A Honey of a Tale - Part 3

During the next few months, my sister Joan decided to lease Ms. Honey (guess who's idea THAT was ?) - and together we worked with her and loved her and gave her A LOT of attention. Honey seemed to know that Joan was kind and gentle and always approached her without fear. It was wonderful to see her become less and less wary of the human race.

                   Here they are.......Joan and her lil girl

At Christmas time when we decorated the barn  - –we decorated her - complete with red halter, garland around her neck and red vet tape on her legs. She didn’t even  blink an eye and I think she was just happy to be included in the festivities (of course, I had done Bud first!!) She never batted an eye when her photo was taken – unlike Bud, who thought the flash was an alien ship landing!

                   Here she is ...all dressed up for the holidays.


Honey proved to have quite the little personality and a few moments I remember well are - her flooding the outside of her stall (someone hung the hose over the hook by her stall door and failed to turn off the water)………She then turned it on by accident when she pulled the hose inside her stall and was flipping it all around and making the area look like a flood zone. I was glad she had a sense of humor and wanted to play.

Another time she was photographed for a library web sight, my sister worked for, and did far better than Bud. We placed a large book in front of her face and put small carrots inside - she ate those carrots like a trooper and the end result was a horse reading a horse book - the caption ended up being .... Reading is for everyone!!

                         What a lil star she was that day.....


I also remember a spring day when she was freshly groomed and looked beautiful. …until….she was released back out and immediately rolled in the mud and muck and was completely covered in gray slop. The only remaining black was on her face. And I wish you could have seen my sisters' face !

                      These were NOT her finest moments....

                       


During that spring and summer, I began lunging her and doing ground work with her - Joan preferred to ride the Buddha at this stage of the game.  The pinnacle was actually riding her – what a thrill. I kept it very basic and did a lot of turning, standing and backing up and trying to perfect her little trot. She didn’t quite understand what was asked of her – but – she was ready and willing.

I had purchased a new cinch just for her and once when I was lounging her – it started to stretch out and the saddle was slipping side ways on her - this could have made any horse panic and want to bolt. I was trying to slow her down but she picked up speed instead! I began pulling her in and she finally stopped and let me undo the cinch and refasten it without as much as moving a muscle. This is when I KNEW she trusted me – it was a powerful moment. I continued to lounge her and did ride her that morning – although she did test me on the mounting block – she moved quicker than I had liked – but I stayed on. It was almost like she was saying – “ okay, now we’re even “!

Once, on a Saturday, I was the solo groomer and since it was so cold and windy – I grabbed the halter that was closest (after doing Bud first, of course) - instead of heading back into the barn for all the individual halters.  I used the same one for everyone. This was okay til I went for Honey ….she kept approaching me and then backed away. This happened several times and then it hit me – I had just used this on the alpha mare and Honey wanted no part of it. I traipsed back to the barn and got her halter and lead rope and then she walked right up to me - lowered her head for her halter and I slid it on without any hesitation. She never ceased to amaze me..........

A Honey of a Tale - Part 2

She more or less hung out with the herd and was definitely last on the pecking order scale all horses keep. I wanted to begin grooming her and was told I would have a heck of a time getting a halter on her – well………I didn’t. I entered her stall (after months of talking to her and supplying her with goodies) and she came up to me immediately. I had a treat in one hand and a halter in the other. Just as the owner said, “ you’ll never get that on “, Honey went for the treat and I slipped the halter over her head. I was thrilled inside, but had to maintain my calm and lead her out of the stall and right into our next challenge – the cross ties. She paced back and forth for a while, but didn’t totally freak out. I simply kept telling her she was okay and she did settle down some…until…I sprayed the detangler on her mane and tail – then she freaked – went straight up and came down on her butt and froze. I stood by and watched and when she decided she didn’t die…she stood up and I resumed brushing her, as we danced back and forth. I did a little more each week and always put her back in her stall to be rewarded with treats. When it came time to pick up her feet and clean her hooves – the plot thickened. She was ready to kick, bite, and over all revert back to her old self. This is when I called in the troops and different ladies were positioned by her head, side and rear areas to see what part of her was going to try to damage which parts of me! In the beginning, we fed her carrots to try and distract her while I tried to lift a leg. It took many attempts before she got the idea, but then she raised whatever leg I was brushing. I always had a hairbrush in one hand to remind her that four on the floor was better than three and one in the air!

