Wesley and his pink catnip mouse

Wesley has a new favorite toy. He doesn't even care that he's a boy and it's hot pink.

Wesley is also very ready to investigate the great outdoors. Feeding the other cats involves zipping out the back door and quickly shutting it while you dump the food in their bowls lest Wesley wiggle past you.

Demon kitty and his pink mouse.

Wildlife at the barn

This morning, while tending the terrible twosome, I noticed some vultures in the big back pasture. Actually, Lena noticed them first. Then I saw two other shapes out there - a pair of coyotes!

I actually filmed them for a bit, but my video is a little shaky and needs some editing. As I was filming, though, I noticed that one of the coyotes was moving on three legs instead of all four.

So, meet Tripod the Coyote.



Looks a lot like a leg that got caught in a trap, poor guy.

I know a lot of folks think they are pests, but I'm still excited that I got to see them this morning doing their coyote thing.

The horses weren't bothered at all, so they must be used to them.

Two horses

One of Steve's major concerns about getting a second horse was making sure both would get enough attention. Part of what makes Lena such a good horse is how much we worked with her, all of us, and he was - rightfully so - undecided as to whether we had that much more bandwidth. Bar does need our attention, energy and training - maybe even more than Lena sometimes - but I think it's been good for all of us, if not remotely easy.

Lena is not sure we have enough bandwidth. I get the look in the picture above whenever I'm in Bar's pen, though I suspect it's more fear of uneven treat dispersal than feeling any lack of attention from me.

Don't get me wrong, she isn't getting all 45 minutes of my time and attention every morning, so it is less than she was used to. And I do find myself counting out carrots and balancing time spent in each paddock because they both watch when you're in the other's paddock.

They both demand a certain level of energy and focus, and Lena was used to having all of it from three people. Bar probably isn't used to quite this much attention all the time, but he's responding and I think it's helping as we work through getting to know each other.

Of course, as we all settle in to the two-horse routine, there is plenty of room for each to feel left out. When Steve took Lena out yesterday, he got the evil eye from Bar. When I took Bar out last night, I got pawed at by Lena.

When we can work them together, it's a good thing for both of them. Having Lena in the arena helps center Bar a little bit faster. Bar makes a good training aid for Lena when he starts in on some antic or another and we make her focus on us instead of him. Trying to keep Bar in the arena when Lena leaves is a little challenging, but also good for him.

We're all learning a lot and as challenging as it's been so far, I really enjoy working with him - maybe even because it's so challenging. He still tests me every time I get on, seeing if maybe this time I'll give in and let him do what he wants instead of making him do what I want, but I don't dare do that. It's making me think, try new things to see what will work with him, what will get his attention and hold his interest long enough for the lesson to settle in and to forge just a little more cooperation and trust between us.

It's making me a better rider, too. I have to sit deeper and stay more balanced so I can cue him correctly and concentrate on what I'm asking him to do without worrying about my body. Well, and so I don't fall off when - for example - he dances sideways in response to another horse running and bucking in his paddock for no reason a silly human could grasp. Last night, I sat right through the spook and circled Bar back around where we could stand and watch the horse in question. When I called the other horse by name, he looked right at us, earning me a backwards ear flick from Bar acknowledging who-knows-what.

Once he gives in, he pays attention and tries really hard to do what I ask him to do. The testing period appears to be getting shorter every time I ride him, too, though that's no guarantee for Steve or Katie - he's likely to try something interesting to see if they are paying attention next time they ride. I do miss riding Lena as much as I used to, but I'm sure she's saving a few lessons for me, just in case I get too complacent.

Barn mornings

I usually get to spend about 45 minutes to an hour each morning at the barn before I head into the office, though this week with fighting a cold and other miscellaneous duties, I've missed a few mornings.

Granted, I get to the office looking much more put together on days I don't get to the barn - hair not soaked, clothes on straight since I don't have to change in the trailer, and hands not coated in warm, sweet-smelling horse dirt.

But then I miss the soft sounds of horses chewing, their big, soft noses poking in my pockets for carrots, curious nuzzles of the camera lens.

All in all, getting to work clean is way over-rated in my book.

One more new family member

Quick post, because I promised to show everyone his picture.

Wesley is our new cat! We found him through a local rescue organization, Dragonfly rescue, and he's settling in very nicely. He will hopefully fill the indoor/outdoor, snuggle-while-you-read gap left by Tigger the Wonder Cat.

More on Wesley later.

Horse bloggers, unite!

My friend Janice wrote a very helpful and encouraging comment on my Accidents post. When I approved it, I found out she has a blog called My Wild World where she writes about her adventures and experiences with life and her pretty buckskin mare, Tye.

She has been really supportive this week as I get past my issues with, um, gravity and I'm excited to see another horse person getting online and sharing their experiences.

Accidents and learning to trust

We tried the beach with Bar and Lena on Sunday and it did not go at all as planned. Luckily, nobody was hurt and Lena showed us a very mature side we weren't really sure she had. It started with loading - Bar did not want to be alone in front and objected mightily so we loaded Lena first, even though she hates the smaller front compartment. She settled in with only a minor hip-swing into the barrier and they were both quiet and calm all the way to the coast. Normally, she bangs back and forth in the front compartment, but it was almost like she realized she had to be the grown up horse this time.

That was apparently the easy part.

I came off again trying to get Bar up a hill, away from Lena, to get out of the way of a lone rider coming back down one of the narrow trails at Bodega. I scared Steve really badly because I was underneath that big, bay horse, and it looked pretty bad. Somehow I managed not to get stepped on, which Steve thinks is mostly luck considering the shifting sands and frightened horse. I didn't think about getting scared until much later when we were sitting in the hot tub, too busy worrying about other things and being embarrassed, I guess.

Bar headed back to the trailer, with Steve and Lena in pursuit. (After they made sure I was okay). I missed all of the chase, but Bar came back to them twice on his way back to the trailer. Lena was calm and stopped and waited for him and he actually let Steve catch him for a little while. Those trails are not good for ponying, however, and he got loose and headed back towards the trailer again. There were a lot of horse people out there and one woman riding another spotty horse got hold of him - he went right to her - as he was circling back around to Lena and Steve.

A couple folks came to make sure I was really okay while Steve tended the horses. I was, just annoyed with myself and embarrassed more than anything. Again, the fear came later. It was a silver lining to meet strangers who would take time to help us when things went off kilter. And, I might add, not make me feel like a total idiot.

