Abby Week: How Abby Won My Heart

As Abby Week continues, we will begin with a look at "current Abby" and her pregnant pasture mate Sultanna.

I popped out to the barn in between rainstorms yesterday and Abby was walking up to see me, softly nickering, before I was even out of the car.

After offering her carrots and some scritching, I turned my attention to Sultanna.

Her foal is due in early May, so we are getting close.

Oh, sweet girl! I know how you feel at this stage of pregnancy!

Her udder is bagging up a little, but I'd say we still have a week or two to go before baby arrives. I am looking forward to the new addition to the herd!

And speaking of new additions, here is the story of how Abby helped me make the decision to bring her home with me. Not only is it one of my favorite blog posts that I've ever written, it is also one of the most special interactions I have ever had with a horse.

See for yourself.

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Puppy Eyes and Horsey Hips!  April 9, 2012

Over spring break, I went to look at horses with my sister, Leslie. Her Standardbred, Loomis, had recently had to be euthanized, and she was looking for a replacement. The Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort had a Standardbred listed, so we went down. I was NOT looking to become a horse owner.

Long story short, there was an Appaloosa mare there named Sassy who is the spitting image of my beloved mare, Amy. In fact, I burst into tears when I saw her as the resemblance was so uncanny. She has been on my mind ever since, and I have been exploring options as I think about adopting her.

Today I went down to see her again. I wanted to see if she was gentle and good on the ground, if I could pick up her feet, tweak her ears, and do other things that show a horse is gentle and sane.

She was all that. And more.

I asked the facility manager to let me go out in the pasture and get her to see if she would be hard to catch.

She wasn't. She came right over and stood quietly while I haltered her. (I fumbled a bit - after all, it's been twenty years!)

She led quietly to the barn despite the fact that her pasture mates were following her and even trying to nip her out of the way so they could get some attention from me. No problem.

No problem walking through the barn, either, even with scary objects in the aisles and the occasional stalled horse who nickered at her and even ran against the stall door, trying to get to her. Not an ear twitch.

We put her in the round pen to see if she could longe (no) or how she would react. I was very impressed that she was not trying to get back to her pasture mates, although they were a bit agitated, nickering and calling to her. She answered once, but she never seemed bothered to be away from the herd. That's a very good sign.

Melanie had to go into the office for a phone call, and left me alone in the round pen with Sassy. I unclipped the longe line and turned her loose to see what she would do. And a very interesting thing happened.

Sassy went over to the bars of the pen and began nibbling some grass.

But then she put her head up, walked over to me for a few moments, and then past me to another spot to graze. I decided to move to another spot in the pen and see what happened. After a few bites, she put her head up and walked over. I patted her, and then she went back to the rail to eat. I began moving around the pen to see how she would react, and every single time, she would come over for a moment, no matter where it was I had moved, and then return to eating.

This, of course, is the horsey equivalent of PUPPY EYES.

But then she did something that really surprised me. Melanie was coming out of the office and walking back to the round pen. I walked over to the fence, rested my arms on the rail, and was talking to Melanie as she approached. Sassy came up behind me, then turned sideways so she was perpendicular to me and stood still, leaning her hip against my backside. And she stood there, just content to have some body contact with me!

Oh, no!! HORSEY HIPS!! Combine that with the puppy eyes equivalent, and I was sinking fast!

Interestingly enough, Sassy did not go to greet Melanie. In fact, she paid no attention to her, instead facing away from Melanie and just leaning her hip into my backside. I have NEVER had a horse do that, and my heart melted.

So, what am I going to do now? I don't know for sure. I have checked out two possible places to keep her, and I did fill out the adoption papers. Craig has given his blessing, and I told Melanie I would let her know by Tuesday. I will think and pray. Hard.

But, I did stop at a farm supply store on the way home and purchase a halter, lead rope, two brushes, and some tack cleaner....

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See what I mean? Could you resist those puppy eyes and horsey hips? Neither could I. Tomorrow I bring Abby home.

Stay 'tooned!

