Spring has sprung FINALLY!

The past few days have been near 70 degrees and it feels so good to be outside!  The outdoor ring has dried out and it is safe to put the horses out to play.  I turned Nox out in the outdoor ring on Sunday and he was so excited that he galloped around wildly and rolled at least 10 times - getting all sweaty and wet and then caking himself in the dirt.  He had a wonderful time, and I had to spend the next hour trying to curry and sponge the sweaty mud off of him.  I would have given him a bath, but I was the only person at the barn that day and, well, if you read the old post about the last time I bathed him alone, you'll understand why I like to have someone else around when I do that!

Today was another beautiful day and I let Nox out in the outdoor ring again.  He was calmer this time and grazed in between short spurts of running, bucking, and rolling.  He looked so happy to be outside after months of being in the barn and the indoor ring.  After about an hour and half of watching him graze and enjoy the sunshine, I walked back toward the barn to check and see if the indoor ring was empty (I'm still ground tying him in the arena while grooming him) and Nox came running over to the fence as I walked away, nickering at me.  I stopped and turned towards him and he nickered again, as if he didn't want me to leave him.  I walked back to him and held up the lead rope, and he met me at the gate - if I was going somewhere, he wanted to come too.  We've really become good buddies.

Below is a video from today:

And a pretty picture:

Ok, ok, now lets do a silly one!

    

Wanted: Interior Designer for Persnickety Thoroughbred

Nox likes to rub the side of his head on the feed bucket hanging in his stall.  He'll rub it raw and sometimes even cut himself over his right eye.  Yesterday, I showed up to the barn and Nox had a fresh cut above his eye, and I thought, Enough is Enough!

After working him and grooming him in the arena, I led him into his stall.  I unhooked the feed bucket from the wall and put it on the floor, directly under where it was hanging.  If the feed bucket is on the floor, he won't be able to rub on it.

Well!  Once again, I discovered that any change in his environment, no matter how minor, will send Nox into a hissy fit.  When he saw the bucket on the floor instead of hanging on the wall - the same exact bucket he's been eating out of for 6 months - he backed into the opposite corner of the stall and snorted at the bucket like it was a lion ready to attack.  I could not believe it!  I poured some grain into the bucket and threw in some carrots and apple cookies to entice him, and stepped away in hopes that he'd figure it out.

20 minutes later I came back to find Nox stubbornly standing in the corner and the treats in the bucket untouched.  I went into the stall and stood close to Nox to reassure him.  He kept nudging me with his nose, as if asking me to fix the issue.  I am just as stubborn, however, and the bucket was not going to be hung up again.  

I added more treats to the bucket, coaxed him softly, and tried to lure him near enough so he could see the yumminess waiting for him in the bucket.  I took a video of his silliness for you all to see.  It was getting late, so the video is dark, but you'll get the idea.

In the end, after nearly 40 fruitless minutes, I pulled the bucket out of the stall.  The stable owners told me they'd put the bucket back in when they fed the grain, and pull it out again when he was finished.  They are so kind and understanding, and willing to laugh and put up with my silly, giant baby of a horse. 

A little to the left... now the right....

Nox loves having his shoulders and back rubbed.  Here's the thing: I give GREAT massages!  Ask my family or Best Husband Ever.  But I'm not sure how to go about massaging Nox.  I had the opportunity to become a certified equine massage therapist several years ago, but I passed on it because my job at the time was so crazy that I barely had time to sleep, much less study.  I'm regretting it now.  I'm considering hiring an equine sports massage therapist for a session to see if it helps Nox's recovery. 

In the meantime, I do the best I can... and he definitely enjoys it! 

 

How to cuddle with a 1200 lb animal

It is April - almost mid April - and Nox is still shedding!  He looks so sleek and shiny, but I used a shedding blade today and hair is still coming out.  I'm hoping that another week of currying and blading will take care of it, because I know that all that loose hair is itchy.

Nox has recovered from his soreness but we are still taking things slowly.  It was raining today and Nox was feeling frisky.  I opened up the arena door so he could stick his head out and breathe some fresh air, but he doesn't like getting rain on his head.  He leaned his head out the door, felt the rain, and pranced away from the window with his tail raised, snorting at the patter of raindrops on the metal roof.  I think this is funny, because he loves being sprayed all over with the hose!  For some reason, the rain really bugs him.

Nox started doing something very sweet - cuddling!  After his grooming session, if I stand in front of him, he'll rest his muzzle on my shoulder and lean his head towards mine.  I'll stand there and stroke his cheek and neck while he breathes softly and closes his eyes.  It's such a sweet moment and I love it.  I love him!  I still feel like the luckiest girl on earth when I walk into the barn.  I feel the same way when I walk in my front door.  Thank you, Best Husband Ever, for all the love and support the past seven years (can you believe it?!) and of course, we love our Moose dog.

Nox, enjoying a bit of sunshine a few days ago.

Moose, isn't he adorable?