Thursday, June 27, 2013

I probably should have mentioned in my last post that my grandma passed away last Christmas.  I didn't mean to sound callous by not talking about that more, but this blog isn't really where I talk about family.  She was a pretty amazing lady with a naughty streak a mile wide.  I loved to listen to her stories, even if I knew they were only 10% true.  She and my grandpa eloped when they were teenagers and were together forever after.  Until now, and my grandpa is alone.  It makes me sad.  He has his family, and my mom keeps a constant eye on him now that he's pretty confused a lot of the time, but he doesn't have the love of his life by his side anymore.  I'm looking forward to spending more time with him now that he'll be living with my parents. 

But back to the mustangs!  I made a pact with myself to at least go out and feed vitamins and scratch bellies every day.  I also decided I'd exercise every day but I haven't done that yet.  I have been scratching bellies though!  I wonder if that builds core strength?

Bliss:

Naughty, but cautiously allowed.  He's trying to be less inhibited, testing out whether he's allowed to groom me back.

Scout looks like a thug:
(Check out that fat drafty neck!  Glad he doesn't choose to grab the bit and do his own thing.)

Buncha cranky, itchy mustangs:

Handsome Joseph:

While scratching all the hard to reach areas, I discovered a lump on Bella's inner butt cheek.  (You might have to click to enlarge.)  I don't know what it is.  It's in or attached to the skin, not attached to anything deeper.  Probably nothing to worry about.  The skin does seem more pink than black there.  Anyone have a horse with something like this?  I'll ask the vets about it eventually...

Scout, in their favorite wallow.  Anyone care to guess how they might have broken that round pen rail on the left?  I think I know.  Glad nobody got hurt.
Only other news I really have is that I ordered new hoof nippers.  I don't know how, but I lost my old hoof nippers.  Weird.  The new ones will be the same but 1" shorter.  I'd had the 15" 'length (which I think also had a wider cutting edge) for my draft horses, but they poke the shorter horses in the belly sometimes when I'm trimming. I can't wait to see if I like the shorter length or if they don't have enough leverage.  Sometimes to cut hard mustang hooves I really have to get out to the end of the handles and squeeze with both hands.  That was more with Tonka though, I think.  And maybe my old nippers weren't as sharp as they used to be.

9 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to hear about your grandma. I remember you mentioning her ages ago as always being up for a laugh. Your granda will really miss her, but it's lovely he'll be living with your parents.

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  2. I love your herd!

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  3. Sorry about your grandma. And your horses are beautiful!

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  4. I can't imagine how tough it would be to be without your other after so many years! My aunt is in the same place, 80 years old and her husband of 63 years passed about ten years ago! So tough!

    Is scout not a mustang? I'm asking because I don't see a brand

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  5. It's neat to see that Joseph wants to groom you, too. Seems like that would be an encouraging step in the process.

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  6. Thanks everyone!

    Marissa, Scout is a mustang in that he was range bred, but he was born after I adopted Bella. So not a wild horse in any sense of the word. He's more of a lap dog. Or would be if you let him. :)

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  7. How do you scratch three mustangs with two hands, is what I want to know! :)

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  8. Wait, so is Scout Bella's foal?! Wow, I seriously need to go back to the beginning of your blog and get all the information! That is seriously super awesome if he is. I think it's funny that the horses that are range bred have the personalities of mustangs in that they are SUPER curious and happy to learn etc, but don't have the fear that mustangs do.

    I nominated you for the Liebster Award!

    http://horseshoesandhearts.blogspot.com/2013/06/liebster-blog-award.html

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  9. Yep, Scout is Bella's foal. He was born March 31 of '08 around 10 pm. I heard her in labor over the baby monitor and by the time I got out there he was struggling to get up - with his hind legs still not born yet! So I helped him out so he wouldn't kick up Bella's insides. Pulling a foal is nothing like you'd expect. They're HEAVY and SLIPPERY. It was hard and he wasn't even stuck.

    Not all mustangs are more fearful than other horses. Just depends on the individual.

    Thanks for the nomination! It might take me a while to find time to answer all of those questions. :)

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