’ll do awesome!

 

6.  Quill.. what can I say about Quill except that he’s incredible?  We should have him out on trail soon, too.

 

I never imagined having this many Maverick-wanna-bes in the herd!

Quill’s first ride

 

When Tamara was out the other day she got on Quill for the first time.  Let me tell you, it was devastating!  I thought for sure Quill was going to… going to… oh, I just can’t say it… I thought he was going to fall asleep!

 

He looks really upset about this whole human on his back concept, doesn’t he?

 

She only stayed on him for about 10 minutes.  Just long enough for him to find his balance with the extra weight, and wake up.  Just a little, mind you.  Not enough that he actually put any effort into the session.  I think Tamara worked harder than he did. 

 

Now I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  Quill has been worked with in the round pen a total of ONE time.  That’s just the way he rolls.  Crazy humans want me to do something? Okay, let’s do it!

 

 

I just love this little guy and I think Tamara feels the same.  How could she not?

Just a few pony pictures

 

I don’t think I’ve ever been clinically depressed in my life, but the past few months have seen a new side of me, a side I don’t think I like.  It’s been terribly difficult for me to find the energy to do anything except feed the horses.  When Amigo was born I had to force myself to get the camera and take some pictures of him.   I felt like I was far underwater, just trying to swim to the surface for air.  All I could concentrate on was flapping my arms in hopes of reaching the surface before I drowned.  I didn’t want to ride, take pictures, blog, start any seeds for the garden… none of the things that usually get me going this time of year held any interest for me.

This morning when I rolled my weary body out of bed I decided that enough was enough and took the camera with me when I fed.

Sky and Quill were very thin when we got home in February.  Their hips and backbones were sticking up under their thick winter coats and they were lethargic.

 

Being so young, they recovered quickly.  Quill still has a little weight to put on, but he’s starting another growth spurt right now and not only growing out, but also growing up again.

 

Had Tabby been fed properly this winter, she’d already be back to normal.  But when we got home, she didn’t look that much better than when we took her back from her adopters.  I’d still like to see another 150lbs on her.

 

I only wish they could all be like Dallas (except for the covered in mud part)!

 

Traveler is another one that didn’t lose much weight over the winter.  He was still plump and round when we got home.  Greedy little pony still thinks he needs all the grain in the world and runs me over at every feeding.  Good thing he’s cute and cuddly.

 

Ditto for Jewel.  That mare could stay fat just by looking at food. 

 

Molly was fat when she came back from her foster home, but quickly lost weight and became ribby when Gilbert refused to feed her because he said he didn’t like her.  She picked up weight quickly and is ready to start carting me down the trails whenever this weather warms up again. 

 

Now if this four day migraine would go away and spring would come back to town, I could be happy again. 

I need you

Remember Farm Days at Tractor Supply last year?  We’ve been invited to participate again, this time in the Spring version on May 8th.   And since I really have nothing else to do, I said sure, I’ll be there.  With bells on. 

Would someone please shoot me now?

The first thing I had to do was find someone to feed the quarantine farm the morning of the 8th.   That was easier than I thought it would be.  Thanks, Michelle!

The second thing was to get Anne working on the flyers and handouts.   That was also easy.

Now comes the hard part… deciding which horses to take!  I only want to take horses that still need a home and I don’t want to take any of the Fairmont horses since there’s a chance they may still go back to the asshat that starved them.

So here’s a list of the potentials to take to Farm Days this year.  I’ve narrowed it down, but need help in making the final decision.   Traveler, Thunder, Mick, Quill, Cinnamon, Milo, or Maggie.  I can only take two, and I think I REALLY want to take Mick.  He’s turned in to such a hunk and I just love him like crazy.

Mick – 3yr old Quarterhorse gelding.  Can be sweet, but still a little shy.

 

Traveler – approx. 2yr old gelding mutt.  Absolute pocket pony who loves attention (and cookies).

 

Cinnamon – 8(ish) Arabian mare.  Very shy, but warms up to people quickly when cookies are present.

 

Thunder – 8yo TNW cross gelding.  He’s very friendly, but was only castrated five months ago and still thinks he’s a stud.  He’s very herd bound and may be an idiot when taken away to a strange place without Lakota.

 

Maggie – 2yr old QH filly.   She can be rather rude and I’m not sure I trust her not to bite little fingers when faced with so many cookies in one day.   And geesh, talk about a growth spurt!

 

Quill – 2yr old TB/Arab cross… maybe?  Very sweet and mannerly and would undoubtedly adore every little human that came to see him.

 

Milo – 3yr old QH gelding.  Sweet, mannerly, and not likely to take anyone’s fingers off.

 

So tell me… who should I take??  Please make my decision for me, I am completely incapable at this time. :)

It’s raining testicles!

 

Sorry, but it is.   Doc finally made it out today to make some geldings and he got Buddy, Quill, Traveler, and Timmy done before dark.  Buddy was the most difficult of the four because one testicle hadn’t descended completely and we had to roll him over on his back so Doc could fish for it.  Each time he’d get a hold of the slimy little bugger, Buddy would suck it back in.  Even in his drugged state, he did his best to hold on to what was his!

