Not Just Another Horse

Already 2012...

2012-01-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

And it's been forever since I posted! What a crazy winter so far! And I don't mean crazy as in a horrible, snowy winter either, because it doesn't even feel like winter! The biggest snowfall we had so far resulted in a whopping inch of snow with a layer of ice over it. It's a pretty big difference from the really big snow storms we've had over the past couple of years, especially the one that left us with over 2 feet of snow for weeks. It's nice not to have all the extra work to do, but I kind of miss the cold...

There isn't really anything new with the horses. They got stockings full of goodies on Christmas, and they are all doing great. We just need all the mud to dry out (no snow, but lots of rain,) so we can start doing more with them. Spring semester is coming up; I wont have quite as much time to work with them then. But, I do have Tuesdays off (yay!) I'm actually taking Equine Science, and I'm really excited. I love learning new horsey things, and hopefully I'll be able to put my new knowledge to good use. I'll have to share anything fun I learn with you all!

Almost Over!

2011-12-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

Fall semester is almost over! I've been pretty busy with exams, and finals are this week and next week. I haven't been able to spend a whole lot of time with Pony because of this, which sucks. But once it's winter break, and if the weather cooperates, than I should have some time. My sister and our friend, who boards her two horses with us, decorated the barn today. They hung up Christmas lights, and other decorations. It looks pretty good! They even bought stockings. Now we just have to put the the names of all the horses on them. I'll have to take a picture of it all; they did a good job. There's a lot more to type, but now I have to get back to studying. I'll have to make another, longer, post after finals. Wish me luck!

Snow in October

2011-10-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

We had a big Nor'Easter snow storm came through yesterday. We mainly got rain, but at one point it switched over to snow. We got a nice dusting from it, but then it rained and melted. Snow is pretty rare here this early. Places up north got a lot of snow from it. The ponies got to stay inside during the worst of it. They were pretty content to stay in their warm, dry stalls and munch on hay. We turned them back out last night with their blankets on (which is the first they've had to wear their blankets this autumn.) With wind chill it felt like 25 degrees. Hopefully this isn't any indication of how winter is going to be, lol!

It Feels Like Fall!

2011-10-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

The leaves are changing colors, the air is crisp and cool, and, unfortunately, the days are getting shorter! I love this time of year (all but the lack of daylight.) The horses are starting to get all fuzzy as well. They look so cute! Pony is awesome, as always. I haven't been able to get much riding time in, but hopefully I will this week. That's the main thing I don't like about school; I never have time to ride! Our little mousie is doing well. He's about 3 weeks old now, and is almost weaned off his milk. He's starting to act more like a wild mouse. Any sudden movements and he hides, but he will still crawl into your hands and check you out. The cats have discovered him though. They are a bit too curious to find out just what he is.

My birthday is less than a month away now! I'm going to be 21. On one hand, I'm excited, but on the other... I feel old, lol. I know I'm not, but I feel like I'm getting old. Thanksgiving is only a few days after my birthday (which is kind of cool since I can use my gift cards on Black Friday.) And, then, before I know it, it will be Christmas! Hopefully we wont get too much snow this year (not as much as the past couple of years anyway.)

So tired...

2011-10-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

So, we've had this huge dirt pile that has been sitting outside for a while now. And, last weekend, my dad finally started using it for something. Halfway into what he is doing he came up to me and handed me a bucket. He said either "take care of it," or "do something with them." I looked down in the bucket and saw a bunch of blind baby mice. I, of course, had no idea what to do with them. Their nest was destroyed, and it didn't seem likely that momma mouse was going to find them. Also, my six year old cousin was there, and she was already naming them. So, my mom and I decided to try and keep them alive. Every 2 hours or so we would feed them kitten formula (which is part of the reason I am so tired.) Unfortunately, only one little mouse is still alive. We think that it may have gotten too cold for the others (even though we had a heating pad on low half the time.) We are now keeping the heating pad on medium, and it is on all day. Luckily, this mouse seems to be ok at the moment, and is full of energy. We've been called crazy by just about everyone that we know, lol. But, we were the ones who destroyed their nest, so I felt like we should at least try to keep them alive. He's a cute little mouse though, lol.

