Alli, My Food-Faced Appaloosa 2008

2008

‘Alli, the Food-faced Appaloosa’

There is an ancient Appaloosa mare living at our farm right now. She’s 26 years old and is one of the most kind, dear mares I believe I have ever been blessed to own. “All The Best” is from regal breeding, with her father and grandfather both being national and world champions. Alli, herself has been shown at the World Appaloosa shows. She’s only 14.1 hands tall and has white spots all over her reddish brown body. She has some small deep brown ones too, making her coat pattern most interesting to see. Now she is old, and not as healthy as before. Her stamina is fading and I no longer ask her to give many riding lessons; just one or two a week for those special riders who come to learn.

 Alli is blind in one eye, but no one would ever notice unless they looked at her face. She’s well adapted to not being able to see on that side, and so long as she knows a person is there, she is relaxed and content. Her front legs have become crooked from many miles and great age, so Alli requires special front shoes to keep her happy. Luckily the farriers who care for my horses know this and work hard to keep this kind mare moving with out pain any longer. A good farrier is a wonderful thing to have found here on this new farm!

I bought Alli back in 1999 from some folks out in the Midwest. She was thin, sore footed and certainly Not the 15 hand tall horse I had been told about. But she was very kind, and did anything asked of her. We bought her and Alli came to live with me. Its been a long and good friendship between the two of us. Alli helping me teach beginners to become horsemen and women, all the while offering us a sampling of her great sense of humor as well.

 The one thing she does ‘bad’ was to toss her feed out of her feed tub- all over the stall floor. It was funny to hear from the other end of the barn, but I knew that Alli needed all the grain she could get and shoving it out of her dish was not good.  I went the next day to buy a protective ring that would hang over top of her dish, so when she did try to toss her feed out, it would land right back in that dish. Alli was going to be getting All of her feed this way. Oh what a clatter she made while eating!  Smack, shove, plastic hitting wooden walls, and that poor feed ring being pushed all over, as Alli tried to do the grain toss she adored doing. I couldn’t understand why, but I guess She figured it was an okay thing to do. Alli was one exuberant eater; that was for sure. In doing so, Alli would end up with feed slimed on the bridge of her speckled nose. It was sticky from the molasses in her hi-fat feed, and a bother to remove too. Each day- there it was showing me her feed was going into her tummy where it was most needed.

Time passed, and Alli proved herself to be a grand riding lesson horse. She was smart, but gentle- stopping when ever she thought one of her small beginner riders was off balance. She’d put her neck up so they could balance on her, and not fall to the ground. One time, a little gal toppled off and Alli couldn’t help her re-gain her balance. She fell off to Alli’s right side… her blind side. Alli stopped immediately, and began looking about for her small rider. Not moving a hoof, she looked all around to her left side, then swung her head to her right. THERE she was and she was fine. Alli lowered her head down to her little toppled rider, nickering softly as if to ask “ are you Alright ?? I was so scared”.   This is the sort of horse ‘All The Best’ is…

By now, Alli is older and her joints creak and snap with age and arthritis. She gets some joint supplements to help those joints stay sound for a few more years and they seem to be helping her. The horses and I have moved to a new farm and its got great long hills to gallop up or down. Because of these hills they all have gotten more fit here. Alli is so happy now as she has another job: To be an Auntie to my two year old Percheron filly, Evie. She has been teaching Evie how to be a proper young horse ; how to mind her elders and have good manners in a herd of horses.  Alli loves being Boss.

One evening while we were at a horse show, our helper called to let me know that Alli hadn’t been interested in her dinner, nor her hay, and that her manure was very runny. I said I’d check on her when we got home that evening.  I did check on Alli, and she just didn’t feel good. I got no welcome nicker from her, not even even much of a look. Her temperature was fine, she was alert but definitely was not feeling good at all. No signs of a stomach ache (called Colic to horse folks) nor any thing else to alarm me. I thought to leave her alone – perhaps she’d work thru what ever it was bothering her by morning.

The next morning, Alli didn’t want her breakfast. She picked thru her breakfast hay and stood quietly in her stall. Her manure was very runny and that was alarming to me. I called our vet to let her know what was going on and that I was going to try to give my mare some probiotics to help her deal with this problem. The vet agreed, and to call her if anything changed. Well, it changed- Alli stopped eating anything more than a few handfuls of feed a day!  She didn’t want to eat.  Her manure was slowing down because there was not enough going thru her system to make any. Some good friends who had horses of their own suggested many things, but nothing tempted Alli. She didn’t want steamed, crimped ( and very expensive !) oats, she like alfalfa cubes though.  For one day.  She didn’t like Aloe juice, didn’t want anything topped with sweet things horses like- but only maybe for a few more handfuls than normal. Alli was loosing weight like crazy and there wasn’t much I could do about it.

The vet gave me some antibiotics to help with horses who had Colitis…and I had to give it to Alli by a big syringe as there was no way SHE was eating it on her own. I learned it tasted horribly, and mixed it with rich maple syrup.  Still  she wasn’t hungry…. And ate hardly enough to keep her going. She lost More weight, and was looking terrible. Alli was weak, and had no energy at all. I thought I was watching my good friend die. I gave her that antibiotic for a week, twice a day. Each time it was a struggle to convince my little 800 pound mare that it really was good for her. That hopefully it would help her heal and feel better.  There was one evening during all of this that I checked on her late one night. She was laying down, and like most horses would have, didn’t even offer to get up. I stroked her thin neck , sitting with her in the stall. I told her that if she was to weak, that it was alright to ‘move on’ – but I’d miss her terribly.  The next morning, there she was :up and wanting something to eat. She only gave it a taste and was done eating.

This went on for two weeks. Alli now had lost around 250 pounds and was so weak she could hardly walk around outside in the sunshine. I know that horses Need to be moving or more troubles are caused, so I let her out during the night where it was cooler. Summer days in Pennsylvania can be so hot. During the heat of the day, she got to be in her stall with a fan for some fresh air pointed in on her. She could move off to one side if she chose to be out of the breezes.

I noticed that no more was there sticky old feed on Allis’ nose nor any noise in my barn. No welcoming loud whinny in the mornings, and nothing welcoming me in the evenings. No more anything from her. The rest of the horses were all fine- but Alli always was the loud one- always whinnying, “ Hello ! Is it Food Time ?.”  I felt so sad – there wasn’t much more I could offer her in order to tempt her to eat. It didn’t seem as though the medicine she was getting was helping very much either. It seemed as though I was watching her die and feeling totally helpless.

This is a photo of her.... its hard to tell how terribly thin she is, but she looked horrid in real life. I thought I was loosing her, and snapped this last picture.

One evening after letting Alli loose around the barn, I was watching her. She seemed to be searching for something only she knew about. She wasn’t finding it, because she kept going from weed patch to weed patch, sniffing each weed or grass carefully before moving on. I thought it was odd, so I followed along, watching her. When she would find what she thought she wanted, she would graze it down to the roots, and move on, searching.  She ate two different types of weeds and then grazed on some grasses.

My friend did some searching on the internet for what those weeds were and discovered that one kind helped settle upset stomachs. It's called Pennsylvania Smart Weed--I found that the other one did the same and added more help in balancing the flora in a horses’ digestive system. Alli Knew!   She knew what she needed to continue getting better, and had been hunting for it around my barn. What an amazing creature these horses are to me. So the hunt continued most of the evening, and the next morning, I was greeted with a small whinny of welcoming.  Alli felt better…. We walked down the barn aisle together- slowly- and she ate half of her breakfast. Two days before, she’d nibble at it, maybe eating a handful.  Could it be that she might live after all? That evening, she ate another half of her dinner, and went out to search for more of those weeds. It was incredible to see her hunting, sniffing certain weeds, or grasses. She knew what she needed to help her get better, And the antibiotic was no doubt helping her as well. She was all done with that week of syringes full of syrup and medicines. We were on our own now. Would her troubles return?  The blood work showed only that she had a severe bowel inflammation. Would we need to have another week of antibiotics?  I know I hoped not- and I had a good feeling my mare didn’t want to go thru that again too.

The next morning, a warm Sunday morning, I was greeted by a hearty loud whinny from her. She met me at the barn gate and we walked down to her stall together again. She kept whinnying from her stall for me to hurry up with her breakfast.  She ate every single grain of feed in her dish this time, and wanted More. Knowing better than to let her eat all she wanted, I began offering her many very small meals that day. She ate each one with pure happiness. She began to get stronger and gained a little amount of weight with each day. Alli was getting fed a LOT of feed, but she wanted it, and couldn’t wait until her next ‘snack’.  Her appetite had returned, and the day she made her first manure pile in her stall in two weeks, I wanted to celebrate. 

