Lazy Training or Feed Servant?

I should really rename this blog to "Things I see while feeding" because theres not a whole lot of training going on these days. The mud has been so nasty in that pasture that it's hard to step anywhere and I'd like to work Graffiti inside the pasture before I work her outside of it just to make sure we have some ground rules going on.

So lets talk about yesterday.

We had a lot of rain here yesterday. And when I mean a lot, I mean that you could step outside and drown just by trying to breathe. I was HOPING for the weather to clear up so the pasture might dry a little. no such luck. It'll be a sloshy, muddy Christmas. Yay for glabal warming!

I want a polar bear :(

Sorry, back on track.

I got to the barn at evening feed and it was a good thing I went a little early so it'd give me time to sort the chaos that was happening. Dusty and Shiloh were outside the fence, running back and forth like idiots. Now, the pasture was bigger than it is right now, but the extra half was just fenced off. It turns out that a tree had fallen on that part of the fence and the two horses were running back and forth on the other side of the fence. Still enclosed, but frantic that they couldn't get back into their original pasture.

Alright, stupids. Just step over the part you did when you left.

Graffiti was running back and forth on the original side of the fence. The memo didn't reach her that she could step over the fence as well. At one point it looked like she hit the ground and slid because she was really muddy on one side.

So I grab some halters and FINALLY caught Shiloh. It was a good thing I worked with her a month or two ago because she remembered everything, and I needed her to because the ground was so uneven and slippery and I was unbalanced as it was with a baby in my stomach that I almost fell a few times. But she remembered. I hopped her over the fallen fence and let her go. I went to catch Dusty. Turn around, Graffiti is in the extra pasture. I guess she saw what Shiloh did (oh, step over it!) and wanted to see for herself what it was like on the other side. So I left Dusty to his own devices and caught Graffiti.

About 30 seconds after I caught Graffiti, I snagged Dusty. I pulled them both over the fallen fence and let them go. All in all, it took maybe a half hour or so for me to do all of that. It took me a minute and 30 seconds to type it.

I secured the fence with bailing twine (love that stuff). It's not as tight as it used to be, but at least it's at the appropriate level it used to be. Trent will fix it either today or tomorrow. But I'm very proud of my handy skills. The tree branch that fell on it was dead so it was super easy to move. Or else I would have had a whole other problem on my hands.

Tragedy avoided...this time!

I also found out why Shiloh hasn't been stealing any food from Graffiti. I was feeding yesterday morning inside the shed when Shiloh pinned her ears and went after Graffiti. Graffiti whipped around and BAM! Double barreled her. It was hilarious! She's still the lowest on the pecking order but at least she's standing up for herself.

This morning was cute too. Graffiti was waiting by the fence when I came in and Shiloh came up behind her. Graffiti moved of course, but every step she took, her little butt was in the air and hopping around saying "I'll do it! Don't think I won't!"

I don't know whether she has the balls to do it again or not...but it was funny, none the less.