catching up

Wow it’s been almost a month since my last entry! It’s been seven weeks since Violet came to live with us. Time goes fast. I am loving reading the entries and a bit remiss that I have not stayed on the day to day. Here’s the recap.

it's a rough crowd

I came down and Violet had a bite on her flank. She seemed a little inside. Her personality is interesting. She seems very introverted right now because she is still trying to find her place here. I don't want the others to pick on her too hard while she is so young. I know that's the herd way but I am her dominant mare now so I can decide her future. I will gradually let her in with the others and separate her from Rose for now.

pedicures

They spent the night together with no incident. Today we work on mouth, feet, and shots.

So I go down to the barn and Sossity is trimming Aahgie and Rio. I asked if she would give Violet a go. She said yes and Violet was so very good!!! I couldn’t believe it myself. She was a little touchy about it but nothing to be freaked out about. I was so happy that her toes were trimmed! I put her in with the others for the night. The mares are pushing her a bit.

lets spend the night together....

Put Violet out with the others again in the back pasture. I decided to let her stay with them in their pastures as well. All went well. The mares pushed her around a bit but the geldings were very kind to her. After the rocky start from yesterday, August appears to have won her over and they spend a lot of time standing together or grooming each other. He enjoys grabbing ahold of her neck. I worked with her on tying and picking up her feet. I can hold them longer today.

now play nice with the other kids...

Just came up from the barn. Violet and I went on a nice walk down the road where she grazed and scratched herself on the bushes. I put Violet out with the whole herd today. It was so cute. I introduced each one at a time. Wizard first. He nosed her then walked away and she followed him. They wandered around the arena for a few minutes. I decided then to put Rose in there to see how she would affect the dynamic. Not too much change. There was a squeal or two. Rose led Violet around the arena as well looking for the best leaves or branches to pick at. It reminded me of our first time when I wandered through her pen picking at leaves and branches trying to connect with Violet however I could. I opened up the pasture gate to give them more room to roam and then brought in. They all went in to the back pasture, except for Violet. She lingered with me a lot like the new girl in school on her first day. She walked with me to the back pasture and looked at the others but still did not engage. Finally she moved closed to them and they all approached her to check her out again. Everyone was cool and August, of course wanted to get all up in side her business. She turned and gave him a swift kick in the hind quarters He backed off only slightly hurt but then spent then next 20 minutes playing his best friendly game with her. Very soon they were off together scratching their backs on the perimeter bushes. I added Summer last and she while wasn’t too thrilled with the competion, She was not too stand off ish. Then Rose got stuck on the nose by a yellowjacket and came to me tossing her head like “owwwwww” “what happened”?? I took her out and smeared mud on her muzzle took everyone back to their pasture. Violet and I hung out by the wash rack to work on tying and picking up feet. She continues to let me massage pick up her feet. Each time holding them a millisec longer. I will spend the weekend working on feet as I must get her trimmed very soon!!

out for a walk

Went into her pen today and slipped the halter on with no incident. She always wants a scratch so we’ll need to differenciate between standing still and expecting to be scratched everytime I am near. Since she is not treat motivated, this her way of “mugging me for treats”. It shall be her reward until she gets a taste for treats (she may never get a taste of them though which is OK) Tracey was over and we walked all over the property. She was fantastic. I put her in the arena and she ran around (Aaughie was on the outside with Zuza). I walked her over obstacles and over to eat the oat hay in the field. She was such a good girl.

undemanding time

Just scratched her a lot and groomed her. No hard questions today.

Day off for violet

Violets day off-Lessons with Rose and August at Margit Deermans-just wonderful!!!!!!

WARNING: Mutual grooming can be hazardous to your butt!

beyond the round pen

Just groomed her mostly. Took her for her first walk outside the pen. She got a little strong when she saw the other horses but did not bolt. She responded to the pressure. I was a s steady as a fence post. It worked! She did not want to go back to her pen and Steve walked behind her adding just enough pressure for her to move forward. We made it back with no incident.

her first halter experience

Put a halter on her for the first time and led her around the pen

another day...

After a wonderful lesson with Pat Mitchell we did her usual grooming thing then played with the savvy string around her neck. She seemed ok with it. Massaged and scratched her legs. She is good with all four as far as being touched. Will yield to pressure when I ask her to pick them up but does not like to hold them up. Will have to work up to that.

every picture tells a story dont it

Just came up from breakfast with Violet. I sat with her for 10 minutes or so then started the scratching routine. She accepting my touch much easier this morning and I did not have to disguise my hand. I always approach while sitting on the ground and rub her forehead and stroke her forelock. I can easily mover to her ears and eyes. Then down to her cheeks and up her neck along her mane, down the shoulder and on up to her withers. She is already looking better that she did last Sunday when she arrived, but still she is so bony. But she is on the road to recovery. What a gift!

Went back down with Jill to show her Violet. We did the scratching thing again then we played a little. She was very engaging and seemed to have fun. Playful little thing. I did the same thing and kept her away from the food and water. Ending the game is always me relaxing and picking at the food. She would then come in and I would allow her to eat. She loves to stand with me now while I am chatting with others. Our voices don't seem to bother her as much. I can now stand next to her and scratch her. I had my arms around her neck rubbing her and she was completely content. I can’t even put into words how meaningful this experience or what’s its doing for my horsemanship.

Bottomline: if you ever have a chance to gentle a young horse and you have the time an space, then do it, or partner with some one and do it together. It’s so worth it.

Later I wiped her all down with fly spray. Terry and Heidi said that they rubbed on her too. She is such a friendly little girl!

Independence Day!