This is a hard post for me to write because there are probably some people who think we should get rid of him. I think we pushed him too far too fast with the beach trip and it just so happened I paid the price. It looks particularly bad since I just fell off the other day, too. Probably Steve could have stayed on both times, and I know he's really worried about me. Heck, I'm worried about me, too. Bar is a lot to handle, but he's trying really hard to do what we ask him even though he has no real reason to trust us or his situation, yet. If he weren't trying, it would be a different story, but he is.

It does come down to trust, and it is still really early in the game with Bar. Yes, he can be a spaz, but Lena was too, even when we started taking her out with Doc at first. The difference is that she trusts us more to take care of her and we've proven over and over in the last 2-1/2 years that we won't do anything that terrible to her. (Wormer doesn't count.) That probably started way back on the night she colicked and we stayed with her, but it's something we've had to build on, too. It didn't happen overnight and it could be gone in an instant - just like with the blanket trauma. (Thankfully we've worked through that, now.)

I don't think I've done a lot to inspire confidence in him at this point, either, which is why I'm going back to some of the basics Peter and Rob showed me. The simple stuff helps keep me calm (and in the saddle) and that helps him. It may or may not help when he freaks out, but on the other hand, if we've built the trust, he may freak out less.

I keep thinking about the beach and how trapped he must have felt in that walled-in trail. Normally, I'll circle him (or Lena) to get them to pay attention but I backed him up and ran him up a slippery hill away from Lena instead. He did keep coming back to Steve and Lena, and he did head for the safety of the trailer.

No, it's not all my fault - though I wish I'd handled it better - but better to not put him in a situation where he has to make those choices and I have to try to hang on until we've worked together some more.

The hardest thing I've had to do in a long time was get back on him yesterday, but I did it. We took it really slowly, even getting into the arena. We walked around so he could see what was going on outside before heading into the empty indoor arena. We checked out the empty round pen and made sure none of the trail stuff had moved. I paid attention to the noises and things that were bothering him and acknowledged them while continuing the workout. I just kept talking to him and giving him credit when he did the right thing and when he paid attention and responded. In turn, he got better and more responsive as we went along, less distracted by the rain on the roof and the noises outside the arena, more focused on me and what we were doing.

So, no, I'm not giving up on him. It's like having another kid - you can't expect them to act like your first and you forget how much work the first one really was.

First fall for Jess

I've joined the ranks of real horse owners!

I guess that's the way to look at it with a truly positive spin - unlike the spin I took off Calabar's back last night.

It was Bar's first time in the big arena, and he'd been pretty good as we got started, walking and trotting, exploring the edges of the arena, watching a hiker or two wander up the bike path.

I'd gotten him up to a nice canter and we were working on where my hands work best with him when something in the back corner spooked him and he took off. I am still working on getting the new saddle set right for me and being comfortable in it. I wasn't there, yet, and was too far forward and out of balance. I probably shouldn't have been trying to adjust my seat as we cantered, but there you go, lesson learned.

Then I was off, vaguely on purpose, in the air for a moment before hitting the ground. I fell well, though - hit rear end first, then shoulder, so I must have tucked instinctively. Then I stood up and watched Bar race around the arena, right rein flying, tangling around and slapping his legs, adding to the excitement. He'd stepped on and ripped off the left rein pretty soon after I came off - at least that's what I surmised by where we found it after he'd stopped and let me capture him again.

Watching him run was a true gift, though. Those long legs stretching out, nostrils flaring, and so, so fast. He is beauty, power, grace - flying over the ground without wings, barely tethered to this planet. Even shaken, spitting out arena grit, I wished for my camera so I could have somehow captured the tiniest frame - blurry shot, even - of him stretched out and running. Not that you can capture air, spirit, energy - not ever. I just hope it's an image that always stays in my memory.

I did get back on, by the way. He even stood still for me while we re-attached the left rein and while I got back on. And then he did everything I asked him to. Nice trot, beautiful and easy canter, circles - everything. It could be that he burned out all that excess energy - probably part of it - but he was very snuggly, too. I think he knew he messed up. He's really not mean, he's really trying hard, and I think he was surprised I ended up on the ground.

I know I should have been mad at him, but it was just as much my fault as his and as stiff as I am today, I am not too badly hurt. Plus, I've finally gotten that first fall out of the way.

Of course, the other upshot of this experience - aside from the huge charlie horse in my rear end and the jammed shoulder joint - is the razzing I'm getting from Peter. Do I need a seat belt? Velcro? It still feels a bit like I've passed some kind of weird horse initiation.

Oh, well. I think it was probably worth it in any case.

Progress

I haven't written much about Willoughby lately and I think he's due for some attention!
The last few months have really been about getting to know one another. He's a different type of horse than what I'm used to. Bee and Fenway are lazy horses who need a lot of encouragement. They aren't bothered by much and would prefer eating and sleeping over working! Willoughby, on the other hand has a lot of go in him. After riding him a couple of days in a row I expect him to be tired, but it's just the opposite. The more fit he is, the more energy he has. He's also very sensitive. He takes a lot in and breathes loudly, snorts, and even squeals at times. It's very cute. But one of his habits that is not so cute is his teeth squeaking. By teeth squeaking, I mean chewing on the bit. It's a combination of stress and old habits. I'm learning to take each ride as its own. If he's particularly hyper or stressed one day, I may only walk. Why just walk? Because I want him to let down and to feel confident under saddle. Instead of pushing him, I'm asking him to get used to the surroundings and conditions as is. So far it's working. Occasionally we have a so-so day and some days (like today), he's amazing and quiet with his mouth.
This has been a good learning experience for me. After some rides I become discouraged because I feel like I should be further along in my training. But I have to remember and realize that with a young horse, taking it slow and getting the basics downs will allow us to progress more quickly and further in the long run.
So that's where we're at! It's a lot of fun and each ride is it's own little adventure!

Bar and Lena Rey

We had some good work with our two racehorses today, including switching of riders and horses. Katie even took Bar over a tiny jump in the arena, then convinced Lena to try, too. Lena did dodge it the first few times, but Katie finally got her to give it a shot.

Bar is doing better every day we work with him, trying so hard to figure out what we're asking him to do and doing it as best he can. We found a used Circle Y trail saddle that seems to fit him pretty well and - once we switched out the stirrups - worked for us as well. Yesterday, both Steve and I tried it and had issues keeping our feet in the stirrups once we started into a canter. We put some heavier stirrups on and it worked much better. Very frustrating to get him up to a nice canter and have to stop because a foot flies loose. It must have been confusing for him, too - I'm sure he couldn't figure out what we were up to.

