Day #4

Grace disliked the hay from the neighbors so much, she gathered it in the center of her stall. Then pissed on it!!! 

  Off I went to the hay guy, picked up several bales of a lovely orchard/alfalfa mix. She came in from her field as I hung a net on her patio to investigate. She took a few nibbles then turned to head back out to graze as she munched. Suddenly she stopped & spun round realizing "this stuff tastes good!"  So hopeful we have a winner. 

Did get to work with her twice today. The first time as we walked around the pasture, Kaylee who's now ten was at the gate, we stopped to chat, her little brothers joined us. We stood there nearly an hour, Grace fell asleep totally content with the littles rubbing her nose and head while they all stood on the gate ❤️.  We finished our walk, I applied fly spray with the sponge. 

Later rinse, repeat the walk, backing, longing a bit & more success with spraying her. She's allowing me to spray her shoulder on both sides several times, better on the near side but, still quivers as it goes on. Progress rather than perfection. I then tied her to brush out her mane & tail. 

She still thinks bout dodging me as I approach her in the field sometimes but, she's just taking a few steps then stops allowing me to just rub her or halter her. Instead of attempting to avoid the fly mask she's dropping her head for it. Plan to continue our "Getting to know you " phase, she's so enjoyable to be with. 

Day #3 with Grace & the boyz

The hay that Camryn devoured as I'd devour a cheesecake, Grace just doesn't like. At least not now that she's on pasture all day. This morning she stood waiting in her stall having left it untouched!  So, as our neighbors use the same hay guy, but a richer hay than I'd needed for Camryn.  I burrowed one of their bales. If she'll eat it, I'll be picking up a load in the morning. If not, we go up to his primo, pricey hay. Who'd have thought skinny girl would be so picky!  Perhaps though that's one reason she is skinny?

After the boyz left, Grace & I puttered around a bit. She leads so beautifully, kind of like walking with a friend.  Tried some ground work, longing with a whip just has her turning to face me, using the end of the long line, she walks right off. Most things with the exception of disengaging her rear and/or giving me both eyes, she either doesn't know. Or my way off asking is foreign to her. She'll get a little high headed, then I see her realize, "Oh, your showing me something", then be willing to try. The fly spray issue, still an issue. She's slowing to a stop much faster as I spray water, I was allowed one squirt on each shoulder with her not moving. Tomorrow I don't have the boyz, so hoping to perhaps work a few more times with it. I also conditioned her mane, she's a tad flinchy around the head. I'm getting the feeling it's more due to my strangeness to her than anything else as she relaxes once she understands my intent. I did get the sponge thing today, so hopefully I'll get her fly spray on all over tomorrow. 

Lincoln discovered our first banana pepper in the garden today. He picked it and came running shouting "it growed Gramma, it growed!  Can I eat it?"  Of course he did, I mentioned that the more we feed our garden water, the more our garden feeds us. He grabbed his little water can and off he went. Good thing we'd filled his kiddie pool yesterday 

Hopes for some good pumpkins

Slacker 🙃

Day #2 with Grace

Day #2, Grace is slowly becoming Gracie, it's just what comes out when you call her. 

Big day, she got to meet her boy. Lincoln couldn't get out of the truck fast enough. Luckily Jefferson had fallen asleep, so I just snapped car seat onto stroller, grabbed a carrot and back to the barn we went...

Lincoln couldn't get over how soft her nose is. I hadn't noticed but, it is truly softer than Camryn's!

Grace thanked Lincoln, tickling him with her whiskers. Child friendly 👍🏼. When Chris came to pick the boys up, Lincoln made him cover his eyes and led him to the barn. Once Grace was in sight Lincoln allowed him to open his eyes and shouted "surprise!"  Another carrot of course. 

Once they'd left and I'd tidied her already tidy stall, I grabbed rope halter, long line, and a fly spray bottle filled with water. Don't want to waste the real thing while convincing her it's not really acid. As soon as she heard the spray, she began walking, every time she stopped, I'd stop spraying. I'd approach, stroke her and spray, she'd walk off, rinse repeat. I did eventually get one spray on each side with her remaining still before calling it quits on a good note. She realized quickly the spray sound stopped when she did. She simply couldn't tolerate the spray touching her. Her skin actually crawled like it creeped her out. I plan to pick up one of those sponges with a tube that's meant to be filled with dish soap, filling it with fly spray to hopefully get some on while we practice. After, we walked around the pasture together, she asked politely twice for a bite of grass, I said no, and we simply continued on. Amazing to have a lovely walk without an argument over who's the boss of things. I unhaltered her in the middle of the pasture, she quietly followed along. 

I've noticed she takes her naps in the barn, out of the sun, in front of the fan. Smart girl. I did get my foot stepped down on earlier in the day. She may be skinny but, YOUCH that hurt. She was horrified and couldn't apologize enough. 

Our Ivy has tweaked her back (most likely Baffoon Quincy rolled her as he cant be bothered to go round anyone or anything) off to the Vet. Lots of meds that hopefully have the sweet lil girl on the mend. I thought to grab one of Grace's apples for a fecal. No parasites so, I'm not feeding a belly full of unwanted guests. I did notice a quid of hay this morning. Just the one, Vet suggested keeping an eye out for more, if it's more often than not they'll check teeth. Even though it's already supposed to have been done. He said some mares ecspecially at 16, can just take longer to bounce back. Called hay guy, hay For easy keeper Camryn isn't going to help Grace. Hoping to get a load out this week. 

