Waiting For Rocky

The past week’s temperature had been in the 40s. Finally, yesterday was warmer and the sun was shinning. It has been a long time since I have gotten on Lady and I thought that since the day was gorgeous I would go up there before I fed and ride a little.

I have to keep my tack at my mom’s house because my house is too small for all of it. So I stopped by to gather my things, say hello to the pony, and head on over to the field where Lady is. I pull into the drive and noticed that Malin was there with her trailer. She is the woman who is helping me tremendously with Lady and she was the one who set us up three years ago. She told me that she was getting her horse Rocky to bring him to her house for a little bit because the dentist was there for him.

Rocky walked onto the trailer like a gem. The girls on the other hand where screaming. They didn’t know what was going on and why Rocky was leaving. I told Malin that I was going to ride but I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn’t going to happen now that Rocky was leaving. I knew that Lady was not going to behave and the fact that I haven’t ridden her in a long time; it wasn’t going to be a good mix.

Malin gets the trailer all set and ready to go and drives out onto the road. Summer, the other mare in the field with Lady was screaming her head off like it was the end of the world. Lady on the other hand was just standing there watching and listening to the truck. She knew where it was and watched it pass in the distance, she so very smart.

Once Lady could no longer see or hear the truck she flipped which got Summer going too. They ran and ran, bucking and kicking and farting and making a racket. It was fun to watch and it lasted for quite some time but once they calmed down I got Lady’s halter and lead and tied her up to the fence post.

I got her all clean and shinny and looking like new. She’s so beautiful. Her winter coat has come in which has made her super soft. Once she was clean I just stood there with her and we hugged. I was waiting for Malin to come back with Rocky so that I could feed him and while I was waiting Lady and I were bonding.

We stood there for quite some time just cuddling and she started to dose off on my shoulder. I was just petting her softness and telling her that I love her and she’s a good girl. After a while there was a dog in the upper field that ran over and the girls and to go investigate. During this time I thought that it would be a good idea to get Lady’s dinner and get her blanket on for the night since I knew that the temperature was going to drop again.

The grain was in Lady’s bucket and Summer was doing her normal routine of trying to steal it. I had to get Lady’s blanket on and I knew Summer was going to push Lady away from her grain so I got a handful of the tasty stuff and put it in a separate bucket for Summer just to keep her occupied for a moment. I always talk to Lady when I go to put her blanket on because she likes to have an attitude but the most that she does is pin her ears back. But to my surprise she goes to kick me. I was leaning on her hip to get the blanket up and around her back and she kicked. Luckily it was only her hip that got me but I was so mad! This was the first time she has ever even tried to kick me in the three years that I have had her. I ran after her and yelled and screamed at her letting her know that kicking is not acceptable. I told her to go eat and to stop the nonsense. Once she was eating I again put the blanket on her. She tried to have attitude but I made her snap out of it.

Once that whole ordeal was over I was still waiting for Rocky to come back. The girls went up to the round bail at the top of the field and I got Rocky’s grain ready for him for when he arrived. I checked the water and filled it but still no Rocky. I then went up to sit with the girls and finally after another hour Rocky showed up.

Malin and I fed him and she told me how well he did. It was dark out by this time and I was a little tired. Luckily it wasn’t cold yet. Rocky is a great boy. I put him back in the field, locked up the gait and went on home. Maybe today will be a better day for riding.

Pony’s Time to Move

The very sad day came way too fast! I had Lady in the stall resting her hoof due to her hoof abscess and the pony was not happy about being alone. I knew he had to get used to it so I just ignored him.

3pm rolled around. I could hear the loud roar of the truck coming up the driveway. Malin, my old trainer, had her two horse trailer with her with a big smile on her face. I had a frown. My mom pulled up after her and hopped out to help Malin turn around. I had gotten Lady out to eat some grass and to be around for when the pony was leaving so she could say goodbye.

My mom grabbed his red halter and clipped it on him. He was so happy to be out it the grass and with Lady but he had no idea what was about to happen. I walked Lady up to the trailer so that the pony would fallow. He has only been on a trailer once in his life which was when we had first bought him. He walked right up onto that trailer like he had done it everyday of his life.

I put Lady back in her stall, locked up the door and ran to my car. My boyfriend Jim and I then fallowed my mom and Malin up the street to my mom’s house. The pony was not having a good time. He was jumping and whinnying, he was so upset. Malin had to pull over to make sure that something wasn’t wrong with the trailer; she didn’t know that it was him jumping around.

When we pulled into the driveway of my mom’s that poor pony was exhausted. We unclipped him and backed him out of the trailer. He was soaked in sweat. He nose was flaring from breathing so hard, the poor little guy was so scared. After walking him around for a minute or two to let him cool off we brought him over to the back of the house where there is a patch of grass. He had no interest in it. He was circling around me looking for his Lady. I walked him around to see the place and show him that it was ok.

