Tuffs First Trim!

Tuff Tuff says, "what's in there??"

So I was kinda nervous. Yes, I have been picking his feet up since he was a baby, and he does good. But its a whole different ball game when its the farrier, a stranger, and they are rasping and cutting etc, on the hooves and not just holding them.

Anyway, we decided to do it out in the pasture, since all 5 horses needed doing. He drove in on Daisy and Rusty's side, and we did them first. This was two days after we had rode them, and apparently she was still in one of her moods because as soon as I walked toward her she took off trotting away from me!! Oooooo, I was livid. Stinkin mare. So for some reason Rusty was still there (I think he was going to the bathroom) so I grabbed him and he did him first. This guy is FAST, I mean he trimmed all four did front shoes and it took him maybe 10 mins? Crazy. He does this for a living tho, like 70 horses a week he said. Still, I like to see one take his time and check angles and such, I don't think does anything with them. But I could be wrong. After Rusty the little BIL was able to get Daisy and he got her trimmed up, unfortunately she only acted up a little once, haha, so I only got to smack her with the lead rope that one time. (yes, I hold a grudge!)

Once they were done there he drove over to the dividing fence where the colts and Sugar are. (by the way they all get along quite well, she say stay out of my way, and they listen! But she doesn't chase them) Lee was already there attempting to put Tuff's oh so pretty red white and blue halter on, and was trying to keep the head piece buckled, lol. Why, I have no idea, so I said you have to undo it! He goes I KNOW, man, try to tell a man something and yikes. Anyway, he was the first caught, so the first done! I was so nervous, lol, I wanted him to be so good! I'm silly, I know.

The farrier got out of his truck and goes, "now thats a pretty colt!" I beamed! Don't we all love getting compliments on our horses! And he hadn't, and didn't, say a word about any of the other 4.

Anywho, he did good, not great. He wanted to pull back a few times and get his foot back (fronts, he's always had a bit of trouble with balance) But Lee was holding him and was able to keep him still enough. Although the whole time you could see tension in his neck and his head cocked sideways lol, usually a foot stuck out at an odd angle trying to stay up! Poor guy. The farrier was really nice though, saying he was just a baby, its just baby stuff. :) He's right. Lee thought he did a good job, so I'm happy I guess. Need to work on acting like I'm rasping etc on his foot though, and holding it between my knees more. As you can see here --> no prob with the back feet, hehe.

Now as for his buddy, Skip, who was next. He made me feel even better about Tuff, haha. At first he wanted NOTHING to do with that farrier. He is kinda skittish around strangers. And started yanking and running backwards. The older BIL had a hold of him, and later Lee said he thought Skip wouldn't have gotten so far if his bro could have held him. He's not go the muscles my man does, hehe. (or the fine behind!! sorry ;)

This pic here is so cute, Lee held on to him while the other horses were being done and he just stood there and relaxed, so cute. Ugh, that halter!

Anyway, after that Skip was just fine, no probs. Of course his owner wasn't there, and didn't believe us that he threw a fit at first. I ALMOST got it on camera, seconds too late. Boo! Hehe.

After Skip was done, we let the colts go and they wandered around eating while Sugar was being done. At one point Tuff got very curious about the farriers truck and kept trying to see in his windows and through the back door, it was hilarious! I've never seen a horse maneuver around and just stare into a vehicle like that, so funny. Thats what he is doing in the very first picture.

And here is a comparison of Tuff and Skips hooves, Skip has quite a bit smaller one:
I will leave you with the cutest head shot I have of Tuff yet! He looks so different 'naked' lol. I will also leave you with a small video of him getting his back foot done.


Hope all is well with everyone, have a good week!



Tuffs First Hoof Trim! from Britnieann on Vimeo.

Bad Daisy, Good Tuff Tuff

So had a pretty 'horsey' weekend. Saturday the two BIL's decided to ride horses, so I get a call from one of them asking if they can ride Daisy. I'm like sure. We were in town doin our saturday 'couple time'. We usually browse the flea markets or go to a 'fun store', ie, somewhere we want to buy something for ourselves. This week we went around the outdoor stores looking at bows. (as in bow and arrow, lol) I had decided I wanted one for my birthday (which was Sunday) and then we went to a place we have around here that has biking trails (SCARY ONES) and lots of hiking trails with creeks and neat rock formations. We've never been and it was cool and cloudy so good time for doing it! Had a LOT of fun, felt like we were dating again :).

