STalls and then tail cleaning and spokky walking

Warm morning went to help with stalls and take care of my boy

SATURDAY:  After the last few weeks of line lead walks on the road and the arena, Duke was kicking up his heels. so much latterly that I have began to think that he may be trying to tell me something. He always pulls up during his lead line walks.  I notice it at certain places. It may be behavior but I am going to work with him and continue with Krystyn to help to get him feeling confidant again.
Today was nice.  I went out to the paddock and it was so muddy. I have been having some issues with the gate and Doc.  Hes been coming over and being a jerk and over the past year I have seen him do terrible things to Duke pushing him around. I really hate it. Well when I get Duke if Doc is nice I give him a snack today it was an apple. He needs to stay away from the gate while I am with Duke and if he does it, I give him a snack or an apple/carrot too. Its working.

I went over today gave them both apples and then returned to the barn to help out with the mucking.  I went in to talk to Krystyn and Bonnie then I asked them if they were going to take a break, if they were I can go out and start the stalls. I went to the other side because they had already done the first side. I did Thistle, Doc Cisco Thistle's brother Fred, Muke and Brat. The horses were in yesterday so there was double poop to remove. They were a little sad over some barn drama with some of the other of the boarders. Well I told them about Raych and we talked about barn stuff.  I was really happy to be there.  We finished up and swept and I got a beautiful stocking for Duke's stall it had a leopard print on the cuff.  I felt great.  Bonnie said that she appreciated me and that she took care of the Dentist for me and Duke and that she appreciated my friendship. I was so happy.

Looks like theres a fence down in the paddock

SUNDAY:
Was working on Christmas chores at home and a friend posted a picture of Duke. It was a funny one of him eating at the edge of the paddock where there happen to be a fence rail down.
I really wanted to run over to the barn because it was so nice out.  Warmer 30s-40s with bright blue sky.
I left at about 4pm or so, and when I got there it was getting dark fast.  I saw that June and Kayla were at the barn.  Kayla is now feeding on Sunday night she said that Jess does Sat night.  Duke was munching like crazy in his stall. I figured I could get in there and get the dried mud all cleared away. He was happy as could be just being there. The temperature today was ok. Yesterday it was warmer then the wind and clouds made it cold. Today it was sunny and blue sky so it seemed pretty warm. I brushed him out happily.  June had a lady over who was giving the horses a massage.  They both looked happy over in the other aisle.  Later June introduced me to her but I quickly forgot her name.
When I came back in form a great walk and grazing in the fields we went into the arena directly. I was still thinking about Duke's eyesight and what things I should be watching for with ihm. After one of the best walks I have had with him, I really paid attention to his ability to see and kept in mind that he may not be able to see in front of him and needs to turn to see.  He gets anxious the same spots every time we walk, I don't think hes a bad boy I think he is challenged and hes been trying to tell me. Now our walks are more like I am reassuring ghim that I understand his feelings and we will be patiently working until he is able to feel comfortable. I am proud of his sweet attempts to be a good boy. He tries hard so I will always make sure that we are working together and I am aware of what hi is experiencing.
When I got to the barn  I walked around to get his bucket with all of my brushes and other things and went into the stall as he munched. It was pleasant to hang out with him. I hadn't put on my muck boots but instead I had my paddock boots on. He was still covered with dried mud but it comes off so easy on him.  I went to town on his coat I had washed his tail yesterday but today it was a dry mud brush out.  he was funny, it was actually dusty.  I enjoyed seeing how quickly his coat was clean.  then when I thought it was good we went out to take our walk out to the road. I watched him as he turned around and tilted his head.  I thought about how Krystyn had said that his blue eye might be the one.  I began to feel a bit different on our walks as I talked to him. He paid attention to my words and pressure on his line.  He was completely attentive to keeping his feet on the ground, not bucking or rasing his legs up. He did have a faster step and I was following his pace.  . I miss when we used to run and stop. Maybe he misses it too. I think I might start working on it again if I feel like hes calmed down enough and will listen to me.  We did something we don't usually, he grabbed some grass while we were way from the barn on the walk.  He was sneaky about it but I thought it was Christmas so its a great time to sneak grassEvery day with him is a gift that I get from heaven.  Like a wonderful spirit of that guy.  Hes a complete joy. After our walk we went into the field by the edge and the grass looked short we munched a bit on the edge and then we went over by the tractors where he loves the grass the best and we ate.  Then we went back into the barn to walk and play in the arena.
We went into the arena and all I had was candy, Duke didn't mind.  He acted like he was going to roll but instead he waited for my ques and then he ran like a champ with his leg kicks up. I will be bringin my go-pro to capture how beautiful Duke looks as he runs along in the arena wildly and kicks up his heels to catch up with me.  I feel like hes comfortabl ewith me and I am able to bond with him like nothing else.  As I am working with Duke, June is watching with her friend.  She admired us from the rail as I saw her smiling watching us round about as we worked asking about how old he was.  Last time I was in the barn June mentioned how she thought he was a really good horse that seemed loving.  The time before she mentioned that his feet looked really great, and his hoofs were healthy looking and asked about his farrier.  This week she mentioned how she thought he was responding to me and walking together base do my cues.  She asked how old he was as he danced across the large arena with his feet kicking up so crazy.  I love how he runs around. I know hes feeling so much better. ItI did that walking around and running around back and forth. He did not roll but acted like he might.
We worked out and he was ready to go to bed. I know when he goes to the rail too much he has had enough. I put all of his stuff away in the bucket that I use now.  I really like it.  Holds my stuff perfectly. I brushed out his tail.  I did spray it again with the fung off. I would like him to stop rubbing it but they were in this week some and I think he does it out of bordem.

