And Now There are Two

I got another horse today.

No, I am not kidding. I really, truly adopted another horse.

Hokey now belongs to me.

How did this happen? Well, as with Abby, I really wasn't trying to buy another horse. But, since I like Hokey so much, I did ask Tim on Friday that, if he ever wanted or needed to sell Hokey, to please let me know because I might be interested. I was thinking of how much Lisa liked him and that she might be moving here in a year and would love having him to enjoy.  Plus, Hokey is so people oriented and is always hanging out with me, so much so that we have become good buds.

Tim smiled and said I was the third or fourth person to ask to buy Hokey, and agreed that Hokey was a special horse. We left it at that and I did not expect anything else to happen, at least not the very next day.

Today, I got this email from Tim:

Lynn,
  I have reconsidered your offer concerning Hokey.
I am prepared to officially allow you to adopt him.
Terms of the adoption are for a bag of carrots per month and continued assistance
in helping around the place.  I really do like
to have you come out and help keep an eye on the horses and their water tank.

I will move them back to another pasture soon – if it will ever grow again.  Maybe this rain will help?.

Meanwhile I filled their round feeder again to supplement.

Thanks

Tim  

I could not quite believe what I was reading, but I knew Tim was serious. I thought about it for a while, and then approached Craig to see what he thought. He was surprised, but he had no objections.

So, now I have TWO horses, when just two months ago I didn't have one at all!

 My newest adoptee - Hokey! And he looks a lot like Cee, just as Abby looks like Amy and Coco looks like Pokey.

Hokey is a 12 year old registered Quarter Horse who rides and drives.

 My "herd."

"I'd better stay your favorite!"
Don't worry, Abby - you will!

Horsey Sounds 101

Abby is quite a vocal little mare. She's now to the point that, when she sees me, she calls out a greeting of some sort. This evening she nickered over and over to me during our visit. What's a nicker? Here's a handy list of sounds that horses make:

Nicker - a low and gutteral sound, often used as a greeting

Neigh - a loud, high pitched cry

Whinny - to neigh

Whicker - a sound softer than a neigh but louder than a nicker

Snort - a brief inhale of air in through the nose

Blow - a loud exhale through the nose, an alarm sound

Squeal - a short, high pitched sound

Tonight Abby's nickers were quiet and low in pitch. Gentle. Done with her ears pricked up while her eyes were fastened on me. In fact, she nickers to me far more now than she neighs or whinnies.

It's a companionable sound and it means she knows me and is happy to see me.

And, I, too, am happy to see her.

Guess What?

Can you guess what this is?

It's an accidental picture, but kind of cool, too.

I had been taking pictures with my iPhone when Trouble bulled his way up to the gate and demanded attention. Using my free hand, I pushed him away from me and accidentally took a picture while so doing!

"It's Just Another Day"

The Beatles wrote a song in the 60s about the humdrum of life entitled "It's Just Another Day."And today was, out at the barn. But that doesn't mean it's humdrum. Because of this girl:

Humdrum with a sweet and sassy girl like this? Who nickers when she sees me, watches my movements with her ears pricked and eyes on me, who comes to visit at the fence and seeks me out because she simply loves to be with me? Humdrum??

Never.  I leave the barn glowing with contentment and feeling fulfilled and happy. There is much to be said for it being "just another day." And I look forward to many, many more of them.

Shadow Play

Surprise!! I snuck up behind you at the gate.

 A horsey kiss from Hokey.

 Gonna kiss me back, lady?

 You betcha! Smack!!

 Trouble butts in for a kiss, too.

(Hokey's shadow is blended with mine now as he has stepped aside.)

Buddies.

Quiet Day at the Barn

New record for me today - three trips to the barn in one day! Nothing was wrong with any of the horses, it just happened that way. I did a carrot run first thing in the morning, then took my neighbor, Nancy, out in the afternoon to visit with the horses. (And forgot to take any photos - drat!!)

Then, Tim had a new grandbaby born this morning, so I texted him and asked if I could do anything at the barn so he could spend more time with his family. He responded that filling the water trough would be helpful, so I headed out a third time in the early evening. (Not that I minded.)

Here are some photos taken during my trips. Nothing special or spectacular, just ordinary, carrot run pictures.

 My girl.

 Hokey grazes companionably near Abby.

 Hay break!

 Trouble - what a big backside! (Like I should talk...)

 Diablo and Dolly.

 The old barn the horses can go in and out freely as desired.

 Diablo's pretty face.

 Drooling after she drinks - again!

 I love this girl.

Lisa Writes...

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Mom Gets a New Toy!

She's been thinking about it for years, but Mom took the plunge yesterday and adopted a horse.  She is a beautiful mare that Mom has named Abby.

Abby bears a striking resemblance to one of Mom's favorite horses from her childhood, Amy.  Hence the similar name.  Abby is from a local horse rescue, and was badly malnourished when she was rescued.  Her hooves were extremely overgrown, and she is still recovering from it.

I am so excited Mom has a new 'toy'.  She really thought long and hard about adopting Abby, and this horse is pretty much a dream come true for her.  It has been ages since Mom has had a horse, despite being one of the most avid horse lovers I know!  

