HC Minis - new pics pg 172

[chandab]

And, here's little Manny; I think he's about 10.5 months, now.

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He wasn't near as cooperative as Monte, but he's the youngest and was also the least handled of the three. I need to get working on handling these little monsters more.

 

[chandab]

Thank you.

I can't wait for his color to come back in, so I can try to see if he's silver buckskin or smokey silver black. Will probably eventually color test him, but its not in the budget right now.

 

[chandab]

Forgot to post this pic earlier.

Who knew you could haul two 16' mesh panels in the back of a short box pick-up. I've moved them around home, but that usually just involves dragging them by the hitch ball. I drove 17 miles home from the CoOp this morning with two panels in my pick-up.

 

[chandab]

While I'm waiting on this year's foals, HELP!

I know its my fault, but now I need suggestions on how to proceed. My three
little yearling boys are currently knot heads from lack of training and they are
quite bonded from being together essentially from birth. Any tips on helping
them to be easier to catch would be great, currently they act like I'm going to
kill them or something when its time to catch them. Monte is the best at
leading once caught. Junior is so-so and Manny has no manners (he's the
youngest, so ended up with the least amount of work before winter set in).
Tonight, with a storm rolling in, Shayne helped me bring them into the mini barn
(not connected up with their current corral situation). All three were little
boogers. Manny got away from Shayne, but that was Shayne's fault for trying to
hold on to the lead at the clip, it came undone with Manny's actions and
Shayne's impatience (No I didn't tell Shayne it was his fault, as I don't need
to start something, but I did try to tell him to not hold so tight/close, he
didn't listen). It would be inconvenient but if having them in separate
corrals/locations would hasten their training, I can move one down to the
calving barn, but not sure how/where I could move another. I'm sure gelding 2,
if not all 3, would also help immensely; just trying to get their vaccinations
in first, so they are set with tetanus and such. I did bring Monte and Manny
from their corral to the mini barn for the clipping, and both were ok for it;
Monte was better than Manny. Hopefully, I can start working with them on a
regular basis now that the weather has settled down, but if I want to sell them,
they need to be much better behaved and know something. If I could get my new
barn built, that would help too, then they might learn a little from watching
the two older geldings; and I could possibly turn the three little boys out with
the older boys to learn some manners. My last mini foal was an only, so plenty
of time to teach one manners. Previous foals were a full-size colt and filly
just a few days apart in age, I don't recall them being so difficult, but its
been awhile.

 

[chandab]

And, Junior; who didn't need as much clipping as the other two.

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[LittleRibbie]

Both cute as can be! I especially like junior. They both look to be perfect weight...wish I could get mine all looking that good!! Love the dapples on Junior too!

 

[chandab]

Yes both geldings are pretty easy to catch, both have their moments like all horses can, but usually good. Although, Jasper has Cushings so is on a special diet, so 24/7 turn-out together might not work with him, but I think I can figure something out. Just need to get a few things rearranged, and then I might be able to do something.

 

[chandab]

I don't think Topper thinks to highly of being a babysitter to his three boys... We've had over 5" of rain in the last week: started with like 3/4" (no problem); then 2.5", moved yearling to the calving barn (not an easy feat - plus we've had so much moisture that the barn floor is soggy under the old bedding), cleared off, so moved them back; and today its pouring again, over an inch in just an hour or so and a cool/cold breeze to boot. So, in the pouring rain, I rearranged Topper's shelter: knocked the "door" off the one side of the shelter (its an old, rotting piece of wafer board), put an oversize stock-rack panel across the inside of the shelter and a regular panel outside to divide the pen. Then, caught the babies in the down pouring rain, and "led" them to the shelter pen, The were pretty easy to catch, but the leading not so much. Gave them their hay in the shelter and gave Topper a handful of their hay. I'll have to check on them, later; but I really don't want to go out in the rain anytime soon.

 

[Eagle]

Oh Shucks, you are not having any luck this year with the weather. I hope it picks up soon for you

 

[chandab]

Thank you, Renee. I hope so too. I've had it with our screwy weather. It would be more tolerable, if my new barn had gotten built on time. We, mostly me, are doing it ourselves, but Shayne hasn't had time to help me set the posts, so it ends up square when finished, so it hasn't been started, except to dig the post holes last fall (which half partially filled in over the winter).