Anyway, its been a week since I wrote that up top, so its going to be a challenge to remember anything clearly now! Just never got time to get this typed up.

So we went on home soon after they called, me being the worrier, I wanted to make sure they took care of my horse, and SHE took care of THEM. I also wanted to see yella mare rode. They had just gotten them out of the pasture when I got there, and soon had each saddled up. Although there was a bit of a hitch with Sugar. She has been rode in a tie down, due to her annoying head tossing, so the older BIL bought one for her. But he's never bought one before, and didn't really know what to get. All he bought was the leather piece that connects from the girth to the noseband, but no noseband. So after a while they finally decided to put her halter back on and clip it to the lead rope ring, it worked! Although not pretty, lol. She hit that a couple times and quit throwing her head as much.

So Daisy was okay, pretty good for the first part of the ride, although there was plenty of this junk going on. (see picture at right, not wanting to listen to the bit, swishing tail, etc.) I was trying to explain again how to neck rein her, although she doesn't do it well, you can still ride her in a manner that teaches it. Well it wasn't going well so I just thought he wasn't doing so good at getting through to her. Hah, little did I know.






At times she was just fine, as you see here, but do you know why?? She was doing what she wanted! STANDING STILL. Ey yi yi.

Anyway older BIL finally mounted up (little BIL was riding around by himself for a bit waiting on him, and I was so proud about how she was doing, at that point!) and we made sure to keep each mare far away from each other, lol. So Jesse went off in front and Sugar followed (not much on the way of steering with her as it turns out) and that worked well.
Sugar did pretty good, she would sometimes get stuck in a circle though, and not go where you wanted. Like I said, not much in the way of steering. (and they are riding her in a tom thumb, sigh)

After a bit they decided to put the bitless bridle on her, I brought it over for just that use. I'm sure the poor mare has some kind of teeth or something or other problem. Well she was pretty dull to it at first, and still tossed her head, so we snapped the tie down back on, and she did pretty well with it after that. I rode her a bit and she was really getting the hang of the turning cues. You just have to treat her like a green (or unbroke!) horse and be very slow and
clear about it all.

So after about, oh, 15-20 mins? She started getting noticeably ouchy on her front foot, one of them, or both? Dunno, didn't pay a whole lot of attention to that part of it. She is a good girl though, and didn't get pissy or annoyed, just kept plugging along. She even trotted when asked, although that was only done once after we saw how lame she was. I dunno if some kind of joint supplement for arthritis would help or what?

Anyway, back to Daisy. About the time Sugar started getting ouchy, Daisy started being a major PIA. She even started trying to get broncy!! I've got it on video, the little BIL was walking her down the hill and she puts her head down and starts prancing a bit just as if shes saying "you better watch it! I just might do it!!" Now, she was probably all talk and no show (so lazy) but it really made me mad. She finds t just too much work to slow her big fat body down when going down a hill, so she decided to show how much she disliked it. She did it again when the big BIL was riding her, when he asked her to trot. GRRRR. She never did buck, just such a PIA.

I got on her in between their rides, and she did no such thing to me, but I think she knows she had better not. Or I'm kidding myself and she just decided not to, lol. But she WAS a pain, not even THINKING about trying to listen to my neck rein, I was basically dragging her around all over. She wasn't listening to leg cues, nothin. Was really ticking me off. All she wanted to do was stand still up near the house. And if that wasnt what she was doing, she was just a major PIA. Yes, my fav abbreviation for her right now! lol

So anyway, I had to get off her at one point to help them put the bitless bridle on Sugar (its a bit of a puzzle at first) and then never got back on her as the big BIL had commandeered her, or I might have gotten her straightened out, doubtful, but who knows. I think it was just one of her 'mare' days. UGH! She is notoriously a major hiney in heat. Every one of her previous owners has said so, lol. What a pain. Hope to never see one of those moods again, or at least not for awhile!

So anywho, no one fell off or got hurt, but it just annoyed me that she wasn't her typical 'put anyone on her and go' horse, I was really worried about the little BIL riding her, as he doesn't really know what to do when a horse acts up. Like when she put her head down to bronc, he just sat there. Sigh. We were yelling PULL HER HEAD UP! haha.

