Paige’s Page

My mom stopped by today and got some pictures of Paige and I together. I lead her around on the lead rope a little, and she did pretty good. A little hard to budge at first, but she figured it out.

There’s a gratuitous shot of Josie in there, too, being camera-shy as usual.

This rancher did seem to treat his horses pretty well, all things considered. I’ve read about some horrible situations in the PMU industry, but I get the feeling from what I’ve learned about this particular rancher that he cared about his horses.

Sorry I haven’t posted an update–been super busy w/ the holidays!

Paige is really doing well. I already feel like I love her. It seems like in the past week or so that she’s finally feeling like this is her home now and getting used to our routine. I, too, am feeling more comfortable around her. I still always keep one eye on her when I’m doing things in her stall and pasture, but we’re both much more relaxed about things.

After the snow melted, we had tons of mud, then it froze again and Paige’s beautiful long tail got marble-sized frozen mudballs in the bottom of it, and she was clacking around when she walked. They were driving her nuts. So Christmas morning it was sunny and she was really relaxed and munching on her hay, so I ran my hand over her rump and she let me grab her tail, no problem. So I went and got the scissors and she let me cut about 6 inches off her tail so she was free of the mudballs. I figured vanity would have to go by the wayside in the interest of comfort. All she did was turn around and look at me when I was done, then she sniffed the mudballs/hair laying on the ground, and went back to eating her hay. What a good girl.

Next up will be standing tied for grooming and fiddling with legs/feet…

She has also gained some weight. She was a little lean when I got her, although she looked much better than her pictures on the Animali site–she was pretty tubby. But she looks good now, and possibly pregnant. I think she just needed some more food.

I’ll try to get another picture of her soon with her heavier tummy and dressage-banged tail.

I got out today and took some more pictures of Paige. The weather has warmed up a bit today, which translates to melting snow and A LOT of MUD. Yuck. I took her halter off shortly after her arrival, and she’s been without one for over a week now. I got her a breakaway halter, and today I put it on her. I was SO PLEASED with how well she did! I had no idea how “halter-broke” she was, but she didn’t even bat an eyelash at it. What a good girl.

Anyway, enjoy the pics!

(BTW, how cool are her reverse dapples??)

Happy Holidays!

I’m not going to have the vet out for a couple weeks b/c I want her to get settled first, but I’m thinking she doesn’t look pregnant even a little. My first horse was pregnant when I got her (she went back to my grandpa’s to foal), and you could definitely tell it by this time of year. Granted she wasn’t half-draft, but Paige sure does look slim-n-trim for a pregnant mare.

Today she was spooky b/c of the high winds we had. When I would go down to the barn to do some work, she would come in the stall, grab a bite of hay, then hurry back outside to munch it. Then repeat. I’m confident she’ll get used to it–I’m going to keep feeding her in there and I’m sure she will relax. Last night I could already see her getting more relaxed about it before all the wind blew in.

Today she trotted around outside a little while she was watching for the boogie-man-in-the-wind, and she has a beauuutiful trot. She’s going to be so fun to ride.