Mike CHS
Herd Master
I'm waiting to see how many people try to talk you out of it. NOT!!! 
norseofcourse's journal - spring and show update
- Thread starter norseofcourse
- Start date
I'm waiting to see how many people try to talk you out of it. NOT!!! 
jodief100
True BYH Addict
Go for it! You came to the wrong place to be talked out of a critter.
- Thread starter
- #43
norseofcourse
Herd Master
Well, I got the little girl this evening. She's actually done fairly well so far, took under 10 minutes to get her into my trailer (I don't rush, I'd rather they load calmly). She's touched the electric fence a few times, so I think she's learned what it is (one previous place supposedly had electric too). She's met my other ponies, as close as an electic fence lets them get. She let me walk up to her in her paddock and take ahold of her halter, and I led her over to where I put her hay. She's certainly pretty, and has a lovely trot. I believe she's silver bay.
I'd like to rename her, what they were using didn't quite fit her. Any suggestions?
I'd like to rename her, what they were using didn't quite fit her. Any suggestions?
- Thread starter
- #44
norseofcourse
Herd Master
No name yet, but her nickname for now is Little Miss Attitude! LOL
I let her settle in Saturday, with the rain and then snow I wasn't doing anything with her anyway. I kept an eye on her, and mine tended to hang around her paddock and kept her company.
This morning I brought her hay, and went in the paddock with her. She started throwing a hissyfit - maybe a little food guarding of the hay, maybe upset that mine were over eating their hay instead of next to her. She turned and kicked at me, but I was out of range. I should have left and got a leadrope right then, but I tried to calm her... she started to settle, then turned and ran, kicking out again and got me (luckily only lightly). I picked up her hay and took it out, fed the sheep, got a leadrope and her hay again, and headed back to her paddock. Time for her first lesson.
She was easy to catch and put the rope on her, and I put her hay down. She was fairly ok with eating her hay with me beside her, but fidgeted some as I petted and talked to her. She did finally try to kick again, but with the rope on her I could stay close and she couldn't kick me. She did calm down fairly easily, which was good. I touched her withers, neck, back, sides, shoulders, hindquarters, on both sides, gradually. If she made any aggressive or resistant moves, I'd walk her in a circle away from her hay, come back, and wait till her ears weren't pinned back, then let her eat again.
When she was doing well with all that, I started teaching her the cue to move her hindquarters over (pressure on a spot on her flank). She definitely did not like that! I stayed with her (and out of range), correcting when she misbehaved, stopping the cue and praising when she moved correctly, switching sides often. She actually seemed to pick it up fairly fast, but her attitude change is coming along more slowly. She's been here less than two days though, and at her previous home only two weeks, so she's been through a lot of changes lately. That doesn't give her a pass for bad behavior, but it means I want to keep working slowly with her, as she settles in and we build some trust in each other.
No lambs yet, and I'm not even sure if Gracie or Rose has 'dropped' - sometimes Rose looks like she has, sometimes she doesn't. The snow from last night is melting, and we're in for warmer temperatures this week, so at least it looks like they won't be lambing in the snow. Come on spring!
I let her settle in Saturday, with the rain and then snow I wasn't doing anything with her anyway. I kept an eye on her, and mine tended to hang around her paddock and kept her company.
This morning I brought her hay, and went in the paddock with her. She started throwing a hissyfit - maybe a little food guarding of the hay, maybe upset that mine were over eating their hay instead of next to her. She turned and kicked at me, but I was out of range. I should have left and got a leadrope right then, but I tried to calm her... she started to settle, then turned and ran, kicking out again and got me (luckily only lightly). I picked up her hay and took it out, fed the sheep, got a leadrope and her hay again, and headed back to her paddock. Time for her first lesson.
She was easy to catch and put the rope on her, and I put her hay down. She was fairly ok with eating her hay with me beside her, but fidgeted some as I petted and talked to her. She did finally try to kick again, but with the rope on her I could stay close and she couldn't kick me. She did calm down fairly easily, which was good. I touched her withers, neck, back, sides, shoulders, hindquarters, on both sides, gradually. If she made any aggressive or resistant moves, I'd walk her in a circle away from her hay, come back, and wait till her ears weren't pinned back, then let her eat again.