So anywho! To the good Tuff Tuff part! He did so good for his first trimming. I think I'll put that in the next post, this one is getting kinda long! Till then!

<~~ The little BIL really looks kind of ridiculous on Sugar, she is MAYBE 15 hands and he is like 6'3 or taller, haha.

A Tuff Story and a New Mare

<-- Tuff gettin his dinner in early Sept.

So I decided to blog since its been forever! Even though I really don't have much to say. Did have an interesting day with Tuff the other day though. Not really interesting in a good way either.

So Rusty, the BIL's gelding sliced open his foot just above his hoof the other day, and the FIL had him out doctoring him. So I decided to call Tuff up and feed him, then get him out to play a bit. Also, HE got cut up the other day and I wanted to assess the damage. (apparently he got out of his pasture and into Daisy and Rustys SOMEHOW! I wish we had a camera out there! The bottom wire on the fence was loose. Did he roll under it?? The cuts are all on his belly and neck. So weird. The FIL found him running he** bent for leather with his mommy hot on his butt, TERRIFIED! She is so evil to him!)

Anway, got him out and fed him, then walked him over to a tree I usually tie him at. Well he was definitely not in the tying mood. Rusty was hollering for Daisy, and every time he did, Tuff would. Then the new mare (more about her later) would holler, etc. And it was windy and a little cool, all of you know what that does to a horses temperament, lol.

So I brushed him for awhile, brushed his tail out, that takes awhile, its so thick and long. He was standing okay, not relaxed, and a little antsy, but okay. Then I walked off from him and he would wiggled and turn and kept trying to wrap himself around the tree. *SIGH* The tree I had him tied to was not a great place, but all that I had. The FIL had Rusty at the other tying spot and I didn't want to get close to him. SO, everytime he wrapped himself up (yes, I had him tied short enough, the tree was just too skinny so he could walk around it. EDIT: Actually, looking through my old posts, its the the same one he's tied to on June 26th Yearling Fuglies)

I would walk over and put him back in place and step back again. He also tried rearing up at the tree a few times to see if it would let him loose, lol. (something he did when we first started tieing him as a foal) And of course he did the ever popular pawing routine, but I would throw a pine cone at him if he did that (usually missing him completely).

Well one time he wrapped himself up and I didn't move fast enough and he snugged himself up so tight to the tree he got upset and tugged a bit and SNAP, there went the thin leather crown piece (actually the hole where it adusts stretched and broke) and he was free free free! *SIGH*

So I didn't panic! I just walked calmly after him (he trotted over to the fence. His buddy Skip and the new mare had left him earlier, causing him to be even more worried, and he wanted in there to find them!) and started rattling his feed bucket, thankfully still where I had left it, and calling him like I do when I call him up to feed him. He came over to me in just a few moments and I got the lead rope around his neck and put the halter back on as best I could. PHEW! So I drug him over to the shed and miraculously found a halter in there that fit him (he has such a little head) and I took him over to the tree Rusty was at (at some point in time after he got lose the FIL had walked him back out to the pasture). So I tied him up there, but my knot kept coming undone -_-.

Finally the FIL got back and he did a better knot for me and I just sat in the grass and watched him. He wiggled around some more, pawed, hollered, and acted like a little brat, but eventually he started to stop and put his head down, cock a leg, for a few moments, and then wiggle again. Finally he did it for a good few minutes so I got up and untied him and we walked around a bit working on leading skills etc, then I put him back up. At this time he was MUCH calmer, acting like a good boy, and I was pleased. It was funny, but every time the knot I did came loose, and I went over to retie it, he would be still and act happy that I was there, lol, he was lonely. But he needed to learn a lesson!

When we got to the gate Skip was there waiting for him :). Tuff touched noses with him for a while and you could tell how happy he was, lol.

SO, not a great outing, but ended well. I am glad he never sat back and pulled. He will go to the end of his rope and come back, like a yo yo, he has never pulled while tied, thank God. The only reason he got loose is because that halter is a breakway, which I wouldn't have tied him in that if I wasn't right there to watch him. (which, a lot of good that did, geesh) And really its the only one that we have that fits him. (or so I thought) So he now has a ugly faded red white and blue one he can wear, ugh, till I can get the money for a new one, durn breakaways are expensive!! But that is all I will turn him out in, so now he is 'naked' for the time being. I will not have a injured/dead horse on my hands from getting hung up in a nylon halter in the pasture somewhere.