                         Honey munching away .....


The final test was the farrier….and she did well; minus a few test kicks and he quickly reminded her of what was acceptable. The first time I assisted – she was rock solid for him, even when she noticed a cat walking across the hay lift above her head. I swear the only parts of her body that moved were her eyes and she followed that cat til he disappeared in the hayloft.

When warm weather returned she was out with her herd and seemed to have a little bit more confidence – although – was still on the low end of things. To try and increase her confidence, I would bring her in first (after Bud, of course) and the remaining horses would just stare at us. She’d almost shut her eyes when we walked past them, just knowing they were going to take a bite out of her – BUT – I had my trusty lead rope swinging to fend them off. Pretty soon it wasn’t worth their effort when they’d see me coming and they would keep on grazing. I could tell they still picked on her by the bite marks I’d see on Saturdays…but…not on my watch.

When two mares delivered foals in the spring -she was very interested and she would check on them often (when socially accepted) and continually try to keep them together, while the mothers were happy to graze lazily in the pasture. This really increased when the moms left to return to their barns. I could see her confidence really growing and one Saturday…she even took on the alpha mare…not a good idea….but I was proud of her.

                     My little lovely mare - on a good day !

I bought her a halter and lead rope of her own and I was able to go out in the pasture and call her name and she would come running – whinnying all the way as if to be saying -“don’t leave I’m coming as fast as I can “. She would approach me now and lower her head getting ready for the halter and a treat. It was all so rewarding.

A Honey of a Tale

When I first met Honey, she looked like a ‘ wild child ‘, standing in her stall watching and listening to all the commotion in the aisle. I had recently begun leasing a horse at a barn in Wisconsin and she was one of 10 horses who resided there. As I recall, she had just turned 3. Bud, my beloved, was in the cross ties being groomed and she would approach the stall door and observe – but – as soon as I looked at her – she would flatten her ears and back far enough away that you couldn’t reach her through the bars if you tried.


I soon discovered that when Honey was in any kind of doubt she would pin her ears back. (I sometimes wondered if they were put on backwards!?!) She didn’t seem to have much trust in the human race and was very leery of other horses. Honey seemed like a scared little girl to me. After a few weeks of observing each other and me spoiling her with treats in her food trough – she would stand for longer periods and not flatten the ears as quickly. The other horses were used to being approached and would wait by the stall door with heads hung low ready for their halters to be put on for grooming. After wards, they would reenter their stalls and enjoy the ever-delicious rewards of apples, pears or carrots (whatever was on sale that week) awaiting them in their troughs. When wintertime approached and we could no longer ride – I asked if I could still come on Saturdays and just groom the horses. The owner was very agreeable….and the challenge was on!

Honey was a beautiful small black Appaloosa mare – only a bit over 14 hands at the withers – and probably would not win any show ribbons in Western Pleasure. Her mom had been a star in the ring and high hopes were placed on this little filly.

Ode to Jo....

After Lady passed away JoJo began riding Gracie (she immediately referred to her as Gracie Grace) - a long time resident of the barn - and they got along well.  It's hard not to compare equine when your loss has not been that long in passing,but she loved having a reason to come to the barn.  We still met at 8am and played doing chores before saddling up and riding our hearts out.

It was a few weeks after that I noticed Jo was coming later and later and commenting that she just didn't feel right.  We all urged her to see a doc and get checked out and hopefully, get some meds that would whip her back into shape.  However, that just wasn't the case.  She had developed cancer (never smoked or drank) and the treatment took a huge toll on her body.  There were several hospitalizations, trips to the ER and MANY scary moments. We developed a phone tree and any change in her health was immediately shared by her barn buddies. And we did get to celebrate her Birthday that year and supplied delicious food and a darling horse cake.  She had a stomach tube in at this point, but still enjoyed all the fun festivities of the afternoon and was very appreciative.

After almost a year and one half - she passed away that November.  It was yet another huge and sad loss for us and we were all devastated...... and relieved at the same time.  Our wonderful friend was no longer in pain and she was once more reunited with her beautiful Lady - but - we would never see that happy face again walking through the barn wondering what she and her Gracie Grace would do that day.

Jo and Gracie showing off the new bridle

 

 

 

Jo and I resting after our morning ride - this would be our last time spent in the saddle together.

