Discovered Foalquest and found out more about it. I joined the email list, read about PMU and the stories of some of the foals and thought, what the heck, I am going to at least try to sponsor a foal!

I spoke to Wonderfully kind Betsy P, the hauling coordinator, and she helped me pick out Albert's name. Soon I realized that if I am going to sponsor a foal who will live in Montana, why not bring him out here to live?

I was pretty unsure if I was going to find boarding: Most places wanted a halter trained vaccinated resident, and who could blame them? Quarantine would be the ultimate issue, and not a lot of places had the capacity to do it to protect themselves and my foal.

Enter Sandy Heisey, FoalQuest Representative. She introduced me to Anna Albright, who generously let me board Albert there after he got home.

Wow! What a jumpstart on a Dream Come True!

After meeting Anna Albright of Poulsbo WA, was able to travel up to Canada to pick up Albert Jordan! Met Jan Turnbull, was extremely impressed by her amazing effort.

Stunned at all the GORGEOUS foals. What a lucky bunch of adoptors we are and I feel like a kid in a candy shop! Anna, her husband Brian, and I were able to assist Jan a little. The magnitude of work is mind boggling. This is truly a labor of love. I feel sad that only these foals have been adopted. I also feel priviledged to see how much dedication and care goes into this work. What is more amazing to me is that if more people knew just how fantastic these foals are, they would be snapping them up.

I remember as we leave with our load of four, seeing Jan and Doug set to begin readying another load. For those of you who have worked with BLM horses, you get the idea.

I peek at Albert's paperwork in the envelope that we will show the vet at the border. It describes him as a "sporthorse." Holy Dressage Prospect Batman!!

The ride is long, ostensibly I was there to drive, but Brian does a great job and we roll into the drive at around 6 am. Foals unload and nibble hay. They travelled fine, we are all exhausted and

Albert arrives home!

Whoooooo hooohooo!

He is shy, but there is an intelligence in his eye that says "I'm game." You really can't get near these foals, they are born in large heards and human contact is limited. Unlike foals that are imprinted by humans at birth, if a foal is not a "people person" it means that time and patience are your only attribute that will get you very far with these guys - okay snacks definitely help!

Anna helps me attach a grab rope to Albert's rope halter. He starts to step on it, stop and think this whole human contact thing over. I clip a longe line onto him and after a few rugged moments he realizes that when I am attached, well I stay attached. Under the "don't try this at home" catagory, I am working in a paddock that is strictly electric tape. This means that as he immediately decides that backwards is the way he wants to go (had to work with the other foals around, too, since he was in Poulsbo, and I was in Seattle, I knew I needed to get him halter broken and tame to enable moving him). He backed to his friends and once he backed into the fence.

He realizes that, hey, she always feeds me and scritches aren't so bad. I scratch his neck by his withers pretending to be a horse grooming him, he looks at me like I am nuts (NOTE: It is only March 2002 that he realizes the liptickling pleasure of wither scratching!)

The first day that I can touched him all over was pretty amazing. I thought to myself "this guy is just as wild as can be, what a sane little boy!" We v-e-r-y slowly work around to the whole body. The whole time I am saying my "clicker training word" haybee. This allows me to move to places that he's not sure about.
For all those using the clicker training, I know I am not using it correctly, but it is definitely helped him realize that the sound was a friendly one and when I use it I mean no harm.
So far so good!

(Each time I work with him I am sure all I will ever have is a lawn ornament who is just wild.)
Patience is my motto, slow is my slogan.

The foals all have a little snotty nose issue, which after all the travel and weaning is understandable. We give all a round of antibiotics. All foals seem to be doing fine, but by the end of the meds, it's back in action.

Anna's foals are very nice, a grulla QH/draft cross, a Fjord/draft cross and a gorgeous perch/tb (who I was looking at to adopt at first - she will be quite athletic, truly a sport horse).

By the end of the month it's the usual rainy season. If I had it to do over again I would have blanketed him from the outset, but hindsite is 20/20.

Albert tends to mouth his food, since he is a weanling, and not quite as fast an eater as the other guys, it is hard to stay ahead of the food game with him. Hoping to move him as soon as his quarantine is over, and as soon as his first round of shots are under his belt.

