Tis The Season For 'Tude

We are now three weeks in to our holiday carriage rides and I can tell you that humans and equine alike are feeling it. Of course, we humans knew what we were in for, but the horses, being their care free, pasture ornament selves did not and are giving us an abundance of attitude.

Well howdy, let me tell you, they are letting us know right here and now that this is not acceptable to either of them. And, of course, the donkey, who's never worked a day in his life is following the lead of the other two and showing just as much attitude.

Let me tell you about the daily routine around the ole ranchette right now. I get up early in the morning, turn on the coffee pot, feed the dogs and cat, head to the barn, mix up a delicious breakfast for the horses and donkey, and head back to the house. Then, gulp down, a quarter cup of coffee, head back to the barn, hang the hay bags and let the three amigo's out.

Ok, all is well and good for awhile. They all hang out munching hay, wandering here and there and just being lazy...until...music please...dun, dun, dun.....screech, I'm baaaack!!! No sooner do I head toward the stalls, then they all zoom off to the other end of the pasture, shaking their heads and turning their backs to me. I guess they think, if they can't see me, I can't see them. Oh, so wrong you are pumpkins!

You would think they would have gotten the idea by now, that I'm just there to clean their rooms and that they would come up to me to see what treats I may have in store for them. But, nooooooooo, they are not having any part of that action. "Think we'll turn around and just stay here and stare at you for awhile". Ok, whatever, I don't care, I'm busy.

Once I have the stalls all nice and clean, and their water bowls filled, it's time to gather them up and put them in so whichever horse is going to work can be haltered and led off to the trailer. Shake and rattle a can of feed and all three came up in a heartbeat. Well, the first couple of days, that worked just fine. But now, all bets are off, they're on to my tricks and they want to just mess with me. Remi is the king of head shakes for sure. He'll prance around swinging that head from side to side and just glares at me.

The horse we've leased for the season has started doing the same thing. Oh my word, I hope she forgets about it by the time we take her back to her parents. Donk, on the other hand doesn't quite have the head shake down, so he lowers his head and bucks off into the distance. Maybe that's a good thing, but it's still attitude nonetheless.

The other day I shook that feed can so much, I felt like a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. None of them would come, Remi, just stood there and shook his head, Donk just stared at me, and the other horse took off running like a mare on steroids. Twenty minutes of coaxing, a tight schedule to keep and patience running thin, it was time to pull out the big guns. I grabbed alfalfa cubes, walked slowly up to Remi and let him smell them. Gotcha big boy, I'm am still the Barn Goddess.

That got his attention and he happily followed me back to his stall and was rewarded for his good behavior. Donk, being the Remi buddy he is, followed close behind and into his stall, where he happily enjoyed his carrot oatie. As far as the other horse goes, well that was another 20 minute chase back and forth throughout the pasture, but eventually she was coaxed into her room.

I swear Remi has a Roy Rogers and Trigger watch hidden under his feathers somewhere and secretly signals the others when it's time to start the ole head shake and attitude fest. I will find it, I swear, and when I do, I'm putting it up for sale on Ebay toot sweet.

I would say I would try to get up later to throw them off schedule, but Donk is very punctual with his loud braying at 7:15 every morning. What's a girl to do? Oh well, I guess it keeps me in shape and I do so look forward to January, when we can return to weekend work. Until then, the chase is on, the attitude continues and I am seriously thinking of asking Santa to clone me.

Stay Tuned, Stay Happy and Stay With Us! Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all and much "THANK YOUS" !!!

Its just after 2 AM. Remington is munching on alfalfa laced coastal hay. I would know because I just now came up from the final check and hay replacement for the night. Yes the big doofus, his donkey friend and our leased horse for the season get a late night{early AM hay check/replacement}. Somebody needs to take care of me that way and check to see if I need a late night desert. LOL

Really tho, I just wanted to tell all of you who have read here and those who have come to meet him that I wish you the best of all things in the coming year and thank you for all the comments and love for the big guy that helps keep us going.

I'll have some new stories for you soon but for now we are in the big holiday rush for carriage rides, so I just wanted to say much love to all, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Bunny--Trainer mom

Remi gives good Head Hugs

I tried to take a night off, but it doesn't work around here... Bet you all know about that at this time of year. The good thing is that Melissa has sent some photos. They were a little big, so I cropped them. Hopefully she will not mind. Here are 2 of the photos she has so graciously shared. We are so blessed to have this boy and to be able to share him with others to make this kind of smiles....

