[Knave]

Eeyore:

Eeyore hadn’t been allowed to go when the brigade trailered far away again, but he had started going on the off days. He was trailered to the arena down the road with Zeus and Bones. He was a bit watchy the first day, but he was so relieved to be ridden in a place that had walls again. During the time since he had moved to the brigade he hadn’t been ridden inside, and he was so much more comfortable inside of the green panels.

He felt safe within set boundaries. It allowed him the ability to be himself and relax. He did whatever the woman asked, and although he realized he might not have added the spark that he normally had in his movements, he didn’t feel the woman ask him for anything more. He thought she was happy, and he was happy.


Bones:

Bones had continued his busy days. He enjoyed them still and was always disappointed with off days, although he had happily shown off his mad skills in the arena. It would soon bore him, but since the winter had past without arena time it held a bit of fun again. Life was at its most enjoyable for him in spring and fall when the work load was interesting and intense.

At the ranch there had been a rain, which filled a certain gate puddle which he absolutely hated. When he saw that the puddle was back stress filled his body. He felt better when they weren’t around that gate, but whenever it was in his sight he worried. Of course the woman made him go through that gate several times to go get cows or to bring them back. It was a much used gate. Each time he hesitated, then he refused. They fought about the gate, which was not common in their relationship, making the gate worse in his mind. It was a cycle, and he knew there was work to be done, and he understood that the gate had to be crossed, but it didn’t make it easier.

He remembered a time that he was tied in the puddle in that gate as work was being done. Cows were ran through the chute that day, and he couldn’t leave the horrible puddle. Everything went fast to him and overwhelmed him, yet at the same time it drug on and on. It was a terrible day. How they were willing to tie him in that puddle which he so hated bothered him. Sometimes he stressed about even working in the pen near to the puddle when it was dry. He knew there was something bad there. Occasionally he let the chute bother him too, but it all related back to that awful puddle within that terrible gate.

Besides the puddle though he was extremely happy. His mind was busy and he felt competent at his work. He hoped springtime would drag on and on.

 

[Knave]

Beamer:

Beamer preferred staying home in his corral eating. Springtime always meant too much work. He was surprisingly irritable about work for such an ambitious type of animal. He displayed his lack of desire often by being difficult to catch if the morning seemed too early. If the sun was not up, he assumed the day would be difficult, and he would run when a person looked his direction.

He now had encountered a hiccup in this plan, which had never worked to keep him home, but had always made him feel a bit better knowing he was understood. This hiccup came in the form of Eeyore. He was scared to be left alone with that horse; he knew that he would be targeted consistently if the others were gone. This led him to waiting to be the last horse left alone with Eeyore, and then looking for anyone to save him from the coming torture. Eeyore was more difficult than a long day of work.

After he was caught he was a pleasant horse for work. He was good at taking care of his girl, and he was good at doing his job. He wasn’t particularly cowy, nor was he especially better at anything than any of the others (excepting branding, for which he was exceptional), but he was never lonely or lazy and rarely did he do anything one would call wrong.

This spring was another with early mornings. The sun rose upon him and his girl when work had already begun each weekend day. He was proud of his girl one morning when a big wreck began and they were the ones to get it stopped. He knew the girl felt like a hero and he puffed up a bit.

The weekdays saw Bones and Lucy leaving each morning, and he was glad it wasn’t him having to work everyday at least. As long as Pete stayed home to defend him in the corral he was relieved to stay.

 

[Knave]

Pete:

Pete had a lot of experience under his mohair cinch. In fact, he was likely the most experienced horse on the ranch as far as ranch work went. This was because he had worked other ranches prior to becoming the littlest girl’s main horse.

He liked his girl. She was embarrassing, always doing something random and not focusing as much on the job at hand as she should have been, but she was fun. She had long conversations with him where she named the calves and discussed their merits. She randomly took off for the front of the herd at certain points, and she was often getting scolded.