Only another horse person could understand the significance of a small manure pile in that stall…. It had been a little over 3 weeks, and my mare was going to Live.  Her digestive system was beginning to work again, and while we never have figured out what went wrong, it was alright. 

One day, just this week, Alli was being groomed by one of her riders. She was being her normal pesky self, and I commented on how wonderful it was to be hearing her calling to me whenever she saw me. That it was a sign she was returning to normal. Also- that she had a messy,sticky face again.  The student nodded in agreement. Alli had molasses all over the bridge of her nose once again, and that was GOOD.   Alli was going to pull thru and we were all pleased with that.  She truly IS “all the best”.

 Cc Kristales 8 2008

June 23 2010

Its HOT !!!!  Good grief- the humidity was higher than the temperature yesterday evening. I don't like it so humid- but that's' the weather on the east coast so one would think I'd have gotten used to it years ago.

This morning, there were two gals here - working students- to help. We got done in record time- by 9:15 AM !   Wow- if this continues, I'll be able to get Abby out when its still a little cool. YAY !

Carlene, my Clydesdale mare, is now staying in during the days and out at night. Perhaps it will be a little cooler for Her.... and help with her COPD which is getting worse all the time. She is getting Ventipulim almost daily now to help her lungs work more easily. She has been here for 5 years now and basically happy. She was to be put down a few weeks before I said I'd take her and her problems on.  Inevitably she'll get so bad, that I'll have to possibly make a big choice For her..... I hope she has a few more years though. She is a very beloved part of our farm.

The little horses (Old Ladies, Scarlet, Scout n Sunny) are doing fine in the heat.  They are drinking a ton of water and I've been keeping those outside tubs freshened up almost daily.  Tomorrow is 'wash the tubs w/ soapy water and spray clean'' day.  The to refill w/ nice cool fresh water for them.

The Working Students are GREAT to have around!  What good company they are and I enjoy them being here each day.  I count myself as lucky to have such wonderful horsey folks here, wanting to learn, learn, learn. Oh- and ride TOO.  :)

Evie and the wire Fence.

6/11/2010

This evening, as I was saying goodbye to my last riding student of the day- around 7:30 , we saw my 4 year old Percheron mare Evie, rolling. She not only chose a dumb place to roll, but then to make matters the worst possible- she rolled Over and into the hi-tensile wire fencing that was here when we bought this farm. I HATE the fact that I cannot afford to have Proper horse fencing and as soon as I can- the whole middle section is coming down and will be replaced.

It was like watching her in slow motion trying to destroy herself. I was at the gate and thru it before she could get up, and walked in GIANT steps down the pasture. I didn't want to run because most likely it would have scared the two mares who were Already upset. Evie was holding her left hind leg up high under her belly, and I was praying that nothing to horrid had happened to it.  Once I got there, and could see the front of her hock, I wanted to cry. She had a HUGE laceration there, with odds and ends of skin hanging from it. It was about 4" wide from side to side on her hock and 3" from top to bottom. And it was Deep.  I slipped a halter on that I had been holding, and asked her to walk that long hike back to the barn. I watched her limping and that her toe did work properly, and by the time we got to the gate, she was barely limping.  I KNEW it hurt terribly and she was adjusting to her intense pain already.  I was SO glad to see her leg walking properly though ! 

By the time our farm vet could get to the farm, it was two hours later. I'd put a makeshift but clean bandage on Evie's leg and led her to her stall so she could stand quietly.  She was being SO good.  It turns out that she totally destroyed one extensor tendon, and cut her self pretty badly, but Not as badly as Becky had first thought. Once she had tranquilized Eve and got things cleaned up some, she said that if all goes well, that there will be a slight scar. Finding that to be hard to believe, I smiled and said something stupid in return.  Becky wrapped it, and we added a standing wrap beneath it, to help keep it placed properly.

I was supposed to give her antibiotics for 10 days, and keep her on bute for 2-3 days. And Evie was to be stalled so things could begin healing well.  Below is a photo of it 3 days later...

Her hock was still pretty swollen, as well as her lower leg, but she walks on it - carefully.

UPDATE:    6/22/2010

Evie is all done with her meds, and I now have a cream from the vet to fight the proud flesh. Evie has been Wonderful through all of this treatment, and daily bandaging too. I'm So proud of my young mare once again. I know it hurts so badly, and the worst she does is pick her leg up in pain.  She waits happily for her favorite treat- a peppermint after we are all done.

Here is a photo from today :

I am hoping that she heals fine and that our vet is correct- that she'll only have a small scar from all of this trauma.

 

And from the front:

Update:  7 17 2010:

Evie has been healing very nicely so far, and has handled her stall rest perfectly. This past week, our vet, Becky, told me that I could now turn Herself out for the night- so long as she stayed quiet.  I'm going to turn her out tomorrow morning ( Sunday) while we clean stalls , so she can get some sunshine and GRASSSSSS  !!   I have a bit of tranquilizer to give her so she Will be wanting to graze as opposed to leaping and running about like a ninny. Below are a couple of photos from this week. It is still Quite ugly but in a "healthy/ healing'' way !

I have high hopes for this horrid thing to be behind us and we can get Evie driving this Fall !

 UPDATE:  7/28/2010

Evie has been turned out at night- ALL night - with her pals in the pasture close by ,for almost a week now . She's doin great!  Here are a couple of photos I took of her wound on the 20th of July :

 It really hurts now when I try to clean it off. Tis like trying to  rinse a moving target, but Still this young mare is very kind . It just Hurts !

Sorry , I got a bit of the crossties in the bottom shot.....  More updates to come !

UPDATE:  8/3/2010

Got some photos today. There are very soft scabs trying to protect her wound and I try hard to not wash them off, but some do. Warm water, gentle rinsing to keep it clean, and washing off the surrounding hair where I put Swat daily..... She canters, but no bucking as of yet. This morning both Lynn & Evie came trotting up to their gate to come inside for breakfast. No sign of lameness at All.  Here are the pix from this AM:
From the inside...

 From the front....

from the outside, and then of her whole leg from a distance....

It Still looks horrid, but if you look carefully- there is healthy 'new' skin all around the border of it now.  She's doing fine- but I'm still very concerned about her being sound once all of this is over with.  

Condensing !

I had three blogs going at one time- and had added the same info on each one. One was Horsetales and this one - plus one more. So what I did was condense all the stories to this one blog !  If you are reading them, I have them all dated when they happened- NOT when I added them here. Now to go back later on and add the photos .

The weather here has been weird.... Tornado watches all afternoon, grey skies, and an odd kind of breeze blowing.  No tornadoes. thank goodness- but we did have some Thunder Storms travel thru- mostly around us. Now ?  It is clearing up and is becoming one grand early summer afternoon ! 

Last week a big nasty summer storm went around us and afterwards, a most wonderful rainbow !  Here's the photo I got of it :

Ellie is Here 5 1 2007

It all began because I needed another quiet lesson horse. I asked around some, read some ads in tack shops, and even asked Amber  ( a super gal who was helping me with the barn work) to ask around school for cheap priced horses. Nothing to ancient, nothing nutty, etc.... we had The List. Amber has learned a TON of things since she's been helping here and knew what to ask and What I was looking for.

Soooooooooooooo, she found an ancient App who was free- no, to old at 25.... Then she mentioned two horses that her friend's sister had for sale. Oh ?? She asked her friend more questions. This went on for like a week.... Found out she was a mare that Amber had ridden quite some time ago and said she was a nice horse. Well, that was a while before she knew much about horses like she knows now. Her friend said that the one mare had a foal who was for sale too. Just not enough time to have 3 horses as her older sis was going to college now. The mare had something wrong w/ her eye, and Amber knew enough to ask about it- wow, this kid has learned ! Amber would then report things to me. The mare sounded alright enough to go see at least. I told Amber that unless she would fit in here, we'd might not buy her- so Amber was prepared to go SEE her......

