What's In A Name?

Brett and I are going back and forth on the barn name for his new horse.  His registered name is Wily The Drifter so initially we thought Drifter would be a good barn name.

The guy we bought him from had given him the name Mufasa.  Our first thought was that that name isn't dignified enough for a mounted patrol horse that belongs to a 63 year old man.  A Disney name?  Come on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But then we brought him home and started getting to know him better.  First there is the mane and the coloring.  He's a red dun so she has a light chestnut coat with a dark red dorsal stripe, and a glorious thick, long, multi-colored mane.  His tail almost touches the ground.  He is the same color as a lion.  But even more than that, he looks out at the world with kind, wise eyes.  Just like Mufasa. 





We've found ourselves calling him Mufasa when we interact with him.  Drifter isn't fitting in the same way.  Mufasa is the name that leaps to your tongue and comes out of your mouth when you open it; a name regal, royal and beautiful. 

We're going to give it a few more days before making a final decision, but I have a feeling he's going to be Mufasa.

We got quite a bit of rain last night and today has been cold.  The morning was dark and grey.  I was happy to be inside, working, with the wood stove warming the room.  In the afternoon, a breeze picked up and the dark clouds blew away leaving big, puffy white ones.  There is still a chance of rain tonight, but it isn't a strong chance.

At noon, when I gave the horses their lunch it was still cold.  At least they took snow off of the forecast. 

Fitness Friday
My back is getting stronger although five minutes of trot work is my max.  I went to the gym and worked with my trainer on Monday.  It felt good to be back.  She worked me hard, but we didn't do anything that used my lower back.  My weight plateaued this week.  No gains, but no losses either.  My thighs continue to shrink so I'm happy about that.  I've started using an app on my iPhone to track my food and exercise.  I like it -- I can scan food in from the bar code, even.  It's called "Lose It!"   -- and its free.  I gave up on giving up bread.  That just isn't going to happen; not with this bread loving girl.  I'm limiting my bread consumption but I'm not eliminating it.

Fecal Counts
The equipment do conduct your own fecal counts is straight forward.  I have a microscope, slides and slide covers.  The microscope isn't anything fancy.  It's made for kids to use in school or to look at pond scum. 

I have fecal collection tubes that we found online.  You scoop a tiny amount of manure in the tube and then fill the tube with solution (fecal solution, also bought online).  I agitate the solution, then slap a slide on top so it is touching the solution.  After 15 minutes, I take the slide off, put on a slip cover and look at it through the microscope.  I bought a book that helps me identify what I see.  Horses primarily get two kinds of worms that show up in fecal counts so those are the only ones you have to learn.  The book has great pictures.

There's a chapter on horses (and sheep and dogs and other critters)

The big brown, thick walled thing is a roundworm larvae.  This is a picture from the book but they look just like that.

You can buy everything online.  It's easy.  It doesn't take much time.  It's cheap.  I highly recommend doing the counts yourself.

Looky Who's Here!

The rain was not forecast to arrive until tonight, but we woke to the sound of water dripping from the rain gutter outside out bedroom.  It wasn't raining hard, just light showers that came and went, but it was foggy and cold.  We bundled up and headed to the barn.

But, wait!  Who is this horse eying me with suspicion as I approach with my camera?

And, that ghastly ghostly filthy dirty horse in the mist?

Why, it's Brett's new horse Drifter, hanging out with Jackson.

We drove up to Ojai yesterday afternoon for Drifter's vet check.  He passed with flying colors.  He has a few cosmetic blemishes; he's a ranch horse and there were some skirmishes with wire in his past.  There is a scar on his chest and one on his fetlock.  The one on his fetlock is causing a crack in the hoof but he's completely sound on it.  As Brett told the vet, "I've got more scars than he does."

We got back home at 11:00 pm (yawn) and Brett unloaded Drifter, putting him in the pasture (by himself) so he could roll and relax.  He also was able to meet and greet the rest of the herd.  He didn't mind the donkeys in the least, sharing his hay with them and showing no reaction.  This is a first.  Usually, our newly arrived horses snort, race around, and then chase the donkeys before settling down to mutual acceptance.

This morning, Brett made up the supplement buckets.  Drifter got a handful of sweet feed, a scoop of vitamins and carrots.

Drifter wasn't too sure about going into his stall though.  Brett tried to lure him in with cookies.

That didn't work so Brett got Drifter's halter and brought him in.  He ate a carrot first, then dove into his sweet feed and vitamins.  The carrots sat there for quite awhile.  I'm not sure he's had them before.

After breakfast, the weather tried to clear.  Brett went back to the barn and worked with Flash for awhile.  They did their five minute ride at walk and Flash was groomed.  Brett worked with Drifter next, walking him all over the property and letting him run around the arena.

By lunch time the grey weather had won.  We haven't seen anything but slate clouds, wind, and occasional showers since noontime. 

Thank you for the comments on yesterday's post.  I promise to write a post in the next couple of days answering all the questions.  And welcome to my two newest followers; Leslie and Kim.  Glad to have you!

Video of Drifter

Here is some video I took Sunday of Drifter.  The owner rides him first, and then Brett got on.

I sent the video to our trainer Gayle last night.  She reviewed it and then gave Brett a call.  She thinks he is a really good fit and recommended going forward with the vet check.  She likes how he moves and she likes how comfortable Brett looks riding him.  I love Gayle.  She isn't focused on high dollar, big moving, warmbloods.  She looks at the rider and the horse, what they want, what they need, and their connection.  Her biggest question to Brett was "did you feel a connection with the horse." 

Fingers crossed on the vet check front.

Beautiful morning at Aspen Meadows.  My thoughts go out to all my readers and followers on the east coast.  Stay safe and dry.  Hurricane Sandra looks like she's going to blow hard.

Meet Drifter

We left early this morning for the three plus hour drive to Ojai where we would meet Drifter.  Ojai (pronounced OH-hi) is between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara in the coastal hills.  It was dark when we pulled out.

When we arrived, we walked out to the paddock to meet Drifter.  He gave us the once over.

and then the twice over...

Get a load of his mane.  The owner gave him the nickname "Mufasa" because of the glorious mane.

He stands a little oddly at times, with one hind leg splayed out.

But, other times he stands perfectly square.  He's even and sound at all gaits.  It may just be a quirk but we'll ask the vet about it anyway.

Over the past year or so, Brett and I have looked at horses online.  Flash is getting more difficult to keep sound and, honestly, how many injections and medications do you cram down their throats in an (unsuccessful) effort to enable them to do what is difficult?  We think Flash is ready to move to a more leisurely lifestyle; doing the things he loves like mounted patrol work and easy ambles around the ranch roads.  The tough, steep trails and the dressage work... not his favorite thing.  And difficult for him.  Very difficult.

So, yesterday when I saw the ad for Drifter I immediately ran down to the barn and snatched Brett away from his work.  Drifter does obstacles, he rides on the street in traffic (motorcycles don't even phase him), he's eight, he's tall and stocky, he goes up and down steep rocky trails, and he pushes big time with that hind end.  His gaits are really pretty.

See how he's standing weird? 

But not all the time.  Or even most of the time. 

Brett rode him in the round pen and then they trailered out for a long trail ride.

We put down a deposit, will send video to our trainer, and schedule a vet check.

...back home just as the sun was setting over the ridge.