This weekend was no different. She told him stories as they rode along, only to be interrupted when she was in trouble for turning back a calf or getting a snack from her saddlebags. He was old enough to not worry so much about these things and to simply enjoy the company of his little charge and the beauty surrounding him.

 

[Knave]

Bones:

Bones was the first to the gate every morning. He didn’t mind that it was still dark; starting in the dark meant for an interesting day.

He was a lucky horse. This morning they were well on their way before the sun rose. In the dark the cattle kicked up dust and it seemed to glow. They were moving fast, and the sound of two geese flying over caught his attention.

Although the cattle started out fast, the babies were small on this trip, and they were worn out when the sun rose. At one point the cattle spooked and ran calves through a fence, but they were there to stop them. Bones became impatient as the day drug on. He was a very ambitious horse, and when the cattle were particularly slow he had a tendency to get irritable.

He was unique in the way that he never seemed to wear down. He was very fit and no matter the difficulty of the day he was still attentive, still ready to go. Every morning he was at the gate, and on off days he stood at the gate complaining.

 

[knightrider]

I love this journal. Whenever I see a new entry I can't wait to click on it!

 

[Knave]

Thank you so much @knightrider! I like to write in it, but I get nervous like “Why do I think anyone would want to read it?” 🙂

 

[Knave]

Keno

The woman decided she needed a new perspective on Eeyore. He had been doing so well, but she was stuck in her head about him. After a discussion with her husband they decided she would continue to work with him for at least the summer as her own horse. So, to help with her own head and a fresh start, Eeyore lost his name. He had been such a ‘put upon’ horse with the name Eeyore. Now he became Keno.

Keno watched the others leave for work all week. He was ridden at home and had really stepped up his game, but still he was left every morning. It was starting to irritate him. He didn’t like being alone all day.

Yesterday he was surprised when he was caught along with the others. They were trailered to a place that was different than where he’d seen before. After everyone was unloaded he was put back into the trailer. It was very upsetting and he kicked and pawed and made a big racket which changed nothing.

The trailer was parked on a hill where he could see a long ways. Through the windows he watched as the other horses from the brigade gathered cattle and had a big wreck in the tall sagebrush with calves. He watched Pete have a bad day and could imagine the crying that the littlest was doing.

He also watched on the other side where horses were moving other cows around and eventually that was the area the brigade horses went to and branded calves. He saw when Beamer caught his shoe in a barbwire fence too. It was interesting for him to watch, and he wondered if he would ever be one of those horses who were in the action.

 

[Knave]

Zeus

Zeus had been left out in April. The lack of handling and being with the mare brought out some negative behavior in him. He wasn’t particularly bad, but he was still so young and needed more stimulation. He wanted to be a big horse and he pushed into the woman whenever she caught Lucy. He wanted to go. He knew he could do anything the other horses could do.

He was ecstatic then when the woman caught him and turned him out with the brigade. If anything was as good as being used would be, it was going back with his friends. He had missed them when he was with Lucy. Her bossy and irritable attitude got under his skin and made him cranky.

He celebrated by picking fights with the brigade. Keno was his very favorite, and they played for hours. Pete got annoyed with them, but they didn’t let it ruin their joy. They were finally back together.

 

[Knave]

Bones

Bones started the day early enough, but for once the sun had already peaked over the mountains. He was the only brigade horse caught this morning, although Lucy also was chosen. They began with gathering some cattle and sorting. A few calves were branded, but this time he stayed at the trailer while the woman worked on the ground. Although he had gotten much better at branding, he wasn’t too disappointed to be left out for a moment or two.

Then they went into the bull pasture and worked a few out. Bones could feel the woman’s nerves, but he liked the bulls. Two they were trying to move kept fighting. He liked the noise and the excitement of bulls in the springtime. He wanted to rush into their fights, but the woman held him back.

When they finished with the bulls they were done for the day. He was irritated to be stuck in the pen when the woman worked with Keno and Zeus. When evening came he was happily surprised to see the woman calling him at the gate!

