Of course, the second she saw me coming with it, she turned tail and bolted headlong, cantering lightly all the way from the front part of her pasture to the back. She maintained her right lead perfectly right from the get-go, performed a lovely and perfect change to the left about halfway across, and then executed another perfect change back to the right when she reached the other side. I was late for work and not about to go galumphing across all of nature to try and reach her, so I just gave up and put her flysheet and muzzle (flymask has already been lost to the depths of my 15 acres) by the gate, and tried again at lunch. As predicted, once I finally reached Gogo across the entire length of the field (gone are the days when she'd come running to me... grass is WAY better than mom), I put her gear on and waited to see how long it would take for her to figure it out. Of course, she didn't figure it out. I watched from my house as she wandered listlessly to and fro across the length of her field, eventually ending up standing pathetically by her gate. She stayed there for hours, again. And when I took off her muzzle, she refused to eat her supplements, again. I'm going to have to get something to mix them with, I think. But what? For being a voracious pig she really can be quite picky when she wants to be.
Mom, take it off!!!
Aaah that's better.
Check out the completely out of control mane. I have given up on it for the moment.... it flipped to the wrong side and continues to be a total wild and hairy nightmare. Also check out the CHUNK.
Ham. Or maybe I should say pork...y.
Happy, fat, gleaming mare. She might be filthy (no matter how much I groom and bathe her, she's just... dirty all the time!), but underneath all that shedding hair I can see dapples trying to escape!
Will she eat a handful of soaked beet pulp (my mare won't)? I have to mix Her Highness a lb of Ultium with her supplements or she won't eat 'em. She doesn't need ANY extras right now either as far as calories but I refuse to let her waste her Platinum and she does so much better on it. GoGo looks awesome- her eye is soft, she looks so relaxed and *happy*!! Hope everything else is well :)
ReplyDeleteShe's the picture of health despite the fat, maybe she doesn't need all those supplements right now anyway...
ReplyDeleteThe grass belly suits her :) Gogo looks great. If she's making due without the supplements, perhaps she could take a break from them?
ReplyDeleteShe is relaxed and happy being a horse -- thumbs up! Aside from a vitamin balancer, does she really need her supplements? Maybe squish them into some beet pulp or carrot baby food?
ReplyDeleteWell, she does for sure need her vit/min supplement. After all she's eating nothing else but pasture right now anyway! I'm pretty sure that the SmartFlex Repair is probably useless (joint/tendon supplement), and the SmartShine is just me wanting her just as gleamingly shiny as she was last year on flax. I do have her on a bug-off supplement too because she is surrounded on all sides by cows, and the bugs here are HORRIBLE. She HATES bugs!
ReplyDeleteShe looks VERY happy!
ReplyDeleteYou made her sound morbidly obese. SHE LOOKS HEALTHY TO ME!!!! haha
ReplyDeleteWell, with the mane I'd say wait another few nches of length and it may settle down, it's still pretty short in terms of a "non show fancy" mane.
ReplyDeleteWith the mussle can you try using it as a nose bag to see if she can work out that if you put it on the ground you can eat with it - or just get another one and make the holes much bigger until she gets the idea.
With vit/mineral suppliments have you had the pasture tested yet to see what it is lacking/strong in? the other option that worked well in the past for us was to have a multi mineral mix and a salt block in the pasture for the horses to access as they wanted.
trying again.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Stef from Montana. So sad with that muzzle on, awwww. I love horses but could never have one. However I have lots of kitties. OK, bugs, yukkers. all it takes is one and they can eat their way out of a bag of food in no time. There is a large feral colony here (mice from the grain elevators), and sadly they all have feline leukemia. I currently have 11 I care for and an elderly dog. It has been very important to watch what I give them, their systems are weak and prescription worming can kill them. I am saying this all, so you can research for yourself. The people who take care of the grain use FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth. It is also used against parasites. I took it and got rid of the worms I picked up from the cats. eck. Still take it every day. Mixed with litter, no flies! (foodgradede com) Other than buying their product I am not associated with them in any way. Please all you bloggers with your horses should look into this. I know you don't know me and it's my first time here but please look into this. Every animal deserves the best and natural is always better than chemicals. We have those hobo spiders but I sprinkle DE where they come in and all I find now are dead ones.
I envy you, I've been able to ride only a few times and it was awesome, you so lucky to have a horse of your own. My best to every one here, Stef
She looks like a hunter ;-)
ReplyDeleteDressager, that's what people who are used to looking at fat horses always say! As for me I've never seen a 350lb woman running around jumping hurdles with grace and ease, much less not have aching joints and soft tissue from all that excess weight being carried around... obesity does not equal health in humans, so why do we equate it with health in horses!
ReplyDeleteWhen Nicole says she looks like a hunter, she means SHE'S FAT! And SHE'S RIGHT! ;)
Stephanie, thanks for the tip!! I will def look into that! :)
I think that she is fat, but I also think that she can easily loose it, she’s not obese and I am sure that if she wears her muzzle for a bit every day, and has plenty of work it won’t be a problem, and maybe she might be a bit more wiling to take her supplements, if she isn’t over weight, anyway I think she’s a very nice looking horse,
ReplyDeleteRegards
Edward
Edward, she has a tendon injury she is recovering from, and therefore cannot be worked. She is not sound and may not ever be unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteGosh Andrea Gogo is looking good. She must be loving that grass for sure
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ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about Gogo’s tendon injury, I did not know as am new to your blog my bad.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Edward
I vote breed her. We all know you would love the baby and give it a fabulous home no matter how it turned out. Gogo is a super nice mare, no one can argue that. Its not as if you're breeding a mare with crooked legs that was born lame and hasn't done anything but sit in a pasture. You know what she is capable of, so forget all the internet nazis. They're never going to be happy unless you get an OTTB anyway ;) which we all know isn't happening. I've been reading for years, and you are without a doubt, one of the best horsewomen I've ever come across.
ReplyDeleteThat's all right Edward! I wish I could work her for sure! That would make my job way easier ;)
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