Sunday August 23rd, 2009

Clippers

Today, Wonder received a new leather halter to wear while we await for our weanling rope halter to arrive and I continue desensitizing. He has his best friend, Kaylee, to thank for the purchase. She looked so good in her new halter at Saturday foal training—cute, cute, cute—that I just couldn't resist. I will admit, his is a small pony halter and is just a tad bit too big even on the last hole, but I suspect he will grow into it before I know it and he is never wearing it unsupervised. Besides, it looks great—the only thing missing is the brass nameplate with his show name. (Today's thought for a name? "Divine Intervention", call name, "Wonder").

Isn't it amazing how you can justify purchasing halter number three even though halter number two is already on its way and he still has halter number one? Justification comes easy when you know the new arrivals at Century Mill probably need his old halter. If you haven't already checked out the latest foals, you should, http://www.luckyhorse.org/ . They, like Wonder, are in need of homes. Thanks to the dedication of Lucky Horse volunteers, one has already been adopted—great job guys!

The problem with going halter shopping is you never end up coming home with just the halter. Despite having more than enough equipment, I was suddenly convinced that I needed new safety cross ties, another fly mask in gray and fillers for all of the stall toys. Every foal needs a toy in his stall...or two or three, right? I will let you know if Wonder likes them. Right now I think he has his eyes on the goats as potential playthings.

Unfortunately, there was not a lot of time available today for training so we opted for a quick introduction to clippers. I simply took my cordless clippers, placed them on an empty shavings bag and turned them on. Wonder instantly went to check them out from every side and then continued on his own agenda. When I put them in his grain bucket he did the same but not without giving me an, "are you kidding me?" look as though there was no need to put them anywhere else. Genius that he is, he already knew what clippers were.

Wonder is very inquisitive about everything. In less than a week he seems to be settled in at the farm and ready, well, for anything life throws his way. I just hope I am.