Mon Aug 27th, 2007 12:12 pm
She's really a sweetheart. My husband teases that I love her more than I love him. I just don't have the heart to tell him he's right!
She whinnied for me on Friday and I just melted. I'd gone to get groceries and hollered at the kids to get in the house. She heard me and whinnied. I was so excited! She's now nickering at me every time I go out. She's also letting me scratch her blaze and she's rubbing her head harder against my hand and turning her head so I can get her ears and poll.
She's really a doll and I'm so thrilled with her. I'm under no illusions that it's all going to be a cakewalk, but she's got such a great personality that I think we'll do pretty well.
As sweet as she is it's hard for me to imagine someone hitting her with a rope. I know it happens and it's obviously happened to her by her reaction. I've been taking the lead rope out with me every time I go. Sometimes I clip it on her, sometimes not. But my hope is that she'll realize it's not the much feared North Carolina Horse Eating Rope.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Before and after...
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. I think this is one of those times. As I was putting these together to see the difference, I actually cried. It breaks my heart to see how bad she looked, and I was so thrilled to have her that I didn't even see it. I can sure see it now.
Please forgive her Highness's dirt covered coat. She'd been rolling. As always.
Please forgive her Highness's dirt covered coat. She'd been rolling. As always.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Christmas Cookies!
I guess you know you're a horse owner when for Christmas you don't make typical "Christmas Cookies," you make horse cookies instead.
The kids and I made a whole bunch of cookies and put them in little bucket-shaped Christmas tins. We took some to our riding instructor. We took a bucket to our farrier. We took another bucket to the lady at the horsey store (feed store) here that we always go to. I made up a little label with the ingredients and a little "baked with love" bit from me and the kids. Then I added:
Reluctantly given up by Anya, the beautiful Palomino Tennessee Walking Horse Princess.
It also had her picture printed in black and white.
The kids and I made a whole bunch of cookies and put them in little bucket-shaped Christmas tins. We took some to our riding instructor. We took a bucket to our farrier. We took another bucket to the lady at the horsey store (feed store) here that we always go to. I made up a little label with the ingredients and a little "baked with love" bit from me and the kids. Then I added:
Reluctantly given up by Anya, the beautiful Palomino Tennessee Walking Horse Princess.
It also had her picture printed in black and white.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The blue tarp
We had a really huge wind storm a few weeks back. I had hay in the front that I'd unloaded but not gotten moved into the hay barn. I'd just thrown a tarp over it and planned to move it the next morning. The wind blew the tarp off, and it went flying. I looked for it for about 20 minutes and finally just figured it was gone.
Then this morning, our neighbors a few houses over came walking up carrying this tarp. He asked if it was ours, and I said it probably was the one that got blown away in the storm. It apparently ended up at his place somewhere. He passed it over the fence and Anya didn't even flinch. It wasn't folded or anything, just a big open tarp. I thanked him and went to go put it away. Then I realized that it would be a perfect opportunity to see how spooky she'd get about it.
Obviously it was okay with her coming over the fence. So I kinda waved it around and rattled it a bit, she didn't care. I laid it out on the ground and waited to see what she'd do. She went over and sniffed it, wasn't very interested and turned to walk away. I walked onto the tarp and she stopped and looked at me. I got her to come back toward me and then took a few steps backward. She put a foot on the tarp. It made that sound that tarps do, and she kinda looked down, but didn't move off. I backed up another step and she stood there. I took a few more steps back trying to get her to walk across the tarp to me.
She put the second foot on and still wasn't overly concerned. I walked back some more, turned around and kept going. She walked right across it with no problem. I turned her around and had her walk back onto the tarp and made her stop. She looked at me like I was a little strange. I made her turn on the tarp and it made its tarpy sounds and I swear she rolled her eyes at me. I let her go, she walked off. I picked up one corner and drug it around behind me and she followed me with no problem.
It's so amazing to see the progress in her. There are times like this that she just amazes me with her willingness and her nonchalance.
Then this morning, our neighbors a few houses over came walking up carrying this tarp. He asked if it was ours, and I said it probably was the one that got blown away in the storm. It apparently ended up at his place somewhere. He passed it over the fence and Anya didn't even flinch. It wasn't folded or anything, just a big open tarp. I thanked him and went to go put it away. Then I realized that it would be a perfect opportunity to see how spooky she'd get about it.
