Houdini - maybe - and Horse leading part 2

We turned Glad and Sienna out onto the side pasture yesterday due to the promise of extreme heat yesterday.  There is grass, trees and a small pond there, so we felt it would be better for them to be out there as opposed to staying in the barn lot.  

Got home last night and went to get them in from the pasture so they could have their evening grain.  They were nowhere in sight!  I had brought some treats in a coffee can with me, so I started calling and shaking the treats to encourage them to come.  My neighbor, Sandy, was with me and so we were splitting up to see if we couldn't find them.  Sandy noticed them in the pasture ACROSS the fence from our pasture.  I couldn't figure out where they got over, but had to crawl over the fence to get them haltered to bring them home.  It was a bit like a Laurel and Hardy adventure trying to lead Glad and have Sienna follow.  Weanlings do not ALWAYS follow their Mother, especially when it involves going down the back of a pond dam and they have tall grass on top of the pond dam to eat.  

Jerry and Don were trying to open the gate between the pastures, but were unable to open it, so I had no choice but to turn the horses around (did I mention I was leading Gladys and she was an absolute STAR the entire time?).  I headed to the top part of the pasture thinking there was a gate there that we could get through and just lead them a short distance down the road to our driveway, but our neighbor had taken that gate out.  Meanwhile, Jerry and Don pulled up in the truck.  I told Jerry to put the halter on Sienna and lead her as I was NOT going to lead Glad and have Sienna follow for the distance we were now going to have to travel on the gravel road.  We made it to the only gate we could find, which is at the back of the neighbor's house.  Headed down the dirt track to the back of the shed and house and OH BOY... saw a herd of  GOATS that were loose.  Wouldn't you know that really made Gladys sit up and take notice.  <sigh>

This is where leading Part 2 comes in.  <g>  She actually didn't misbehave at all.  She wasn't happy about going past the goats, but I managed to turn her around each time she tried to walk away from the road.  Got her to stop, turn, and at one point, even back up.  Jerry was leading Sienna and, bless her, she couldn't be fussed by the goats.  

We made it to the  end of the driveway and onto the road just fine.  Headed home and man, can Gladys walk out!  At the corner where we needed to head north to get to our driveway, we met a tractor pulling a hay rake and neither horse batted an eye at it.  It was a very uneventful walk once we got past the goats.  They gladly went back into the paddock, took a long drink and anxiously awaited their dinner.

Gladys did have a cut on her front leg.  I'm hoping that they will be ok today as it is going to be hotter today than yesterday.  But, we won't be able to turn them back out to pasture until we can go over that fence and get it fixed.

Horse leading 101

Just had to share this with you all.  Hope you find it as amusing as I did (much later after it happened, of course).  Last night I decided to work on Gladys and Sienna's leading abilities as well as taking them into the acre pasture that we have for them.  So I found halters to fit.  I had planned on taking Gladys as she would be the more difficult to handle and Sienna isn't that bad.  But no, Jerry (bless him) had to take the mare.  <SIGH>

1.  Tell Jerry to shorten up on lead rope as Glad isn't used to being led.  Look over in time to see Glad lead Jerry about.  <sigh>

2. Tell him once again to get at her head and not give her so much lead rope.  Again Glad is leading Jerry.  <bigger sigh>

3. Come to bit of a wash that Jerry had put old carpet in to prevent it from eroding even further.  Tell Jerry to SHORTEN UP on the lead and take her over the carpeting.  See Glad vault over carpet with Jerry dragging behind holding onto the END of the lead.  <HUGE sigh>

4.  Get to good grassy spot and decide to let horses graze for a bit.  Once again mention that he really should be at her head and show ONCE again how I'm walking Sienna.... stood chatting and watch in absolute shock as Jerry pats Glad rather soundly on rump.  Watch Glad politely kick Jerry in the side of his knee.  Yes, he was once again standing BEHIND her holding the END of the lead rope.  So, I just stood there, asked if he was OK and reminded him that Glad is NOT DUSTY and cannot be treated as such.  <yet another HUGE sigh>

5. Head back and tell him NOT to give her four feet of lead rope....  rest of the walk I'm keeping Sienna ahead as I do NOT want to grind my teeth any further. 

Gotta love him for helping, but why couldn't he listen?  <sigh>

Humane Society visited the farm today and approved our paddock/grazing area for Gladys and Serene.  We will not be allowed to turn them out with our own horses unless we adopt them.  :-)  I do believe that is a forgone conclusion in our household, but I digress.  Ricki stated that there have been a lot of people inquiring about adopting horses.  :-)  At least Gladys and Sienna's plight has raised some awareness in people. 

Went back out to Stepping Stone Ranch last night to brush and play with Gladys and Sienna.  They were, of course, VERY interested in the apple treats that I brought.  I had a friend with me and we went into the paddock where the two of them are living. 

We put a lead rope on Sienna and I slowly started brushing her.  She didn't see the least bit stressed by it and seemed to really enjoy it.  I managed to get some baby fuzz off her and ran my hands down all of her legs and under her belly.  She stood rock still for all of it.  But what she REALLY loves is to have her butt scratched.  She kept backing into me to have me continue to scratch.  I'm creating a monster here, I do believe.  :-)

I tried to brush Glad, but she bolted off when I placed the rubber brush on her.  I'll put a lead on her next time and we will give her a go.  I did manage to hold her by her halter and rub all over her face, down her neck and scratch her withers... talking softly to her the entire time.  She let me blow gently into her nostrils and that seemed to be ok. 

I think that they are both going to be very sweet additions to the equine herd at Chez Tiemann.  I plan on going back out a couple of time next week to "play" with them again. 

I also found THIS in the barn.....  I hated to leave without him.  <sigh>

Beethoven has a huge piece of my heart now.