Yikes!

Oh, no excuses, I haven't been here for forever! I am determined to change that though because there are new things happening in Diesel's little hinny life!
He is doing great by the way! Loving all the mud that spring has to offer, being with his herd and buggin' them! But, mostly, enjoying the spring grass coming up. We really have to watch he and Scout, because spring grass can be great nutritionally, but dangerous sugar-wise. So, the boys are rotated on and off the grass and they are pretty content with their spring routine.
Okay, anyway, back to Diesel. Wow, he is doing amazing. There was a 5-star professional that was offering video coaching and Lea and I decided to send a video to him. That was SO disappointing. All he could say after watching a 15 minute video was to give Diesel more treats. Well, let me tell you, Diesel should be an orange mini hinny for all the carrot treats he gets.
But, God is so good and opened another door for us! We belong to a forum for people who are involved in Parelli. I sent a message to a lovely gal who had a picture of mules on her post and thought perhaps she had mules and could share some experiences with me.
Well, this dear woman, Sharon, has shared more with me in the last 48 hours than I could hope to get from any 5-star professional! So, we are really beginning to understand how Diesel "thinks" which helps us be more interesting for him.
Lea has once again not abandoned me with her brilliant Parelli ways and is helping me with Diesel. (Poor Lea is always at the mercy of "when" I have time to play with Diesel. Months may pass before I get going again and she is always there to guide me through! So thank you Lea, once again)
She is having me play "stick to me" with Diesel. And we have only done it twice and what a change in his perception of me. Sort of like, "by golly, this little chap is really interested in me and what I am doing." Stick to me is Diesel being at Liberty in our outdoor and I drive his hindquarters away and once he looks at me with both eyes, I go into a neutral position and put my hand out and ask him to draw into me. And he does by golly!!!! It might take 10-15 times of gently driving his hindquarters, but he gets it!!! Once he is interested in me he will actually "stick" to me and walk with me, hop up on the pedestal with me, put his nose on something. WOW!!!!!
So, stay tuned for my next play session which will be on Thursday. (Drat, I have to work all day tomorrow).
If you haven't been around Diesel's blog for a while, I promise to be more diligent so you can enjoy his journey as much as we are!
Thanks!
Marianne

Lovin' Winter

Well, Diesel is doing remarkable. We are finding his joy!! He loves to be free (at liberty, Parelli calls it). He loves to run around, ring his neck and chase after the big boys. He has a personality that is abundantly wonderful! He packs a lot of spunk for a 36" high equine.
He never fails to amuse us. Lately, he wants to be in the snow and dig around until he finds a little patch of grass. Then he rolls and jumps and kicks up his heels! I do believe that he completely prefers the mud to snow, but he makes the best of it.
He has a bit of a hard time when we have to keep him in during bad weather. But he does really well and tries very hard to please. After being left to roam around 24 acres, I know life in a stall - for even just a few hours, tests his patience. But, the great thing is he loves lock up time. We stall our herd at night to keep everybody safe. And he, like the big boys, loves to come in at night, he takes a big deep breath is ready for hot mash and fresh hay. We check the boys usually once in the early evening and then right before we all head to sleep and many times we will find him dozing in his corner and flat out laying down. All the horses seem to really like life in the barn at night!
So, we will continue to work on Liberty play time and help Diesel just have fun. It is so rewarding to watch him blossom and trust, want to play, and settle in so securely here on our farm!
Winter Blessings to you all!

Finding Diesel's Joy

He loves to be dirty! It is Diesel's favorite hobby. This I know is one of his greatest JOYS!

The days go by so quickly. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day activities and responsibilities. But, every now and then you have a day that stands out in your mind.

I have been wondering how to find Diesel's "JOY." How to make him so interested in me and what I am doing with him. He is so kind, obedient, does what he is told...... but where was his JOY???? When I would lead him, I would walk right by his side with my hand on his withers. I wanted him to know me as his partner. I always felt like I disrespected him if I would lead him and walk in front of him. Even though he is the smallest of the herd, he deserves to be respected and treated with dignity. So, I would look in his eyes everyday that I fed him, played with him, groomed him and wonder -- how do I find his JOY? What makes him happy?