So! Onto the new mare!! Skip, the SIL's (sis in law) little palomino colt came from the same place that this mare did, my husbands aunt and uncle. She is also a palomino, and old as dirt. LOL, well not really, I think she is 21. But she LOOKS 21. Daisy is will be 19 this spring but she looks like she is in her early teens. Or younger. She is short also. MAYBE 15 hands. I have money on 14.3, lol. She could definitely use some groceries, but try convincing the all-knowing FIL of this *SIGH*. (I seem to be doing that a lot this post) The uncle says she was a show horse "with a ton of blue ribbons". Really, says I, in what? "Oh I dont know, that was before I bought her". Nice.

So she has pretty decent conformation, the way she is set up kinda leans me towards some sort of pleasure? But she has the FASTEST walk I've ever seen. And I'm talking about just walking in the pasture! Its very purposeful, lol, kinda funny. So maybe a gaming horse? Around here a barrel racer would be right on target. She is short and seems to like to be moooving. (another clue to this comes up below)

Sorry, no picture yet, but will definitely get one soon.

So here's the funny thing. Well one of them, another later. She was out in a huge pasture with at least 9 or 10 other mares and geldings, and has been for years. I think they rode her last, um, 5 years ago? Lol, yeah. When we picked her up, Lees uncle says, "Oh, I ride her in a tie-down" as a passing comment to my BIL. BIL goes "okay." And I'm thinking in my head "WHY??" Because people don't just ride a horse that behaves in a tie-down for the heck of it, lol. But of course he didn't ask, and I wasn't going to ask (I barely know him).

So, the BIL rode her the other day (I wasn't there sadly) and found out why, heheh. She tosses her head alll over the place apparently. Lovely. See, she is supposed to be a mount for the little BIL (see: 3rd Ride and Bareback It). Who has rode a few times, yes, but doesn't know how to RIDE. You know? And I'm not altogether sure she is as great a choice as his uncle thinks. He said she also doesn't want to stay stopped. As in one of those can we go now? now? now? NOW? horses. Ugh. So we know she is a head tosser, fast walker, and apparently has a bit of 'fire' to her. For a young person who hasn't rode a lot. Yeah! *SIGH*

But I can't really judge her till I see her ridden myself, or even better, ride her myself. So I will reserve total judgement until a further date, lol. She is super cute though, and has a loving personality. She is usually staring at us from the fence wanting someone to come get her out or pay attention to her. And will stand there all day if you want to pet her or brush her, etc.

Oh, the other funny thing. She limps at will. As in, the uncle says she will walk sound all day long in the pasture but as soon as you come at her with a saddle she is lame. Its just a quirk of hers, and she will walk out of it eventually. (they trail rode her, apparently she will go anywhere on one easily) So I asked the BIL about this and he said she was fine for awhile, and then he got off for some reason, and back on, and she started limping a bit on a front leg. Great. I just find it hard to believe that this is something a horse would cook up in its head, lol. The uncle says he has taken her to numerous vets and they can't find anything wrong, but who knows. Still sounds a bit odd.

She is in with the two colts right now, she deals with them well. If they get near her she will pin her ears and make sure they KNOW she doesn't want them there, and they will get away with their baby mouths going, lol. But she wont bite or kick at them, thankfully. So all is well there I guess, for now. I just hope our pasture will last. And that we bought enough hay for the winter.

Anywho, as usual I've written a book, geesh. I guess I'll end with that. I put a pic up top of me feeding Tuff one afternoon, Lee and I rode the 4wheeler out there and I just set the bucket there and he ate out of it haha, poor Skip is like wheres mine?? He looks much better now, filled out nicely.

Here are a few random pics I've taken over the last two months.

Tuff and Lee Lee after dove hunting one afternoon

Tuff lookin perty

Rusty pretending to be a pleasure horse.

And looking more like himself there, lol, he still looks like a stud geesh. (they did geld him late)

Ta ta everyone!