Obviously it was okay with her coming over the fence. So I kinda waved it around and rattled it a bit, she didn't care. I laid it out on the ground and waited to see what she'd do. She went over and sniffed it, wasn't very interested and turned to walk away. I walked onto the tarp and she stopped and looked at me. I got her to come back toward me and then took a few steps backward. She put a foot on the tarp. It made that sound that tarps do, and she kinda looked down, but didn't move off. I backed up another step and she stood there. I took a few more steps back trying to get her to walk across the tarp to me.
She put the second foot on and still wasn't overly concerned. I walked back some more, turned around and kept going. She walked right across it with no problem. I turned her around and had her walk back onto the tarp and made her stop. She looked at me like I was a little strange. I made her turn on the tarp and it made its tarpy sounds and I swear she rolled her eyes at me. I let her go, she walked off. I picked up one corner and drug it around behind me and she followed me with no problem.
It's so amazing to see the progress in her. There are times like this that she just amazes me with her willingness and her nonchalance.
Friday, November 23, 2007
The bite - flashback
I posted this on a forum and have pasted it here, because it's kinda part of the whole process.
9/24/2007 6:58:50 PM
I know this seems like a strange question. First off, I do have to say she bit our 4-year old daughter one day last week. Kiddo was standing at her head petting her, I was standing beside the horse's shoulder. It looked to me like the horse nosed her and kind of pushed her away. She said "she bit me!" I didn't see any place she'd been bitten but had seen the nose shove, so I held the lead up closer to her halter and took a step more towards her head. (I'd been brushing her.) Just as I did this, she bit my daughter's shoulder. I yelled "NO!" and popped her on the muzzle good with my hand.
I don't know if it was a jealousy thing "back away from my mom" or a herd thing "get back little foal." The bite wasn't bad, and very small so it was really just a nip. Not that I think that's at all acceptable. It's just not as bad as I expected on a 4-year old little shoulder. The horse was pissed at me a few days but didn't try to bite again and seemed to get over it. Obviously, that was not an accident - she meant to bite and I let her know that biting is NOT acceptable.
Today the farrier came for the first time since we've had her. She did really well. I was very proud of her. They gave her a 9+ out of 10 for behavior, especially with being only 3-years old. She didn't try to bite or kick, she did try pulling her leg away some but by the second foot was pretty much okay with it. She's not really great with having her back feet handled for very long yet, but will tolerate some and did much better than I expected her to do. Overall, I was really happy with how she did, and of course she gots lots of love afterward.
The vet came literally 10 minutes later for booster shots, she commented on how much more calm she seemed since they had been out last. She did say she was having some discharge and asked me if she was in heat. Turns out she is, and I didn't know. I haven't read anything about horsey cycles.
I told the vet about the bite, she said some mares will get more aggressive when in heat. I totally understand PMS! So she just just be really watchful especially when she's in heat. Again, she did really well and I was awfully proud of her. I spent a good hour or so with her this afternoon a few hours later and brushed her and groomed her and talked to her, etc. I didn't tie her, she just stood and let me do it.
Then tonight I go out to feed her. I had a gallon size plastic canister with her food in it to take out to her, the same drill as every other night. Our retriever started toward me from across the yard. Horse is standing at the back door. Dog is coming right at her, headed for me. The horse does NOT like the dog, and the dog really wants to like the horse. I do know the dog has growled and bit at her several times when the horse got a little too interested in sniffing her. Point being, I know they are still working out their own issues. I'd told the dog to go back because usually the horse will turn her butt and kick out at her and I didn't want her to get kicked. The dog kept coming.
The horse throws her head and bites the **** out of my thigh. I screamed - out of surprise and pain. I've never been bitten by a horse before. The dog turned and ran, the horse backed up, I dropped the feed container, grabbed my thigh and my husband came running. All in the period of about 2 seconds.
I really do *not* think she meant to bite *me.* I think she meant to bite at the dog who was coming at us and I just happened to be standing there in range. Not that it's any better, but I don't think it was intended for me per se.
My husband is livid. He's not at all a horse person. I went inside, sat and cried a few minutes, had my husband get the dog in and I went out and fed her without any problem from her. The bite is bad, the skin isn't broken but it sure looks like it should be. It's very very purple and bruised up almost immediately and hurts like crap. She meant business.