When she was doing well with all that, I started teaching her the cue to move her hindquarters over (pressure on a spot on her flank). She definitely did not like that! I stayed with her (and out of range), correcting when she misbehaved, stopping the cue and praising when she moved correctly, switching sides often. She actually seemed to pick it up fairly fast, but her attitude change is coming along more slowly. She's been here less than two days though, and at her previous home only two weeks, so she's been through a lot of changes lately. That doesn't give her a pass for bad behavior, but it means I want to keep working slowly with her, as she settles in and we build some trust in each other.
No lambs yet, and I'm not even sure if Gracie or Rose has 'dropped' - sometimes Rose looks like she has, sometimes she doesn't. The snow from last night is melting, and we're in for warmer temperatures this week, so at least it looks like they won't be lambing in the snow. Come on spring!
promiseacres
Herd Master
sounds like a good lesson for miss attitude! and yes I agree she is a silver bay. cute
cute- Thread starter
- #46
norseofcourse
Herd Master
Well, pretty is as pretty does - this little girl sure needs work!
I worked with little miss attitude again Monday evening. I led her around her paddock, she did fine, then again I asked her to move her hindquarters over. She wanted none of that! She kicked, she reared, she tried to bite. Even as a mini she could seriously hurt someone, so I concentrated on staying safe and not giving in to her antics. She was worse on the right (offside) than on the left. So I spent more time on that side, and also leading her from that side. She improved and simmered down after awhile, and I ended on a good note. Then I tied her and brushed her, and she let me pick up all four feet without trouble.
Awhile later I brought her hay, and stood on the other side of the fence as she made mean faces at me while she ate. She certainly doesn't hide her feelings! She sometimes lowers her head and shakes it - like a horse sometimes does when they're ticked off - but when I have the vet out I'll also have him check her ears and her teeth, to make sure there's not something physical going on there.
No lambs yet. Today is a wonderful day - sunny, mild, light breeze - perfect to lamb - so of course they won't have them today!! LOL
I worked with little miss attitude again Monday evening. I led her around her paddock, she did fine, then again I asked her to move her hindquarters over. She wanted none of that! She kicked, she reared, she tried to bite. Even as a mini she could seriously hurt someone, so I concentrated on staying safe and not giving in to her antics. She was worse on the right (offside) than on the left. So I spent more time on that side, and also leading her from that side. She improved and simmered down after awhile, and I ended on a good note. Then I tied her and brushed her, and she let me pick up all four feet without trouble.
Awhile later I brought her hay, and stood on the other side of the fence as she made mean faces at me while she ate. She certainly doesn't hide her feelings! She sometimes lowers her head and shakes it - like a horse sometimes does when they're ticked off - but when I have the vet out I'll also have him check her ears and her teeth, to make sure there's not something physical going on there.
No lambs yet. Today is a wonderful day - sunny, mild, light breeze - perfect to lamb - so of course they won't have them today!! LOL
- Thread starter
- #47
norseofcourse
Herd Master
I was just out for another training lesson with the little mare. Definite improvement! She's still swishing her tail and laying her ears back, but this time there was no kicking or rearing. She does tend to get into my space with her head and nose, which I'm concerned about because it could easily give her an opportunity to nip, so every time she does that I take her head back out of my space.
She chewed a few times, and yawned a few times, too. She had done those on Monday, also. The chewing is a submission/learning kind of thing, especially in the beginning. I think the yawning is a sign of stress or stress relief. I kept the lesson short, working both sides and also walking her around, and plenty of praise and petting when she did well.
She still has a long way to go, but it's encouraging to start seeing improvement!
She chewed a few times, and yawned a few times, too. She had done those on Monday, also. The chewing is a submission/learning kind of thing, especially in the beginning. I think the yawning is a sign of stress or stress relief. I kept the lesson short, working both sides and also walking her around, and plenty of praise and petting when she did well.
She still has a long way to go, but it's encouraging to start seeing improvement!
- Thread starter
- #48
norseofcourse
Herd Master
It rained all day yesterday, and more today. I'm tired of the April showers, and ready for the April flowers!
