Wednesday, February 23, 2011

we are three together, we are for each other


Here is Pie pawing for his treats - naughty boy!  This was taken on our ride today.  It was 22 degrees when I got to the barn (it was 7 degrees when Maizie got on the bus this morning!) but I think it warmed up to around 30 or so when I finally headed out for a ride. The sun was gorgeous, glimmering off the snow.    


Here we are in shadow.


Pie and I are following my mom down a snowy trail.  She should have ridden her Sovey boy today.  He was so sleepy in the sunshine when I arrived.  I know he would have been a good boy for her.


Here we are at the "barstool apple station".  If you are new to my blog you might not know the story of the barstool apples.  Our kind neighbors used to put apples out on the fence post for our horses.  Here is a cute post about our "sweet apple friend".  The horses didn't like getting near the fence (they think it is electric - it isn't out there) so I would dismount and feed the boys by hand.  If I was riding bareback, I couldn't find a place to get back on so the neighbors kindly put a barstool out for us.  Now, they leave the apples on the barstool and Pie and Sovey gobble them up.  Foggy has wonderful treats waiting for him when he starts to go on rides too!




I love that after a snow you can see all the footprints from wild animals.  We have deer, foxes, coyote, rabbits, skunks, squirrels, birds, and who knows what else.  It is amazing how intricate the "highway"  of little footprints is out there in our field.  I think our horses have a lot to watch at night.  Last week, I saw an entire herd of deer and one fox at the same time making their way across the field.  


This is a photo of Pie reaching back for a treat from me.  I like the shadow of the tree in front of us.  Pie is good at arching his neck around for treats.  Because of our new clicker training, he has been very eager to touch or "target" things out on the trail.  He loves to approach previously scary items and touch them.  I didn't know what he was doing because I wasn't asking him to touch things, but he has been touching scary pipeline markers and brightly colored bags.  Today, he walked right up to a bluebird house that used to frighten him.  He touched it and "wrestled" it so intently that I was afraid he might break it!  He cracks me up.


We rode for 50 minutes and I think Pie was a sleepy boy when I turned him back out with his friends.  We only walked, but the exercise is really good for my Pie.  He has some nice winter "insulation" we need to reduce.



Here are the three friends sharing the sun and pasture after my ride.  I put out 8 flakes with 20' - 30' feet between.   Pie pushes Sovey forward to the next pile and Sovey pushes Foggy.  Pie sometimes allows Foggy to share a pile.  Sovey is allowing Foggy to drink out of the bucket.  Everyone is working into their positions, and so far, no cuts or injuries of any sort.  I pray we continue to be so lucky.  I am sure we will have the normal gelding play, complete with a few cuts and bruises, but no one has gotten really nasty.  I think Pie and Sovey actually are grateful for the new member.  Sovey, especially, can nap a little better since Pie isn't always the most reliable sentinel.  

  

15 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a beautiful ride! I l-o-v-e the "barstool-apple-station" and the story. I'm thinking that Val might like if I set up a magical treat station on the scary woods trail ;) What a nice surprise that would be!

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  2. I love the apple stool! Mine think that every large pickup truck yields peanut butter crackers because of truck driving neighbors, that always treated them from the truck!

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  3. Is every wonderful horse named Pie? I followed your link over here from Kate's because I wanted to "like" your comment. It was really good.

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  4. Oh happy days, what an enjoyable and special time you are having with your three! Wonderful photos, and how nice are your neighbors?! Beautiful place you have, love the blue contrast in the sky, shadows, and even snow.

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  5. I'm drooling over your really "real", meaning not cell phone photos! GORGEOUS! All of them. V ery artistic.
    Pies muzzle in the shot with his name plate..so cute.Would he have an overbite, by chance?
    Made me feel all warm inside seeing your sunshine and snowon the ride. What a nice one too.

    Your three boys, are alright. I love hearing of them just smoothly being a herd. Loverly ~

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  6. I love your neighbors! What a great ride you had on this cold day. Good for you and Pie. Great pictures!

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  7. allhorsestuff - Kacy! I was worried that photo would look like he has an over bite! He doesn't. I just took that photo while he was chewing his treats. Pie's mouth and head are just lovely. Now...Sovey...well, that is another kettle of fish! Sovey is sort of parrot mouthed. And, Foggy has a tiny little Arab head. Somehow, this TB got more Arab blood and his brother, Sovey, got...more...uh...something else...? But we love them all just the same!

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  8. Linda - Thanks for stopping by! I do think there is something with sweet horses and the name, Pie!

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  9. Of course all horses named Pie are magical. Remember National Velvet?

    Much as I'd like to cheat, I can't change my girl's name. I'll just console myself with the knowledge that Saxony is sweet as pie, because she is!

    Beautiful post.

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  10. Way to go Pie!!! You've got a smart one there, Juliette, I'm really digging how into targeting he's gotten. On the surface it seems like such a simple exercise but it really helps us do amazing things with our horses :)

    Looks like you've got a happy herd of three there, too.

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  11. That is so very sweet of your neighbor to put out apples like that. I love it!

    Looks like everyone is getting along very well! Mine fight much worse and most everyone has been together forever--but I figure they're like family :)

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  12. what a sweet post! so soul warming to be together with one's friends and I love the title

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  13. I love the snow/riding photos! I have 2 things to say about winter riding: 1. Mountain Horse for everything except gloves, to which I say 2. Heritage Extreme. :-) It's been great reading about the new herd dynamics! <3

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  14. Hoorah! Seems like a very happy herd to me and of course, you are part of that!

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  15. As usual, a wonderful post that accentuates the very joys of being alive. Those pictures with the three guyz nibbling there hay is relaxing and precious. And the bright redness of those apples with the snow! It is truly wonderful. And aren't your apple neighbors (I secretly call them the Appletons), arent the Appletons so great for keeping apples out there even during this winter season? they must enjoy your horses very much from afar. Now that is a damn fancy halter! Your farm is so nice. Do you know what I still haven't forgotten? the immaculateness of your tack room! And you posted those pictures months and months ago!!!!!!!

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