She let him out without even a halter, and he was the center of their playtime. He loved when things like this happened. They were so joyful and friendly. Also, this evening she let him eat the young grass while they played. It was a night in his youth that he hoped to remember.

 

[Knave]

The Woman

The fire alarm went off at around three thirty. When the tone finished both the woman and the man knew he needed to leave. A neighbor ranch had a barn on fire. The man fought the fire with other volunteers, but the barn was a total loss. The neighbors were branding this day too, but lost all of their tack in the fire. They asked the man to come back with horses.

The woman and her girl were supposed to milk cows and do the chores for her friend. They hurried to the chores, but they still took a couple hours to accomplish, and they raced home to get horses ready and take some tack for the neighbors to borrow.


Bones:

Bones was caught along with all the others minus Keno, who was rope burned and lame, and Zeus. He was, as almost always, very happy to see cow work. They were at a different place with different horses, but he’d seen the place and some of the horses before.

He started off sorting. He liked sorting. At one point a cow was lost and he was running down the fence to turn her when he suddenly realized a barn had burnt down! He tried to tell the woman about it, and he forgot the cow for a minute, but she asked him to remember and he did.

After the sorting he was used for branding. He was excited and pushy because it was the kind of branding he’d only seen once before. This branding had headers too, and he loved that it was fast and exciting. He was used hard and as usual he never slowed. He pulled better than most big horses and although he still didn’t particularly like the fire he did a good job.

The woman was especially proud of him. She told him so as she unsaddled and brushed his wet back. She let him loose in the yard to eat grass while she finished the other horses.

 

[Knave]

Zeus

It had been a long day for little Zeus. First he was brought in and brushed off nicely and then lunged. He liked the attention, although he was sure he’d rather be ridden like the big horses.

After a bit back with the brigade he was caught again. At first he thought it was his lucky day with all the attention. This wasn’t true at all though he soon realized; he was given a shot and then pulled and tied down. His face was covered then, but he felt it when he was cut. After it was over he stood up kindly and remembered himself.

He heard the man who cut him say that he had never met a gentler or more well behaved yearling. He was proud of that, but he was sore too. He was turned into a pen by himself, but at least he could rub noses with the brigade horses and wasn’t with that awful Lucy. He hoped he wouldn’t have another day like this one anytime soon.

 

[Dragoon]

Awww, poor little Zeus!

I watched when our haflinger was gelded at a year -ish, he was so sore after! It had swelled up and the vet had to come rip open the incision so it could drain. He was so sore for a while!

Speedy recovery, Zeus! Hope there is no complications!

 

[Knave]

@Dragoon I am hoping that the swelling won’t be too bad. I know Dad was worried about it because he kept sucking that one nut out of reach so it was a bit difficult. I haven’t seen him yet today, but after I get the girls to the bus I will check on him.

Did you like your halflinger? I’ve heard some negative things about their personalities.

 

[Knave]

Lucy

Lucy hadn’t let it bother her too much that Zeus was moved. She had stayed busy enough to be a bit tired and appreciated not having to share feed with her peasant. Working and growing had taken much of her time.

Tonight was surprisingly fun for her. The old horses and Bones went with her to the arena. It had been fall last time she was there, and she had never been allowed to do much there. She had been treated like the princess she was. However tonight she was asked to cut more like the other horses. It was so much fun for her! She felt special and excited and she even had to take a few jumps to make sure everyone understood.

 

[Knave]

Bones

At almost five-years-old Bones was beginning to understand that the woman was odd. Today was one of those days that fact was thrown out there for the world to see. Since he was also a bit different himself he enjoyed her crazy.

He remembered the white saddle from last summer. He liked that it seemed more like playtime when he wore it, but he also was a bit confused still. She wanted him to move while she was goofing around, but she didn’t ask him to move quickly yet.

While she was standing up there he almost spooked when he saw a man in the trees. The woman felt it though and quickly called out to the man “Good morning.” When he spoke back Bones realized it was just the neighbor and he needn't be frightened. He liked showing off for people, so that was exciting. The neighbor said he looked like a good horse, and that made him puff up. He was a good horse.

