Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Playing Favorites

I try not to have a 'favorite" horse, but the truth is, I do.  Trax, is my favorite. Danny is my second favorite. Those red horses...well some days I threaten to send them to the glue factory, but really I love them too. They just get on my nerves.

They are constantly pinning ears and making ugly faces at each other, at Trax, at the neighbor horses and at Danny.  They are constantly kicking at each other through the fence.  Sassy paws at the fence, and likes to be an all around destructo-bot.   She has broken more fencing, and done more damage than all three of my other horses combined.  She's a monster!  Killian knocks down stuff, and leans over the barbless wire (my whole outer fence line leans at a 30 degree angle now), starts fights, charges the gates. And they both are terrible about trying to get into the barn to get into the food.

On Sunday, when we got home from the shows, I let Trax out into the pasture.  Killian and Sassy were out. The first thing those two red heads did was run after him. He wasn't even close to them. All he wanted to do was graze!  Killian went after him like a stud horse ear pinned and teeth bared. Trax took off running, of course Sassy joined in the chase.   I was thrilled when I saw Trax give one of his mile high bucks right in Killians face. He almost connected too!  Finally I took Danny and Trax and put them in the dog yard together so Trax could graze in peace.

Obviously Killian needs a job. He needs a job that does not involve herding that mare around.  In fact, once we get moved, I am going to separate those two and Big K is going to get some serious work outs. Sassy is also going to start getting some work too. It might not be physically hard, but it will be mentally challenging. A little something to get her mind right.  Those two are out of control and I know it is my fault.

The other day Sassy went to the fence to talk to "Da Brudders" next door.  Killian raced over and got between them. He pinned his ears at her and pushed her away and then he stood there and pawed the ground and challenged poor Attan to make a move. Attan just looked at him like, "Dude, you can have her." Its just stupid.

If Danny even walks past Killian's pen , K charges the panel and scares the crap out of Danny. All Danny is trying to do is get to his own pen.  Like I said it is stupid.

The new place has enough different stalls in different locations that I could take those red horses and put them far away from each other.  Then for Grazing I can start putting Danny and Sassy together some, and Trax with Killian. Trax can hold his own with the bully. He is much faster, and has no qualms kicking old green teeth right in the face if needed. (Did you catch the "Uneasy Rider" reference there?)

Trax is the Golden Child. He doesn't try to get into the food. He doesn't start fights, he doesn't tear stuff up. He just wants to be left alone to graze and roll at will. He thinks red horses are stupid too. Especially the ones he lives with.  Trax can do no wrong!

Danny is pretty good except at dinner time then he paws at the ground and the gate, and he will go in and steal food too if he can.  But for some reason it is cute when he does it.

Ok I guess I do have favorites.



1 comment:

  1. I've been getting pretty grumpy with ill mannered horses myself. I don't know if it's the heat or never-ending PMS that makes me lose my patience. Today I blurted out, "Someone has GOT to teach you manners..." knowing all along that "someone" was me. The mares are bad about stealing hay out of my bag that I carry from stall to stall, even after I have put their share in their assigned food trough. They know which food it theirs, but they still try to grab the flakes that belong to other horses. If a human did that, stealing someone else's rations, he'd definitely be disciplined. So, I'm working hard to let those mares know that piggishness will not be tolerated. The well behaved horses have been getting more hugs. The trouble makers have been getting donkey kicks from me. I usually just kick out into the air and that's enough to make them pause and think. It also allows me to do a little kick boxing and get some of my own frustrations out, but you can only get away with it if you know your horses won't try to kick you back. Ha ha.

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