It's Cold!!

2011-10-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to October; it got down to 40 degrees last night! And, on top of that, it rained! The horses must have been pretty cold; they were acting like they were starving this morning at feeding time. I want to buy Pony a sheet for chilly rainy nights like that. I bought him one last year. It was a cheap off brand one though, and I had to return it since it didn't fit him right. I also want to get a bridle bag to keep my bridle in, since I wont be riding much during the winter. I already found one that I like, so maybe I'll get it for my birthday (which is next month.) For now though, I must continue studying. I have an organic chemistry test on Wednesday. It's my least favorite class of the semester (probably because I'm behind in it.) I would have to say Japanese is probably my favorite, and that's probably because it is the most interactive class I have. I'm hoping to get good grades in all my classes this semester, so that means I have to study, study, study! Wish me luck!

And the Culprit Is...

2011-09-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

On the way out to feed the horses tonight we noticed that the horses were acting rather spooky. There was nothing obvious so I went in the barn, and we started getting the food ready. However, when we went out to bring the horses in we noticed that Glory had a cut on her nose. Only it looked more like a bite; a bite that was likely too small to come from another horse. We brought her, and the other two jumpy horses she's turned out with inside, and then went out to get the others. My mom and sister were looking around to see if there was anything she could have cut her nose on. I, meanwhile, started walking towards the other horses who were looking at the ground, snorting, and acting very spooked. My sister ended up spotting the culprit before I did...

(photos taken by my sister)

It was a big snapping turtle. It was over 12 inches long, and appeared rather ticked off. And, apparently our horses were a little bit too curious. Five out of the seven all got their noses bit. Two of them got bit twice. They were all very freaked out by the time we got to them. We brought them all in, and cleaned up their noses. Hopefully, they learned not to mess with weird, unknown creatures, lol. We caught the turtle and took him to a more suitable place to call home.

I'm Procrastinating Horribly

2011-09-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yup, I should be studying. I should have studied more yesterday, but I put it off. And, so, in another attempt to put it off I am blogging instead...

I miss riding... I've been so busy with school, that I've only ridden maybe 1-2 times since it started. And, when I do have time to ride, it either rains or something comes up. Last week, on one of the days when it was already too dark to ride, I went in Pony's stall and sat on him while we waited for the others to finish eating. I was going to try and ride this weekend, but it poured on Friday and rained a little yesterday which made the paddocks very muddy. I won't have time to ride next week either. I have a Japanese quiz and a statistics test on Monday, a Biology test on Friday, and a bunch of homework due throughout the week. However, next weekend, according to the weather forecasts, it should be dry. I won't have any tests to study for either, so maybe, hopefully, I'll finally get to ride.

Farewell Borders!

2011-09-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today my sister, cousin, and I went to Borders for the last time; they are closed for good after today. It's kind of sad. I remember, when I was younger, begging my parents to go there whenever we drove by. I would spend over an hour there looking at books, and I would spend a lot of what little money I had there. Today I got 7 or so books for 11 dollars. Everything was 90% off. I honestly am not exactly sure what I got, lol. But, either the covers or the descriptions were interesting, so I hope the books I bought were decent. However, with the prices being so low, it was probably worth it.

After Border's we went to Toys R Us to get a toy for a birthday party we are going to tomorrow. I learned something from that. When you are going to a toy store with a kid (namely my cousin who is 6) do not expect to get out of there in a short time. She wanted everything that was in the store, lol. We had to tell her to "put it on her Christmas list." I'm sure her mom (our aunt) is going to be happy with us for that (it's going to be a long list.) We also went to Dover Saddlery, and got my cousin her first riding helmet for her birthday. Although then she got somewhat of an attitude, because we wouldn't buy her an 80 dollar toy horse trailer along with her helmet. So... we told her to put it on her Christmas list, lol.

