Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Not so Wordless Wednesday

Stuck!

If you have been reading and keeping up with Argo, you will know the significance of this picture.

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Every mile is two in winter. ~George Herbert

I have no room to complain about the weather, compared to others, but let me just whine for a little bit. I woke up to 4 degrees this morning with a -19 degree wind-chill. This makes barn chores really a chore. Okay, I feel a little bit better now.

On to Argo updates:

First # 1

Last week was a bunch of firsts; they are beginning to come in steady streams now. Argo now fully expects to be hand fed each meal. He no longer looks at me when I come in and appears to think he is merely entertaining me. When I bring his meals, out the come in the form of the red wheel barrow, I take his bucket of goodies into the field and leave the wheel barrow outside the field which holds his lovely hay. In the past he would stand by the fence, longingly looking at the precious, red vision of beauty, and stand there looking at it and then looking at me. I would have to whistle at him and shake his bucket of goodies to get him to begrudgingly follow me to his shed for his goodies. Once there though, he would quickly forget about the dreamy vision of the red wheel barrow. He would gladly stuff his muzzle into his feed pan that I so willingly hold up for him and eat his meal. Only after we had our moments would I give him his hay. Now though for the past several days, he has watched me put the barn horses out to pasture, and he whinnies at me, as if to say "Hello, don't forget me!" Once the red wheel barrow and I get to his field, he waits for me to come in, to make sure I have brought the goodies, and then he turns away from me and heads to his shed. This, my friends is a big, dang deal! Argo has turned his back on me. Argo never turns his back on anything. Except for Flash, and I didn't blame him there. Flash is a bit impetuous and is kind of like the person we all know that talks incessantly and we literally tune them out. I digress though… Argo knows that by turning his back on something, he leaves himself vulnerable, 17 years of living wild has ingrained that into him. So what does it mean that he has turned his back on me? I did really over think this one. When you spend your days alone for 10 hours cleaning stalls and performing barn chores and playing with horses, you have way too much time to think about things. Again, I digress. My opinion on it is Argo has learned the routine, he knows the hay won't come until we have some time together and that he is only delaying the inevitable and hey, the abominable snowman, wrapped in polar fleece, really is not that bad, she brings goodies. This is a big milestone for Argo and I in my opinion.

First # 2, or should I say try # 64

Argo lost his 15 ft lead rope several months ago, but the bull snap was still attached of course to his halter. At first it did not bother me that it was dangling there, now though it has become an annoyance to me. Each time I let Argo eat from his bucket that I hold up for him, I attempt to touch the snap. Believe me when I say this it's not easy. I am currently on try 64, yes I'm counting, and I'm weird that way. First I started just touching it with my index finger on my left hand, while holding the feed pan. He would feel the change and quickly step away, but just as quickly comes back in for the goodies. And again I would touch it, until he would just stand there and let me touch it. Then we progressed to me cupping the snap in my hand, again he would step back and then just as quickly come back to me. So as I said we are on try # 64 of removing the snap. Maybe by try 100 we will have it off.

First # 3 or more like a progression of my thumb

While Argo has been eating out of his feed pan that I so lovingly hold for him, are you seeing a pattern here? I had begun touching him with thumb under his cheek. This of course was met with, "OMG! What was that?" very quickly though it turned into a tolerance of my thumb. It has gently progressed to four fingers and my thumb scratching his jowl and under his chin, which he is really beginning to enjoy, as am I. I now have progressed to taking my index finger and stroking his forehead while he is busily eating the goodies. I also have been able to touch his halter underneath his head and both cheek pieces.

First # 4 Kara sings to Argo

This morning as I was so lovingly holding Argo's feed that is now in a smaller bucket, I was so bitterly cold and just wanted him to eat so I could be done, Argo decided the smaller bucket was not to his liking. For several minutes Argo did his little dance, like a small child saying "No Mommy, I want the blue one, not the red one! (Insert whine)" My cheeks were on fire from the cold, but I did not want to give up, so I began singing Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. Where is the sanitarium truck when you need one? Argo was priceless. I am sure you have all seen dogs tilt their head when something strikes them odd, well this was exactly what Argo did. Just priceless! He must have taken pity on me or just wanted me to shut up because he quickly came in and dove into the smaller bucket with the goodies. I continued to sing Christmas carols to him while he ate. He finished breakfast in record time. I was somewhat offended.

Happy Thanksgiving with Winter Pictures

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~Theodore Roosevelt

I just couldn't pass up taking pictures. I must admit it, I love snow. I hate the cold, but I appreciate the beauty that snow offers to the landscape around me.