One of the non-riding things we're working on with him is not itching his big head on us. Obviously, it itches - here he is using a beam to scratch - but we don't make good scratching posts. So, we scratch until he starts to push, then stop. Then when he stops pushing, we start scratching again. He's getting it pretty well, actually, mostly because he loves to have his head scratched.



He's fun, and he's fast, and Lena wants to run with him so bad it's driving her crazy. Soon, very soon, we'll take them out and let them go and see what happens.

I'm headed off to Macworld tomorrow and Steve will be on his own until Thursday with the horses. I enjoy working the tradeshow scene, but it will be hard to be away right now. Lena is feeling a hair neglected and Bar is starting to really respond to the work and attention. I'm sure they will both be fine, but I'm not sure I will be.

Two racehorses, actually

Today we found out we actually have two - not one, but two - racehorses.

Unfortunately for them, we were in the indoor arena and had to discourage rampant galloping rather firmly. My arms are still a little tired.

Lena, by the way, was just as eager as Calabar to prove how fast she could go. She also kept dancing from one lead to the other while Steve guided her around the arena.

I actually got some cooperation from Bar some of the time. He really doesn't like it when there is a horse working in the round pen and Peter was working a little mare in there, so every time we came around the backside of the round pen, Bar and I danced a little.

Okay, sometimes a lot.

He probably hasn't seen a lot of round pen work - I don't think you usually lunge racehorses to get them to relax before a race.

But we're learning together - all four of us. Bar and Lena are really in tune with each other - to the extent that perhaps some bad behavior gets shared by osmosis - but on the other hand, it means they are paying attention to each other. That's probably a good thing.

I did decide that circling him works better than backing him up, both for for getting him to hold still while getting on and for general attention-paying at other times.

Steve and I are both looking forward to taking them somewhere they can race each other someday soon, without walls and round pens and miscellaneous bits and pieces in the arena to dodge.

2nd New Addition of 2007

Yes, I realize we're in 2008 but I'm a bit behind!
This is the latest addition to my pet family, Faaris.
Faaris came from the San Luis Obispo Animal Shelter. I've been looking for a new cat and my friend Odie saw Faaris in the shelter. He was found wandering the streets of Nipomo, starving and sick. Odie fostered him and took him home to recover. She delivered Faaris to me in Carmel, in the middle of December. We were in Carmel for a Indian themed Christmas party. So naturally I had to find a suitable Indian name for him. I chose the name Faaris because it means horseman or knight in Indian.

Faaris has adjusted pretty well to his new life. He has had a few scuffles with Huck but for the most part they've worked it out. Faaris was included in our holiday adventure up to the snow. He's great in the car and I couldn't bear the thought of locking him up in kennel again. Our latest adventure is the great outdoors - I unlocked the cat door. He's doesn't wander far and for the most part stays inside.
I love my new cat, even if he's feisty sometimes! The great outdoors should cure him of that!

Horses - Not for the Fashion Conscious

One of my favorite parts of the day is my morning stop at the barn to tend the horses. I grain them, pat them, do some carrot stretches with them, sometimes a little acupressure, too. This occasionally includes a battle with the elements.

Some days, as I dry and style my hair in front of the mirror in the bathroom, I stop to ask myself, "Why bother?" Even if it's not raining, often it's misty out and with my hair, the flatness takes only moments to happen. Mere moments.

Today, it was a little more than mist.

Why didn't I just head into the office? Skip the barn and maintain some semblance of dignity and good hair?

Ah, because of the way they smell, the warmth of their skin and their soft noses. I admit it, I'm hooked. Head over heels in love like I never got to be as a younger me, left to act out my horsiness with plastic models and my own two-legged gallop.

So, I end up a bedraggled, soggy, mess because that's what makes my day start out right, grounding me enough to face meetings and marketing plans with a smile on my face and an odd idea or two in my head.

It's worth it, even if I do occasionally look like a drowned rat the first 15 minutes at my desk. Even if it means I'll never be a high-powered, fashionable executive with good hair.

Racehorse reading

I just started a book called My Racing Heart by Nan Mooney. Very (very) simply, it is - according to the back cover description - a memoir about a woman and her journey into the world of Thoroughbred racing.


That's the synopsis, but what I like about it is her description of horses in general and racehorses specifically. I see Bar in what she writes, including her description of horses that stay playful no matter how old they get and horses that hum with that internal energy.

Mostly I just love reading writings from a woman who obviously loves, respects, and understands horses for what and who they are, someone who can so clearly express the balance between risk and exhilaration that comes with truly loving and enjoying horses. Not owning them, not just making them do what you want, but building a relationship with them that makes sense.

Bar is definitely a different horse than Lena is - complementary, but different. Lena's upbringing and training was so different that in some ways she's more mature than he is. And in some ways she is not. Bar seems to take things in stride that she doesn't, but she is calmer about other things that send him dancing sideways. He can back into something or swing into a garbage can the farrier puts there and he's fine, where she would skate sideways and blow big air through her nose. She can handle a sliding stop coming from behind her with nothing more than a flick of her tail.

Both are quintessential examples of distilled horse essence; both make me feel extremely gifted to know and work with such fine horses.

Arena work

We managed to give the horses a workout today - a break in the weather and an empty arena gave us a short, sweet opportunity.

I didn't lunge Bar first today, and it really didn't seem to make much of a difference one way or the other in his behavior. In fact, even though he wasn't perfectly behaved, he wasn't any harder to handle than when I do lunge him, so I think it's kind of a toss-up.

There was a horse in the round pen and Lena and Steve were in the arena with us, so there was some dancing and prancing, but I stayed on and we actually had a pretty good ride. I won't say it was without challenges -- we still have a lot to work on -- but Bar listened pretty well, even with Peter working another horse in the arena with us. Peter and Taxi even showed Bar a nice sliding stop. Bar was not impressed, especially since they slid to a stop right behind us, but we didn't go shooting around the arena, either.

With the three of us loping around the arena, it was a little challenging to keep Bar from chasing down Taxi and Lena, but he responded to my hands and my voice and didn't get crazy, even when that spotty rear end flashed past him.

Then we took them down the driveway, Bar following Lena on the way down and leading by a length or two on the way back. Because Bar takes two hands most of the time, the picture at the top of the post is actually from the other day when Katie and Steve were riding. I'm sure we'll get to the point where I can take pictures from his back, but we're not quite there, yet.

