Tex

[Sabrina]

Name: Texas Duster (Tex)
Breed: Paint (Registered)
D.O.B.: March 11, 2011
Sex: Colt/Stud (To be gelded when he drops)

I've decided that starting one of these will be a great way to keep track of his progress! Even though he won't be home with me for another seventeen days, I think everything that he's doing now is important too!

So I've already posted about him going over the logs with ease, after being nervous only the first time for one of them! It's something I'm proud of and I can't wait to have him home to expose him to more things like this.

Next, he's being weaned right now and I've had some updates from the owner! Evidently the first few days he felt lost! He and an older gelding were kept in his barn for two days (It's an open barn) to keep him away from the other horses but so that he had company from somebody he knew. He's now out with the other horses (even a few mares) and he's doing awesome! Not trying to suck at all and just acting like a horse! His mom is off-property, so he can't hear her at all.

I'm going to take another trip up next week! My gas tank will look much fuller when he's finally home! haha

[Sabrina]

Visited my boy today!
We did some leading work in the arena and I'm impressed for the most part. We did a lot of stop and go, and standing until he became patient and then some more walking and worked on giving to pressure. We walked over the logs again and he wasn't weary at all, he was very calm and was getting lots of scratches on his ears and bum for being a good boy. However, after about 15 minutes of leading he became restless and didn't want to do it anymore. I realize that they have short attention spans, as do any kind of a "child". He did a little rear (once) but did some circles around me. I kept calm the whole time, talk to him and soothing and he eventually calmed down again, so when he was calm I brought him in the barn and groomed him, which he hadn't had done before. He really enjoyed it and I'm glad that despite our little mishap, we ended on a good note.

Q: When he did his little hop/rear, should I have physically done something to correct him? Or was I right to remain calm and talk him out of the mood. It's something I want to nip in the bud, but I want to do it properly.

[Sabrina]

He is home!!!

I'm overjoyed, and sooo pleased with him. I was told that he walked right on the trailer like he did it daily. He unloaded just as easiliy! When he came off he looked around and then heard the other horses and got excited! I walked him around the property and then Ally (BO) and I showed him to the stall, while his "breeder" and daughter followed. When we put him in his stall he immediately tried to jump the door. He'd get his front two legs over :S. Ally and I were nervous, and decided to just turn him out, because I really, don't want my new colt to break his legs right away, or develop splints. When he did that though, he lady I bought him from was like "Oh, he does that for the first 15 minutes, but he will be fine." I guess he associates being in a stall with being a bad thing because what happened was when they weaned him, they took his mom away and then stuck him in a boarded up stall... mhm, not something that I was told until now. So firstly, he's not used to being in a stall with a door that he can see over and secondly, when he's in, he just wants out! So I'm going to start doing fun things in his stall like grooming and giving him treats in his pan. I'll sit in there with him and chat (he's obsessed with me already, and doesn't want to leave my side.) I want to make the stall a happy place for him, rather than a scary lonely place. I really, really don't want him trying to jump the stall door! Ally is putting up a few more boards on the door so he can't reach as easily, but I don't want him trying.

So back to the good! His personality is better than I could have asked for. Such a calm boy. When we turned him out, he went with two broodmares (one in foal, who will later be switched to a different field). He ran over all excited, but they made him realize that they were in charge. So he wants to be with them, but they aren't interested right now. I'm sure things will look up!

So I left for an hour and came back, and he trotted right over to me. I gave him some rubs and talked to him and then he started to head up to the hay bales. I followed him to a certain point and then waited, I don't want him getting the idea that I'm going to chase him everywhere, as I don't want any problems catching him. Eventually he realized I wasn't right with him and he came right back to me. I rubbed him some more and groomed him with the curry. He let me do this for litterally an hour. I checked over his front legs to make sure there was no heat or swelling after the stall incident, and there are some scrapes, so I've got fiskes that I will be applying to it.

The flies are CRAZY so I was swatting them off him, and then I figured I'd go get my flyspray (which he has NEVER been exposed to, as I was told by his previous owner). I rubbed his face and the sprayed the air. He perked his ears, but didn't get scared so I let him smell the bottle. Then I gently & slowly sprayed his neck, he was alert but didn't make any motion to get away, so I sprayed down that whole side, then let him smell the bottle and did the same to the other. I was expecting a fight, but he's such a champ! I had to come home because I'm dying of heat, but I'm going back out in a few hours. And I'll be putting fiskes on his legs, ugh, so not happy about that it scared the day lights out of me.

