A Family Trait?

I've mentioned many times how Abby licks my hand frequently, almost like a dog. Don't believe me? Here are some pictures:

Here she licks Lisa's hand after a treat.

 See her tongue hanging out?

 Now Abby's licking Trinity's hand.

See it again?

So I am wondering...

 Is it a family trait??

Horsey Tree

I decorated the upstairs landing this year, a first for us. And one of the things I put up there was a revived tradition - the horse tree.

 Absolutely nothing about these ornaments suggests Christmas or the Savior. Still, I love them and wanted to put them out to enjoy.

I dug Flurry, the stuffed snowman Curt won from our dentist when he was about four years old, out of his place in the closet and put him out with a second, smaller snowman as decoration.

Next year I may put a second Christmas tree up on the landing. Either that, or get the 12+ foot tree Curt has suggested for a couple of years now.

Love Me, Love My Horse

Craig loves me. No doubt about it. But today, Christmas morning, he showed me that he loved my horse, too.

New barn coat, new barn gloves, a crop to replace the one Hokey bit and broke, and Dobbin's Delights treats for Abby.

Bless the Beasts...

An old song by The Carpenters has a line that says, "Bless the beasts and the children..." and goes on to sing about their innocence and how we should care for them.

My sister-in-love Cindie sure has the concept down pat. Today when I got home from the barn and running errands, I found an enormous basket on my porch. I looked closely at the tag to see who it was for and broke into a huge smaile.

 "To: Abby, Diablo, Dolly, Hokey, and Trouble"

Wow! What a treasure trove for the herd. Carrots, pears, sugar cubes, green leafy vegetables, apples, and more, nestled in a blue western bandana lining a big basket.

I can't wait to take it to the barn tomorrow. Thanks, Cindie!!

An Old Christmas Eve Tradition

When I was a kid and had Amy and my other horses, Leslie and I would go for a Christmas Eve Day ride. We'd put red and green bows in the horses' manes, hop on, and head off, often getting smiles and comments from the homes we rode past.

Abby cannot be ridden, at least not yet, and Leslie is busy up at her farm with her own horses. So, Lisa came out with me today to revive the old tradition and put a new twist on it.

 "I know my nickname is Sassy, but I HAVE been good since you adopted me. Do you think Santa will bring me something?"

(Rumor has it that he might give you some peppermint candy. He knows you like it, Abby.)

Trouble pesters Lisa while she gives Dolly, who is quickly becoming her favorite, a head scritch.

Horsey Joke

Lisa posted a conversation we had last night on her blog. We were discussing Abby's habit of licking hands (and occasionally the ground) and I was joking that we needed to get her to stop. (Actually, I don't mind horsey licks. They're even better than doggie ones!)

Mom's Horse Humor

Mom and I were talking about her horse just now, and she came up with a joke instantaneously.  Our conversation went like this:

Mom: She just needed to put her big girl panties on and stop licking the ground.

Me: You just wanted to say the word 'panties'.

Mom: You know what they call them for horses?

Me: No.

Mom: Nickers.

Hahahaha!  Mom just came up with that on her own, and since I am on my computer, it is being immortalized on my blog.  Nice!

Don't believe me about the licking? Watch this:

In the Barn!

Abby had her first snowstorm in her rescue home Thursday night. We had rain, high winds (50 + mph), and then everything froze and we got about an inch of snow. Since she has not been very high in the herd hierarchy, I have been wondering if the other horses would let her into the barn when the weather got bad.

But, when Lisa and I went out yesterday afternoon and whistled for her, Abby's head popped out of the west stall of the old barn. (You can see that white blaze from far away, even in the dark!) She, Diablo and Dolly were together, while Hokey and Trouble were in the east stall.

I felt some relief; while horses are outdoor animals and she spends all her time outside and is acclimated, still I wanted her to have some sort of break from the weather. Worst case scenario, if the others didn't let her in, she has access to three sides of the barn for a windbreak, plus there is shelter among the trees and some bushes. It is nice to know that she can get inside if need be.

Sadly, when she came to see me and broke into a trot, I noticed her limp was back. I wonder if the cold weather or hard ground aggravates it?

Winter Dark

Indiana is in the very western edge of the Eastern Time Zone. That is great in the summer because, when coupled with Daylight Savings Time, it means we have light here until almost 10:00 PM! You can get lots of things done outdoors in those long summer evenings, including barn time. (It was not unusual for me to make a carrot run at 9:00 PM last summer.)

But now we have switched back to Standard Time, and it is too dark to see horses by 5:30 PM. Hershey is eleven miles away, and I usually don't leave there before 4:45 or 5:00. Recently I have been working longer than usual hours, including an eleven hour day Tuesday. I haven't been able to get to the barn since last Saturday.

I miss my pony.

The Car of a Horsewoman

When I was a stay-at-home mom, my car was full of the usual mommy-type paraphernalia - car seats, diaper bags, toys, cookie and cracker crumbs, books, and lots of other "where did this come from?" things.

Those kids grew up a long time ago, and for about ten years now, my car has been nice and clean inside, with maybe my teaching bag, a coat, and my purse inside.

Not anymore.

Not since April 27 when I brought Abby home. Now, my car looks like this:

A five pound bag of carrots is stored between the two front seats. Also tucked away in there is a box of sugar cubes.

 My daily ziploc bag of apple cores from lunch. The teachers and office staff at Hershey have begun saving their apple cores for me, and I never know how many I will find in my mailbox after lunch! (Today, one teacher walked into my room and stood at my desk finishing her apple so I could have it!)

 My purse (orange, naturally) and my crop with which I use to ward off Trouble when he becomes overbearing.

The back seat has items as well.

My paddock boots, my barn shoes, and the string girth from my western saddle which needs replacing.

A far cry from the diaper bag days, that's for sure!