Sunday, May 3, 2009

First Day Home


Once Steven arrived with our spare children, Tianna and Scott, teenagers, they were introduced to Sage and shortly afterward started brushing Dazzle. They ofen come over, tack up Dazzle and set off into the park, taking turns riding and walking. Dazzle is one of those good boys: 21 years old, solid and sane on the trail and never does anything he feels the rider is not ready for. So far, Sage seems that she could one day be very much like him. She whinnied a few times when they left, but settled down quickly. Good.

The kids departed and Steven was doing some paddock finishing touches, all the while Sage observing him, not at all put out by the pounding of the hammer and adjustment of gates. When the kids returned, Sage was to be brushed and have her first outing at the new place.

Steven placed her in cross ties, the kids keeping Dazzle and themselves busy in the practice area under the powerlines. Steven walked her out there an let her check out the area, making a few laps while Tianna and then Scott put Dazzle around a barrel pattern, slowly. She was very curious of the blacked areas from recent brush burning, and once inspected never gave it a second thought. her experience in the practice area was completely uneventful.

My neighbors stopped by with a welcome home bag of treats. Steven led Sage into the driveway. She didn't care much for the sound of her feet on the cement, it was a bit hollow sounding..... but was compliant and generally quiet. He let her graze a bit across the street and led her back to her stall.

A while later Steven discovered that Sage had tested 'the fence'. Although her paddock has wood fencing, with pipe gates, the other's are only electric tape fencing. A strip 1/2" white elctric fence tape lines the top rail to deter leaning....Steven discovered a rather long section laying on the ground, extending into Sage's paddock. The clip was no where to be found. She was at the far end of the paddock, and her curiosity got to her and she approached the tape, nose to the ground. She sniffed and sniffed, finally touching it: ZAP: which set her back a couple steps....but certainly not very upset about it....testing? I unplugged it, he repaired it and it was turned back on. I swear she understands how it works: she watched the entire process.

Steven and the kids gave all 3 hay, some inside, some out as it was starting to rain. Sage nibbled on and off at the outside pile, but didn't want any part of going into her stall. I was waiting for my friend Meri to come by with a couple friends from her lesson barn so I went out and tried to coax her in, out of the rain. Caly, the appy came to the fence, she squealed at him and went to the far end of the corral....hmmmmm.

Caly is, shall I say : Not so nice. His breast collar says:" This Horse Is.....Not Very Nice. Pretty much says it all. He pretends to be sweet and kind, but that often doesn't last long...he is my favorite horse, I am not sure why. Perhaps I just like the Bad Boys. There are vertical bars from a half wall to the ceiling which divide his stall from hers. They have a short stretch of adjoining paddocks at the rear of the barn, where the electric fence had been broken. Their feeders are on opposing walls, but the hay was in the opposite corner. He came around the back, she saw him, let out a little squeal, pinned her ears back and went to the other side of her paddock. Something to watch.....I mentioned to Steven he may want to lock her in the other stall again tonite....

My friend and her 2 barn buddies came to meet this 'wild' horse. For the first time, Sage was a bit agitated. She was fine with the people, remained outside, away from her hay, and for the first time actually pinned her ears. She was inquisitive of her visitors and behaved herself, except for raising a foot, flattening her ears, when Steven touched her back near her tail. She was agitated, not horribly so, but her attitude had definitely changed..............

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