I'm So Scatterbrained Lately

2011-09-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Yup, so apparently when I went to switch my old parking permit with my new one I mixed them up. I somehow ended up throwing the new one away and leaving the old one hanging around my mirror. This resulted in a 40 dollar fine on Monday. Luckily, they waived the fine, and I just had to pay 7 dollars to replace my permit. Today, though, I lost my calculator. I'm hoping it is somewhere around the house, but I'm going to need it tomorrow to do homework. And, those are a whole lot more expensive than 40 dollars... So, hopefully it will turn up tonight! Some good news though is that I got a 102 on my first Japanese quiz! It's the highest grade I've ever gotten in college. Hopefully my other classes will be this easy, but I doubt it. I haven't been able to ride at all since classes started. :( Whenever I do have time to ride it is always horribly muddy out. Hopefully the paddocks will dry out and the rain will stay away for a while!

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

I was in 5th grade on 9/11/01. It hardly seems like it was 10 years ago; I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember my mom coming to pick me up from school. I remember gathering around the tv with my family; I remember being sad, confused, and afraid. We were only a couple of short hours from Washington D.C. and only a couple of hours more from New York City. I watched some of the memorial this morning and had to fight back tears. My heart goes out to everyone who was affected on that day, and to anyone who lost someone on that horrible day. I am proud to be an American, and I know I will never forget. God bless the USA.

On another note, today I finally got a decent picture, on my phone, of the newest little member of our barn. He/she scurries into the barn in the mornings, when we are cleaning stalls, and cleans up any food dropped by the horses, and then hurries back to her little den/nest (which is near our pool.) We've seen no babies; just this one.

First Week of School

2011-09-02T16:47:00.000-07:00

The first week of school is done!! Well, we only had two days this week anyway (thanks to hurricane Irene.) So, far so good. Although I have a feeling that this semester is going to be hard. I'm taking elementary Japanese, Biology, Organic Chemistry, and Statistics. Japanese scares me, because the midterm and final will be a ten minute oral interview with the teacher. I'm a pretty shy, quiet person in real life, so stuff like that is pretty difficult for me. The other classes seem pretty difficult too. I'm going to have a lot of homework between Japanese and statistics (more so than previous semesters.) But, I am quite excited. I've always wanted to learn different languages. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it all.

I rode Pony on Wed. night. He's so fun to ride; when he's in a good mood he kind of struts around. He also gets all excited when there is someone he can walk up to. The mosquitoes are awful. I think we had a population explosion of them with all the rain we had last month (over 15 inches!) So, poor Pony is always getting bit. When I ride him bareback he will kick up at himself, and my feet are at the right spot that he always end up kicking my feet, lol. He also gets all twitchy. I fly spray him, and it works pretty well, but not well enough. Currently we are using Pyranha. I am planning to ride him either tomorrow or Sunday (with the saddle this time.) Although, I quite like riding bareback, but it isn't really good to do that all the time, I guess.

There is also another hurricane that might be heading our way (hurricane Katia.) Hopefully, not; it's still quite a distance away though. So, they aren't quite sure what it will do. I'm hoping that it will stay out at sea and die out. There are quite a lot of people on the east coast who are not ready for another hurricane. My aunt (who is in Virginia) still doesn't have electricity. So, hopefully, it will stay away...

All is Well

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene is long gone and all is well. There really wasn't any damage, just a bunch of tree limbs that came down. Our basement flooded some as well. The horses were safe and dry in the barn during the whole thing. Our electricity didn't even go out during the main part of the hurricane; it did go out for a couple of hours afterwards when it was just windy. But, it was kind of surprising that it didn't go out before that; our electricity usually goes out during even the smallest storms. (We were having problems connecting to the internet though.) We were under a tornado watch during the night; there were a few tornadoes in our state, but none near us. Thankfully the hurricane weakened and it wasn't as bad a they were originally predicting. There is still a lot of people with out power, and a lot of areas are still flooded though.