After leading him around for some time to get him used to his surroundings I brought him over to his new paddock that my mom built for him. It’s a nice small little area, plenty of room for him to walk and run if need be. I let him go and he took a couple of step a shook. Poor little guy. He then walked around the perimeter of his new home and checked it all out, calling out for Lady once in a while but there was no one to call back.

The next day I called my mom to see how he did over night. She said that he did great. He was still calling out for Lady but was doing fine otherwise. He made a path around his paddock; my mom calls it his “merry-go-round” spot, very cute. Lady was also very upset. She ran around looking for him when I put her back out into her paddock. She yelled and yelled for him, hoping that there would be a response but there was nothing. It’s very sad to not have my cute little pony right out back but I know I can go visit him when ever I want or need to get a pony fix and that makes me happy.

‘Pony’ being a nosy boy! 

For Christmas last year, my mom gave me a flashlight that is in the shape of a horse, since I love horses she gives me anything and everything that has to do with them and I happily accept. To work the flashlight you have to squeeze the tail. Each time you squeeze the tail it makes a whinny noise or a “horse blowing it’s nose” noise, I’m not sure what the name is for that but all you horse people know what noise this is.

I was walking down to the barn one day with this flashlight. I squeezed the tail and Lady freaked! We had just recently sold a horse that was her friend and I think that she thought he was back. Her ears went up and she was looking all over for him. She would whinny back and run back and forth looking. I kind of felt bad.

The pony on the other hand just wanted to eat it. He is so nosey! I got a great video of him in “Pony Mode” (a.k.a. him being his nosey self!)

Now, every time I have to use the flashlight I have to tell Lady that it’s ok and that it’s just a flashlight, I think she is getting used to it now. She has come to the sad realization that her friend isn’t going to be returning. But at least she has her little pony shadow.

 Lady & Pony Video Clip

Opening Day of the Back Paddock

At my barn I have two paddocks for my horses to stay in. One is used all year round. It’s nice, it has a lean too for weather protection and I can see them easily from the house to make sure that they aren’t getting into any kind of mischief. I also have a back paddock which is just electric fencing. It’s not as nice as the other paddock. There are rocks and a slight ditch that if they weren’t being careful they could slip and get hurt. I don’t let them out there in the winter due to there being a bigger risk for trouble.

At the beginning of spring, I make my way to that paddock in the back and make sure that the fencing is still up to par and that it’s completely horse proof. My horses like to come over and watch to see what I am up to. They look at me with wondering eyes that say “whatcha doin?” They know what it is that I am doing and they are itching to get their hooves over there, they want to run!

So, I’m all done, done with getting the branches and sticks off the fence. Check to make sure the charge is good so that they don’t go running into the neighbor’s yard, go and get my camera and get ready to open the flood gate.

I get over to the part of the fence that has the two boards keeping the horses from getting into the back paddock and they know what’s about to happen. I lift up the top board and the pony tries to jump the bottom one but being the pony, he has no luck. I get the bottom one off, move out of the way, and “their off!” They bound and leap and kick and buck. They were in heaven! Both of them would run back and forth from the main paddock to the back. Back and forth, back and forth they would go. Only stopping to make sure that a strange noise they heard, which was just the neighbor’s dog, was not going to be joining them. I get my camera out and take as many pictures as I could. It was a sight that had to be captured.

Eventually they stop and eat the grass. The excitement is over. The leaves have settled and the thunder has been brought to a halt. It’s time to go back down from heaven and back to earth. Seeing them being as happy as ever made my day. They make me happy and that’s what I want for them!

Hi All,

It’s been great to share my stories with you, but I am passing on the blogging torch to someone new. Her name is Lora and she is very excited about sharing stories about her horse, pony and dogs as well as stories from her job as  a vet technician.

I’m sure you will enjoy what she has to share and I will stop in from time to time to update you on the adventures of Riley Roo & Miss Kitty.

Here is how Lora describes herself:

“Hi there, my name is Lora Hilton. I am 22 going on 23 in July. I work at a veterinary hospital where I see, learn, and experience a lot of different things. I have an ex-racer thoroughbred named Outlandishlady but I call her Lady for short and a pony named Harley but everyone just calls him Pony. I also have a Chihuahua who is the best in the whole world name Charlie. I rescued him from a really bad situation as well as my horse. I was born and raised in Maine and moved to CT five years ago to go to school. I attended UCONN for animal science equine program but I had to stop because it was too expensive. I will go back someday! I live with my boyfriend and his Labrador/Pointer mix named Dude. Charlie and he get along great! I will be writing a lot about my little pack. They all have great personalities that make for good stories!”