Poor Gib is still very frightened, which prompted an explosive situation when I mounted. He doesn't buck or rear - he just tries to spin and run away - far away, as fast as he can. Poor guy. Bending his neck to one side and holding him with the outside leg works, but then he stands there and trembles. Once you get going, he's tentative, but okay. Today, most of what we did was get on and off , on and walk in a tight circle, get off and on....and hand walk all around the property.
It's going to take a lot of trust building until he doesn't panic when a rider mounts, the poor boy. Probably have to back up a few steps and do a lot of ground work - they seemed to have skipped a lot when he was young.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Ram vs Gelding
Sometimes I wish I just had a video camera strapped to my head, or perhaps just an iPhone in my pocket.
My husband came home early and let the sheep out into the bigger pasture. I came home a few hours later and Audrey and the streaky lamb were out on the front lawn. Apparently, now that Scarlett has moved, they feel that the horse stall is not off-limits, and once in the horse stall, the ewes can just squeeze through the galvanized pipe panels.
Elvis was trying to assert his ram-ness but the horses weren't having it. Well, patient paint was just standing there looking at him - Elvis didn't know what to do, because he couldn't reach anything to butt satisfactorily and Ohia wasn't impressed. So Elvis turned to Gib - who promptly bit him on the head. Not hard, just a warning.
Elvis obviously felt that Ohia was better company, because he went and stood nose to nose to him.
I really wanted a camera.
My husband came home early and let the sheep out into the bigger pasture. I came home a few hours later and Audrey and the streaky lamb were out on the front lawn. Apparently, now that Scarlett has moved, they feel that the horse stall is not off-limits, and once in the horse stall, the ewes can just squeeze through the galvanized pipe panels.
Elvis was trying to assert his ram-ness but the horses weren't having it. Well, patient paint was just standing there looking at him - Elvis didn't know what to do, because he couldn't reach anything to butt satisfactorily and Ohia wasn't impressed. So Elvis turned to Gib - who promptly bit him on the head. Not hard, just a warning.
Elvis obviously felt that Ohia was better company, because he went and stood nose to nose to him.
I really wanted a camera.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Another Peaceful Afternoon
I am sure it was because I was mentally gearing myself up to do my normal marathon Wednesday, where kids have back to back activities - then the sudden absence of all of those driving commitments meant even though I got home 12 hours after leaving the contrast was so much better, it felt peaceful. I guess that's like the phenomena of hitting your head against the wall because it feels good when you stop.
First, my college-aged child called and said she was at her alma mater with her brother, so there was no 15 mile side-trip to the university. Then, my 3rd child said he had too much homework to go to his Wednesday evening activity. That saved me an extra 60 miles of driving. I actually got a nap in the car while waiting for athletics and play practice to finish....
When we got home, my youngest and I visited Gib. I had used a few of those extra minutes saved to look up swayback on Google. I found out how to measure to see if a horse was swaybacked, or just looked like it because of tall withers. Gib's apparent dip is not swayback - it's the same ratio as the other horse, but his back is quite long. He is also taller than I thought. He turns out to be 15.2! I guess I am just used to my monster mare, so he looked small - and his head carriage is so high because he is so nervous, and because of his breeding, a bit, I suppose, so it makes his back look lower. That long back and relatively long neck make his legs look short, too - especially since his head is so far up in the air. However, his walk and trot are pretty lofty, considering. In fact, I was thinking, "Nah, don't need this horse," until I saw him trot.
I played with him a bit - working on giving his head, lowering at the poll when asked, flexing bending. He is quite a willing guy. He will readily give his head when asked, but it pops back up when you release pressure. I think working on collection and impulsion will help - but that long back will make it harder for him to collect, that's for sure. Mostly, I want him to move off the leg and seat aids and lighten him up in the mouth. People have just been yanking on him.
Now for sheep news: Audrey is starting to snot up again: really having trouble with her nasal bots. I switched wormers and that helped, but she needs it again I suppose. None of the other sheep are having the same issue. All the lambs are getting big - it's a blast to see them racing around in a big circle and jumping on each other. Hulu is especially tricky: he will sit there grazing peacefully, and then suddenly jump on any sheep that wanders close, fooled by his apparent absorption. Even Elvis is not immune from the tricks of the lambs.
Yesterday I got a bunch of eggs, but today, only 4 from the mature hens. One hen is just not laying. I wish I knew which one it was - she'd be stew. It's fun to see the difference between the pullet eggs and the mature eggs. They are so cute and small. I hope to use the long weekend (Saturday's full) to get some seeds in the ground and to bake a lot of bread. Probably, I should use part of Monday to get some cleaning done! Also, next week is the end of a grading term, so it is time to grade a stack of papers... not too long 'til Spring Break - I can get a lot done around here during those two weeks. I am looking forward to it.