I think I finally found it!! On days when I just don't have the time to play the Parelli games with Diesel, but Allison and Lea have Scout and Eddie in the big pasture, we turn Diesel loose to just graze and be with the herd. I usually start out doing a little something with him. Maybe a couple games, maybe I might hope for one complete circle during the circling game, maybe a cavaletti or sideways. Anyway, usually after 15 or 20 minutes I turn him loose to just hang out in the pasture while the other boys are playing, since I usually have something I SHOULD be doing.

Well, last week, after I turned him loose, I walked up to him to doing something - a treat, a pat on the face, can't really remember. But, off he trotted, away from me, ringing his neck. Hmmm..... sort of a catching game?? So, I pursued him again and this time he ran off, ringing his neck, almost skipping ~~ do horses skip???? Not really, but he looked like it! So, we did this for another 15 minutes or so and he just looked like he was having a blast. Running around, getting in the big boy's way, ringing his neck, maybe even a little buck or poke!

I think I found his JOY! A silly little game of "you can't catch me," but a connection that brings us closer together each and every day. I'm glad that day that I put off my things I thought I SHOULD have been doing and took a little time with him. Because, like I said, I think I found a little piece of JOY in this little hinny's life. I don't believe he has had a lot of JOY in his life. So this was very special.

What a blessing this little, fuzzy white guy is in my life! Thank you Diesel, for always making me smile, for giving me a reason to go to the barn every day, for just bringing "JOY" into my life everyday. I hope I continue to grow and give you as much JOY as you give me!

I Get So MAD!!

Okay, so this is from Diesel's point of view - he is such a sweet pea! I just gotta share:



"Grrrr....... I get so mad! I love my new people and I would never hurt them. But when I get left behind, I just wanna spit!!! (Can Hinnys spit????)"

"Okay, so here is the deal. The two cute blondes that usually fuss over me, take out the two other dudes. That really big fat guy Eddie and the one I like to pick on, Scout (I love to run up behind him and BITE HIS BUTT). AND I GET LEFT BEHIND!!! So, I run around and ring my neck and let them know I am madder than a ..... oh, I don't know what."

"So, I throw my little Diesel temper-tantrum and they come runnin'! Woo-Hoo, works every time. And what do they do with me.......put me in the pasture to graze, graze, graze!"

"Ah, life is good." Until the next time they leave me behind and we do it all again!"

"I love this family ~~ they are such pushovers!"

See ya next time! Diesel!

Diesel Goes Dutch!

In a manner of speaking that is! A couple weeks ago, Scott had several days off in a row and the weather truly cooperated! So, we cut through the east side of Diesel's wall and put in a little dutch door for him. He also got a new gate to Scout's paddock run and a great little paddock of his own.





So, each of our boys (all 3) have dutch doors that lead to individual paddocks. We rotate all of them on either pasture or our Paddock Paradise Track. Scout and Diesel get the track and Eddie gets the pasture. They all three have very different nutritional needs, so this has worked out to be a real blessing at feeding time. We can weigh each of the boys hay and know exactly how much they are eating each day. And there are no fights over who eats what.

So we have a little more tidying up to do on Diesel's stall. His inside gate (as you can see) still needs to be trimmed down and painted. and we need a little more ag lime in his turnout to be sure there are no depressions that can collect rain - or ice - as we move into the winter months.

It is going to be a glorious winter with our new little member of the herd. Diesel is already getting so fuzzy and ready for the cold months. We changed the clocks back this past weekend and everybody is adjusting to the new routine. But all are doing well.

I just love this little guy. Imagine if I had not stopped and taken the time to inquire about him. Who knows where he would be right now! But, as my daughters continue to remind me, I can't live in the past when he was abandonded. He lives in the now and so must I. Wise words from wise young women!

