Moving

Look!  Did you ever think you ever think you would see this?  Another knew she would.  I love being ridden!  I have been to one clinic already and will be going to a trail clinic in April.

Another says it feels as if we have been partners for years.  She had an animal communicator talk to me last week and I let her know that I have things to do and what kind of things bother me.  I also let her know the treats she gives me zap my teeth.  We had to work out how I will let the dentist work on my teeth.

I am moving...not from the ranch, just where I post.  I am joining Mr. Spotty Butt at his blog-The Journeys of Cactus Jack Splash.  Another is so busy doing horse things that she can not keep up with all our blogs so we are going to just keep one.  I hope to see you over there.  Remember "It is the little things that make the biggest difference"

Merry Christmas

I want to take a moment and wish all the humans who helped me on my journey to my forever home a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thank you for not giving up on me.  I am loved, have friends, and am very happy.  I wouldn't be around still without each and every one of you.  I am thankful for my little Christmas Miracle.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Hello again

Hi everyone!  I have to tell you things have been busy here.

I am living full-time with the gelding herd, my metabolism is finally even and I am not struggling with my weight anymore.

I am even mellower yet.  This photo of my eye was taken while the farrier was doing my feet.  Usually my eye would look a bit worried when the farrier worked on me.  Not that anything bad has happened, but when the farrier has a foot I can't move as fast if I need too-sometimes, for no apparent reason I still feel the need to move.  This time I even fell asleep.  Another had my lead really loose and was even able to snap a few photos.

We have two new members in the gelding herd.  They are newly gelded, Another calls them the Sopranos.

I headed over to great them.  After all I know what it is like to be the new guy.

The oldest of the sopranos was not very interested.  He has never lived in a pasture or with other horses.  All he did was run the fence and scream like a girl.  I did run with him for a bit so he wouldn't feel lonely, but that got boring so I left him alone.

The youngest, and littlest Soprano is a terrorist.  See he is already sticking his tongue out at us.  He spent a lot of time chasing all of us and trying to bite.  He needs to learn some serious manners.

Another says we have a job to do...we need to help both the Sopranos learn to live like good citizens in the herd.  Well I guess I am now a teacher with a mission, this is something new for me-wish me luck.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Green eyed monter!

I am usually pretty understanding of things.  I try hard to be nice, cooperative, and to share...really I do.  But this past month has just pushed my limits.  Another has been too busy with her spotted horse, I have not gotten enough time!  Then to top it off there are cows in my pasture who think I should share my hay with them, a couple of charges and swift kicks changed their minds.
Another takes her spotted horse to clinics and out on trail rides.  Then he comes back to the pasture and brags about how he is all that and a bag of chips...makes me upset.  I made it very clear to Another that I am not happy with the situation.  She comes out to see me, I turn my butt to her and walk off.  I know that makes her feel really bad.  I am not sure, other than making her feel bad, I am getting the results I want.  I want her to try to win my affections back.  She just stops, waits, tells me when I am ready she will be there for me and then she leaves the pasture.  I am thinking I may have to cave and let her know I see her waiting for me and I really want to go with her and play.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Sshhhh, I have a secret

Another and I have a big secret.  I have been keeping it for a bit now, but it is so hard!
She saddled me with the big saddle again one day and was working with me.  I was super good, in fact the best ever!  When she stepped up on the cement pad that goes into the barn I lined myself right up so she could get on.  I gave her my best puppy dog eyes and kept nosing my stirrup.  She told me to wait a minute and went into the barn to get her helmet.  I didn't move an inch, I wanted her to know I was serious.  She came back out with her helmet on and put her foot in the stirrup like she was going to get on.  I didn't move...I was relaxed and licking my lips. I kept waiting for her to swing her leg over, but she just kept laying over the saddle and banging the off-side stirrup and rubbing all over me.  She stepped back on the pad and told me how good I was.  I nudged her with my nose, I really wanted her to get on.  She put her foot in the stirrup, took a calming breath, threw her leg over and sat down.  I stood very still, I was afraid I might worry her if I moved.  We stood there for a bit and then she got off.  She was so pleased with me.
She says as soon as I am consistent at yielding when asked we can go for a short ride. But for now I have taken a big step forward!
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

The big saddle

Today I wore the big saddle for the first time.  I was a good boy!  I went to the small pen with no problem, got brushed and fussed over.  I did some liberty work and the Another put the saddle on me.  She turned me loose so I could sort out carrying it on my own.  It took me a bit to figure out I could walk with it.  I learned to line up to a mounting step.  Another even put her foot in the stirrup like she was going to get on. 
I even got to play with the big soccer ball.  I love playing with the ball.
I also got checked out to see if I needed any body work or nutritional changes.  I will be getting a change in my supplements for a few weeks.  I like the there are people here who ask me questions and listen to me.
I led nicely back to my pasture, which was 1/2 a block away from the small pen.  No bolting...
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Given enough time.

