It was a decent weekend weather wise. After the recent warm weather that melted the majority of our snow, we had a couple days of intense wind, that dried everything out really well...which meant time to ride the ponies!!!
No pictures from the weekend, but we had a grand time. On Friday, Olliver and I just hung out. Spent a lot of time just grooming, picking up feet, etc. He picks his feet up at my verbal "up" now. He's so smart. Good boy, Olliver!
On Saturday, we went riding. I got to ride Talon. He's really starting to settle in and is being more attentive to the people in his herd. He lets us catch him now and will come to us without the offer of food. He and Tubby are getting along better. Most of the squabbles come at feeding time...typical men!
After the ride on Saturday, Olliver gave a good scare. I noticed he was a little off. Not exactly lame or gimpy. But off. I was able to localize the issue to his left hip, in his stifle area. For those who may be horse-illiterate, that would be his hip area, but it's where his kneecap is. Scared the b-jeebers out of me. I was so scared. He didn't want me touching his stifle, kept moving away from me. Olliver's way of dealing with stuff he doesn't like is to walk away - and he kept trying to walk away from me. I sat in his stall and cried.
I called LaDel (his breeder). We decided to give him stall rest for a couple of days to see if that helped. With the somewhat icy footing in the pasture, and being turned out with big boys, he may have mis-stepped, or gotten kicked or something. Of course, as a new mom - I imagine all sorts of horrible things and completely freaked. Thank goodness for the ladies at HT - they helped calm me down and sent good vibes our way.
Of course, Olliver made me look like fool come Sunday morning. He was as good as new after a night of rest. Picked up his leg. Squeezed his stifle. Stretched his leg and did some range of motion. He was fine. I made him stay in all day. That made him a little hyper...all of that little boy energy cooped up all day. What was I thinking???
We went for another ride on Sunday...rode Tubby this time. After riding Talon, I felt like I was on a pony ride at the carnival. He's soooooooo lazy. He's gonna be in for a rude awakening once spring really hits and I get him working in the round pen. Gonna get that laziness out of his butt!! Gotta get him in shape so that he can keep up with Talon. God, Talon can really move out. He's a goer and rides like a DREAM!
So...back to Olliver. I was hanging out in his stall with him when we got back from the ride. He decided that my hat looked like a good snack and tried to nip it off my head. I snatched it back from him - and gave him my "ears pinned back 'here now!'" ("HERE NOW!" is what we say to the herd when someone gets unruly - they all now what that means). Olliver immediately went into his submissive "baby face" posture. I love his baby face. And was so touched that he gave it to me. Really showed me that he sees me as a leader of the herd.
Okay....I've babbled on long enough and have probably bored my reader(s?) to tears...but I'm having a REALLY bad week at work, and talking about the horses makes me feel better :)
J.
Showing posts with label LaDel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LaDel. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Something to look forward to...
Saturday is going to be a big day for Olliver. He's going to get to meet the rest of the family. My parents, my brother, his wife and my niece will be coming to meet him for the first time. My brother (Eric) and his family live in Indiana and don't get to Minnesota all that often. Luckily, Saturday is supposed to be pretty decent weather-wise. Traci and I are planning to saddle up Tubby and maybe Winchester to give Emily (my niece) a ride. Hopefully Mikayla will take another ride too. I can't wait for Olliver to meet his grandparents! LaDel is going to be coming by to see him on Saturday too, so it's going to be a big reunion.
Y'know, I called this blog, "Watching Olliver Grow"....last night, I actually noticed how much he's grown in the two months since we brought him home. We haven't measured him, but I'd guess he's grown at least 4 inches (a full hand) since then. He is so GORGEOUS. I love my boy so much!
Y'know, I called this blog, "Watching Olliver Grow"....last night, I actually noticed how much he's grown in the two months since we brought him home. We haven't measured him, but I'd guess he's grown at least 4 inches (a full hand) since then. He is so GORGEOUS. I love my boy so much!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Introduction - Part 3 (Olliver comes home)
Since I'm on a roll, I'll continue with our story...just to get everyone caught up, so I can get to present time...
