It’s been 13 days since we threw our herd together. It’s gone amazingly smooth, especially once the girls came out of heat – geesh! Hormone City… Most of the time there’s peaceful energy surrounding our equines. They graze and walk the 5 acres then graze some more. They rest in the shade of trees or in one of the sheds where fans can cool them. Life is good.

There is but one tiny hitch – Becca and Sam seem to have a love / hate thing going. One minute they are happily next to one another…

and the next they are biting, squealing and kicking! None of it is terribly aggressive or we’d have worse injuries. After days of observing them we’ve come up with a few theories. They’re both young and a bit full of themselves. Becca thinks she’s all that and Sam knows he is so conflict is bound to happen. Both have limited experience being in a herd situation. Cass and Tanner are more mature and know how herds work so they mostly keep away from any ruckus. They know what’s important – grazing.

Tanner waits for the girls to head out before following, making sure the all clear’s been heard.

Sam is taking the brunt of the kicks Becca is dishing out…

And Becca is taking some bites from Sam…

Thankfully, she’s a fast healer. The bites have hurt I’m sure, as have her kicks to him. But, that’s what horses do.

Part of their dispute may be over Cass. I’ve said before how she evokes feelings in others they themselves don’t understand…I mean, just look at her!

Cass and Sam have a strong bond from our original barn 2 years ago. Sam was beside her in the barn every night we awaited the birth of Becca. They traveled together to Leslie’s for training and found friendship when both were unsure in a new place. Now they’re back together and enjoying one another. Becca is the rare horse who’s known only a few months away from her mother. They are extremely tight. So, some of the problems between Becca and Sam stem from them wanting to be with Cass. I’ve seen both run the other off away from her. Cass is waiting (as are we) for them to work it out.

The donkeys hang with all of them. They do their best to stay out of the way when any crazy running is going on. Clementine loves to help in the barn when we’re grooming or doing chores. Her momma, Mathilde usually stays a little away. She just isn’t quite as brave as her daughter.

Therese and Tanner are motivating both Gayle and I to get back in charge of our training. He’s such a great example to have around and we hope his wonderful manners are rubbing off a bit.

See, Becca’s already learned to ground tie again. I’ll admit I’ve let her get away with a lot.

She’s almost as breathtaking as her momma. I’m so glad she’s healthy and well-adjusted. Becca is a rarity and I hope I do her justice as she grows. We have a lot more firsts to accomplish together.

Cass asked me to tell Gayle,  “thank you very much for cleaning the water troughs…

our mom’s not the best housekeeper sometimes.”

To say we’ve had an exciting week is quite the understatement. We quickly went from our little female herd of horses and donkeys to having 2 handsome boy horses move in! Cass said, “WHOOHOO!” Becca wasn’t sure what to think. Sam moved in first and we kept him separated from Becca and Cass by rotating them in and out of the small pasture.

It didn’t help much, though. The bonding was immediate and the outrageous flirting was in full swing through the gate! I hate to say it but my girls are floosies!

Tanner joined us on thursday. Gayle (Sam’s mom) and I had been worrying ourselves silly creating all sorts of scenarios with big fights and lots of kicking. It really is ridiculous to worry about something that’s not even happened, yet. We should have had more faith in our horses. When Tanner stepped off the trailer he looked around…(that’s his mom, Therese)…

Is he gorgeous or what?!

We had the girls safely in the barn so the boys could meet without interruptions. Tanner noticed Sam and waltzed over to say hello.

Gayle and Therese anxiously await the fireworks…

… none came so they swung the gate open to really see what would happen.

Instead of puffing out their chests and showing just who was the man…they began grooming each other!

Sam happily showed Tanner all around the pasture and barn.

We’d planned on not letting the girls get close the first day but it was going so smoothly, we thought, what the heck? I opened Cass’ stall door and she came strutting out like I’ve never seen before. Becca was close behind and she quickly went up to Sam for a real face to face meeting. When Sam started sniffing where she didn’t want Becca twirled around and gave him a kick.

They all chased around for a few minutes but there was no aggression being seriously shown by anyone.

