dancing horses

dancing horses

Monday, March 4, 2019

Mischief Managed

Saturday night we got about 30 cms of snow. It was a lot but it was light and fluffy and easy to deal with. While I would prefer that the snow to be done, I had to admit that it was pretty.

I do love my woods

Guinness loves his ball, although a few times
it was lost in the snow. 
Sunday was a lovely sunny day and I was able to get some snowshoeing in. 

Today though was a whole different story. It was predicted that there would be snow followed by freezing rain and then rain. Which is a worry given the flood last week. The morning was snowy but I let the horses out to enjoy the outside while they could and took Guinness for a walk. 

hard to tell but it's snowing here. I still love my farmhouse
no matter what weather I have to endure. 
Around about 11:00 I realized that the horses were hiding in the stall so I went out to shut the doors and lock them in. Irish decided to prance around and generally act like a fool. 

Irish: Nooooo, don't take away my freedom. 

Carmen was conflicted. 

Carmen:  I don't want to be separated from Irish but I really don't want to be out in this. 

After Irish was done voicing his feelings I got a lead line over his neck and brought him inside. 

The sleet/rain started around noon. I went out to clear out my drainage paths. The snow was heavy and the freezing rain was face peeling.  But I was fortunate and the rain stayed off the coast and was not as heavy as predicted. 

Late in the afternoon I brought out the horses to groom them and clean up the stalls. Carmen watched me do Irish and I could see that she really wanted her turn. They are starting to shed and she finds that she feels itchy. 

When I went to get her I fumbled with the halter while she tried to help by shoving her head in it. When I first brought Carmen home she wasn't so sure about being groomed. Now she loves it. She will show me her itchy spots and when I say 'do you want me to do it' she will stop and wait for me to get it. 
Flexible Carmen showing me her itchy spot

Now normally I just ground tie Carmen and she never moves. These days though I am finding her curious. My work with getting her to 'face her fears' has made her want to inspect every single thing that is new. When I brought her out she inspected the little shelf I have to see if there were any treats. There weren't. But there was a blue plastic square (it belongs on the bottom of a water bucket - it keeps the cord inside. It had fallen off and I threw it there to deal with later). She sniffed it a bit and then settled in. 

Carmen: I am ready. You may begin. 

After I finished grooming her she gave a shake like she had finished rolling. That feels better. I left her there and went to clean out her stall. She stood there looking around but not moving.  I went to walk by her with a half bag of shavings and she turned to follow me. 
Carmen: Oooh let me see it. 
Me: ummm. okay. See it's shavings. 
She grabbed it with her teeth. 
Me: NO! Don't spill it. 
Carmen: I need cookies. 
Carmen: Snow days are boring. 

She sniffed the shelf again and suddenly she grabbed the blue square. My jaw dropped. 
Me: wait, what are you doing? PUT THAT DOWN. 
Carmen mouthed it a bit and the spat it out as I walked toward her. 
Carmen: it tastes stupid. I am hungry. 
To be safe I put the square in the tack room. 
Carmen: Yay, the feed vault. Now we're talking! 
Me: Just hang on. I'm working on your dinner.

ooh. I like dinner. 
I have to confess that I am enjoying this curious, mischievous Carmen. It's such a nice change but tense, worried Carmen.

I'm wondering what this will mean for our under saddle work once things thaw.


32 comments:

  1. Your conversations with her leave me in a fit of giggles every single time, hahaha. Oh, Carmen

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    1. That's good because she often makes me giggle. :)

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  2. Your woods are gorgeous! Curious is an improvement over spooky to be sure, but can also have it's down side lol. Val grabbed one of my mittens a while back, and I had my arm down his gullet before he drew another breath. All I could picture was him swallowing it + the emergency (after hours) vet bill...

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    1. Irish did that once- grabbed a bag of carrots and I had to go after it. Made my heart stop.

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  3. It's a beautiful farm you have. I love how everything looks in winter with the snow. We got 6 inches last night and truthfully I've had just about enough of winter.

    Carmen is really the curious gal now. It will be interesting to see how she translates it to saddle time this year.

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    1. Thank you! It looks pretty in the snow. I think it looks prettier when it's green. :)
      I am so over winter.

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  4. Sure is pretty. And Carmen looks so cute :)

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    1. It is pretty now. It will be less pretty when it's all a mix of snow and mud but I still want to see the thaw!

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  5. LOL - Tesla is also very clear about what places need to be groomed!

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    1. I find it hiarious. She's highly specific. If I miss the spot she will show me again.

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  6. Aww, I love curious and mischievous Carmen so much.

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  7. What a nice side effect of all your work with her. I find curiosity to be a great trait and H'Appy has that in spades. It is also mildly irritating when he has to have everything in his mouth before I am allowed to use it on him.

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    1. I find it interesting as well. I guess when you are anxious about things it's hard to want to investigate. But I need to be more careful now too.

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  8. It is always wonderful to see them start to come out of their shells. The snow is beautiful too.

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    1. It is fun to watch. She has come out so much since I brought her home 4 years ago.

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  9. Aw how cute! I love when their personality comes out like this! ❤️ Also, your farm is perfect and I love it!

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    1. Aw thanks. I love my farm too. Except for the ice part. That part sucks. :)

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  10. aw i love it when the horses engage with their environment and participate in the whole process (even if sometimes they're pests lol). that's one of the things that sold me on charlie, watching him get a bath and getting a bucket stuck over his face, but not caring in the least haha

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    1. I agree. And Charlie's personality is pretty clear in your posts on him. I think that he's awesome.

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  11. Winter is such a good time for bonding snow days.

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    1. It is that. Except when it's so bitter cold that it's mean to take of the blankets and I can't feel my fingers. :)

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  12. I love when they start moving from reactive/fear to curious and explorative.

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  13. Sounds like she's finding her personality! So cute, I love when they are interested in things rather than afraid of them. Even if it can be a little annoying. My horses at home are both the same about grooming. They lean right in when I get to the itchy spots. If I move on to a new spot, Jamp sometimes moves back so the itchy spot is in my aim again.

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    1. Irish does what Jamp does. Carmen is much more specific: not there, or there, right HERE. :)

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  14. So over winter. It is stil -17 degrees and the horses are starting to shed... I hope Mother Nature is going to follow up on that vague promise.

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    1. The long term forecase looks promising.....

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  15. I bet it will translate to fun in the saddle. Curiosity and calm—a wonderful combination!

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  16. I don't envy you but it sure is pretty!

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    1. It is. But I am so ready for it to go away now.

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