Blanket Weather

Idk wtf hes doing with his hind legs but that isn't how he normally stands lol

Pats for good babeh!

While Merlot is significantly older than Czoltar, his lack of consistent training  always make me question how they each will respond to something "new".

For example: because I've had Czoltar nearly his whole life and have maintained his farrier care hes nearly reliable to be trimmed and isn't too fussy. On the other hand, because I just got Merlot and finally brought him home, his past farrier care has not been regular his whole life. So when the farrier came out to trim him, he acted like Z did at 6 months old and was a spooky hot mess. 

For the most part, my training with Z has been pretty lax. In a large part because I'm so busy, but also because he only turned 2 in June. I want him to just worry about being a horse while he grows up, but I have worked to make him easy to catch, easy to halter, easy to lead, and easy to load. Besides that, there isn't much more I would want him to be able to do as a 2 y/o. Since hes largely just been turned out on pasture his whole life until we moved to the new RWF, I've never worried about a blanket. But now that hes in the barn and goes out every day for group turnout, I thought getting him desensitized to a blanket would only be beneficial for his future training. 

Merlot on the other hand spent most of his life (to my understanding) in a dry lot with no blanket or no cover. Hes a tough little dude. But hes always been on the ribby side and I want him to be a healthy weight and not have to spend all my money feeding him to keep his weight up. 

So last week when I knew it would be cold at night, I brought out Riesling's old blankets (because I'm too lazy to measure them to buy their own) to try them on the boys. Because Merlot is broke to ride, I thought he would be good to put a blanket on, but hes also been super spooky so I wasn't 100% sure. Like a champ, he snorted at the trash bag containing the blanket, snorted at the blanket, but stood like a rock for me to put it on and let out a long sigh after everything was adjusted to fit. 

I decided for Czoltar's first meeting with the blanket I'd try it on in his paddock where he would be more comfortable rather than the cross ties. He also snorted at the blanket and was a little noodly to rub it on his shoulders but really he was behaving pretty well. I was able to drape the blanket folded up on his back and he didn't seem to mind. As soon as I began unfolding the blanket and pulling it across his back though, he went bug eyed and "ran" forward (mostly like a strong power walk). I had my BF holding him for me at the time (I know I'm mean) and advised him to just walk him in circles until he relaxed. This happened rather quick and then I began to buckle the chest straps and rub my hands on top of the blanket all over him. He rushed forward to avoid the pressure again, but after a seconds of walking determined everything was ok. 

Because it was Riesling's though, it was swimming on him and I didn't feel like it would be safe to keep on him so I began to pull it off his hind end towards his shoulders. Rush forward, circle, rinse, repeat. Once it was off I rubbed the blanket over him again and despite his bug eyes he stood to take his torture. Really a rather uneventful first meeting to the blanket despite how I made it sound.

Smaller rain sheets are now on order for both boys! No more nekky ponies in winter!

Czoltar's Spa Day

 

I'm pretty sure he thought he was being harassed. Such is life for baby horses. Z has been nothing short of an ugly yak this spring and after I played with Riesling, I decided it was time to spruce him up. 

He is still learning the basics of everything but I decided he just has to be treated like he knows his job to some extent. He is still reluctant to be haltered but doesn't fight and attempts to run away. But he makes it about five steps before he turns his head to look at me and I pat my thigh and tell him to come and he happily obliges. This must just be his weird baby horse game. 

We have only worked on tying twice but experience is the name of the game. I looped the leadrope around the panel twice to provide enough "you are supposed to stay here"-ness but allows him to not break his neck or freak out if he spooked and tried to pull away. There was a few times he wanted to pull back and leave but he felt the pressure on his poll and was like "oh I have to stop going backwards" and then stood still as I brought him forward again with no issues.

I decided to slowly introduce everything to him because its been about a year since I last brushed him (and he was loose in his stall at the time). He was apprehensive at first but just stood there and accepted his fate after ten seconds. I also wanted to trim his dread locked mane and while he thought scissors were super scary at first he just kind of got over it. I even brushed his poor butchered mane and again, he was not a fan at first, but then I think he started to like this whole pampering thing. 

He's only had his feet picked up for practice and for the farrier and I decided today we would step up the game and I'd pick out all four feet. 3 feet he was super on but his right hind he was being an ass about. I had to encourage him that polite ponies are good ponies and after a few minutes he got with the program. 