Steve and I both can't wait to take them both somewhere and just let them go, they both need it. So do we, for that matter.

Now if the weather would just cooperate a tiny bit more.

Lessons in patience

I wrote this last night in the low-tech way because we - as happens in wintertime on the river - were in the middle of a power outage, so I used Notepad.

Part of what is interesting and entertaining about working with a new horse is learning them, their quirks, and the right things to do to communicate with them in order to motivate them to cooperate with you.

Sometimes it's a true test of patience, stubborness and ingenuity.

Last night I did okay with the first two in that list, but could have used some inspiration along the lines of the altter.

Granted, it was a (to paraphrase Snoopy) "dark and stormy night" and Bar had not been worked in the indoor arena under such conditions, yet. I did what everyone tells me to do and lunged him first and when he stopped and faced me, we stood for a minute and listened to the rain pound down on the metal roof and looked out into the dark outside the arena. He seemed alert, but responded well and wasn't pushy or nervous leaving the round pen.

Then I tried to get on. Yes, call me goofy, but I really prefer my horses to stand still while I get on.

I think we backed around the entire arena 7 times! He'd be standing still, I'd put my foot in the stirrup and he'd start to circle around me. I think he thought I'd give up so he could go back to his alfalfa and leave this riding nonsense to a more reasonable time of day.

Silly boy.

I did finally get on because I knew I couldn't lose that battle. We didn't work very long after that, and then I made him stand still again while I got off. He thought I was mean.

Too bad.

If I could do it again, I would try harder not to get frustrated with him because I know he can sense it and it really doesn't help the situation.

I also wonder about lunging. I know that common practice is to lunge a horse like him (and like Lena for that matter) but I swear it makes him even more wired. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, who knows.

I'm going to try a different approach next time and go right into riding to see if it makes a difference. It may not, but he certainly couldn't be more wired than he was even after I lunged him, so I figure it's worth a try.

I do realize it was another new situation for him. It was the first time riding at night, in the rain and wind, in the indoor arena. He saw Lena and Steve finish up and probably couldn't figure out why he had to be out working alone while she was eating. (Lena has been known to be less cooperative at feeding time as well.)

And I don't even blame him for testing me, that's his job. I just wish I could have stepped outside of the situation last night and thought of this then, rather than armchair quarterbacking myself now. Not that I would have let him get away with anything, just that it might have helped my own reactions which would have in turn helped manage the situation better and helped us both.

Oh, well. All part of the learning curve.

Arena dirt

Arena dirt is its own special brand of substance. It clings to clothes, skin, sneaks into creases and crevices, and leaves you feeling a little dust-coated all the time. The dirty smear on the towel after I wash my face makes me wonder if I need a high-powered air blaster in the entry way of the house.

We're doing so much work with Bar right now, I'm feeling pretty gritty most of the time. Even when I'm not riding him, I'm watching him in the round pen - where he stirs up his own little dust storm every time - or waiting my turn with either him or Lena. Plenty of time to collect a significant amount of arena dirt.

Not to mention the mud from the paddock that soaks into your jeans and somehow doesn't scrape off with normal means. Nope. It waits until you wash your clothes to nicely coat the inside of the washing machine. The arena dirt helps with that, too.

I occasionally watch the show What Not to Wear and am afraid that - even for them - I would be a lost cause. Why? All of my clothes have to be at least vaguely barn-resistant or they just stay in my closet feeling alone and forlorn. I'm afraid cute little pumps don't deal well with dirt in any format, even if it's just long enough to get to my boots in the back of the truck. We won't even discuss mixing nice fabrics and horse noses.

Too bad. I bet I could spend $5,000 on cowboy boots and jeans really, really quickly.

Training

People have told me that every time you handle your horse, you should treat it as a training session. I never really got that message quite as clearly as we have this week with Bar. He's not mean, but he is a bit bossy and he is constantly testing the boundaries, especially because we're all new to each other.

Saturday was a tough day for Bar and he got lessons from several sources.



His first lesson of the day came from the farrier, Mike, who gets major kudos for toughing it out and giving back whatever Bar tried to dish out, which was a lot. Mike gave us some interesting lessons in the use of barricades and plain old horse psychology. As Mike said, "It's not pretty," but he managed to get all four shoes on, so we can continue to work with Bar without worrying about his feet. We'll worry about pretty next time. I'm supposed to make sure I ride him a lot before next time, too, so it's especially good we got all four shoes on him.



My lesson for Bar started with working with him in the cross-ties and a stall on maintaining personal space, holding still, and paying attention to his handler. I also did a little bit of accupressure practice and focused on being calm and steady myself, all of which really helped him relax and tune into what we were doing.

After I got him saddled, I took him down to the indoor arena and lunged (is it lunge, longe, or lounge?) him in the round pen while Steve rode Lena. She was in her slightly wild blow-off-steam mode and Bar was was a little distracted by her, but when we were done, he stood with me quietly and just watched her over the top of the round pen, never pushing on me and being very polite and calm as we exited the round pen.

Katie had the tough part of Bar's next lesson, which included sharing the arena with me riding Lena. When Katie got on him, he started to rear before she got her feet in the stirrups, so she backed him up into the wall, then went on with his workout. Meanwhile, I trotted and loped Lena around the outside of the round pen so Katie could have the outside track with Bar. Lena had calmed down and was moving nice and easy, so they paid attention to each other, but didn't set off any simultaneous explosions. I figure that's pretty good for the first time.

All in all, he was pretty tired, but not quite tired enough to hold still when we started to re-bandage his leg - his final lesson of the day. Steve had his head, and he kept dancing away from Katie and me and the bandages, but when I slid my toe on top of the hoof on the injured leg, he suddenly stopped and just held still while we finished up.

When we put him back in his paddock, there was definite grumpy horse vibe in the air, but by yesterday, he seemed willing to not only forgive, but cooperate. He stood still for Steve in the cross-ties, stopped and slowed at all gaits when I asked him to, and went calmly and quietly down the driveway with and without Lena. On a loose one-handed rein, even! He was really responsive to both leg and reins, and to praise and the release of pressure on the bit, too. Now that I think about it some more, I'm not sure if he was more responsive to the latter, or if I was using it better, or maybe I was just more relaxed in my hands and that was what he was reacting (or not as the case may be) to. Maybe there is a little bit of owner training going on here, too. Hm.