Picked up the Horsemans Directory and cold called a vet, Dr. Carr, asking if he could recommend a boarding stable. He very nicely said no. Then three minutes later he calls back and gives me Carole Remillard's name and number. Wow, thank goodness for caller ID! I call Carole and later we meet.

As I think about shots and moving and quarantine, I am also getting to know Anna's son, Anthony, 11 years old the Fjord cross is his first horse. I would be understating it if I said that Anthony is intelligent, he provides super conversation while I come over to work with Albert.

November 6th. Albert is going to have the vet come over on the 7th, but I goof the date. Irony of ironies: he has swellings under his throatlatch, his breathing is roaring and since strangles with the foals is a possibility, I get the vet over and he examines Albert and says "strangles."

There is no swab taken, but Albert also has pneumonia.

Anna, amazing woman letmetellyou, gets into action, we make up a separate stall so he can get dry, hammer up some fencing, I get bedding, fedex for a blanket and we settle Albert in, expecting a run of strangles. In his new stall whinnies a couple times for his buddies, then turns and checks out the hay.

Because of the pneumonia Albert is getting antibiotics. Normally, the strangles would run it's course. I am pretty unsure as to the compromise that antibiotics will make in the swellings bursting internally. So while I trust the vet, I am pretty worried about bastard strangles as a problem.

Within days he's picking up and looking much better. Anna begins to feed beet pulp. Albert scarfs beet pulp.

If there is any bonus to his illness, it's the mere fact that a sick foal is a docile foal. Albert always has had the kindest eye I have ever seen (well. Okay, he's my horse!) and he prove it out every time. I start more and more with a rope around his hindquarters and we are leading very well. He learns whoa and we pick up feet, groom and touch him all over. By the end of the month, he is pretty good at all this stuff.

Quarantine is now extended because we just don't know if it was strangles.

Starts to really be a sweety, he turns his head around and looks at me with his serious little face, I stifle the urge to hug him, and scratch him instead. He also likes to be talked to. Takes to being blanketed like a pro. Sometimes I have to remember that he was an unhandled foal.

Likes to push his way out of his stall, and begins to understand electric vs. non-electric fence. Escapes from stall one day to go be with his friends. Jumps over electric tape, but kind of tears it down.
Oops!

Tests if he has the rope around his hindquarters, the pony brain ticking. Reinforcement makes leading more second nature.

Feeling good at end of month. Also notice he is now knuckling over on his back right leg a bit.

New vet thinks it's a growth issue. Feed less. Give him MSM and a vitamin supplement. Loves the supplements....loves food in general! New vet also does a swab.
Guess what?! No sign of strangles!!!

As much as I love the ferry rides to visit him, as much as I have dearly enjoyed meeting Anna, Brian and Anthony (who has been working so amazingly well with his foal Dunkin') I am pretty sure I have GOT to get Albert closer to me. Time to prepare to move. Kind of sad, but I know with three foals, Anna has her work cut out for her!

Albert gets a run of more antibiotics before his move to his new digs nearer my home, Heathercrest Farm of Mill Creek, WA. Carole and her daughter, Britt, come on over to haul him for me. Am not certain he will load by himself. He's been with his buddies the entire time, if you look at the photo of the foals loading you will get the idea, these guys stick together!

He loaded into the trailer with the temptation of grain and some gentle pushing. Because this was his first time alone we took all the time in the world. He never turned around to escape or try to run to his buddies. It was a step up trailer and once he got the hang of things, before we knew it he was in.
Carole and Britt RULE!

Then on to the Washington State Ferry from Kingston to Edmonds. An employee of the ferry wanted to pet the baby horse. Albert acomodated. He constantly amazes me with his level headedness. He whinnied for his buddies occasionally, but then settled down to his favorite thing: Food, with periodic peeks to see what was up.

Settles into the new pad like he's been there all his life. Walks under the electric fence in the first hour and does the "baby mouthing" to his neighbor, Avi.
Ack! Carole quickly adjusted the fence. Albert mosies around.

Country tunes play on the radio in his barn and the children of the Super Lady who boards him give him treats. Who can resist a baby horse? I know he wants to visit the other horses, but must wait just a little longer.

December 21 - Newest Vet, Dr. Carr, comes to look at the Haybert. He gets his first series of shots. He gets TUBE wormed! He was so amazing!