Quill was the easiest, as both danglies were right there, just waiting to be snipped.  He was done and back up eating hay in no time.  Timmy was pretty easy as well, but the old guy is taking a little longer to recover and is still out there snoring in the hay. 

Traveler… oh my.   The poor little guy.  First of all, he had a pretty nasty case of spasmodic colic on Saturday night.   There was no impaction, but he was experiencing spasms in his gut due to finally having some nutrients to digest.  He lay in the grass for about an hour and I sat with him to keep him from rolling, since I didn’t know that there was no impaction at the time.  He stopped breathing for a few minutes, closed his eyes, gave one final grunt, and I thought he was gone.   But I still felt a pulse, and a few minutes later he took a deep breath, sat up, and started grazing.  WHEW!  Doc said he may have just been in so much pain that he was holding his breath.  Poor fellow!!

Since then, he’s been doing much better and Doc felt safe gelding him today.   He did well, and was up and eating just as quickly as Quill.  He does have a mild heart murmur, but Doc thinks it may go away, much like Ellie’s did when she got back to normal weight. 

Now, here’s the real gut wrencher.   I didn’t mention this earlier because it simply made me way too angry.  The very fat and well-fed people that starved these horses told me that they had had them for two years.  It was obvious to me that there was no way in hell Summer and Traveler were two years old!  So it made me want to beat the living crap out of those people when they told me they had planted their big fat asses on Traveler to try and ride him!!!!  TWICE!!!!  

According to Doc, Traveler is just barely over a year old and Summer is between 8 and 10 months.

Yeah, let that sink in for a minute.

 

Oh, and Summer’s gums are receding due to malnutrition and her baby teeth are a mess thanks to her only having trees and rocks to settle the rumbling in her empty tummy.

 

Ready to go with me to lynch those white trash pieces of crap now?  I would suggest starving them for a few months instead, but they may appreciate losing a few pounds.

There’s one in every crowd

The sun was out earlier today and all the boys were taking turns snoozing in the hay.  Except for Sky, who has been sleeping most the day away and just gets up now and then to change position and flip sides.  Today was also the first day that I have seen Timmy lay down for some sleep.

 

It’s a good thing the hay was there to hold up his face.

 

Quill just wants to know when it’s his turn.

 

Sky did manage to wake up for just a minute or two while I was snapping pictures.  I’m sorry, but he really is adorable and that’s all there is to it.  I may stop gushing over him in a few years.  Just hang with me until then, okay?

 

 

Then there’s this clown.   He starts out nice and peaceful, respecting the personal space of everyone around him, and not mussing up the hay too much.

 

Then he noticed that I was taking pictures -- what better time to roll on Sky’s head?

 

Sky managed to move just in time.  If he hadn’t, his head would be under Maverick’s butt right about now.

 

Oh well, at least Maverick is happy.  And isn’t that really all that matters??

Is it dinner time yet?

 

 

How about now?

 

NOW?????

 

I am really glad that they can’t talk.

To sum up…

I’m beat.

Glenn left again Friday night to get back out on the road driving and I’m already missing his strength around the farm.  Yesterday wasn’t so bad since it was raining and I kept myself inside with a playful kitten most the day.  It was nice.  It was restful.  It was incredibly boring.

Today was sunny and beautiful and there was no way I was hanging out in the house.  Sorry Lucky! 

After feeding everyone and making sure the young chickens survived their first night in the outhouse coop, I played around with my baby boys a bit.  I worked with Quill and Buddy on picking up their feet and they’re both doing really well.  Buddy has been adopted and is getting gelded next week, so I’m trying to put as much time into his manners as I can before he goes.  Quill has finally turned a corner with his attitude towards human interaction and is becoming quite an affectionate boy.  He used to just tolerate being touched, but now he actually seeks out attention and enjoys a good head rub.  Woohoo!

Oh, and then… there’s Sky.  From bad boy to mama’s boy in just a few days:

 

Yes, he’s got his head in my lap.  I have waited five long months to be able to cuddle with this little guy and after a few days of tentatively rubbing his head while he was eating, he finally decided that humans weren’t all that bad after all.  I can rub him all over, I got a halter on him with no fuss last week, and he’s learning to lead.  He comes to the fence for attention whenever someone is standing there, and thinks a neck scratch is best thing that has ever happened to him.

After playing with the boys I rode Cheyenne for a bit, since she’s leaving next weekend.  She’s been doing great and is more than ready to head off into the sunset with Rosa!  Then it was off to get hay – why do those 1000lb hay rolls seem like they’re getting heavier every week??   Break my back unloading the hay rolls, then load up the water tanks and head back to town for water.

Somewhere in between the boys and water I unloaded and setup way too many 10’ dog kennel panels that someone graciously gave us when they moved away.  I won’t reveal what the kennel is for just yet, but it won’t be used for dogs.  It’s a surprise, and you’re just going to have to wait!

By then it was after 4pm, so time to feed again.  Then I took Kita for a trail ride, but ran out of daylight before we got too far.  It’s been way too long since I rode my favorite girl, but she was an absolute champ about it and wasn’t ready to turn for home when I asked.  I so love that mare!