 

[AnnaC]

Poor you with all that bad weather you are suffering from - it really doesn't help with any training plans does it? I know you want them to learn to be a bit better behaved, but you must be doing some good work with them for them to be happy being tied up and to be clipped, so dont get too despondent! Always having a small feed available for when you bring them in can make catching them a peice of cake as most horses are ruled by their tummies. LOL!! But I would wait for the weather to improve (!!) and then just try to spend a short amount of time daily with each one individually for a start. And no, I wouldn't bother to separate them - unless you can give them stalls right next to each other - separating them at this stage will probably lead to all sorts of freakish behaviour and generally make things more difficult for you. When are you hoping to sell them? I would just do enough to get them easy to catch, lead, and stand for grooming and foot attention - a lot of new owners like to do their 'training' themselves, using their own methods.

 

[chandab]

They are supposed to be for sale, but my selling skills are sadly lacking. I have advertised them, with minimal response. I'm so far out in the middle of nowhere, its hard for me to properly market them. I don't show, so that doesn't help; but the closest shows for minis are 5-6 hours away, maybe further (plus I don't like showing).

This crappy weather has actually helped in the training department... You'd be amazed at how quickly you can catch 3 yearlings in the pouring down rain, after the first time you take them to dry shelter (their temporary pen has no shelter, that barn is still needing to be built), the next 2 times are much easier (they've already "learned" that if its raining, she's taking us to someplace dry). And, this morning, taking them back to their pen was almost a piece of cake.

 

[chandab]

Nothing new here, just more rain. Baybe is very crabby, but no other changes to speak of. she's loving her time on grass, so much so that she's less interested in her hard feed, so I adjusted her feed a bit (she's a bit of a chunk, so reduced the amount and added a little vit/min supplement). Finally about done with cow stuff for now, so I can get back to horse stuff. Got the mini barn cleaned, and part of the other barn cleaned today; need to tackle the corrals soon, but its still too wet to haul it out (the ground is too mushy, it'll swallow the skid steer). The girls are getting 1-3 hours of grazing time daily, a couple might get pulled from any grass, they are already too chunky, but since I'm short on hay right now, we might just have to suck it up for now and wait til the new hay crop is in first.

Guess that's all for tonight.

 

[paintponylvr]

That's a great trick for teaching them to lead, Chanda.

One time I had 3 short yearling fillies that were being "buttheads" about leading. They'd led ok as foals, so I knew they should have had the basics but... they hadn't had enough work or something. I remembered an old "cowboy" trick and utilized it during a week when it was warm but not extreme weather for NC. The result - by the 2nd day they were all leading better and by the 3rd they were meeting me at the gate to be caught...

Now before anyone gets upset - I leased the pasture area our ponies were on from my equine vet. I DID speak to the vet and one of the techs before I went ahead and did this. I verified how to check for dehydration and had my thermometer handy. And my "barn" as well as the area I led them across to get to the water tank were all visible from the clinic - at least the secretary could see me every time I was out there between 8 am & 5 pm... After the 1st day, I also made a late evening run - around 10 pm and made it back home before midnight.

But - the 3 were put in a temporary pen with hay under the tobacco barns attached shed roof shelter. They had no water or mineral salt. 4x a day, I went out and caught them one at a time - leading them to the water tank and the salt block. It wasn't terribly far but it was far enough. The old cowboy saying came to life the first time, of course. "You can lead them to water, but you can't make them drink". After much sweaty struggle, none of the 3 was interested in drinking the 1st time, the 1st day. I didn't offer them the chance to hit the min block. They did have some moisture separate from the water tank as they were fed 2x daily - wet/somewhat soupy. The 2nd time in the day - 1 filly drank - not a lot, but a couple of swigs. The other two - did not. The 3rd time - the 2nd filly drank some and all were slightly easier to lead out the pen gate and get to the tank (thru the BIG pasture gate). I know that my 3 daughters helped with getting them thru the gates and sorta helped with leading - by being "tail-ers"... I don't remember when I started offering to stand while they licked at the salt block - other than not on the 1st day - it isn't in my notes. I had made arrangements that during the last time I went out each evening - a sitter sat with our 3 daughters (already in bed) and I went out in the dark, aiming the truck headlites over the area where I was leading the ponies (also was mostly out of town, so stars worked well for light). My hubby was overseas at the time. Our leased pasture was 8 miles away, so I didn't always go home between waterings - during the day. This was during the summer vacation, so the girls were out of school. The girls loved it - we would go to the pool at the golf club (was where they got their YMCA swimming lessons - 1/2 way between the house and the "barn") before lunch and then they'd get snacks before we went back out to water the fillies and then go home for several hours.