So darn mellow you'd think he was doing it all his life. Vet comments on how much he loves this foals mind!!! (I DO TOO!). Vet also rasps/trims his back feet, tells me that he will grow out of this knuckling thing, but be careful of physitis, which is what he thinks is going on, cut the vitamin down a bit, add some oats, keep him on the MSM. Give him some exercise and stop the antibiotics.

Albert bucks around in pasture today. Hmmm...can he understand what the vet is saying?

Temp in the low 30's he's cozy in his blanket after his big day with the vet.

2002!

Foalquest's Latina Raville is working on a documentary about FoalQuest. I offer to videotape a testimonial and some B-roll for the piece.
January 4th and 5th - Get footage of Albert racing around arena, this is his first day that he can really meet other horses. He walks over to his neighbor "Annie" and does his babytalk mouthing.
I think I had a cute attack!
He runs around, struts his stuff for the camera and after the camera is off jumps out of the arena. It is only 3'6", but wow.
More shots of me talking about Foalquest. My mom was camera person. I was "talent."
Yikes, "TAKE 542!!"

It's official: Albert is a teenager! He loves to strut and squeal for the ladies (who are deeply unimpressed). Rearing, bucking, racing around the arena are just great things to see after his pneumonia and runny nose. There is a little "snot" after some of his efforts, but he's looking GORGEOUS!! Nothing like seeing him jump up into the air playing like a big baby!

While racing around the arena he did slip and fall over, layed there for 3 seconds then was back in action. Maybe all the inactivity of the last two months has something to do with it.
January 15 - Albert is getting more agile! Whoo hooooo! He loves to go out to the arena. I have to be a little more aware of him, because he will dash around while on the lead, he settles down, but since he's feeling so much better, he is a fresh baby that is raring to go! YAY!

January 18 - Albert rolled next to the arena fence and got cast after he rolled onto his other side and got his feet under the bottom. It's about 18" from the ground, big round logs. He struggled for a moment, then realized he wasn't able to get up, so instead of panicking, he lay his head down, as if to say "great, now what?"
I was on the other side of the arena, and didn't see him roll, drats! I slowly walked up to him. He didn't fight as I pressed his neck to keep him from trying to get up. I kept saying "haybee, haybee, what a gooood boy."
My adrenaline must have been pumping, because I was able to grab his turnout rug at the top of the neck and pull his front end back under into the arena. He couldn't get up on the other side because he would have been caught between and electric fence and the arena. Major foal freak out would have ensued.
Three tugs later, his front end is in the arena. I could not pull his hindquarters (not enough adrenaline???) AND he had one back leg above the bottom rail. I lowered his leg, surprisingly, he didn't kick out trying to escape, and then pulled his head back facing front. He got up fine, filthy, a little surprised at what had just happened. But fine.

Of course I took the opportunity to hug the crap right out of him!!!

Of course he was deeply unimpressed by that and within three minutes was bucking and playing around the arena.

Horse Zen.

January 26 - Went to visit Sandy Heisey's fabulous setup! She has two babies, Laurel Over the Hedge (clyde/tb cross) and Field Artillary (perch/qh/possibly tb). Ironically, like Anna's perch/tb foal, Trisket, Tilly was a foal I had thought of adopting! Both of Sandy's foals show their lovely draft size and breeding, sporthorses for sure. Tilly has a delicate face and a draft rump that shows she could go all day! Laurel, well, I am 5 feet tall, is GIGANTIC! I suddenly realize just how big babies can get! Albert is pretty "light horse" looking in size. As beautiful as Anna's Trisket will be, and as wonderful as Sandy's Tilly will be, I know that Albert is perfect for me. Thank you Jan for FoalQuest!

January 29 - Snow Snow Snow! Albert likes to munch the snow off the top of the fence railings, I am having another CUTE ATTACK! Dr. Carr is here for a follow-up visit. Second round of shots. Has grown 6 (SIX) inches since he's been at Caroles place. I wanted a 15.2 horse, but I may actually have something like a 16.2 horse. Only time will tell! Carole Rules!
Dr. Carr is impressed with his looks and growth. He tube worms him and we make plans to geld him in April. Albert is mellowing out, but as much as I would love to leave him entire, I know I just don't have the experience!

