Summer, finally

 

 I've been lax about posting lately, because I've hardly been home.  I've been at Dog Scout Camp in Michigan for almost three weeks out of the past six weeks, so I've been missing my filly.

 She's getting beautiful.  She's got a gorgeous deep red coat, a crazy flaming mane (just like her momma Khandle!) and a very trim, neat little head that I think is going to be quite lovely.

She's now pretty independent at 5 months old, and hangs out quite a bit with Fred and also Jack.  Khandle finally gets some alone time to graze, every once in a while at least.

Her appetite is excellent . . . . . !

 

Since my time has been spent with my dogs instead of my filly, and in Michigan instead of Ohio, I'll include some photos of our time at camp . . . . we all love it there!

Tango doing his favorite thing in the whole world -- dock diving!



Punch, waiting for something to move . . .



Noelle and Kannika at bedtime

Pascha, Tango and Punch, doin' the border collie thing at the Pond

Punch

Tango and Punch

Some happy dogs! Punch, Tango, and Pascha

Bye-Bye Baby Fuzz

I think Val's ugly stage has come and gone, and luckily it didn't last very long.  She had a period of about 2 weeks that her pretty red baby fuzz started to fall out, and was replaced by a liver-colored hair underneith.  I was afraid my little red chestnut filly was going to be a liver chestnut mare, but now her new big-girl hair is changing back to red.  Red hair suits her best, I think.  It was especially prominant on her head and legs, you can kinda see the dark brown coloring in some of this post's photos.  I'm wondering what color the mane will be next . . . .

Val has also got a new buddy in her "Uncle" Fred.  Fred and Val have been hanging together out in the pasture, while Khandle seems to wander and graze blissfully by herself.  Nice to have a baby sitter, I'm sure.

Val with Fred in the background

You can see the liver coloring on her face in this photo.

She's almost 4 months old now, and can be weaned at any time.  From what I've read, most weanings take place about 3 months because the owners want to get the mare back to work, but in the wild, most babies aren't weaned until the next foal is born to the mare.  This puts weaning in the wild at about a year.  I like to try and keep things as natural as possible when dealing with animals, so I'm in no hurry to wean Val based on this information.  I figure if wild babies stay with mom for a year, they probably benefit from that time in learned behaviors and nutrion, so I'm thinking I'll let Val stay with Khandle through the summer at least.

Khandle on her own . . .

Khandle with Val and Fred

Val continues to do great with her training.  She takes her halter nicely, leads well, and handles grooming and hoof picking calmly and relaxed. 

  

Recently she made a new friend when my good friend Melissa came to visit, and Val was her wonderful, charming self.

                                                                                                 

Spring!

                                                                                I'ts finally here!  Sun, warm weather, and flowers! Val's first experience with leaves on the trees, bumblebees, and color around her.  While we all sigh with relief that our memories have manifested spring once again, Val explores this new world like everything else -- she takes it all in stride.

 The two Arabians, Sonni and Bunny, have been in and out of the barn the past few weeks --  since the grass is growing and the weather is nicer, they have been spending time in the lower pasture.  So Val and Khandle have been spending a lot of outdoor time in the paddock and pasture by themselves.  Khandle FINALLY decided Val is now old enough to leave the barn and paddock, and has been taking her baby all the way down through the pasture and into the woods.  When they come home in the evenings for dinnertime, Val has been exhausted!
                                   She has been spending more time with Blue, as well, since the weather is warmer Blue is out and about and spending less time in her warm bed.  Blue seems to be somewhat of a babysitter, keeping and eye on Val.  Maybe it's because Blue has a maternal instinct to protect even the young of another species, or maybe it's because she just doesn't trust that crazy little horse!  Regardless of the reason, she always seems to be diligent.

And the lessons in leading like a nice little lady are progressing, as well.  She is much more accepting and comfortable with her halter and lead rope and going where she is told than she was a couple of weeks ago.  Not that she doesn't still throw a little fit from time to time, but the fits are getting fewer and farther between . . .

Video of of Val and the Zoomies:

A Work In Progress

Bad weather in Ohio has made for a tough time getting out for little Val.  She and Khandle have spent a lot of time in the paddock and pasture this past week, but the paddock is surrounded by knee-deep mud, and neither of my girls like to get their feet muddy, evidently.  They haven't yet ventured out of the paddock, through the mud, to the pasture.  They just stand around on dry (kinda) ground and look bored. 

However, the green grass of the front yard is an entirely different matter.  Khandle nickers thankfully and plunges her face into the fresh, green grass, and Val runs and kicks and leaps and bucks.  The word "frolic" comes to mind, it should be synonymous with "foal"!

Of course, this crappy weather has made for some very soft lawn cover, and Val hasn't yet learned to replace her divots.  I tend to follow her like a caddy, doing my best to fix the holes in the yard that she leaves behind.  Her path is usually irratic and full of Lippizanner leaps and twists, a physical trail of crazy that must be patched and fixed so that more crazy can follow later.  The soft, drenched, drowning ground can't handle too much of crazy filly at one time!

Not that she doesn't also enjoy some good, sweet spring grass like her mama.  She hasn't yet learned to use those incisors yet.  Khandle expertly bits the grass off short and leaves the roots to recharge and grow more, while Val simply grabs a hunk of grass in her baby teeth and pulls, so that she gets roots and dirt, as well.  Now that I think about it, her grazing path leave holes not unlike her running path!  Only problem is, she eats the divots.

All in all, Val continues to enjoy life, bad weather and all, because she has yet to discover the beauty of sunshine and warmth that many of us can vaguely remember and dream of having again one day.  Just think what joys are in store for her when she discovers how nice sun can be!

Brat

It's official.  She's a brat.  She's seven weeks old, and spoiled rotten because she's so cute, and now she's cute and big, and has no manners.  It's not my fault, I've tried to control the situation, but I can't control all of Val's fans.  Everyone lets her get away with being pushy and adorable, and now she is big enough that it is getting to be a problem.  She ended this week with being adorable even as she kicked me in the back.  There was no remorse on her part, none. 

At least the weather is starting to get better, so she gets out more (getting those muscles nice and strong so she can push everyone around more!).

  

Khandle got a bath this past weekend since the weather was warm enough for the first time, and Val got a bath, too, kinda.  She seemed to have fun playing in the water, but that's just normal for Val, she seeems to have fun no matter what she's doing.  Life is just fun for her, period.

 

 And, she's outgrown her first baby halter, time to move up to the next size.  Contemplating what color to get for her next . . . .

She's getting so big she has too stoop down to get a drink from mom . . . . those long legs seem to be getting longer!


I have to put in a good word here for Mama Khandle.  She was a reluctant mom at first, but she is so phenominal now.  Besides being calm and gentle and setting a good example for her (bratty) daughter, Khandle is also very careful and concerned about her baby at all times.  One day I took them out of the stall, and Val decided to run on the concrete aisle, and slipped and fell.  Khandle gave a little nicker and reached down to nuzzle her baby and check her all over once she was upright again, it was very sweet.  And when the ex put Khandle and Val in the pasture with Fred the gelding, Khandle wouldn't let Fred anywhere near and chased him to the end of the pasture.  Never mind that Fred is very gentle and would never hurt Val, but this does illustrate her devotion to her baby (of course, I know not to put them in the pasture with any of the geldings at this stage, but the ex doesn't think things through very well, that's why he's the ex!).   Luckily, poor Fred was okay.

Back in the stall at bedtime with Khandle and Bunny.