This is Freedom's Lady.  While she is Another's horse, she does not live at the ranch.  She lives at a very special place that allows her the ability to be a "free domesticated mustang".
Free is a special horse that faced being euthanized.  After three years with Another and the Rope Man she is now loving life in captivity.  She also lives in a place where she can take long walk-abouts and come back after a few days.  She always chooses to come back even though she could return to the wild if she wanted to do so.  Free loves her life with humans because the ones she is with honor her nature and allow her to be herself while training her.  The Rope Man and Another know that some horses take years not months-they give them time.
This weekend Free went to the ocean for the first time and played in the surf.  Another promised me that I will get to do that when I am ready.  I think I will like the beach, I think that storming the waves would be fun. I am glad I have all the time I want to get ready to be there-after all when you don't like getting wet it can be hard to run in the surf.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Speical ME TIME

Another said yesterday in her post that she feels bad when I get left out, well so do I.  She does however try to set special time aside for me, but with me being unsure away from my friends it is hard to get me on my own. 

The horse guardian set a small "square pen", rather than a round pen, right up outside my pasture.  Now I can get alone time with Another.  Tonight she came out and haltered me up, help me get past the big 'Bully Boyz", making them move out of MY way for a change, and out the gate.  Jack tried to go too, but Another told him it wasn't his turn-he pouted.

I got groomed, lunged, flagged, and then showed off my liberty skills.  Another got out the biggest ball I have ever seen!  At first I was worried about it, but then Another started playing with it.  I started to join in some and we had a good time.

Another put me back in the pasture and thanked me for coming out to play with her.  She says we will do more of this.  I now I will like that, after all I picked Another and it is my responsibility to play with her.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Some days my heart breaks...

This is me, Another, posting today.
See that face?  I love everything about the Mighty Q!  He is gentle, loving, playful, tries so hard, and is a grand horse.  He also has fear, sometimes lacks trust, and surprisingly enough has little confidence in himself. 
I have not one bad word to say about him since he has come to live with me.  He is the horse that humans made him and he wants to be the horse I ask him to be.  But some days my heart just breaks for him.
When I take Jack out of the pasture and Q begs me to take him too!  When he sees us load up for a trail ride and he whinnies to go along.  When he watches the horses in the arena and makes it so clear he wants to join in, but just doesn't know how....my heart breaks and sometimes I cry for him.
I know that soon he will be doing all the things he wants to do. Now he reminds me of the little child on the playground being left out of the games-he reminds me of myself and maybe that is why we are together.
I don't know why, because it makes absolutely no sense to me, I love the heck out of this horse.  Maybe it is because with him I get to love the child I was and help make things better.  Who knows?
One day the Mighty Q and I will be riding a clinics, working cows, and going down trails.  He will do all the things that he wants to do-it is a promise I make to him (and to the little girl I once was)
I love you Q, thanks for choosing me.
Another

Partners

Today I went for a walk.  Now walking itself isn't a big deal, after all I have been doing it since I was a day old.  Learning to stay at Another's side is getting better all the time.  Today was something totally new, well something old with a twist.  I know how to walk with other horses, how to keep my space or get a well placed nip or kick, I even know where my place in line is now.  I have never been led with another horse at the same time with us both being haltered.  That takes skills-not getting tangled up, not squeezing the human or stepping on toes.  Well today I did that and was stellar.  Who knew I had such crazy mad leading skills?  Notice I even kept my cool when another horse tried to bother us.

Another was very pleased with me, especially since I did not get a warm up first.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"



As We Remember Please Pray For Peace

Here I am taking Another for a nice slow walk today.  She hasn't learned to walk as fast as I would like her to, in fact I think she should run by my side.  She says she is too old for such shenanigans, so today I went as slow as I possibly could.  Another said I was very good.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Q the outlaw....

I have not been bad honest...