Ring around the horsey…

After just a few minutes all were peacefully doing what a herd of horses is supposed to do. This could very well be the quickest herd mingling ever and with no injuries!

To allow them all some rest, we put the boys in the small pasture for the night. This was when Cass posed the question, “can we date?”

I sure understand a bit of what my mom must have felt when all her teenage girls began dating. Once Sam came into the picture Cass hasn’t had much time for me. It broke my heart a little but it’s also comforting to see her being a horse. I forget sometimes that in her former life she lived in a large herd and had very little human contact.

The dynamics of CassidyLand have changed a bit but I think everything’s gonna be just fine.

We had a visit last week from our new farriers, Vince and Kathy. Cass has gotten totally comfortable with them…as you can see.

Vince knows how to win the ladies over! Back scratching is so goooooood….

I forgot to take pics before we started trimming…

Fronts – I may need to ask for more of a mustang roll next time. He barely has to trim anything off.

I’m blessed with the fact both girls have healthy feet. If I’d walk them more out on the street they’d wear down on their own. I’m thinking about getting some pea gravel to put in high traffic areas so they can naturally file themselves.

Backs. All done. Vince nor Kathy take any flack from Ms. Becca. Next time I’ll get pics from her trim.

We were called in to help get this little guy out of our local animal control facility. He’d been there nearly a month, a stray no one was claiming. They had him neutered and gave him the necessary evil of heartworm treatment (it’s a tough process for the body) in hopes of finding him a foster home. They got slammed with dogs this week from an abandonment situation so any bit of room was desperately needed. I put the call out and my awesome pet sitting clients & friends, Jeff & Tammy, stepped up to offer sanctuary for this boy as he gets healthy. He will be recouping for about a month and then we’ll start the task of finding his forever family. In the meantime, meet Elvis our little hunk ‘o hunk of burnin love!

India, the older mare needing retirement is still looking for her forever family. Her current owner has changed some of the details of her placement so here’s the latest:

We are looking to find India a home as soon as we can! Her pasture mate just left and she is lonely!!! We are also selling our home(where she is pastured) and we can’t afford to keep her any longer. She will be given to anyone that can assure us that she will get a forever home, hopefully where she can be a pasture mate to another horse… India is a 20 yr old Black w/ left rear sock Tennessee Walker-Draft cross mare. She could be ridden bareback or tacked up, but very lightly… She has paid her dues in life and served her previous owners selflessly. She is as gentle as they come–completely quiet and safe… Would work for a camp that has a therapeutic riding program, but she would have to be used sparingly. Her life was one of hard service to her previous owners–been there done it all, kind of life. She was a barrel horse for many years and ridden very hard–so she does have some arthritic/tendon issues that prevent her from riding fast and long, nowadays… She has a heart of gold and would do well for someone looking for their son’s/daughter’s first horse–to learn what a horse is all about the safe way… Will only consider the right family with the right intentions for India, she deserves the very best. If you are a KILLER/MEAT PACKER–Please have some decency and DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME CONTACTING ME!… We are in a very unsure and hard situation workwise and homewise and I need to find her the right home SOON. I am praying that we will find a kind soul out there that will help India. Call Ana@407-971-1199.

I’m trying to figure out how to begin a program for our county where folks in this situation have somewhere to go for help in feeding their horses. It’s in the very beginning stages but if anyone would like to donate feed / hay or funds…please email me! (kathleen@pookiebros.com) We’ve been helped so many times in the past we love being able to pay it forward.