Well we made an appt w/ the sister and got there late due to getting stuck in traffic, but got there ! :) Just when one needs to drive straight thru..... whew. Anyway, the sister had her 'cleaned up' and saddled but not bridled. Odd I thought. Ha- one rub under that heavy saddle blanket and I knew WHY she was saddled. Rail thin w/ ribs popped BIG time, thin neck, thin head, everything was thin- her mane, and tail even ! I just sighed and thought ''you Poor thing , you, life has been tough hasn't it ?" We watched the gal ride her, mare seemed to have a nice soft mouth, responded to lightness too. Amber rode her, and she was fine w/ a new rider too. Bucked and played on the longe line- so that was positive. I know she will have double the energy once she's up to weight, but its that sensibility about her that I liked too. Her legs showed no sign of being raced and used up. The only thing was her cataract, but we're used to seeing from one eye only horses around here.... so it was no big deal. No breathing troubles either, which I'm shy about now.... I KNEW Carli had troubles before I got her- I certainly didn't want to ADD more horses like that. Pretty much she was A-okay just terribly thin. So I asked how little would this gal take for a half starved, blind in one eye, older mare ?? Hmmmmmmmm, talk about an ego come down. ( yeah, I DO know horses pretty well, kiddo <>) I got her for a song, and due to knowing how to build up thin horses and how to properly love a TB horse, she was sold. Amber was quietly pleased as she chattered the whole way home about her. We got her papers, some splint boots ( in purple- kinda neat ) two ratty bridles and one alright nylon one plus a show saddle blanket -western. So it was a pretty good deal I think ! <> So, she's registered, a proven broodmare, never raced, sound and is 14 yrs old, 15.1 hands tall. Solid bay, no white at all. I don't know how well bred she is but she has this "royal air" about her - if that makes sense.


Glenn n' I went to get her yesterday and well,. you know the rest of the tale. Stay tuned :)

Holly Lightfoot 9.2007

I used to own an ex top gaming mare. Way back when - I think it was around 1974-75. I got her for almost nothing due to her having totally lost her mind over her four years in being gamed. I mean this mare was Toast, mentally. The way I found out about her was via her owners' son when she finally flipped out in the ring, sending his dad to the emergency room. His dad had turned down $25K back in the late 1960s', so she was something' else ! Big cream colored AQHA mare. She was a Perlino with green eyes... I'll never forget her name "Holly Lightfoot". And oh my was she lightfooted! Especially those fronts. I bought a  $$$$ mare for just $500.00 and was told to NEVER bring her back, or they were shooting her.

That poor thing... she had these freaky green eyes and was cream colored from ear to hoof... But she was built, my lord she was built. Power, power and more power... the kind of mare who could spin on a dime n' give ya a nickle change. She was smart and fast as well. JUST what a person wanted for games, right ? Nope- not any more. She wasn't registered due to the AQHA not accepting that color horse.

Holly spent the first 3 months hiding in her stall. No energy or 'want to' at all. Just stood in there w/ her head in the darkest corner she could find. I had to go get her to turn her out- she was so depressed. Her lips had been sliced repeatedly, her tongue had a cut on it ; she was ear and head shy. 'Hmmmmmm, wonder Why ?'  I knew the life of a gaming horse back then All to well and Holly had lived it.

I had just about given up on her, mentally, when one day I was greeted " G'morning - is it breakfast yet ? " in a nicker from her. Those eyes had some life back and I thought ''well its about time, mare". After she'd been w/ me for about 6 months. I thought its time to find out how bad she was / is.  All I did was get my Tex-tan western saddle out and by the time I had gotten her bridle, she was sweating and shaking . Omg- what had happened to this mare before she came here? Took the western back inside the tack room, and she got better. So, lets try my Pariani English saddle. Now that was something Holly hadn't seen before and looked at it w/ interest. ''Okay then, we shall go English, Holly Lightfoot !'' She wore a big soft snaffle bit and a running martingale because I knew she'd throw her head back and knock a person silly with ease. Off we went to the ring. Got on her and she stood there, trembling.

Now this mare was a beefy 15.3 hands tall and 16 hands wide it seemed. I asked her to walk on, which she did and WHAM ! She threw her head backwards towards my face so fast I hardly saw it move. I felt the air though. I screamed at her like I was going to cook her for dinner, with ALL sorts of foul language added for effect. She was shocked and stopped it for a bit...she'd also punished herself when she hit that martingale yoke. That first ride consisted of jogging/ bouncing, threats to rear (she did twice) and that ever present threat to smack me with the top of her head. Each time she'd do it, she then would duck all the way down out of the way- I think to avoid retribution ? It was not a good ride at ALL. By the time we got done a reasonable trot/ bounce/ head toss around the ring, she was soaking wet, and I was about to give it all up.

Time passed, and we kept at it. I'd take her for long walks thru the woods, letting her relax and get her brain back some what, but HOW much would she re-gain from all of that stress and tension ? I didn't know. I learned to respect her and to love her a lot. Never did care much for cream colored horses, nor AQHA horses, but this one stole my heart. I was showing Apps then and had a ton of students arriving daily so Holly got to graze in the front yard n' watch all this. She did learn to relax again. It took her TWO years of my patience and not killing her like I swore I would one day. Her name often was 'Alpo Holly'. The kids thought that was great fun and would call her 'Ms Alpo'. I guess she saw little humor in it all.. It all went the same way, each ride. Holly bouncing up n' down,  her bit hitting that martingale, and then dodging the bat she believed was going to hit her head if she didn't drop it and fast. I never carried anything in my hands.

One day I tried another bit... One where I had a little more "control" over what her face did. I have hands that are as 'light as butter' and a seat with Super Glue on it almost, so I was Not going to hurt her, unless she did it to herself.  Nor was I going off. Off we went that evening, with a "if I'm not back in 30 minutes, come get me!" to my now ex husband. Holly tried to throw her head back- wham, she got punched by the bit. All I did was sit there. She tried to rear, well she got punched again. I asked for a little collection from her, and omg- I got it ! She got softer and softer in that big powerful bit, and I could ride her w/ my little fingers, she was so light. One more time Holly had to try hitting me w/ her face and to rear : she got hit again from the bit. Soon she'd figured out that it wasn't lucrative to keep doing those things. She settled into a mile eating trot from hell, and I was in Heaven ! Wow, this mare could move. I asked for a lope/ canter- what ever lead she offered, and I got either one. I could slow her down w/ ease or ask for some extension and got it immediately. All the while, Holly was soft in that bit as could be. No more threats, no more near black eyes, or broken noses.. just a very nice mare.

Whewwwww, Two years! She had been offering to get softer and slower, but never before such response from her. Holly had found "her niche" and she stayed there for a good many years. I showed her in open shows - both Western and English, but she just excelled in those English classes. One day, we'd just about finished up our classes, and I rode over to talk to a friend who was starting a new horse at barrels. She asked if the horse I was on had been her friend's mare, Holly Lightfoot... I said yeah, it was and she was Amazed ! They'd told everyone she'd gone bonkers and they put her down. Nope, here she was in all her glory- and winning in English flat classes now. Then a horse did a run for barrels, and guess who started shaking ? Yep, they Never forget. I swung my mare around and we jogged off to our horse trailer. When I'd dismounted, Holly ever so softly rubbed her lips on my cheek.... saying 'thanks' perhaps ? Or something more ? I'll never know as Holly never did have much to say.

More Drives w/ Abby 6/19/2007

Thursday, September 20, 2007


More drives w/ Abby 6 19 2007

After a week off due to a puffy spot on Abby's right hock, she seems to be fine ; swelling is gone, and she no longer "acts" like its sore. She never was lame, but I'm paranoid about something happening to all the horses I own . So after a week of rest and good stable management, Abby wanted to know, once again "When are we doing things again ?" Yes, foolish as it may seem to some non believers, my horses do communicate w/ me and they have since I was three years old. So I told her that 'soon' we would do things....this means being hitched, ground driving, and lots of "fun" things for Abby n' Me.