And of course, pictures of Argo.





Bear with me while I experiment with different photo options.

I love Thanksgiving turkey. It's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts. ~Arnold Schwarzenegger

Argo’s First Pennsylvania Snow

What is soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room. ~Ray Charles

Last Thursday, Western PA residents experienced their first measurable snows fall. I knew that Argo would not be any different, but I did have the thought go through my head that he was probably thinking "Is this it? Heck this is nothing!"

We are under a Winter Storm Warning as I type this. According to the Weather people we are supposed to get anywhere from 3-6 inches by tomorrow night. I have learned not to believe them. They get everyone in a panic. People rush to the store and buy enough goods to feed small armies for 4 months. My family and I lived in Iowa for 5 years, now that area can get some snow. When we moved back here I just shook my head at the lunacy of people racing around like they would never see the light of day until April, over a couple inches of snow.

It was fun to get some pictures of Argo though as the big, fat snowflakes were coming down, while he was patiently waiting for the food lady while she snapped some pictures.

Also, on the news front with Argo. Babe showed him that his shed will not eat him. He has been going in for his evening meal, and based on what I have cleaned up, he is quite comfortable in there for several hours.

In the morning last week, he was still in his shed when I came to feed him, so I quietly shut the gate. It amazed me how stock solid rigid he became. I imagine this was how he was when run into chutes and stocks. He did not move a muscle. I placed his food in, and he relaxed a little. I climbed up the gate as he stood there and for the first time was able to stroke his neck. The feeling was unbelievable. I felt the tears run down my cheeks, I know I get way too emotional when these little breakthroughs happen, but I am still in awe every time they do. To touch something Wild is just a thrill; to feel his muscles loosen under that touch tells me that he is accepting me. It is so amazing to me that a creature that lived his life in the wild for 17 years will stand here quietly in a 10x12 shed and allow this blubbering woman to hang over a gate to stroke his neck. When he exhaled, I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath as well; we both shared the moment and when he looked at me with those eyes I saw an understanding in them. His eyes speak so much to me, ever since I first saw pictures of him. I watch him and I learn from him as I hope he is learning from me.

Argo Gets a Girlfriend

Flirtation: attention without intention. ~Max O'Rell, John Bull and His Island

Well, as I had posted in my Catch-up post, I was to be bringing my broodmare, Babe, home from summer pasture. Babe came home on the first of November and on Sunday she got to meet Argo. To say she was not impressed is an enormous understatement.

Babe is a grand old girl at the age of 16. She has given me some of my finest horses. She is a "No Fluff, No Muff", kind of mare, the perfect horse for me. Babe started out her younger years as a bareback bronc horse, traveling from Rodeo to Rodeo for several years, before coming to me at the age of 7, after being rehabbed by a dear friend. She has for the most part been the foundation of my breeding program. Believe it or not her sons and daughters do not share her love of throwing their rider and then trying to snuff the life out of them, hence why she was cut loose from the Rodeo string.

Babe is what every barn owner wants and desires in a herd leader. She has a commanding presence to her and is a wonderful mare for the other horses to look up to. She is fair in her dealings with squabbles, but will not spare punishment for those horses that need a good butt whooping. Just a flick of her ear and horses' stop and rethink what mischief they thought they were going to get into. Babe has also been a fantastic mother. She teaches her foals to respect her and humans, and puts a good willing mind on them as well. All of these traits made her the perfect choice to be a pasture mate for Argo during the winter months, while I continue to debate how and when to introduce Flash into the pasture with Argo.

Argo, once he saw Babe in the pasture was stoic in a sense. He basically wanted to see what she would do. Babe walked in, glanced at Argo and kept walking past him like he didn't even exist. I think if Argo could have, he would have shrugged his shoulders, as if to say "so what, she's a chick!" That was until she went to his hay, now you're messing with Argo's stomach, and he does not like to share. He marched right over there and told her off! Kind of. With a half hearted kick that he gave, he was quickly reduced to shrugging his shoulders again as Babe squealed and double barreled at him. Then as if she could care less about his hay, she walked off. Poor Argo…. Later in the day though the two of them were working out the hierarchy of a herd of two, Babe not allowing to be pushed and Argo willing to share his hay.

Babe has also happily shown him that the shed in his paddock is not an evil, Argo eating black hole, but a fine place to dine on what the food lady has lovingly placed out for breakfast.

Yes, Argo is pleased with himself, as Malarky and Flash seethed over the fact that he was seen smooching a girl.