Boo tried out as a babysitter for not-so-little Pie today. M. brought Pie home from the breeding farm yesterday, and wants to find a horse to stall with her (it's a double-size paddock) so that Pie isn't lonely and doesn't develop too many of the goofy behaviors that a horse gets when reared solo. We had Red in with her but Red takes the job a little TOO seriously, herding Pie away not only from dangers but also from us!
So she turned Boo and Pie out together in the arena.
They did really well together... Boo followed Pie around, didn't push her around, was gentle and not too bossy. We started getting excited, having visions of him becoming our "babysitter" gelding in the days and years ahead when we have young horses that go out to pasture and need an older, steady presence....
And then Boo decided, hey, I have a new buddy! Time to play! And cued Pie to run, and started chasing her... and even that might have been OK, except that being a colt, his idea of playing also involves play-kicking at the other horse while galloping. So we ran in there and grabbed our horses and that was that. *sigh*
I still think they would be fine together in a small area, but Pie is just a baby, and I'd feel terrible if Boo accidentally injured her. Maybe once she's a yearling. So our quest for the answer continues.... and in the meantime she and Boo are next-door neighbors, and can fool around over the fence and be silly youngsters all they want. It reminds me that though he's 17hh, he's just a wee baby in the mind. One more reason I'm not hopping on anytime soon. Right now my target is April 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment