Communicating

Have you ever thought about if people could be more like horses?

When you meet someone you could just softly blow into their nose to see if they are
friends. That's what horses do when they want to see if the other is a friend or someone they should be afraid of. I thought I would bring it up, since Rose was having me do that and then she was fellowing me everywhere because she established that I was her friend.

I find it very interesting watching and learning about the different behaviors and how they communicate to each other. Now the key here is to establish that I am the Alpha Person, so they won't bite or kick me.

You will see foals when they feel threaten doing a mouthy thing (moving their month, like they are saying, don't hurt me I am little). It's like when a puppy feels threaten how they expose their belly.

Another thought is how they seem to send telepathic pictures to each other when they are communicating. I have watched them do this. Now wouldn't that be a better way to communicate then us talking, and trying to see if the person is receiving what we are trying to tell them?

They do use a lot of body language. For instance, A mare just has to flick an ear in warning to one of the others and they back off. Or how a mare will move her foal around the pen. Nipping it if it does something she doesn't like.

I remember having this colt race up to his mother, who was eating peacefully, he thought he would be cute and climb up on her, she never lifted her head, but took her back leg and shoved him about ten feet. He got up, shook his head and never tried that again.

So, I sometimes wonder if our way of communicating is so great?

Butt Scratching

Well, every since Rose was a few days old we have scratched her rear. Now it is an everyday thing that requires a few moments of time to Love on her and scratch her butt.

She thinks this is the way it is.

Tale of the Flowing Water

Well, I found a major water leak, that was causing a river to flow down the hill in the paddock where Rose is. She loved it, she was over there pawing at it and sticking her nose in it. Who said these Egyptian Arabians were afraid of water. Not this group.

I did have one once who was afraid of a butterfly, kept leaping up in the air to get away from it.

My wonderful neighbors came over last night and fixed it for me. They had to dig up the pipe that had broken in the ground and replace the frost free faucet.

Thank Goodness for wonderful neighbors!

Anyway, now Rose is puzzled..what happen to her play thing, it's all dried up. So I guess I will have to run a little water in the paddock for her to be happy.

Rose is turning Grey

This morning I really noticed how much Rose is turning grey, along with rubbing her neck and mane. Of course, I was concerned so I took a real good look at the rub spot and realized she was probably getting sprayed with the automatic fly spray (which shoots a small amount of spray every 30 minutes). Well I am sure it itches, so she rubs. So I finally got smart and decided the flies where better than having Rose rub out all her hair. I turned it off. So my advise to others is to move their automatic fly sprayers out of the stall itself. Also Rose is losing her lovely chestnut hairs and in return there are grey ones emerging. So with an Arabian Horse, they truly are a horse of a different color!

Rose at Twenty Days old

Here is Rose at twenty days old and growning. Her Dam (Mother) Dani takes her outside everyday for the sun and fresh air.
The other night we had a surprise storm, that really came upon us in a hurry. Dani and Rose made the run for the barn
and I got struck out in it......soaked in a minute. That was fun! Lucky for me it was warm out.

The Adventures of ES Rose for Dani Bilal

This is Rose at 3 days old with her Dam Dani Bilal. I thought it would be fun to blog her daily experiences as she matures. And share the wonders of having a foal around the farm. Now Rose was born on May 29, 2009 in the middle of the night. Rose is a Straight Egyptian Arabian filly. Now she was born Chestnut but is going to be grey like her Mom and Dad (or in the horse world Dam and Sire).

When Rose first went out into the outside world, she discovered weeds, nice tall weeds, just her size...she thought..she could just eat the tops. She hadn't figured out yet how to put her legs so she could eat grass (or pretend to eat grass, no teeth yet) like her mom. She figured out how to stand up and move forward on them, but trying to reach the ground to eat grass was a little more challenging. Pretty soon she will have to figure out how to get her milk without bending those legs, because every day she grows a little bit taller.

Well, Rose found out about Pine Shavings....and how much fun they could be. They smell different and after seeing her Mom move them around and then row in them...Well, that was the start. Now whenever I put new shavings in the stall, Rose immediately proceeds to roll in them and then lay there with this sheepish grin "Oh How Life is Good".

Today, was Rose's first experience with rain, she was enjoying the outside in the paddock, when the first drop hit her. She looked up and then another drop came down.....then more. So Dani (her mom) dashed for the stall and called to Rose to come in. So off Rose ran, trying to run between the drops and not get wet....That was different.

This morning Rose found the slate outside her stall and started to lick it. Yuk..dirt...must have tasted good to her. Now mom is eating her bucket of oats while Rose is licking the stone. Hummmmm.

I hung Rose's halter on the railing in the stall, so she could smell it and get use to it before we put it on her face. So what does she do, smells it and nibbles on it. By the time she gets it on it will be naught to death. Maybe that wasn't such a great idea. At least it is all in one piece.