Another Hard Good-bye

Well, Saturday and Sunday have been tough for me this week. I headed out on Saturday, determined to get on that girl, work on loosening and strengthening her back and maybe helping to catch the lonely dinky (who remains elusive despite hours of chasing and attempts to catch him by others). As soon I got there, Erin told me, so I would know, that some people were coming out to see Reebok and that they sounded like they wanted to take him. Since he trusts me, I volunteered to get him out and show off  his best behavior. She thanked me, as apparently that is exactly what she was hoping I would say, as she had a bunch of trail riders coming in and her usual busy Saturday.

The people arrived, and I was so relieved because they honestly couldn't have been nicer. A mom-age (45 years old maybe?) woman, her 12 year old daughter and another daughter who seemed around 10. They were really nice, and loved the way that boy looked. And boy, he was extra nice. I called to him to get him in, even though we couldn't see him from the gate, and wouldn't you know he came boogying up with his cute little gait and met us at the gate. The family was charmed, as the lady said she had always had to chase their horses to get them. I could happily tell her that catching Reebok is about as difficult as catching a potato. He sighed and nuzzled me (in a sweet, not disrespectful way) and they fell in love with him.

Who would not be charmed?

I worked him around in the round pen for a little bit, and he backed and came back to me beautifully, then went to the end of the line at a nice walk. I could not get him to go any faster than a walk though, and he kept coming in to me. So I loved on him, and told the folks that his doing this was entirely my fault, as I am not firm enough with him because I don't have the backbone to be anything but sweet to him. They could tell this was true. They came in and loved on him, and he just loved it.

Erin got back and tacked him up and rode him a little, and he did great. I then felt very foolish that I had not pressed harder for her to do it sometime I was there so I could have ridden him. I've never ridden an "unbroken" horse before; I guess I was just reluctant. Then the lady rode him and after a false start or two (he could tell she wasn't confident, as it had been years since she had ridden), he did great for her too. They were such nice people, but I have to say I have reservations just because he will be alone where they are. Erin says he will be better off because he will bond with them better, but it breaks my heart to think of him all alone.

He couldn't bear to see me cry.

Before I left yesterday, I went out to say good-bye to him, and it just tore me up. He was just as sweet as a puppy to me, so much more affectionate than Skye has ever been.  Rip, Lisa and Craig were all there admiring the awesomeness of Cowboy, and I thought their presence would keep my tears at bay. It did not, and I've been crying in secret off and on all weekend.

In any case, they decided to take him and were to pick him up today. It was pouring down rain all day, and in a way I'm glad I wasn't there. The bottom line is that he was not my horse, and since I couldn't afford a second board, he had to go and make room for a horse Erin could use on trails and in the membership program. I just wish I hadn't let myself get so attached. My attachment to him did him some good though, because he is much easier to handle now.

Before I said good-bye though, I did get to mess around a little with my girl. She came up to me in the pasture again, which is a relief (I don't know if it was Leo or spring grass she was hesitant to leave last week). And she was a good girl. I groomed her quickly, which is a lot easier now that she is shed out and sleek again. Then I tacked her up and led her over the ground poles in the ring several times. Amy, who is the mother of twin girls who own Chloe and a good rider in her own right, asked what I was doing and I told her I was working on loosening and strengthening Skye's back.

Lo and behold if she didn't come over and check Skye for soreness and tightness. Amy is a physical therapist and proceeded to point out different muscle groups that tighten and cause soreness. She stretched out that girl's legs and massaged her  in several places and Skye just loosened right up on the spot. We found a sore spot, and Amy told me stretches I could do with her head to help it. Skye was so cute as she relaxed. Then I got on and went over the poles on her a couple of times. Then she stepped on herself and ripped her left front shoe right off. Durn. Thankfully, it came off cleanly and didn't seem to harm her foot in any way.

I am dreading the Reebok-shaped hole I will see in the pasture from now on out there, but I feel like Skye and I are getting somewhere at last.

