AKA - Conan the Destroyer

First let me thank all of you who have expressed their condolences. It means more than you know. I have often told people that Princeton owned me, not I him. Now I know just how true that statement really is. I am truly lost, but for Remi's sake I have put that away til I can help him thru his loneliness. He spends a great deal of his days just standing in the middle of the common area that he and Prince shared nickering for his buddy.

Now before you get all weepy. Know that this weekend I will be picking up his new best friend, and I expect them to bond almost immediately. You see the horse we picked is the same breed as Princeton (English Shire) and in many ways is very similar; same color, markings, size, and if the breeding runs true a very similar temperament. Maybe a little less grumpy, as Princeton did get a little curmudgeonly at times. Here is a head shot of his new pal Woody.

As for the Conan reference... One learns quickly round here to identify sounds. I can tell the sound of the feed room being broken into blindfolded. Same goes for the never ending sounds of breaking wood as in fences etc. However the other day while cleaning the big lugs bedroom I heard sounds that not only could I not identify, but they are getting very loud and then I hear the sound of breaking wood and the pounding of big feet. As I rounded the back corner of the barn at a run I was almost run over by a big gray and white blur running in the opposite direction with something blue attached to its back feet.

I knew immediately what it was, but I couldn't believe it. You see, we built our own barn. Its not pretty, but we built it with the knowledge that it would house draft horses, so it is sturdy. However, before we built there, the previous owners had a large A frame swing in the back. We didn't have the equipment to unearth the posts so we converted it to a shavings bin by adding a roof and 4x8 plywood sides. To finish the job we took a commercial tarp, the kind used on semi trucks to cover their load, and put that over the entire shavings bin to further protect the shavings from rain. Now if you have never seen one of these close up let me tell you they weigh 200 lbs, maybe more. By the way, did I mention that we nailed it to the sides and the roof.

You guessed it now.... Remi has pulled the tarp off the structure. Along with the tarp came some of the plywood, and all this apparently got caught on him and the flatbed trailer that had been parked next to the bin. He heard me coming and decided to escape the scene of the crime, but the tarp had gotten caught on his back shoe and came with him like a huge blue and yellow cape. I swear we could have entered him in the Derby for as fast as he came around the barn, mud flying twenty feet in the air behind his huge feet, nostrils flaring and a look on his face that told you that he just knew that a flying saucer had just landed right on him... To the best of my knowledge he has not been around to the back of the barn since. I have, however, seen him looking around the corner at the big blue pile of debris that he left in his wake. Remi may be lonely, but some things will never change. If you can build it, he can break it!!

I just had to take pictures. Here is what is left of our shavings bin. Click on the photos to see them. Anybody needs to see me next week I will be sitting on top of the roof of a shaving bin recovering it. You can bring your own hammer or I will lend you one. LOL

Trainer Mom, Bunny

Remi's New Buddy

When trainer mom and I put our mind to something, we shift into high gear and get it done! And so it has been with the quest to find a new buddy for Remington to help heal the huge hole in his heart. And you know what, we did it! But, I'll save that bit of news for a little later in the post. And no fair scrolling down to the end to see the news :)

For the most part, Remi has been standoffish and not allowing any hugs or kisses. Bunny tried to brush him the other day and all he wanted to do was pull away and head to the center of the pasture where he has been standing and looking around for Prince. Persistence does pay off though because between the both of us, we keep trying and a couple of times, there has been a breakthrough.

Last weekend while we were at the barn cleaning his room, he wandered up for a brief moment to see what was going on. He toyed with the hay pile in front of the stall a bit and then began his pacing up and down the aisle. I went up to him and asked for a kiss and lo and behold he put his nose down and I got my kiss. Just one and he pulled his head back up. Hey, I'll take it because it's progress.