Today, we just went out to clean the paddocks, groom both horses, and change Bar's bandage. He stood still for me, even when I poured hydrogen peroxide on his leg - which had to both be cold and feel weird when it bubbled - all the way through the bandaging process. Of course, he also got brushed and petted and smooched, so maybe he figured cleaning out the wound wasn't so bad after all.

Of course, none of this is a guarantee for tomorrow, but that's part of what is so entertaining about riding horses. At least in my weird little world it is.

Leg wraps and dual horse tending

Trying to wrap the leg of a dancing horse requires patience, persistence, and preparation. I have to work on the latter - much quicker if one has all the tools laid out ahead of time.

It's been awhile since my last attempt at a leg wrap. Blue looks fetching on him, yes? The lump in the wrap isn't his leg, it's the uneven piece of cotton we used because our barn scissors desperately need replacing. The worst part of the wound is covered, though, and I'm hoping that not having it cover his fetlock will keep the dressing a little drier - at least until tomorrow when I'll have to re-wrap it anyway because I missed the very top of the wound somehow, darn it. Practice makes perfect, right?

But wrapping his leg came after his workout and the bigger dressing didn't do much to dull his enthusiasm or energy. (Though I did trim it up a little bit ahead of time to get the soggy mud-covered portions off.) All three of us - Steve, Katie and I - took (short) turns riding Bar and he made sure to test all three of us just to be sure we were each paying attention.

Lena is not entirely sure about how much attention Bar should be getting, but she was not neglected, either. She got carrots and stretching and a neck rub, then some brushing and tending while Steve cooled Bar down. She also got a good workout yesterday, so she's not building up too much energy of her own.



Bar enjoyed the work, even though we kept insisting that "whoa" was indeed in his vocabulary. He's a beautiful mover, with long strides and a very fluid grace. He's also a little bit like riding the edge of an explosion, but in a good way. I haven't ridden him enough to describe the differences between him and Lena, only that they don't feel the same. Complementary, perhaps, but not the same. Like an Aston Martin (Bar) versus a Corvette (Lena), maybe - one a little tiny bit more refined, though no less powerful. (More car analogies, sorry.)

We'll be working with them on different things, and I think always working with both of them on something. It's what makes them both interesting and fun. Not easy, but never dull. Can't quite see the point of a push-button horse, even if it means a little (or a lot) more risk and excitement in life.

Here is a parting nose shot of each of them. (Lena was a bit too snuggly for decent photo distances.)

A lot of horse

Bar is a lot of horse. His body literally seems to hum sometimes, vibrating with so much barely contained energy you nearly bounce off him like he's got his own forcefield. Yesterday, I thought he might be too much horse for me, or maybe just for some of our barn-mates. I cried some, didn't sleep well, and then went to see him today. He is a lot of horse, but he isn't too much. And he's worth the commitment, the time, the effort, and - yes - energy I'll have to put into him to be his owner, to be his partner.

Yesterday was a lot like our early kamikaze riding experiences - definitely an extreme horse situation. I don't know why I thought the second horse we picked would be different than Lena, since we insisted on picking a similar-energied horse and she certainly gave us some frightening lessons her first three weeks. Maybe I just thought I'd be better prepared.

Not so much.

We were on our way out to the barn when Peter called to tell us Bar had gotten out and hurt himself bad enough that he might need stitches. Coming from anyone else, I would have waited until we saw the injury to call Dr. Leslie, but since Peter is pretty unflappable, I called her and had her meet us at the barn.

We're not entirely sure what happened, but he did go through his gate, possibly to check out or challenge another gelding that was being led up by his pen, and possibly because the latch on his pen wasn't very good and he popped through it and then he was out. He likes to be out - he's a bit of an escape artist - and took off to check things out and did not cooperate with initial efforts to catch him.

Peter caught him fairly easily - before Bar jumped into one of the front pastures to hang out with Doc and Taffy, but after he slipped and scraped a nice strip of skin off the front of his right rear "shin." Peter put him in a stall in the upper barn and that was pretty hard for Bar, though maybe a good lesson in and of itself. He hates stalls and had himself pretty worked up by the time we got there.

Seeing him so agitated in the stall, talking to the couple that had tried to catch him, and having no idea why he would charge his gate, I called Devon to tell her we wanted to bring him back. I give Devon a lot of credit for dealing with a semi-hysterical me on the phone and not getting exasperated.

While we were waiting for Dr. Leslie, I talked to Peter who didn't seem really all that concerned about Bar's behavior. He told us he hadn't noticed him being overly aggressive towards other horses, acting like a stallion, or being too out of control in his paddock. He also said Lena and Bar like each other a lot, which they do.

If Peter had come to us and said, "That horse can't stay here," or if I'd gotten there today and seen anything but a calm, relaxed horse in his paddock, I'd have a different attitude. But he didn't, I didn't, and I don't.



When Steve, Katie and I got to the barn this morning, Bar wasn't agitated at all - even when Steve pulled Lena out to saddle and ride her, even with another mare in the pasture galloping back and forth, whinneying back and forth with several other horses across the property.

Howie and Devon met us out there to see how things were going and see if they could help us with Bar. Howie even pulled off Bar's remaining front shoe - he lost the other yesterday - and they watched us with him, gave us pointers, checked out his paddock and watched him with Lena. They said if we did give him back, we'd have to move Lena too, because they are so obviously bonded with each other. Ha!


In the midst of yesterday's turmoil about what I wanted to do, a character in a movie we were watching said something along these lines - "In 50 years, don't you want to say you got into the car?" (Okay, yes, it was "Transformers" which seems a stretch for inspiration, but there it was.) Yes, in 50 years I want to say I put in the effort this horse deserved, that I deserved, so that no matter what the outcome, I came out a better rider and better horse owner.

I'm learning a lot. I have to be tougher with Bar than I am with Lena - at least while I learn his tricks, his mannerisms and attitudes - but the reward is that he does respond. He does want to be ridden and handled and worked, he just has to test while we learn each other, and I have to be willing and able to put that time and effort into him. I owe it to him and to myself - it's really pretty simple, though not at all easy.

And Bar didn't get stitches - Leslie cut off the flap of skin instead - but he has to walk around with a big wrap on his leg which he doesn't particularly like. It's probably a good lesson for him nonetheless. (Pictures to come, I promise.) Oh, and he has a halter wrapped around double and securing his pen gate, too. Steve said once around was probably enough, but I'm not taking any chances.

He is a lot of horse. He will never be easy. What other horse would fit so well in our wild and crazy family?

Horse two, day three

We are on day 3 with Calabar - so far, so good.