Found out about this gal on Craig’s List this week. I’ve been in contact with her owner and am desperately trying to help find her a home. This mare deserves to not worry about anything the rest of her days. She’s only 20 and in relatively good shape. The moment I saw her photo she spoke to me and I know she’s special. If anyone would like to add her to your herd, please contact her owner.  She meant to be India’s final home but their lives have drastically changed and she’s had to make this devastating decision. The following info is from the ad:

India is a 20 yr old Black w/ left rear sock Tennessee Walker-Draft cross mare ready for forever home that will ride her lightly or just use her as a pasture mate for another horse. I need to find her a home ASAP, due to my other mare being sold and leaving this coming Fri, 6/25. She is as gentle as they come–completely quiet and safe… Would work for a camp that has a therapeutic riding program, but she would have to be used sparingly. Her life was one of hard service to her previous owners–been there done it all, kind of life. She was a barrel horse for many years and ridden very hard–so she does have some arthritic issues that prevent her from riding fast and long, nowadays… She has a heart of gold and would do well for someone looking for their son’s/daughter’s first horse–to learn what a horse is all about the safe way… Will only consider the right family with the right intentions for India, she deserves the very best for the remainder of her life… Small adoption fee for now–although, the right home is the most important consideration and will be given to the right home, if the right fit is found… if you are a KILLER/MEAT PACKER–DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!… We are in a very unsure and hard situation workwise and homewise (selling it at the moment) and I need to find her the right home soon…Call Ana@407-971-1199.

Here’s a video of India and her little girls:

We met Joey in 1997 when he was one of a couple hundred dogs incarcerated at the county shelter. He had a certain “Pookieness” the shelter manager knew we liked. There’s no way to define a Pookie we just know one when we see one. We didn’t agree to take him but did offer to put him through the heartworm treatment he needed if someone else would adopt him. Can’t remember how many dogs we had at home at the time, but I’m sure another was not needed. Despite his obvious cuteness he had no takers. He sat at the shelter waiting for a couple months until I got the call they couldn’t hold on to him any longer. We brought him home as our Honorary Pookie. (Frank & Sam being the official Pookie Bros.).

My memory’s a bit fuzzy but I’m sure the intent was to nurse him to health and then find him a good home. Ah, always the best of intentions. The first night when I went to put him into a crate he escaped my grasp and ran under our bed. Trying to get him out was futile and I wasn’t going to let him bite me. I gave up and we went to bed. Sometime in the night he came out from under the bed and snuggled up against my back. That’s where he spent many, many years, either my back or Scottie’s. One of his most endearing traits was the way he’d lay his head on our shoulders if he was being held. He was simply precious.

Joey always got along with any dog in the household. He was definitely a lover, not a fighter. Ramirez even tolerated him. The best guess as to his breed was maybe part chihuahua, part minpin, part beagle? He definitely had a wanderlust and was one of the few dogs who ever escaped the back yard. He just could not be contained. No wonder he wound up a stray at animal control. He could escape out of any crate and even escaped out of the kennels at our vet clinic once. He could climb with the best of them in all his 10 pound glory. This ability to escape is the main reason he stayed. In his later years we did back x-rays and found that he’d had a broken pelvis at some point in his life prior to us. No telling what he experienced before we had him join our family. Joey loved the ladies. He would swagger up to them, do some kissing and then jump on their head to hump! He’s been catapulted across many rooms and lived to tell about it.

Joey’s physical health was excellent as he became an old man but his brain was deteriorating. It’s always difficult watching as they become old but it’s even worse when it’s the brain. He was suffering from terrible dementia, just like a person does. Old dog Alzheimer’s came on fast. So, Friday we released him from his pain and confusion. He was lovingly held and told how great a dog he was and how lucky we were to have known and loved him all these many years. His age was estimated at 18 or even older. We miss him but know he’s no longer suffering. I smile as I picture him being greeted by all our other pack angels. Let’s hope he doesn’t try any head humping at the Bridge

This was the song we chose for his final goodbye.

There have been a few changes since the last post. We had some trouble with trespassers on the property. I don’t know the details as it happened around midnight but some people were arrested. All the animals were unharmed, slightly freaked out but unharmed. So, Maybelline and the rest of the cows have been moved to the main property. They’re on a lot more acreage and are no longer in sight from the road. Cass, Becca and the donkeys now have the whole 5 acres to themselves. I think most of the flies left with the cows so Cass is getting some relief in that area. We’re still trying to get her bug allergies under control.

