At the ranch

[kigerfan]

Today as I was out cleaning Firefly's stall, a gal from across the way came riding up on her new stud. He's a beautiful buckskin paint. Gorgeous quarterhorse body, very polite fellow. He was riding everywhere being very patient and sweet. Firefly was absolutely enthralled with him. I told the gal to be careful because Firefly is such a very *friendly* person. She was stretching as far as she could trying to reach him. I was beginning to think she was part giraffe.

She has a gang she runs with, we let them out in the official rodeo arena and they just love it. Usually when they're out in the large arena there are at least nine of them. One two year old draft, three mustangs, the rest being mutts.

I think it's so important for horses to get to be horses not just 'beasts of burden' all the time. You can just feel the joy they feel in their freedom, their hooves barely touch the ground as they skim across the arena together. So many people don't allow their horses any kind of play time of their own. I think all of us that are watching get as much good feelings from it as the horses do. We feel the freedom they feel.

[lindaf]

Is Firefly in love?

I agree about the group turnout. There are 13 horses where I board, from English Shire to Fjord to mustang with a full component of QHs. Several times a week they are turned out of their paddocks for a group experience in the big pasture. It is thrilling to see the whole herd running.

Linda F

[DianneC]

I agree that its so good for them. I can understand though why people with six figure horses don't allow it. There is always the possibility of a kick or fall that could be serious. But then, why own a six figure horse if it can't be a horse?

[kigerfan]

Just seems to make for an all around happier more rounded horse. It's a good instructional thing for them too because they really do learn the whole pecking order thing and learn how to be in a group.

[kigerfan]

The woman that has the horse next to Firefly is new to owning horses. Her horse is skittish about certain things, and add onto that, not happy about shots in the neck anymore. She got a penicilin (sp) in the neck a couple days ago and it wasn't any fun for her. The shot bled a good bit. The lady was concerned about it and was afraid the horse was still bleeding. I went over and checked and the blood had long sinced dried, but I wanted to alleviate her fears so I tood some betadine and washed the area off. She also wanted it sprayed but told me her horse was terrified of spray bottles of any kind. I took the spray can in and worked with her, soothing her and spraying the can away from her. little by little, moving it closer to her and got her to where I could spray her neck. She still jumped but did okay. I told the woman that it would just take continued exposure with no bad circumstances and the horse would get used to it. We're going to work on that so that she will be able to use fly spray and such. I think the horse may have just had a bad experience of some kind. She really was very fearful. After spraying her, I worked with her for about a half an hour, approaching her and scratching her withers and walking away, approaching her and scratching from her withers down her shoulders and walking away, etc. She calmed down a bunch. I think the horse just needs constant exposure to that experience and she will get used to it.

[fantasykiger]

It sounds like an interesting day at the ranch as they tend to be with lots of horses around. It is made more so with new horses and new owners, I am sure.
My horses live in a herd and do get wild hairs and run and play and it is pure joy to watch them do so. I built my house with large sliding glass doors and windows facing my pasture just to watch. In the 10 yrs I have owned my horses I am experiencing our first accident because our horses live that playfull life style (Cleo's bone chip). In my opinion for my horse's peace of mind I prefer they get to be in a herd and have a chance to play and run together. I know a lady who has put her young Arab, show horse to be, filly away every night in a stall. She was very cautious with this horse. To date kicking at the stall the filly has done damage to her foreleg and just recently her hind leg so badly her future at this point is that of a broodmare. Sad really the filly is drop dead gorgeous. It is a crap shoot with horses, may as well turn them out and let them have some fun.

[kigerfan]

Firefly used to have a huge two year old black draft horse named Blackberry next to her that she got along with swimmingly (they played in the water trough with their noses). The owner moved Blackberry and their other horse Cookie to another stable down the dirt road. Firefly still got to play with them, but wasn't real thrilled with the horse that took Blackberry's spot. It always got the water dirty with loads of sand. This weekend, Blackberry and Cookie moved back and you could tell that they were both so happy to be next to each other again. I'm not real thrilled with the 'share the water' thing, but I've seen much worse solutions at the other stables around there so I put up with it. I just keep it real clean. The other horse had a messy personality and I am very happy to see Blackberry back for that reason too.

[kigerfan]

By the way, a little fun on the side. I have a friend there that owns Bullet and Captain. The three mustang horses get out all the time to play. Firefly is so good now that he sets his kids bareback on her with nothing on her face and she walks them around the arena. I need to get a picture of all three horses with little kids just sitting on them, they're so sweet and careful with the small ones

[nrly]

that is how stormy is around my grandkids, the other night we introduced them to Riddle and he was so awesome, but his favorite was my 9 month old granddaughter, he was just sniffing her and nuzzling her and she loved it. and when we gave her back to mom, he stretched his neck towards her, and wanted her to stay. It was so cute.