Remainder of January - Albert's runny nose is gone, the shot series seems to have done it! He has the last vestige of a cough, but last time he was out, he just coughed once at the end of his turnout. YAY!

His feet are small and like cast iron, I am thinking this is the Canadian influence. His trot must be either the Canadian or Standardbred influence, but I am guessing the former.
NOTE: Comments from Canadian Aficionados are tell me that this is the standardbred. Hey, ask me if I care? Nope, I am just absolutely crazy about him!!!
He is so well let down and leggy with lovely balance I understand what Winston Churchill said so very well about the outside of a horse and the inside of a man. Okay, I am babbling here, but after all, he is my own horse, am I not allowed a little babblage???? :)

First day of Feb. Rabbit Rabbit!

Albert loves to stand fenceside in love and admiration of his beloved Annie. She, of course has precious little time for this teeth clacking young goof off!

Windy day, Albert's shetland-pony-coat waives and ruffles in the wind. Golds, reds and a hint of dark brown on his butt. What color will you be little friend?

Month is sailing by...I write this on the 20th.

Albert constantly amazes me! He has a pretty strong grasp of the notion that when people are around, it's "four on the floor." Since first galloping around the arena, he's developed a little fusty habbit of kicking out at you as he gallops by, or as you click at him to to trot or move out. Kind of disconcerting, but I let it slack, chalking it up to "babyhood."

Then he kicked out as I was standing by the fence, he missed me to the left by two feet, I am sure it was harmless, but Carole's been saying that he's not sure about all the body he's growing...hmmm.
I run around with him like he's a big puppy...doh! He nips me on the side. Very soft, but hey, he's a horse, maybe I won't take a handful of grass and run away. Hehehe.
Leading him with the butt rope again to get him to trot out by my side. He is sure that anything faster than a walk also entails a squeal and a buck. I am s l o w l y getting him to work more relaxed around me.

Also realize that I am a little too kinetic around him...taking for granted his very kind nature. I spent the post St. Valentine's days rethinking my approach. I don't need to test him so much, he's been averting himself from me, kind a mix of "hey, buzz off I'm playing" and "oh man, not another scritch on the ear!"

He moves away at "walk," "trot-on," and knows a "cluck" sound means go forward. He pulls the mad dash with the "cute" buck at me and as his feet fly, I tell him NO.

Slow approaches rehaltering, unhaltering, walking up, backing off, letting him approach me. He does try to swing around his bottom, not to kick, just to tell me "not now," but I tell him NO and move him out, then I reapproach, back off, he comes to me. Things feel right again.

Carole also suggests I make sure he doesn't swing his backend toward me when I am in the stall with him. Working on that as I write this, very recent. NOTE: He never attempts to kick, just gets focused on the front end..."oh the hay."

Springtime days, Albert loves to doze in the sun.

Albert is a sweety, but Carole thinks the last month he has been rubbing his bottom on his feed dish. He gets so mellow he leaves himself a stinky surprise. We had hoped worming would take care of that, but it looks like he just does it for the heck of it.

Late Feb - The slow approach and retreat has him walking up to me now, YES!, very glad that he's doing that, the Wild Man routine was getting a little nerve-wracking, I don't begrudge him it, but I know that in an instant he could do someone an inadvertent injury.

My Mom adopted a dog named Ursa, who spent her early years tied up on a chain because she ate some loose chickens. She has turned out to be 65 pounds of super sweetness. She does like to play with Albert, but he isn't altogether enamored and did a huge wallop in her direction. Sort of a capriole! Wow! Ursa is more careful around him. I need to work on this selective kicking, because he needs to just be safer, there are some tried and true cavalry tricks or cowboy tricks, but no need to go hard on Albert, he responds to verbal correction and also praise. There is time, he's a baby!

Found out that he may have been born in late April or May, so I am picking May 1, 2001 for his birthday. May Day!

Last Day of Month! First Day with Farrier!