Classes were supposed to start today, but because of the hurricane, they will not start until Thursday. I don't mind though; it gives me extra time to get prepare. I still need to get everything ready. I will be going into my junior year of college, and I'm majoring in animal science. I have no idea what I exactly want to do with my degree (I don't want to be a vet,) but I know I want to do something with animals. Hopefully my classes this semester aren't too hard, and I'll be able to get good grades. My classes also end a whole lot earlier in the day, so I'll have more time to ride than I did last year. :)

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene is expected to hit us this weekend. The forecasts are making it sound pretty scary. We are already under a state of emergency. There is also a mandatory evacuation along the coast (we're inland though.) And, my university's classes, which were supposed to start on Tuesday, have already been canceled. My sister and I were out all day buying stuff we may need... batteries, flashlights, water, food, horse bedding, pet food, etc... The one thing that I don't like is that we don't have a trailer. So, we cant move our horses if we feel like we need to. Also, if our electricity goes out (which it probably will) then we won't have water since we have a well. So, we are filling all of the buckets and water troughs. Tomorrow we are planning to go get horse feed, clean the barn, and get prepared. I'm also going to pick everything from the garden, since it will just blow away... I might ride tomorrow as well since it will be nice out. Hopefully, I will have time. An earthquake and a hurricane all in one week; what's next? Prayers and good thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Earthquake!!

2011-08-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Holy crap, we just had an earthquake here! Well, it was actually in Virginia, but we could feel it here in Delaware. At first I thought it was me, but then the vibration turned into the whole house shaking. Apparently, it was a 5.9 earthquake (which is huge for us.) I've never been in an earthquake before (at least not one that I've felt.) Anyway, I jumped up, grabbed our one dog, and ran to the a part of the house where nothing could fall on us. Our one cat was freaking out and running around. I'm not going to lie, it kind of freaked me out. Everything ended up being fine though, including the horses. It's all over the news. Hopefully there are no major aftershocks!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2011-08-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

It has been raining an awful lot lately. As soon as the mud starts to dry up, it rains again! Just the other day we got about 3 inches of it. It was also a lot cooler than usual. Saturday morning, when we went out to feed, the horses were soaked and shivering. Poor pony! Needless to say they got to come inside, and hang out all day while eating hay. Hopefully, we will get a few days of sunshine so the mud will dry up and I can ride.

Last weekend we went to a Taylor Swift concert. It was pretty fun; she was very good live. The opening acts were pretty good as well. I have to admit though, towards the end I started to space out a bit. I guess my attention span isn't all that great, lol. It was pretty long though, and it took us forever to get out of the parking lot! So we had fun for about an hour in the car trying to get out. We danced (or tried,) talked, laughed, and were really hyper. Two concerts in a year! That's a record... and almost half of the concerts I've been to. I think I've been to like two or three others in my lifetime, lol.

Extreme Heat!

2011-07-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

We're in another heat wave here. Today, with the heat index, it will feel like 110 degrees! And tomorrow it will be 115. It is also very humid out. Luckily it will be back in the 80's by Sunday. Pony gets the week off though. It rained on Monday and Tuesday, which were the two cooler days, and today and tomorrow it's going to be too hot to get ride. In fact the horses are going to spend today and tomorrow in their stalls with the lights off and the fans on (during the hot parts of the day at least.) It still manages to get down in the 70's at night time though.

Also the fair opens up this afternoon and lasts a little over a week, so I'll be going there a couple of times next week. I really wanted to go see 3 Days Grace in concert, but I don't really have the money. But, I'm still really looking forward to going there; I love going to the fair!

Happy 4th of July!!

2011-07-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July everyone!! Today was a pretty interesting day. During feeding time this morning we got a phone call that my, not yet two year old, cousin fell down some stairs and they were waiting for an ambulance. My sister went over to my Aunt's to watch the other kids while my mom and I finished up with the horses. Thankfully my cousin is ok. They kept her for a little while and did some tests, but, besides being banged up, she is seems fine.

I also rode Pony today for the first time in over a week. I'm still sick with a cold, but I'm feeling a whole lot better. We walked around bareback for a little while. It was pretty dusty though, so I was coughing a good bit. After we rode, I ate chicken cheese steaks with the family. I then went swimming with my dad and we watched some fireworks that some people down the rode were setting off. The horses handled the fireworks like a pro, they were pretty calm during the whole thing.

Sick...

2011-06-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

I've been sick for the past couple of days with a cold. I think it started on the day that I posted last. It really sucks though. I had a goal of riding 3-4 days a week, but I've been feeling really blah, so I haven't ridden at all this week...