Abby Week: I Spy with My Horsey Eye

 Welcome to Abby Week!

Abby and I celebrated our 12th anniversary on Saturday and I thought it would be fun to take a look at how she and I came together. For the next couple of days blog posts will be a mix of throwback posts with some commentary from me mixed in. 

Today's post? Helping Leslie find a new horse brings Abby to my attention.

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Uncanny Resemblance, Horsiemama, April 9, 2012

My sister Leslie invited me to go to the Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort and look at some horses with her. She lost her Standardbred, Loomis, last winter, and her gelding, Beau, has some health issues and may need to be put down. That would leave Skippy alone, and Skippy is blind and needs a pasture mate.

So, she picked me up early this morning and we headed out into the hinterlands of central Indiana. The rescue place had at least one Standardbred available, and Leslie wanted to take a look at her. But when we walked out in the pasture to look at the mares, my heart stopped. This is what I saw:

This mare is the spitting image of my first horse, Amy. Amy has always been my favorite of all the horses I've owned, and we had a very close bond. In fact, she got so attached to me, she would not let anyone else ride her, and actually backed through a barn door (it was closed and so she splintered it) when Leslie got on her.

One of my favorite memories of Amy is of an early summer morning with the sun rising over the Wabash. Amy was lying down out in the pasture. She allowed me to stretch out with her, propping myself up against her warm body, and we lay in the grass, enjoying the beautiful start to the day.

 

I walked all around this mare, and the resemblance to my beloved Amy was uncanny.

The blaze is a bit wider than Amy's, but the strawberry roan coloring, the blonde/silver mane and tail, the small anklet socks... this horse could be Amy's twin.

Leslie really wants me to get her and keep her at her farm. Truth be told, I could afford to buy her and to keep her. But time is a real factor plus I don't ride any more. Getting this gal would be more to have her as a pet than anything else.

Still.... I am tempted. She was rescued last year from a man in Indianapolis who had twenty horses on two acres, and they were underfed and doing poorly. Abby (as I call her; although I keep thinking "Amy!!") is twelve and has never been ridden, but she was used as a halter horse for 4-H. When brought to the rescue center, her front hoof was so overgrown and in need of trimming, it had curved under and to the side. They're still working on correcting it back to a normal hoof. But, she gets around really well and gallops around freely.

I cannot get this little mare out of my mind. I have been teary and emotional since I saw her. Should I do it? Should I get her and give her the good home she deserves?  I am certainly thinking about it.

Stay tuned!

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Tomorrow's post? I go back out to Indiana Horse Rescue and spend some time getting to know Abby.

Green Paws on Dawgs & More

The Indy Blooms Swap meet may be over, but I am still very busy. Right now it seems as though I go from one project straight to another.

I am working hard at stewarding Breyer Boot Camp - the entries are pouring in! Another project is in the works and nearly done which is a good thing - I have a May 1st deadline. Then, I am in the final stages of preparing for this coming Saturday's live show.

I am working on the tags and documentation for Midwest Mini Mayhem. Documentation is something I enjoy, especially when it's collectibility. (The teacher in me loves learning!)

I'm taking this sweet and sassy Walker-Renaker to the show but I could not find any information on it. Then I realized I was searching for Kay Finch and Freeman Leidy as the manufacturers. Once I remembered who had produced this cute piece, then I had what I needed.

But I really got stuck while researching this teeny tiny Hagen Renaker. I knew it was part of a club that a dealer had run and that the dealer had passed away quite some time ago, but I could not remember anything else.

Nancy Kelly to the rescue! I emailed her and she was able to help me out. Thanks, Nancy! 

Nancy is an experienced researcher and author - if you ever need good reference books on Hagen Renakers 

or Breyer Collecting, click the links!

Craig, Lisa, and I had a good laugh when she dropped her dogs off the other day. You've heard of the book, Green Eggs and Ham?

How about Green Paws on Dawgs?

Lisa had just mowed her lawn and the dogs had been running around playing in that freshly cut grass. It was a little startling, but very funny, too.