Still waiting on lambs. Rose is getting wider, and she may have 'dropped' - it's hard to tell with all her wool. She's definitely waddling when she walks I'm sure Rose and Gracie are tired of me lifting up their tails to look, so I can compare them to pictures from last year, and pictures folks have posted on here. They were getting better about letting me touch their udders, but now they've gotten worse again. I need to design sides for that milking stand, and finish building it.
Brosa *may* be developing an udder - just enough that I might not be imagining it
If she's bred, I hope it wasn't a mistake. She had bottlejaw last summer, and while she recovered well and nearly caught up to the other lamb, she still looks small. I'm just not set up to separate into two groups of sheep, especially through winter.
With all the rain, I haven't worked with the mini mare much. She whinnied to me when I brought her hay this morning (or maybe she whinnied to the hay LOL), but she's got some food aggression issues for us to work on, too.
Here's a picture of Gracie from a few days ago. She doesn't look as round from this angle, but I was trying for a side shot to see if that would help me tell if she's dropped.
Still waiting on lambs. Rose is getting wider, and she may have 'dropped' - it's hard to tell with all her wool. She's definitely waddling when she walks
I'm sure Rose and Gracie are tired of me lifting up their tails to look, so I can compare them to pictures from last year, and pictures folks have posted on here. They were getting better about letting me touch their udders, but now they've gotten worse again. I need to design sides for that milking stand, and finish building it.Brosa *may* be developing an udder - just enough that I might not be imagining it
If she's bred, I hope it wasn't a mistake. She had bottlejaw last summer, and while she recovered well and nearly caught up to the other lamb, she still looks small. I'm just not set up to separate into two groups of sheep, especially through winter.With all the rain, I haven't worked with the mini mare much. She whinnied to me when I brought her hay this morning (or maybe she whinnied to the hay LOL), but she's got some food aggression issues for us to work on, too.
Here's a picture of Gracie from a few days ago. She doesn't look as round from this angle, but I was trying for a side shot to see if that would help me tell if she's dropped.
- Thread starter
- #49
norseofcourse
Herd Master
Graphic pic warning - I was out with the sheep this afternoon and Gracie had some thick mucous at her vulva - the lower stringy part was orangey and had dried onto a piece of hay, so after I took pictures I pulled at the piece of hay and the whole bit of mucous came out - it was maybe a heaping teaspoon size glob. Is she starting to lose her mucous plug? How close might she be to lambing? I stayed out for awhile but all she wanted to do was eat.
Edited to add: I went out about an hour later, and there was another glob of white/cream colored mucous starting to come out. She doesn't seem concerned (this will be her second lambing). I wish I knew if it's a matter of hours, days, or another week or two!
Edited to add: I went out about an hour later, and there was another glob of white/cream colored mucous starting to come out. She doesn't seem concerned (this will be her second lambing). I wish I knew if it's a matter of hours, days, or another week or two!
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- Thread starter
- #50
norseofcourse
Herd Master
Still no lambs yet. If Gracie did pass the mucous plug, most websites say she should lamb within 12 to 24 hours. However, I've also seen posts from people who say their sheep/goat passed theirs a week or two before giving birth. I think she's just trying to drive me nuts! She came up to me this evening and let me scratch her head, neck, chest and under her belly, and seemed to really enjoy it. She hasn't let me scratch her like that for a long time, maybe that's another sign? Or she just wants me to think so! LOL
I worked with the little mare a few times this past weekend. Some of her bad behaviors came back - the rearing, trying to bite. She also tried crowding into me with her shoulder. She wanted things her way, and I'm expecting her progress to be a bit of a rollercoaster as she figures out that won't work for her anymore. I took her out of her paddock for the first time, and led her around part of the pasture - other than being unsure, she didn't do too badly. With her history, as I was taking her out of her paddock, I could almost imagine her thinking, "Oh no, where am I going now??". Don't worry little girl, you're not going anywhere
I worked with the little mare a few times this past weekend. Some of her bad behaviors came back - the rearing, trying to bite. She also tried crowding into me with her shoulder. She wanted things her way, and I'm expecting her progress to be a bit of a rollercoaster as she figures out that won't work for her anymore. I took her out of her paddock for the first time, and led her around part of the pasture - other than being unsure, she didn't do too badly. With her history, as I was taking her out of her paddock, I could almost imagine her thinking, "Oh no, where am I going now??". Don't worry little girl, you're not going anywhere
