home again home again

He has been grumpy about eating his breakfast alone. Ruby and Envoy do not need breakfast when there's grass, so he gets to come in for a light hay pellet ration with his bute. He says he'd rather have company. They say they'd rather not come in to watch him eat. Fortunately, tomorrow is the last day of bute, and he can enjoy his grass with the others. I'll just bump up his hay pellets for dinner. The good thing about feeding hay pellets is that you don't have to worry as much about overfeeding. The tummy is built for grass, so more hay isn't going to upset it.

That's good, though weird about wanting an audience for eating. Still who knows what goes through those pony brains.

Envoy was a star today. It was HOT outside, and a friend brought a kid he's watching to ride. I don't usually let people just ride, but the kid helped with barn chores in the heat of the day, and groomed. He seemed to have a really good time, and Envoy was a super babysitter. He didn't spook when the kid waved his arms around, and made an extra effort to listen to a brand new rider trying to understand how to use legs and hands. I love my Big Pony.

What an Incredible Pony. Give him some extra carrots.

Oh, Ruby Rue. I didn't know you don't like to have flies smacked on your neck. Poor girl. I swatted one hard while she was in the ties, and she broke her halter and ran away. Fortunately, she went right to the pasture where her brothers were. (I think Envoy told her to just wait there or there would be no cookies.) I don't know how she did it, but she skinned up her fetlock. Nothing serious, but it looks like it stings. I put some ointment on it to keep flies away.

We had a really nice ride after that. I had to explain that I just wanted to keep the big things off, and she seemed to accept that. She was wonderful to ride as usual. I think I will send her for some professional training in the winter because I think she has a lot of potential that I won't be able to bring out without some help. I just worry that she will be sad without her brothers close by.

UGH!! Poor girl.  It's been so dry here that bugs have not been a big problem.  I'm sure the fetlock is a bit tender.

Too bad you can get home schooling from a local trainer.

I could, but in the winter, the footing is a problem. The place I would use isn't too far away, and I could visit her quite a bit. I haven't decided on it for sure, but I can feel that Ruby is a very talented girl, and she LOVES to think.

That's too bad. Still go for it, talent like that should not go to waste.

Yes, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Is she part Arab by any chance? They're known to be highly intelligent. And if intelligence isn't being used it's so easy to be extra naughty for something to do and think about (for peoples as well as ponies).

It's been so rainy we have floodwater mosquitoes...very aggressive and more than plentiful. I'm downright anemic from all the blood they've taken from me. They're out 24/7.

She's full Crabett Arab. And everything you say is true. She needs to think and loves to figure things out.

I rode today, and she saw/heard/smelled something really scary. She stopped, put her head in the air, and refused to go forward. I asked her for a step, and she went, but was acting really frightened. I had no idea what got her going, so I dismounted and walked her past the scary spot. No clue what it was, but once she was past it, everything went back to normal. I got back on, and we went a little more before we turned around and walked calmly by the scary spot. Mysteries! She's awesome.

The name sounds familiar, weren't they a famous breeding establishment in England. I thought they Crabbett line had been dispirsed and lost/

That is weird. Could you smell anything?

Nope I couldn't smell anything. I thought I heard something shuffling through the woods, but it sounded like a squirrel. She isn't scared of those usually. Maybe it was a sneaky hunting dog.

Crabbets are still around. They have a real fan base (and now I know why). I will find out Ruby's percentage of Crabbet blood soon. Need to send in the $$. I think she's somewhere around 75%.

http://www.ecahs.org
https://www.crabbet-heritage.com

Interesting, thanks for sharing that.

Very interesting, I'd never heard of that line of Arab before. No wonder she's so smart!

Today was farrier day. He showed up early because it was supposed to (and did) get hot. Everyone behaved, and were happy to be inside for a while. They went back out until around 2:00 when it got really warm. I brought them in and turned on the fans. Ruby is funny about that. When I put the "foot" fan on, she stands in front of it and basks in the breeze. It's really cute. I think she's saying, "Where has this been all my life?"

That has to be a funny sight. It sounds like Antonio and the a/c he has found the perfect spot on the Giant Cat Bed where he gets the draft from the a/c when it kicks in and the draft from the ceiling fan.

A really hot weekend is predicted. It will be dry too. Maybe I can get some pasture and lawn mowing done. The ground should dry up a bit. Ruby will be basking, and the boys will be napping with their fans. I thought about trying to ride this morning, but the sun is already brutal. I'm getting wimpy in my old age!

From what I've seen on the news your not wimpy but smart. Basking pony, I would love to see that.

Very smart pony, she knows a good thing when she sees (and feels) it!

I got up "early" this morning and rode Ruby on a very short ride down the street. It was 80 humid degrees at 8:30, so we just walked. She was fine even though we went the opposite direction from the way she usually goes. We ended up at the neighbor's house where she stuck her head up to say hi to the boy horses, and then took a nap in the shade of the trees while I talked to the neighbor. It was a very nice ride even though we were both pretty warm when we got back, and I had yet to drink my coffee. It was ok though. I came in and cooled off a bit while it brewed, and Ruby had a shower and went back out for a while. It's just about time to bring everyone in for fan time.

I saw the photo of her basking. Pony nirvana.

We're going to try a holiday ride with the neighbors tomorrow. The weather is supposed to cool down, so maybe we won't melt. I'm tempted to braid some red and blue yarn into Ruby's made.

That sounds like fun and so does the braid job. You dress up a bit for the holiday.

I never dress myself up, and I'm REALLY opposed to wearing the flag in any kind of way. But, a white pony with red and blue highlights would be a little holiday fun. (Not going to mention that she's an Arab though. LOL)

I'm with you on wearing the flag as clothing. And the fact she is Arab gives it a bit of irony.