Black (Horse) Friday

I got to go out to the barn several times this week, but since things were so hectic with me celebrating my birthday this week, getting ready for Thanksgiving and trying to spend some quality time with my boys I didn't have time to write about it.

I did make it out to see my girl Tuesday, Wednesday and today (Friday). Tuesday and Wednesday were great. The weather was just beautiful, and my girl was sweet. I got a chance to talk to Erin about Skye's rotten mood on Sunday, and she agreed it was probably the mares' last heat of the season. Maybe that's why it was such a bad one for some many of those girls. I gave Skye her shot for the first time, and of course she was just as good as she could be. It was actually a little more difficult to give her a shot than to give myself one (to help be get pregnant), which was surprising. But now I know how to do it, and the vet had said that we should start to see the results.

On Tuesday, I was grooming Skye in one of the grooming bays when Erin's trail ride went by. She was all ears and interest, so I whipped out my iPhone and started snapping. Eye candy for my birthday:

Lookin' good left

And lookin' good right

Queen of the pasture surveys her subjects

Yes, I know how pretty she is shouldn't matter that much, but you know what? I love the way she looks, and I am a girl and sometimes I like something because it's pretty.

But she is so much more than pretty, as dealing with a lot of horses at one time she shows me how superlative her behavior is 99% of the time. Today I went out to help with feeding and with tacking up the horses for trail rides, as there were a lot of people scheduled for today. And they all showed up.

But first, I was the first person there today and what did I see but that the dinkies were on the loose!

Look out! Wild dinkies at large!

Coming at me, tiny hooves and all

I read the white board and saw that they have developed the habit of escaping, so I grabbed a handful of apple cookies and set out to lure them back to the little pasture they share with Munchkin and Mistletoe. It worked like a charm, at first. I was feeling pretty cocky, wondering if I should have a t-shirt printed with "The Dinky Whisperer" on it. Then we got to the gate, they took one look at Mistletoe, and the jig was up. They blew me off like yesterday's news, and even trotted away. Of course it was so cute that I couldn't even be frustrated. The whole thing was worth it just to be so close to them and study their little stripey legs and tiny hooves, and then to see their little witches' broom tails go swishing away.

Then Valerie drove up (she owns Wren, that big sweetie) and said she'd gather the dinkies if I would feed the horses in Skye's pasture. When I got back from doing that, the dinkies were all in their places. I  felt like a failure. How could I fail the dinkies? Well, it turns out that she had taken the miniature horses out to feed them, and put the donkey feed in the dinkies' feed buckets and they waltzed right in. I didn't know where the minis got fed, so I am completely exonerated of failure. Later, they escaped again and Woody and I just walked behind them and guided them in. They are not wild burros of the West, that's for sure, though they probably could use with a little training. So my claims of being a donkey whisperer will have to wait until there is actually some evidence of it.

As I led the horses in and out for feeding and helped tack them up, I was really struck by exactly how good Skye is. She rarely crowds me or anyone (I've asked) in a feeding situation, through a gate, in a grooming bay or while she is being led. She keeps a nice demeanor, unlike some who have their ears back half the time. (It's disconcerting.)  Of course I especially like that she hangs around the gate waiting for her mommy after she has been fed. We may have to work with her to get the saddle pad on so she won't be frightened, but she never reacts badly to girth tightening or taking the bit. None of the horses I dealt with at the barn are ugly or aggressive, but it does show me how very nice my mare is. I should have followed my own conscience which objected when being told she was rude and grumpy by the trainer. She was rude and grumpy there (if she was, and that's a big if) because she was unhappy there. She's not perfect, and we have a way to go, but she is a good horse. Working with the other horses made me really appreciate what a good girl she is.

Plus she's pretty.

Pretty all the live long day

To thank me for helping out today, Erin let me ride Black. He is a good-natured boy, but he thinks "to Hell with riding on the rail!" He's big and strong, and well aware of it, so it took some doing to get him going on the rail in the ring. I got him going around perfectly at the walk, but once into the trot, he got the better of me and veered into the center. Once he did it once, it was a struggle to get him back again. Though I did get him back over, it was a big effort, and I was happy to go on the trail ride. The trail is very nice, pretty long and very peaceful, and Black was a really good boy. A gorgeous nice horse who just happens to know how big and strong he is.

Here he is with my main man, Ike. Black has on the red. 'Cause he's fancy!

This is the kind of Black Friday I can get excited about.

Whew. Tomorrow, my girl gets her fourth shot, and I will work her in the round pen to see if she is less lame. I will have to call the vet next week to get the rest of her shots in any case and hopefully we can meet out there to take a good long look at her together.