Maybe I should name Gib "Peace" - he seems to be strewing it everywhere.
First, my college-aged child called and said she was at her alma mater with her brother, so there was no 15 mile side-trip to the university. Then, my 3rd child said he had too much homework to go to his Wednesday evening activity. That saved me an extra 60 miles of driving. I actually got a nap in the car while waiting for athletics and play practice to finish....
When we got home, my youngest and I visited Gib. I had used a few of those extra minutes saved to look up swayback on Google. I found out how to measure to see if a horse was swaybacked, or just looked like it because of tall withers. Gib's apparent dip is not swayback - it's the same ratio as the other horse, but his back is quite long. He is also taller than I thought. He turns out to be 15.2! I guess I am just used to my monster mare, so he looked small - and his head carriage is so high because he is so nervous, and because of his breeding, a bit, I suppose, so it makes his back look lower. That long back and relatively long neck make his legs look short, too - especially since his head is so far up in the air. However, his walk and trot are pretty lofty, considering. In fact, I was thinking, "Nah, don't need this horse," until I saw him trot.
I played with him a bit - working on giving his head, lowering at the poll when asked, flexing bending. He is quite a willing guy. He will readily give his head when asked, but it pops back up when you release pressure. I think working on collection and impulsion will help - but that long back will make it harder for him to collect, that's for sure. Mostly, I want him to move off the leg and seat aids and lighten him up in the mouth. People have just been yanking on him.
Now for sheep news: Audrey is starting to snot up again: really having trouble with her nasal bots. I switched wormers and that helped, but she needs it again I suppose. None of the other sheep are having the same issue. All the lambs are getting big - it's a blast to see them racing around in a big circle and jumping on each other. Hulu is especially tricky: he will sit there grazing peacefully, and then suddenly jump on any sheep that wanders close, fooled by his apparent absorption. Even Elvis is not immune from the tricks of the lambs.
Yesterday I got a bunch of eggs, but today, only 4 from the mature hens. One hen is just not laying. I wish I knew which one it was - she'd be stew. It's fun to see the difference between the pullet eggs and the mature eggs. They are so cute and small. I hope to use the long weekend (Saturday's full) to get some seeds in the ground and to bake a lot of bread. Probably, I should use part of Monday to get some cleaning done! Also, next week is the end of a grading term, so it is time to grade a stack of papers... not too long 'til Spring Break - I can get a lot done around here during those two weeks. I am looking forward to it.
Maybe I should name Gib "Peace" - he seems to be strewing it everywhere.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Eggs, beautiful eggs...
I got 8 eggs from my hens today. Several of them were pullet eggs - those little ones hens lay when they are just starting out. They are adorable, but not so much food. I have buyers lined up when I want to sell them, so it works out to be getting this many - expecting more as they get older.
Decided to come home between one round of pick ups and the second round of pick ups. I love it that Gib comes in when the paint does - he is a lot calmer and less afraid today. He is also very gentle with the sheep. Scarlett sure wasn't - she was always chasing them. Today the sheep decided to make a visit to the horse stall. Ohia doesn't even turn a hair, and all Gib did was give a small ears back of displeasure.
I was missing Scarlett today, but Gib is already stealing my heart.
I can't really be driving home in between picking up kids - it's too far, too up the mountain, and my car is getting old, but it was nice today.
I have a lot of ripe guavas, my tangerine tree is really starting to put out fruit, and the lemon tree is abundant....and there're more and more lovely eggs everyday.
Decided to come home between one round of pick ups and the second round of pick ups. I love it that Gib comes in when the paint does - he is a lot calmer and less afraid today. He is also very gentle with the sheep. Scarlett sure wasn't - she was always chasing them. Today the sheep decided to make a visit to the horse stall. Ohia doesn't even turn a hair, and all Gib did was give a small ears back of displeasure.
I was missing Scarlett today, but Gib is already stealing my heart.
I can't really be driving home in between picking up kids - it's too far, too up the mountain, and my car is getting old, but it was nice today.
I have a lot of ripe guavas, my tangerine tree is really starting to put out fruit, and the lemon tree is abundant....and there're more and more lovely eggs everyday.
Monday, February 14, 2011
'Kay, this is going to sound nuts...
Yup, as I was upstairs dealing with my frustration at having to sell my mare....and my poor gelding was weaving and calling until he was hoarse... I followed my usual habit of cruising craigslist for sheep and looking at horses just 'cuz. My husband was looking over my shoulder and we saw a gelding for not much.