I walked down to the feed stall and started making up a hay bag for him and in no time at all, there was the big guy at the gate watching me work. Hmmm, he's here, he's interested and I have alfalfa cubes close by. So, with a handful of treats, I walked toward him and beggar pony emerged. Another step in the right direction because he is thinking about food and he's begging for treats. Ok, I'll take that too. Baby steps you know. A broken heart takes a long time to heal.

We moved Remi into Princeton's stall so he could be closer to the house and have two side windows to look out and see the dogs and us when we are in the yard. He seems to like his new digs and in the mornings when I leave for work, I get to see him and say see ya later Remipup. In fact, the last couple of mornings have been so special, because he has been laying down in the stall and all I see is his ears. When I tell him so long and I love him, the ears go up like a submarine periscope. I can't see his head, but the ears do perk up and it's been a great way to start the day.

Yesterday, Bunny was preparing the stall for our new arrival. Remi was in his stall and he didn't know she was there at first. She popped her head up over the top slat and he nickered at her. How cool is that? She talked to him and kept him company for awhile and in that short time, Remi seemed to forget his sadness. We are both trying to spend more time with him, but we can't be there for the amount of time he needs, so we're going to leave that up to the new kid.

Ok, so now that you've been patient, I'll tell you a little about the new kid coming our way who we hope and pray will be that special buddy that Remington so desperately needs. His name is Woodhouse (Woody for short) and he is a six year old English Shire gelding. He's black with four white stockings and a white blaze and is absolutely gorgeous. He has a docile personality and our gut instincts say this is the one.

Woody is currently in Tennessee but will hopefully be with us on the ranchette by the end of the month. He's 17.2 hh and has a high enough back that he should be able to be hooked with Remi for training and for that little extra bonding that is so desperately needed.

So, there's the scoop. And, until Woody gets here, the two of us will continue to keep the big boy as happy as we can and spend more time with him. I won't go as far to say that we will don a horse costume, but we will do what we can to ease his heartache in the meantime.

We'll take some pictures and share them with you as soon as he joins the family. We're excited and hopeful that he will help heal Remi's broken heart and ours.

Stay tuned, Stay happy and Stay with us!

Lonesome Remi

To every thing there is a season and a purpose and on Tuesday January 5th, 2010, Remington's beloved buddy and constant companion Princeton, passed away, leaving us all with a very huge hole in our hearts.

Bunny lost the horse with whom she started her company and who helped her work through the sadness she felt after loosing her mother. She has lost her best friend who always gave her a soft nicker and always let her know how much he loved her. In the last couple of years she has spared no expense, or time caring for his every need and making his quality of life rich and comfortable.

Princeton was my first encounter with draft horses and I loved him right from the very beginning as if he were my own. He was gentle and kind and everyone loved him. He was a beautiful horse who at times seemed like he understood every word you said to him and I learned a lot from him.

We are very lost and sad right now, but it is Remington who is the most lost and lonesome. Prince and Remi were buddies. When Remi first came to the ranchette, Prince let Remi know right from the beginning that he was the boss and he had better pay attention. But he also took Remington under his wing and showed him what horse etiquette was all about.

When Sara went to her new home, Remi was lonesome for her, but he had Princeton to pal around with and keep him company. They had a special bond and he misses him terribly. He has been looking around to see where Prince might be and bellowing loudly in the hopes that his buddy will hear him and come to his side. The little horses never developed a bond with him and Prince, so they are of no comfort to him.

Our challenge now is to find a suitable companion for him so that his broken heart can mend and he will once again have someone in the pasture to keep him company. This morning I stayed with him while he ate his breakfast. He's not as interested in his food or his hay right now and we are both keeping a close eye on him to make sure he eats. He is not talking to Bunny or me very much right now and any attempt to kiss his nose or hug him is met with resistance and that's just not Remi.

Remi is lonesome and lost and we are doing everything we can to help ease those feelings, but ultimately we have to find him a new friend and we are hot on the trail. Trust me, we are giving it top priority.

