Thursday, November 4, 2010

Leaves are falling all around

I took this picture of Sovereign yesterday before I started grooming him (you can see mud on his head under his ear!). I love how he closes his eyes when he is munching. I took about 7 pictures all in a row and he has his eyes shut in every one. That is the cutest trait, I think. He is not a super relaxed horse (except under saddle) and it is nice that he can let down his guard and close his eyes when he is eating.

Here is a shot of his poochy legs. Not too great for confirmation, but adorable, just the same!

Post-ride grazing with more eye shutting.
Both horses have been perfect this week. The temperatures have warmed up to high 50's around noon. I have been eating lunch at 9:30 am (!) so that I can have the best part of the day to groom and ride and graze. When I get to the barn at 11, the boys are curled up sleeping in the shade. My favorite part of having horses, is watching their behaviours and personalities in action. I think I could write a children's book about the adventures of Pie and Sovey. I already mentioned that they are like the odd couple. Pie (Oscar Madison) is a chubby, messy boy. He shakes his mane out as soon as I brush it, so that it falls all over the place. He loves the mud. He groans (merrily) when he rolls, pees or poops! He is relaxed and large and spread out and happy. He eats heartily and grazes without inhibition. Sovey (Felix Unger) is persnickety and neat as a pin. When he rolls, he is anxious and stiff. He hardly ever gets any mud on him. He doesn't like to be curried. I have to brush him in a softer manner than any other horse I have ever met. He nibbles grass, but takes frequent breaks to look around. He watches the neighbors, not like he is worried, but more like a Nosey Parker. It is difficult to be on the property without Sovey finding me. I try to refill buckets without him seeing me (because his only "messy" trait is that he likes to swim in fresh buckets) but he knows where I am at all times.
Their sleeping routine is enough to crack me up. You can see Sovey "saying" to Pie, "Ok, I am going to curl up here, and you keep watch." Then, Sovey circles and down he goes, slowly and carefully. As soon as Pie sees him doing that, you can see him completely forgetting that he is supposed to keep watch. His eyes get sleepy and he flops down and snuggles into a tight circle beside Sovereign. Sovey, annoyed, stands back up to keep watch. Pie is like a big Labrador puppy who is bigger in size, but actually, the younger "brother" (not really brothers). He just can't listen to Sovey's directions. I do worry that Sovereign really never gets to rest fully. Hopefully, as Pie ages, he will take on a little more responsibility and give Sovey a chance to sleep better. I know they sleep standing up, but my human brain loves to see horses sleeping like little deer in the pasture.
It is pouring rain right now, so I am sure they are snoozing in their shed. It is a sleepy kind of day.

13 comments:

  1. Cute descriptions of their personalities! I agree, getting to know them as individuals, and all their behaviors, is one of the best parts of horse ownership.

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  2. Sweet post. Sweet horses. How wonderful that Pie and Sovey have opposite personalities, somewhat like our Koda & Nemo (who are also related to each other). We learn to love those differences, like we do with our children. Enjoy the rainy-sleepy day, for the thoughts and coziness it brings. I enjoy them, as long as there isn't a long stretch of them without sun.

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  3. Sweet horses. I love learning their personalities, especially those I work for people and the people describe their "problems". For instance I really started working this Halflinger gelding harder this week and with only me catching/grooming/feeding him I found out what his issues are. Hes a very sensitive, low energy fellow. When he does something like spook, paw or rub his mom when being driven team his owner growls his name at him "MIKE!" which makes him anxious. Even though hes 9 years old hes got serious herd bound issues when he can SEE his mother or younger brother. When I went to catch him the first day it took me 10 minutes. The second day 1 minute and yesterday 10 seconds and today hopefully he doesn't turn away at all. I just hope his owner can follow through and realize hes really not deviant.

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  4. Oh my god thia post was so adorable. First the closed eye nibbling and then the Felix and Oscar analogy and then Pie sneaking in a nap when he is supposed to be on watch! That is hilarious!!! I love that you have both of them. That is truly a wonderful. ee are so lucky to be in the company of horses. Very lucky indeed.
    It is raining here too Bleccchh. I hope your thin-skinned boys are staying warm!!! Don't you wish you could bring them in the house with you!? even if Pie would make a mess of it!

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  5. I love your descriptions of your horses!

    Write down that idea for a children's book. I think it would be a wonderful hit. I agree how great it is watching their personalities (AND when they are laying down to rest). I have sat for long periods just watching them.

    Dream rolls in the mud and today I even GENTLY used my metal curry (usually reserved for cleaning brushes) on him, also Mr. Thin Skin, to remove the thick dried on layer. I can barely touch him with it but I told him he was like a big old draft horse with me using it.

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  6. Juliette,

    In keeping with knowing that copying is the highest form of compliment, I have decided to title my blog posts after the name of a racehorse. Just didn't feel right if I didn't tell you where the idea started.

    Allison C.

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  7. Allison - That is a great idea!!!! Very cool!!! Thanks for the compliment, but never, ever, worry about copying. I am a painter and have spent years worrying about borrowing ideas from others and then interpreting them in my own way. I had lunch with my high school art teacher a few years ago and she very insightfully reminded me that Andy Warhol taught us all that borrowing from our landscape (Campbell soup cans, coca-cola, Brillo Pads, etc) is just that - looking at our personal "landscape" and interpreting it in our own way. I may use song lyrics as blog posts, but using the name of a racehorse is your idea completely. I love it! Wish I had thought of it! Coincidently, last year's Kentucky Derby post title on my blog was from a Counting Crows' song, Horsedreamer's Blues. The line was "Tiyuri to win, Perfect Dozen to Place". Tiyuri and Perfect Dozen must be fictional horses, because I never found them listed on any Thoroughbred Pedigree (well, there are a million Perfect Dozens) but I loved that post title because I love that a song talks about racehorses. My mother thought that was the stupidest post title ever! She thought I was quoting some other language - lol!

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  8. Juliette!
    I adore that conception thought of wrting children's books about your horses...what a way to connect with children and you would be inspiring them to love horses too!

    Oh...am kinda excited about it already. You should take a journal with you...one that can be devoted to concept ideas.."as they sprout and happen"...cause ya know...you never get that thought back the same way as WHEN it hit your brain the first time!

    Funny you mention copying...I just took a photo of a book that my mom loaned us...And I am worried about psoting the photo of the book...but I have decided to do it anywayt...it could render the dude more book sales!

    PS
    (trying to get my post ready, the one that will lead me to give away one of your delightful psoters!!!)remember to come on by today~

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  9. Thank you so much for your comment about bitless! That is exactly why I am here-- already I don't feel so bad about how Dream behaves. I will dump the chain-- we are trying the pony tomorrow. You comments about the "other" horse during riding are so helpful. Everything is helpful! THANK YOU

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  10. And thanks for the helpful comment above, also.
    :-) I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I've always loved their names: talk about tight editing, squeezing so much information and thought and imagery into 1-3 words.

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  11. Thanks everyone for all the great comments. KK girl - very excited for the contest! I do have to start writing the stories down. Allison - you are going to love all these horse blogs. I have learned SO much from everyone - you will too! Just when you come in from the barn worried about some new "problem" there is a blogger talking about how to fix it! I love the horse blogging community. No one here minds if I talk horses all the time! (Unlike everyone in my real world!)

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