One week!
I can't believe the new pony has been here a week already. In some ways I still can't believe she's mine - I see her bright little blaze face peeking through the round pen rails and it's a thrilling little shock. And yet, in other ways, she feels profoundly familiar to me. She feels like a horse I've always known, on some level, even though we're still dancing around and doing introductions.
Her name is Trinity, because just below her nose/on her upper lip are three perfect black stripes. You can kind of see them in this photo, though she kept trying to lick the camera so her lips are twisted funny:
I know people often insist on working a new horse as soon as they move him home, and for a trained horse I can definitely see the merit. For one thing, the sooner you introduce the routine the quicker he can adapt, and I think horses (like children) find security and comfort in knowing exactly what the expectations are. Also, giving him something to do can occupy his mind and keep him from fretting about the other changes in his life. If he is used to work, the consistency might help him settle in faster. But I think it's totally different when you've got an unhandled horse or a very young baby - there's a lot of stress involved in the sorting and loading and transporting, and then they have to get used to a new place and new hay and new water and new horses and people! and there's so much to take in all at once. Some horses handle the changes better than others, of course, but this time of year - with its shifting temperatures and cold winds - brings its own set of stresses, especially for a young horse.
I've also noticed that you can do quite a lot to a mustang when you bring him home, and if you aren't paying very close attention you might even think he's coming along faster than you ever dreamed possible. You can almost always - in my experience and observations - get a halter on them, that first day. I've seen people "sack them out" and saddle them that first day, too. (Not always, of course - there are mustangs like Gypsy who come off the trailer in a twister-storm of fear and anger and there's no getting close AT ALL). The thing is, you have to recognize that a lot - not all, but I have reason to believe many - of these horses are in survival mode. They've disconnected from an overload of stimuli and all they're doing is enduring to survive.
The issues come when they finally have a quiet moment to begin processing, and then they go, "What the HELL just happened?" and they freak out, become resistant, become defensive/aggressive, and/or react in ways you maybe wouldn't expect based on their apparent tractability that first day. Which isn't to say that there aren't horses who go, "I have NO IDEA what all that was, but it didn't hurt, so... maybe I'll go with it next time," but I've never met one. :P
So, given all this - and considering her wreck the first night - I'd intended to spend this first week very quietly. Just sitting with her, maybe, getting her interest and maybe letting her know she didn't have to be afraid to approach me. I thought that if I could touch her nose by the end of the first week I'd be on the right track.
Well, Trinity has pretty much danced her pretty little feet all over my expectations. She is SO bright and inquisitive, so friendly and fearless and full of energy. Without really officially working her at all, I can already brush my hand all over her head, neck, shoulders, chest, withers, back, and croup. I can touch her belly, ears, and front legs briefly - back legs are still out of reach. I can slip a rope down her front legs, drape it over her neck, and apply verrrry gentle pressure. I can put a halter on her head (no lead, yet - I just wanted to see if she would wear it). She follows me around the round pen like a puppy. She knows the routine around here and whinnies when she sees me coming with her bucket - but she's also learned that she is not allowed to stuff her nose in the bucket and must wait politely for me to dump the goodies in her feed tub. (She does this little happy dance around her tub waiting impatiently for me to hurry up and pour it in, but she knows not to push). She is a fierce little thing - when my daughter's barn cat wandered in, she warned him off and this morning she had an exciting time chasing him around. I'm glad to see she isn't super afraid or spooky. I like that she's bold, though I'll have to make sure I keep my boundaries firm because I could see her becoming pushy as she gains confidence.
She is a GORGEOUS mover - her trot is so light and floating I can hardly hear her footfalls, but she has such power already! I can see her lower her hind end and lift her shoulders when she canters, and for a baby I think she has remarkable balance and self-awareness. She also LOVES bouncing over the 3' weeds in the center of the pen - she just tucks her front legs right up to her chest and bounds over them like a deer. SO CUTE. I think she's going to be an athletic mare, and her legs are already as long as Gypsy's so she'll probably be tall.
