Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Ramming Speed!

Now, I bet you wouldn't put that title right along side a sweet little mini hinny???  

But, that is just what it describes, DIESEL!

In case you don't know what a mini hinny is; he is 1/2 miniature horse and 1/2 miniature Sicilian Donkey.  He has very horse like traits (versus the long donkey ears), and other characteristics that puts him in the hinny category.

Because Diesel is a miniature little guy, his diet must match his size.  BUT, Diesel likes Eddie's hay better (our almost 16-hand gelding).  Eddie gets some alfalfa because he is a very big boy with very big nutritional needs.  Diesel gets VERY NICE straight grass hay.  He is, by no means, starved - he pretty much has hay available all day long!  We have also put in a Paddock Paradise for he and Scout to share to be sure they get lots of exercise, lots of movement, some grass, feeling like they are out in the pasture, etc., etc., etc.  Bottom line, Diesel has got a REALLY nice set up here.

In order to accommodate each horse's special dietary needs, each guy has his own paddock.  That way at feeding time, there is no fighting, no dominance games, and everybody gets the right kind of feed according to their waistline!  And Diesels happens to be the biggest.  We are working on that!

Anyway, in order to keep his "Princeliness" out of the big boy's hay, we had to up our "security" (if you will).  In other words, despite the fence dividing the paddocks we had to add snow fencing to keep Diesel on his side of the buffet table!
 He is SO mad about this.  He is a roamer.  He loves to be on the move.  So, the fact that he 1. can not roam everywhere he wants, and 2. he cannot get to the really good alfalfa hay has made this a very unhappy little mini hinny.  It actually is sort of cute!  We give him so much love and attention, that I am sure he will get through this.

That is Scout the paint and Eddie on the right.  They are just so good about this new little change to their paddock - truly, they could care less.  They take these changes in stride!

But not Diesel.  Now to the reason for the title of this post.  Diesel, today, decided he was not happy with the new arrangement and "head-butted" smack into the fence and ripped it open (the fence that is, not his head!).  Ah, now he can get back over to Eddie's side of the paddock.  So, we tried to shore it up (in the freezing cold, I might add).  And WHAM!  He rammed right through it again.  There was just no stopping this little guy.  He was quite determined.

I think Lea finally got it fixed so he couldn't go under it (yes, he did that too - do you see that orange fence that is touching the ground - he somehow went under it), he couldn't ram through it, and he was finally contained.

I do feel kind of sorry for him.  He doesn't do real well with change.  I have learned a lot about how he sees the world by reading Temple Grandin's book, Animals in Translation.  If you have animals - read this book!  It will completely change how you interact with your pets!


Anyway, here is to a better day tomorrow for our little guy.  Lea and I will shower him with lots of love, take him for walks, and help him through this little crisis he feels he is being put through.
Lots of love and lots of carrots always help make things right with the world!
Marianne