This morning was supposed to be horrid w/ heat n humidity of early summer, so I hurried thru the barn chores (stalls, turnouts, fly masks,fly spray, feed/ hay/ water, etc ! ) and after Abby was done w/ her morning hay, she was curried like mad, ( working on that mirror finish show coat ) vacuumed off and carefully harnessed. Abby used to threaten to rear, and was Very scared about all this harnessing stuff, due to her past not-so-good training. Its taken me almost 3 yrs to get her to this point, so I'm proud of her each time she's brave in trusting that I am NOT going to slam a big heavy work harness on her , thus clanking her w/ buckles, pieces of heavy leather ,etc. Not to mention with each piece of harness that she stands quietly for, Abby gets a treat. I normally do not do this sort of thing, but I had to think of someway to make being harnessed Positive. Thus the horse cookies- if she's not perfect, she gets nothing, so Abby learned Fast ! :)

I harnessed her alone while Glenn finished up scrubbing/refilling the outside water tubs ( this man is a Keeper !!). She was wonderful- more interested in those cookies, than the harness- this is Exactly what I wanted. Something for Abby to look forward to , instead of trembling in fear and standing as far away from that harness as possible. NOW, she's a mooch ! This is alright though and the cookies won't last for long now. Just in her feed tub like the rest who get worked :) Hahaha- I slipped her bridle on , quickly seeing it was the Wrong one. Got the right bridle, and changed it all- Abby didn't have a problem w/ humans being stupid at all. She was in crossties,( halter under her bridle) and I hitched her to the cart. She stood like a big statue, looking back to be sure I was doing it all correctly. She loves to see what is going on behind her and I encourage my horses to SEE that cart, or what ever is going on behind them. By then Glenn was done, and he headed her Just in case she chose to walk off alone. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooot a good thing. She stood quietly for me to clambor in that cart and get seated. Again- she turned her head to make sure all was alright. Merely interested.... which is good again :)

Off we went, down the lane to the ring, a nice step Gee, and into the ring thru the gate. She was quiet and light into her bit as we walked about some. There was some work going on at the neighbors place, so we had to stop and check that out. Lots of hammering and items coming out thru upstairs windows too. That would have gotten my attention TOO. She wasn't upset in the least, because I'd let her check out where the sounds were and to See them too. Off we went again at a nice walk. I have made the mistake of asking for a trot at a certain place in my ring all the time- and Guess WHO has learned where ? We were trotting and I'd not asked for that, so we had to begin again... Walkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk, Abby, And walkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. She listened perfectly but sure did want to keep that trot going. I let her walk along for a few more yards then asked her for a trot. Well, the words "walk on " and Trot! don't compute some mornings w/ her. There's been SO much to work on and she does go from a kiss sound, so I've been incorportaing both. This AM, Abby picked up a nice working trot. I'm still not used to her rhythm yet, so I check her feet, making sure they are tracking correctly and am trying to learn Her speed. Its tough as I've not had to deal with this for some time, being spoiled in knowing my other seasoned mare to a "T" ! I'll get it though. We did a slooooooooooooooooow trot and wow, this mare put on the slower speed really well. She's not got much of a clue about collection yet as she's SO green, but she's trying to understand . So we held that for about once 'round the ring ( its a 1/8 th mile jog track) and I was very pleased with her. Hahaa- seems Abby's idea of a strong trot ( we don't get much extension yet, but again, its coming as she gets more balanced/ stronger) is a canter-y/ trot-y item now . She asked to go faster than a strong trot, but I said no, that a good strong powered trot is all I needed today. Happily she complied. What a grand mare she is going to be !!

We have Only been hitching in a steady manner for about 5 weeks now, intermitantly due to weather, and "life" for me. We did some real nicely balanced figure 8s- for ME mostly so I do them RIGHT, and not sloppy.I Don't want Abby to learn that some things are to be ignored.... She was so good in those, that I thought for the first time, I'd ask for a stop in the middle of one. I warned her, and said " Abby, HO" . WOW, she came to a complete stop in about 3-4 strides. Abby stood quietly, sometimes looking back at me as though to say

" Abby thinks mom is nuts". It wasn't perfect, but danged near for a mare who two weeks ago threatened to rear each time some pressure was put on her. She stopped with just my ''pinkies'' asking her to, and stood for me. Abby got a lot of " GOOOD GIRL'S" for THAT. We trotted some more, and did the cone pattern - a simple serpentine in between them in line.... and did a back/ step up like one needs to do when in a show. I figured things were going well, so I asked her to 'fan' for me. Its a drafter thang and is basically a roll back in a cart. I gave her as clear a signal as I could and helped her step over by tapping her breeching straps w/ the whip, and told her to Step Haw... Well she tried real hard to understand and follow the directions, but again, it sure was Far from perfect. But she DID a 1/4 fan to the left, and then stepped Back over to face Glenn again ! Now that was an accomplishment for Miss " I wanna show folks my belly button !!" . We stopped with that - again after Tons of butt rubs, and praise for herself.

Drove back to the barn front, stopped, Abby waited while I got out of that cart ( I love it, but boy, its got rough entry/ exits !). She knows to wait for me too. By the time Glenn arrived, I had her partially unhitched and she was happily mooching cookies. None then, but she got hers when she was put back in her stall afterwards. Abby was hosed off and her sweaty face sponged, excess water ( now warm)was scraped off her, and she got to graze outside til she was cool enough to be in her stall. Not one drink from her water bucket, so I knew she was fine. :)

All in all, it was one perfect drive for me and Abby. I love this little black mare so incredibly and am on Cloud Nine at how good she's coming along after a few years of panic and my considering selling her as she was never going to be a safe hitch mare. But she IS - and is going to continue being good. I HOPE. Our first hitched show is on June 30th- we have a LOT to practice just so we don't look TOO foolish in the ring !

Off to watch our video of the World Percheron Congress from last October :D

Not Giving up on Abby 9/20/2007

Thursday, September 20, 2007


Again..... sorry folks- I'm not giving up on her. She was/ is to expensive to own and I've put to much time in her to quit. (:) Unless I am Forced to, and I don't see that happening.

Abby IS THREATENING to rear due to evasion- I know that. First it was fear, now if she even threatens its because SHE thinks its time to go in and that was because she had not wanted to listen to any one else ( hahaha- those who might have different thoughts towards driving or going to the barn). Wow, she had a lot of training holes as per many drafters who are started incorrectly, and we have " filled those in " with more knowledge. She was just disaster bound from the beginning of her driving career.

She was Just 18 months old the only time I saw her go up.... This was at her very first auction. ( She was being sold because her owner realised she wasn't going to end up 18 hands tall, even though Abby is of top quality and they were moving to another smaller farm.) She had been driven on snowy lanes in Maine a few times so she'd be " Broke to drive by sale time". I had decided she was the one I wanted for my belated Christmas gift from my husband. ( he told me I could own any show filly I chose, that he was prepared to buy her for me ) I knew her from her show career in New England, and had seen her photo in magazines,etc. I Knew she was a good mare but young.

Not to worry, I'd started plenty of horses under saddle and the same w/ driving. Never had one who caused trouble at all because I know what I'm doing. ( Been hitching horses for 17 yrs now, training saddle horses for 39 yrs) I dont' rush those who need more time to mature, nor am I in a hurry w/ those who are mentally/ physically ready. There's plenty of time to have a " Made Horse" -to ME anywho. Abby reared twice in being hitched there. Both times the surrounding arena was over dose loud, with horses working all over the place ( I don't know how many of you have been to a draft sale, but the day of hitching tends to be mass panic in some arenas) - it was a cart she'd not ever been hitched too and she was scared ! Who wouldn't be at just 18 months ?? It was nerve racking to me .

Once she was hitched, she drove off really well ! She got " stuck'' one time and began backing up. Her owner/ driver just sat there....Took out a standing gate, but she wasn't scared when it crashed to the ground. She was just soooooooooooooooooo green - and it showed. Afterwards,I talked to her owner who told me she'd only been driven abt 7-8 times because it had been so snowy. Well, that explained a LOT of her behavior to me at least, but I wasn't sure I could deal with a mare who'd go up when she was scared. I visited her in the stall and she was so incredibly sweet, I Knew there had to be more to it. Took her for a walk around the stalls,etc. and she was quiet as can be, but so curious and a little unsure of what was going on. It sure wasn't like that at the shows she'd been to. So Glenn bought her for me :D

When we got her home, she was aloof and ignored me a lot. Abby was good, but not bonding. She HATED having her mane combed out, and I quickly understood why- if you'd had your thick mane thinned repeatedly since weaning, had it shortened, and then thinned by pulling hair out some more so it would lay over nicely, wouldn't you Too get real tired of being in pain when someone else ( as you think) is going to do it AGAIN ?? Her forelock had been shaved on the sides so it could have a thin braid for the halter classes as well..... it looked real dumb to me, but that's the life of a halter horse in some instances. I told her never again would she be so coiffed. Abby has a wonderful thick wavy mane and forelock, so there would have been a LOT of pain to have her mane thin enough to lay over like some TB's might. She had on scotch bottom shoes that fit really well, but wow, once they came off, I found out how heavy they were...she had the side flares on her hind feet as well. This filly was not quite 18 months old, again. She'd been clipped and blanketed- again, the life of a show horse, so I couldn't turn her out w/out a couple of blankets to keep her warm. Abby has opinions and they are Very well founded. She hardly understood what it was like to be outside ALL day long and wanted to come in only after a couple of hours. That winter she was pampered some - more than the other horses here who know what its like to BE a normal horse. Now ? She Loves being outside all night long and happily meets us at the gate each morning to come in for breakfast.

