Horsekeeping
I am not complaining. Not in the slightest. As with my scheduling issues [Combinatorics], I am … amused by the confusion. For two years, only Milton was leaving the property. Now that Rodney has wheels, we have to remember what goes with which horse.
General Equipment
Load Saddle. Bridle. Rider boots & hat. Secure manure bucket, hay net, etc. in truck bed. Check that water and wash buckets are still in the trailer. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
The non-problem comes with the differences.
GOING WITH
Long-lining
The piece of harness that goes across the horse’s back is called a saddle. They both use the same one, albeit on different girth holes. Milton has a separate long-line bridle. Rodney wears his riding bridle sans reins, although we are working on a second bridle for him. Rodney likes the thinner, i.e. lighter lines. Milton goes in the thicker, shorter lines. One needs to remain close to Milton for motivational purposes. Bright red lunge whip stays in the trailer. Easy to identify if we leave it somewhere.
Nose Chain
For Milton, leave leadrope with chain in trailer to be used if needed [Report: Cool Kids]. For Rodney, have leadrope in barn to be put on for loading [In Chains].
Brush Box
Each horse has his own. Milton’s is red; Rodney’s, green. If one of them, say Milton’s, is left from a previous trip, the splash of red will send my brain down the matching path and I find myself loading gear for the wrong horse.
STAYING BEHIND
Then there is the barn. When Rodney stays home, he has the freedom of the field. Milton is still on lockdown. [Rodney’s Semi-Permanent Gold Star]
Clean Stall
Yes for both. If Milton is going to be put up, it is only polite to start him with a fresh stall. Plus, it limits the amount of manure to be kicked around the stall. Although, evidence would suggest that he stands quietly eating hay, rather than running around stressing. If Rodney stays home, he gets access to the stall. We started him that way and he seems to like it, so we continue. Doesn’t necessarily need to be immaculate if he is going to wander in and out. However, we leave him an auto-amusing treat dispenser [Cookie Ball]. We leave it in the stall to keep it in a semi-contained space. Don’t want him forced to roll his cookie ball through manure. Nasty.
Hay
For Milton, in stall. For Rodney, in aisle/run-in or in field depending on the weather.
Water
Milton yes. Two buckets in stall. Rodney no. He can walk up to the trough. He’d love it if we left buckets. They both prefer buckets in the barn to the trough in the field. It’s the same water. Go figure.
Cookie Ball
Milton no. He gives it one nudge and then quits. Rodney yes! He loves it. While we are getting Milton ready, Rodney is standing about chanting Cook! ie! Ball! Cook! ie! Ball! He goes after it as soon as I drop it in the stall. We can hear him whacking away as we load Milton. He gets all, or almost all of the treats out. I need to do a follow-up blog post on this.
As written here, this does not seem hard to keep track of. But I often find myself standing between the trailer and barn, thinking … wait … what? … who am I loading?
So much progress. Trailer doors circa 2013 [A Sorry Sight].
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 