What am I missing? What am I not doing? What should I be doing? Was this just one of those "accidents happen" and hope that my piercing shriek scared her to death and she doesn't do it again? Is this because she had a bad day, is in heat and I was just standing in the wrong place?
I love her to pieces. Her ground manners are usually excellent. She will let me rub her ears, rub the top of her head, she stands for grooming, braiding, comes right to you, halters and accepts the lead rope without any problems. She's grown apparently and the beginning of last week I tried putting the same halter on her 4 times because I was sure I was doing something wrong or it was buckled wrong. I quit and tried another one, same thing - I just couldn't get it up over her ears. She just stood there and let me figure out the halters didn't fit anymore. So she really is very patient and calm most of the time. I just don't know if this is a problem beginning to surface or something else.
A postscript:
She hasn't bitten or even attempted to bite since that incident. I really think that it was just a combination of circumstances all at one time that threw her into a blind rage kind of thing and I happened to be within range.
I did a lot of searching for what horse bites look like, because I'd never had one. I had no idea if you were supposed to do anything for it or not. There was a severe shortage of pictures, which I think is a good thing. But just for the sake of adding one more to the very small number, I took a picture of my leg. This was taken a week after the bite. It is not for the squeamish. You have been warned. Horse bite
9/24/2007 6:58:50 PM
I know this seems like a strange question. First off, I do have to say she bit our 4-year old daughter one day last week. Kiddo was standing at her head petting her, I was standing beside the horse's shoulder. It looked to me like the horse nosed her and kind of pushed her away. She said "she bit me!" I didn't see any place she'd been bitten but had seen the nose shove, so I held the lead up closer to her halter and took a step more towards her head. (I'd been brushing her.) Just as I did this, she bit my daughter's shoulder. I yelled "NO!" and popped her on the muzzle good with my hand.
I don't know if it was a jealousy thing "back away from my mom" or a herd thing "get back little foal." The bite wasn't bad, and very small so it was really just a nip. Not that I think that's at all acceptable. It's just not as bad as I expected on a 4-year old little shoulder. The horse was pissed at me a few days but didn't try to bite again and seemed to get over it. Obviously, that was not an accident - she meant to bite and I let her know that biting is NOT acceptable.
Today the farrier came for the first time since we've had her. She did really well. I was very proud of her. They gave her a 9+ out of 10 for behavior, especially with being only 3-years old. She didn't try to bite or kick, she did try pulling her leg away some but by the second foot was pretty much okay with it. She's not really great with having her back feet handled for very long yet, but will tolerate some and did much better than I expected her to do. Overall, I was really happy with how she did, and of course she gots lots of love afterward.
The vet came literally 10 minutes later for booster shots, she commented on how much more calm she seemed since they had been out last. She did say she was having some discharge and asked me if she was in heat. Turns out she is, and I didn't know. I haven't read anything about horsey cycles.
I told the vet about the bite, she said some mares will get more aggressive when in heat. I totally understand PMS! So she just just be really watchful especially when she's in heat. Again, she did really well and I was awfully proud of her. I spent a good hour or so with her this afternoon a few hours later and brushed her and groomed her and talked to her, etc. I didn't tie her, she just stood and let me do it.
Then tonight I go out to feed her. I had a gallon size plastic canister with her food in it to take out to her, the same drill as every other night. Our retriever started toward me from across the yard. Horse is standing at the back door. Dog is coming right at her, headed for me. The horse does NOT like the dog, and the dog really wants to like the horse. I do know the dog has growled and bit at her several times when the horse got a little too interested in sniffing her. Point being, I know they are still working out their own issues. I'd told the dog to go back because usually the horse will turn her butt and kick out at her and I didn't want her to get kicked. The dog kept coming.
The horse throws her head and bites the **** out of my thigh. I screamed - out of surprise and pain. I've never been bitten by a horse before. The dog turned and ran, the horse backed up, I dropped the feed container, grabbed my thigh and my husband came running. All in the period of about 2 seconds.
I really do *not* think she meant to bite *me.* I think she meant to bite at the dog who was coming at us and I just happened to be standing there in range. Not that it's any better, but I don't think it was intended for me per se.
My husband is livid. He's not at all a horse person. I went inside, sat and cried a few minutes, had my husband get the dog in and I went out and fed her without any problem from her. The bite is bad, the skin isn't broken but it sure looks like it should be. It's very very purple and bruised up almost immediately and hurts like crap. She meant business.