Finally, Tammo has been with us for two months now and it has taken him that long to discover he actually likes peanut butter. Pepper has been the beneficiary of all that uneaten peanut butter - after she finished her kong, she ate his. But not any more. He laps it right up. (And sometimes finishes before she does. Which is saying something. We have been known to call her Pepper the Piranha.)

Kyle may be coming home from traveling soon. We will be glad to see him, but Tammo will be missed around here when he goes back home to Florida. He is such a sweet boy and is especially attached to Craig, following him everywhere he goes and then crying when Craig doesn't take him along.

Tammo watching Craig mow the grass and feeling very forlorn that he is not out there with his boy.

Craig trying to read as the pack, including Tammo, settle around him for naps.

Tomorrow I will show you something else I am working on - Kentucky Derby decor!

Stay 'tooned!

The Indy Blooms Swap Meet

It didn't take too much in the way of car Jenga to get everything to the Indy Blooms swap meet yesterday.

Rather than bringing my haversacks in tubs, I tried something new this time and had them already sorted into baskets by size and ready to set out on the table when I arrived. 

The Stablemate and Curios had to go into the trunk along with some sales models and my wagon.

It was a huge time saver when I unpacked the car to have things already sorted and ready to just set onto the table.

But despite having done a practice set up at home, I discovered that I did not have enough table space for everything I'd brought. 

The tea towels and the show aprons had no room on the table so I set a tub in the wagon

and those on top of it. It worked! I sold several towels and show aprons while there.

I haven't done inventory yet, but I'll do that as soon as I can - gotta get ready for Midwest Mini Mayhem next weekend!

Seeing friends at a model horse gathering is always the best part for me. Marilou Mol (right) is a long time hobby friend.

She's also a retired principal and we have had some good conversations about teaching and students in addition to model horses.

Dear friend Michelle Evans was there, too. She has been in the hobby since its earliest days and was kind enough to watch my table so I could take a break and walk around the floor a little. 

I appreciate that she did - because I was selling, I really did not get to walk around as much as I'd like. 

Surprisingly, the foot traffic was light and most people buying from me were vendors themselves. That is too bad because the variety of items for sale was really good and the venue was well lit and open. Chelsea and Robin do an excellent job of planning and organizing. 

Despite fewer buyers than anticipated, my things sold well and it was definitely worth the time and gas to participate. If I can, I plan to go back next year.

Barn Buddy Kelsey got held up back in Lafayette and didn't arrive until 7:30. Although the hours for the swap meet went until 8:00, most people were packing up early and she didn't get to see much. She helped me load my car and then we went to dinner together. 

Her suggestion to eat at Parky's Smokehouse was a good one. The food was outstanding and almost everything is made in house from scratch. (Local Son Curt is a huge BBQ lover and I am going to see if he'd like to join Craig and me for lunch or dinner there.)

But there was something else about Parky's that Kelsey and I got a kick out of, even though it startled both of us the first time that it rolled by.

Robot delivery to help the wait staff keep up with serving the customers! With a smiley face on its screen!

That was animated and even blinked!

There were several of them rolling around and she and I found it very amusing to watch them heading out into the dining room to bring folks their food.

It was a little after 10:00 when I finally got home, happily greeted at the door by Pepper and Tammo, and then wading through them to hug Craig. 

Craig was doubly glad to see me come home - Lisa's dogs spend the day with us on Fridays and while all four dogs are friendly, happy, and well behaved,

still, four big dogs take up a lot of space and need a lot of "backyard time." I love this picture of them taken just before I left for Indy Blooms - I'd run upstairs to grab something, and naturally the pack followed me. Nashie is licking his chops because he thinks I might have have some food to share. (Actually, they are all thinking that!)

Anyway! The Indy Blooms Swap Meet was a fun event and I enjoyed seeing long time friends and meeting lots of new ones. Now it's time to shift gears and get ready for Midwest Mini Mayhem, just a week from today!

Stay 'tooned!

I'm Ready for This

It's swap meet day!

