Happy Leap Day!

Happy Leap Day every one! As all of you should know, today is February 29th, meaning we have an extra day this year. Unfortunately this also means I have an extra day until I get to celebrate my birthday on March 3rd. I'll be the big "3" this year! I'm now considered a "senior stallion" when showing, but I'm still a baby I swear. While I'm done getting any bigger my bones are still fusing. In fact, all 3 year horse bones are still fusing. The very last bone doesn't actually fuse until the horse is 7! The last bone to fuse is a vertebrae in the neck. Maybe this is why Mom babies me so much. Except for yesterday. Yesterday she tortured me.

You see, yesterday Mom decided to deliver me to the nest of the flightless white vultures you two-leggeds call "veterinarians." Once there I was drugged, knocked out cold so they could perform their terrifying and horrifying experiments on me. I don't care what Mom says. They weren't "floating" my teeth! They were testing some sort of deadly ray gun for horses. I just know it. Mom, however, insists I was just getting a routine procedure that every horse must go through. She says I even had it done last year. I don't really remember through... They must have drugged me then too. I guess even you two-leggeds have to go to the dentist and get your teeth looked at and examined too. Only your mouth is shallow compared to a horses. It doesn't hurt us any to have our teeth floated-which means the vet files (yes, files) off the sharp edges of our teeth. When horses chew they grind their teeth down, but luckily for horses we have very long teeth that keep rising up as we grind them down. When we're old we eventually run out of tooth and our teeth fall out, but until then we have to maintain the health of our teeth. If the teeth aren't worn down evenly they create sharp points on the edges, otherwise known as "hooks." These hooks can cause cuts and ulcers on our tongues and in our cheeks, so its important to keep up on your horses dental maintenance-even if we don't always like it. Luckily for me, Mom feels its important to go to some one certified to do this. Even more lucky, our vet is! So, once a year Cody, Avalon, Missy, and I load up and head to the vets for our dentals. And, once a year, we all end up looking like this:

But its ok! By the afternoon of the same day we're back to our regular selves. We're able to eat better and our tongues and cheeks are no longer sore or getting cut. As much as I hate going to the vulture nest and having this done, I sure do appreciate how great my teeth and mouth feel the next day. Plus Mom makes sure to give me extra cookies if I'm a good boy. Speaking of cookies... This Saturday is my birthday! Don't forget to wish me a happy birthday! I'm going to be 3!

Also, don't forget to give me lots of cookies and gifts!

First Clip of the year and Ace Hardware

You know show season is in full swing when Mom busts out the clippers and decides to strip me of the clothes I've worked so hard to grow for the cold winter days! This year Mom wanted to do it in "steps" which basically was an excuse to give me different funny hair cuts for a day then fix it. This one was her favorite. She calls it my "70's boots" look. Ugh. Thankfully she fixed it a few hours later! Now I'm clipped up and handsome for all the ladies I'm going to see at all the shows this season.

Since I was all clipped up and looking so good Mom loaded me into the truck (otherwise known as my personal trailer) and took me to Ace Hardware to pick up some feed for all of us horses, though I think since I went to go pick it up it should be solely mine! I went to Ace before, when I wasn't even a yearling. Every one enjoyed seeing me back and seeing how, well, little I've grown. I went in my fancy new shoes. Mom loves them because they look like miniature converse and they light up when I walk. I like them because I don't slip on the floor!

While there I ran into Scratch, the store cat. The horses on the other side of my fence have a cat but its not nearly as fat as this one! This guy is HUGE, and he doesn't like it when you remind him of that! When I told him then went to get a closer look all he did is hiss at me. Kind of like the last time.. Mom said I should have learned my lesson the first time. I forgot since it had been so long. Since Scratch didn't want much to do with me it was onto the next thing in the store.

I found the dog section in the store and decided to be nice to Kia and shop for a bone for her. Mom told me no, she has enough and can't have that kind anyway, so I had to leave empty handed. Sorry Kia! Since there wasn't anything I needed we headed to the check out to go buy the feed. Back into the truck I went as we went around the back of the store to get it. I all but drooled in Mom's lap as I watched them load bale after bale of delicious grass into the truck bed. I didn't understand why I couldn't just eat it all right then! I did get to enjoy a nice handful though. After everything was all loaded we headed on home so I could have some free time in the big pen with Avalon and Cody. Since my new ramp for the truck and new shoes for on tile work so well Mom will be bringing me to even more places this year. She says Amanda and Missy will probably come too!

Until my next adventure, I'm out!

Back to School

Training officially started yesterday. Today it was in full swing more than ever. I'm exhausted! Through out the day Mom comes out and teaches me various things for 15 to 20 minutes then I get to relax for an hour or two. Its different than last year where I did one or two long sessions a day. I much rather these short sessions. I'm young and can't stay focused for that long! I retain the information much better this way too. Already I've got how to square up down. I may not do it perfectly every time but I'm learning. What I'm really after is the treat I get when I square up just about perfect and cant hold it. I can't get enough treats! Of course now that its show season I'm on a diet so I'm limited in my treats. Sometimes I get these "low fat" ones. Mom can give me more of those than the other kind. I don't notice a big taste difference so I'd rather have more of the low fat kind!

Each day Mom has made a lesson plan for me (is the teacher in her obvious or what?!). We focus on one main thing (today was squaring up) then have breaks of lounging in the round pen. I'm learning and building my up muscles (and trimming my fat!). Another thing Mom is focusing on is in hand trail. She mentioned getting me to pivot and bend my body better. Trail looks like more fun than the stuffy halter classes I'm always entered in. I get to do more than just stand there (that means more treats, right?). I heard that if I compete in trail I get to have a new halter. I love buying new halters and looking my best!

After my training was mostly over for the day (we do a little bit in the evening after Mom gets off work) and Mom was busy doing homework my good buddy, Cody, decided to open our gate and let us into the grassy yard. I knew that he was good for something! It was a good half hour before Mom caught us. I may have to work out extra tomorrow but it was more than worth it!!

I'm out for now!,

  P.S. - Sorry for such an old picture of Cody and I. Mom promises to take a new one!