Good news is that my laptop came today! It came way earlier than what I was expecting. I love it so far, and the speakers on it are amazing! So, at least it is giving me something to do. It's a little confusing though. My last laptop was about 7-8 years old, so there is a bunch of new stuff on this one that I am going to have to get used to. It's really pretty though.

Anyways... hopefully I start feeling better soon. I actually feel worse today than I did yesterday though. My dad was sick first; I think he is just now starting to feel better and his cold started about a week ago. Maybe, I will be riding by next week? I hope so... I also want to take some new pictures, so I can show you all the horses. Glory is getting so big, and Pony is as handsome as ever. I just need to find my camera first, lol.

New Computer and an Update

2011-06-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

I've had my old computer for 7 years or so, and it was starting to slow down and gradually fall apart. It also recently got a virus and keeps freezing, which is why I haven't been posting lately. So, I finally decided to get a new computer. It won't be here until the 11th though. I decided to get a Dell XPS. I wanted a Macbook, but it would have ended up being over a thousand dollars. I'm hoping my new laptop lasts as long as my old one.

The horses have been doing well. I rode Pony on Friday. He did ok, but got a little frustrated when I wouldn't let him go into the run-in shed (we were riding in the paddock.) We really need a riding ring, but they are rather expensive. We have other projects that need done before that though. We also want to repaint the fencing. Glory is doing ok. She has a short attention span though, and keeps getting distracted. It reminds me of when Pony was that young. She still tries to bite quite often, but hasn't tried to kick or rear at us in quite a long time.

A couple of days ago Rerun posted this link on facebook. It's a saddlepad with a logo design for OTTB. They are really cute. The place will also donate 5 dollars to the rescue that you put in the message section of the order form. They also say that if you don't like it they will refund your order along with the shipping cost. I would get one if I had an OTTB, but maybe I'll buy one for my mom for her birthday.
OTTB Saddle Pads

Vet and Farrier

2011-06-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

The vet came yesterday and the farrier came today. The vet appointments are always quite the experience; you never know what to expect. I'll tell you about Jasper (aka: Pony) since his time with the vet is always the most dramatic/nerve-wrecking. He is very wary of people he doesn't know, and tends to freak out when he thinks that they are going to harm him somehow. The vet ended up forgetting that they were supposed to be quiet when they first got there so he doesn't hear them. So, Pony ended up hearing them talking along with their truck pulling up (we had the barn doors closed so he couldn't see them though.) He already knew something was up due to the fact that they were still in 20 minutes after they had eaten. So, as soon as my sister and I walked in with the initial sedation he was already pretty wired. His head was up, his eyes were wide, and started backing up. We tried to distract him with a bucket full of apple slices, but he was pretty jumpy. However, surprisingly, he didn't react as badly when he felt the needle prick him. He jumped a little bit, but it was over rather quickly. Last time he bent the needle and we had to try again with a different shot. The vet then came in and decided to let him relax some.

The other horses were all fine, except for Glory. She's the baby of the barn, a yearling now. She was pretty freaked out. As soon a the vet took her lead rope she started trying to run away. They ended up having to twitch her... poor baby. She didn't react to the shots, but she was pretty scared.After all the other horses were done they went back to Jasper. They had to give him another sedation (this time through the vein.) He freaked out somewhat when they came into his stall, and tried backing away with his head up. But, the most he did was flinch when they stuck him with the needle. He used to charge forward, and try and run away from them. My poking him with the toothpick seems to have worked somewhat. They waited until he was pretty out of it, and then floated his teeth and gave him his vaccines. I cleaned his sheath after they left (he peed while I was in the middle of cleaning it, lol.) I'm glad it's over though. It's very nerve-wrecking and I always feel really badly for Pony. But, he did much better than last time. I really need to find away to get him used to/not as afraid of new people.