[Sabrina]

Today was another good day!

He once again, met me in the field, happy to see me. I hooked on the lead rope and we walked out of the pasture and into the barn. On our way out of the pasture, he'd stop a few times, not wanting to walk forward, but he'd eventually give into the constant pressure I'd apply on the lead-rope, and then he'd get praised. He's very respectful of the fence, even when it's turned off. As we were heading to the barn to work on making stalls an enjoyable place, Ally's father started up the chainsaw. It startled Tex, obviously, but not as much as I thought! He just stood there very alert looked around as to say "wth". Then her father realized we were there and he turned it off, so Tex and I kept moving. I put a little grain in his pan in his stall, as well as some hay and let him munch on that with the door open will I groomed. I kept him on his lead line, and he at first was a little nervous being in the stall, feeling like he was locked in. I let him look out the door a bit and then he calmed down. When he finished his grain we had a look into all the other empty stalls. He was the one who actually started going in them, and looking around so I decided it was a good thing to let him explore them. He's really a calm boy, and the other boarders keep telling me how amazed they are with how calm he is, and easy to work with. When giving him his feed this morning, my BO, Ally, said she had picked up all four feet (which I knew he did, as I've done it with him), but she was so shocked that he'd let her do it so calmly and with out any fights!

Anyway, I'm going back up later, so if anything else happens I'll update it tomorrow!

[Sabrina]

Yesterday we did lots of stall work! He became much calmer and willingly walked into the barn and into his stall. I didn't close the stall door at all, because since he was being so willing, I didn't want to push my luck too far! I worked on picked up his feet; he's perfect with his two front, and pulls with his back hooves - but that being said, he does willingly lift them, he just doesn't want to hold them. That will be worked on of course - but in time!

Today we did quite a bit, and he took everything in stride! I'm so proud of my boy. My sister and I went up, she hadn't met him yet and she said she'd take some pictures. So I brought him in, and gave him grain in his feed pan in his stall (not his actual stall, as that's a smaller one, I'm starting him off in teh larger one though, so he doesn't feel as boxed in.) At first I just closed the door part way, to see his reaction. He didn't even notice, so I closed it fully, and just left it unlocked. He looked up for a second and then didn't mind so I left it. When he finished his feed he got a little ansy so I opened the stall door part way and he calmed down again... all in time! While he was eating, I picked up all four feet, and again, he pulled his back legs, but I held them a little longer this time. I then brought him into the arena and worked on leading. He already leads well for his age, but I'm working on getting him to walk without me with him, instead of ahead. As well as stopping, when I say whoa. He really caught on to the whoa, much quicker than I thought! As before I he'd be a few steps ahead of me before he'd stop. Such a good boy, he honestly doesn't give me any trouble at the moment, he is so willing to please and learn. Lastly before I turned him out, I sprayed him with flyspray he stood for everything but his back legs, in which he started circling me, so I let him be. I think our last flyspraying "session" was more successful because this time he had already given me so, so, so much of his attention that he was getting kind of restless! After that I introduced his flymask. I rubbed it all over his face, and around his neck. He tried to bite it, silly colt, he's definitely a nosey boy. He got a little startled when I put it on, so I only left it on for a moment, as I wanted to end on a good note! He got plenty of praise for being such a good boy and happily went into the field with his new friends, who are finally warming up to him!

[Sabrina]

So because of heavy rain, Ally emailed me saying she had to bring them in tonight. Of course, Tex started trying to jump his stall door... he'd get his two front legs over and then back off. She ended up putting her 26 year old mare in the large run-in stall with him, because it was the only thing calming him down.

I was at work, so I found this all out in an email, needless to say, I'm super stressed and anxious to get to the barn tomorrow and make sure that his legs are okay... ahhhh.

So basically what I've been doing to make stalls "happy" place, is giving him his feed, grooming and "hanging out" in his stall with him as much as possible (usually an hour a day). I started with the door open, and have been gradually closing it more and more.

