Settling

Life on our new little farm is settling into a rhythm that's predictable for the horses so Whisper has begun to relax. Really really relax.

Losing evening light when Chris is home from work, there's not much time for me to ride Whisper. Instead, Ben gets all the attention while I have the kids solo.

When I sneak off to ride, Whisper's been pretty good when the train whistle isn't blowing a few miles away. How strange it is to walk up a hill to go ride, then simply walk back to my house. Wonderful doesn't quite cover it.

A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks, but the rider who is wise remembers that it is no more than a loan - Pam Brown

OTTB Photo Contest

OTTB Designs is offering a "Shiny Happy OTTB" contest now that winter is officially over and Spring is in full swing. Professional Equine Grooms is judging entries and the winners can get some really cool OTTB gear. I bathed up Whisper, after currying her for weeks to get out all of the old winter coat, and took her out with a blue-sky backdrop for her photos. 

Head shot entry

Full body entry

Can we take a second and marvel at Whisper standing free? I didn't think it through until I got out there with her all ready to go... the reins aren't nearly long enough to hold and stand back to photograph. She and I got a LOT of "whoa" and stand practice in doing this.

Mud Bath Anyone?

There's a saying going around a lot right now with all of the increases in exercise (a direct symptom of resolutions I expect will dwindle as soon as chocolate covered v-day comes closer) "If you still look pretty afterward, you didn't do it right"

Sums up horse care as well.

Horses are dirty. They roll. They love to get a good scratching and some take mud soaks to a whole new appreciation level. Whisper is a mixture of scratchy dusty dirt rolling followed by a long mud soak on alternating sides depending on the day of the week, to keep her complexion fresh and young.

Odds are, if I've planned to ride or I'm running behind in the evening to bring her in and blanket her, this is what I find waiting for me..

If you're not familiar with horses you might be thinking, "So what? It's a large outdoor animal, aren't they supposed to be dirty?" Allow me to explain, horses who are pasture ornaments probably get by just fine just like this and it has been argued that the dirt may even offer some insect protection. The flip side of that is working horses, if they have even small amounts of dirt under tack (saddle/bridle) their skin can quickly be rubbed raw, develop wounds, not to mention giving you really gunked up unsafe tack. Blanketing doesn't have to be as picky, depending on what material lines your blankets, but on freezing nights when Whisper sports a wool lined under sheet I want her at least slightly clean for the same reasons of chafing and keeping the wool somewhat clean.

As a full on, forget-the-foundation-powder-I-just-groomed-a-dusty-horse equestrian, I have to say it's true, "if you still look pretty afterward, you didn't do it right". We barn dwellers are a special grime covered breed of human.

Spring Babies

Star is out in the pasture today. She looks better and is getting enough milk to nourish her little body, but that hind leg is still an issue. To me, it appears she is developing muscle growth in a normal pattern to compensate for structural abnormalities.

She is starting to show more curiosity in the world around her.

And no hesitation letting Pirate know that he should respect her space.

She can hold her leg straight as long as she is moving straight, as soon as a weight shift or turn occurs, the defect is more pronounced.

Pirate continues his quest to be the cheekiest mule colt that ever was.

Still very adorable though!

Star followed his lead and wanted to pose a little for my camera

Promise is more than happy to let me give her a good scratching.

Whisper's legs have been healing, the inflammation is gone and the skin is healing over. I've put contacts out to over 30 horse locations and have yet to return another work for board offer to be able to move.

Spring Cleaning

After the storms and the cold front this weekend, the girls needed a grooming overhaul. Whisper had an express session the night before when I put her blanket on prepping for the pre-Spring frosty temps.

So this morning I started with my favorite pony and confirmed that the alopecia I had been eyeing is simply Promise shedding out in strange spots. For a few days after shedding off the winter hair there is only skin exposed. About 3 days of this and then a liver chestnut coat appears in it's place.

Promise before grooming :

She leaned so hard, swaying her whole body into the brush on her withers that she almost fell over on me. Re-grouping she closed her eyes and went to sleep for the rest.

After grooming and in better light you can see my redhead turning chocolate as she loses that dead dry coat from her neglected days.

And the 4'x4' red carpet we left behind (some bird somewhere is going to have a cozy nest) :

Patience is not Whisper's strong suit. She'd come up to the hitch post and stand, then walk off all miffed. Repeatedly until I was done with Promise, we had Whisper drama.

She had her fair share of grooming time too and I'm sad to say that I see 2 new spots on her where she has started to push into the barbwire. It's nothing major, just skin/coat damage, probably leaving scars. We went for a walk instead of working on the longe line since the water logged ground made footing less than ideal. If you take boss mare for a walk, you get everyone for a walk. Felt like we were leading a parade around the pasture.