It's always a bad day here when the flock of sheep comes to us. It's intimidating to have an entire fluffy herd overhead - our property lies below the field they often use. Baasha hated it his first time, and Mara too. The donkey would like to eat them for dinner.
As I wandered my pasture this morning searching for poop, which in Mag's case looks like cattle poop because of the fresh grass, Mag was very upset about the sheep, but running off his worries in full gallops across our entire field repeatedly, carving large holes/stripes with his hooves. He approached me a few times and followed me a little, but for the most part he wanted to deal with his problem - tons of sheep right there above us. As I made my way around, if I whistled softly, Bellis would come to me nonchalantly, to get a treat unbeknownst to Mag. Mag is in no-treat mode currently, so when he comes to me, I just greet him.
I sat in my chair and enjoyed the not-hot, insect free time. Then I went back to the barn, calling Bellis to follow.
Back at the barn it was even more stressful for Mag, because he couldn't move freely. In fact, for the first time, he reacted badly to me taking his blanket off. I always let it drop off his side, because having things falling off a horse is good training for potential falls, and he couldn't handle it today, he scooted away from me, rushing into his stall, leaving the blanket in a heap and snorting at it.
I said, "Every single day, we do this, but OK, let's work on it while you're stressed." *sigh*
I haltered him and blanketed him and let it fall off several times, and he wasn't happy but he didn't knock me down or anything. I understand this is a difficult thing for a horse, having big loud blankets fall off.
At one point I walked up to him and tried to take the halter and he avoided me. I said Ho but he kept going. I finally got him, cuz it's such a tiny area, and then I realized we hadn't really worked on Ho, other than I say it each time I stop with him. So that lesson should be next.
I gave them their buckets and large nets of hay and went to work in my greenhouse next to them, where I could keep an eye on them. Bellis ate hay for a long while and then dozed in the sun, between Mag and the furry enemies above.
Mag ate his bucket but never took his mid day nap, and never touched his hay, he was going in and out of the stall constantly and fussing and at one point, I was in the house, and I heard what I thought was him coughing. I got out my diary and wrote it down. I record every cough. But then I went out and he did it again but it was just him doing that alarm-blow thing, to warn of danger. He did it repeatedly and I wish I had it on video, he was so lovely when so upset.
I found a carrot from last year in the green house and threw it to him, along with some mint and lemon herbs. He just couldn't hold still a moment.
I tied Mag up at 3PM next to his hay bag and he fidgeted as he did the first time I tied him. He'd already been in the paddock since noon, but hadn't yet settled.
When J came home he went to Mag and took a hold of him and said, "Hey now, you can stand still, you can calm down." But...not really, not today. Mag thought, "Oh, it's you (the good cop), thank heaven, can you rescue me or at least feed me?" No, sorry not yet.
I went in the house and watched him as he fretted but eventually he ate a little.
Then I realized he was shaking. I hate that.
The wind was blowing hard all day (I'd taken down my wind chimes) and it's not warm out yet, so with the cold and his stress, he was trembling.
I very carefully (to protect myself) blanketed him and assured him he'd feel better soon, if he'd only just eat a bit.
I don't usually keep them here in the paddock so long, but today a little more time tied will be a good thing I think, because he's stressed, but the donkey is standing beside him sleeping, and nothing bad is really happening.
I had all these plans for him, but today was a step back due to sheep moving in here. I can't wait to see what Mag does when the sheep venture into our pasture!
Just now I let them loose and Mag was too stressed to go to the pasture alone (something he always does), and just like Mara, he clung to the skirts of the donkey, waiting for her to go first out into the danger.
Not a great day, but could be worse!
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5 comments:
Poor guy, being intimidated by stuffed animals! :-)
When I first moved Story to a boarding barn many years ago, she was followed three days later by a flock of ALPACA moving into the neighbor's adjacent field. Every horse in the barn was certain that the Zombie Apocalypse was upon us, except Story. She'd met llamas on the trail with me, and I daresay she'd seen alpacas somewhere before because she didn't give a rat's rear end about the newcomers.
But everyone else knew that they were the Alien Creatures of Doom...and Story ate all their hay while they were fussing. She was always a practical mare!
Ah, wooly boogers. Hopefully he'll get used to them.
Poor guy! He will get used to the sheep with time. It would probably be easier if he could be closer and see that they are just creatures.
Poor Mag! Who knew sheep could be so scary?? So he wasn't coughing? That's good! You'd think if he was sick he would be coughing with that much running around. Right?
I hope he settles soon and starts eating again. That must be so stressful. I wonder what Chrome would do around sheep? He probably wouldn't be too bothered since he has goats. They are about the same size anyway hehe. Oh wait! There were sheep next door at his old house... I don't remember him ever being bothered by them, but I didn't really pay attention to that. Of course being up over his head would definitely be different. He was definitely on high alert when he met the alpaca lol. I'm sure Mag will settle pretty quickly. He seems to accept things quickly. I wonder if there is a way you could introduce him to them so he knows what they are?
Camryn had a near heart attack at her first mini horse sighting. To be fair to her though, it did just kind of appear out of nowhere!
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