I've been watching her closely for signs of "shipping fever" - both Ranger and Brisa developed nasty URIs when I brought them home, and he looked like he had ulcers. Brisa broke out in juvenile warts within the first week because of the stress. But so far (knock wood!) Trinity remains in good health. Her scrapes are healing quickly and she seems quite cheery and content. No runny nose or watery eyes (knock wood!) and she's eating really well. Took her a day or so to get used to the mix of timothy, brome, and orchard grass I feed, but now she hoovers it up. I feed her soaked alfalfa pellets twice a day with a handful of grow-colt feed, and she really loves it. I also gave her a plain salt block and a mineral block, and she was like a kid with a lollipop. :D
I've been having so much fun this week. I'd forgotten how cool this initial getting-to-know-you phase is, where everything is a conversation. I'm asking questions like: Can I touch your head with my hand? (Yes) Can I slip the halter on your nose? (Okay) Which side are you most comfortable on? (Doesn't matter) When do you like to nap? (Late morning, late afternoon) How long can you concentrate? (Depends. Usually about 20 minutes) How do you feel about my hand on your belly? (Ticklish!!!)
And she gets to ask questions, too:
Can I sniff your face and your hair and your jeans and your boots and your pockets and your hands? (Yes!)
Can I stand right next to you and take a drink and drip water all over you with my lips? (Um, okay :D)
Can I bite your pockets? (No.)
Can I follow you around? (Yes!)
Can I swing my butt toward you when I get startled? (No.)
Can you scratch the itchy place behind my elbows and under my jaw? (Sure. :D)
I've also been trying to get her used to some of the silly things people do. I zip and unzip my coat, fiddle with my hat and gloves, flap my arms, stomp my boots, sneeze (well, that was unintentional but potentially useful :D), and climb up and down fences so I get taller and shorter. Nothing much bothers her - I've surprised her, now and then, but she kind of huffs in place and then comes to investigate.
I am trying to take one day at a time while still keeping my eye on the future - I know that the things I do now will impact the future we both have, and I try to keep my long-term goals in mind. I know she's still very, very young (she still has ALL her baby teeth!) and she has a lot of growing and learning to do. At this point, it's tough to guess exactly what she'll grow into. And there are a lot of way I can totally screw up! But I have a good feeling about her - I think she might make an even better endurance prospect than I had hoped. So far, at least, she seems to have Brisa's good sense and steady nature along with a hefty dose of bold energy and eagerness. It will be interesting to watch her personality evolve as she matures - I really hope I can encourage her to be a fearless, forward, but cooperative trail horse, because I think - well, I'm mostly just wishing and guessing right now - but I think she might have the competitive spirit to do well at long distances. We will see!
Her name is Trinity, because just below her nose/on her upper lip are three perfect black stripes. You can kind of see them in this photo, though she kept trying to lick the camera so her lips are twisted funny:
I know people often insist on working a new horse as soon as they move him home, and for a trained horse I can definitely see the merit. For one thing, the sooner you introduce the routine the quicker he can adapt, and I think horses (like children) find security and comfort in knowing exactly what the expectations are. Also, giving him something to do can occupy his mind and keep him from fretting about the other changes in his life. If he is used to work, the consistency might help him settle in faster. But I think it's totally different when you've got an unhandled horse or a very young baby - there's a lot of stress involved in the sorting and loading and transporting, and then they have to get used to a new place and new hay and new water and new horses and people! and there's so much to take in all at once. Some horses handle the changes better than others, of course, but this time of year - with its shifting temperatures and cold winds - brings its own set of stresses, especially for a young horse.
I've also noticed that you can do quite a lot to a mustang when you bring him home, and if you aren't paying very close attention you might even think he's coming along faster than you ever dreamed possible. You can almost always - in my experience and observations - get a halter on them, that first day. I've seen people "sack them out" and saddle them that first day, too. (Not always, of course - there are mustangs like Gypsy who come off the trailer in a twister-storm of fear and anger and there's no getting close AT ALL). The thing is, you have to recognize that a lot - not all, but I have reason to believe many - of these horses are in survival mode. They've disconnected from an overload of stimuli and all they're doing is enduring to survive.
The issues come when they finally have a quiet moment to begin processing, and then they go, "What the HELL just happened?" and they freak out, become resistant, become defensive/aggressive, and/or react in ways you maybe wouldn't expect based on their apparent tractability that first day. Which isn't to say that there aren't horses who go, "I have NO IDEA what all that was, but it didn't hurt, so... maybe I'll go with it next time," but I've never met one. :P
So, given all this - and considering her wreck the first night - I'd intended to spend this first week very quietly. Just sitting with her, maybe, getting her interest and maybe letting her know she didn't have to be afraid to approach me. I thought that if I could touch her nose by the end of the first week I'd be on the right track.
