"Blue's" pages chronicle our lives together with this unique & wonderful creature. This particular page keeps y'all up on what we're doing with him (and what he's doing TO us); there are also several more pages in his photo galleries with pictures and activities at any given time, and a very large page with 14 generations of his heritage.
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4 November 2001; Blue's been in the fields with the rest of the horses on the farm for a few days now and he's having the time of his life. I really don't think he's seen a lot of freedom in his short life and he's really lapping this up. He has freedom, he has friends (and a rather jealous mare that he has to watch out for a bit), he's getting a huge amount of attention from everybody that visits the farm, and he's making the most of it. His general attitude toward life has improved - he's having a ball, and I'm thrilled!
And again, on 1 December 2001 he finally made it to his somewhat more "permanent" home - with Holly's horses. He had to spend a week more or less in 'solitary' while he met everybody (horse & human) but he's now out (on 7 Dec) in the fields with his new friends. I can't believe the change in this guy! He's stopped biting, he comes when he's called and he cooperates in everything! This is definitely going to work out! We're still looking, though, for a place we can keep them all on our own. Maybe we'll find one before summer.
26 May 2002: We've found it, a field near Holly's apartment that we can keep the horses in! All the guys will be moving in a week to a new field that we're renting for now. We've been fixing it up for them and we might just be able to eventually buy it. Will keep y'all up-to-date.
12 October 2002: Well, it's looking like summer's just about over - the leaves are gone from the trees, the grass isn't growing much anymore at all. I'm pretty sure we have a good supply of hay for the winter and we've increased their grain to 12% to help in the cold. Sure has been a fun summer with all the guys/gal. Blue's beginning to settle a bit, not nearly as "nervous" and jumpy as he always has been. It's also seems like he's picked me, out of all the family, to be his buddy (human). He follows me around like a puppy and always has to poke his head around the corner to see what I'm doing. Lot of fun with this guy so far.
19 Feb 2003: WINTER! SNOW! COLD!! This is the worse winter that Virginia has seen in many years and the horses, all of them, are going through some pretty hard times. There isn't enough shelter, there isn't enough clear room for them to run in, it seems there just isn't enough of anything except cold and snow. They're doing OK though, will try to keep this up-to-date.
18 June 2003: Well, we've survived this past winter, now all we have to do is survive these seemingly eternal rains. Blue's doing just fine, considering, and he's even let me on his back - just once and just for a few seconds, but he's getting there.
The changes this guy's going through would be enough to drive a judge to drink. He's growing up physically and mentally; his color's changing to the grey of his adulthood. Most of the brown is gone now, except for his mane and tail, which probably won't change a whole lot more. He's really becoming a beautiful young horse. Mentally, he's changed a lot too. The days of being a wild young mustang are fading into the past and in their place is a lot of good sense, a fair semblance of patience, and an awful lot of cooperation. Of course, he sees us working with the other horses a lot, and he wants to join in the activities. He must figure that if joining-in requires a bit of equipment on his back, that's what's necessary. As a result, he gets all quivery when we bring out his training saddle (English type) and he stands like a perfect gentleman while we put it on. We've had over 50 lbs weight on the saddle several times and he takes it like a veteran. We'll be jumping that to 100 lbs in a few weeks.
20 August 2003: What can I say, Blue's been just wonderful this summer. Weight on his saddle is up to 100 lbs regularly and there's been no problems with him at all, other than getting him to lunge (sp). He's gotten to the point that he knows me so well he knows how to get around me completely - sometimes it's really funny. Every horse in the field, we can put into the training pen and have them running around in just a few seconds, Blue's smarter than that. He'll go around about a half circle and then just stop and face me, then he walks right up and puts his head over my shoulder, nikkering all the way. He's really sweet, but I've GOT to find a way to make him mind better. I won't use a whip to make him go, and a swinging rope just doesn't seem to have any effect on him. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
23 October 2003: Well, Blue's had his first real injury and has survived it - actually, he's survived it a lot better than I have, I'm an emotional wreck! Things are getting a bit "thin" in the field, grass-wise, and all the horses have been spending a lot of time searching along the fence-line. Blue managed to get his leg caught in the fence and tore it up a bit while getting free again. The cuts are minor, my nerves are terminal. Our vet's been out and gave him a shot to help the swelling and he has pain pills for the next week while it heals. No work for a couple weeks.
27 May 2006: Well, I'm sure that you've noticed that much of Blue's pages are stuff that happened a fair while ago now. Finally, after 3 more years of working with this incredible little powerhouse, there's NEWS! Just click the Next button to see our boy now.
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| BLUE'S PAGES |
| BLUE'S PHOTO GALLERIES |
| Baby Pictures April 2000 |
28-29 October 2001 | 15 November 2001 |
| 1 January 2002 | 16 January 2002 | May 2003 |
| 26 August 2005 | 23 May 2006 Third Day of Riding Blue |
24 May 2006 Fourth Day of Riding Blue |