Mid-December, too little time at the barn

Saturday Afternoon: Saturday cleaned the house like crazy and then left to go over to the later in the afternoon after doing so many chores at Marshalls, Homegoods, Wildbirds Unlimited and the Chelmsford Farmers Market (where I made a killing of fun stuff including fudge, cookies, wine tasking and wine club lobster and a head of romaine lettuce and more. I went over to the barn and it was pretty dark, Bonnie was gone already I did not stay long I think I only did a little. I remember the Perry's were there and they were talking about the office being messy. I will try and remember later. This weekend I had not seem Duke near as much as I should have seen him. Debbie and her husband were there and they had gotten on and ridden in the arena. I must have walked Duke a little bit. Ill try and remember later. When I first got to the barn, Bonnie and Krystyn were in the office and I went into talk before I went out with Duke.  I asked Krystyn about Duke's spooky ways and how hes been avoiding areas and all sorts of different things that he's been doing lately.  She said that she thinks its his vision maybe.  He might be when he walks near certain areas. near the equipment, near the edge of the woods, when the wind blows when things move that he cannot see hes the guy that gets a bit jumpy.  When I was with Liv Duke pulled back to not go to the equipment and the dirt hill.  There are many other places too. I want to list htem later.  Next week Kerrie will be at the barn and Krystyn is going to make sure that Duke gets his eyes checked for any blindness.  She has a scope she can use to look into his eyes and see if there is any cataracks.

Sunday night:  I went by at night to check in make sure that Duke was walked a bit or runned or exercised and to drop off his pills for his leg. As I was there I was running around with Duke to exercise him. June was with her horses with Conor and they were working with her horses Cisco and Africa.  They were in the stalls doing stuff really quick she said. When I told her that the horses hadn't gotten out today she was working with them in the stalls and she was going to go out into the arena.
Duke was os cute, when I came into the stall door, I cracked it a bit and grabbed his halter and he was so patient to put his face into the halter lowering his head down so I could close it over his chin and then he trotted out to the arena through th ailse by the other horses showing it was his turn to go into the arena to have some attention. He was walking proud.
Well I moved the barriors up and then started walking Duke.  June came to the edge as I was taking him in. She said that Dukes feet really looked like a quality job on this hoofs trimming and shoes. I told her that Dave Edmunds was the farrier and hes been doing his feet for a few years. 
She watehed me as I moved with Duke in the arena. I was working with liberty getting him to work with me on his own because he wants to be there because he wants to run where I ask him and to run around. As I was working with him he got really rambutious and kicked up his heels in the air.  He rolled so sweetly and actually got himself back over and back. The last part of swinging hisself back took so many tries that when he make it back over I was so proud. 
Then we played together and walked back and forth running. I got a lot of walking in a short amount of time.  Then back to the stalls we went. It was an excellent visit.