Albert is a little nervous when he comes out of his stall and sees a big truck and a couple of guys smiling at him. They marvel at his long coat "this foal from somewhere up north?" asks Chris, farrier, yes, Alberta, Canada, I answer with a grin.
He didn't like his hooves getting "brushed" with the broom, but after the first one, he just stood there like "well, whatever." Hey, life in Mud HQ.
He backs him to the side of the stable and I explain that when you say "up" he will pick up his foot. He and his partner laugh when he does it. They are used to foals that have never been handled before. I tell him the guy I used to work for had a farrier that wouldn't touch them unless they had been given the basics of picking up feet. Albert looks over his shoulder a couple of times as if to say, "where are you going with that front leg" but things go so smoothly that we are done and he's back munching hay before you can say jack sprat. We talk about physitis, MSM, and how he's growing out of it. Rethinking the MSM. Icing might just be the option for now, or at least cut the MSM down a bit. Farrier trimmed the outside a little more because he's wearing them down on the inside when he grazes.

Next is Carole's Dun QH stud Ace. A handsome hunk of horse. I never was a QH fan, but to be honest, Ace has converted me. Carole is one of those subtle, wise and observant horsewomen who I just love knowing. Albert is lucky and so am I!

After Ace is done, Albert gets to go goof around in the big corral. My sister (finally!) comes up with her friend Sara, who is getting the Horse Jones again (you never really lose it!). Albert gets petted, then puts on his "watch me I'm a bucking horse, no I'm a dressage horse, no I'm a cutting horse" act. Sara took out her digital camera and snapped away. I still use film, kinda had a digital camera jones...hehehe.

Treat of treats! Albert makes a new friend! Ace's sone Ollie, a big 15+ hand sorrel dun QH is tied to the post outside of the corral. Albert has a teethclacking time of it! He tries to untie Ollie, tries to get the good attention, tries to sniff him. Carole says we can put Ollie out with Albert. YAY! Albert is such a cutie. He is following him around, but gets out of the way when Ollie says "my turn to show off" Ollie is the color of a penny, trotting around, kicking his heels up, what a handsome fellow. Both ran around a few times, then settled into the thing most horses love: nibbling grass.

Rain and Snow grumble over our spring "fake out." Albert is shedding! Albert's coat is about an inch plus long, I've only seen a coat like this on a shetland. Coming out brown on his bottom, sneak peak on the dark brown or dark bay horse that I will have.

Albert and Ursa play more and more, he comes to the edge of the fence to peek at what she is doing, then when she comes in, he pulls his little stud hoss routine.

Ursa has a preternatural understanding of what and when things are important, the rest of the time she is a lovable goof off. She will wrestle with Friskie, Carole's dog, and then gently bug the cats. Nutty.

The photo below came back from developing and I just love it. My Mom gets all the credit, it's her wide angle shot of him (well she wasn't so keen on getting in the arena with him!)
The story is obvious, Albert is thoroughly enjoying himself out in the paddock, it's a lot of fun watching him be a kid!

March is nearly over! Albert has the look of a big guy now. His physitis is getting better. I am pretty much cutting him down to hay, he gets very smidgeon amounts of balancer and oats, no MSM. I don't know a lot about foal growth, reading much, but I do realize that the "feeding him up" period when he was sick, prolly got the ball rolling. Well, live and learn. I just want him sound and healthy!

Albert comes up to me now, displays non of the earlier hind end turning tactics of before. Very rewarding.
His attitude is so sweet, and I am not just biased, (okay a little) that I am loath to geld. I think in another circumstance, I would definitely keep him entire. But his job in life is not to be breeding, so I am keeping focused.

Albert finally landed a gentle kick on Ursa, and her days of playing with the horse are over. Oh she is fine and dandy, the lightbulb went on: This is NOT a big dog! Albert still looks for her, but he has his turnout neighbor, Annie, to keep him interested, so, in true horse zen, he has moved right along.

March 28 - Albert is off the vitamin (LMF Super Supplement G) and down to hay, and a miniscule amount of oat. Already his legs look much better. I should have done this sooner, but the fact that he was so sick and puny when he first got pneumonia probably colored my vision.

Whenever he goes out, I grab green handfuls of grass to feed him, which is something that reinforces coming when he is called. He is such a sweetheart these days that I wonder how "studdy" he will eventually get. Torn between gelding him now or in the fall.

Big news: Albert Eats Apples!!! Albert stood crosstied - working on grooming before he went out for a romp in the paddock, his anticipation of what I am doing is spooky at times - getting groomed and saw my Mom feed Avi some apples. Now this is a foal who picks his food out of the apple bits that get in the way! My Mom offered him some and he ate it!!!!! Holy Mackeral!!!! Slurping and chewing and licking my Mom's hand! Whoooo Hooooooo!!!! What a guy!