I decided he had enough torture for the day so I put him away with lots of pats and good boys. Hopefully none of the other horses make fun of him for his atrocious hair cut. Sorry Z.

Friday Funny: Scope

I is good boy

This morning I woke up to find four horses in one pasture instead of three. This little bay boy tried to hide behind the mares that were not happy he invaded their space. It was pretty easy to tell he was the odd one out. 

Because this was about 15 minutes before I left for work I was definitely panicked that I'd spend all morning chasing a rogue baby horse and not make it in. Luckily he only spent 30 seconds playing "I am not the horse you are looking for" before I threw a halter on him. For a baby horse that hasn't had any set of halter training besides wearing a halter as a weanling and being transported a small handful of times, I am so lucky he wants to cooperate. 

Luckily he only had a little scrape on his hind leg from jumping the fence. He is now content in his time out stall with two large flakes of hay. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side?

Baby Horse Update

Baby Z and Winston finally shed their foal hair/winter coats. They look so handsome now! 

The bugs at my house are out of control, especially the mosquitoes. This means it is time for baby horses to learn about fly spray. Now you might remember how Z was way chiller than Winny. However, the tables have turned. 

I've gotten to the point where I can spray 75% of Winny's body without fuss. Z on the other hand thinks the bottle is going to kill him. They both don't care about the war paint at least.

We've also been working with the leadrope. Winny is again the superstar in this category but Z's fear has definitely subsided and he is mostly ok with it now too. They are both sweet loving boys and I'm so happy to have the opportunity to work with them!

Zoltar

So wittle

I never fully got to explain my baby pictures of this little guy. Zoltar is a Zweibrücker RPSI gelding. He was born out of draft cross (I don't remember her actual breeding) and by a gorgeous warmblood (Hanoverian? Holsteiner? I don't remember. I suck at this)

Zoltar was originally named Osczar due to his mom's name, Emmy. The sire's lineage commonly has a "cz" in the names. Luckily, this name was scrapped and Zoltar was named after the fortune teller in the movie "Big".

Zoltar had a "brother" who unfortunately passed away to colic as a weanling. Even though Dellazio only scored a silver, he was the promising colt between the two. Zoltar was Emmy's maiden foal so he is a little wonky and only scored a bronze.

Baby Z before he was weaned

Zoltar has always been a little sweety. Whenever I was at CJ's between riding or house sitting I always gave him a little snuggle. I would make little kissy noises and he would press his muzzle against my face.

With the devastating loss of Dellazio, CJ was more connected to Zoltar and wanted to see him go to a loving home, more so than selling him for his future potential.

I currently live at CJ's old farm house that typically houses her retired horses and broodmares. It is also a good place for baby Z to just grow up for a few years.

With his slightly deviated pastern CJ was concerned about his prognosis. I ventured with her to Idaho Equine Hospital where we met with a vet and discussed the concerns. The vet remained positive and had a strong belief that with additional growth his chest would open and his pastern would right itself. Even if it didn't, the time for surgery has passed and he is completely sound on it. We took baby Z to my house for his final destination for the day and as CJ was leaving she asked if I wanted him.

I joked that he would be living at my house anyways for at least the next two years anyways so he basically is mine (for now). We laughed and the conversation diverted. And as she drove away she shook my hand (??) and said "Congratulations!" I kind of stood there dumbfounded as she drove away.

He is so big now!

And that is the story of how I now own a yearling (what is my life).

Luckily, this baby isn't just dumped on me and CJ comes out to worm and help with other tasks at the farm as well. I more or less am being given the opportunity to bring up a wonderfully smart and sweet baby horse. I've mostly spent my time just bonding with him in the late evenings after dinner. He is an absolute wonderful treat to have at my house and work with. Here goes the #babyzadventures!

Baby Horse Logic

He tries to groom me after I groom him

Well this is my first time working with baby horses and have basically been told by the owners to have fun and play with them. So far I have brushed them and felt them up (seriously surprised I didn't get killed). 

"dis brush thing iz nice" 

But here's the thing. I cannot get either of them to eat treats. Hay in my hand? Sure! But other than that they look at me like I'm showing them my friend and they don't understand or care what to do with it.

They aren't afraid of me and don't care if I attempt to shove said treat in their mouth. They mostly think I'm crazy and why in the world would they want to eat it. I absolutely adore spoiling horses and have thus earned the name "cookie lady" by most horses I meet. But these guys won't budge. Help.