August 26, 2009 – You and what army

Rory was a little stinker yesterday. We had a... um... "discussion" about holding one forefoot up for me to rasp. He was fine for picking up (at first) but I wasn't allowed to hold it for very long - not even long enough to pick out. I eventually grabbed another lead rope and tied it round his pastern (with a blocker knot so the loop couldn't tighten) and just held it up. And put it down... and held it up while he hopped and wiggled and... remember he's getting big now... tried to body check me... and I got the foot trimmed! HA!! Stinker. He hopped a little bit on the other front foot, but I didn't have to resort to the rope again. He was quite good about his hind feet (I started with them).

This morning he was pretty good about the terribly dangerous giant pile of dirt and rocks outside his barn door that almost got TOY's sister. I persuaded Rory and Toy to go up to it and check it out. Rory was brave enough to actually touch one of the rocks that had tumbled to the edge of the pile! I grant that the pile was at least as tall as me and as long as an extended cab pickup truck, but it was there last night when they went into the barn (though maybe it was dark and they couldn't see it! Surely we can pretend to believe that).

This afternoon I went to get his big sister and Rory came over first. Followed me to her. Pushed in for more carrot. Followed us back to the gate. And met us when we returned. All sweetness and cute.  At least he doesn't hold a grudge.

September 10, 2008 – Bribery

I resorted to bribery to get Rory to eat his pellets last night.  He took a mouthful and I curried his itches. Then I'd stop and he'd have to take another bite before I'd curry again. He didn't finish the small handful, but he did eat most of them. I finished grooming and picked out his feet - he's getting good at that. I didn't need to have anyone hold him or even halter him.

August 13, 2008 – A growing boy

Rory was sleeping when I went into his stall last night. He had been sleeping, he was awake, but still lying down. I wanted him up to eat his cal-pi and let me check his bum and he was very uncooperative. I had to pull him flat several times before he finally got up. He ate all his pellets as well as licking up the powder.

I gave him a little grooming and picked up his feet. On the right front he backed up and dropped down to see if I'd let him go. I didn't, just followed him as he went down and scratched him when he finally came back up and stood quietly. He wiggled on the right hind too, but mum was scritching his back with her lip so it threw his balance off a bit. I put some more zinc on his bum.

I gave mum a bit of a scratch (a pretty good one actually) with a curry and she enjoyed that. She wanted to mutual groom, but I was out of reach (and don't let her groom me anyway) so she went for Rory. She's pretty rough when I get a good spot and he gave a little buck and ran round her bum to escape. He was good and didn't try to nibble me while I was occupied with his mum. I did keep an eye on him and give him the odd scritch with my free hand when he got close.

He struck me as very big last night when he finally got up. I'm not sure why. But taller and a little more substantial. Maybe it was just that he took up most of the stall when he was lying in the middle.

August 12, 2008 – A little time with my foal

Nothing exciting happened last night. The other foal is off to the vet with mum for a couple of days, so Rory was on his own (with his mum). I was helping a friend set up a sales video of her pony so I just stopped by the barn to scratch Rory on my way past.

It ended up being a little grooming session. I picked out three of four feet. The other hind he was unsure about so I didn't have the spare hand to wield the pick as I was using it to steady him as we practised picking it up and putting it down. Then I got some zinc ointment for his bum. He shifted away at first, then stopped (presumably when I hit the itchy spot.

Then I got a tiny handful of developer pellets damp and put a tsp of cal-pi (calcium phosphorus balancer) on them in a bucket. There was more powder than could stick to the pellets, but Rory doesn't mind. He licks up all the powder, eats about half the pellets and licks the powder off the other half of the pellets.

July 28, 2008 – It’s official!

I introduced him to the trailer on Saturday! Followed mum up twice, then went in and out three times while she stood outside. He's too cute! Wasn't sure about going down the ramp - he walked like he expected it to be level with the trailer floor.

I picked up a foot three times yesterday. The third time I held it for a second and he hopped, stopped and tried to paw when I went to put it down, so I held it and made him put it down gently. And he got whacked for thinking about rearing on me. He went to mum afterwards, but came back without concern a few minutes later.

I had to make the halter nose bigger, and move out the crown to the third hole already! I dug out the next halter on the weekend so it would be ready when needed. This one will last a while longer.

We agreed on price on Saturday after the show. I haven't handed over the $ yet, but the agreement is there.