Is there anything else I can be doing to help him with this?

I'm so stressed, and don't want him to get hurt like develop splints or break his little legs, or get this stressed out about being in a stall. He's SO good with litterally everything else I've thrown his way, and this is his only fault at the moment.

[Krista]

the things i told you on facebook will help, other than that just give it time. leave him alone in the stall and when he jumps up on the door discipline him, when he stays off the door reward him. he'll eventually learn calm in stall is good the mirrors may help him feel at ease, thinking there's another horse in with him and a radio may help him feel not so alone. and like i said the crossties in the stall will limit his movement in the stall teaching him over time that if he doesn't jump about he doesn't have to stay in one spot.
don't stress, you'll figure it out foals are tough little things, they put more pressure on their legs racing around the pasture than getting up on doors

[Sabrina]

Thanks Krista
I'm definitely going to look into the mirror! Are there "horse" mirrors? Like Shatterproof ones? Or just any old mirror?

[Sabrina]

Yesterday we had thunder & lightning, so he was in for most of the day. A 26 y/o mare, Sasha, was in with him to ensure that he didn't try to jump his stall. I can't wait for him to be able to stay in on his own, it's a pain! However, he did walk right into the stall on his own, so there is some progress being made, little by little!

Today was rainy too, and I brought him in and he was no longer white and black, but black and brown :/ . I gave him his extra meal in his stall (We're giving him feed whenever I have him in, because he's ribby and wasn't given enough/quality feed at his other place. Plus, foals are supposed to have "unlimited" grain according to our vet). I also groomed him and picked up all four feet. He's good with his feet, and pulls a little with his hind ones but not too big a fuss.

Question incase anybody reads this! It's a weird one...

When I'm grooming him, should I gently touch around his "man parts" to make him more comfortable with having me down there for when the time comes for his sheath cleanings? I feel like a horsie pervert when I do, but he doesn't mind - I just would rather have him comfortable with me doing it than freaking out. OR my other thought was - since he's a stud right now, should I wait until he's gelded? Will this encourage more stud-like behaviours?

[Krista]

touch him all over! get him used to every little thing! i can touch and clean jack's man parts so easily it's a joke yet the other gelding with him, silver, you can't even brush near his. he was gelded late and his owners too felt because he was a stud they should wait... because they waited we now have to sedate him to even get close to cleaning his sheath.. horses don't mate for fun so he they don't get "pleasured" so touching him in his area won't lead to more stud like behaviour especially if you plan on gelding him anyway

[Sabrina]

Thanks Krista! That's what I was thinking, but I wasn't completely sure! I cannot waittt for his balls to drop so that I can get him gelded!

[Sabrina]

This morning Tex had his first trim since he's been with me. He was very good with his front two feet, pulling and trying to back a little bit, but for his second trim ever, with almost two months in between I thought that was good. Uh, for his back feet it was a different story... let's just say it was unexpected. It took three of us girls to keep him on his feet, two holding his sides and me at his head. He tried backing and rearing and moving forward. I think the important thing is that we did NOT let him win. The farrier, Marc, is amazing and kept going through all of Tex's nonsense, andhe eventually calmed down. Afterward Marc had nothing but compliments about how handsome Tex is, and that he wasn't too bad. (I'd guess not, seeing as though the other baby at the barn, Milo, ended up on the ground during his trim.) I'm very glad to have him as a farrier. BUT - this all means more and more work with his feet! I've been picking all four up daily, but I guess I'll have to hold them each longer, and do it more than just once a day. I just hate to overwhelm him, but I'd rather the next time Marc came, it wasn't a battle! I had to get up super early for this, and I am sooo not a morning person, so I came home right after the trim, but will be going back later to do somet work so I'm sure there will be another update about today.

[htrimm08]

you should definatly bring him to one of the color classic shows next summer! Benson and I will be there!

[Sabrina]

Where are they? I'd love to! I need a truck and trailer, but I'm working on that . I'm definitely taking him in the Open Paint Show in Sussex next year, but that won't be till September!

[htrimm08]

theres two, in Windsor.. if you can get him to Truro I can take him the rest of the way And you could stay with mee! But we will revisit this conversation when the time comes