The 4th day - our predicted moderate weather broke and it got almost unbearably hot. I utilized that! By the end of the 5th day - all three were standing quietly while being hosed off!! It was awesome and it worked. By the end of the 7th day - the 3rd watering, they were all 3 turned loose back in the pasture with the other ponies and horses - with easy access to the same water tank and salt blocks. They remained easy to catch and I've often wondered about utilizing that trick in my current situation.

It's a little tougher to do now - neighbors would probably "freak" if they knew I didn't have water out for each individual beastie! BUT I have utilized it sorta - they have to be caught in order to eat... Currently I'm feeding the Jr mare paddock (my round pen pasture) in the round pen. That way, if someone decides they don't have to be caught (& I routinely have 2 that you'd never know were well trained to catch and lead - have been off the property and one was with a trainer for 7 months and shown and did OK), I close the gate after the rest are tied at their buckets and they eat while the "nope u ain't catchin me today" fillies are outside and trying to reach in and get feed. Since it still happens regularly, it isn't as effective as the watering trick... I've also done that with the mares in the barn - can now put one of those 16 ft stock panels across the open door area and lock out the "u can't catch me today" mare. Even my 2 "wild" mares have become easier to catch (still can't catch the one out in the open separate from feeding time tho).

Boy, I can't ever seem to do short posts, can I???

 

[chandab]

This week is supposed to be on and off rainy all week, but I'm managing to get the mares out to their 1-3 hours of grazing daily, so far. The yearlings are now mostly just getting wet, as its just been light drizzles rather than downpours like when this weather started. Need to get back to working with them, regardless of weather and such, but its not getting done right now.

 

[paintponylvr]

Andrea dropped 5" of rain here in just a couple of hours - it was terrible. We've had water flow across our property before but not like that!

MT mud is different than the NC mud! I remember it and don't envy you at all, Chanda...

Dianne - I chose to use that method to get them leading easier! I could have put water tanks in their pen or for that matter left them in the pasture. In fact, most horse folks would definitely prefer that. I wasn't able to skip going out, that was for sure! But the results worked and fast - as it should since they were each getting "worked" 4x a day... I also had plenty of help from the three girls the first 3 times of the day, so it wasn't bad. And having a sitter and going out by myself at night - hmm, I remember really enjoying those times. LOL.

Chanda, I sure hope the weather changes for you. We had a Tropical Storm while I was on vacation, and got 7 inches of rain in 2 1/2 days. Grass in my yard is 2 feet high -- but of course, none in the pasture just VERY tall weeds!

Sure hope it lets up for you -- especially after that horrid winter you had. Nothing more frustrating than mud everywhere. I don't get mud here, just mushy sand and puddles. But in NY, I remember hating spring and the mud if brought.

Paula, that's some story! Sure put a lot of burden on you having to go out and water each horse several times a day! WOW.

 

[AnnaC]

Hoping the rain lets up for you very soon Chanda - we have just had approx 10 days of glorious warmth and sun here in the uk, but the rain has returned and looks to stay for some time yet! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

 

[chandab]

Hoping the rain lets up for you very soon Chanda - we have just had approx 10 days of glorious warmth and sun here in the uk, but the rain has returned and looks to stay for some time yet! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

Its trying to cooperate, but still a few more days of rain predicted. I got the girls out to their pasture (have to lead them out, as its not connected to their dry lot), the babies out to pasture, the geldings out to pasture, and started more clean up around the barn (far behind on usual spring work) when it started to sprinkle, not much, but enough that you don't want to be out in it.

 

[Eagle]

Our summer has hit hard and fast and we are melting here. Isn't it amazing how we can all chat daily about our chores even though we are all miles away. I hope to move up to the mountain house soon now the kids are home, the climate is so much better there even though it really isn't that far away. I can see the mountain from our house and it only takes 5 mins to get there. The only bad thing is I have no phone or internet so it means I will be MIA for a while

 

[chandab]

Finally, a start on the new barn. Shayne helped me, I mean I helped Shayne, set posts today. So the really hard part is done, and I can get to work on the walls. I have most of my supplies, but evidently when one of us picked up some 2x6s last year, we were given 10' boards instead of 12' boards, so I'm short two 12' boards (I can piece the 10 footers to make one row, but we planned on two). We made a slight change, so one less post to set; and I'll need to get slightly bigger boards for the rafters. Good start, can't wait to get to the rest of it. Will need Shayne's help again, when its time to top off the posts; I don't do that type of power tool.

That's all for now, gotta go serve supper.