What am I missing? What am I not doing? What should I be doing? Was this just one of those "accidents happen" and hope that my piercing shriek scared her to death and she doesn't do it again? Is this because she had a bad day, is in heat and I was just standing in the wrong place?
I love her to pieces. Her ground manners are usually excellent. She will let me rub her ears, rub the top of her head, she stands for grooming, braiding, comes right to you, halters and accepts the lead rope without any problems. She's grown apparently and the beginning of last week I tried putting the same halter on her 4 times because I was sure I was doing something wrong or it was buckled wrong. I quit and tried another one, same thing - I just couldn't get it up over her ears. She just stood there and let me figure out the halters didn't fit anymore. So she really is very patient and calm most of the time. I just don't know if this is a problem beginning to surface or something else.
A postscript:
She hasn't bitten or even attempted to bite since that incident. I really think that it was just a combination of circumstances all at one time that threw her into a blind rage kind of thing and I happened to be within range.
I did a lot of searching for what horse bites look like, because I'd never had one. I had no idea if you were supposed to do anything for it or not. There was a severe shortage of pictures, which I think is a good thing. But just for the sake of adding one more to the very small number, I took a picture of my leg. This was taken a week after the bite. It is not for the squeamish. You have been warned. Horse bite
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Standing in the pouring rain
We'd been out yesterday and it was raining and cold. When we came home, Anya was standing out there in the freezing rain. I have to shake my head because there's no reason for her to be standing in the rain. She has a perfectly nice barn that will keep her dry if she'd just go in it.
Then she had the nerve to look at me like it was my fault she was cold and wet! I know she's a horse, and horses are made to get wet and be in cold temperatures, but it just boggles my mind that she'd actually want to be cold and wet. She really didn't look very happy about it and was sure to shoot me a few dirty looks to make me feel guilty for something I didn't even do.
Then she had the nerve to look at me like it was my fault she was cold and wet! I know she's a horse, and horses are made to get wet and be in cold temperatures, but it just boggles my mind that she'd actually want to be cold and wet. She really didn't look very happy about it and was sure to shoot me a few dirty looks to make me feel guilty for something I didn't even do.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
The smell of poop in the morning
Anya's blanket was crooked this morning and so I went out "just to fix it." Which turned into a good half hour's worth of time spent out with her. The sun was just starting to come up. The stars were beginning to fade. I stood with her a few minutes after fixing her blanket and just laid my head on her neck, smelling her. I wonder if it takes a certain love of horses to be able to just relish in that smell. Or if there are people out there who would think I was crazy for sniffing my horse. There's just something about that horsey smell that relaxes me.
I piddled around a little bit, checked on her water, gave her a cookie, and just stood and pet her. The sun started coming up over the horizon into the sky. There was a soft wind, cool but not too cold, and the smell of horse poop and horse lingered on the breeze. Maybe it's not so crazy to like the smell of a horse if you like the smell of horse poop, too.
For those few moments in time, the sun rising slowly, brilliantly into the sky, the smell of horse, and my horse standing at my side watching the sun with me... It's a moment like no other. Just a peaceful, quiet, beautiful start to the day. I briefly wondered what it would be like to be out on the plains, waking up like that every morning. It felt like we were the only two beings in the world, and the sun was rising just for us.
I have no idea what she was thinking. Probably something along the lines of "gee where's breakfast?" But maybe just for a minute as she nuzzled my arm she thought, "There's nothing like the smell of warm human in the morning."
I piddled around a little bit, checked on her water, gave her a cookie, and just stood and pet her. The sun started coming up over the horizon into the sky. There was a soft wind, cool but not too cold, and the smell of horse poop and horse lingered on the breeze. Maybe it's not so crazy to like the smell of a horse if you like the smell of horse poop, too.
For those few moments in time, the sun rising slowly, brilliantly into the sky, the smell of horse, and my horse standing at my side watching the sun with me... It's a moment like no other. Just a peaceful, quiet, beautiful start to the day. I briefly wondered what it would be like to be out on the plains, waking up like that every morning. It felt like we were the only two beings in the world, and the sun was rising just for us.
I have no idea what she was thinking. Probably something along the lines of "gee where's breakfast?" But maybe just for a minute as she nuzzled my arm she thought, "There's nothing like the smell of warm human in the morning."
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