Chow Time

The past couple of weeks have been a little crazy for me time-wise. The boys have had projects due and new extracurricular schedules to adjust to, so I have been needed at home and out to the barn a lot less.  I think the same thing has happened to other people, as when I did get out the barn, a couple of times all I had time to do was love on my girl a little then pitch in to help feed. It's always funny to me that feeding horses would technically classify as work, but that it never feels like that at all. I sure get a lot more gratitude from the horses than I ever get from Dave and the boys!

I helped to feed the mares first, and naturally my girl, as alpha, was the first to come in. Hmm. She was a little on the rude side, rushing me a little as I led to her to her bucket. I had to back her up a couple of times and then she waited for me. She did give me the stink eye the first time though. The feeders usually tell me she is a good girl, but I think she has been getting away with a little rushing, most likely because the feeders have a lot of horses to feed and can't be schooling all of them in manners. Still, it taught me that girl is getting sassy!

Sassiness refueling. What a nice
butt she has. Must be nice.

Then I got to help with one of the gelding herds, which included Bon Jovi and my dear friend Ike. Though he's the largest horse by far in that pasture (or any pasture for that matter), he is near the bottom of the herd, so he comes in second to last. As I was getting ready to get him, he was trotting around waiting and it was so good to see him strutting around. He is so huge and beautiful that it was just such a pleasure watching him. I had to wait for the only halter at the barn that fits him to be free, then I took him in to eat and he was very gentlemanly about being taken to his stall. Getting him out was something different, as that boy likes to hang in his stall. I tried to lead him out but he was having none of it. I tried moving his head side to side to make him take a step. Nothing. I flipped the lead line onto his butt, harder and harder. Nothing. When a mountain of a horse doesn't want to move, he doesn't want to move. Fine. I put the lead line over his shoulder, stepped to the side and tied my boot. Out he came, walking right toward his pasture, so I just followed him there, got the lead line then let him go. Then just for fun, I hung out in there with him. 'Cause he's awesome, that's why.

Ike. He's awesome. Face it.
Not everybody can pull off looking this intimidating with
their tongue out either.

Another night I went out and got my girl for some groomin' and grazin'. Black, the big Friesian (is that redundant? I guess all Friesians are big, but your sense of normal horse size gets warped after dealing with Ike) and Cowboy, a big Paint that looks like he has some Warmblood in him, were together in the round pen because Cowboy had an injury to a hoof.  Black is fantastically beautiful and a dream to ride, but I've never got the sense he likes me that much. He has an aloof personality anyway (he is a rescue who had been kept in a stall for 7 years, so he has his reasons), but most horses have my number and warm up to me pretty quickly. No so with Black. So though I like him, he and I have been somewhat strangers to each other.

Black admiring Skye from afar, and plotting his
big move to impress her.

So this night I brought Skye over to graze in that area where the grass and clover were nice. Of course, Black needed to get a good look at Skye, as all the boys like Skye. They touched noses, then Skye was done with him and went back to eating. I guess he got a little jealous of the grass, so he leaned over the rail of the round pen to reach some grass on the other side (where it truly was greener, as the round pen is pretty much of a dry lot). The top rail was no match for the weight of his neck, so POP went the side of the rail. He turned to look at me as I was heading over to it, like he was very pleased with himself. Then he leaned over the next one and did the same thing! Such a naughty boy. When I got there, he looked me right in the eye, then leaned over the now low barrier and started munching on the grass he could now reach, as if to show me things were a lot better now.

Then we had to move Black and Cowboy to another small paddock, and Black was just as sweet as he could be, standing there with me after I released him, giving me a good sniff all over, probably enjoying the scent of Skye on my clothes.

So now I'm in love with Black.  Shocking, I know.

Yes, this is the same pic from the other day.
10 points for Gryffindor if you noticed.

I'm starting fresh with Skye for the 100th time, as between her lameness and my schedule, she hasn't been ridden for weeks, and she has been resistant in the round pen both at liberty and on the line. She is still pretty good, but has not wanted to change directions or calm down and walk, so we'll go back there.

But she's still pretty.

Seriously. Who's prettier than that? Nobody, that's who.
I'm clearly completely objective.