spiritjournal17

6-27-01 Yet another page. Wow. Spirit got her feet done today, sans dormosedan. First time without drugs. She did well...just a little less easy and cooperative than with the tranq. About the same as last time with the torbogesic/dorm combination (I swear she never felt that stuff). Nothing else today; had to work Shaman and Doc and work with Chad and his brother. It's been one long day <yawn>

7-6-01 Just wormed Spirit today. She was a good girl. She like Safe-Guard paste the least of the wormers I use...I think it's she objects to how big the tube is. Or something.

Carol's been bringing her into the barn most nights (I think), and Spirit's gotten *very* comfortable in the barn, and much more comfortable with general people movement. She now hangs her head over the door, or looks over the wall between stalls when I'm in the barn. Before, she'd just go to the end of the pen and hang out outside. It's amazing how just bringing her in at night has changed her!

8-6-01 I really haven't been _totally_ neglecting and ignoring Spirit for the last month, but close <sigh> With Shaman at another barn, and her taking up most of my time, there hasn't been a whole lot for Spirit. But I did get out today, and she was simply marvelous. I managed to get her cleaned up--trimmed her whiskers, fetlocks, jaw and ear edges with my golden oster A-5's and roached her mane with the big body clipping clippers. She was scared, but she stood still--and those big clippers are LOUD!

After I clipped her, I groomed her well. It was the very first time I've ever seen her make "itchy horse" faces when I hit a good spot. She was SO relaxed--before she's been too tense to make faces like that. She was also much easier with her feet, especially the hinds. Less grabby and just more pleasant to work with.

I have no idea why she's so different now, but I suspect it has quite a bit to do with the fact Carol's been bringing her in the night's the weather's bad. I think she's just gotten more accustomed to people, which is really wonderful. I suppose that taking Spirit's pony away might have helped a bit, too, but I'm betting it's mostly coming in at night ;)

In a couple weeks, Spirit and Shaman will be moving back up to Fort Collins, and Springer will follow in a couple weeks. *Hopefully* this means I'll have much more time to work with Spirit. I'd really like to get her going under saddle (and teach her to tie and other skills necessary to be a horse) I'm looking forward to being back at my barn up there!

8-10-01 Farrier today. Before Tim got there, I hand grazed Spirit a bit out on the front "lawn" and showed her Carol's electric gate. She was a good mare--snorted at the gate, but her feet were PLANTED.

We trimmed her in the aisle, which was new. We've always done her in a stall or pen before. The change in locale was really no big deal--the only slightly tense moment was when Tim was working on Spirit's left front, and Becky was doing something in the tack room to Spirit's right. Having people on both sides was just a bit too much, and she put her foot down.

I had Tim make me a pair of front shoes for Spirit--not to wear, just so I could have them ;) I like to collect stuff, and thought it would be neat to have "Spirit's shoes". Ms Mare was a good girl when Tim fired up his forge and started pounding on the steel. Snorty, but didn't move much at all. When she did move, it was either to back a half step, or to put her head behind me (!).

8-12-01 Spirit got her first tying lesson today, and she did pretty well. I rigged up a place to tie her in the barn by wrapping an innertube around one of the BIG supporting beams (it's about 12"x8"), tied a length of nylon rope to the innertube and snapped a heavy climbing carrabeener (how on EARTH do you spell that?) to the end of the rope. Put two halters on Spirit, snapped the clip to both rings and left her there. She sat back hard once she realized she was tied fast, but then stepped foward and stood--someone must have done this with her before. She sat back a couple more time when I would appear suddenly and surprise her or when I would pull her sheet over the rail--so we did both of those things till she didn't move. I left her tied for an hour or two while I talked to Carol...Spirit pawed a little bit, but would quit if I yelled her name. Once she was standing quietly, I unhooked her, groomed her and put her fly sheet back on. She was a tad sweaty and warm, but nothing serious. In all, a good first lesson, I think.

8-14-01 Another lesson in tying, and another good day. Today, I hooked her up like a did the first time, went upstairs and threw some hay down to stack for Carol. The bales were nowhere near Spirit when they were falling, but the hay was stacked right on the other side of the stall wall. She thought it was NBD, and stood there without pulling back. I had Chad with me, so I had him surprise her a few times by popping his head over the stall wall. She certainly pulled back for that--there was this new person near her. She settled after a few minutes of that, though. It's definitely *people* that she's most afraid and worried about when she's tied--I think when I get her back up to FC, I'll rig something up close to where people have to walk...like inside a pen that a lot of people pass by. Hopefully something like that would get her over her pulling back when new people are around thing. Anyway, no sweat or warmth today when I unhooked her. She was a good mare.

10-31-01 It's been awhile! i've been so busy with school and horses, I haven't really had any time to deal with Spirit's journal. Unfortunate, because SO much has happened! Spirit's really turned into a different horse. She's now really friendly, hanging her head over the rail of her pen when people pass by, begging to be pet. She leads all over the barnyard, gets turned out on 80ish acres, and meets me at the gate when I go to catch her! We've had a couple more lessons in tying, and now I trust Spirit to tie in most situations. I don't expect her to stay put if something really freaks her out, but that'll come. Twice now I've gotten on Spirit and had Jackie (one of the trainers at my barn) lead me around on her. Spirit did VERY well--tense but willing. I'd really like to get Spirit broke to ride (basic W/T/C) by the end of the year. It think I can do it, if I can find the TIME.

11-26-01 Winter has definitely arrived. It is DAMN cold. And snowy. With ice. I really hate this weather. Luckilly, the barn has an indoor that's well insulated. Unfortunately, I've had zero time to work with Spirit. It's all I can do to get on the pony a couple times a week right now. Finals are in a couple weeks (dear god, I am SO not ready for those...*where* has the semester gone?!). I do try to at least talk and pet Spirit when I'm out at the barn, but sometimes, like tonight (20ish degrees, snowing :P) it's just hard.

She did get her feet trimmed last week, and was fabulous. My new farrier has convinced her that it's perfectly alright to put her feet on a foot stand, and she really does well for him. This is the second time he's done her, and her feet have held up fabulously--no chipping at all. Yay.

I also got pictures back of the first time Jackie lead me around on Spirit, but I have to find the time to scan them. And I'm afraid time is at a premium right now. Sigh. At least Spirit doesn't mind she's not doing much...she's got a nice thick coat, a couple friends and lots of good hay. Guess life's pretty good for her ;)