As time passed, I learned how sweet and kind this filly really was. She has Never offered to kick, strike or bite. Always listened well and tried to be a good girl. That spring when she was two, I thought I'd ground drive her some and wait til she was older to actually hitch her. I carried the first part of the harness out ( Mine comes in three pieces :) and she immediately got scared. When Abby is scared, her lips tremble..... and boy she was trembling then. Her muscles were shaking on her shoulders, and thighs too. FEAR. I quickly realised she had been harnessed w/ a big old work harness.I remembered seeing it at the sale. No doubt it had been thrown over on her all in one big mass- basis for fear. We worked on that, and to this day, if I catch her unaware, she steps sideways looking at me in fear. My poor filly was very upset at this harnessing stuff. I didn't work w/ her much due to her being immature and needing to grow up some, that first year. ( her two year old year) We worked on the harness, and some ground driving. She didn't care for her thick snaffle bit so I changed it to some different ones, and she stopped throwing her head , mouthing the bit to much w/ a mullen mouthed liverpool. THAT one Abby liked a lot...had her teeth checked by Two folks- one professional horse dentist and a vet up here. Both said she had a fine set of teeth and nothing to cause trouble. We did have her wolf teeth pulled when she was younger. It was that bit she just didn't feel right with. Ever since I changed it to a solid mouthpiece, she's happy as a clam. :)



Fast forward a couple of years. I admit, I put off hitching her because I was not Sure she'd keep her feet on the ground...... So we worked on desensitations a bunch - from the ground. Last April I decided it was time or I needed to send her out to get trained or do SOMEthing with her. Now, I AM a horse trainer...have been for some time- so that whole idea bothered me. " stop being a sissy, Kris" is what I told myself, but I have discovered that when I hit the ground now, It HURTS !! No more bounces now. I thought I'd work w/ her some and then decide what to do... sell or send her to my friend who trains drafters.

Last April, It was finally The Day of Abby's first hitch here. I asked a couple of horsey friends I'd met up here who'd be a big help thru all this. We worked forward in careful increments, watching her reactions to each one. Nothing. Abby was ready to "DO Things !!" and she showed it. NO threats, no nothing and I was so proud of her , I was almost in tears. ALL of that careful slow work had paid off. Abby had been hitched w/ not one problem. So because I was busy showing my older mare ( the one who won for me so many times- and I trained her also ) that Abby kind of got put on the back burner. Also I had a younger filly to work with too- one has so many hours in a day it seems. We hitched her a few more times and each time she was great, til one day she kept stopping and tossing her face like it was a threat. Front feet bouncing off the ground a little bit. Not being positive as to why, I did what I did w/ my other Very Hot tempered mare, Dixie, and let her work thru it. Easier than causing a HUGE fight- which is what Abby was looking for. No response to her temper confused her- gave her no reason to have a hissy fit, and we had a pretty good time. I really wanted her to learn that driving was great fun .



This spring, it was the year to get Abby moving forward and to try some shows. She has been shown a LOT in halter, and is great, but pulling a cart in a class ? Ha..... After I got to the point where I could trust my strength and most of the back pain had gone, I tripped in the barn and blew out an elbow.. MORE time off as I couldn't even straighten the danged thing ! Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Finally this April , we began work w/ Abby- dabby again. She still tried to evade being harnessed, but was much better. She just had so many negatives and bad treatment memories from before. We've been trying to drive every other day or so to get her muscled up some more, and lightly at that. The last three- four drives, Abby has done NO threats, no instantaneous stops, w/ ears back, listening to me. She's moving forward, giving to the bit softly, she's paying attention to where she is being asked to go, and is JUST beginning to collect properly. I don't ask for much as I don't want her to be sore- and add more negatives to her list she already has. ' One day at a time' We have a good time and only work for maybe 30 minutes or so. She's doing this happily, and loves doing a kinda /sorta extended trot. Yesterday, she asked if she could canter, but I said nooooooooooo- we'lll wait to do that. Today she gave me a teeny fuss about going past the OPEN gate out of the ring, and was so good. She collected properly for the sweetest little slow trot I'd seen her do. Light, soft, flexing her poll and jaw for me, and was fingertip control... boy I was ear to ear grins. No threats, not a bit of temper, just a lot of forward Fire outta this mare. I am thinking we're on the way back from Abby's hell, and we're Both liking it a Lot :)

Abby loves getting her apple pieces too for being such a good girl.... She has for a few years now, let me brush all the tangles from her thick mane, and lets me shorten it too - she just stands there dozing, in fact. She is wonderful to get trimmed by my farrier now, and she gets a rub on the neck from him as he knows how awful she was before. This mare is So smart and is so sensitive, that she could have been very very dangerous, but I HOPE we are now moving forward in this driving stuff. :)

Hope this explains my Abby a little better. She is NOT a bad mare, just has had a tough time in some instances. If I thought she was dangerous I'd not have taken all this time to help her past her 'demons'.

Lynn's Story of her trip to the Farm Show in PA

Thursday, September 20, 2007
Lynda's Description of her adventure to the Pa. Farm Show 1 2-07

I "overheard' this as Lynn was telling BoJangles of her long weekend away from home. We just got her back home from the Farm Show, and they were busily 'chatting' as she ate her hay. Lynda is my soul mate, it seems .We have been together since 1992 and she has never failed me.We let a student of mine show her at the PA Farm Show in Jan. 2007, and this is how Lynn saw it all...

Seems that she was telling him all about it and that first, she got to this big
(picture of a BIG barn-like structure) place and mom put her in a stall - yellow stuff that wasn't so good to eat, but the 'green' (hay) was pretty good. They gave her a bucket w/ water in it and left. Then they came back with 'stuff'- images of all kinds of brushes, washing things, tack. She didn't get all of her green eaten but the 'short human' (my student) took her to another place with water all over the place. Lynn got wet, but the water wasn't cold like before, and then the 'short one' put foam all over her! Lynn didn't understand that much, but then mom got out the smelly good stuff (a whitening shampoo- smells like grape soda) and washed her really well. Lynn, that is, not my student. Then back to her yellow house (stall) and more good hay. Mom put her pretty cover  (a wool cooler ) on her, which made her feel warm and comfy. Then after a while, they both came to put that black horrid thing on her (image of my saddle and pain between her shoulders) which is not wide enough since Lynn grew her winter coat.

 Then the bit and Lynn tells Bo about how SHE gets the bit in her mouth as Bo is always a little scared to be bridled. (shes' trying to let him know its a good thing)  So,she has to leave her hay, and go thru this low tunnel-like place with pieces of wood on the ground,then into a HUGE dirt pasture! She was telling Bo about how HUGE it was... the show arena that is. The short human is riding her, and the saddle isn't comfortable but Lynn knows it won't last for long because her mom knows it hurts Lynn, too. Around they go and she tries hard to be perfect for the short human who sends so many different messages that Lynn sometimes gets confused about them all. She guesses which one is right. Most time she nails that perfectly. After a while, some little horses come in that pasture and they are going all over the place! (these were the roping horses used in the rodeo the next day- the riders were giving them some much-needed exercise) They were laughing at her because she is SO tall and pure white- Lynn doesn't let it bother her due to her knowing that if any of them give her a tough time,  she is BIGGER, and can kick pretty good. Around they go, hearing that laughter, and Lynn getting tons of messages and signals she has to guess at.Thank goodness the short human doesn't bang on her back like she did at home.

