Demo Horse

Our mare Brandy is in the selection process to be a Demo horse at the Clinton Anderson tour stop in Texas.  Brandy is the reason people prefer geldings.... personally I like mares...even night-mares.  I will find out soon if she is selected. 

Brandy was purchased at the auction not because we were going to buy another horse, we actually went to see the tack auction which preceeds the horses.  I was still intently eating my nachos when the first horse came out, it was Brandy.  I noticed the auctioneer point my direction, I was not even mildly interested at the time then he pointed my direction again. I looked over to my husband and said someone near us must be bidding on that filly.  My husband smiled and the lady behind me said your husband is bidding on her.  I was speechless and the only thing I could think of to say to time is you don't have a number (you have to sign in and get a # to bid). Then the auctioneer said sold and pointed directly at my husband, asked for our # which we didn't have called security and laughed.  My husband promptly got up and went to the window to pay for the filly he just bought.  I sat there in shock until he returned and then he said let's go home and get the trailer.  We got back to the auction with the trailer and presented our paperwork to the handler at the gate and he said 1 of you can go in and get her out cuz the auction is still on.  I looked at my husband and he said you go get her. Great, I though! She was tied really short to a corral panel in a pen that probably was 10x10 or less, next to what must have been her buddy, a nice appaloosa gelding that was older and sold as a riding horse.  I saw him auctioned while my husband was paying for Brandy.  I had to go behind him in tight quarters to get to Brandy.  I untied her and led her through the small space behind her buddy.  As soon as we got through the gate the appaloosa started to nicker.  She answered.  This went on all the way to my trailer and the farther away from him we got the louder and more aggitated the nickers became from both of them.  It was heartbreaking!  Brandy didn't want to go into the 2 horse bumper pull, I took the divider out so it would be roomy and no way!, she could hear her buddy.  The auction ended and all sorts of horses began to nicker, sadly, as some of their lives were changing if they sold.  They may have been losing friends or even family members just like Brandy. Finally after much patience and all sorts of food bribery she went in the trailer.  We had gone about a 2 miles when a deer ran into the front side corner of my truck, by this time it was almost midnight.  It really didn't phase my truck as it was a small deer.  What an adventure! At last home!  She unloaded beautifully and we let her stay with Dancer and her family the very first night as we didn't want Brandy to be alone. She was just turning 2.  She was scrawany and small.  It didn't take long for her to bloom and today at 4 she is beautiful!

Brandy is the kind of girl that doesn't like other horses and has broken fences, gates and ruined corral panels to get at another horse (PMS).  She does have her friends, 3 mares and a mule gelding she likes to pick on.  Although some horses she wants to attack?! She has some trailering issues (Brandy was born in Montana)and round pen issues so if she is chosen I hope this is what she will be the Demo horse for.  Just to have a top trainer consider her is an honor beyond belief and if she's not chosen, we will still use Clinton Andersons program to train her and of course we will always love her the way she is.  I've been told to sell her, but that could become her life.  One home after another.....or worse.....slaughter...She deserves more.  We will keep her and all her strife's.  She just turning 4 and is still a young girl.  Besides she's pretty to look at. 

  Her best buddy is Dancer and they live together just fine.  Brandy spends her nights with Dancer and her days with her "family"; Dancer, Dancer's mom Silver and Dancer's sister Tango, of course Brandy has to be the leader but they all put up with her.  In time and with lots of patience and training I feel she will get over her problems.  Brandy's goal is to become a 4-H horse.

Time Flys

This year is moving fast!  It has been a cold miserably wet winter.  To keep the horses in good cheer we've added some special hay varieties, timothy, orchard grass, and alalfa.  The quality and price of coastal hay is always poor this time of year.  Apples and carrots are sure to bring some excitement even on the coldest of days.  Some of the seniors  have worn their coats for those chilly nights more often than usual love to have a good roll on the days they get to have them off.  I believe we've had 10+   freezes this year.  Amazing for Texas...Spring is on the way, the horses have started shedding their winter  woolies.  The lillies will bloom soon. This is also when I start to watch the oak trees.  Overnight it seems, the brand new leaves will appear which will eventually shade us this summer.  The horses have been very playful this week with the sun during the day and cold at night.  This combination gets everyone spunky in the morning. The donkeys are especilly fun to watch play. They bite at each others knees to bring their oponent to the ground.  The donkey that hits the ground lost that match and another match begins immediately so LOOK OUT!  The horses just like to blast around the place and seem to avoid any physical contact.  Just a good ol' run.  The mini mule always corners one of his pals and engages insome ruff housing just for the fun of it.  As soon as they see me, almost as if I rang a dinner bell they stop and come right  to me ready for their morning pats and breakfast. On the sunny days breakfast is followed by nap all stretched out in the bright morning sun.

Winter Thyme January 2010

The blues were about to set in when these glorious warm sunny days showed up.  We've been toting buckets of water out of the house and hand watering the horses daily.  They're buckets haven't completely thawed in two weeks even with the recent sunshine.  Most of the horses are unimpressed with my efforts.  Although, There are 3 that really enjoy the lukewarm water from the house.  Brandy who always loves to be hosed off in the summer, Tango who spends most warm days with her feet in the trough and Willie.  Willie the donkey who was afraid of buckets loves them now.  Just don't change the color....then he has to get used to it again.  He likes red and dark green buckets, even lime green buckets, but blue or...?!  I brought him water in a hot pink bucket today and after a few sniffs he took a long drink.  Now that the pastures are drying up it is suppose to rain again.