When they finished he watched the woman ride Keno in the funny little saddle. It wouldn’t be bad if it weren’t uncomfortable. He was happy that Keno never seemed to get positive attention.

 

[Knave]

Keno

Keno had an odd day. The morning was different, and when the woman asked him to lope circles she didn’t give him much direction. This made him uncomfortable, and immediately he set into old habits. He ran away a few times, but each ended up in the woman putting him back into the circle. He realized soon enough what she wanted, but the thought irritated him. Why would he just continue to lope circles?

So then he decided to really run away. When he finally realized she had won and flipped his butt in a circle it grazed upon a large white tank. He spooked a little then, and he saw how close they were to a big wreck. He hadn’t seen the tank with his head in his belly. She pushed him right back into the circles, but he decided to give in and do what she wanted. She stopped him then.

After that they rode to the house with the arena. He hadn’t done that but a few times, and he was glad for anything that wasn’t loping stupid circles. There was a lot to watch there, but the woman kept bringing his attention to her. She asked him to do little training things for a bit. After that they did something completely new. They walked into the pen with the calves and moved them around. This was finally some fun and he enjoyed it.

The walk home was uneventful. He thought on what they had done with the cattle. It wasn’t like the other things she had asked him to do. He liked coming out of the pen and being brushed off, and he really liked going into the area where he could eat grass, but for the most part the requests the woman made when she rode him frustrated him. This was new and exciting.

 

[Knave]

Zeus

Baby Zeus was not feeling very well. Everything seemed to hurt. He stayed laying down and watched when the woman caught Keno for his morning ride. He hoped he would feel better after his nap.

He didn’t feel any better by the time Keno was brought back in. It was starting to storm and the woman rushed in and out. He stood by the gate in hopes that she could fix him.

When she came to catch Bones after the sun was out she stopped to pet him. She must have realized how he felt, and he was relieved when she haltered him. It hurt to walk, and when she asked him to move he found it in himself to take little steps.

After a while a man came and gave him a shot after she asked him to walk around a bit more. It felt good to have the water running cold on him. He knew they were trying to help him and he trusted that he would feel better soon.

 

[Knave]

Keno

Keno had been living an interesting life the last week. He was depressed when Zeus was taken out, but happy to see him come back playful and ready to go again. He’d gotten to actually follow a cow for the first time, and he knew the woman was proud of him. She told him that he had a natural talent with cows like he did with everything else he tried.

Everything hadn’t been easy though. He fought hard with the woman a few times. He was beginning to be able to outthink her when he was angry. He hadn’t been able to actually win yet, but he knew he had shaken her confidence just the same.

He didn’t dislike the woman. In fact he was always excited to see her and ready to go. It was just in his nature to fight. He fought the other horses pretty constantly too. He never realized he was on thin ice, so to speak. Today he picked a fight with Bones in the pasture corral. He watched as Bones simply jumped the fence out. The girls were nearby and panicked as much as he did when it happened.

They ran and brought back the woman. Keno worked himself up watching Bones loose. He considered following him, but he didn’t have the confidence jumping that Bones did. The last minute change of mind wasn’t easy, and he slammed his face into the fence getting a bloody nose. Soon the woman had Bones caught and came to help him in his worry. She didn’t seem concerned about his poor nose.

Later his feelings were hurt when he watched the woman choose Bones to go play in the yard with. He didn’t quite understand that his quickness to fight was what kept him out of the games he longed to play.

 

[Dragoon]

*wonderful stories!

But I was hoping for an update on poor little Zeus! Did his castration site get infected?

Keno sounds like a puzzle...hope you can solve him someday. Sometimes the difficult ones turn into the best ones!

 

[Knave]

@Dragoon that is what I keep hearing about Keno!

Yes, it did get infected. It was odd because he was fine until 15 days after being cut when he suddenly developed the infection. He’s been on penicillin since, and it seems to finally have turned around yesterday. He is the coolest little guy and I hated for him to be sick.