Then its back to the yellow place (her stall) and that awful tack is removed. She gets some water to drink and mom n' dad stay outside her stall for a few minutes, then they leave her all alone there. She's alright because they always return- Lynn is confident in that I'll never leave her anywhere by herself. The short one brings her breakfast the next morning and it is Exactly like what she gets at home! Imagine THAT- food that is the same! She has breakfast and thinks that her place is a little small for a ''Draft Mare of Great Size''. She watches all the other horses get pretty, and then she has her forelock braided in pink/navy colors, and some kid human braids her tail up. Lynn realizes that it's going to be a very important day when That happens. (Bo interjects here that he knows those things too- as does Carli, who is listening in) They go to one of those pastures in her white pretty dress up halter and Lynn has to stand around for a long time- boringgggggggggggggggggg. Finally back to her stall again-

She waits and mom/dad come to see her. Lynn nickers real softly in that special
'' Mom, I love you'' whisper- and she sees her mom smiling and saying happy things back to her. All is good in Lynn's life again. Even Dad smiled at her! Its time to go do that important thing- but instead of mom going, the short human sits on her.?????????????????????????????

Lynn accepts this as mom says she must. It is off around all these cars n' trucks   (parking lot) that aren't moving- she has no clue what is going on as this isn't' like a normal "important" time... then into that big dirt pasture again. She walks around and around, bored to tears, then is told to whoa. Lynn listens to the person on her, and all of a sudden the 'sky' (aka- show announcer) says something and ALL THOSE PEOPLE act like they are going to JUMP on her !!!! (standing up for the Nat'l Anthem and the arena was Packed) Lynn tried to move away fast so they wouldn't get her but the short one said 'no- stay here'. Oooooooooooo- it was scary! The scary people didn't get her. they were Singing. Hmmmmmmmmmmm, might this human be smart Too? Then the people sat down again and Lynn felt better right away. The 'sky' said to trot, so before her human told her, Lynn Trotted. She didn't like the thump on her back when she started and the human wasn't expecting it either.

All of a sudden the voice from the sky said something else, and her human told her to go faster- but with one foot ! WHaaaaaaaaaaaaa??????????????? OH- canter, that's the signal for canter. Lynn did, and it was going really good- no thumping from the human and the other horses were going fast too- it was kinda fun. All of a sudden there was a black horse in front of her and Lynn could see that this horse from her other trip ''to do important things w/ mom'' (this mare was also at the Worlds... right across from us). All of a sudden,  that horse tripped and stumbled - right in front of Lynn! Lynn didn't know what to do- so she jumped out of the way as fast as she could and all of a sudden her short person was GONE. She didn't know what to do, again and was scared a little. So she trotted to the first person she saw w/ grey hair (like Glenn n' I have)- surely he would save her.

That was the ring steward, that Lynn went right to. That one said she 'was alright and had been a good horse'. Lynn liked that and he made her feel better. There was the short human again- only on the ground. Lynn didn't know how she had gotten there but she was walking a little weird.  Lynn was glad to see her. The humans talked for a few seconds and Lynn was led out of the big dirt pasture. At this point, Bo is all but scratching his head wondering what had happened... Carlene told them that humans sometimes just fall off of horses' backs. No reason, they just do... And if you buck a little some will go off faster. It was kind of fun, Carlene said...

After that, back at her stall, no one rode her or paid to much attention to her. Lynn figured she'd let them down- but hadn't she done a good thing to save herself from a bad fall? Hadn't she helped her human not get hurt? Then mom led her back outside, and the short person was getting on her back again. Whaaaaaaaaaaattt???? They had to walk up n' down where all those cars were again- didn't make any sense to her. Her rider was scared though, and was very very sad.... once her short human got off again, Lynn had a big warm hug from her, and she knew her short human understood that SHE had been a good horse, and hadn't been bad somehow. Her little human thanked Lynna for 'saving' them from a bad fall.... (Lynn is boasting here big time)

So it was back to the yellow place again, she got groomed some by mom (who's back was hurting too- but she never did have saddles on her, so Lynn wasn't too sure about the 'why') and got a piece of carrot to eat. Mom n' Dad left and she was there alone. She slept some, ate some more green stuff, drank the water that tasted 'green' too, and slept some more. She made friends w/ the brown horse on the other side (A Clyde named Sandy...) and they told some stories too. Finally, it was time for more feed and some hay. Lynn got to go for a walk outside which was fun, and the sunshine felt good on her back and ears.

She waited and waited for her mom to come, but she didn't. Not for a Long time ! All of a sudden there they were and Lynn was whispering her "mom whispers" to her, and got the smile again. All was good in Lynn's life again- her mom was there. After a few minutes of moving stuff - that black thing was taken away- YAY! - she got her halter on, and went with mom to the outside again. Wow- another walk she though- but then she saw her BOX !! The gold one that takes you places w'/out walking there. Oh, Lynn was so happy, she took Mom to the walk-up, (ramp to go in the trailer) and went on all by herself! After all, she had done it many times before- why not just go by yourself? Mom didn't really need to go too. But mom hurried along with her, laughing at her. Lynn expected some green in there but there was none, so she just wanted to GO- NOW. She pawed and got yelled at to stop, so she figured she might do that. The ride home was boring with no green but then they were HOME. Lynn called and called- so happy to be home again, and now she was tired of telling everyone about her time away and was going to take a nap.

 Bo n' Carli discussed their times ''away''- one time seeing a grey thing with a long tube out its face (an elephant at the Great Circus Parade in WI) that kind of smelled bad, and of the time when the round 'clouds' came to land on the ground, ( Hot air balloons- Carlene's story ) only to stay there going up n' down. They both thought those a little weird. Lynn piped up to say that the worst things were the railroad tracks- Bo agreed, and that you had to beware of those because Sometimes the long pipes jumped up to trip you.

And that was about the end of the whole conversation ! At least for me as my head hurt from it all .

Evie update and other Misc Items 1/3/07

Thursday, September 20, 2007


Evie update & other misc items 1 3 2007

Hi all,

Here we go again. Evie has grown ! She's now a smidgeon under 15.2 and is level on her top line for the first time in ages. She's going to turn 9 months old this coming Friday ( Jan 5th) and isn't learning much at all. Just re-hashing the old things, and getting more practiced at them all.

Glenn was out w/ his camera and got some up to date photos of her. She had been laying down in the greasy mud, which got my attention. So I'd gone out to check her out. Seems she just wanted to lay on her hay and was fine. I Think Alli may have connected with one of her kicks from last night - stupid ol' mare had a grumpy stick up her butt- and Evie learned to back OFF, when her auntie is grumpy.'Nother lesson learned....

She's brown, thanks to the sun, but looks real dark, like dark chocolate. She has learned 'go to your dish" very well, but tests me to see if I do mean what I say. She has learned to use kisses as a way to get out of doing something..... Not good. <> She is fascinated by Bob the Belgian. She'll stand there gazing over the fence at him as though she's trying to figure out just WHAT he is doing here. She doesn't act grumpy, just more interested in him. He looks back and she walks off. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

She still looks at the farrier like he is going to beat her or something . I didn't know Bill was that frightening . She leads real well for Glenn now- no more testing on that idea. He had to yell at her one time and wriggle her lead - voila ! Perfect filly. Evie has decided to find something to scare herself about every time we go up the barn aisle or towards her stall. She looks real hard at the kitty hut w/ blankets in it- one day it might just Jump to get her, so it must be watched. Then , oh my, the 2x6's standing up against the aisle wall are dangerous as well. The big white carriage ? Nope, nothing scary about it, nor the show cart with the naugahyde cover, nor the old show cart covered in white plastic. Nope.... Just that kitty hut and those boards ! Go figure. We have to pay close attention to her while leading her in or out, due to these monsterous items. According to Evie, anywho. I sure don't want to get blasted sideways by a filly who mentally is so young but as big and heavy as a mature riding horse.

Soon, we'll learn more about towels, plastic bags n' more- as I get better that is. Right now, I'm on "horsey leave'' till my back heals a bit more...Haaaaaa- like a flippin MONTH. Sheeeeeeeeesh.... BUT I will listen to the Dr, because as my older brother reminds me, I'm not 30 anymore, and don't bounce back like before. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, sit I shall. But I'll complain every chance I get too !

1st Trailer Ride and a Wedding 1/1/2006

Thursday, September 20, 2006


Evie's 1st trailer ride , wedding 1- 1 2006

This has been an eventful weekend for Evie and us too. Due to the fact that she has to go into the trailer and on a 30 minute trip to the Horse Show this coming Thursday morning, we decided to have a trial run first. Aunt Alli went along too. I think SHE was more nervous than the filly !  Alli loaded well, and was a little confused about backing into her stall, so once Glenn got that accomplished ( Whatttt a good job he did too )- Evie was MORE than happy to walk right up that ramp into the trailer. Hahaha- we STILL don't understand that backing stuff, but she's trying. Glenn decided to just take a little cruise around town- it has a LOT of bumpy areas, turns , stops, etc... Plus THINGS TO SEE OUTSIDE ! My pal, T, came along to help too- one of those 'just in case' things ? We gals rode in the back with the horse girls.