Rain Rain - Go Away!

When spring arrived that year - I was ecstatic at the thought of riding him again.  Wisconsin, however, had its own agenda as to when that first time might be. Sometimes it happens in March and other times not til mid-April; which is hard to fathom after waiting over 3 months to feel your horse under you as opposed to seeing him beside you.

The first dry Saturday I was SO happy to put Buddha in the cross ties knowing we were preparing for our first ride of the year.  He was nice and relaxed, as usual, and stood quietly UNTIL ...I put the saddle blanket on followed by his saddle.  He couldn't believe what I was doing and gave me a look of complete shock and horror - I truly think he would have sworn at me if he could.  The first ride  always feels wonderful and after lunging him we took a quiet  stroll around the property - nice and easy - since both of us were a tad out of shape after our winter  hiatus of no riding.

The funny part was that the following week, my husband took a week off and while he golfed his heart out on a Wisconsin  course - I rode.  The 2nd time Buddha saw me in a week ...he was curious, the 3rd time he saw me - he was suspicious, altho let me catch him in the pasture.  The following Saturday, he took one look at me and high tailed it across the tract and onto the open field.  ( Who ever said horses were dumb was SO wrong ).  He did eventually wander over and enjoy my tasty treats only to be haltered and escorted back to the barn for a quick groom and more riding.  When I really think of it - no horse weighing over 1,000 lbs. would allow itself to go anywhere if he really didn't want to  - and there lies the beauty of the Buddha.

Buddha in the barn on cross ties getting ready for that first ride

 

 

 

Making sure everything is just right

Sit & Stay - I Think Not.......

I had the barn all to myself the following Saturday and Bud was waiting for me in his stall.  I still can't figure out how he seems to know what day it is, but I swear he does. Every time I walked past his stall door he would plaster his head against the bars so I could scratch his cheeks and actually changed directions depending which way I was going. He was content to remain in his stall when I was mucking it out (he usually would meander out into his run and rummage for some leftover hay tidbits) and seemed happy to just watch me toss the manure out his door.  I then put down new bedding - we  call it " clean sheets " - because new wood chips smell SO good and fresh.  As I walked in circles to spread it around, he followed me step for step UNTIL he heard something that scared him - to this day I can't remember what it was - and tore out of the stall to the back of his run!  Just when you think these magnificent creatures are dog like- BAM - they remind you they are equines all the way, which is why I love them so......

              The Buddha watching me while I tidy his surroundings :)

A Real Class Act.........

Piedmont, Bud's mentor and pasture mate, passed away at age 30 - just a few months shy of turning 31 - which is rare in the horse community. 

His owner had hosted a huge 30th Birthday Party at the barn and friends and family who knew and adored Piedy were invited.  She had ordered a special carrot cake in his honor and the amount of treats he received were incredible. The fact it was 22 below zero wind chill deterred no one from attending this gala event.  We sang to him in the barn and spoiled him rotten with treats and then retreated to the warmth of the house to enjoy a delicious feast that his owner had sponsored.  We all received Piedmont coffee mugs (drank out of it this morning) and copies of a poem she wrote in honor of her equine son.  It was truly a remarkable day.

Piedy was a staple at the barn for years and was loved and respected by all.  He was lord of the pasture and kept everyone in line when behavior got out of control by some of the younger geldings.  He knew several tricks, loved his peppermints, and would come like a dog when called.  We were all devastated by the news.

On the day decided, Piedy sensed it was time and whinnied loudly to Bud in the pasture.  Sure enough...Bud came right over.  Piedy's owner said it was one of the sweetest testaments of love she had ever witnessed - Piedy and Bud stood together a long time to say good bye and then Buddha slowly walked away.

Bud was depressed for weeks after that and was very unpleasant to the other equine.  He had never displayed any type of aggression before - rather preferred to avoid any kind of confrontation if possible.  I felt he was at a loss that his pal of 12 years was gone and everyone who crossed his path was not him.

We all grieve in our own way and that was Buds'.  Luckily for me, he mellowed out after time and returned to being his old self.  Even after all this time - we all still miss the "one and only class act" by the name of Piedmont.

                  Buddha, Piedmont and Lady all enjoying breakfast

                  Piedy at his B'day soiree - with his owner