This morning I witnessed something true and unexpected. I finished my chores and decided to work on one of my assignments with Becca, walking out on the road. I’ve done this several times with Cass but never with Becca. So, I haltered her up, left Cass leisurely chomping hay in her stall and headed out the gate. Becca was an unsure as I was as soon as we walked out. She snagged a few bites of greener grass (on the other side) but all her senses were at attention. She looked much bigger to me when standing on the driveway for some reason. A truck drove by and smiled at us. We waited for him to get further down the road and walked our way to the edge. Becca started snorting and toe tapping a bit and I got scared so we just touched the road and turned around and went back into our pasture. I knew better than to try something like that if I wasn’t confident. I let her off the halter and she ran off around the barn to join the donkeys.

When I entered the barn Cass whinnied at me and I thought she was just ready to come out. I needed to do some grooming to her mane so I haltered her and led her just outside the barn door. This is when the surprise begins. She let out such a long and serious whinny her jaw seemed to be moving in slow motion. It was directed to Becca, we couldn’t see her from where we were standing. I assured her she was ok and we walked a few steps to get her in our sight. Cass then gave her a low call and Becca answered back. She then slowly walked to us and mother and daughter lovingly nuzzled one another. It was an extremely touching moment. I finished up Cass’s mane then walked her back in to fly spray her. When I let her off her halter she walked over to Becca and they literally hugged one another.

Cass loves her daughter. Becca’s the only baby she’s been able to keep. I thought she was indifferent about her and the attachment was much more from Becca to Cass. Guess I was wrong. I’m glad she told me that today. I will keep the precious memory of this morning’s love always.

(Mother’s love, baby Becca just days old…)

Just realized I haven’t posted the pics of Arlene’s baby girl. She was born the week after little Rhett. I don’t think we’ve settled on a name, yet. She’s all legs and looks like a ballerina. Arlene is being too devoted of a mom, she won’t leave her side to come in to eat! This little girl is more leery of me than Rhett but I’m glad they now have one another to play with and be baby cows.

She’s an elegant creature. There’s no doubt she’s a girl and little Rhett is all boy.

Love the eyelashes!

Got the entire herd in one shot. Idyllic or what?

Maybelline snuggles and kisses Snuffy. Good job!

A day late, but here are Becca’s birthday pics. Enjoy!

Being greeted at the gate but they got distracted by something. Fly masks are essential right now, especially for Cass. She’s on the left with the braid. Becca on the right.

There’s that face!

Cass wondering why the gate’s not open so she can trot to the barn for dinner…

The stunning Fjord neck is certainly coming out now in Becca.

She’s got a lovely and kind eye.

Am I simply seeing her through a mother’s eye or is she just gorgeous?!

Yep, gorgeous!

This must be her good side as it’s the one she always gives me when the camera’s out.

Of course, our 2-year old wouldn’t be who she is without her stunning mother…decked out in her breast cancer pink.

Cass was getting impatient to eat. This angle is freaky looking!

Wow! Her nose does look huge…

“Do I have to get my food myself? C’mon now!”

“I’ll just scratch while I wait…”

Becca is the only baby Cass has ever seen grow up. She’s at least her 4th and definitely her last! Happy Birthday Girls

Our baby girl is two years old today. She came from Canada to Florida in the belly of her momma. They rode 3,000 miles in a semi with 20 other pregnant mares who were twice Cass’s size. It was 50 below zero when they left Alberta. The trip took 5 days and I’m certain both were scared. Becca was supposed to be born in the stall so all the world could see on the internet. She and her momma had other ideas, though, and she was born in the pasture with the smallest of audiences. Her birth was so easy I had to break the sac off her nose so she could get her first breath of air. That moment is precious and only mine.

(Trying to get her to nurse for the first time wasn’t easy. Once she got it, she got it!)

Becca is becoming a horse, no longer a baby. Sometimes I’m not sure which girl it is at the fence until I take a long look. She is smart, confident, loving, inquisitive and beautiful. She and her mother have a tight bond and she’s the protector over all the other animals. Our baby girl is now two.

(Becca came out of the womb with this zest for life and attitude. It will serve her well. She found her legs quickly.)

Happy Birthday Rebecca Maye!