We spent the rest of October and all of November making a couple trips a week out to Kenyon to start bonding with Olliver. Oh yeah - his name. Mik and I spent an evening cuddled on the couch talking names. We decided that we would register him with the name LaDel gave him - "Geramiah's Choice Dealer" - but that we needed a name that would suit him and be easier to say. Needless to say, we weren't crazy about "Dealer." Mikayla likes "O" names for some reason. Not sure why. But I've learned that there are somethings you don't question kids about. We talked about Othello...but that was just too much name for such a little boy. There were a couple others that escape my memory right now - but they couldn't have been too great, if I can't remember them now. Then we said "Olliver"! Perfect!!! I said there had to be 2 "L"s...just to make it a little different.
Okay...so he has a name. He's going to live at Traci's. Traci agreed to provide his day-to-day care when we couldn't be there. We agreed to be her back for chores, so she could have a life too. We'd already been providing back up for chores, so that wasn't a big deal. I started doing more research on feed, reading about natural horsemanship, checking out piles of books at the library. I had just about 2 months to get ready for Olliver to come home...and we were gonna be ready!
I made an appointment for Olliver to get his vet check. I recommend this to everyone who wants to buy a horse, no matter how old the horse is. And a be sure to get a vet that specializes in horses and is NOT affiliated with the current owner. Olliver passed his vet check with flying colors. He wasn't too crazy about being poked and prodded (including having a rectal temp taken and his little testicles felt up), but instead of spooking, kicking, bolting or biting as colts tend to do, he just kept trying to walk away. So, I wrapped my arms around him and he stood still. Good boy, Olliver!
December 6th. Saturday. It was the day for Olliver to come home!! I jumped out of bed. It seemed strangely quiet. I looked outside. Crap. Snow. Falling. Fast. UGH! This can't be happening. Not allowed. My baby was coming home today. 30 miles of highway and country roads. Not what you want to be driving in with a horse trailer. This. Is. Not. Happening.
Andrea and I were supposed to meet at LaDel's at 11 to load up the little guy. LaDel had been training him on the ins and outs of being a good boy in the trailer. She said he was SO smart. Jumped right in. No problems. It would be easy. Uh huh. Sure. I'd like to find out. If there wasn't a blizzard going on outside. I called Andrea...she said let's give it a couple of hours and see what happens. Amazingly, the snow stopped. The plows came out. We went to LaDel's at 2. Olliver jumped right into the trailer. And we headed to Traci's...Olliver was headed home :)
We got him to Traci's. Led him out of the trailer. He looked around. Head up. Alert. Traci's herd gathered at the gate. Olliver let out the cutest whinny to say hello. I led him up to the gate and he was instantly submissive to the herd. Submissive body language. Working his mouth. You could almost hear him saying, "I'm a baby. I'm cute. Please don't hurt me." We took him through the gate and into the shed where we set up a stall for him. I gave him a bucket of Equine Junior. He started eating right away. He wasn't even phased by being in a new place. And I was worried that he'd be traumatized....hmmmm....this is too easy....
We spent the rest of October and all of November making a couple trips a week out to Kenyon to start bonding with Olliver. Oh yeah - his name. Mik and I spent an evening cuddled on the couch talking names. We decided that we would register him with the name LaDel gave him - "Geramiah's Choice Dealer" - but that we needed a name that would suit him and be easier to say. Needless to say, we weren't crazy about "Dealer." Mikayla likes "O" names for some reason. Not sure why. But I've learned that there are somethings you don't question kids about. We talked about Othello...but that was just too much name for such a little boy. There were a couple others that escape my memory right now - but they couldn't have been too great, if I can't remember them now. Then we said "Olliver"! Perfect!!! I said there had to be 2 "L"s...just to make it a little different.