Princeton was 38 years old and was loved very much. We will remember the good times, and there were many good times. We will remember his gentleness and his grace and all the love he gave to us as well. He had a good life and lived longer than a lot of horses or other animals do, and for that we are both thankful for the time we could share.

As for Remington, we know that our visits to the barn can not replace the missing piece of his heart, but we will find someone who will. We want our Remi back to being his usual happy self and for now, he's not there. I'll keep you posted.

Rest in Peace Sweet Prince

1/5/2010

Stay tuned, Stay Happy and Stay With Us!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010 to everyone from the ole ranchette! It's a cold and frosty day around here and my trip to the barn to serve breakfast has left me with some pretty chilly fingers. The horses were more than ready to chow down on their feed and hay and I was more than ready to get 'r done and get back to the warmth of the house :)

Remington began his usual wake up call of kicking the gate several times, which prompted Tuck to start doing the same. Good grief, you would think that they hadn't been fed in days. Give it a rest boys. This musical talent of alternate gate clanging is not something I relish, especially on my day off. But since they're persistent, I will usually put the kibosh on the concert by giving in and feeding them a little early. Hmmm, me thinks I am the one who is trained :O

The past year certainly was filled with all sorts of interesting and life changing events, from finding a new job to Remi's world record whirlwind. There was good and bad, happy and sad, but we found the strength to work through whatever life threw at us.

Sadly, we lost our little pet chicken Drumstick, who by all counts was the queen of the barn. Who knew that a little chicken could have so much personality and take hold of our hearts so quickly. She is sorely missed.

We said so long to our mare Sara, who happily found a new and loving home and was able to retire from the carriage business. That was what we truly wanted for her and it finally happened.

Princeton the Shire is up there in years, and trainer Mom has worked tirelessly and endlessly to ensure he has a good quality of life. We treasure each and every day we get to hear his soft nickers.

Remi's story went worldwide and we have been able to share his adventures with so many wonderful people. You are all truly appreciated and I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the stories and that they help bring you a smile.

We said goodbye to Doc the Percheron who now has a new home with a loving new owner. And we said hello to Nip and Tuck, who are quite challenging and full of themselves. Ah yes, there's abundant energy in those two. Remi isn't quite sure he likes it either, because they interrupt his lazy time.

Keiko the Akita finally got over her little run in with the black and white fur creature that helped earn her the nickname Stinkerbell for awhile. Bailey (Doodlebug) maintained his 24x7 energy level and I swear sometimes acts like a miniature version of his big brother. And Gabe, the kitty, had quite a full year of long and refreshing cat naps after his many night hunts for meeces.

I don't know what this new year will bring, but my hopes are that it be wonderful and blessed for all of us. Take time to enjoy and celebrate your life. If you see someone without a smile, share one of yours with them. Look to your inner courage and strength to make it through whatever life brings and the good things will come, I know they will.

Happy New Year and may all good things come your way in 2010 and for years to come.

Stay tuned, stay happy and stay with us!

Remi's Revenge

It is no secret that Remington's main goals in life are to eat, play and cause mischief. He is very happy and content to loll around in the pasture, munch on grass and ah yes, roll around in the dirt and mud. Life is sweet when that's all his agenda has to hold.

However, the month of December has not been all that fun for the big guy. The holiday season is full of extra long hours of work for us humans and a little more work for the horses. And although Remington thinks he's been overworked, he really hasn't, but nonetheless, he has decided he would let us know every day that he is most unhappy with the situation. I mean how dare we upset his full schedule of doing nothing!

Before I continue, let me just say that Remington may have worked a total of 2 whole hours the entire year. This gigantic stomach on stilts needs a little exercise now and then and we take extra precautions to make sure all of our working horses get necessary breaks and work minimal time. So, despite the fact that he has had to work this entire season, it's not killing him, trust me. He's such a big baby! He needs to support his two bales of hay a day habit, now doesn't he?

We had intended on using our new pair for the season, however the month of October was a total washout with 27 days of rain and they were not ready to be on the streets yet. So the task of pulling the vehicles has been left up to Remi, who thinks that we are just horrible creatures for making him work. Whaaa, poor widdle Remipup has to work like a human, how terrible.