Steve had to handle both horses yesterday because I was a little under the weather, bleh. He groomed both of them, worked on the drainage in Calabar's paddock, and then lunged Bar. (Much to Lena's dismay as she thought for sure it was her turn to be out.) Steve came home a little worn out.

The two of them do seem to both like each other and realize they are part of whatever weird herd Steve and I make up with the two of them. When we pull Lena out of her pen to tend her, there is much whinneying from Bar until she either returns or we come get him.

As for Lena, this was the look on her face much of the time over the last couple of days. Funny to see such a moonie-eyed expression on 1,200 pounds.



It was my turn today, so I lunged Calabar first, then rode him a little bit in the round pen while Steve took Lena Rey out in the big outdoor arena to work. Bar did okay for the most part, but reacts a lot like Lena to the round pen, particularly when he can hear way more action going on on the other side of the wall he can't see through. Voices, horses, gates opening - and Lena Rey loping past on the near side.

I could understand his point of view completely - there is a mad echo from outdoors when you're in the indoor arena. He had to practice paying attention to the rider and not the weird noises and I had to practice trusting him, which got easier as we worked through the weird noise issues.

It's funny, I guess. I know all Lena's quirks and bad habits - at least those she's decided to share so far - so as bad as she can be, she's a known quantity. Mostly, anyway. I had to really fight myself to relax and allow myself to begin to learn Calabar, let myself begin to trust him the way I do her.

I told Steve I was trying to channel Ike a little bit, though I'm not sure how well I succeeded. It really helps that Bar is paying attention, that he does want to work and be handled, and that he doesn't want to hurt you.

Lena was a good trainer, actually. I just have to remember that I can actually ride spirited horses and trust my own abilities enough to let go and trust him. I started in a similar place with Lena Rey, so am hoping to get through this a little faster this time around.

Breathe. Relax. Focus. Stay in the saddle. Trust.

First smooch

We did manage to get Calabar moved today, yay! Both Steve and I are worn out, but Lena is totally in love, which is mostly a relief.

He is in the pen right next to her, and Lena spent much of the afternoon trying to get his attention while he inspected his new surroundings.

More later, as the adventure continues to unfold.

(Thanks for the photo help, Phil!)

Big day tomorrow

We pick Calabar up tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. to move him to Peter's!

It's exciting and vaguely terrifying all at the same time, even though I truly think we're the right family for him. It's a whole new chapter in our horse story, one I want to turn out well for all of us. I could stress myself out over this but am trying hard to send that energy in a more positive direction - like learning to work with a whole new horse.

I'm am actually really looking forward to learning more about him, figuring out his personality and quirks, what motivates him best, what spooks him, what his favorite scratchy spots are, all of it. I'm glad we have this week off and can spend time getting him acclimated to his new home and new people, not to mention getting Lena acclimated to sharing her humans. (This should be an interesting test for her.)

I actually have video of Devon riding him, though I apologize in advance for the commentary. (I forgot the camera records sound, too.) He is awfully pretty to watch and, yes, he wants to go faster.

My First Real Christmas Tree

Tonight I went and picked out my first Christmas Tree. I love Christmas, the smell of the tree, the music, and the holiday spirit! I feel older now, having my own tree (I'm very sentimental)!
I'm looking forward to the holidays because I have sometime off from work. It's been a very busy fall/winter. But I'm not complaining - I love being busy, working,traveling, going on trips with the horses and visiting my horse friends!
During my time off I plan to spend many hours at the barn! I'm also going up to the snow and will try to get through the pile of books that are taking over my nightstand.

So, what does this post have to do with horses? Zoom in on the tree, most of my ornaments are horses!!!!

Katie meets Calabar

Katie (and Adrienne) got to meet Calabar today and watch him dance his way around his pen with much exuberance.

Katie likes him. "A lot." (That's a direct quote.) Though at first his energy was a little overwhelming, she got used to it and even instigated some silliness by jumping up and down in front of him and getting him to play with her.

He is a very active and physical horse, and was incredibly beautiful to watch as he kicked up his heels and acted like a horse enjoying the way his own body felt -- maybe even showing off a little for his new audience. But he never comes close to running you over or actually hitting you with a stray foot or leg, he just likes to move and he does it very well.




I also think he likes - or at least recognizes - having his picture taken. Not only did he pose for that shot with Katie, but check out this picture of Steve playing with him and Calabar watching me with the camera!



And I figure I don't have to change any of my Spottyhorse references because he has that beautiful swirly spot on his forehead. Ha!

Owner lessons

Sometimes, a horse doesn't behave, turns the tables, and gives the owner a lesson.

I took Lena out for a ride Thursday morning, after she hadn't been ridden in 3 days. As much as I love her, she was a complete brat. Granted, she was "fresh" and it was very horse-friendly weather - cool, breezy, and sunny - but still.

We got tacked up and headed down to the outdoor arena with no real indication that things might go a little nutty.

I decided on working in the big arena, figuring she would like the room to run and blow off steam. Usually, you can get on Lena and trot her around, lope her a little, and she winds down enough to pay attention to what you want to work on that day.

Not this time.

We started with walking and working in our circles, but every time we got near the bike-path side of the arena, she would bolt sideways. Turning her - it didn't matter what direction - only made her fight and lope in crazy spirals away from that side of the arena.

So, I decided to lunge her in the indoor arena, in the round pen. Now, we have only lunged Lena about 5 times in the time we've owned her. She was quite affronted when I not only walked her into the round pen, but then actually attached the lunge-line to her halter. Horrors!

I know lunging is a good thing to do with horses like her, it's just not something we've ever gotten in the habit of doing because usually we can work through her mood and settle into a good workout from up on her back.

She did settle out, and we did manage to get a good workout done, though not a lot of specific training -- more energy-release than anything else, which I think is okay sometimes, too.

I don't know what all was going on with her, but I had to change my tactics to get anywhere. All in all, it was a day of lessons for the owner, not so much the horse. Not such a bad thing, though.

Freezing

It's so cold out that even Huck is shivering with his blanket on!
I pulled up to the barn this morning and it was twenty-nine degrees out. 29!!! And two hours later it was only thirty-eight degrees out. I thought we lived in California, not Alaska!

Pictures of Calabar

Okay, finally, here are some pictures of Calabar. He was a little muddy today, unlike last time, but at least I remembered the camera this time.

We went out to visit him again today and spent quite a bit of time handling him, grooming him, playing with him, and just watching him.

