Happiness

I'm so happy - the mare is doing wonderfully. She is still nervous, but knows what I expect of her now and is walking much better on the lead, staying well behind me. I got a rope halter (*gasp*) after asking the shop lady (my next door neighbor, actually) how to adjust one and tie one. It was 26Euros, can you believe it? I was just impatient and wanted one  now. My friend the photographer was with me, she'd just taken a few hundred pictures of my mare galloping and floating around the big pasture.

What a sight it was, cars were stopping on our street and people just stared as this flaming orange horse went blazing across the green for sheer joy. Twice she dug in and ran her fastest, it was amazing, my friend was saying, "OMGOSH I'd be scared to ride that horse!" All young horses run for joy, but I'd never seen a horse gallop that fast in my pasture.

Wait til you see the pictures - some of them are magazine cover quality. I think she's prettier day by day (isn't that odd? I thought she was homely when I first met her). Not homely!

She also lets me catch her, which I had to do a few times today. The farrier showed up (I'd forgotten) and I had to catch her quickly and it was no problem. She stood mostly good for the farrier but did pull back a few times. They are good with her, I'm sure she'll quit that soon. Now her feet are lovely. It really bugged me to have ugly hooves here. They are very round, which I like. I appreciated that he did not take off sole, because he really rips into the donkey's sole and I was scared he'd do horses like he does donkeys, but no, whew! He laughed when my man came out and said, "Your wife called these hooves 'terrible' - you wanna see terrible?" They brought out the slipper-toe of a donkey who couldn't walk and showed us pics on his iphone.

I don't cuddle with her and I don't feed any treats. That can come later. OK I scratched her sweaty chest today after her gallop and she made cute "more, more" faces. My husband, however, is loving all over her. I was overwhelmed tonight, watching them, she was giving him kisses on his face, nuzzling him so gently. How can a horse become so affectionate with someone so soon? Apparently she appreciates closeness with people. Of course we both thought of Baasha, how he'd rest his chin on your chest and wiggle his lips.

My friend was like ,"It's so sad here without Baasha. It just feels wrong, she's standing in his stall, she's eating his grass."

I am confident my mare will relax soon and be an even better citizen with the new guidelines. Her ground tying is coming along really well, it's almost like she knew it before and is just being reminded.

Ah, her parentage. She's 75% Arabian, 25% ...uh...um, you decide. Here's the sire's pedigree and a couple photos (browse to the pedigree option on the left) http://www.pintozucht.eu/axel/

So what is he? I love the black tail, like Summer Pony.

The dam is straight egyptian, named Sheraza, but get this, has no papers. What the heck. See how there's no info, no photo, nothing on allbreedpedigrees? *sigh* Her breeder said she sold the dam. http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/sheraza

I asked the breeder what my mare's name was, and she said Sera. I love that name but I'm trying to find something a little more unique.

I'm thinking I might not pursue papers, but I will try contacting the stallion owner to see what is possible.

Name ideas for today: Mara and Daria.

Now you see why cars kept stopping?: ) She's a car stopper *lol* I should say, click on the individual photos to see what a master my friend is with a camera. I can't believe how sharp they are. She was not satisfied at all with this photo shooting and wants to return in Summer. She says our field is difficult cuz it's so large, and the sunlight required the horse to move in a particular direction which the mare did not choose often. So only a few photos turned out. But I cannot complain, I'm so grateful to her.