Mustang Saga

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.