Suzi's Story

WoodFinn's Summer Storm ( Aka- Suzi) arrived at my barn one cold December Monday afternoon. My good friend and I took a Monday 'off' to go to a nearby horse auction sale. We were going to make a day of it ; enjoy watching horses get sold, shopping at the vendor's stands and having a nice yummy lunch.  I also went because I needed another pony for my riding lesson program. I needed one around 13-14 hands tall, and QUIET.

We arrived early and took our time looking at all the horses, deciding that IF we were seriously looking to purchase, which ones' we would buy.  There simply were No ponies in the right size, and those who were acted like they were terrified of humans. Not good for beginner students to learn with..... We walked to the stands and took a seat to relax for a while. Horses were being sold hot n' heavy- about one a minute. We had a hard time listening for the bids that were offered. We saw some great looking horses sold, and some very sad looking horses as well. Since there had been no ponies to interest me enough to bid on, I was having fun Not paying close attention, until the auctioneer said that the sale was over- no more horses were for sale.

Then a small white pony was ridden into the ring by a tall Amish fella.  One more pony for sale !  My friend took one look and said " YOU need to buy that pony !"  Then she raised her hand and bid on it. We didn't even know if it was a mare or What.  Turns out after a few questions that said pony rode and could be driven , was 12 years old and a mare.  She was to small though !  And it turned out MUCH older than 12 years......

I bought the no name pony and hauled her home.....  We had a 'Name the Pony' contest amongst all the kids who rode there and "Suzette" won. ' Suzi' around the barn.

Suzi was scared of being hit, she walked Way to fast when being led for short little kid legs to keep up with her, and as we all got to know her, we realized Suzi had been mentally abused prior to living at this barn. I remembered talking to the dealer who'd purchased her at an Ohio sale and he'd told me that some Amish kids had driven her the whole time before she'd been sold, and then one had ridden her into the sales ring. 

We had a meeting of all those who were going to work with Suzi and as I explained what her life was before, those students started coming up with ideas about making her feel better and not be so scared.  She had bitten most anyone but me if they tried to catch her in the fields -Suzi chased kids out of "her" pasture, she'd threaten to bite them, if they didn't run away in fear..... she was generally a Baaaaaaaaaad Pony.

The students ( and this was a big surprise) felt sorry for her. We decided that I would be the one to go bring her in for each riding lesson. And that if she was good, she would be praised and if she made mistakes, we would simply try to get her to do it again. Not to cause More fear, but to help her understand that at This barn , mistakes were alright. If Suzi was bad and acted nasty, THEN she would get yelled at loudly.

It worked.... but it took a Long time. Suzi learned that not all young people were cruel, and she began trusting in that once again. She still couldn't be trusted 100 % if one of them went out to get her from a pasture, but she was much better.

Suzi is now a wonderful flea-bitten 47 yr old pony who is semi-retired. She's still territorial but so much better. Under all that gruff exterior lived a very sweet , kind pony. She's been in the play " The Wizard of Oz" that was presented at a community theater in Maryland. Suzi has taught SO many youngsters to ride ,how to be patient and show something other than parents love.  She taught them compassion and to be understanding too.

But mostly Suzi has taught us All that once wounded mentally, a little grey pony Can return to being kind in return.

Below are a couple of photos of Jaide learning to groom Suzi..... in 2009.

Chicken Story .....

The other day I was in the stall where the chickens are staying until I can get an electrified fence up around their yard and house.... they were a little alarmed at my raking the feathers and pooh up into piles. Plus it had stormed so badly that there was a damp/ wet area along the back wall that I wanted to get up too. There I was raking as quietly as I could.... they all moved out of the way - walking to the next corner and watching me closely. That was fine-after I had slid the stall door closed, I walked up the aisle to get the wheelbarrow to put it all in.

When I came back, you'd have thought I placed an atomic bomb in there or something worse. Omg- chickens scattered all over the place,almost screeching like mad. Obviously they were sure it was having them for a snack. They settled down some, and started moving from one side to the next, as I scooped up the little piles I had made...... Moved the scary wheelbarrow back into the aisle, and went back in to spread the now cleaned sawdust back out. I didn't realize that three of them had moved to another corner, and flicked a big rake full of sawdust on them. Well that caused havoc like I've not seen in chickens before. The 3 flew onto the other 4 and caused them to panic too. ( Poor Emmie- she's already traumatized from when I dropped their brooder on the tack room floor when they were peeps)

It all happened so fast, I didn't see it happen- but I ended up with a hen Outside the stall- in the barn aisle ! It was Lucy and she was Most amazed at being out there. Quickly I got the door open, and closed because the others were acting like they were all going to have heart attacks or worse. Lucy ( my only Rhode Island Red hen) was pacing back and forth, looking for a way back to her pals, and clucking in most dismayed sounds. I sat down and she came right up to me, and then walked off. Hmmmmmmmmmm- maybe this wasn't such a bad place After All..... So I followed her around a little , scooped her up in my arms and we went back into the stall together. Boy, was She glad to be back- and immediatly started telling the others of her great adventure.

It was so funny- and the Only thing I can think happened was that she got landed on, tried to fly out of the way and ended up going thru the little feeder hole in the wall ..... I felt SO bad at having scared them that much, but hey- ya gotta clean out pens sometimes.