I'm FREEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The gate was open from the paddock to the outside world. Allison was catching her pony, Scout, that was full of energy and Diesel was waiting behind him. You can guess what happened next. Allison took Scout out, Diesel followed...

"Watch this Scout!" I ran out from behind Scout and in front of him. I could hear the human behind me yelling to the other human, Lea out in the pasture. I  was headed to the gate. It was OPEN!!!
"LEA!" the human behind me yelled. Then Lea ran from the pasture to TRY and catch me. Oop, can't get me! I'm goin to the trailer! Haha, not the dad too! Weehoo!!! I'm going through the corncrib. Scout whinnied for me, "I'll be back Scouty!" I answered. I pranced through the pumpkin field while the humans yelled. I could hear one of them wiggle the grain bucket. Who needs grain?! I'm FREE!!!!!!!!! I galloped through the driveway and back around the garage. The whole time the humans are trying to get to come to the grain. Ok, fine. I trotted up to Lea, she had the grain. I grabbed a bite and ran off again! She wasn't happy. Then the dad came around. haha, watch this Eddie! Who is now galloping in the pasture. What a moron. I trotted through the tomatoes and galloped back up from behind the round pen. Aw man... Dad and Lea got me in the corner of the round pen and the pasture. I was cornered. Lea tried to feed me grain, but who needs grain? Eddie whinied again. I rolled my eyes. "You're not supposed to leave the humans Diesel!!!" He said. "They are part of the herd!" Ah, yeah no Ed... You baby! Then Allison, the person who so kindly let me out, opened the pasture wire and I went in. Fine... I guess my 15 MINUTES of freedom is over...

Cool Temps = LOTS OF ENERGY

Hi everybody,

Diesel is doing so well. I just have to tell you that in a short six months (yep, he has been here for six months already) he is just a member of our herd; like he has been here forever. He loves to cozy up for scratches, waits patiently for a handful (or two, or three) of sweet feed, gets a little TOO confident and wants to bite the big boys, and even gets a little bratty with us. But bratty in such a sweet way. And boy does he have energy. He and Scout ran about 5 laps around the track the other day. Even Lea got concerned.....are they gonna stop?!?!?!? He is such a nut. He rings his neck like he is the big boss, trots around like he owns the place, and is such a happy exuberant camper! I kept waiting for him to show us some inkling of his spunky hinny-enality -- I guess we just needed to wait for the cooler weather!

The other day he reached over to take a little nip from Lea and she responded, "oh, how cute is that!" Tells you where are heads are at with loving our boys. I think many folks would have yelled, "hey, quit that." Not us. We never want to knock the curiosity out of our boys. And, the best part is that we know he is not doing to be mean, but just to play. Because it is the kind of little nip that makes you smile.

Recently, Lea's very good friend Rebecca informed us that her barn owner rescued 3 mini's. Some older gentleman, all in a good way, bought these 2 mini horses and a mini donkey to give them a home. But, once he bought them, he basically just opened the trailer and let them be wild in a pasture (with food water and shelter, of course) for a couple of years. So, they haven't been handled by humans for those years. The 2 mini horses are shy, but coming around, but the mini donk is really feral. Oh, how I wish we could take him. I would take him in a minute and just help him to trust again. But, we are so totally out of room. As it is, we had to convert part of our aisleway into a stall for Diesel! So, sadly, he is off to a sale and who knows what will happen to the little dear. If you have room for him and would like to help him to learn to trust again, let me know!!!!

Anyway, back to Diesel. He progresses every day. We give him lots of space. And, it is good to know on these very cold and rainy days we have been having lately, he is warm and dry inside with all the hay he can eat!

Tomorrow promises to be sunnier. So while I am at work, perhaps I can have Lea play more games and begin to take him into Parelli Level Two! He is ready!

So, Diesel says hi and wants everybody to know that if he can learn to trust and become part of a family, any horse can!