How do you know its Spring?

You can go by the writing on your wall calendar that states today is the first day of spring. You can go by the scheduling of your kids' spring break from school. You can even go by the physical change in the weather or the time change springing forward. I choose to listen to my animals. When the horses start shedding out their winter coats and stretching their legs a little more and being playful after a cold winter, its spring. I also know its spring when the big yellow ball comes out of hibernation. The horses were reintroduced to the big yellow ball again over the weekend. I love watching how they interact with the ball based on their different personalities. Bailey, of course, loves the ball. She thinks it is her best friend and pushes it all around the pasture, bites it, and basically won't let it out of her sight. Its even better for her if it is touching her in some way even as she quits playing with it and begins grazing. She will not let it wander too far from her. Ranger acts apathetic about it. He is only remotely interested in it. He will walk up to it, smell it, and then push it away from him. Then, he goes right back to grazing and could care less about playing with it. I think its just a front. I think he is really interested in playing with it, but he can't really boss it around like he can boss around the other horses. It just doesn't respond the same and he's a sucker for the response (the "yes, sir, you are the boss" response). Scout is the complete opposite of Bailey. She is totally left-brained, confident...for all you Natural Horsemen/women. Scout is right-brained and unconfident about new things. He has played with it before, but at my request and because I am the leader. Of his own accord, he will walk up to and think very deeply about touching it with his nose. He stands at just the right distance away...so that he has to stretch his neck out as far as he can and be able to barely touch it. In the video I took of him with the ball, he does just this. He is very cautious and what I love about the video is that it shows his ears. Throughout the process of just touching the ball, his ears are twirling every which way, checking out his surroundings, and verifying that it is safe to touch the scary, big, yellow thing in front of him. At least now, he is curious about it. Several years ago, he may well have left the planet if a big, yellow horse-eating thing was in his pasture. I can't wait to ride and play with the ball. That's next on the list for this great spring weather we are having. So glad its Spring!

A Birthday to Celebrate

I almost neglected to blog about this, but I am slowly getting around to catching up on everything so here goes.  13 years ago on Feb. 28 my sweet Scout was born.  Time sure does fly.  I can't believe I have been his human now for almost 7 years!  We sure have come a very long way together and I couldn't imagine life without him.  Gee, sounds like he is my first-born or something...well, most of the time it really does feel like that.  My horses are my children and Scout is my first true horse-love.  He has been the greatest teacher, therapist, and friend a gal could ask for and I hope to have many more years with him as my equine partner.  Anyone who knows me can attest to my attachment to this horse.  In a few days we are going to the vet to have a large lump on the left side of Scout's rump checked out.  I have to admit, I am secretly a bit terrified that it will turn out to be something horrific like cancer.  I know that I am probably just getting myself all worked up and it will end up being nothing, but I think I always subconsciously try to prepare myself for the worst when the future is unknown.  It is usually fleeting, but since I couldn't get him to the vet right away the fleeting worry keeps coming back around.  Send some positive thoughts our way, we sure could use 'em.  I will try my best to remember to blog about the results of our vet trip.  On to more cheerful things...A belated Happy Birthday Scout!  You are truly one in a million!

 Scout at 13

 Scout and I in the beginning (Scout at age 7)