(Video would have been here if it had uploaded without an error!)
I finally caught Tonka on video with his strange drinking habit. This is a pretty tame example, sometimes he has to bolt a few steps and come back. He had a couple of stupid, self imposed incidences with the trough, and has decided that it is forever suspect. I wish you could see his ears flicking around while he's drinking. His eyeballs may be covered, but he can still "see" everything around him with those things!
We finally got to ride today! And of course the weather was HORRIBLE for it. It was extremely windy, and Mack and Tonka both were pretty worried. All was going well until Mack spooked an unseated John. Scared the crap out of me! I saw John go down, and not get dragged, but couldn't pay much attention after that, since it scared the crap out of Tonka too. He was such a good boy, calmed right down for me. Well, not to a totally relaxed state. I have an image in my mind of Mack's large bum racing by us back to the barn. Tonka was scared and his horse buddy just left at high speed! But he stopped moving, and I admit I did get off. Just in time to see John get up, rubbing his ribs. He went to go get Mack, and got back on and rode him back down to the scary spot. I led Tonka over there and he was pretty darn worried, his whole body tense and ready to bolt. I don't know what the problem was. Hard to tell on a windy day, could be a predator smell, could be something blowing in the wind, could be nothing. But when John and Mack got back, Tonka dropped his head and relaxed. We rode a little more and called it a day. John's knee is hurt, hopefully it's nothing serious but it sounds painful. I'll bug him to go to the doctor if it starts to seem necessary. It's kind of seeming like it will be a good idea
Tonka got to try eating out of a nose bag, since I need to start feeding him extra. The other, older fatties don't need much, but Tonka's the low man, and he's growing, and I think he's lost some weight. He didn't mind it too much, since it was filled with goodies. I need to make a couple alterations to the bag so it will fit better, but as soon as that is done he'll start standing out at the tie post every day to eat some alfalfa pellets. Not a lot, mind you... I'd prefer something else, but for now, until I find something low carb but nutrient dense, I'll give him alfalfa. I wish I could do beet pulp in the nose bag, but wet wouldn't work, and dry would take too long to chew, not to mention that even though I KNOW it's safe to feed dry, it scares me to actually do it.
I finally caught Tonka on video with his strange drinking habit. This is a pretty tame example, sometimes he has to bolt a few steps and come back. He had a couple of stupid, self imposed incidences with the trough, and has decided that it is forever suspect. I wish you could see his ears flicking around while he's drinking. His eyeballs may be covered, but he can still "see" everything around him with those things!
We finally got to ride today! And of course the weather was HORRIBLE for it. It was extremely windy, and Mack and Tonka both were pretty worried. All was going well until Mack spooked an unseated John. Scared the crap out of me! I saw John go down, and not get dragged, but couldn't pay much attention after that, since it scared the crap out of Tonka too. He was such a good boy, calmed right down for me. Well, not to a totally relaxed state. I have an image in my mind of Mack's large bum racing by us back to the barn. Tonka was scared and his horse buddy just left at high speed! But he stopped moving, and I admit I did get off. Just in time to see John get up, rubbing his ribs. He went to go get Mack, and got back on and rode him back down to the scary spot. I led Tonka over there and he was pretty darn worried, his whole body tense and ready to bolt. I don't know what the problem was. Hard to tell on a windy day, could be a predator smell, could be something blowing in the wind, could be nothing. But when John and Mack got back, Tonka dropped his head and relaxed. We rode a little more and called it a day. John's knee is hurt, hopefully it's nothing serious but it sounds painful. I'll bug him to go to the doctor if it starts to seem necessary. It's kind of seeming like it will be a good idea
Tonka got to try eating out of a nose bag, since I need to start feeding him extra. The other, older fatties don't need much, but Tonka's the low man, and he's growing, and I think he's lost some weight. He didn't mind it too much, since it was filled with goodies. I need to make a couple alterations to the bag so it will fit better, but as soon as that is done he'll start standing out at the tie post every day to eat some alfalfa pellets. Not a lot, mind you... I'd prefer something else, but for now, until I find something low carb but nutrient dense, I'll give him alfalfa. I wish I could do beet pulp in the nose bag, but wet wouldn't work, and dry would take too long to chew, not to mention that even though I KNOW it's safe to feed dry, it scares me to actually do it.
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