Sometimes their intelligence (or lack of) disappoints me

[2boys]

In the midst of my blanketing saga (see my ridiculous thread about first time naked), I decided last night to put something on all of them due to the untimely bitter cold. I just thought that after three days straight of highs in the twenties/lows in the single digits, that their bodies needed a break. So I went down with all of their blankies at dinner time to bundle them up. I started with the pony because I was pretty sure that he had never had one on before. Lo and behold, he was very afraid of it, but he settled and allowed me to put it on once caught-good pony. HOWEVER, THE BIG GIANT DUMMIES MADE WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NON-ISSUE--A DISASTER! They took one look at my little guy all dressed up---AND THOUGHT IT WAS A NEW HORSE!!!!!!! They were arching their necks, snorting, eyes popping out, prancing (on FROZEN GROUND-now one is foot sore), and WOULD NOT EAT THEIR DINNER! I was quite disappointed. Not only because I knew one would end up foot sore, but because I had dinner plans (or course) and had to leave. I had forgotten how much fun it is to reach under their bellies and grab a belly strap while knowing that at any time, they could (and DID) bolt because the *strange new pony* re-emerged from the run-in. Sometimes they amaze me...:(

[OnThinIce]

Hey, you know, he was brown and now he's not and has funny fringe flappy stuff hanging off him AND he's makin' a schwiss, schwiss noise when he moves. Doesn't smell right either. Smells like...*sniff* *sniff* nothing grown on this earth. Who is that guy!? Oh no. Here he-aaaah! RUN AWAY.

It might be something in the water too. Just before the cold temps hit, I gave my gelding a bath in the wash stall. Everything's fine. Going along smoothly. Was soaping up his tail when he suddenly whapped all four feet on the ground. Ka-waaang! Scared the crap out of me. Then he was on his toes, neck arched, snorting. Thought he was going to break the cross ties. Got to his head and tried to calm him, looking for what was freaking him out. Didn't see a thing in the barn aisle. Clipped a lead line on him, walked him out and his eyes are huge. Snorting. Staring at...an empty grain bag on its side. :rolleyes:

[Rebe]

At such times, I can only remind myself that their brains are approximately the size of a walnut, and mostly devoted to motor function.

sighhhhhhh....

[yankeeclipper]

This thread reminds me of the time my horse spooked at a hanging basket of Petunias. When he figured out it wasn't going to kill him, he decided to try eating it. ;) It wasn't there the day before. Oiy vey.

[2boys]

Oh good. It makes me feel so much better to hear about other horses being knuckleheads. :sadsmile:

[skykingismybaby1]

I was riding my half arab gelding in the outdoor in late summer. It is also a county park so there is usually something going on. The police were having a picnic and trying to put up a large bright blue tent. I mean big......like 20 x 40. The wind took it away from them and the big blue tent rolled across the area. My guy never even looked!!!!!

Last week we were riding in the indoor and a paper bag blew past the door and he spooked, bolted and dumped me.

Go figure.

[MistyBlue]

AND he's makin' a schwiss, schwiss noise when he moves.

Perfectly understandable...I run like hell from people in corduroys for the same reason. :yes: :lol: :winkgrin:

I blanketed my new guy for the first time the other day. Didn't think her ever wore a blanket before...he apparently wasn't previously owned by any one-on-one type owners. His breeder and second owner were larger ranch type places with dozens of horses so he probably was never blanketed. We did it in the stall...he was a good boy about it too. A little nervous but his nervous-reaction is he comes to me for reassurance. In an odd way though...he gets comfort from pressing his nostrils on my forehead. :confused: So his first time putting a blanket on I just did up the front, held it in front of me and when he approached me and stuck his nose to my head I slid it up and over his head and he was fine. Weird horse.

[StockyCrosses]

No blanketing stories...

But I was at a show once, very windy outside, and someones tent flew over a barn and into the arena during a flat class. Wasn't pretty, but very funny, nobody was hurt :)

[billiebob]

On Friday when I went to feed, one of the schoolies at our barn spooked at his snow-covered halter. And teaching the barn cats how to use a cat flap yesterday was amusing--their kittens figured it out before they did.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

The Boys were appalled last year when The Princess got her pink blanket.

To be fair, she did look rather like a giant pink Twinkie...

But they were definitely Not Amused.

At.

All.

[billiebob]

The Boys were appalled last year when The Princess got her pink blanket.

To be fair, she did look rather like a giant pink Twinkie...

But they were definitely Not Amused.

At.

All.

Blankets like this make me wish I had a mare! Unfortunately, I just can't do that to my gelding. He's delicate looking with a girly name!

[vbunny]

I once put a blanket with a neck cozy on OVER THE HORSES head and he was fine with it - until another (not green) horse saw him and freaked out completely. They ran around like maniacs, the one running from the scary blanket thing, the other chasing after his bud wondering what the hell they were supposed to be frightened of. In the end idiot #1 took 3 panels and 2 posts down with his hip and was injured for weeks. I took idiot #2's blanket off after that.

[Percheron X]

Unfortunately a personal life and horse ownership/stewardship are two opposing forces of nature.