To the horses, it is just another day… but to me, it is NEW YEAR.

I have great plans for myself and my horses in 2018!

I’m telling you (saying it out loud) so that I stay on track.

For me, my own personal plan for the new year is to ‘see the bright side’, no matter what. If there is a kink in the road, it must lead to a better place…

I’ve also decided to not cheat on my diet, which I have been cheating because I love really good chocolate AND really good ice cream.

FOR THE HORSES

I know that if I could actually read the horses’ minds, they’d all want about the same thing: tranquility with some food and fun thrown in.

I also think they could all use a lot more attention from me. So, that is my biggest resolution this year… to quit working so hard at working, and to spend more time not working and being with the horses.

Cutting myself some slack (or making an excuse, not sure…), I did have to spend a considerable amount of time getting settled here… but, now I think all of my big issues have been solved. Time to have FUN again. I’m not sure why I couldn’t have fun AND get my work done, but in any event, time to move forward with having a life as well as a job.

Anyway, back to the horses… I took all of their photos today. Here are my pledges to them – which I told each of them as I worked my way between paddocks.

MO: Mo, I think, doesn’t see well. He sees far and he hears very well, but I think perhaps he doesn’t see clearly. Consequently, he startles easily. Mo is young and very curious, so my pledge to him is to hang around him long enough at any one time so that he can really get some good hair chewing and sniffing happening. Then, we’ll work on picking up feet. Mo is so friendly, I want to see if I can lead him around the place (not a donkey favorite, that leading thing…).

Mo is so curious and bold – but skittish when anything moves around him. I don’t think he sees clearly.

GWEN: Mama Tess’ first born will be 23 in April. Wow. Gwen has spent most of her life – planning. She plans how to open gates… she plans how to get food, she plans how to get me to let her into the pasture of her choice… but she has never been very loving, until this year. I don’t know why, but she has finally decided that she likes attention. So, my pledge to Gwen is to groom her more often. I promised her that I will never see knots in her very easily knotted, thick, long, curly Morgan mane. And OK, yes, I promise to do her tail at the same time.

Gwen now lives with Norma and Dodger. She started to show her age this year – she lost her status in the herd. So, it was time to make her queen again. She has the most beautiful, difficult to manage, tail and mane. My promise is to keep her looking untangled and beautiful.

ANNIE: Annie’s training got lost in the shuffle – which was not good for many reasons – the biggest being that she is the biggest. She knows it. So being the biggest with very little training – is bad.

However, Annie is very sweet and willing. So, I think training her to halter quickly and to pick up her feet gently, are easily obtainable goals for her. Once we have that nailed, we will start ground work.

Annie is ready, willing and primed for class.

DODGER: My hope for Dodger, who is in his mid to late 30s, is that he is happy and healthy. I know this past year was very tough with losing Slick, moving, contracting pneumonia, etc… but he seems to have bounced back (albeit much more grey), has good weight and is happy. Dodger is the sweetest, most grateful and trusting pony. I always want the very best for him.

Sweet Dodger.

NORMA: For Norma, I hope to put a smile back on her face. Of all the equines here, she has suffered the most emotionally – as donkeys often do. I think losing Slick and moving was very, very hard on her. She needs something, and I’m not sure what… to put the smile back on her donkey face.

I also want to help her with her FB page . She has 2250 followers and she’d like to get up to 2500 this year.

Norma has suffered the most through our move and losing Slick. Or, at least I think she has… She is much more grey and not as happy as she could be…

MISSY MISS: This girl is a happy girl. My goal for her is to gain her total trust. I want her to be comfortable with me doing everything and anything around her.

Missy MIss. She’s a happy camper. I hope to get rid of that pipe panel fence and put in a real fence between her and Annie – so I can work with them separately.

FINN: Mr. Congeniality. I love Finn. He will be 18 this October. Wow! Time flies. I purchased him when he was only 4.

Finn is the best trail trained horse I have, but he is also the most insecure on the trail. So, I have arranged to start riding him at a neighbor’s large ranch. I will have to ride with a wrangler, but that will be the best for him, since he is not that secure in new places. I’m really looking forward to this! I’ve cleaned out my trailer and I’m ready! I hope he is, too!

Sweet Finn.

WRIGLEY: Little Man Wrigley will never be my riding horse… but he is really, really responsive on the ground. And, a sweet boy – down deep. He needs regular work to feel secure. My goal for Wrig is to create a safe area where I can work with him on level ground. I’m not exactly sure how I will accomplish this, but I have a few ideas.

Wrigley always stands in the same place, with his mile long neck arched in interest. He is scary to work around… until you get to know him. HOT HOT HOT but actually very workable on the ground.

BEAUTIFUL GIRL: BG has hives like I’ve never seen. After doing all the usual remedies (removing foods, wormers, checking allergens, antihistamines), I had the vet out and he gave her a different antihistamine, all to no avail. My goal for BG is to cure these hives – I need to find the source. She is a good riding mare, but I don’t want to ride her when she is this uncomfortable. Truly, I am baffled. I have no idea what is causing this. I’ve even given her another neckworm remedy. I just cannot seem to figure this one out – yet.

Poor BG has minor hives all over her body. I have removed all of her foods, one by one… remedies, the vet has been out. I cannot figure it out. I’ve even given her another neck worm treatment. ?? My goal is to make her better!