First off, in case you missed it, Riding Warehouse gifted the Bucket Fund with 30 items and we’ve had two days of tremendous sales – wholesale prices! . Most all of the items are still available!! I’m kinda shocked that the items haven’t flown off the shelves but I’m guessing the people who need exactly these products do not know about the sale! So please forward the below links! All proceeds benefit the Drop in the Bucket Fund!
LISTENING TO REMI
As you all know, about a little over a month ago I was given the opportunity to send one of my mustangs to a 1000 acre mustang Sanctuary. In exchange for this freedom, I was to trade for 3 adoptable horses.
It wasn’t really an equitable deal, but considering one of my wild horses would run free forever again… I thought it was worth it.
So, I chose Sam because she was the most unapproachable. I mean, she was always a very polite and good girl, but she was not interested in humans. The others, Remi and Rojo, were much easier to handle.
Sam loaded and went off to her new home… and in exchange, I got Bad Bart, the red roan mustang baby; Mo, the white BLM donkey and Missy Miss, the halter trained mustang mare.
The Mustang Gang… Sam, Remi and Rojo. How they were.
REMI
I knew Remi would be heartbroken to lose her friend. But, she still had Rojo who she adored. I thought it would be OK.
But, it wasn’t.
I didn’t realize that Sam was Remi’s ‘muscle’. Here I thought that Remi was the tough one, but actually, she just looked tough, but Sam was the one who made Remi strong. Sam was the tough one. Remi was just more upfront.
So, once I took away Sam, Remi – who was at the top of the chain – fell to the bottom. For some reason, Rojo didn’t support her.
Remi was withering. She was sad, lonely and now getting beat up for the first time – ever.
These are the more adoptable (easily handled) horses I received in exchange for Sam. The premise was that Sam would never be adoptable but I, in theory, could adopt out these halter trained horses. Of course, I’m not a Rescue and don’t adopt out horses on a regular basis – but the idea of having Sam be free was very attractive.
Here we have Mo, Missy Miss and Bart.
PADDOCKS
To top it off, in Grass Valley, I had the mustangs (and Gwen) separate from Finn, BG and Wrigley.
Here, I have not had the ability to make enough cross fencing – yet – so the 7 of them are all together.
Not good.
Every day I feel heartsick and stomach sick as I see all of them jostling for feeding positions and Remi being pushed aside.
Gwen is actually on the very bottom, but she doesn’t mind.
It bothers Remi.
It especially bothers Remi without Sam.
And it is even worse now that Rojo has eyes for Missy Miss.
Suddenly she was relaxed. Her world was right again. She was engaged and interested.
ROJO
Rojo has fallen in love with Missy MIss.
Not only does he let her eat with him, but he begs me to put him in with her and the new horses. If I am closing a gate, he will lag behind so he’ll be trapped in with her and the baby.
This broke Remi’s heart even more.
I couldn’t take it… I couldn’t take Remi’s lifeless spirit. She was dying emotionally. I needed to make it right. I needed to save her.
This is Rojo (closest to camera – with star) and his new, younger, girlfriend, Missy Miss. Why do mustangs always see out other mustangs? It is true… no matter where they came from or when they arrive, they can spot each other and they gravitate to each other.
TODAY
So, today I made a change. I put Dodger and Norma into a very small area closed off by a panel… I removed their pasturemate, Annie so their large paddock was free. Then, as if the Horsegods were watching, I noted that Remi was right by the gate in her paddock. So, I opened it. She calmly walked out. I invited her into the now free pasture.
She went right in.
I then was going to move the new horses into their night pasture so I opened the gate. Rojo, being the fine gentleman that he is, lagged behind to make sure his harem was in… and I closed the gate ahead of him. He was left outside! Oh he was perplexed with me. Why did I do that?!
Rojo ran the fenceline … so I opened the gate to where Remi was now eating peacefully. Rojo ran in.
I spent quite a bit of time loving on her and telling her how sorry I was that I was so dense! She stood there quietly, eating it up. In fact, I think I could have groomed her for hours, but the sun went down.
THERE, I FIXED IT.
Immediately, and it was palpable… Remi was settled. This was good. All was right in her world again. She went from helicopter ears to happy ears. She went from droopy to alert.
In a moment, she was all better again.
I felt so badly that it had taken me this long to figure it out – I decided to spend the early evening grooming her.
And throughout the week, I am going to feed this girl her favorite foods and take care of her special.
…Sometimes you just have to slow down long enough to listen.
Such a beautiful and expressive girl. I’m so glad I finally got her message.