He's got a ton of personality, but like another horse I know, likes to push his boundaries to see how you react and how much you'll tolerate. He willingly responded to correction, though, and loved all the attention.

We're working out with Peter when we can move him so we can at least try him out. Devan says they will always take him back, but we're hoping never to need that option.



We like his personality, even though he is definitely a handful. Once we established the ground rules, he was pretty anxious to please and playful, yet careful and mindful of his own body and ours. He loped around, bucking and kicking up his heels in his paddock, but always careful to check his footing in the slippery area. He would run around us, but never over us, never into us.

He also liked to play with his neighbor, a two-year old filly. Apparently, he loves the ladies and the ladies love him.



Here he and I are discussing being mouthy. I really am not singing "Stop, in the name of Love," to him.



He's a neat horse and this will be an interesting next step in our horse journey. Similar in some ways - he acts a lot like Lena in many ways - and very different in others. I'm excited, nervous, and thrilled.

The right stuff

Looking for another horse means you get a lot of opinions from a lot of different people about what to look for, all the steps and precautions you should take to avoid getting a "lemon," and what you should know about the type of horse you're looking at. Among lots and lots of other things, of course.

We have looked at a lot of horses since we bought Lena, not always with the intent to buy them, but once you own one horse, it's pretty easy to find yourself at least scratching an extra nose or two on the way to your paddock, if not climbing in to fix a blanket or any of the myriad of things that can get wonky where horses are concerned.

We've looked at horses at Slide Mountain, horses at our barn, and horses at other barns. We've ridden other horses, too, and for my part, at least, I know I automatically start evaluating whether I'd want to spend time with them every day, whether I'd love to ride them as much as I love to ride Lena.

So far, the answer has been "Nope." It's not that the other horses aren't wonderful creatures, and they are very often far better behaved than my spotty horse, but we hadn't met a horse that had that spark, that hint of challenge and energy that makes every day with Lena just a little more interesting.

We think Calabar may have it, though we haven't ridden him yet to be sure.

I have a car analogy that may explain why we would want two such spirited beasties.

Before we bought my truck, we had a Volvo wagon. Originally, we swapped week by week, with one of us driving the Mustang and one of us driving the Volvo. The problem was, as comfy as the wagon was to drive, it was BORING. Yes, with all capital letters boring, and neither one of us wanted to drive it near the end.

As much as we both like riding, and both enjoy Lena's energy and feisty nature, it won't do to get a horse that is calmer, lazier, more tame. Not to mention horse #2 has to be able to keep up with her.

And, yes, ex-racehorses have issues and baggage and - in Calabar's case - old injuries. But he is sound and healthy now and no more of a risk than any other horse out there when all is said and done. Lena was hale and healthy when we bought her and two weeks later, she had the most terrifying bout with colic I ever hope to see. Of course, now Dr. Leslie insists she's one of the healthiest horses she knows. How much of that is the care, riding, and attention she gets on a daily basis? Probably a lot. Do we have that to give to another horse? I think so, and I think that will make the difference.

Steve said, "If it comes down to it I would simply go with my reaction to him and can everybody else’s opinion. I liked him. He seems to be a good horse that needs a good home. We may well be uniquely qualified to give him one."

We're going to go see him again tomorrow, so there will be pictures soon.

Windy, cool days

It was beautiful here in Northern California today, the sun shining after a couple days of rain, the air clean, clear and crisp, the wind making the trees dance and drop things from their branches. A perfect fall day.

Unless you wanted your horse to actually pay attention to you, that is.

Horses seem to get goofy on days like today. Heads up, looking around at whatever it is they sense on the wind, racing around pastures, bucking, and generally dancing around like the wind itself is under their hooves.

Lena is no exception and did her very best to remind me that as good as she is most days, she's still a horse and a young horse at that. We danced up and down the driveway after working in the indoor arena, me doing my best to remind her I was indeed still up there on her back. There was much blowing and snorting, though for the life of me I didn't see anything resembling a mountain lion anywhere.

I'd like to say I had some vague control, but some days there really is no such thing - only how well you can ride the wind with them.

Fun at the Barn!

I know i've been MIA, but I have a good excuse. I've been having way too much fun at the barn! I've been going out to the barn almost everyday spending hours and hours with my new pony, Willoughby. Willoughby is so sweet and always tries so hard. I'm really enjoying going through the training process again. It is very rewarding to see him progress a bit more with each ride. These pics were taken over Thanksgiving weekend.

Bitten by the horse bug

It took me a lot longer than it took Adam to look this relaxed and excited on a horse. Oh, and I was much, much older.

His face reflects the absolute joy Lena (and riding) brings to my soul, even when we're arguing over who is really the alpha. Actually, sometimes *because* we're arguing over who is really the alpha.

A man and his horse

We just got some of the Thanksgiving photos from Steve's brother and I love this one of Steve and Lena. Very peaceful feeling, I think.

Of course, she may have just been checking extra carefully for carrots, too. Ha!

Horse shopping

We have accidently (on purpose) started the process of finding horse number two.

It started the other day with Peter telling Steve he was getting a 6-year old Paint mare in that he thought we might want to look at. Then my friend Karen told us about a 6-year old Thoroughbred gelding that needed a home. The last cosmic hint was a message from Katie's old coach about a horse they have that is not a good lesson horse, so needs someone else to love him.

Weird.

I knew nothing when we bought Lena, except that I trusted Ike and Cheri - and still do - and liked Lena as a fellow being. Little did I know all the things I should have looked at. Feet. Teeth. Confirmation. Attitude. Personality.

The latter two have become really important to us because, frankly, we like challenging horses. I see ads for bomb-proof horses that you can (supposedly) leave in pasture for a month then hop on and not have any problems and I think to myself, "Well, how boring is that?"

If we left Lena in her pen for a month without riding her, it would be like straddling a keg of dynamite. Grumpy, unstable dymamite.

But the other stuff is important, too. Confirmation, health of the feet and legs, all of these play into the longevity of the horse and - worst case scenario - how easily you can get rid of them in a pinch.

Lena has great feet, beautiful confirmation, and mostly a good attitude. She is NOT a horse for a novice, but she is also a lot of fun to ride. Horse number two - whoever that turns out to be - has to be high up in the fun factor or the rest won't matter nearly as much, though it will still be important.

I've called both my vet and my farrier. Haven't heard from Dr. Leslie, yet, and my farrier told me not to fall in love with the first horse we look at, which of course I've already half-way done.