So,off we went... Evie was mystified and a little scared as we bumped long the road from the house.... She did accept some hay from my hand, but was to busy tryin to figure out why the world was suddenly so bouncy/ trouncy. Then we stopped- she braced for it... off we went again- up hills, along noisy bumpy roads, past a family picnic- THAT got a look out of her window !! Then into town, around some turns/ stops, and back towards the farm . She got a little scared w/ the NOISE in that trailer ( WOW, I didn't like it either - will have to fix them) but as she got used to them, and saw that Auntie Alli wasn't concerned, she relaxed into learning how to stay upright in her big stall. She has WAY to much room in it, as its built for mature drafters of huge heights. Evie is teeny still, so she had a lot on her plate so far as understanding things went.

By the time we were on our way home, she'd relaxed enough to dip her head to get some hay, and still stay upright. I do so love this little gal ! So we're on our way to becoming a good hauler :D

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WE did NOT get wet on Saturday for the wedding !! When we arrived at the chosen spot,it was cloudy, and rained the whole way down there. The rain had been spotty in showers all morning too. The pick up time for the bride n' her dad was around 3:15 and they weren't on time, of course. The clouds held off on the rain and I think the' keeper of the rain clouds'  might have been helping us out as it didn't Rain - NOT a drop ! Lynn was perfect as usual, but the down hill slope for dropping off the bride n' her dad surprised her a little.

Hahaaha- those two folks IN the carriage were clowning around big time. We just laughed the whole time during our drive.

First Show Clip - Eve 10/3/2007

She did GREAT !!!!
For a youngster who's Never been clipped before, and only " met" the clippers one time earlier, I'm again, So proud of my filly. We loaded in the trailer Again, this time w/ no hesitation, she backed into "her" stall better than before and immediately looked for HER hay bag. Which of course I held open for her to snack on. Then we practiced trotting on line once we were outside again.. She's got this down pretty well, but thinks it a little stupid to trot to nowhere then come back again. Go figure, right ? She's learning exactly what I want her to ... that most humans are crazy and must be Humored ! { :) The older horses just sigh and say- " Ok- where are we trotting again, ya stupid human ? "

Yesterday, I worked on getting her a little bridle path, Welllllllllllllllllllllll, she kept shaking her head, trying to get rid of those FLYS buzzing around and its a littttttle longer than I'd planned. But its there ! Each time I turned the clippers on and off, she'd bug her eyes out at the noise- but then would settle right down. So it was on / off... on/ off.... on, raise the clippers in the air above her line of sight, and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down to her knee level.... letting the sound change . She got so this was pretty dull, so I raised them faster and dropped them down faster. She wasn't impressed, so I rubbed the cord on her neck- THAT got a look, but not to worry. Then I rubbed the clippers up n' down- trying to NOT clip hair - which is tough.... After she was cool w/ that, I ran them up on her crest between her ears- where I wanted to clip, but didn't. She was really good- the A-5's were just humming along and she thought they were flys once again. In dodging her shaking head, I actually got her bridle path clipped pretty well.. She was not scared, but just didn't care for being "bugged" by the noise. I was so impressed... a filly who THINKS.

Then I tried her ears. When she was teeny, I would turn them inside out practically, and make buzzzing noises while I ran my hand all over them She had remembered but this was Much more annoying. So rather than botch them up ( yanno- the longer you clip, the shorter the hair ...;) and have her looking really stupid for this show day after tomorrow, I stopped and praised her to the high heavens. I got her muzzle clipped- she was cracking me up w/ her nose/ lips moving ! " Evie, go like this " And she stood so still for me to get those long uggy jawline/ lower face hairs gone too. Remember- this was all done on a loose lead and no fear- just baby 'questions', which were answered by me :)

This evening, I'd asked Glenn if he'd hold her lead while I got her ears neat n' tidy. She's got such pretty well shaped ears- they look like big araby ones, all pointed and classy looking. She was not feeling on top of the world due to being de-wormed this AM ( don't want to get behind in that )- so she was nice n' quiet. Also- being outside all day helped . Got the clippers out, let her see them and turned them on. Not much reaction at ALL. So I went thru the whole thing again, and we moved along right fast. Not a bit of trouble other than " ewwwww, make that NOISE go away - BIG FLYS !!!" from Evie. She didn't understand the 'whys' again, but she'll learn that its not a bug, but just those troublesome clippers again. She wasn't scared - but for one time when I tapped her by mistake w/ the blades - DUH. She was going down w/ her face as I was coming up. That was done with quickly though. All in all she was very very patient w/ all this new stuff and those Flys too.. <> She's grown some more- her shoulders/ chest area is really opening up but her behind still looks like a AQHA's.... Half Percheron filly, and half who knows ! <>

Lets hope in the next day, she rounds out again ?? Instead of looking like all these misc. pieces of horses stuck together ..... I'm so lovin' this marvelous filly.

Tomorrow afternoon, we get our first BATH.

Oh dread.... I'm glad it is warmer for a couple of days as we will both be soaked !

Percheron World Congress 10/29/2006 Lexington,VA

10/29/2006

Oooooooooooooook..... now that the trailer is unpacked , all the stalls are clean n' fresh, the normal barn work is all done, and Kris  ( me)  needs a break, I'll let ya know about the World Congress Show. It was a LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Week !

Glenn n' I went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant for our anniversary on Sunday evening...we were so full of anticipation of actually MAYBE getting a look from the judge and having a horse worthy (maybe) of being shown at the Worlds !

We got there Monday afternoon, and Glenn had to pick his way around the area with the truck/ trailer once we checked in & found our barn . BIG RIGS- Semi's full of drop dead Gorgeous Percherons , all slicked up, still in short summer coats that were gleaming in the little bit of sun we had. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr- it was COLD there in Lexington, Va !

Huge trailers behind, filled with big hitch wagons, shining patent leather harnesses, hay, straw, feed enough for the week there. Lots of help from well trained teams there, unpacking it all, setting up house. Slowly the Va Horse Center became a small Percheron City . We unloaded our things into our tack stall, disinfected Lynn's stall, bedded it and let her settle in w/ some hay while we finished unloading the millions of things needed for a week long show ( well- actually 5 days, but we traveled the other two). Turns out that the little red wagon we bought back when we first moved here to move weeds, tree branches, and general Junk really proved it's worth !! What a great buy that was..

We got done, then fed Lynn some dinner- she was whispering to me on the other side of the stall wall - she'd heard what sounded like dinner being poured into her bucket. I kept her on low doses of bute due to her side bone flare up. No need to be in pain while we wait for it to ossify .This container is apple flavored but, she figured it out pretty fast- so I added some vegie oil and that did the trick. Next time I'll be sure to get the vanilla flavored bute . She's been getting BL Solution and it works great here at home, but I wanted to be sure she had a good time Too. My vet said it'd be fine for a week of bute, just keep it as low dosage as possible. Then we went to look around. There wasn't much going on as the actual show would not begin until Wed. morning w/ the gelding halter classes.

Our neighbors were great- turns out we knew the folks stabled across the aisle from us, and the gal beside us with the Percheron stallion ( ridden dressage is his forte`) was the one who was carrying the American flag for the opening ceremonies each evening. The guys on the far end had some massive hitch geldings- and we got to be friends w/ all of them too.I met an online pal, Carol, and she's as great in person as via emails ! GOOD to have seen ya there , Carol.  I Finally found my long time pal, Kathy from California- her horses were beautiful to see, but we caught them in the middle of having some snacks so we didn't visit for long. I saw Jill Malone again- she and her hubby had some grand looking horses there too. Her stallion, Charles, looked simply marvelous- I was so happy to see him there. He was acting so proud of himself too. We met some other people who drove and showed in pleasure classes too- which was wonderful .( they loved our new Gig !) The Percheron breed is so versatile and it was good to see so many under saddle
( western And English ) as well as those "workin' boys'' pulling farm implements and plowing the earth. Not to forget the Huge hitch horses with fire in them as they trotted along side their handlers. It was a sight to behold for me again. It made me so very proud to be one of a group of owners of such calibre horses.