Every day when we go to the barn and grab the lead rope, Remi will turn his back to us and pretend that we are not there. "I don't see you and you don't see me" "And I am not going with you today, so there!" Wanna bet ya big doof, we can see you just fine and oh yes mister, you are going and that's all there is to it. So, of course you know, we win, but he gives it his best shot. And, he does it every single day.

Now, here's where the revenge comes in. Yesterday, even though the pasture was still a little muddy, trainer Mom let Princeton, the older horse out so he could stretch. We didn't want to let Remi out because we knew he would roll in the mud and it is just too cold to bathe him, so he stayed in the stall.

Well, he went to bucking and kicking the walls, squealing like a pig and shaking his head back and forth with a great big attitude. I looked at trainer Mom and said, "I'm not going in there to clean his stall when he's acting like that." We both kept telling him to settle down, but he wasn't having any part of that. And, since she had to drive him later on and didn't need all that extra pent up energy, we decided to let him out.

We were smart about it though and put an old blanket on him so if he did roll, he would get mud on the blanket and not on him. Of course, nothing could protect his feathers, so he had huge mud balls sticking to all four legs. Ok, that's easy enough to brush so trainer Mom wasn't too worried. As we loaded him up in the trailer, I kept shaking my head at what a mess his legs were, but little did I know that the worst was yet to come, and boy howdy, did it ever come.

Today, the ground was so much drier so we didn't put the old blanket on him. Big mistake, huge, really big dumb move, because leave it to my boy to find the ONE dang spot where it was still mushy and nasty. Oh, yes, by golly he found it, he rolled completely over in it and then the doofus rolled back over once more. Oh my stars and martians, he is now a gigantic mud ball. And you could almost see the big grin on his face as if to say, "ok, if you're gonna make me work, then you are gonna have to work even more and brush me big time!"

When trainer Mom went to go call him and Princeton in to the stalls, he zoomed to the back pasture to avoid the inevitable. "Hee hee, come and catch me if you can." Oh, yeah, you think that's gonna work? Wrong mister, you only have 2 days left and you are going to go to work, get in your house.

Thank goodness he has a strong bond with Princeton, because once he turned around and saw him going to his stall, he decided to follow and go into his. Whew, that was a close one. I would hate to think we would have to fire up the bobcat and chase him around the back pasture. Head 'em up and move 'em out! Yee Haw :)

So, he got his revenge by golly. Mud from nose to toes and quite proud of himself, I might add. After tomorrow he can settle back in to romping and rambling around in the pasture and enjoying his favorite pastimes of eating and mischief making. He'll probably forget about this month by Tuesday. But, you can bet he'll still pull his I can't see you antics, the next time he sees us coming toward him with a lead rope.

That's my boy, 3000 pounds of "I don't wanna". But you still gotta love him :)

Stay tuned, stay happy and stay with us!

Remi's White Christmas

Christmas eve brought snow to the ole ranchette and a lot of it was still on the ground Christmas morning. Remi and the other fur kids were all snuggly in their warm rooms while the fierce bitter cold wind blew the wintery mix around in swirls. And let me tell you it was COLD!!! Trainer mom and myself were out there making sure the hay bags were filled and their dinner was served and I think we both turned into snow women....Brrrr and double Brrrr!!!!

For Remi and trainer mom, it meant a night off from the holiday rides as it was too dangerous to be on the roads. So he and the other horses settled back happily munching hay and occasionally looking toward the sky to see if they could see Santa Horse and his sleigh pulled by something else other than them.

Ok, so they weren't really looking for Santa Horse, but it makes for a nice little holiday scene anyway :) And, while Santa visited all the good little girls and boys homes, he took the time to make a special stop at the barn. Ah, what wonderful carrot oaties did appear on Christmas morning. Munch, munch, and more munch. For the big kids, it was a tasty delight and they all enjoyed their treats. Especially Remi, who has scored more treats this month than he does all year.

