It has been super cold here in Casper Wyoming this winter! We have been bringing the mares and our boarder boys in at least every night-trying to get them outside during the day. The wind is BRUTAL! I am pretty sure it is blowing 50 mph right now as I write this!
Hubs was trying to help me before his surgery by getting all the horses in the barn. One lone pregnant mare, Holly, would not let him catch her. He called me to complain about how naughty she was. I thought no prob I will catch her when I get home-I am always able to catch her if I take my time! (well I have to admit that I thought it may take me five times as long as he let Holly WIN-but I didn’t tell him that)!!!
So with HUBS watching from outside the fence I try to shut the gate at the end of her run to limit her area of running from me. The pen had a huge snow drifts throughout one side so I couldn’t close the end gate-so I am becoming less sure of myself. Holly has never kicked at me but with a drift blocking her from running from me I didn’t know what she would do. Hubs is still watching from outside of the pen thinking that there is no way I am going to catch her-which I love to tell you that I proved him wrong. I just took my time! After I get a hand on her shoulder the game is over and then she becomes a different horse. She has the most amazing ground manners when she being led, tied up, trailered, etc. She has been ridden before but it has been over 9 years since she was ridden (we bought her strictly for a brood mare). When she is loose-she can be a snotty little thing!
Got me thinking about it being part of their game! Zoey, my main riding mare, likes to run around me for about 5 minutes and then just “lets” me catch her. SERIOUSLY it is very annoying sometimes.
Every other mare is FANTASTIC to catch and can’t wait to be with me or Hubs when catching them-RIGHT in your business even if you aren’t catching them but are near them. I love each and every one of their different personalities, there little quirks-some great and some that need to be worked on (but we all have that whether we are humans or horses)!!
Alisha (aka Wild Woman of the West)
P.S. I wrote this mid December. Sadly Holly lost her foal. She is now at her “boyfriends” house for another try! Her first baby at our place was Frosty (now named Little man at his new home). We are excited for a full sibling to Frosty hopefully next year!!!!!
P.S.S. We would LOVE for you to like our facebook page! www.facebook.com/wildwomanofthewest.
