Rescue Journal

intro to horses 101

Alison · Nov. 5, 2006

so...swinger arrives and he is very upset. he is crying and cantering around and looking for somewhere to belong. spritely is being a bag, she chases him off her beloved gideon and each time gideon tries to saunter over to introduce himself, she puts herself between them and steers him away. finally i step in....i tell gideon that swinger is scared like gideon was scared when he first got here. gideon looks like he is listening. then i tell spritely that swinger is afraid and her job here is to make him feel safe and welcome...she knocked the glasses right off my head and told me to piss off.

so i decided to be the equine welcoming committee all by my lonesome. i took him some hay and stood next to him while he ate and gently rubbed his shoulder. gideon waited til spritely was turned away and then snuck over to say hello. they gently touched noses, and laid their faces cheek to cheek, they snuffled into each others manes and it was all so very soft and kind and peaceful. spritely caught them at the warm and fuzzies but did not interfer. eventually she wandered over and went thru the same gentle and kind greeting and everyone has been the best of friends ever since. swinger is not the least bit upset anymore and i am thankful for that.

however, i would like some of that peaceful and gentle touching myself instead of picking up my whacked off glasses out of the mud.

Comments

Ellen

When you are ready to tackle the lack of gutters and would like a hand, please let me know. I also have a great resource for "how-to" in my Dad...

Jean

Ironic, isn't it? I have a dry well for three months, right up until two days ago, and now I have a leaky barn and a flooded crawl space (yup - looks like the sump pump isn't working down there!).
Ellen, the barn has one of those corrogated metal roofs which the landlord warned me leaked (and which he will not be repairing) and which looks kinda rusty. The first few rainfalls there was only one leaky area. Now, each time it rains, there are several more - and never in the same place twice. That garage end of the building seems dry (touch wood) so hay and timothy cubes can be stored there - there's lots of room once I get it tidied up, even with my car in there. I think it would be a huge job to tarp or fix the roof itself - it's a big building.
I do have to do something about the lack of gutter in front of the doors - I'm tired of getting showers every time I enter and leave the building!

Ellen

It is wonderful to hear that Swinger is settling in nicely and being welcomed by Gideon (with a little moral support and encouragement from you, Carol, to defy Spritely). And good for Spritely for "checking his attitude" towards the newcomer, when he was reminded that he too was once a frightened newby.

Swinger, you are now in a safe, wonderful place.

Jean, how big or bad are the leaks in your barn? Would it be worthwhile to patch or tarp something on the roof rather than just covering up the hay? I'd be game to give it a try if you are...