I went down for tea and alfalfa with Violet. I just sat there occasionally pulling apart the hay around her as another horse just eating together. Meanwhile thinking of clever ways to try and scratch her. She was still not letting me touch her with my fingers but I was encouraged each time she pushed on my legs to get at her food. I put my hands in the hay around her mouth and occasionally outstretched my arm so that she would bump into it. As long as she initiated the contact she was fine but if I tried, she would pull away. I managed to grab a handful of hay and start scratching the side of her head. She was fine until she realized the hay was moving and it was off the ground. So smart! I would just have to wait patiently for a while longer. I was sitting bent legged on the ground with my arm resting on my knee hand out stretched palm down. Her forehead was just and inch or so away. I made my moved so quietly and gently, and she let me scratch her head! Just a finger, then two and before I knew I was rubbing and scratching her whole head, ears, neck while she ate. It seemed her whole body was itchy. Esp. her mane (where she had rubbed it out), her shoulders and withers. As I itched a little harder she started to groom me too. I realized the harder I itched her the harder she wanted to itch me and I had to dodge a few nibbles. Pretty soon we got the pressure mutually acceptable. It was cool how she moved her body to show the places she wanted itched and would stop eating at times when just felt too good. She practically fell in my lap. She loved her eyes massaged and all around her face. I was soooo thrilled I wanted to cry. I didn't say anything, it was so quiet but the communication was loud and clear. Terry showed up awhile later. It was so interesting how subtle the dynamic was once she and I started talking. Violet got a little worried and wasn’t as close to me as before. The tiniest changes make such a huge difference, esp. to a young horse that has not had much human interaction. Later, I went over to her water and fished out some leaves, she came over as she usually does and started to nuzzle me. At that point I needed to discern what she was saying. She did one of those playful nips that require a nip back or basically, I’m a pussy. So I nipped back with my body and the game was on. I moved her around the pen like another horse would, but it was definitely horseplay. She would take off like a flash then turn and face. The game was to keep her away from her food and her water, which she always would be drawn to. It’s something I see Rose do with the other horses. I did it a few times then ignored her. She came up and sniffed me. Then I went to the water and fished out some more leaves. She came up next to me and waited. I stepped ever so slightly to the side giving her permission to drink. She did. The game was over for today.

The Breakfast Club

My strategy was to get her dependent on me for her safety, comfort, food and play. The four things horses need to be confident. I need to be the lead mare and provide these for her. I made her a safe home in the shady round pen. I fed her and brought her water. she would have to rely on me for these things. Only after I gain her confidence that she will learn to trust that I will do right by her. (Gosh that's a big responsibility)
Came down around 8am and had breakfast and tea with Violet. This time I sat on her hay she had to eat around me and therefore touch me to get her food. She was fine with it. My goal was to have her push on me thus initiating contact and more contact with more pressure. She did just that and brushed against my feet, legs, hands and of course sniffed and explored my face dropping hay all over me. I paid little or no attention other than blowing in her nose when she blew in mine. I read thru my L3 three pocket books and drank my beverage. It gave me time to focus on plans for my other horses. I then left her for a couple of hours. When I came back, I wanted to initiate some sort of contact. I removed her food and walked into the pen with my stick and string. Casually I walked around swinging the string rhythmically and low to the ground. It was my “tail”. I then brought the ball into the pen too. She came over and sniffed it immediately but nothing more. I headed to the fence and started to pick at some leaves on the ground. I then started to paw the dirt with my foot and continue to pick at the leaves. This aroused Violet’s curiosity and she came over and started to pick through the leaves too. This was great I thought, I really started thinking as if I were Rose, my lead mare. What would she do? Well she would definitely act like she owned the place and look for food. While I continued to pick at the ground I felt an itch and scratched it I looked ever at her and she was scratching too. Ah ha, a common irritation we shared. I went to the fence and started to itch my head on it. She did the same. Then I turned around to itch my butt on the fence and by golly she did the same thing. So we stood there itching against the fence and she got so close. I could of have easily touched her but I knew she would have just pulled away. There was no purpose for me to reach out and touch her. A few minutes later she actually rubbed her itchy eye on my shoulder and for a moment I thought she felt comfort by being in contact with me. I was thrilled. Then she went over to her spot and lay down, as she loves to do. She rolls in the hot sand and lays there for a bit to nap. I got down on the ground and rolled a bit (yes I got pretty dirty). Then I just watched her. She nickered in her sleep. Very cute. Then she got up and we continued to mosey around the pen but I could see was getting disinterested in me. I was standing in the middle of the round pen and she came off the rail straight towards me. Instead of stopping she walked right past me bumping me off the center with her body. Completely left-brain, calculated and dominant. My “Rose” alter ego popped up and said “No you didn’t”. I then applied some pressure and got her to move away. She is not at all scared by the stick or string. She moved away quickly and turned and faced me. We did this a few times. Not wanting to over do it, I was looking for a stopping place. I walked over to the ball, which was a few feet in front of her water. I then started picking things out of the water container placing all of my attention on it and not her. Next thing I felt was the ball against my back legs. She had come up and pushed it into me. Then she came right up next to me and drank her water. We stopped for the day.

Things that really stuck out for me
Think like a horse
Find a way to make her come to me esp.: if she can itch herself on me.
She is dominant so I cannot be afraid to match that behavior. What would “Rose” do?

the first day of the rest of your life

Terry had a nice session sitting with her for 45 minutes. Lot’s of nosing and touching from Violet. I had a brief session with her. Mostly ate lunch with her then introduced the carrot stick and string. She was not afraid of it but would not stand still for being touched by it. Zuza took a turn with the carrot stick as well. She did some energy matching with her and friendly. Lots of eyes on her today. We girls hung out and talked about her and horses in general. We gave her grain but she did not eat it.