Head Hugs

When Remi was just learning his trade he went through a period of time when he absolutely refused to let you put the bridle on him. Needless to say this could be quite the problem as when he picks up his head he reaches a height over 10 feet.

There were many occasions when someone should have been filming as he would toss me around like a rag doll my feet dangling 3 feet or more off the ground. It must have been quite the sight as I would not give up and he obviously was way bigger and stronger than I would ever be able to conquer.

My solution to the problem was to cut fruit roll-ups into strips and wrap them around his bit. His favorite flavor is strawberry. That cured the first problem getting it on. Now comes taking it off, more fun.... To solve this I began a game with him giving him special head hugs and "scritchin" behind his enormous ears. This has evolved to a regular game with or without the bridle. Anytime I come up to him and say "Head Hug" with my arms out stretched he puts his head down and shoves his face into my chest to get his hug.

I'm telling you this story because the other night when Melissa rode with us I showed her and her family just how sweet he is. He is after all a big attention hound, so after my mandatory head hug he shared with her and some of the children a few extra hugs and kisses. I know photos were taken. Maybe if we are really good this Christmas season they will share them with us.

Melissa, if you're reading this, Thank you for taking a ride with us. I hope this season brings you all the best.

PS. He knocked me flat on my keister that night when we got back to his trailer. He was in such a hurry to get the bridle off and get his head "Scritched" that he shoved too hard and I went down, with him looking down at me like I was just teasing he kept nudging so hard I had trouble getting up. It was that perfect end to a day that started out quite rough... Thanks Remipup

Trainer mom-- Bunny

Remi's Holiday Adventures

Happy Holidays everyone. It's the busiest time of year around the old ranchette so posts will be few. We are in high gear doing our annual holiday light tours and every day holds many extra tasks that leave us weary.

However, we don't want to neglect our faithful followers and as always there is a tail or two to tell (notice, my clever spelling of tail). C'mon it was sort of clever, don't you think? Ok, maybe not :)

Moving right along, the first little tidbit of info I'll share with you is that I have become the major bad mama in Remi's eyes. Oh, it's not every day, it's just when I go down and put his halter on him and lead him away from the hay bag to go to work. Oh my stars and martians, you would have thought I was cutting him off from his food for the rest of his life. "Mama, how could you make me go and work?" Oh get over it, you two bale of hay a day stomach on stilts!

He doesn't make his displeasure known to me at the time, but the next morning when I go down to feed him his breakfast, he immediately turns his back to me and won't talk to me. No letting me kiss him on his nose or pat him on the head. Nada, zip, nothing. I pour his grain in the bucket and think, ah ha, I'll sneak in a head pat. Nope, not gonna happen. Ok, then, be that way, I'm going back in the house for coffee. I'm too groggy for this rejection right now :)

I do know a secret though. Grab a full delicious hay bag and all bets are off. Zoom, he's back to sweet boy mode. Yeah, ya big spoiled doofus, I see how you are. It's all about the food! Who's your mama, huh?

I haven't been down on a ride yet, but trainer mom tells me that Remi still has an outstanding issue with stop signs. You see, he doesn't think that they pertain to him. After all, he's bigger than that odd shaped piece of metal, and why should he have to stop. He can't see red and he doesn't know how to spell. Maybe if they said Whoa, he wouldn't have a problem with them. Or, maybe not. At any rate, trainer mom has to battle him all the time, but eventually he will stop and behave. Well at least momentarily that is.

There is of course, one particular stop sign that she calls "The Dreaded Stop Sign" and for some reason Remington dislikes this sign most of all. I guess it makes sense, I think we all have certain places we don't like either. But Remi really, really doesn't want to stop there and he is giving trainer mom fits. Fortunately she knows how to win the battle, but it sure does make her arms sore from holding 3000 pounds back from the traffic. And it does put a strain on her voice.

Not to worry though, he's a good boy overall and he does pay attention to her. Sure thing, she won't have a voice left after this month is over and Remington will once again return to being his usual pasture ornament self. But in the meantime, it will be stop sign wars for sure.

I was very excited to hear that one of our riders is a blog follower. I hope that she had a good time and enjoyed meeting the big boy in person. So Melissa, here's a shout out to you and I hope you sign up as a follower. We really do enjoy seeing who's reading about the big boy.

The same applies to any of you who like reading about Remipup. We would love to know who's keeping up with his antics.

To all of you from all of us, may you have a blessed and enjoyable holiday season.

Stay Tuned, Stay Happy and Stay With Us!