Sunday night, I got an e-mail notifying me that the DVD series of Buck Brannaman clinics was available for pre-order. This naturally led to me watching a bunch of You Tube video excerpts from them, then watching part of the documentary Buck while I folded laundry on Monday. So I was all psyched up to go out and channel Buck Brannaman's calm and certain authority with my horse. Naturally, by the time I got out there, I had forgotten all about it and was my same goofy self. Damn. It's too hard to be somebody else anyway.
Monday, it had rained all night before, and a good bit of the day, but I still had to go out to check on her leg fungus. Luckily, the fungus looked much better, and Erin has told me that the vet is coming out today or tomorrow for fall shots, so she can check out the limp for me. Hopefully it will be scheduled at a time I can be there.
What I learned today is not to carry the apple oat horse cookies on my person. Skye is CRAZY for them, and it distracts her so much. They do have a strong sweet smell, and if I concentrate on it, I can smell them from my pocket myself, and I don't even live for them the way she does. She was very distracted and way too mouthy, so I conducted a test of the emergency horse cookie system. This consisted of taking off my hoodie (which contained delicious smelling cookie crumbs) and leaving it in the tack room, coming out and showing her my empty hands again, and seeing if she acted more nicely. It worked like a charm. I also have to be more disciplined about only giving them when I catch her and right before I put her up. I've been doing that, but her knowing they were in there from the smell was just too much for her. (And yes, I know that I probably shouldn't be giving her treats anyway. But I like to do it, and I'm willing to bear the consequences.)
I also brought in another small horse, who shall remain nameless, for feeding. Hmm. A beautiful horse, but a real pill. She was clearly not happy to be with a person. Sour expression and ears back, almost but not quite pinned to her head. So when I went back to say good-bye to Skye, I gave her a kiss on the forehead for never ever looking at me like that. I do wonder about the other horse's past. Who had betrayed her trust and made her dislike us so? I hope the kindness she receives now will eventually win her over.
I can't go out again until Wednesday. At which time I will most certainly be a female Buck Brannaman. Skye won't know what to make of me.
No comments:
Post a Comment