Changes

Have I mentioned that October is a super busy month? Even so, visiting Gobie at least once a week takes priority. This weekend was a big event at work, though, so the visit was brief. But it was more than enough time to scope out all the changes going on at the barn. Coming up the drive way was like traveling down the yellow brick road--the pine trees lining the drive have all been dropping bright yellow needles that carpet the path.

Amongst the needles, I spotted this wooly bear caterpillar:

Heralding a milder winter. 

There were lots of crow around in the fields, too. It had rained pretty good up in Marriotsville, and I think they were taking advantage of the moist ground and bugs. I walked down to visit Kahlua's grave where Rose had planted some yellow mums and made a protective barrier around the plant to ward off nosy horses.

Peaceful. 

Gobie and the rest of the horses were in the side paddock. I was a little cautious about going in with them because the new horses was there. I didn't think he was a troublemaker or anything, but the social dynamic of a herd always changes when there's a new kid. Never the less, I squeezed in between the fence boards and gave Gobie a hand grooming. The first thing I noticed was those crazy yellow pine needles caught in his mane like some witchy hair accessory.

Augmenting his highlights, don't you think?

I brushed over his back and withers and legs with my hand, unsettling the dust but he was otherwise pretty clean. I started tussling his mane again and that's why I found this:

Ouch! 

If you can't tell, there's what looks like a big scrape that runs perpendicular along his mane above his withers. The hair was all gone and the skin was dry and wrinkly but otherwise pretty healthy, or at least healing pretty well. He didn't have it last weekend, so it couldn't have been too old.


Of course, bites and kicks and scrapes are kind of par for the course when it comes to horses hashing out the herd pecking order. Bonnie had already given me the heads up that Gobie was jealously protecting Honey from the new horse, so it wasn't too surprising. The new guy had quite a few more nicks than Gobie. I hope they sort everything out between each other soon, and start acting more polite!


It was around feeding time so Bonnie came out and asked that I lead Gobie to one of the other paddocks while she got ready to give the gang their grain. I took him out of the side paddock and walked him across that pine needled driveway. He was a little nervous about the whole thing, but he minded his manners quite well and soon he was in the other area.

Feeding went on without a hitch. After Honey finished the grain her her bucket, she went over to socialize with the new horse.

Fraternizing.

The new horse is about Gobie's age, and a cremello Mountain Horse gelding. He's white haired and pink skinned with blue eyes. His name is Boo Boo. Pretty appropriate for Halloween I think--looking a little like Casper!

According to Bonnie, Boo Boo was picked on at his previous barn, too. We wondered if it was his name ("Boo Boo? of course he's picked on!" "Boo Boo, after all the boo boos he gets?") but I think it might be because of his unique coloring.

After everyone ate their grain (plus some treats and supplements for Gobie) Bonnie asked me to guide Honey and Gobie to another paddock so she could move in Boo Boo, Cinder and Bo. All I had to do was walk along the fence by Gobie, down to where I wanted them to go. "He really likes you!" she said. Aw, shucks!

With everyone in their happy field, the gang all settled down for a good nosh on some hay.

Boo Boo and arch nemesis, Gobie.

Before I left, though Gobie came back up to the fence for one more treat.

Naughty, but still handsome.

Pretty Fancy

This weekend was another lazy one for Gobie and me. It was HOT and when these Maryland summers start getting humid and in the 90s the humans and animals seem to get on the same page and just want to hang out in the shade.

I'm a firm believe in hangout time being just as valuable as training. You can learn a lot about your horse while you're just spending time as pals. My favorite thing is just to be out in the field with Gobie and the other horses. Most often Gobie chooses to come to me all on his own, and I can groom and touch him all over without the benefit of a halter or lead rope.

The horse I had before Gobie was an open book. I personally knew her mother and father, who all of her previous owners were, where she lived her entire life and what she had done basically from the moment she was born. But Gobie's history for the most part is a mystery to me. I know he spent years at HorseNet Horse Rescue, and before that was part of an animal neglect case in Maryland. But who his parents were, what his life was like before the rescue, what he was taught or how he was treated is all lost in the wind.

But what I do know is that he's a pretty good pony.

Got any treats?

And it's fun to conjecture. Bonnie and a friend were out watching Gobie trot across the paddock and agreed that he looked gaited. Horses have different paces, most of them doing a walk, trot, canter or gallop. But some horses are what's called gaited and have an extra, ambling pace that's supposed to be a really smooth ride.