The little fur kids all got something from Santa Paws and were happy playing with their new toys that make lots of noise and sampling their array of holiday cookies.

Now, all the attention and extra goodies that Remi has been getting this month have turned him into a gigantic beggar pony. I went to pet him on his nose the other day and he started popping his lips and snaking his head toward my hand looking for whatever hidden treasure might be there.

Oh, Remipup, the hand is empty and except for a nice pat on your nose, there's nothing else coming. "I don't believe you" Pop, pop go the lips again and the head starts snaking toward me. Dude, I'm telling you, there's nothing in my hand. How about a nice kiss on your nose and I'll be on my way. It's cold out here and I'm ready to go warm up. See ya later big guy.

As I turned around and started walking toward the gate, I heard one last pop pop of the lips, but totally ignored it. He just never gives up, because he knows that he usually gets his way. All he has to do is look at me with those big soft brown eyes and be comical and cute, and I'll give in. But, not this time. Nope, I'm standing my ground this time.

He is such a big goofball and I love every minute of it. It's always interesting to see what antics he'll come up with next. You just never know with Remi. And, you know what, I always look forward to that new special moment and extra smile that he always gives me.

Here's hoping that each and everyone of you continue to enjoy the holiday's. May you all be blessed with love and happiness.

Stay tuned, stay happy and stay with us!

Remi The Big Nose Clydesdale

Remington has been hard at work this month earning his hay money. It's the busiest time of the year for the carriage company with all sorts of holiday parties and tours of homes with bright beautiful light displays.

Of course, Remi is outshining all of the lights and is receiving gobs of attention to which he dearly loves. Trainer mom says that every time he comes in from a ride and stops at the loading spot, he immediately puts his nose to the ground for everyone to come give him a big hug on his neck and a good ear scritchin. He is eating this up and my boy is getting more spoiled by the day.

I love hearing the stories how he's bringing smiles and laughter from everyone who comes in contact with him. That's what it's all about, and we love sharing him. It makes our day to see happy faces and Remi just eats up the attention.

Now, of course, once Remi got it in his brain that putting his head down means hugs and scritchin, it now applies to all locations and all situations. Take for example the other day when I was cleaning his room. It all began like the normal routine, starting with "let me in Remipup". Once you say that to him, he will back up and allow you in. Now, prior to this, we always have to make sure that he has enough hay in his bag to occupy him, or he will be bugging us something fierce.

So, with hay bag full, I asked him to let me in and moved the wheel barrel to the back of the stall while he happily went to munching on his groceries. Cleaning stalls is a pretty mindless chore, but often some of our greatest ideas are born while we do it. We always have to keep one eye open though, when he's in the stall, because one sudden move and it can be back in the boot time. No thank you, I've been there twice and don't want to go there again.

As I continued to clean, I suddenly felt a surge of hot air on my neck. I don't know how he did it without me noticing, but he had turned around and was breathing on me to get my attention. What the heck? I turned my head slowly and there was Remi putting his big nose to the ground waiting for a hug and some scritchin. So, I put the fork down, gave him a big ole hug and scratched his ears. Then I threw in a kiss on the nose for something extra, because it's my favorite thing to do with him.

Remi, go back and eat your hay so I can get your room done. Good boy, go on. Nothing, no movement, nada. Hmmm, this isn't working. Ok, here's another hug and kiss my sweet boy. He finally turned back around and went back to munching and I am chuckling so hard that cleaning his room has gone from mindless, to a comedy show.

He never ceases to amaze me and I know that even when I have a bad day, I can always go visit my boy and he will make it all better. Head down, big hug, ear scritchin, and several nose kisses for just because.

From Remington, Trainer Mom, Myself and the rest of the Fur Kids at the ranchette, may you all have a blessed holiday season and a most joyous new year!

Stay tuned, stay happy and stay with us!