We looked at the picture; he was a gray 8 year old, nothing special. Looked a bit smallish, but solid. So my husband called. The people answered, explained they were selling the horse for a friend and they weren't home, and there tons of people calling because the horse was so cheap, etc. My husband decided he's pray about it a bit, and I sort of put it out of my mind.
Well, they called back. We drove over (not far) and took a look at the horse. He was pretty spooky. Someone's hit this horse somewhere along the line: dogs didn't bother him, wheeled objects didn't bother him, even unexpected noises (he'd been out in pasture the last 8 months) were a breeze. But a person coming toward him was scary. He carries his head way up high and his ears pricked; he's nervous.
I rode him a bit. He was jumpy but not naughty. He has a go and a whoa, but no neck reining, doesn't move off the leg aids. He's been banged up some out in pasture - had what looked like a nasty wire cut healed over, but it didn't get his tendons.
My daughter fell in love with him - honestly, slap a horn on the guy and he's a 11 year old girl's fantasy unicorn. She walked right up to him and gave him a big hug around his neck. He stood as still as a statue, except for licking and chewing (means he's ready to listen in horse speak).
We brought him home (no three week hemming and hawing for us (: ). My gelding was thrilled - poor pitiful guy was standing at the gate he last saw the mare, weaving (HATE that habit) and too hoarse to call anymore. He'd worn himself out grieving. He took one look at the gray and visibly relaxed. They aren't close, yet, but they're comfortable. I figure if the child falls out of love with him, if I put some trust into him and get him light and moving off aids, he'll be easy to sell. I got him for such a good price, it was worth the try. And I have someone to ride while the paint convalesces!
So even though I have a big mare sized hole in my heart - I have a small gelding to fill part of it.
What do you think? I had a struggling reader who loved a book called Gib and the Gray Ghost so much she read it several times in one year. I was thinking Gibson might be a good name - but I draw the line at calling him Mel. My little girl wanted to call him Fantasy, but I had a hard time imagining myself trying to call him in from the pasture.....
We looked at the picture; he was a gray 8 year old, nothing special. Looked a bit smallish, but solid. So my husband called. The people answered, explained they were selling the horse for a friend and they weren't home, and there tons of people calling because the horse was so cheap, etc. My husband decided he's pray about it a bit, and I sort of put it out of my mind.
Well, they called back. We drove over (not far) and took a look at the horse. He was pretty spooky. Someone's hit this horse somewhere along the line: dogs didn't bother him, wheeled objects didn't bother him, even unexpected noises (he'd been out in pasture the last 8 months) were a breeze. But a person coming toward him was scary. He carries his head way up high and his ears pricked; he's nervous.
I rode him a bit. He was jumpy but not naughty. He has a go and a whoa, but no neck reining, doesn't move off the leg aids. He's been banged up some out in pasture - had what looked like a nasty wire cut healed over, but it didn't get his tendons.
My daughter fell in love with him - honestly, slap a horn on the guy and he's a 11 year old girl's fantasy unicorn. She walked right up to him and gave him a big hug around his neck. He stood as still as a statue, except for licking and chewing (means he's ready to listen in horse speak).
We brought him home (no three week hemming and hawing for us (: ). My gelding was thrilled - poor pitiful guy was standing at the gate he last saw the mare, weaving (HATE that habit) and too hoarse to call anymore. He'd worn himself out grieving. He took one look at the gray and visibly relaxed. They aren't close, yet, but they're comfortable. I figure if the child falls out of love with him, if I put some trust into him and get him light and moving off aids, he'll be easy to sell. I got him for such a good price, it was worth the try. And I have someone to ride while the paint convalesces!
So even though I have a big mare sized hole in my heart - I have a small gelding to fill part of it.
What do you think? I had a struggling reader who loved a book called Gib and the Gray Ghost so much she read it several times in one year. I was thinking Gibson might be a good name - but I draw the line at calling him Mel. My little girl wanted to call him Fantasy, but I had a hard time imagining myself trying to call him in from the pasture.....
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Bye, Bye, Baby Girl.
It would have been nice if they told me a time besides "afternoon". Oh well. I don't know whether to start the week's baking or go out and do some work in the greenhouse or the garden or just twiddle my thumbs with the horses....and there is always laundry, always, always, laundry. Sigh.
I hope my gelding handles this okay. I hope I handle this okay!
Oh, well, whatever I decide to do, I had better be out and about doing it. I stopped at Home Depot to get some pots and bought a few seeds. I need to be better at not impulse buying tiny little packages of seeds. The other day, I bought some aluminum tape at Home Depot and walked out with four packages of seeds. Today I went in for some 5 gallon planting pots and walked out with four more packages of seeds. I could have bought a pound of seeds at a wholesaler for what I spent on a few ounces! I guess you shouldn't go into a hardware store thinking of a garden, just as you shouldn't go grocery shopping while hungry.