Bonnie and her friend further imagined that Gobie had some Paso Fino characteristics. Since we don't know who his parents were, it's hard to say if he's any particular breed of horse. Most likely he's what's called "Grade" which is basically the horse version of being a mutt--having different and/or undetermined breeding. Bonnie has a friend who breed Paso Finos, and she thought she might like to come out and take a look at him and give her opinion.

What we do know for sure is that he's a dun colored horse. Or, probably most technically a grullo horse. It's a kind of dun color, and he's got all the hallmarks:

Primitive striping on his legs.

Black tipped ears.

A dorsal stripe down his back.

And a cute tush.

Okay, so that last one isn't a grullo thing. Sometimes he looks pretty blue colored, but othertimes more yellow. It's kind of like having a chameleon horse. But so long as we're talking colors and markings, can we please talk about how cute the star on his forehead is?

Adorbs!

In addition to being a good pony, Gobie continues to be a ladies' man. He makes a fuss over his girl, Honey, who is probably almost ten years older than he is. And not to mention, a bit taller. She seems to enjoy his attention, though, and it's not the sort of attachment that causes an issue for the humans involved.

Honey was actually in season this weekend, and she was putting all the right moves on Gobie. He was attentive, but since he's a gelding, obviously couldn't do anything for her. He was gelded when he came to HorseNet at 3-years-old and I wonder if he ever did get a chance to help make any baby horses. He seemed kind of clueless about Honey, though, so probably not.

Honey is a beautiful looking horse and a good girlfriend I think.

Soon Gobie and I will have to start doing more complicated things. Since he's doing so well at the de-spooking and yeilding stuff, we'll probably move on to some lunging. And from there we'll try a bit of driving. Fingers crossed for some cooler weekends!

Hanging out by the pine trees

It was really quiet at the barn today, unless you count the crows. There weren't any other people around, so I guess the crows that live in the pine trees around Bonnie's place felt they should be vocal about it when I showed up. Even the corgis were enjoying the air conditioning inside. Actually, besides the horses, my only other pal at the barn was one of Bonnie's old cats.

Adorbs!

I took the time to wander around the place. On Bonnie's six acres there are several fenced off areas and run-in sheds. I visited the one attached to the tackroom first and spotted a big snake skin dangling from the rafters.

Wonder what the crows think about this?

I made my way to the two big back paddocks. They're sort of cut into a back third paddock by a pine tree line, sort of a natural fenceline. I wandered beyond the trees and checked out the two sheds back there.

It was really peaceful under all those pine trees. There's something about a carpet of pine needles on the ground that makes everything seem quiet and secret.

The horses must think so too, because they were spending a lot of time by the treeline.

I'm sure the shade had something to do with it.

It seemed like a good idea, so after Gobie and I did a little work in the field, I joined the horses down by the trees. I sat down on the ground several feet away from the group and just hung out and watched. It's nice to just be in nature, with the sounds of the woods and your thoughts.

Gobie, snoozing the the shade beneath a pine tree.

Honey and Kahlua and Cinder and Bo all were really relaxed and seemingly unconcerned with me just hanging out near them. Everyone's heads were low, and most of them had one back hoof tilted back in repose.

Gobie relaxin'.

My favorite part, though, was when Gobie meandered over for a visit. I didn't want him too close--I was sitting down cross-legged on the ground, after all, which is kind of a compromising position. But he just came over to say hi, and then moved back to the grass and his friends when I told him to leave me alone :)



Such a great relaxing and productive day. I've got a good little pony on my hands.

A Place for a Pony

Of course, if you're going to adopt a pony you'd better have someplace to put him. In fact, the biggest reason why we decided that we could adopt Gobie was because I found the perfect place to keep him. Since I've been looking for a place to board for literally years now, that's no small feat. Thank goodness I found Bonnie.

Bonnie boards three other horses, and keeps her own horse on her private 6-acre homestead. She's just about half an hour from my house and charges a really reasonable amount for board. Plus, she's really experienced and super nice.

The pine-tree lined driveway and side paddock.

The current residents, snoozing in the side paddock.

A work area.

The tackroom!

Two shelters.

The big back paddocks, with more shelters in the trees.

To even sweeten the deal, Bonnie allows dogs to visit so I can bring Locksley if I want. She has two corgis that are adorable and very friendly. I'm so grateful for the ability to keep my pony with her!