The Thoroughbred, of course -- even though there are some physical issues that make him not an optimal choice.

Calabar has a slight club foot, a bowed tendon, and the hoofwalls that go with being a Thoroughbred. But the club foot didn't keep him from winning money on the track (and didn't look as bad as some I've seen) and the bowed tendon is well healed and did nothing to mar the grace and athleticism he demonstrated as he galloped and showed off around the arena. Did I mention he was dark bay with good, strong-boned legs and a white crescent on his forehead? His movements were big and loose and graceful, and he has a certain attitude that would fit in well in our family. (We call it the "butthead" gene.) (And, yes, I forgot the camera again, so no pictures, sorry!)

If we were going to show or compete with him, the tendon and the foot would be a huge issue. As it is, my main concern would be his overall physical health and any risk of reinjury. He'd be a trail horse, with some arena work to keep him in shape and schooled. Would his feet and tendon preclude those activities? Probably not. But how well would he fare on a back-country trip and could we find him a good home easily if we had to get rid of him for some unforeseen and terrible reason? Those are things to think about realistically, without the filter of his beautiful movement and funny personality clouding things. At least not too much.

Last but not by any means least, we also have to factor in whether this next horse and Lena get along - mainly because of the type of riding we'll be doing. Can't have bickering horses in the trailer or on the trail, it won't work.

It's really a lot to think about and balance.

This is not going to be nearly as easy as buying Lena was. Not by a long shot.

Trying new things

One of the fun things about trail rides is getting Lena to experience new things. In this case - several months ago, now - it was the ocean.

I love this shot, though, because of the expression on Lena's face and the obvious encouragement both Doc and Lena are getting from Katie. (Notice the foot in the surf.)

Lena got to try another new thing today - having a very small person on her back. Steve's three-year old nephew Adam has been up visiting for the holidays, along with his parents -- Steve's brother Thom and his wife Jane. We all went to the barn today so Adam (and my dad, Thom, and Jane) could meet Lena. Adrienne came, too, though she is well acquainted with her Royal Spottiness.

Adam was cautious, but not afraid - even when that big nose investigated him thoroughly for carrots - and wanted to ride Lena from the first second (maybe the third) he saw her. That is Steve asking me what the rough patches on the insides of Lena's legs are called again - her chestnuts.



We put Katie's helmet on Adam and he sat up in the saddle, holding the horn tight since the stirrups were way, way below his feet, and apparently grinned from ear to ear the entire time Steve and I led the two of them around the arena. I was busy watching Lena so I missed that part, but am hoping Thom shares some of the many pictures he was taking.

At one point, Adam looked down at me and said, "She moves!" in absolute wonder, his voice echoing the same genuine awe that fills me every time I work with her.

I'm just glad to have a horse that pays attention to us, even when we're asking her to do something new and sometimes weird.

Day one with Lena

Day one with Lena
Originally uploaded by spottyhorse67

Can you tell this was back when I was still a little scared of horses? She was so lovely back then, and I think even lovelier now. Although she is rarely that clean anymore. Sometimes in the summer. :-)

Good horses

People have a lot of criteria for what they consider a "good" horse, and it varies depending on the person and what they want from that horse.

Me? I like a horse with some spunk, some brains, a good attitude about learning, and the willingness to trust me.

I know I'm still relatively new to all of this, and that maybe my criteria is based on the horse I have, but now that I have her, I can't imagine wanting a different type of horse.

But that's me.

Lena gave me a good example of what I consider a "good" horse yesterday. I had noticed some scuz on the inside of her rear left "thigh" the other day, but hadn't looked closely. (Yes, unlike me, I know.) When I did look at it yesterday morning, there was a scabby knot of blood and dirt there, so I took her into the barn to clean it out and see what it was.

Now, as some of you know, Lena does not hold still well. She dances and shifts from side to side in the cross ties, cranes her neck back around to see what you're doing, nibbles at the ties, etc.

Unless you're doctoring her.

I put her in the cross-ties and got some water and a towel to clean off the scab, then did that thing I'm good at - ignoring conventional wisdom about being around horses - and climbed under Lena's belly to work. She stood absolutely still, not even shifting a foot, while I scrubbed at the scab to get at whatever lay underneath.

Linda and Karen were both there and were both impressed at how still she was, both of them knowing what a rare thing that is with Lena.

It's almost like she knows I'm fixing something and - as long as she wants it fixed, too - holds still until I'm done.

I think it was a tick - there is a nice, round hole underneath all that crusty stuff, like she'd managed to get the tick out, but it left a good gouge. Ew.

At any rate, my point is that as goofy as she can be, she seems to know when to be still and let us tend something that needs attention. Even if she challenges me the very next minute in some other way, that makes a good horse in my book.

Mares

I love owning a mare. I know. I'm weird. Geldings are calmer, steadier, more affectionate, and generally better choices for new riders like us. I read somewhere that with a gelding, you're always dealing with the same quirks, but a mare invents new ones all the time. That's been true so far with Lena, but I can't really say I would want it any other way.

As we get to thinking about horse number two and what we want, there is a logical assumption that we consider a gelding - a nice, calming influence on Lena - and part of me thinks that might be a good idea.

But the other part of me loves - absolutely loves - the quirks that come with owning a mare. Yes, even when she's in season and not necessarily focused on arena work - or much of anything but her own hormones.

She is passionate and moody, sensitive and emotional. And I love that about her. I think she is amazing and I love playing with her, riding her, and figuring out what mood we have on any given day.

I don't honestly know who or what the next horse will be, and as long as Lena accepts him or her, I don't care. Of course, since she may be the most spoiled spotty horse in all of Sonoma county, getting her to share her humans at all - regardless of the gender of her new trail buddy - may be the biggest task of all.

33 second nose bag lesson

While Steve and I were at the packing class, we witnessed the power of a nose bag of grain. Shake it, and they will come.

So we found a nose bag today and introduced Lena to the concept.

The first thing she did was stick her nose in it. Then decided it was too scary for all of about, yes, 33 seconds. I shook it at her and she walked away from me, rolling her eye in my direction. I shook it at her again and she walked away again a couple more times.

It didn't help that she could see her regular bucket o' grain outside the paddock and she did wander over and hint that Steve could give that to her any time since I was being silly with this weird bag thing.

But then she decided maybe the nose bag wasn't too terrible and buried her face in it until she had effectively snarfed up every last little rolled oat.

I can't guarantee that it will pull her away from a meadow of lush, green grass, but that's an experiment for another day.