Trailride with Cleo and Liv at Greenwood

At Equine Affaire back in Nov I was lucky enough to be able to meet with Liv and her Gypsy Vanner horses in the big barn and in the Arena for the Demo.  Its so nice to talk to her she is down to earth and I admire her working with those wonderful horses and sheep.  Well when I was talking to her at Equine Affaire, I had mentioned Greenwood when she said that she didn't have a place for her horses to workout.  I had listened to her talk abouthow much her horses like to go on trail rides. I talked a little bit about how Duke was lonely with out his old friends from Bobby's. I let her know how he was sad with out having a  gang or a buddy to hang out.  Well she said that her Gypsies  loved to trail ride. I asked her if she would be interested in coming over to Greenwood for a trail ride.  She said she would love to. She also said that she's interested in renting the arena to work out.
Well sure enough she asked if I was interested in her coming over to Greenwood for a trail ride with Duke. Well I was thinking about it all week. It was going to be really cold Saturday moring, and yes it was very cold 20 or so.  Well I had some challenges, my tire was flat so I had to get gas and get the front tire pumped up again.
Well I texted Liv to make sure that she was on target still.  She said that she needed to get a pin for her trailer then she's be over. I let her know I was a bit late for getting him early.
Well she came and we went out.  Cleo was already in her saddle and Bonnie and Krystyn was happy to see her come by.  Bonnie came over with a release form for Liv to sign off on  and they talked about using the arena for working out with the horses.
After we got back we went into the Arena and walked. It was funny Duke was walking over to the steps in the middle like he wanted me to get off now. Well after a while he was just following Cleo around the room.  Also my stirrup came off so I might have some issues with my saddle.  I need to fix it soon.  Cleo wore a beautiful leather western roper show saddle. Really pretty. I was having some issues with Duke before SHe got there we did our exercises from Phil Whitemore's session and it helped him to be a good boy.  As we went into the field he back out as usual and went away form the large dirt pile.  He became strange and I was concerned but I respected his response and we went the way of the road. Liv is so easy going that she said what ever we wanted she would come too. We had a great walk down the raod and then around Bonnies house to the edge of the field and then back to the barn.  The goats made Duke a bit strange. Later as I was working with the stalls to muck out the 7 that I did, Krystyn and I talked about how he was reacting to some of the areas that I have been riding. She said it is most likely that one of his eyes is senstitive or he may be a bit blind in one of them so he favors going with the fields to one side and the woods to the other.
When we were cooling down in the arena.

Oh by the way Krystyn thinks that Duke might be going blind or having vision issues.
Also he needs a shieth cleaning too.

Short Visit walk snacks shampoo

So much mud raining for weeks and weeks.

When I got to the barn, I went right in and got Duke out of the paddock.  The mucky mud, each spot that the hoof leaves in the mud was filled with water too.  There is a pond in the paddock too. As I got there Krystyn was in the arena riding Kensey. She looked good all dressed up in her pants, helmet and English outfits.  She looks like a professional.

I wetn over the paddock area and started to whistle hoping that Duke would look over at me. He didn't but Cisco June's horse looked.  Hes a beautiful grey horse.  Well I was coming over to Doc and Duke and had 2 apples.

Something wonderful has happened in the paddock with Duke. I was having such a terrible time with Doc he would lean on me and I hated how he treated Duke. He would try and push Duke out of the way and run at him when I was getting him.  He made Duke go away from the gate. I hated this. And I complained to Bonnie so I know she knows how I feel. She at first said that he wasn't as bad as I thought and that there were times that Duke and Doc were friendly. I don't believe it.

The day I was there and Duke rolled in the paddock and that creepy Doc walked over to him to give him a back kick in the face.  Like it could have killed him. I then hated Doc, relly saw no improvement for months maybe a year. Then the strangest thing happened maybe this Fall late.  Somehow Doc has no interest in being a jerk to Duke. So I was beginning to bring him an apple.