Hard-shelled Strawberry Candy

I didn't get out to the barn on Sunday because since I had been gone so long on Saturday, I really needed to spend some time with my boys and get stuff done at the house. It was more difficult not to be a brat about it than I like to admit. I love spending time with the boys; it's just that I know when they are with me these days they are just waiting for me to let them play Skylanders again. Sigh.

I did get out today though, after running errands that included picking up the next round of Skye's medicine. Wow, the drop box she uses is at such a beautiful farm. Beautiful pastures, great fences, gorgeous barns. I felt like the poor relation driving in there with my old van. I've decided I shall live there in Alternate Dream Life #10, which will no doubt be funded by the lottery ticket I bought today.

But I finally got to the barn, and was able to get Skye out for just a minute. Then they started feeding, and her good mood evaporated. It's all she can think about, so I just put her back. That in itself was a bit of a trial, as she was not polite and several times I had to back her up and straighten her out (literally, she does this thing where she turns like a crescent toward me, sometimes almost crossing in front of me. I stop her and calmly make her back up in a straight line for a few feet. It works but still . . . ). But I know that there was a time when she was hungry, and I cut her some slack as long as she isn't really ugly about it.  I would've liked to spend more time with her, but I wouldn't have time to wait for her to be fed and finished.

What I did notice the other day was that FINALLY Reebok seemed to have found a friend in the herd. He will hang with Skye, who ignores him but will crack down on the others if they start whooping up on him, but that's just good sense and protection. Then on Saturday I noticed that Ginger, the strawberry roan in the pasture, was hanging out with him at the hay. Not beating up on him, standing close to him in a companionable way.  I wondered if it was a fluke, but then saw them in a different part of the pasture together later that day. I would love for him to have a friend, and being protected by the alpha (my girl, of course) and friends with the second in command, Ginger, would be a good thing for him.

Another good thing is Reebok's pink nose.
I love how the white melts into the pink.
(I really like horses.)
Also, look how tiny his legs look. Weird, man!

Ginger is one of "the mean girls" of the pasture, but I only say that as she is bitchy to other horses, most likely out of fear. I've only gotten vague stories about her past (and this from one of her owners, a 14 year old who adores her, but whom I have never seen ride her), but apparently at one point she had reason to fear someone. I instinctively like all horses, and I wanted to get to know her, so I've made a point of giving her a pat and a rub on the forehead when I pass her in the pasture. Now if I make it into the pasture (Skye usually meets me at the gate now. JOY!), she comes up to me, expectant for her rubs. She has an aloof demeanor, but she clearly likes attention, so I love on her when I can (i.e. when Skye will allow it; she shoos Ginger away from her source of apple cookies). Since I think she is sweet underneath her veneer, I call her the hard-shelled strawberry candy.

Strawberry candy, aka Ginger. I can't help wanting her to love me.

See? Isn't she neat? She's such a cool color. I can picture her with some Western tack out west somewhere. I keep hoping I will be there when she is ridden some time to see how she does. I think she's a good horse, so I tell her not to be mean to her underlings. She seems to take it seriously. We'll see.

In other news, my heart may soon be broken! Erin said today that she might find another home for the dinkies. She really wants minis that want or will allow themselves to be petted, and the dinkies tend to move away from you unless you actually feeding them or rubbing them through the fence. I may work on getting them to let me touch them, but I fear it will only make me love them more. Therefore, I made a plan;  I bought a Powerball ticket. No doubt I will win so I can buy the dinkies and pay for them to board at the barn. Whew! Problem averted. I'm sure that will solve it.

Tomorrow, Skye gets her fifth shot, and I hope to finally get to try that blanket on her so I can at least know if it fits before it really does get cold. And show those dinkies some love.