Full day #1

Ok, while I can't promise to not let 1. Life get in the way, 2. Have absolutely nothing to write on for exceptionally long periods of time. I am going to "attempt" to document Graces changes, which first off is to add some serious poundage. Of course the Grandbabes, along with our various critters. 

Delivered Camryn to her new people, it was love at first sight, Camryns going to be getting her lovely bum hitched up in no time flat. 

Grace, I swear lost weight from seeing her just a week ago. She had a foal pulled off her a short while ago, it must have drained her big time.  Their Vet was out earlier this week for vaccines dental and the like. I plan to have a fecal done this week, I'm imagining she has multiple guests residing within. All other horses on the property were in good condition, so it's not total lack of care. 

She loaded well enough seeing she's used to a large gooseneck and mines a claustrophobic bumper pull. She hauled fantastically, though after a 4 hour trip on a warm day, she may never wish to haul again.  I checked on her when filling the tank, she just blinks and gives me an "Oh, hello there" look.  Going having loading practice start soon. 

Once home she tucked into her hay, then discovered the Donkies next door. So she multi tasked eating while watching them from her window. 

She's a very different eater than the eating machine Camryn. Very dainty, slow & methodical, her net still had hay in the morning where Camryn would've emptied hers in a few short hours. I was amazed & concerned. 

This morning I brought her out of her stall. She haltered fine, fly mask on, good, fly spray, you'd have thought I was spraying horse eating acid on her. Managed to get her front half on both sides. Another thing to work on. Led her about the paddock, went very well. Unclipped the line and walked away, Grace shadowed me all over the paddock. For some reason I can't fathom, Hubs who is a great guy, mowed the already sparse paddock grass. Are you kidding me!  The plan was paddock the first few days while I made sure she was easy to catch. She'd eaten what he'd missed mowing within a few hours. So throughout the day, I've gone out, lead her in for a snack, gone out just rubbed on her, rinse repeat..so now, she's in the pasture I'm doing the same rinse, repeat and I'm hoping I can bring her back in tonight!

Certainly not used to a skinny lol

Why, oh why did he mow?

Just noticed the big barns horses. She called out a few times, no one answered, she went back to munching. 

She's in heaven. 

Taped her this morning, a whopping 783 lbs!!!  Definitely thinner than I'd thought. Plan is pasture which she's used to, access to hay 24/7, Triple Crown Complete which I'll build up amount slowly, alfalfa pellets, handful right now. Of course carrots from Lincoln. I'm working on seeing how her manners re, such a sweetie she is, hoping her overal personality doesn't change as she gains!

I love her sweetness. 

Lotsa changes going on

Camryn here:

Yup, it's been a looooong time. Things have and are changing round here. Some awesome, some while they sound bad is really for the best. 

First off, our Lincoln is a big boy now of over 2 1/2, he's just all way round the best...

Then last October on Valentine's Day, Mom's filly Jillian had a filly of her own Kennedy. Kennedy was Moms middle name, so it's just coincidence that all the Grandkids have Presidential names. Kennedy lives down in NC, so we don't really see her besides pictures. Her Daddy is deploying soon (marine) so, Kennedy will be up visiting more often. Mom can't wait to really get to know her...

Lincoln is now w big brother!  Jefferson will be 5 months in just a few days. Except his decided lack of mane, his birthweight of 10 1/2 lb, for a human he was pretty foal like size wise...Mom's left her job & is now Granny Nanny.  Keeps her smiling an she sleeps really good from exhaustion!

We got another dog, which is a long story, and Quincy is a bit of a rude, yet lovable moron.  He's huge and he knows it, not an entirely good thing!

The news that's not so good but, for the best...

Mom's discovered she's not getting any younger, while my trot isn't getting any smoother. She even started taking riding lessons thinking her difficulty with my trot was her riding ability. Then her rode a smooth jogging Quarter Horse. She realized sadly that if her wanted to continue trail riding it was time to part ways SIGH

Leaving my boy is gonna be rough 😔  

Mom has been to my new home an says she'd love living there herself. Like a hundred rolling acres of pasture, fields and trails thru the woods. I'll be living with another Haflinger mare, along with a bunch of Kentucky Mountain Horses. It all came about in a Karma kind of way. Mom had gone there to look at a Kentucky Mountain Horse mare. As Mom and the lady took a little trail ride for Mom to get a feel for the mare they was chatting. The lady asked Mom why gaited. Mom explained trotting me was to uncomfortable. The lady stopped riding turned to Mom, "you have a Haflinger! I'm looking for another Haflinger!"  Yup, she's to be my new Mom!  

Mom is driving me down (quite a long drive) an picking up the new mare. Her barn name right now is Myrt, short for Myrtle. That's gonna change, Mom says she's to cute to have such a name. Right now Lincoln an Mom are thinking of calling her Grace. I guess she's quite sweet, an rides smooth as glass. Unlike myself she's on the slender side having recently weaned a foal. 

She may or may not pick up on my blogging. We don't know yet if she can write!

I'll think of you all from time to time, so instead of my usual "later",

It's Bye.