Week #4

Tuesday visit: WINDY. (cough, cough)

With the dust flying around and the wind gusting hard enough to rattle the roofs over the stalls, I decided it was a little too exciting to take Badger out today. Definitely too wild for the turnout. I instead spent time cleaning out his stall, then two of the other horses' stalls.

Badger's still a bit nervous about his face and head, but interestingly that's also where he enjoys being scratched the most—learned this last visit when I was brushing him and decided to brush his forehead. Since it was cool and the wind was so high, there really wasn't a need for the flymask, so I took it off him and (after a moment of twitchiness) I got a couple light scratches in. As soon as he realized what I was doing, his head began to droop lower and lower, his eyelids at half-mast while I started really scratching him.

I noticed a dent in the bridge of his nose...I wonder if it's from having had that halter on too tight back at that old place? :( Looking back at his old pics, his halter was buckled on the fourth notch...I only tighten it to the second one when I take him out and that's plenty. Yikes. Also I think the weather must be getting colder, since I notice he's getting distinctly fuzzier. Here's his weekly progress pics (check that neck!):

The funniest part of today was when I was leaving, though; he seemed a little confused when I put his flymask back on after the photos. As I reached for the stall door to let myself back out, his head poked around my side and he very deliberately nosed (and lipped) the halter hanging on the gate as if to say, "Hey, did you forget this...?"

What a change from only three weeks ago, when he'd barely let me put it on. It was after he did that that I realized why he'd kept trying to stand in the same corner near the door. While in his stall, I'd tried to lead him away from the corner so I could take a photo, and he kept circling back to that same corner he's standing in in the photos...now I think he was trying to stay in that corner because that was the corner in which I'd been putting his halter on him, before we went out.

...Am I training this horse, or is he training me?

Friday visit: Finally, the turnout!

I figured I should have the camera at the ready for Badger's first time trying out the big turnout area...so here's some videos of him thoroughly enjoying himself. :)







For an old guy, he sure is spry! I left him out there while I cleaned up and he had a great time sniffing at things and trotting back and forth. I'm still surprised he did the full roll. Must feel GOOD.

What surprised me more, however, was the end of the turnout. When I was done cleaning and he looked like he had gotten out his exploring and fun, I figured it was time to bring him in. Suddenly it occurred to me that I hadn't...had much experience with him in that big of a free space...and with his tasty, nutritious food, he was more energetic than ever.

Now a little concerned, I slung the halter and lead rope over my shoulder and opened the gate. He was just standing in the very farthest end of the turnout, looking at the road and the fields. I called him a couple times and nothing...I got an over-the-shoulder curious look, and then he went back to looking at stuff. Well, at least he's not running, I thought to myself as I started to walk slowly down the fence towards him.

I'd gotten about halfway down the field before he looked at me again, and after a moment he was GALLOPING from his end of the turnout, past me, towards the other end where the gate was. Half of me was super happy that he felt good enough to run (and impressed that he looked good doing it); the other half of me was groaning, anticipating a tedious back-and-forth chase. So back I went, walking towards the gate and the corner where he stood.

The big surprise was...he DIDN'T run! I wonder if he simply associates haltering with "stand near gate," because once he got to that corner, he just stood there very calmly and stuck his nose through the halter as if I was taking him out of his stall. He even "helps" a little with gates now, by pushing them open with his nose.

Surprises every day. :)