This morning Pony had a fever of 102.9. The vet told us some of them might, from the vaccines. But, there was going to be a heat index of 105 today, and I didn't want him out in the hot sun. So, the majority of the horses ended up in their stalls with they lights off, and the fans going. I also went out about every two hours and sponged them off. I also gave Pony some bute to help lower his fever, and by the end of the day it was successfully down to 99. The farrier also came today. Pony is absolutely fine with the farrier. He's remembers him, and it is his feet that is handled... nothing new, nothing scary. Glory, on the other hand, threw a fit when it was time for her one back hoof to get done. She wasn't scared like yesterday; she was mad, and did not want him touching her. She tried running, and then she tried kicking, and then she tried leaning her weight against him. She actually ended up falling over. I think after yesterday, she just wanted to be left alone. It gave me a glimpse at the demon foal she used to be. She used to kick, rear, and strike out at us almost daily back then. She's mellowed out a lot since then. I'm quite glad the whole traumatic vet experience is over and we wont have to deal with it for a while.

NKOTBSB Concert!!!

2011-06-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

We went to see BackStreet Boys and New Kids On the Block last night! They were amazing! The BackStreet Boys were my favorite band when I was like 10, so it was really exciting to get to see them perform. It was also my first big concert. I went and saw Carrie Underwood a couple of years ago, but that was at the state fair so it wasn't very big. Anyway I had a blast, and I bought a t-shirt (which was like 40 dollars!) I only knew a couple of songs from NKOTB, but they were still pretty good. After the concert we went and stood out by the tour buses and got to wave to them. They were all standing around talking to each other. And, I know I sound like a total fan girl saying this, but it really would have made my night if I could have touched or hugged one of them, lol. I remember cranking up the music and dancing around my room when I was 10 or so. So, being able to see BSB for the first time brought me back to my younger days. I have some pictures, but they aren't on my computer yet; I'll try and post some next time, if I remember.

As for the horses, they are all doing pretty well. Although the flies and the heat are making them somewhat miserable. Lightning's hooves are already chipping from all the stomping. Last year it got so bad that he was lame off and on from how far back they chipped (he also got thrush at some point.) The vet is coming out on Wed. to give shots and all. Pony isn't going to do very well with that. He is very wary of people he doesn't know, and he freaks out over shots. He doesn't get aggressive, but he rears and tries to bolt. I've been jabbing him with a syringe (that doesn't have a needle.) And, I'm going to poke him with a toothpick tomorrow. Usually my sister and I have to try and sedate him while the vet hides outside. Once that is done, the vet will come in and give him another round of sedation through the vein. He gets everything done at once... vaccines, his teeth will get floated, and then I'll clean his sheath. I'm able to clean his sheath without him being sedated, but I'm able to do it extra thoroughly when he is out of it. He used to get his teeth floated by our dentist, but he ended up having to come back several times just to get him done. So, now he just gets done by the vet. Hopefully all will go well (crosses fingers!)

Hay!

2011-06-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Well first let me start off by saying that Sunday was a very depressing day. Our barn cat, Tigger, was hit by a car that morning. Our neighbor, from down the road, pulled up to tell us that he was laying on the side of the road. We buried him near the barn. I really miss him. He was a great friend that always kept me company whenever I was outside. He was always in the barn with me, and would keep me company when I was in the garden picking vegetables. He would lay on my lap and keep me warm in the winter while I was waiting for the horses to finish eating. I really really miss him. I think I'm taking it worse than I did when my other animals died. I think because, with them, I had time to prepare; they were sick and weren't going to get better. I saw Tig the night before happy and healthy, and the next day he was gone. I don't really want to look at any pictures at the moment, but I do believe there is one of him in my second or third post that I've ever typed.

On another note, the same neighbor who told us about Tigger, cut our hay fields on Sunday. He's an awesome neighbor who has been a big help to us since we've moved here. On Monday the hay was flipped, and last night it was baled. We got just under 300 bales. However, they each weighed around 65-80 pounds, which is more than the average bale of hay. We had loads of help from neighbors, family, and friends. The country is great, everyone helps each other out. In fact before we did our hay, we went and helped another guy (the one who baled our hay) finish with his hay. Some of the hay is a little on the green side, so I really hope it doesn't mold. But, unfortunately, it is supposed to rain today, so we couldn't give it another day to dry. I actually just got in from raking up some of the loose stuff that got left behind from the baler (in almost 90 degree whether.) It is hot hot hot outside!