Mom, enjoy having Abby.  She is beautiful and I know she couldn't ask for a better owner.  Can't wait to meet her over the summer!

The Sassy Side?

Trinity commented on Monday that she had not gotten to see Abby's "sassy side." Last night her wish was granted.

When we were out riding with Tim, he suggested I bring Abby up and longe her. I was willing to do so since I knew that, if she did get sassy, he could and would help me with her.

After I brushed her in the barn while the others tacked up, I led her to the front paddock, clipped the longe line to her halter, and tried to longe her.

She knows how to be longed. She just wasn't particularly interested in it. She would circle a few times, and then turn in to face me, making it so I had to move behind her hindquarters to shoo her on.

When she realized I could handle that trick, she gave a few bucks and even bolted to the side, pulling the longe line from my hands and giving me a blister. (Drat! I left the gloves in the trunk of the car!)

Tim stepped in to help, and she gave him some sassy stuff too.

Tim worked her and did his magic (I really respect him as a horseman!) and soon she was longing more agreeably, with only an occasional bit of sass. He was about to hand the line back to me when Trinity called out to us - her saddle on Thunderbolt was slipping to the side!

Tim and Curt went running, Tim dropping the longe line and thus freeing Abby. They got to Trinity and Thunderbolt and quickly righted the saddle before Trinity could fall.

I then turned to catch Abby, fully expecting her to have taken advantage of the dropped longe line and the opportunity to get away from us. But to my surprise, she was standing right next to me! She'd calmly ambled over during all the fuss and was just hanging out at my shoulder. No sass in sight, gently poking her nose out for a pat.

This wanting to be with me is what endeared her to me originally (okay, to be honest, it's what pushed me over the edge to get her!)

I'd say that, not only does she have a sassy side, she has a soft side, too.

I like both sides.

A Charmer

I absolutely love this picture. 

I suspect it will long be in my memory as one of my favorites ever taken.

JC and Trinity Go for a Ride

After dinner today, we headed out to the barn for an evening ride. Tim met us out there and we rounded up Diablo and Thunderbolt (to my chagrin, I discovered "he" was actually a SHE...) and then went into the small paddock.

Trinity on Diablo. Diablo is half Arabian and half Tennessee Walker. She's beautiful!

 JC on Thunderbolt. She's maybe a Paint pony and 6 years old, but not your typical snotty pony. She didn't even need a bit in her mouth! Tim says he uses her for his grandbabies, she is so gentle.

 "Why, hello!"

 Now JC is on Diablo and Trinity is riding Thunderbolt.

Tim (left) and Curt (with Diablo and JC).

 Tim leads Thunderbolt for awhile to get her started and to allow Trinity to get adjusted to the ride.

 He also helped me longe Abby. Using my beautiful new ORANGE longe line.

 A stray adolescent kitten came for a visit. I love this picture!

 Curt leads JC on Diablo for a bit.

Afterwards, we headed back to the barn and unsaddled the horses. Tim decided that Diablo needed her hooves trimmed. Neither Curt, JC, or Trinity had ever seen a horse pedicure.

 He took quite a bit off her hind hooves. I think maybe she had some thrush, too.

The stand to the back right of Diablo is used for rasping the hoof after trimming. Better than placing the horse's hoof on your thigh and doing it!

JC and Trinity Meet Abby!

And Trouble, and Dolly, And Thunderbolt, and... the whole herd!

 "Pass the carrots, kid! I always get the most so I know you've got em!"

(And Abby's smart enough to wait for the other horses, who know they only get one piece, to leave!)

 Still hopeful that there are more carrots coming.

 Trouble bulls his way up to the gate, accompanied by Dolly.

Trinity and Abby had gone to a quiet corner, but Dolly figured out that there was food and chased Abby off. (She's the horse walking off on the left.) Dolly did not get any extra food - one only per horse per visit!

JC says that Abby "is really cute and I like her." Trinity says, "She's pretty but we haven't seen her sassy side yet."

Got that right!!

Ahhhhh!!

A good roll on a warm summer day begins rather innocuously like this:

(Hokey kindly demonstrates for us.)

 Lying down in the rolling area, a circular spot of dirt that the herd has designated as "the spot."

 Then rolling onto your back and squirming vigorously. It helps to stretch your neck out and get the head into the dirt, too.

 Be sure to go side to side and get all parts of your body covered in dirt.

 Stick out your forelegs and give a huge heave so you're on your feet, and....

Shake vigorously!

Ahhhhhh! That felt good!

(Think this is messy? You should see them when the rolling spot is muddy!!)

The Pied Piper of Ponies

Here's a picture of some of Tim's horses, hanging by the gate.

I wonder what they are so interested in?

 Wait a minute! On the left! That's a human leg.

And now I see a head! (Er, a HUMAN one, that is.)

Yes, that's Lisa, socializing with Hoki, Dolly, Diablo, and Trouble.

 She finishes chatting with them and heads back to where I am petting Abby at another gate.

 Looks like of lonely, after all that horse-loving...

 But look! She's being followed by Hoki and Dolly.

Looks like she's the pied piper of ponies to me!