Learning some basics

Well its been 2 weeks since I last posted. Between being sick and having to make an emergency run to Austin to get my grandson on the second of this month it has been hectic. I should just name my home Diana's home for wayward kids and horses. Anyway you don't come here to read about my house problems.

Chance has gained about 148 pounds in 5 weeks. Now we are not gorging him on it but hes gaining fast. He is also learning to back from the ground and is doing pretty good on that. He fights you till he knows what you want then its smooth sailing from there. He has been working on the lunge line, and round pen for about a week or so now. And hes gaining muscle mass fast. Which concerned me when I taped him. Apparently when you take a starving horse let him gain 140 or so pounds put him to light work they gain muscle faster than belly and any belly they start to lose. Which throws off your tape. Vet assures me this is fine. His hair coat is still nasty but that will come with weight. If he so much as bumps himself he loses HUGE patched of hair. But again that will fix itself as he puts on weight. Anyway I know you have all been waiting on some pictures. Now keep in mind the only way to get pictures of him free is to feed him.

Lesson in manners

This poor horse has had it hard in his young life but it amazes me, he got this far in life with no ground manners. This horse will plow over you like a steam roller on over drive.
So today we went out to braid and wrap tails for the winter. This went over very well with my appy gelding going to sleep during the whole thing. While Chance walked back and forth with his rear end with me hanging onto the tail like a human pit bull refusing to let go of a new toy. Now you may think a horse tied to a fence can't go far and your right. But they have a good 20 foot range of motion with their hind ends. But we got the tail washed and dried. From start to finish on both boys 30 minutes.
THEN came the feeding. Now I expect my horses to back away and let me get out before rushing to the feeders. My appy has this down pat he knows to wait the food will be there when I walk off and he will get a butt scritchy on the way out. Chance on the other hand thinks this is the time to bull doze you over and eat as fast as he can. Now I understand hes had some not getting to eat issues but he must learn not to use me as a mat to wipe his feet on as he rushes for the food. We have been working on this slowly as to not make him think I was going to refuse him food. And he has been doing very well until today. Today we had put the food out before we let them loose from the tail wrapping. He when let loose rushed for the feed nearly knocking me down. My stepson went for the dressage whip so I could discourage him from this. Long story short he learned with out being beaten that he could eat when I said he could. I used my body and my arms as a "fence" to block him from the food. This took 20 minutes total from start to finish before he finally lowered his head licked and chewed and gave in that I was not going to allow the behavior he was showing me. After this I offered him a mouth full of food and walked on. Giving him a butt scritchy as I passed him by.
No pictures this week as my camera needs a new battery.