Strange days for Mag

Before I forbode visits,  Ani sat here on this couch with me, and said, "Mag is jumping around like a bunny."

I schooched over and said, "Oh yes, he loves Grundstueck 72" (BTW, "schooch" is J's English word of the week.)

Indeed this little piece of land makes a maze of trees and such that he seems to delight in careening around full tilt like a barrel horse. Mag has never had such playthings as trees/bramble patches to navigate in his romps. Neither in Poland, nor in Germany.

Today J said, "Look out the window. Mag is going crazy." I had been washing my glasses but put them on still wet to see Mag leaping about (Oh -  as I type this I must interject that Mag is again leaping about, tail over back, joyful.)

We've had no rain all month and just ridiculously sunny blue skies. It is not killing this pluvophile because I know it helps our pasture (our hay farmer is going to come drag it on Saturday, which will make us the slackers in the entire town, everyone else has both fertilized and dragged).

Because my animals had 72 this month, I'd kept them off the pasture. For the very first time since we've lived here, in "Winter."

Mag takes me to the fence and stares over it, beckoning me to let them out there. I think, you have 72, go ahead and destroy it, and eat hay. He pointedly stares over the fence at the pasture and I say, "I hear you, son."

For the first time in ages we've had enough hay at the end of Winter, which encourages me to let the pasture recover. Most years we've had no choice but to continue to keep them at pasture through April. (When we will eventually lock them onto the perimeter grazing strips, in order to grow hay.)

After J forced me to watch Mag's antics on 72, he said, "Why not let them out to pasture a little."

Well, a few hours won't hurt.

2 hours later Mag came galloping in with sweat crusts in his hair. He'd been galloping the pasture in celebration of almost an entire month of deprivation. And he'd eaten enough grass to not finish his beet pulp, and I let Bellis at it. Her best day.

Now they're back on 72, but Mag is twitchy, pestering the donkey to move and she really just wants to sleep off her food coma. He's bouncing around, rolling his hair into the dirt and air repeatedly.

I tried to brush his face only today. I suspected ticks, and found 2. As I tried to focus on only his face, so much hair flew into my eyes and bra I almost gave up. Then with the silky brush, I tried to make it pleasurable for Mag....

And he jumped straight into the air. I'd given him a static electricity shock with the brush. That is a first for me in my life.

I had to convince him to let me approach and touch him in order to remove the halter. He was a snorty mess. I guess I know now, when my horse's tail is streaming out 360 degrees, and sticking to his sides when he swishes it, he's electrically charged, and I shouldn't try to brush him.

Have you ever experienced such a thing? I know about removing nylon-lining blankets from horses in dry spells, but so far so good. Every time I remove my polarfleece jacket after working outside, it crackles. WTH! How do you saddle a horse who is electrically charged?

OK God a little moisture please, just to let me touch my horse?




     
Missing the early years with Mag, so much now!! That is Ani's Mira (RIP) beside him. BTW, she was not fond of being tied onto a dam wall no matter how many grapes we fed them as they tolerated our first and only dam picnic.

When I see Mag "bunny-ing" around, even presenting me with a joyful rear on my arrival, it makes me fantasize about his debut in the German shows.

The photo below is by my photographer friend Michi, which I had permission to send to the colt's handler, because it was such a great "mid-air" shot. They responded, "That's his signature move, no worries."

The trainer is from Belgium, and is the best handler in Europe, in my opinion. He is unique in that he loves his job, and it shows. He cannot stop smiling, even when his young horses are about to escape (oops). If I were rich, I'd send Mag to Elba Training in Belgium (a stone's toss from Germany) and let him show everyone what Mag does naturally. Rafael cried and hugged Equator, but this guy cannot stop smiling as he plays with horses before an audience. Wish I had a picture of Tony's face.


     


I so wish I had a riding instructor that I trusted.

Instead, I have this Belgian team that I respect, but who shows geldings? (Yes, it is a thing, but.....)

https://www.facebook.com/Elbatrainingcenter/