Horse Stuff

I haven't done a horse post for quite some time. With things pretty quiet in the health department with all five of my guys and no trail riding due to the snow there hasn't been too much to write about. I'm not complaining, believe me after last winter with the strangles and then Buddy's ordeal with founder all summer I am happy to have it quiet.

Moose Buyer asked me recently how Buddy was doing. Thanks Moosie! Well my farrier got home from his convention and came over to put some shoes on Buddy a couple days ago. We don't usually like them on in the winter time as they are so slippery on the ice and they have to have little studs on them which can REALLY hurt if you get your foot stepped on. But Buddy was a bit sore from the uneven hard ground so the vet & farrier decided this was the best route to go.

They are rather interesting as they have a type of blue rubbery padding, a clear rubber frog supporter and then the shoe with the little round studs. I know some of your eyes are glazing over but hang with me I'm even going to show you a picture! Yes, I take pictures of these kinds of things as those of you who have been with me for a while know.

Hopefully this will give Buddy some needed protection so that the soreness clears up. If not, the farrier has a couple other ideas up his sleeve to try. If we should get more snow that stays on and not taken off by rain it's much easier on their feet as well. He's not terribly sore but just enough so that I notice he is a bit off.

I was tagged to do a meme concerning my horses quirks so here goes.

1. Skipper (Welsh pony) will not eat his wormer unless I make a molasses sandwich and hide the wormer in it. You can't get anywhere near his mouth with that syringe and I've squirted the wormer everywhere but in his mouth so this is how I do it now.

2. Lil' Bud (Morgan) guards the gate when it's time to come in at night and won't let the other horses by. He pins his ears right back and they don't dare to even try to get by him so we have to catch him so that they can come in.

3. Buddy drinks what he wants for water in the outside tub and then dumps the rest so that no one else has any. They still have water as they can come in the barn any time and drink out of their stall waterers but outside---no way!

4. Kipper (Welsh pony) when he gets nervous he gnaws on your hand if he gets the chance! He never bites but those teeth get a bit close if you let him when he is stressed. (stressed as in getting impatient waiting for his supper but I'm the same way so he comes well by it....)

5. Nick (thoroughbred/welsh) is a bit of a bully to the other two little guys and if I put out 6 piles of hay for them he will go right from one to the other chasing the little guys to the next one. I could put out 20 piles and he still would want what they are eating. He doesn't push Buddy around though, NO ONE gets Buddy away from his hay!

6. Skipper doesn't like his ears touched. When we first rescued him you couldn't get anywhere near them but with lots of quiet, gentle handling he is doing much better except for when we put his harness bridle on and he hates having that slide over his ears. We distract him with a handful of grain or a sugar cube and slip it on that way.

7. Nick doesn't like the rain. He will go stand in the barn and whinny for the rest of the guys but won't go out in the rain to be with them. I guess he wants them to come inside with him!

I was recently given an award by Jen over at Copenhagen Kisses. Thanks so much Jen, I will wear it proudly on my sidebar!! Jen is one of my newer bloggy friends and has a great site. Lots of great pictures of her horses, dogs, kiddos and hubby. She describes herself as 'a California country girl hitched to a Texas cowboy'. It gets real interesting around her place and makes for a fun read!!!

Now I have a confession to make. You've all heard the old saying that confession is good for the soul and bad for the reputation. My memory left with my waistline, probably neither one will ever be back, and I can't remember who was so nice to give me The Blessings Award which is the one with the lit candle on my sidebar. I have searched and searched all your blogs and just can't find the post in which it was given to me and I'd like to say thanks to the one who did!!!!! So please let me know so I can give you credit and thanks and then I can pass it on to someone else.

Still no spellcheck!!! Grrrrrr...