Well, Trinity has pretty much danced her pretty little feet all over my expectations. She is SO bright and inquisitive, so friendly and fearless and full of energy. Without really officially working her at all, I can already brush my hand all over her head, neck, shoulders, chest, withers, back, and croup. I can touch her belly, ears, and front legs briefly - back legs are still out of reach. I can slip a rope down her front legs, drape it over her neck, and apply verrrry gentle pressure. I can put a halter on her head (no lead, yet - I just wanted to see if she would wear it). She follows me around the round pen like a puppy. She knows the routine around here and whinnies when she sees me coming with her bucket - but she's also learned that she is not allowed to stuff her nose in the bucket and must wait politely for me to dump the goodies in her feed tub. (She does this little happy dance around her tub waiting impatiently for me to hurry up and pour it in, but she knows not to push). She is a fierce little thing - when my daughter's barn cat wandered in, she warned him off and this morning she had an exciting time chasing him around. I'm glad to see she isn't super afraid or spooky. I like that she's bold, though I'll have to make sure I keep my boundaries firm because I could see her becoming pushy as she gains confidence.
She is a GORGEOUS mover - her trot is so light and floating I can hardly hear her footfalls, but she has such power already! I can see her lower her hind end and lift her shoulders when she canters, and for a baby I think she has remarkable balance and self-awareness. She also LOVES bouncing over the 3' weeds in the center of the pen - she just tucks her front legs right up to her chest and bounds over them like a deer. SO CUTE. I think she's going to be an athletic mare, and her legs are already as long as Gypsy's so she'll probably be tall.
I've been watching her closely for signs of "shipping fever" - both Ranger and Brisa developed nasty URIs when I brought them home, and he looked like he had ulcers. Brisa broke out in juvenile warts within the first week because of the stress. But so far (knock wood!) Trinity remains in good health. Her scrapes are healing quickly and she seems quite cheery and content. No runny nose or watery eyes (knock wood!) and she's eating really well. Took her a day or so to get used to the mix of timothy, brome, and orchard grass I feed, but now she hoovers it up. I feed her soaked alfalfa pellets twice a day with a handful of grow-colt feed, and she really loves it. I also gave her a plain salt block and a mineral block, and she was like a kid with a lollipop. :D
I've been having so much fun this week. I'd forgotten how cool this initial getting-to-know-you phase is, where everything is a conversation. I'm asking questions like: Can I touch your head with my hand? (Yes) Can I slip the halter on your nose? (Okay) Which side are you most comfortable on? (Doesn't matter) When do you like to nap? (Late morning, late afternoon) How long can you concentrate? (Depends. Usually about 20 minutes) How do you feel about my hand on your belly? (Ticklish!!!)
And she gets to ask questions, too:
Can I sniff your face and your hair and your jeans and your boots and your pockets and your hands? (Yes!)
Can I stand right next to you and take a drink and drip water all over you with my lips? (Um, okay :D)
Can I bite your pockets? (No.)
Can I follow you around? (Yes!)
Can I swing my butt toward you when I get startled? (No.)
Can you scratch the itchy place behind my elbows and under my jaw? (Sure. :D)
I've also been trying to get her used to some of the silly things people do. I zip and unzip my coat, fiddle with my hat and gloves, flap my arms, stomp my boots, sneeze (well, that was unintentional but potentially useful :D), and climb up and down fences so I get taller and shorter. Nothing much bothers her - I've surprised her, now and then, but she kind of huffs in place and then comes to investigate.
I am trying to take one day at a time while still keeping my eye on the future - I know that the things I do now will impact the future we both have, and I try to keep my long-term goals in mind. I know she's still very, very young (she still has ALL her baby teeth!) and she has a lot of growing and learning to do. At this point, it's tough to guess exactly what she'll grow into. And there are a lot of way I can totally screw up! But I have a good feeling about her - I think she might make an even better endurance prospect than I had hoped. So far, at least, she seems to have Brisa's good sense and steady nature along with a hefty dose of bold energy and eagerness. It will be interesting to watch her personality evolve as she matures - I really hope I can encourage her to be a fearless, forward, but cooperative trail horse, because I think - well, I'm mostly just wishing and guessing right now - but I think she might have the competitive spirit to do well at long distances. We will see!