As the Pasture Turns

I drove up today and saw the beautiful Symphony standing in Skye's pasture and I knew that the pasture changeover had taken place. The gates were closed so I parked next to the pasture. As soon as I got out of the van, Skye was nickering me and pacing in front of the gate. Girlfriend was unhappy, and wanted me to do something about it. I took some carrots and headed over there.

She was so busy nickering that at first she didn't even eat the carrots (which is saying something because that woman likes her food). She gave me a meaningful look then trotted over to the corner closest to the far pastures (which is still at least an acre away, as her pasture is across the dirt road from the barn). From the way she was looking, I could guess about where he was, and sure enough, I heard him call to her. My heart broke for them, even while I was pleased that she seemed to want to connect with me about her distress. I'm sure I'm anthropomorphizing (which I frankly don't have too much of a problem with, since we are continually learning how much more animals are like us), but she really seemed to think I would help her.

And I feel guilty because I do really want this pasture change, as her happiness with that boy was causing some problems. Saturday I rode that girl, and while she was okay, she was very distracted. Sunday was worse. I had very little time but I want to get her in better shape, so I lunged her a little at liberty. She was distracted and nervous, and basically acting like a nutty mare. She whinnied for Leo a couple of times, and it was all I could do to keep her attention on me. She cantered around of her own accord. So I then kept her at it as I want her to know that if she breaks gait, she has committed herself to a good bit of going at that gait. I didn't stress her out though, and she was relieved to come in but basically seemed discombobulated. Finally, I checked under her tail, and sure enough, she was in heat. That explains a lot, but the bond with Leo made her behavior even worse. When I put her back in with him, she backed her butt up to him, lifted her tail, then spread her back legs and peed, making sure he'd get a good whiff of whatever hormonal action she had going on. He sniffed her all over. Love, love, love.

Feel the love. More precious because they were soon to be separated.

But as I said, he doesn't pay her board, and I need a horse I can work with. In light of the change of pasture, I didn't do much with her tonight other than check her out and fly spray her. By Saturday, she should be in better shape.

In similar news, Reebok and Ginger have been split up as well, and they are both fit to be tied.  Ginger was all over me, anxious and wanting attention bad enough to risk the head swings and ear pins that Skye was throwing her way.  When I went to the new gelding pasture to visit Leo and Reebok and see the new horse Cowboy, Reebok practically mobbed me. He walked right up with I swear what could only be an imploring look on his face. He associates me with that pasture where he was so happy with his woman. The feeders told me he got loose twice and sprinted over to her pasture. So very sad, but he is not allowed such behavior. It's dangerous. Nevertheless, all the geldings in that pasture seem to get along, so the choice of herd dynamics (which Erin is very conscious of and good at predicting) is a good one.

Pining for his Ginger.

Behold the magnificence of Cowboy.

Blade and Gray, the Switzerland of pasture wars were fine. I gave them both a carrot just for being so excellent.

Speaking of excellence. Rip, a great guy out at the barn (his wonderful wife Lisa owns Dakota), just got his own horse. He is a 16.2 hand tri-color paint, and he is fabulous as you can see.

And sweet. I was telling him what a looker he is and he came right over.

Well, hello there Handsome!

And speaking of coming over, we need Echo to give it up and allow himself to be caught. I called him over, and he came to see me, but I couldn't touch him. I didn't have carrots so I didn't expect to, but from what I understand everyone has given up until I can catch him. I'm betting if I feed him some carrots on Friday and again on Saturday morning. I'll be able to make a grab for him Saturday afternoon. I won't feel bad now, as I will be helping him get back to his sons, who I know he must be missing.

Yes, I'm being swished off by the last
dinky standing.

On a final note, my good friends Munchkin and Mistletoe are back up at the main barn. How I love them. I have instructed them they are to take the dinkies' place in my heart. They are no doubt up to the task.

Riled and ready for my undaunted affection.

Good-bye to the Dinkies

So now that deer fly season is upon us, it is the time for fly masks. And the flies are so bad that the masks are appearing on all the horses, including Miss America herself.

Take me to your leader.
What a shame to cover such a pretty face.

