If Nox kept a journal...

Day 352 of forced confinement.

A few months ago, I was moved to a new facility and given better accommodations.  The new warden, Penny, and her staff are friendly and very generous with food.  Star continues to visit every day and she seems happier with the facility as well.  My new stall is larger and includes an outdoor area, however, it is not large enough to run around in.  I was given unlimited access to the outdoor area until a few weeks ago, when suddenly the door was shut.  I was given a few days of stall confinement and then the door was reopened, revealing a much smaller outdoor area.  Now I only have enough room to walk outside, turn around, and walk back in.  I think this is ridiculous and I came up with a plan to demonstrate my displeasure.

The past week, I spent the early morning hours learning how to open my stall door.  I can reach over the door and access the lock, but it took me some time to figure out how to open it.  I had to be careful, as Penny does a midnight check and I had to pretend to be sleeping when she walked by.

I practiced my technique to be sure I could slide the lock quickly and quietly, and then waited for my chance. 

Yesterday, it came.  Penny and her friends were riding and Star was due to arrive any minute.  I slid the lock, pushed the stall door open, and bolted out of the barn!  I ran right through the outdoor ring where everyone was riding and heard Penny shout, "Who is that?!"  Someone else shouted, "It's Nox!" in complete surprise, and I snorted, "Indeed, it is I!" as I raced past.  I headed straight for the fields at a full gallop.  They had to know that if I wanted to, I could escape and be gone in a flash - they couldn't catch me!  My race days are not so far behind me - I know how to run and I'm amazing at it! Of course, I don't actually want to leave - the food is great, I'm quite attached to Star, and I have a pet cat that needs to be cuddled, but I want them to know I CAN leave if I want to.  So, I circled back and watched as several people scrambled out of their saddles, tied up their horses, and started running towards me.  Silly people.  They have no idea who they are dealing with.  I dodged them, weaved between the pastures, stopped to meet the cute mare across the way that always gives me the eye when I'm in my paddock, and then bolted off as soon as anyone came too close.  It was the most fun I've had in months!  I stopped to roll in the dirt, let Penny get close enough to almost touch me, and then whirled around and raced off into the fields again.  I heard her yell for someone to get a bucket of grain, so I performed a perfect wide turn and came trotting back.  I felt that I had made my point, and all that running had made me hungry for a snack anyway, so I let them "catch" me with the grain and lead me back into my stall.

Star arrived minutes later and I heard Penny explain what had just happened.  Star came in, took one look at me, and laughed.  She said that she hoped I had a good time and set to work grooming the sweat and dirt off me.  They immediately installed an additional lock on my stall door, but again, I'm satisfied that I made my point.   

On an unrelated note: my leg hurts today.  I should rest it.        

Another Birthday!

I'm 34 years old today!  I had to work, but I went straight to the barn as soon as I could.  Nox's new paddock is complete and there is just enough room for him to walk outside, turn around, and walk back in.  He happily stands outside and eats his grain.  I'm glad he has the option to be inside or out - I think it's good for his brain.  Stall rest isn't so bad these days!

Pretty boy.

He's calm and easy going.  I groom him every day and marvel at his thick winter coat that is quickly growing in.  Some horses get woolly, rough winter coats, but Nox is velvety soft and plush, like a giant stuffed animal.  I don't have much to report, so I'll just post another picture.  Happy October everyone!

Keeping Busy and Engaged

Nox is back on stricter stall rest and things are going much smoother than they did in the spring.  This stall is larger and very open, and he can hang his head out the back door and enjoy the sunshine and watch the pastures, or hang his head into the barn aisle and play with his neighbors or his cat.  Nox is much more mellow than I expected.  We are building the smaller paddock this weekend so he can at least stand outside, but it looks like it will just be a bonus instead of a necessity.

Nox looking for carrots.

Nox kissing Hutch the cat.

I'm riding and working other horses in the meantime.  A nice mare named Jasmine has been ridden incorrectly for too long and now that Penny has her, we are trying to get her back into shape.  I'm asking her to move forward, stride out with energy, and use her back and hind end to propel herself forward.  I'm also still working with Baya.  She's wonderful to ride but she doesn't lunge well consistently, so we are working on keeping her calm and listening to commands on the ground.

Lunging Baya...

So far so good...

Eventually she gets a little too excited... Yee Haw!

Yesterday, Best Husband Ever managed to get an extra day off on a Saturday (very rare!) and so we took the opportunity to hike to the "Big Pine" in a little Adirondack hamlet called Wanakena.  The Big Pine is an old growth white pine tree that has survived ice storms and loggers and is estimated to be about 300 years old - one of the oldest trees in the Adirondack Park!  I heard about it during field work I completed in the area and we've wanted to find it ever since.  The fall colors in the Adirondacks are gorgeous right now and even though it was drizzling lightly, it was perfect day for a walk in the woods.

Best Husband Ever, Moose, and I at the Big Pine.

After the hike, we went back home and embarked on a Husband and Wife Project in his wood shop. Best Husband Ever is a talented wood worker (Ragapple Wood Products) and since he comes to the barn and helps me groom and do barn chores (and lets me teach him the ways of the horse world), he taught me the ways of the power tools.  I wanted to build a birdhouse similar to one that was already on one of our trees when we bought our house.  He let me use the circular saw, drill press, and various hand tools and he was so patient and encouraging!  A few hours later, a plank of cedar became something I'm quite proud of:

I'm operating the drill press.  I'm actually very intimidated by power tools.  I'm perfectly comfortable with 1,350 lb horses, but whirling blades scare me!

The old birdhouse and our new birdhouse!  Home tweet home!

Quality time with those I love - I wish I could have more time with Best Husband Ever and other people I love, but I will appreciate every chance I get when I get it.