During the week I dread 6:30… that’s when the light starts to fade from the sky and there’s still so much I need to do outside.  But today I was relieved when I turned Kita for home and knew the dark would beat us home – that meant I could go inside, get something to eat, and RELAX!

Look for more  interesting things happening in the next couple of weeks:  Buddy, Patches, and Cheyenne leaving, a starving TB stallion coming in on Thursday from Virginia, a 13yo kid-safe TB gelding coming in next weekend, and Horse Haven Holler’s first public event on November 7th at the Tractor Supply in Marietta, OH!  Be there or be square!  :)

My Three Sons

Now that Buddy, Quill, and Maverick are in the quarantine pasture and closer to the house, Buddy and Quill have become MUCH friendlier.  They’re both easier to halter now, since I’ve been putting their halters on right before I feed them each time.   They were both leading well by the time we wrestled them down from the barn last week, even though it was a pretty eventful undertaking.  I probably could have sold tickets to the show, but didn’t think that far ahead. 

 

 

Has anyone else had trouble with horse flies this year?  You know, the ginormous biting beasts about the size of your thumb?  I have NEVER seen them this bad before!  I have a daily discussion with the guineas and chickens about how they are supposed to be doing a better job of bug control, but they just follow me around begging for more corn instead.  Maverick has learned to do the same as Junior… he swings his butt towards me whenever there’s a fly on it that he can’t reach and waits for me to smoosh it.   The first time he did that I was a bit leery – that’s an awfully big and powerful butt to be swinging towards you!

All three of them come running when they hear me call and Quill has become quite the little love bug!  He loves just standing next to me to be stroked and scratched, and if I stop he simply steps closer until I start petting again.  Quite a change from when he arrived here!

 

Being the oldest and wisest of the three, Maverick is in charge of this little band of studs.  However, while he may be stouter and weigh as much as the other two combined, but Buddy and Quill are already taller than poor little Mavvy.   They’ll all get gelded once the weather cools and there are fewer bugs to bother them, especially Maverick since he has to have invasive surgery instead of a simple nip and snip.

Buddy is also a friendly little guy, but he’s also very mouthy.  If he finds me petting one of the other two he usually sees fit to chew on me.  Hands, arms, legs, clothing… doesn’t matter. 

 

But they’re all way too cute and cuddly to stay mad at for long. :)

Overdose of Cute

Anne and her daughter, Emily, came out for a photo shoot this morning so I could finally get some pictures of the horses up on the rescue site.   We took pictures of Gentry, Jewel, Maggie, Ellie, Apache, and Cheyenne.  Then, wouldn’t you know it, Gentry and Cheyenne went and got themselves adopted this afternoon!  Gentry will go home next week and Cheyenne leaves once she’s broke to ride.  They’re both going to the same home and will have tons of fun in 4H with their new humans!

But let’s get back to the cute, shall we? 

Maggie and Kenzie may miss Marbles, but they’re not showing it.  These two have formed their own mini herd that usually hangs with the Jewel/Jasmine herd, but just as easily hangs with the big guys, like Kita, Junior, and Sadie.

 

Since Meghan left, Jewel has befriended Jasmine and her two offspring.  There’s plenty of grass and hay to go around gang, you don’t all need to try and eat the same blade of grass!

 

Just so you know, I love this pony.

 

After  we took the “necessary” pictures, I had to show off Sky.  Emily loved him (who doesn’t??) and just wanted to hug and cuddle with him.  Too bad he doesn’t feel the same yet!  He is getting a lot more curious and actually snuck up behind me and nudged me in the elbow the other night.  That was the first time he’d voluntarily gotten close enough to touch me.

 

 

 

Someday, I’m going to have a big butt, just like mom and Auntie Jewel!

Equine Photo Overkill

I have a new volunteer and her name is Amy. She’s 18 and wants to be a vet. She has long blonde hair, legs up to her neck, and if I was half as beautiful when I was that age I would have been dangerous. Glenn is not allowed to meet her.

Amy loves horses. So much so that she wants to smell like them. All the time. Except for the beautiful part, she reminds me a lot of me at that age.

Amy’s mom has an awesome camera, even better than my new toy. She even knows how to use hers, unlike someone else I know. They both came out on Thursday morning to take pictures of the horses in the rain. Not only that, she took one hundred and fifty pictures! And I thought I was crazy for taking 50 pictures of a rabbit!

Well yeah, ok. Maybe that really was crazy.

So here are the ones that I really liked. Yes, there are a lot of Kita pictures. So sue me.

Somebody help me, these mares are nothing but trouble, especially with Willow in the lead.

Beet pulp nose. Kind of like a milk mustache, but even cuter.

Oddly, out of all of those pictures I didn’t see Jewel, Duchess, Maggie, Marbles, Frisky, or Kenzie. She did get a couple of pics of Ellie, but they were very far off. It turns out Ellie was terrified of the umbrella. Did you know umbrellas can eat small ponies? I didn’t either, but it must be true!