I want this print!

This is just ... awesome. Must. Get. One.

He's a warmblood. Cross.

There is an interesting thread going on at COTH about what is a "warmblood" vs. a "Warmblood." It sort of irks me to read some comments where people imply that horses who are "mutts" (that is what Hampton basically is) are somehow inferior to "purebred" Warmbloods. It strikes me as rather pretentious and maybe that's just because I have been surrounded by warmblood and draft crosses, as well as other mutts for pretty much my entire life. I don't have a problem with them.

Yes, sometimes these crosses result in something that looks like a yak. It is a crapshoot. Yes, I agree that selectively using certain bloodlines will increase your chances of getting a nice foal for the purposes you want to use it for (dressage, jumping, etc.). Maybe it doesn't bother me because I am not a breeder (well, not anymore. Not counting the Morgans ... but that is a different topic for a different day). When I see a nice horse, I see a nice horse. Not the brand it has on its butt. Not its pedigree. Maybe when I start to breed my own horses, I will change my tune. But for now, a nice horse is a nice horse. Who cares if it's part Percheron? I can't really register Hampton with any association except Performance Horse Registry and possibly as an American Warmblood. It does not bother me one bit. He is a gelding. For for many breeders, it does matter. I get it. I just don't get the elitist attitude.

Anyway, read the thread and see what you think.

Hampton: 0; Pony: 1

Just as I suspected would happen, Hampton now LOVES his alfalfa pellet mash. He gobbled it up today and licked the bucket clean. This time I also threw in some apple chunks. Yum Yum.

Hampton has this weird fear of ponies/donkeys/mini horses/dogs. He's ok with the minis as long as he can either 1) face them or 2) be far enough away not to care. I have gotten him to walk up to one of the minis and sniff her (she didn't care, thankfully) and I think this helped. However, he will still snort all day long at the donkeys. Today I let him walk up to to the pen where the donkeys are. They live with a 30+ year old pony named Hershey. Hershey is cute, but he is a bastard. Just when Hampton gets brave enough to take a few steps toward the donkey pen, there goes Hershey squealing and striking out. Hampton of course jumps away in fright. *sigh* Maybe that is why he is scared of equines who are of short stature.

He was otherwise a little more spooky than normal. But it's cold, he's a 2 year old, he hasn't been worked in a while and I've been giving him alfalfa with meals which already includes some sweet feed. Perfect recipe for a spooky youngster! I don't really care right now because he needs the calories and I'm not working him. Once he goes back into full work, the diet might need to be adjusted if he remains goofy. I suspect he won't once he's working. He seems like to the type that may be a little frisky but quickly wears out of it. lol.

How to start young horses under saddle ... or not.

Is this seriously how some people start a green horse? No helmet. SNEAKERS. Clearly very little preparation.
I understand that even with tons of groundwork, some horses might react like this. But this dude seems to just
climb on, and start thumping the horse's sides. Both horses appear nervous, confused and then when they buck 
the saddle nearly slides up their neck and the rider goes a flyin'. Not everyone has a ground person available, but this guy does. Why did he start out without their help? The one little grey (both horses are very cute) does eventually come around, especially after the ground helper leads him around for a little while. I don't get it. He rides the second grey like a rodeo bronc ... keeping one hand in the air. Is he trying to show off? Why not try to difuse the buck? One rein stop maybe? I dunno! Sheesh.


.. oh yeah and another strike - CREED as the background song. YUCK!!!

No heat wave to be seen.

Well it's back to single digit temps and once again the arena and every possible piece of land available is frozen, slick and not safe to work a horse on.

Although I can't complain too much because it appears as though some of the more southern states are getting pounded with a major ice storm this evening.

Not much else to report except Hampton seems warm and comfy in his blanket. Surprising since it's a hand-me-down from T-Bone, has a big ripped hole over the rump and numerous other tears. I  noticed the other day that is is starting to rub Hampton's shoulders just a little bit. I'm just going to keep an eye on it for now. I promised Hampton he could have a brand new blanket for NEXT winter (because I am sure he will just outgrow this hand-me-down anyway) but I may have to break down and get him one soon if it continues to rub (I did make some adjustments), and gets any more ripped up.

I've also been seriously considering fostering a horse from Friends of Ferdinand. I can't financially commit to another horse right now, but the foster program would allow me to work with an off the track Thoroughbred and minimize my costs. Hopefully this ball gets rolling soon.

Rain. I'll take it.

Finally, the temps hit almost 50 degrees and the arena was melted, although sopping wet. It was rainy, windy and chilly. But I was determined to work the horse. The arena is sand, so it was still perfectly fine to work in. Hampton was superb. He lunged well (although he did want to bulge out a little bit on one side, not unlike him) and I hooked up both side reins for a little while. I have lunged him with the inside side rein on quite a few times, but this is the first he's had them both on. He figured out the concept right away, although he could use some more miles in them before he gets his balance. He's a bit unsteady but that's normal. No freak-outs whatsoever. The reins were of course very loose, but he could definitely "feel" them and reacted appropriately. Not bad for a 2 year old that hasn't been worked in a couple of months. Every part of me wanted to climb on and take him for a ride, but I didn't. Mostly because I wasn't dressed to ride. Plus, I scratched my eye yesterday so I have to wear my old, very crooked glasses for a while. Not the best to be riding young horses in.


(this photo is from the summer on the day when Hampton wore a saddle for the first time)

The Red Pillow

So I have this big red pillow that my mother made when she was young (a teenager maybe? not sure). Anyway, it spent many MANY years in my grandmother's house, and now I have it. Almost everytime we went to grandma's, I would snag the pillow and sleep on it. Nowadays, it's great for propping up my head to watch TV, or during bad acid reflux episodes. It also seems to be quite the cat magnet. I mean I can see why. It's the perfect size, and it's soft and fluffy. My cat T.C. LOVED the thing. And now Grover is especially fond of it, too. Thing is, that there are two other cats in the household (they don't belong to me) and they never sleep on it. At least I never catch them. Grover sleeps on it no matter where I put the pillow, and he's pretty picky about where he sleeps. In any case, the big red pillow is getting a little flattened down lately since Grover is not .. uh ... a slim kitteh. It's also covered in cat hair. I'm not sure there is a point to the story of the big red pillow, except that I have always had this weird adoration for it ... like it gave me some sort of comfort, seeing as how it's so red, and fluffy. And my cats apparently get the same.