Tuesday was fun ; It was very cold n' windy with the temps not getting out of the 40's. Luckily I didn't body clip Lynn as I'd thought to do earlier ! The mid weight blanket I bought from a gal on Ebay worked perfectly. Lynn got a Much needed bath- with the both of us shivering and complaining ( Me, more apologizing to Lynn while SHE complained )- but my mare was back to WHITE again. Letting her dry in her stall w/ two coolers on to help her stay warm, we went exploring.

There were Percherons Every Where ! White, greys, blacks, babies, mature stallions, weanlings , mares, and geldings- everywhere we looked, there were world class animals about . I told Glenn it made me realise how small-time we really were. That's where I choose to be now, having been showing horses at national levels for so many years... its fun to kick back w/ just one mare and one insignificant class (to the big time hitches anyways). WE could have fun there, and not have to work our behinds off like so many who brought in 10 - 18 horses to show. Some big farms had up to 18 horses.... Windermere had , I think, 14 ?? All world class animals- who didn't look any different than my Lynna standing there feeding their big ol' faces in their stalls. It wasn't til later when those blankets came off, horses got baths, manes rolled, tails done up and hooves shined that the difference became VERY apparent. Our neighbors were the Blacks / Ryanday folks. They had HUGE Geldings - OMG- no lie, those wheelers were 19 hands tall !!! I was amazed at how sweet they were- but SO BIG. One time, when it was time to harness their hitch, there were 6 black geldings tied to stalls, and one of those wheelers was tied to Lynn's stall front. I tossed a flake of hay in for her to munch on, and this big boy thought perhaps HE should get some too, so he stood there from WAY above my head, begging for a handful. In the meantime, Lynn was trying to impress on this horse that her hay was HER hay, pinning her ears back, postering, and generally looking Wicked. She looked like some Welsh pony standing there in front of that huge gelding !!  I moved her hay so she could eat in peace, and all was well.
She's such a pro at this showing thang :D

We Did get to the coliseum to see the stallions on Wed morning- missed the one horse I'd wanted to see, but that was alright- I saw him in the barns up close n' personal. We are Considering breeding a mare to him next year.... IF there's the money to do so.It is SO expensive to breed mares anymore and the fees alone knock me simple. Then there's mare care, foaling, and raising that baby to be safe n' sound.... so when I Do breed, I breed the best to the best possible. Its a TON of work having foals around when things are done correctly, so we want to have show quality foals hitting the ground when we choose a mare to be a mommy.

Wednesday was show day for us... Glenn and I polished brass on the harness, shined up the patent leather and that was set to go. Keeping DUST off things was a major undertaking due to the dry conditions and that winddddddddddddddddddd. Covered it all back up, and then got the Gig out to get it sparkling clean as well. I'd cleaned it all the week before but had not done brass fittings, so it was pretty easy. We made it to the ringside to see the stallions get pinned/ placed - I have a photo of Blue Ribbon Farms' Prince ( now owned n' shown by Windermere Farms)- who went Grand ( and World) Champion Stallion that day. Gerald was SO happy, he jumped in the air when it was announced.

Wednesday night was Show night for us . Pleasure Driving/ Cart... with breast plate harness only. We buffed n' polished all one more time, I found all my fancy driving clothes and felt Myself being oh-so nervous about this whole thing one more time. I've Never shown at world level and wished a little that I'd just stayed home. I kept telling myself that IF the class was judged as it should be, I would place somewhere down the line . If not ? We'd be one of those who were asked to leave " In no particular order" . THEN the winners would be awarded their winning ribbons. The judge placed up to tenth place, and there were supposed to be 15 entered - so I was nervous. ALL this work, to be asked to leave as we were not good enough for the World Percheron Congress.....

Glenn was so great, he ignored my being scared to death, and sniping at way to many trivial things ( Kris was getting in 'show mode' ). He just kept grinning ( I wonder if he was gritting his teeth ??) and telling me to go get ready, where was my whip, did I have my white gloves for under the seat ( Ladies always have some ready, once they are set to get off their vehicle ) and where was my driving apron ?? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH- this was TOO much to think of , And then to get Lynn harnessed Too ! Glenn got battered by Lynn tossing her head, and therefore hitting him w/ her bit, as I adjusted her harness and then the cart to Perfection. We were ready. My stomach was totally butterflys and I really felt like this was all a dream. It was almost surreal. Gorgeous black slick horses prancing along, wonderful clothing their drivers were wearing, harnesses, and then there were the gelding teams waiting to go in the ring before us as well. It Was like a dream come true for me n' Lynn. In all actuality, Lynn acted like this was Just Another Show. She was calm, and right on the bit for me, nothing fazed her - not the big hitch wagons rumbling by, not the dark shadows waiting to enter the classes, not people popping out from darkness, nothing . As before- Lynn is a PRO- I am too- BUT, neverrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at the World Congress !! We drove around the warm up ring and checked out our competition, trying not to run in to anyone else. Its amazing how small a big warm up ring gets with 12 other carts in there.

It was time..........................Up til now, I was had been nervous about doing everything correctly and not embarrassing myself, or my fine mare who'd won so many first place ribbons for me during our life together. Glenn looked so grand in his " header" attire too. He was excited at all this too... I was just Nervous and  scared to even be trying this. I knew my mare, knew that if the class was judged correctly we might place, but still, ''What IF" ??

 The ring man called our class, and off we all went, one at a time. When I got to the 'in gate' - it hit me.... I was showing at the WORLD CONGRESS !!! Me.... and my little ol' white mare. One class, one horse - in a world of beautiful tall, dancing on air animals when they moved-- it was like it was seemingly make believe.

We trotted into the arena - wow, it seemed Much bigger now. I told Lynn, " we're here- so lets go have some FUN " I'd already figured that we were not going to do well, so why not have a blast doing it ?? We were asked to walk, then trot, then I heard something said but it was muffled... The other horses all were stopping and we, being at the far end of the ring, had not heard the announcer say to STOP. Once I realised it, we did- a perfect four point stop- w/ no movement afterwards. I asked Lynn to stay in dressage frame and ready to trot on- which she did happily. The mare was perfection- she popped right back to 1998 when we were winning in driven dressage classes against the light horses. I could not believe how she turned it on- I do love this special mare. Anything I asked for, I got - tenfold.

The announcer asked us to trot again- from a stop- which we did easily. Then to reverse ( I don't remember that real well- I was in a fog of excitement ) and work in the other direction. Then to line up. We ended WAY up at the far end of the ring, which meant poor Glenn had to walk the entire length of the ring to get to us. He'd joked before hand that when I lined up to pulllllease be down at the gate end so his poor knees wouldn't ache so much w/ the long walk..... Oh well :)

At long last, after working his way down the line of gorgeous horses, the judge hardly asked me to back, never checked out my harnessing job - or anything ! That meant I wasn't getting placed.... at least in most shows it did. The announcer began calling numbers of the winners . She released a couple who didn't place at all, but never called my number. She began at the 10th placing, and worked her way up. Never calling my number ! Right about then, I thought perhaps we hadn't been judged- but that we'd been forgotten. It got to where there were three left in the ring- and they still hadn't called my number, down to two- that's when I thought " OMG- we might be second at the Worlds !" But nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo- we won the class !! I was in tears as Lynn n' I did our winning drive around the arena- there were a ton of people cheering and clapping- some even standing up and cheering for us- we had WON. WE had become World Champions. My little ol white mare with no show shoes on, barefooted behind and me had cleaned their clocks at the World Congress ! As I took my first place ribbon, I was still in tears, and had to stop outside to wipe my eyes so I could see. From all over, there were calls of congratulations for our win- from whom, I don't know as it was dark. I got back to the barn and everyone outside wanted to know how we'd done- and when I told them, there were more cheers and clapping for us. Draft horse people ( Most of them) are so kind that way- light horse folks would have been griping behind backs about it all- but the drafter folks were all so pleased. Of course my ear to ear grins and tear streaked face helped them realise how much this win meant to us. Lynn was cooled out, given some hay, and all over the barn, folks were teasing me about sleeping w/ that ribbon, and saying congrats !

A gal from Canada who happened to be a photographer got these shots of us -and was kind enough to email them to me.  Here we are in the line up, waiting.....  Then me hearing our name being announced that we had WON.  Then Lynn and I leaving to get our ribbon...And me looking at it in tears as I see its' Real.