We still have another field to cut. We should get another 100-200 bales off of that. I don't know where we are going to put it all. Our one tall shed is full. We have two small hay loft type areas in the barn that are empty. But, I think we are going to have to fill up the two empty stalls like we usually do (one is already has some hay in it.) This is only the first cutting though, and if the second cutting is as good as the first, then we might have to clear out another shed. Hopefully none of it molds; if it doesn't, then we might be set for winter. It will be great if we don't have to buy any! We also have to make sure the hay doesn't get too hot (especially the green ones,) or else they might catch fire. Last summer we didn't get very much hay, but this summer we have a ton!

Desensitizing the Pony

2011-05-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Pony came in off the field with a big scrape on the inside of his one back leg. Nothing serious, but enough that I wanted to put something on it. So, I go and get the purple woundcoat stuff. About a year ago I tried to use furral on him and he freaked out. I used to use it all the time when he got hurt, but he woke up one day and decided that it was really scary. So, yesterday I decided not to use the usual ointment and to try the spray. The first time I sprayed his leg he flinched. I didn't get all of it covered, so I went a second time and he started crab stepping away from me. And, then, he kicked up at me. His hoof actually connected with my hand the one time (just barely though.) He wasn't being aggressive; he was trying to get the spray away from him. For all he knew the can was going to spit out a snake at him with the noise it was making. And, in a way, it did when the spray actually hit him. He is fine with flyspray and being hosed off and all, but he is, apparently, afraid of aerosol sprays.

So, now I am working on desensitizing him to the spray stuff. I'm going around making a "chhhh" noise to imitate the sound the spray makes. He gets all tense at first and then slowly relaxes. I've been making the noise all the time, when I feed him, brush him, flyspray him, and when I'm just leading him around. I also took the can of woundcoat and imitated the noise it makes while moving it up and down along side him. (I didn't actually spray him though.) His head would go up, he would get all tense, and have this OMG expression on his face. I would do it for 10 seconds on one side, give him 20-30 second break, and then switch to the other side. After a few minutes he was way more relaxed and wasn't reacting as much. He even worked up the courage to touch the can with his nose and investigate it (which is pretty good since he would try and move away from it whenever I would take a step towards him with it before.) So, I think, in a couple of days, he will be much better with it. We worked through his fear of flyspray a couple of years ago, so we will work through this too. However, it does make me realize that I need to start desensitizing him to more stuff, and make him more "bombproof." On another note, his birthday is next week; he will be 6. My little boy is growing up so quickly!

Preakness and Horse Stuff

2011-05-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Preakness was yesterday! I swear one of these years I will go there; Pimlico isn't that far from where I live. Animal Kingdom didn't win, so no chance at a Triple Crown winner. He came in second though, and if the race was just a little bit longer, he would have won it. Oh, well maybe next year; I at least hope that there will be one Triple Crown winner in my lifetime. I'm quite thankful that no horses were injured in the Preakness. Archarcharch, who was injured in the Derby, and required surgery, is doing well. He will be retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm.

So, you know the halter I had bought Pony about 3 weeks ago? Well, the leather part broke. I found it laying out in the middle of the field. Thankfully it was a breakaway, so he didn't get hurt with whatever he did. Although, I can quite imagine one of the other horses just grabbing it and yanking it off his face lol. So, now I have to go and try to get a replacement leather thing for it. They don't need to wear their halters anymore though, while turned out, since they are now out on grass more than just a couple of hours. (They are easier to catch now.)

My horse is such a sweetheart though. Last night he walked away from the other horses to see me. He leaned his neck against my side while I scratched his withers. He dozed off while I rested my head on his neck, and we just kind of stood like that until I had to go back inside. It was one of those awwww moments. lol

Another random thing that I thought I would mention is that Canter USA is having an online auction to raise money. The auction ends tonight at 8:00 pm though. Not very many people have bid, last I checked, but there aren't very many items. Some of the items include: a Ralph Lauren vest, Zenyata and Empire Maker halters, jewelery, riding pants, different riding lessons and clinics, and some other things. So check it out.

Canter USA