Okay maybe a bit bad about wanting all the treats-but so are the rest of the geldings!  The other day I showed up at treat time in a clever disguise.  I figured if I was the masked horse none of the gledings would notice it was me stealing their treats.  That way I would be safe from any retribution.  It was a no go because Another knew who I was right away.

Sorry I haven't been posting more but it is the beginning of the school year.  That means Another is running around like crazy.  She does make sure we all get scritches and treats everyday.  She also took me for a walk with the halter on the other day to help her catch Jack.

I am happy in my home...MY HOME!  I still have to stop every now and then to remind myself that I have my own human and a home.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Did you bring her here to die?

Another is steaming mad!  Luckily it is not at me. I have never seen her mad at a horse, but boy howdy she can get so riled by people.
"Did you bring her here to die?"  A comment made by a RAB about Little Sister....Another plans on keeping all her horses until they cross the rainbow bridge, or she does. So this question was just totally stupid.

Another believes that seeing a horse out well is just as important, if not more so, than bringing them along.  It is easy to love any being when they are young, athletic, and healthy.  She also finds it easy to love them when they are winding down, a time when they need that love the most.

Another believes that it is important to thank her horses for all they have given her.  She thinks that making sure we are well taken care of our ENTIRE life is one small way to do that.  She brought Little Sister her to thank her for a life well lived, for the gift she gave to Another in Friend, to repay Friend in some way for the blessing he was to her life.

So in answer to the RAB and his stupid question...yes she was brought her to die-we all were really including the RAB.  Little Sister is an appy, Another is hoping she is like Freedom and has 20 more years to enjoy being retired and spoiled.  Another is hoping we all out live her.

I hope the RAB learns to value life and to appreciate other beings just because the exist, otherwise he is going to continue to be a lonely and bitter person.

I know that Another keeps her word.  She told me when I came here, just as a foster horse, that I could stay as long as I wanted and pick my next person.  I am staying forever and picked Another to be my next person and she is honoring my choice.  Maybe she needs a name change too, hmmmm.  I wonder what would be a good name for her?

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

 

I am home!

Finally I am home!  I have been working on Another to make her realize that I have no intention of leaving her.  She can be a bit slow at times (that is why Boogie calls her DOR-Dope on a Rope).  After getting help from other humans to help her realize how much I love her, how much I have to teach her, and how much she loves me the deal was done.

Another is now my human...I have a home!

Now I know that I am loved and wanted, that I am needed, that she sees in me what I can be. Together we will become better than we are on our own.  Who knows, I could be the horse she rides with Buck next year!

Thank you to Heart of the Redwoods Horse Rescue for all you did for me.  I know there were people who thought I should be given up on and let go...thank you so much for not giving up, I now have a happy life that would never have happened without you!

HOME!  Sounds nice...

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Cookie Monsters

Here I am with some of my new friends.  Boogie, the appy, is a cookie monster.  He always knows when Another has treats.  I am sticking close to him so I don't miss out on any goodies.

I am liking this herd stuff!

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Out to pasture

Another and her husband moved me to a big pasture with six other geldings yesterday.
I had to walk through a hay field and tried really hard, well sort of, not to be distracted by all the food. 

This photo is of me with three of the geldings.  These three all hang out together.  They are a Thoroughbred, Arabian, and a Selle Francais.

The other three horses are a Paint, Arabian/Quarter horse, and and Appaloosa who has claimed me for his best friend.

I had a great time running around like a crazy horse showing off my athleticism.  I am going to like my new pasture and friends.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Mooching

If I play my cards right, and Another isn't looking, I can mooch cookies from Mushboy.  Actually I am pretty sure Another knows about the cookie mooching and just overlooks it.
Today I am going to move into a herd, six other geldings on the hillside pasture.  I am looking forward to having friends to play with. 
Another says I need company, that as much as I seem to be happy, horses are not supposed to live alone-unless they are Sir Darby, he hates sharing a pasture.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Manners, manners, manners

Another keeps telling me I have to practice my table manners.  No crowding when she has the treat tub, no trying to sneak bites before she gives it to me, and NO pinny ears allowed.
I work very hard on my manners when I get my treats.  I am still not too happy about her wanting to pet and fuss with me while I eat my treats.  In fact I have a tendancy to be food protective.  Another insists that I can not be that way, she says that is bad manners and won't help me in my future.  So now I am having to work on no stinky faces, tail swishing, pinny ears, or foot stomping while she fusses with me while I eat treats.
I am doing excellent with my weight.  My coat is bright and I am starting to develop some dapples.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"