Okay...so he has a name. He's going to live at Traci's. Traci agreed to provide his day-to-day care when we couldn't be there. We agreed to be her back for chores, so she could have a life too. We'd already been providing back up for chores, so that wasn't a big deal. I started doing more research on feed, reading about natural horsemanship, checking out piles of books at the library. I had just about 2 months to get ready for Olliver to come home...and we were gonna be ready!
I made an appointment for Olliver to get his vet check. I recommend this to everyone who wants to buy a horse, no matter how old the horse is. And a be sure to get a vet that specializes in horses and is NOT affiliated with the current owner. Olliver passed his vet check with flying colors. He wasn't too crazy about being poked and prodded (including having a rectal temp taken and his little testicles felt up), but instead of spooking, kicking, bolting or biting as colts tend to do, he just kept trying to walk away. So, I wrapped my arms around him and he stood still. Good boy, Olliver!
December 6th. Saturday. It was the day for Olliver to come home!! I jumped out of bed. It seemed strangely quiet. I looked outside. Crap. Snow. Falling. Fast. UGH! This can't be happening. Not allowed. My baby was coming home today. 30 miles of highway and country roads. Not what you want to be driving in with a horse trailer. This. Is. Not. Happening.
Andrea and I were supposed to meet at LaDel's at 11 to load up the little guy. LaDel had been training him on the ins and outs of being a good boy in the trailer. She said he was SO smart. Jumped right in. No problems. It would be easy. Uh huh. Sure. I'd like to find out. If there wasn't a blizzard going on outside. I called Andrea...she said let's give it a couple of hours and see what happens. Amazingly, the snow stopped. The plows came out. We went to LaDel's at 2. Olliver jumped right into the trailer. And we headed to Traci's...Olliver was headed home :)
We got him to Traci's. Led him out of the trailer. He looked around. Head up. Alert. Traci's herd gathered at the gate. Olliver let out the cutest whinny to say hello. I led him up to the gate and he was instantly submissive to the herd. Submissive body language. Working his mouth. You could almost hear him saying, "I'm a baby. I'm cute. Please don't hurt me." We took him through the gate and into the shed where we set up a stall for him. I gave him a bucket of Equine Junior. He started eating right away. He wasn't even phased by being in a new place. And I was worried that he'd be traumatized....hmmmm....this is too easy....
Introduction - Part 2
Merry Christmas!!!
Before I pick up where I left off, I'd like to say hello to Kari, my sorority sister, who let me know through Facebook that she has read my blog and is waiting for more - so I feel better, knowing that this blog is not just cyberjunk sitting in space alone and unviewed :)
So...one beautiful Tuesday in October - Mikayla, Traci and our friend Andrea (who recommended LaDel to me) headed out to Kenyon to meet LaDel and her herd. I was speechless. I found myself surrounded by 20 or so of the most beautiful horses. Now, remember, I'm a big girl. I'm tall. I'm 6 foot 2. These horses TOWERED over me. Most were well over 16 hands. And every single one was kind. I mean kind in the way that made you want to put them in your pocket and take them home to snuggle. They wanted to be hugged - and they hugged you back. Standing off to the side was a little colt. Just as cute as he could be. He had a little cough. He was smaller than the other colts, even though he was the same age as the rest.
LaDel explained to me that he had a rough start in life. His mama had been leased to a man who wanted to breed her off of her foal heat - so she was sent late in her pregnancy to his farm. He kept her separate from his other horses in a fenced off lane between pastures. When she foaled (right next to an electric fence) the baby rolled under the fence and was separate from mom. He couldn't nurse, wasn't licked dry and was most likely run over by other horses. When LaDel got the call that Holy Choice had foaled, she rushed out to the leaser's farm. Poor mama had a full bag of milk and the baby was in a bad way. She immediately took mom and baby back home with her. She hand milked mom and bottle-fed the colostrum to the baby. That wasn't the end of the colts problems. He had injured his eye, and had a scar on his eye. Literally on the eye-ball. His value was immediately diminished. Then, a few months later, the colt's mama lost her milk and the colt had to be weaned earlier than usual. Poor, poor baby.
