It's a matter of principle
Feb. 7th, 2005 10:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
murakoziAn observation and an event at the barn yesterday.
I really do love the personalities of some of the horses. Case in point: Baby Doc
When I was in riding classes, Baby Doc was one of the horses I could never decide whether I liked riding or not. He could be a really amazing fellow and I had some wonderful times aboard him. However, the first 15 or 20 minutes riding him are spent in a little argument as to just who is in charge. Once past that, assuming you don't let him win, he's very cooperative and willing. I tend to badmouth Baby Doc (in jest, not seriously), calling him a stubborn old pig and such. Oddly, he seems to like that. I've had him try to turn off from a group riding past in an attempt to come over to me for attention and/or treats. He did the same thing with my old riding instructor, who I can't recall ever saying anyting nice about him. I guess he just likes people who don't say nice stuff about him. He's really a very nice horse. He just has a stubborn/grumpy facade he keeps up. Nobody can make nasty faces at other horses as well as he can.
Anyway, this brings me to the point of the post's subject. Baby Doc and other horses often seem to want to make you earn their respect. Yesterday was another example of that. Much of the recent snow is still on the ground in the woods and on the trail. When the first trail ride returned to the barn, I saw right off that Baby Doc had a clump if snow-ice under his left rear hoof. It's not uncommon for that to happen. I grabbed a hoof pick and went out to where his rider, one of the guides, was holding him after she dismounted. Now usually picking out feet is no big deal, but this time Baby Doc just didn't want to pick that foot up. He even shifted his weight onto it a bit. A bit of leaning and a little poke finally got him off it and he reluctantly let me pick the foot up and clean it out. Assuming that there was likely a similar bit of ice under his other rear foot, I went around to his right side, ready for another round of the horse being stubborn. As I got to the leg in question, Baby Doc simply picked it up and held it there for me. 'Oh, here you go. Clean all you want' Silly horse.
In other news, the termite, aka Amigo, appeared to be starting to colic just after I got to the barn. He'd layed down in his standing stall and while his expression didn't look uncomfortable, he was snapping his tail around a great deal. I talked to him and tried to get him to stand up, but he didn't want to. Even a swat or two on his rump didn't have an effect. With him in a standing stall (I really hate those things) I couldn't go in there to do much else, other than nudge at him with my leg. Finally he did get up. I got Don and we gave Amigo some banamine, then I stuck him in a box stall. He perked back up pretty quickly. After keeping an eye on him all day, it was decided he was okay and could go out in the dirt (more like mud) pasture with the rest of the herd. He'd been looking out the back of the barn wistfully at his buddies out there and calling to them now and then. I worry bout that horse. So far, nothing has stopped his cribbing habit. He's defeated or ignored everything from angle iron on the wood, to painting it with bitter stuff, to two different sorts of cribbing collars.
I really do love the personalities of some of the horses. Case in point: Baby Doc
When I was in riding classes, Baby Doc was one of the horses I could never decide whether I liked riding or not. He could be a really amazing fellow and I had some wonderful times aboard him. However, the first 15 or 20 minutes riding him are spent in a little argument as to just who is in charge. Once past that, assuming you don't let him win, he's very cooperative and willing. I tend to badmouth Baby Doc (in jest, not seriously), calling him a stubborn old pig and such. Oddly, he seems to like that. I've had him try to turn off from a group riding past in an attempt to come over to me for attention and/or treats. He did the same thing with my old riding instructor, who I can't recall ever saying anyting nice about him. I guess he just likes people who don't say nice stuff about him. He's really a very nice horse. He just has a stubborn/grumpy facade he keeps up. Nobody can make nasty faces at other horses as well as he can.
Anyway, this brings me to the point of the post's subject. Baby Doc and other horses often seem to want to make you earn their respect. Yesterday was another example of that. Much of the recent snow is still on the ground in the woods and on the trail. When the first trail ride returned to the barn, I saw right off that Baby Doc had a clump if snow-ice under his left rear hoof. It's not uncommon for that to happen. I grabbed a hoof pick and went out to where his rider, one of the guides, was holding him after she dismounted. Now usually picking out feet is no big deal, but this time Baby Doc just didn't want to pick that foot up. He even shifted his weight onto it a bit. A bit of leaning and a little poke finally got him off it and he reluctantly let me pick the foot up and clean it out. Assuming that there was likely a similar bit of ice under his other rear foot, I went around to his right side, ready for another round of the horse being stubborn. As I got to the leg in question, Baby Doc simply picked it up and held it there for me. 'Oh, here you go. Clean all you want' Silly horse.
In other news, the termite, aka Amigo, appeared to be starting to colic just after I got to the barn. He'd layed down in his standing stall and while his expression didn't look uncomfortable, he was snapping his tail around a great deal. I talked to him and tried to get him to stand up, but he didn't want to. Even a swat or two on his rump didn't have an effect. With him in a standing stall (I really hate those things) I couldn't go in there to do much else, other than nudge at him with my leg. Finally he did get up. I got Don and we gave Amigo some banamine, then I stuck him in a box stall. He perked back up pretty quickly. After keeping an eye on him all day, it was decided he was okay and could go out in the dirt (more like mud) pasture with the rest of the herd. He'd been looking out the back of the barn wistfully at his buddies out there and calling to them now and then. I worry bout that horse. So far, nothing has stopped his cribbing habit. He's defeated or ignored everything from angle iron on the wood, to painting it with bitter stuff, to two different sorts of cribbing collars.