More things on me!

I said before that my mom likes to 'do things' to me.  I put up with it just to make her feel good.  She thinks I am amazing, so gives me lots of attention and treats.

After getting used to the blanket, my mom started putting more 'things' on me.  I am used to a head collar (halter) being on my head, but then she put on something called a bridle.  This is more complicated and has a metal bar thingy that goes in my mouth - now that is weird!  I couldnt stop chewing on it, it tasted funny and was cold to start with.  After a while I got used to it in my mouth, but then I tried to eat my hay and it was impossible.  The thing in my mouth is called a 'bit' and sits on top of my tongue, so I wasnt able to move the hay to my back teeth so I could chew on it.  Not sure I am going to like this bridle thingy.

Dont I look good ?

Once I was used to the bridle my mom introduced me to something else.  This time it was on my back and under my belly.  She called it a bareback pad.  It didnt feel much different to my blanket, only shorter and softer, so I wasnt too bothered by it.  The strap around my belly was a little concerning though.

My friendly chicken was paying a visit!

During the summer my mom kept practising putting these things on me and I let her.  We also did lots of leading 'exercises' around the fields and I got to see the 'big' arena.  She made me step over things and walk around odd shaped things.  I just did as I was told.

Doing as I am told!

Shortly after my trip out with my brother, he went home to his mom's farm so she could ride him every day. That meant I could stay out in the field with Lucas all the time.  That was fun.  We got to play in the woods and the stream, and we could chill out in the run-in shed.  We would get fed out in the field too.  My mom walks round from the barn in the morning and the evening with our feed buckets.  We know she is coming because we hear her calling the other horses in to eat, that live at the barn.

One evening she was calling and calling and calling.  I thought she was calling me, so I thought I would help her out and meet her on her way round to our field.  I jumped over the field fence and trotted down the lane to meet her, but she wasnt there!  So I walked onto our neighbours lovely green lawn and ate some grass until I saw my mom.  I trotted over to her.  She didnt seem very happy with me at all!!  I got dragged back to the field and given my dinner.

At least once a week Lucas and I would be brought round to the barn and things done to us.  Lucas would be ridden and my mom would do 'things' to me.  I would get a good brushing and my feet picked out.  I am still unsure about this standing on three feet thing!  She would stand me in the barn aisle and try to tie me to the walls!  Again, something I am not so sure about.  It means I cant move my head to bite anyone.  The other horses just look at me and sigh.

I like to play with anything I can find.  My lips are always doing something!!  And this can get me into trouble.  My halter and lead rope hang on my door, so they are just asking to be played with.  I like to suck on my lead rope, which makes my mom worry, as so much of it seems to be in my mouth!!  I flip my halter up and down and around, hitting it off things - so much fun.  I know my mom wants to film me doing it, but as soon as she gets her camera out, I stop.  He he he.

My mom seems to like doing things to me, I dont know why.  I am quite happy just playing and eating.  One day she produced this huge piece of material that she said she was going to put on me.  She walked around me with it in her arms and brushed it against me.  I tried to move away, but we ended up going round and round in circles.  So my mom tied me up to the wall.  I could only go so far.  Eventually my mom managed to get this thing on me.  She called it a blanket.  She had to do up lots of straps to keep it on me.  After a while I realised that this blanket was actually good, I was warm underneath it, which was great on some of the cold and rainy nights.  

Maybe some of the things she does to me are good! 

Trailer trip

Lots of things happen to me at Corner House Farm. 

My first trip off the farm was to a leading clinic a couple of months after I arrived, with my big brother.  You remember the story of my big brother chasing me out of the field?  So you can imagine how I was a little nervous about being with him in a small trailer!

Before the clinic day, my mom wanted to practise trailering us together. Her trailer is a lot smaller than the one travelled in to get to the farm and I didnt think that I could get in it, let alone me and my brother together!!

My human mom and dad walked me out to the trailer and asked me to go in it.  I didnt!  They tried again - I didnt!  They tried again and again, being very nice to me and asking me to go in.  Occasionally I would take a step forward, but then I would take more steps back, just to fool them.  I got bored with this game pretty quickly though and walked in so I could eat what was in the bucket they were holding.  I was ok once I was in.  They closed the doors behind me, which scared me a bit, but I wasnt in there for too long.  I was glad to get back into the barn though.

On another day we went through all this again and because I was in a good mood, I decided to go into the trailer quicker.  They were very pleased with me and gave me lots of treats.  Maybe I will keep being good - I like the food!! 

The next time they decided to load me in the trailer, and I went in without any trouble, they loaded my big brother in next to me too.  He is a lot bigger than me!!  I was scared and tried to stay as far away as possible from him, which is difficult in a small trailer I can tell you.  The next thing I knew was the trailer actually moved.  We went for a quick ride around the neighbourhood and then they let us get out.  If I tell you the truth, it wasnt too bad of an experience.

A few day later the humans loaded us both back into the trailer, but the journey was longer and my brothers human mom was with us as well.  When they unloaded us we were some where completely different, which was a little scary to begin with, but I am brave - sometimes.  

This new farm had a big barn full of stalls and another with nothing in it.  I heard someone say it was called an indoor arena.  This is where we went.  My brother, Aviator, was being led by his mom and me by mine. There were other horses there too and everyone was walking around.  Then all of a sudden this man, who had been talking out loud to everyone, took me away from my mom and started leading me around.  We did lots of 'exercises' of stopping and turning.  I am only little, so this scared me a bit.  I did as the man said - once I understood what he was asking me to do!  I was very pleased when he gave me back to my mom.

We did some leading 'exercises' together, although I dont know why we had to, because mom leads me to my field and back everyday past lots of scary things and I do as I am told!?  Then she put me in a stall in the other barn and went and rode my brother.  After that we went home.  A very tall man called Michael helped get me in the trailer, because I didnt want to be next to my brother again.

I was glad to get home, I can tell.  I went straight to sleep.  That was a lot of work for a 18 month old.  I think my mom was pleased with me though, because she kept stroking me and saying nice things and giving me treats.