Monday, January 11, 2010

A Visit with Cibolo - Picture Parade

(in the spirit of positive thinking, I've added spring to my blog. Hope it helps)

I'm still sick. But I really, really wanted to see my horse.

So on Sunday the kids went to Grammy's and I bundled up, chopped some carrots and my wonderful husband took me over to the barn.

Cibolo left his hay and his BFF and came over to greet me. We walked out into the alley way.

I love that my horse will leave his buddies. It feels like a big deal.

I gave him a carrot slice and we headed over to the arena to hang out.




Next to arena are the BO's horses. Shanti has the most fuzzy ears of any horse I've ever seen. She's retired because she has Cushings.



This is Treasure, the lesson horse. She was in the parade. She's the alpha of the herd.



She does not suffer fools (or really large white horses like Cloud) AT ALL. He was two millimeters too close to her hay. Oh yeah. He's leaving.




I proceeded to examine my horse. He's gotten very fuzzy. His brand is tough to read here.


I'm increasingly concerned about this patch on his back. It's been flaking and the skin underneath almost looks like fish skin, shiny and gray. I can't figure out where it's come from. It doesn't look like a bite. And I've never seen a bite get ashen like this.




We got onto some targeting, but mostly I was just looking for an excuse to hang out. He did fine, I was too tired to do anything complicated, we just did a few clicks. Touch the barrel. Touch the bag. Touch your side. Now the other side.




His arrow points to his favorite scritching spot. And there's his double swirlly.




I got worn out pretty quickly and I remember the old training saw: always leave them wanting more.

I love horse noses...




Then it was time to visit Lily. I'm trying to get her to come with me too. You gotta earn your carrots around here. She started fishing, but I backed her up.


She's got the cutest ears.



And then, I passed out. Well, not right THERE. I mean when I got home. Darn cold.

It feels like I'm not getting better AT ALL. Ah well. At least I got to pet some horses.

I ordered a book written by Kathleen Lindley on her time with Mark Rashid. I have so much to do to get ready! April will be here quick!

I can't wait to ride again.

9 comments:

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Awwww. Being sick sucks. Colds are the worst because they last so long. I have some bizarre new health problem that really makes me angry. I woke up yesterday with blisters all over my nose, and have some on my forehead too. It's almost as if someone stuck my head under a sun lamp or in a microwave while I was sleeping. I haven't spent much time outside at all and haven't seen the sun in weeks, so I don't know what's up with this. Usually, this happens if I've been blowing my nose too much after a cold, but I haven't had a runny nose at all this week. My nose is swollen to twice its normal size. I'm too embarrassed to go in to the office tomorrow.

Wolfie said...

Sorry to hear that you are sick! Drink lots of water! I find mixing vodka in mine helps me feel better, or I maybe it's that after a couple I just don't care that I'm sick. :-) Anyway, I loved your pictures. Hope you get to ride again soon!!!

Anonymous said...

Glad you got a "horse fix"! Love the pictures! That spot on his side could be a bunch of different things, from a fungal infection to the beginnings of a sarcoid - although it's an odd spot for a sarcoid so I'm thinking a skin thing. I've had good luck with Listerine - it might need something else but you could start with that.

Hope you feel better soon!

eventer79 said...

Waxy flaky skin on back = fungus. It's that time of year, yuck! Betadine scrub, listerine/water/ACV mix, MTG, pick your poison and scrub!

Unknown said...

NZ - wow - that's really weird. Sound like an allergic reaction.

Wolfie - that sounds perfect. I'll order some vodka immediately.

Kate and Eventer - Fungus! eww. I've got some mtg, I'll try that next time I'm there.

JJ said...

Thanks for your comment! I am looking forward to following your blog - it looks great!

The 8-year old Morgan mare is still in the works, I'm looking at making a purchase in April/May 2010! :)

Michelle said...

Hope you start feeling better soon. Well, at least you got to visit with the herd. That should start you on the path to recovery! Love the photos, they're all so cute. =)

Paint Girl said...

It sucks being sick, I have been sick for weeks, and haven't been able to do much. Glad you got out to see the horses!!

It looks and sound like a fungus. Some horses at the farm get that from getting so sweaty, we usually hose them off, but if it's too cold we don't hose and use Vetrolin. But some horses just are more prone to getting fungus. We use a medicated shampoo and clean it really good. It usually clears up pretty quickly. Hope it goes away soon!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

It goes both ways, too, eh?

"Leave you wanting more"

Sometimes after I've spent time loving on my mare and then walk away, I turn around a little and peek out of the corner of my eye to see if Baby Doll is watching me leave. 9 times out of 10 she is. I think that's pretty cool, when she could be nose deep in her hay instead.

Speaking of noses.....don't you just want to grab those noses and squish 'em? I want to just fondle them like play doh! lol!

Too bad most horses aren't very accomodating to let me do that. hehe!

Feel better soon,
~Lisa