Working with Babies

I had my hands full this morning cleaning and caring for 5 weanlings in stalls, then working with the 2 that were leaving today and cleaning and hosing Sheena's leg.  The babies in the stalls were all thirsty as most of the water buckets had been dumped and all of the grain buckets.  I was pleased to see each foal drink and then gobble up the grain. They were also given more hay.  They are all eating and drinking well.  Lily's colt had lost his halter but was very well behaved when I put another one on.  Star's colt was led into the stall first to treat the scratch on his cornea then walked over to the side door of the trailer. He jumped right in after me, no hesitation at all. I wasn't sure what kind of trailer his owners were bringing so wanted to make sure he would willingly load even if it wasn't inviting.  Drifter, Galena's colt, was next. He too jumped right in after me. These foals are smart.
Next I pulled Zalena out with her colt. I was going to take them over to the cabin field but the colt thought it would be more fun to run around showing off.

Drifter and Zephyr's owner arrived this afternoon with a nice big roomy trailer all the way from Wyoming. They were pleased with both boys.

 Below they are waiting to load standing quietly tied while the trailer was made ready. 

Jacob showed up this afternoon with the bucket truck to help Philip work on the antenna. It really is amazing how Spark has a truck for every job.

One time they were going to be digging an outhouse at Middle Grove and Spark drove out with utility truck that had a huge auger on it. Karin was at Middle Grove, took one look at the truck and exclaimed, "You have an outhouse digger truck!"
Karin arrived after work and brought Studley. He loves coming here and is content to ride in the back of her car.

Karin went right to work helping with the weanlings. The first foal worked was Lily's colt. He is just HUGE!

 Below he is standing next to Jewel's filly.

 Below are all 5 weanlings, bet you can't guess which one is Lily's colt. HA ha, left to right is Jewel's filly, Madiera's filly, Foxy's filly, Rosaleigh's filly and finally Lily's colt. 

The next foal worked with was Jewel's filly. She had been put in a stall by herself as she was picking on Lily's colt all morning. She was not at all happy in that stall and not too happy with Karin when she took her out. She was expected to let that bag lay on her back, her legs and above her head.

 If she moved the bag was kept on but if she stood still the bag was taken away. She is a smart filly and figured out very fast to stand still. When she was accepting of that she was put outside with Lily's colt. 

Foxy's filly was next. She did reasonably well. When I was working with her in the stall in the morning and dropped the bag, she picked it up with her mouth and started nodding her head rattling the bag and scaring the other 2 foals in that stall.

When she was turned out she went right over to the bucket for grain. 

 She is a typical red head, she did not want to share and if another foal came near 'her' bucket she swung her back end at them and they backed off. Even big Lily's colt backed off. 

Rosaleigh's filly was next. She is gorgeous! She also did very well for Karin. 

I can't wait to get better pictures of her hopefully tomorrow in the round pen or arena. She moves really nice. The last foal to be worked was Madiera's filly. She was very sweet and it didn't take long for her to catch on what was expected. Who ever buys her is going to love her. She has the mega hair and the Andalusian Friesian cross is one of the best. They are athletic and really push off from behind, what all dressage trainers want, but they are also very sweet and people pleasers. She is a dark bay but looks almost black.

 She tied well and let me get all the burrs out of her mane and tail. She never once kicked at the plastic bag. She is just a really sweet filly. 

Not to brag or anything but this years foal crop is amazing and each owner will be thrilled.  Just to prove that, The lady that bought Hadassah's filly by Evan this year sent the email and picture below.

Judy,
I just wanted to send you an email update.
My farrier came out to do her feet yesterday, which he said, she’s the best baby he has ever worked on, I’ve been working on her feet, since the Friday she came home, so she stood perfectly like a pro!
She likes to paw the whole time she eats, so if I stand with her & brush her while she’s eating, she will not paw!
She’s my baby.
Within a week, she waits by the gates & nickers for me.
She comes running when I call her, which I love!
Her training is moving fast, cause she learns within 1 day, so I constantly have to add new things in, if not she gets bored!
She learned to bow with cookies by day 2!
She’s one of the smartest girls I’ve ever owned! I love her so much!
I work with her in the morning before work for about 30 minutes & 1 hour when I get home, little bursts- that includes brushing, walking, snuggle time! I don’t like to overdue them, but touch base on everything once all the time, that she’ll experience.
She is my world!
Thank you so much for such a wonderful girl!
Shannon

Now for the record, that is NOT a blind fold, it is a fly mask. This keeps the flies off the face and eyes. When using them at Bridlewood, we had people stop and ask, "why is that horse blind folded?"