Trust is everything, and the green, green grass of home

I decided today was a good day to put some of the harness on Rosie.  She has never had a girth on her and tends to be very opinionated and demonstrative about anything she deems uncomfortable.  I knew she wouldn't like a snug girth ... but I also knew she trusted me and would accept it. 

I have spent a lot of time flopping the saddle without the girth all over her body and legs for a few short sessions.  She has been fine with that.  Rosie trusts me a lot.  That said, Rosie has a big attitude and doesn't hesitate to tell me when she doesn't like something.  It's never a dramatic response, but there is often some nipping at me or the offending piece of equipment involved.  Many people would say "You must stop her from nipping!!!  That is completely unacceptable!!"  Well, in a perfect world that is true.  In Rosie's world, it's her way of getting the frustration out of her system and working her way towards acceptance.  It's part of the Rosie process with certain things that either frustrate her, make her feel uncomfortable, and sometimes even things that mildly scare her. She is not the shy little wall flower pony who "sucks it up" like Jerry is--Jerry wouldn't bite anyone even if he were being strangled and someone stuck their hand in his mouth.  Rosie ... she must "voice" her objections.  It's part of who she is.

I don't "let her get away with" biting or nipping, but I don't get super dramatic with my response to it either.  I do a finger poke to her jaw with a firm "No" or "Rose, stop it." but that's it.  Yelling at her, slapping her, making her move her feet at break neck speed, and all of the typical ways people handle a bite won't get me anywhere with Rosie.  It's much simpler to let Rosie be Rosie--she always ends up voicing her objections a couple of times and then settling down, and then all is well.  No fuss, no muss.  That is just Rosie.  And, I guess, it's part of understanding each other and accepting Rosie for who she is--work with her, rather than against her.  It works for us.  I wouldn't want her to be a child's pony because of this quirk of hers, but she's NOT a child's pony--trust me, I'm far from a child ... FAR from it, lol. 

So, I placed the saddle on her back, attached the girth, and gently tightened it.  She wasn't pleased, complained a little, but still stood for it.  Snugged it a little more so it wouldn't slide and started walking her around.  She thought it was all pretty odd ... for about one minute.  And, then it was "OK, I got this--you are boring me."  I snugged it up almost as much as I would if I were hitching her to a cart ... just a little nip of objection.  Led her around some more--no big deal.  Tugged on it, rocked it from side to side.  No reaction more than a flick of an ear and "What in the world are you doing?  Mom, you are so weird."  Took her picture and called it a day.  The whole process took about 10 minutes (including posing for the picture!).  She never jumped around, never freaked out or anything even remotely close to that.  She just accepted her new equipment and announced that she was now bored.  I didn't have time to add more parts today, but the crupper will be next.  I have had a lead rope under her tail and she was fine with that (again, after a minute of "What is this crap??"--As I said, the girl has 'tude).  I don't expect the actual crupper will be a big deal either. 

Rosie firmly believes I won't hurt her or let bad things happen to her.  I drove by with my new riding mower/tractor and lawn cart banging as she was standing by the fence yesterday.  She started to back away to leave the scene--"That new thing Mom has is noisy and scary!"  I called to her and told her things were OK.  She stopped and held still as I drove past her a few times.  Last fall, I wanted to get her used to the driving cart.  We worked slowly through stages to prepare her.  I felt she was at the point where we could bring the shafts of the cart into position while I was leading her and Mike was handling the cart.  Even though she likes Mike, she was uneasy when he tried to bring the cart up and kept side stepping and pivoting out of the way.  We switched, with him leading her and my operating the cart.  When I brought the shafts up she initially raised her head with an "I don't like this" look, but I told her it was OK and then she settled right down, accepted it, and we walked around the paddock with the cart in driving position.  No fuss, no muss.  I feel honored that she trusts me so much. 

"I'm a big girl now!"

Spring in upstate NY is so GREEN!!!  So gorgeous!  Seems like such a shame that I have fatty horses that can't have full access to all that green.  Sigh ... But, Jerry seems to be my only horse with appetite control.  Rosie has her muzzle back on--she started putting on weight even with her short pasture grazing time.  I switched her over to a Breathe Easy muzzle with the larger nose holes and she seems like that better ... well "like" is a strong word.  Let's just say she isn't flipping out any more and has figured out how to graze with it without getting so frustrated.  Jerry is much better about gluttony, but he was getting a bit of a belly.  I started putting a muzzle on him too.  He does fine with it.  Babe still wears hers.  She is getting VERY good at grazing with it--that girl lets nothing stand between her and her grass.  I may need to shorten her time or switch to every other day of the good stuff.  She still has her diet pasture to nibble on, so I don't feel she is as deprived as the minis who have pretty much a stubble/dirt lot.  They do make the best of it and find every last blade of grass to be had. 

 

Rosie with her "starvation torture device" back on--Sorry Rose, but I love you too much to let you get sick and have sore feet

 



Jerry back in Pony Paddock after grazing for a while-"I'm full--Rosie is still out there.  She's a pig."

 



Babe says "I'm full now too.  It's hot and I want to just veg out in my stall for the rest of the day.  Take this thing off"

 

 

Ponies back in Pony Paddock, fly sprayed, masked, and ready for another rough afternoon of  doing ... umm ... Nothing!

 

Everything is so green and beautiful.  I have a lot of buttercups in the pasture this time of year (I know they are toxic to horses, but mine never touch them.)