Expect The Unexpected

     Hello all, it's been a couple of weeks since I last sat down to write in Pebbles blog so I have a couple of posts to do to catch back up. I apologize for the delay but with the end of the marking period approaching for my kids, hockey, and a stretch of dry weather I have been very busy and frankly just plain tired when I finally get in the house to relax. I can assure you though that every day Pebbles has been receiving care and training so we do have some exciting things to share! Of course horses being horses we also have some shenanigans that went on as well. As I always say, expect the unexpected!

    So first I will tell you the tale of one very fine morning about 2 weeks ago. It started out as any other day with me doing morning chores followed by a short session with Pebbles on a lead line getting brushed and touched with the flag whip. Pebbles is very responsive and smart. She also doesn't hold back in showing her "mare face" if she doesn't like something but she doesn't typically do anything more than that. We are working our way towards the back and I can now safely brush every where except her lower hind legs and under her belly. Both of those areas illicit strong reactions that we need to work through. She is still not particularly fond of getting her chest touched either but little by little she's getting better there. Anyway, I have deviated from my story as is my nature, lol! When I was finished with the morning chores I left the barn feeling very happy with how everyone was. When Taylor and I went to do the evening chores you can imagine my surprise when I looked out at noticed 3 chestnut bodies in one pasture and a big bay in the other all by himself! I couldn't figure out how it happened from a distance but I assumed someone had broken through the fence. We tried to make it in to the barn paddock quietly because normally as soon as the horses see us they come running in and I didn't want to put Pebbles in that situation. When we walked in the barn we immediately saw the problem. The silver gate that separates Pebbles from the boys was laying on the ground, bent, and obviously stepped on multiple times. We picked it up and set it off to the side just in time for everyone to gallop in. Smoke was acting extremely protective and possessive over Pebbles in and effort to keep Blue away from her. Blue was more interested in food and Pebbles was seemingly nonplussed about it all. Thanks to all of the training we had done I was able to just walk right up to Pebbles and grab her halter so I could lead her in to her stall. We then set about fixing things up and checking everyone over for injuries. The only one with anything on them was Pebbles and it amounted to a 2' scratch on her side and a couple of small scrapes on her right hind leg. She was not looking off in any way but she made it clear when I put ointment on her boo boos that she was sore. I believe that what happened was she kicked at one of the boys (likely Journey) and got her hind leg through the gate. When she struggled the gate came off the hinges (we have since made it so this is not possible) and it fell down hitting her in the side. Journey to advantage of this opportunity to go into her pasture and she must have gone the other way which put her out with Smoke and Blue. Smoke had come in missing on of his Scoot Boots  and after walking the pasture looking for it I could see where much running and carrying on had happened. Smoke formed an instant, and unhealthy, attachment that had him whickering to her, refusing food, and pacing his stall. It is a good reason why he does best in an all gelding group. Fortunately he returned to his normal doting but sensible self the following day. How fickle these romances are! Though I tell this story with a bit of levity it was a blessing that nothing truly bad happened to anyone. It did show me that Pebbles could likely go out in the "herd" with the boys if I wanted that but I still feel it is best for her to stay in her space. My new shiny gate is now bent and I had to bribe the hubby to come and fix the latch so that it swung freely again. Horses!

    Not to be outdone by that fiasco, a few days later I decided that the three boys could use some time out in one of the other pastures so they could get some grass. This pasture has a section that is electric fence but in my laziness I had not yet hooked up the fence charger. The boys are typically so obsessed with the grass that they don't bother it anyway. Taylor and I put the boys out and then proceeded to let Pebbles have some free time in the barn paddock so that she could explore. Pebbles LOVES this and she follows us everywhere. She very curious and has the fastest walk for a little mare so she literally speed walks all over. Just as we were finished cleaning and about to start a work session with Pebbles we heard the sound of galloping. Journey was racing around the pasture and stirring the other two up. Taylor and I headed over to settle him down but just before we got there Journey took a mad dash and plowed straight through the electric fence! Posts went flying and he dragged the white tape hundreds of feet as he took off across the front yard and out to the back of the farm. Taylor and I were both shocked as we watched them go. However we quickly recovered, grabbed lead ropes, and headed to get them. The three amigos were busy galloping all over my big hay field doing their best wild horse impressions. Smoke was first to be caught and then I managed to get Journey. Taylor held them both while I caught Blue and we made the walk of shame back to the barn. What was Pebbles doing during all of this you ask? NOTHING! She never whinnied or ran around. In fact when we got back with the boys she was out grazing without a care in the world. Once again we had to check everyone over for injuries and found nothing (are they lucky or what?!). Sadly, my fence and a water spicket were not so lucky. I picked up the wreckage (cursing under my breath) and set it aside to be fixed the next day. Oh and we finally moved the electric fence charger so Journey got a shocking dose of reality :-).