Mikayla walked up to the colt. She hugged him. He leaned into her. She was lost. I went over to him. He let me tickle his belly. Pick up his feet. Pull his tail. He looked at me and sighed. I was lost. Mik and I had a little talk. We decided at that moment that this poor little boy was going to be ours. LaDel told us his name was Dealer. Okay. The name had to go. Not a problem. I doubt he was all that attached to it. We'd just think of something better...
We didn't get to meet the colt's mama. She was at another farm for breeding/lease. LaDel took us across the farm to meet Dealer's daddy. Holy Frijoles Batman!!! OMG!!! This stud is GORGEOUS!!!!
Yep...this is Geramiah. Olliver's daddy. Isn't he AMAZING??? He is a total babe. And he is soooooo gentle. Quiet as a lamb. Deep, soul-searching eyes. You just wanna put him in your pocket and take him home to snuggle. Yep, yep. This big boy is all Friesian...
So anyway, we talked with LaDel and shook hands and little Dealer was all ours. We got a grand deal. Suddenly we were horse owners. I was scared to death...
Before I pick up where I left off, I'd like to say hello to Kari, my sorority sister, who let me know through Facebook that she has read my blog and is waiting for more - so I feel better, knowing that this blog is not just cyberjunk sitting in space alone and unviewed :)
So...one beautiful Tuesday in October - Mikayla, Traci and our friend Andrea (who recommended LaDel to me) headed out to Kenyon to meet LaDel and her herd. I was speechless. I found myself surrounded by 20 or so of the most beautiful horses. Now, remember, I'm a big girl. I'm tall. I'm 6 foot 2. These horses TOWERED over me. Most were well over 16 hands. And every single one was kind. I mean kind in the way that made you want to put them in your pocket and take them home to snuggle. They wanted to be hugged - and they hugged you back. Standing off to the side was a little colt. Just as cute as he could be. He had a little cough. He was smaller than the other colts, even though he was the same age as the rest.
LaDel explained to me that he had a rough start in life. His mama had been leased to a man who wanted to breed her off of her foal heat - so she was sent late in her pregnancy to his farm. He kept her separate from his other horses in a fenced off lane between pastures. When she foaled (right next to an electric fence) the baby rolled under the fence and was separate from mom. He couldn't nurse, wasn't licked dry and was most likely run over by other horses. When LaDel got the call that Holy Choice had foaled, she rushed out to the leaser's farm. Poor mama had a full bag of milk and the baby was in a bad way. She immediately took mom and baby back home with her. She hand milked mom and bottle-fed the colostrum to the baby. That wasn't the end of the colts problems. He had injured his eye, and had a scar on his eye. Literally on the eye-ball. His value was immediately diminished. Then, a few months later, the colt's mama lost her milk and the colt had to be weaned earlier than usual. Poor, poor baby.
Mikayla walked up to the colt. She hugged him. He leaned into her. She was lost. I went over to him. He let me tickle his belly. Pick up his feet. Pull his tail. He looked at me and sighed. I was lost. Mik and I had a little talk. We decided at that moment that this poor little boy was going to be ours. LaDel told us his name was Dealer. Okay. The name had to go. Not a problem. I doubt he was all that attached to it. We'd just think of something better...
We didn't get to meet the colt's mama. She was at another farm for breeding/lease. LaDel took us across the farm to meet Dealer's daddy. Holy Frijoles Batman!!! OMG!!! This stud is GORGEOUS!!!!
Yep...this is Geramiah. Olliver's daddy. Isn't he AMAZING??? He is a total babe. And he is soooooo gentle. Quiet as a lamb. Deep, soul-searching eyes. You just wanna put him in your pocket and take him home to snuggle. Yep, yep. This big boy is all Friesian...
So anyway, we talked with LaDel and shook hands and little Dealer was all ours. We got a grand deal. Suddenly we were horse owners. I was scared to death...
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