And yes, I am ready for this! (Turn up your volume!)

I have to take Pepper to the vet this morning for her monthly Percorten injection so I won't finish packing the car until after that, but the trunk is already full and I only have a couple of baskets left to tuck into the back seat.

In January I bought myself some new shoes to wear to model horse events and I'm ready to wear them to the swap meet.

I've spent some time breaking them in; it's awful to discover that new shoes pinch or give you blisters the first time you wear them.

They are kind of a cross between a clog and mules, and very comfy. Like them? I got them from Back in the Saddle and they are on sale right now!

Yesterday I brought all the chinas into the horse room to begin tagging and making reference cards as I got ready for Midwest Mini Mayhem. But, I was not ready for this surprise.

I've shown this piece several times but I don't recall seeing this mark on the base before. I bought it new from a Hagen Renaker dealer years ago and am its only owner. If you can help me identify it, I am ready to learn! You can comment or email me at horsiemama8@gmail.com. (I plan to ask on some of the Hagen Renaker groups on Facebook, too.)

I am also asking for help in identifying this salt and paper set that belonged to my parents. They called the two pieces Drip and Drop, and my siblings and I loved to use them so much that, when our parents died, we decided to share Drip and Drop among us, passing them on to each other at Christmas.

I've found Drip and Drop salt and pepper sets on eBay but they are painted differently from our set. I'm ready to learn more about them and know their history! 

Finally, are you ready for a quiz from the 18th century? This item was found during excavations of Fort Ouiatenon back in the 1970s.

Can you identify it? I am ready to hear what you think! Comment or email me!

That's it for today - I need to go downstairs and get ready for the day. I am really looking forward to gathering with other model horse lovers and buying and selling model horse items.

Yes, I am ready for this!

Pictures coming tomorrow - get ready and stay 'tooned!

Model Horse Busy x 3

Today I have a lot going on and I am feeling the stress. It's Model Horse Busy x three around here at the moment.

Model Horse Busy #1

Yesterday's mock set up for Indy Blooms went better than I expected - it looks like I will have some room on the table for a few sales models. Of course, those need to be sorted out, priced, and packed. 

The haversacks are ready to go into the car - I will put these in the back seat as is rather than putting them back in their tubs. This will save me time when I set up tomorrow afternoon.

Model Horse Busy #2

The show is held on Liz Larose's site, Pony Bytes, and the training and support given to show staff, stewards and judges is outstanding. Stewards have training on the formatting of entries so we can help those who are entering ensure that their models not only get into the right class, but that a formatting error does not prevent the judge from seeing their entry.

Most of my Breyer Boot Camp prep has been completed but today I want to review the suggestions and tips for helping these novice showers have a positive and fun experience as they learn how to show their model horses.

Model Horse Busy #3

Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick!  That's the sound in my head every time I think about Midwest Mini Mayhem. Prep for that has taken a bit of a back seat for me because I have been so busy with the swap meet and Breyer Boot Camp. 

But, prep has been happening.

I have been pulling out models that I plan to bring and am loosely grouping them by customs, resins, plastic, chinas, and pets/other animals on the shelf behind my desk.

Almost all my mini collections are in my sewing room and I gathered up the plastics, customs, and resins first.

I can transport them from room to room like this, but I would NEVER do this with my chinas!

Those tiny chinas are so fragile, so it takes much longer to move them into the horse room for tagging and packing.

Slowly but surely they are being added to the shelf.

I was doing okay stress-wise on preparing for this show until a question was asked on their Facebook page about tagging models. As I now understand it, the directions for tags is different from how mine are already tagged. That means I am going to have to retag them all. 

Good thing I buy my tags by the box, one thousand at a time!

Today will be busy - Nash and Molly are spending the day with us. A dear friend from Illinois is passing through town and Craig and I will meet be meeting her for a lunch. I plan to finish loading my car for tomorrow's swap meet, do that Boot Camp stewarding review, and then, if any time is left, start tagging my minis.

Model Horse Busy, but Model Horse Good, too!