The aluminum tape wasn't for a project. My daughter (in college) is going to the Prom at her alma mater. Her brother invited her - which is not as weird as it sounds. Apparently, the kids who are still juniors and seniors are inviting their recently graduated friends so the whole big gang can go together. So my daughter is going with her brother, someone else is inviting her boyfriend and her best friend, etc. However, my daughter thinks that going to a high school prom as a college student deserves an ironic statement rather than a real party dress - so the plan is to make a prom dress out of a shower curtain with a tree frog on it, and aluminum flashing tape. We'll see. If it is a failing ironic statement, there is always a $14 dress from Ross.....or Grandma visiting the thrift stores in Kahala on Oahu - where you can get some insanely nice things for a few bucks. One of my mom's friends bought a $400 blouse (tags still on) for $4! You don't find things like that on the Big Island. I think most of the people here are more of my persuasion: wear things till they fall off.
Send good thoughts for me today. Selling my horse is one of the hardest things I have had to do in what's amounted to three or four very hard years in a row here.
I hope my gelding handles this okay. I hope I handle this okay!
Oh, well, whatever I decide to do, I had better be out and about doing it. I stopped at Home Depot to get some pots and bought a few seeds. I need to be better at not impulse buying tiny little packages of seeds. The other day, I bought some aluminum tape at Home Depot and walked out with four packages of seeds. Today I went in for some 5 gallon planting pots and walked out with four more packages of seeds. I could have bought a pound of seeds at a wholesaler for what I spent on a few ounces! I guess you shouldn't go into a hardware store thinking of a garden, just as you shouldn't go grocery shopping while hungry.
The aluminum tape wasn't for a project. My daughter (in college) is going to the Prom at her alma mater. Her brother invited her - which is not as weird as it sounds. Apparently, the kids who are still juniors and seniors are inviting their recently graduated friends so the whole big gang can go together. So my daughter is going with her brother, someone else is inviting her boyfriend and her best friend, etc. However, my daughter thinks that going to a high school prom as a college student deserves an ironic statement rather than a real party dress - so the plan is to make a prom dress out of a shower curtain with a tree frog on it, and aluminum flashing tape. We'll see. If it is a failing ironic statement, there is always a $14 dress from Ross.....or Grandma visiting the thrift stores in Kahala on Oahu - where you can get some insanely nice things for a few bucks. One of my mom's friends bought a $400 blouse (tags still on) for $4! You don't find things like that on the Big Island. I think most of the people here are more of my persuasion: wear things till they fall off.
Send good thoughts for me today. Selling my horse is one of the hardest things I have had to do in what's amounted to three or four very hard years in a row here.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Track Meet!
The first Age Group track meet of the year is tomorrow. It will be a long, long, looooong day. I hope that Coach doesn't put my 13 year old on a relay team, because that just makes a long, hot day wear out into the evening. If it is hot and voggy tomorrow, like it it today, we'll have kids passing out left and right.
Fortunately, this is my first year not coaching, so I can just be the bystander parent....unless coach needs help out on the field.
My mare will be heading out to her new home on Sunday. Feeling sad, but I'll deal with it. I hope my gelding manages being a single horse again - hope he learns to love the sheep! They were out in the yard last night (Baby Girl is quite clever with gates) and he looked great - walking out without pain.
Little Niele (Ellie) is starting to call out at feeding time. I hope she is not as loud as her half sister, Minnie, when she grows up - that ewe can belt it out - but she does have a cute little, "Maaaa" right now. The three ram lambs are much quieter.
Wish my kids luck - we have the 100, 200, and running triple jump for the 11 year old, and the 800 and 1600 and the high jump for the 13 year old. There are about a million heats for the sprints, but the long distance runs are much more sparsely populated. In fact, they usually run the girls and boys together for the mile at least.
Fortunately, this is my first year not coaching, so I can just be the bystander parent....unless coach needs help out on the field.
My mare will be heading out to her new home on Sunday. Feeling sad, but I'll deal with it. I hope my gelding manages being a single horse again - hope he learns to love the sheep! They were out in the yard last night (Baby Girl is quite clever with gates) and he looked great - walking out without pain.
Little Niele (Ellie) is starting to call out at feeding time. I hope she is not as loud as her half sister, Minnie, when she grows up - that ewe can belt it out - but she does have a cute little, "Maaaa" right now. The three ram lambs are much quieter.
Wish my kids luck - we have the 100, 200, and running triple jump for the 11 year old, and the 800 and 1600 and the high jump for the 13 year old. There are about a million heats for the sprints, but the long distance runs are much more sparsely populated. In fact, they usually run the girls and boys together for the mile at least.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)