I have been planning on getting one, but since the deer flies were bothering her, Erin was kind enough to put an old barn one on her. She is a good girl about wearing it, but she did want me to rub her pretty face when I took it off. Her eyes looked very clear though. Usually they run a little at this time of year. I don't know if the masks are much good for filtering pollen, but maybe it was flies bothering her last year. Whatever it is, I will be buying that girlfriend her very own so she can continue looking like an alien with her pasture buddies.

Thursday when I went out, it was with a heavy heart that I learned from the feeder that my beloved dinkies were to leave Friday morning. I grabbed some carrots and headed out to see them. They saw me from mid-pasture and immediately came in their roundabout way to meet me at the gate. I fed them from there, and rubbed their woolly foreheads and stroked their ears, as they are much more comfortable being touched from behind the fence. Then I brought Skye in and groomed and grazed her a little.

After I had put her back out with her lover boy Leo, I broke down and went into their pasture again with Brittany(Bon Jovi's very own barn girl), both of us loaded with carrots. They came over again, and we fed them. She got a text that her dad was there while we were out there, so she left, leaving me alone with them. I fed them some more carrots and had a nice talk with them, telling them they would loved and cared for in their new home, and not to stress too much about the process of getting there. They don't even like to be touched by anyone but me, so catching and trailering them wouldn't be anyone's idea of a good time. Certainly not theirs. Then I said good-bye and good luck, sadly stood up slowly and walked back toward the gate.

I had gone about 10 or 15 steps when I realized they were about ten paces behind me, following me as they do in a single file line. It just broke my heart open, and I had to blink back tears because it was by then too dark to wear my sunglasses to hide them. They stopped following me about 20 yards from the gate, but I looked back one more time. They were all standing there looking at me.

Dinkies, on another day. What else is there to say?

I got back out today to see the instructions on the board that one dinky was left in the big gelding pasture, and that assistance in catching him was welcomed. I asked Woody, who told me Echo (my favorite, to the extent I had one) had jumped through the rope fence and into that pasture and wouldn't let anyone near him. I grabbed a carrot and headed out to see if he would run from me too. I went out there calling him and sure enough, he came right up to me. I gave him three pieces of carrot, which he took, then asked for more. He wouldn't let me touch him though. I sat my butt down on the ground, and he came closer, then stood near me and grazed. When I stood up, he moved away a little.

The lone dinky.

Tomorrow when I am out there I will arm myself with carrots and a lead line and see if I can catch him. I had thought it might feel like a betrayal, but in the end it will be less stressful for him to not be chased around by people he doesn't really know. And though he didn't seem particularly stressed, I'm sure he would be happier with his sons at the new place. So tomorrow I'll see what I can do.

So I have been riding Skye, and she is up to her old tricks of not wanting to walk in the ring. She keeps breaking into a trot. I tried stopping her every time she did it, but she started just stopping from the trot and not wanting to walk. So I was letting her just trot, hopefully teaching her that breaking gait will equal more trotting than she really wants. The problem with this plan is twofold though. First, I don't have the leg power yet to trot that long, but my goodness I'm getting there. Second, she hollows her back and throws her head up when she trots which seems uncomfortable and makes me feel like I'm hurting her. I'm going to talk to a trainer that was working with Chloe about the same issue. I won't mind the trotting so much if I'm sure it is getting us both in shape. I just don't want to teach her the wrong things, one of which could be that being ridden means hurting.

She is a little bound to Leo, but at least today she didn't whinny for him like she did on Thursday. He is certainly worried about her though, as he whinnies periodically the entire time she is gone. He can see the arena from where he stands, and she could hear him. She got a little pissy at the end of our ride, and I think it was in part because she wanted to get back to him. I did not put her directly back with him for a while afterward though, and I didn't get off until I had half an arena's worth of a relaxed walk.

Love, equine style. It's sad that her happiness with him
could be a source of discord with me.
But he doesn't pay her board.

So I am back to square one riding wise, but I now know her so much better.

Tomorrow I really will have to say good-bye to the last dinky. Soon Reebok will be gone too. It's tough getting so attached, but there's not another way to do it.