NEWS! While picking up Albert's feet he has decided that he will have the foot up and ready to go before I even get there to clean it!

Pinch me, am I dreaming? He really is a gem.

Later in day during turnout, he decides to flip out and run over to the fence and straddle it with his front end, sometimes when he is out he will just get the major "ya-ya attack" and act like he is trying to climb the fence. This time he went a little further. Usually it's to try to get to see his "pals."

I think it's Mother Nature reminding me that I do have to geld in the spring.

April Fool!

Since my experience with stallions, entire colts and foals is not that of geldings etc, I ask Carole to check if he has dropped. I feel something, but not two of what I think is supposed to be there.
HA! He only has sent one little googly into the world. Have decided to wait until fall to geld.

What a difference a day makes!

Albert's jawline is changing from Shetland Pony to Handsome Young Horse. It is very exciting.

He has a love for apples and grass that is pretty typical of most horses I have ever met. Walked him behind the paddock for some serious eating. He shakes his head when we have to go in, "no way mom! I only just started!"

April 4 - Carole said I can turn Albert out in the lower pasture. He has walked down the drive partially for a foot hosing, now he gets to go by Ace and all the other horses. All of them come up to see who this young fellow is, of course Ace, King O' The Ranch, charges up. Albert mouths tentatively from 15 feet away, but continues on. What a guy!

Once in pasture, it's just hard to think that this guy isn't just laughing inside! He walks around, then eats some grass, then gallops from one end to the other. I love it, he loves it, he is stretching out it's a joy to behold. Then he gets down to some serious eating.

After about a half an hour I scritch him, then try to rehalter him (should have left halter ON, doh!) he is not the least bit interested. Well, I have just taught him a lesson, haven't I? I scritch him some more then leave him alone. It's a wonderful day, overcast, warm, dry, I sit under a tree watching Albert, it's a treat.

Another 20 minutes pass and I try to halter him again. All is going smoothly, but he decides haltering means leaving, so he pulls away and gallops off. Lesson number two. I try to get near him but he will have none of it. Carole leaves to get her daughter Serena from school and suggests I get him some of his favorite snack, the LMF grain. Back at pasture, he gets close but won't compromise. Carole returns, Serena says she can catch him, GREAT! She gently and slowly comes up to him crouched down, he finally lets her near, rope around neck, halter on head, scarfing his snack.

We let him loose again, halter on head. He eats more, and I sigh with relief and realize what a doofus mistake I made. Well, forgive myself, then I'll go mellower next time he goes out.

There are a lot of people doing the programs on training horses, you buy a magical loop, video and work a special way and your horse will laugh in the face of a grizzly or dance around you in an arena. I think Carole's brand of patience is so much like my old Boss's Dad, Wyndham, that there is the old school horseperson who knows "when to get tough and when to go gentle." No video here, just self awareness, patience and understanding.

Onward and upward!

Wanted to add this picture: shows exactly how piggy this guy can get! Thank goodness he isn't Gray! HA!
Butt...heheh...he sure does look like he was sleeping in a hot steaming pile! I also like this shot of his trot, it's more along the lines of what he looks like when moving out. Nice....:)

Late April. Albert runs around with his neck arched, his eye on Annie, and his heart on his sleeve. Spring is in the air.

Well, Albert has all his "tools," and his attitude is pretty much testing me when he is in a fresh mood, which is when I walk him out to the paddock, otherwise he's pretty huggable. Plus he still does his little "piss off" kick when he is playing, I assert myself, but he's still testing me.
Last time I turned him out he reared at my head, normally he just gets a little excited, I growled at him, he looks at me then walks like a normal kid. I turn my back, he doesn't try anything. He does like to strut up to me, I assauge the urge to go up by scritching his neck, it makes him turn his head to the side, in equine ecstasy. The rest of our sessions are working on oral commands. He responds to praise so well! Tell him he is good and his body language changes. I work on getting him to trot with me on command. After some false starts, he gets it, his urge to squeal and buck before each transition is pretty hilarious.

So, the decision to geld is back on. I think it would be too long a summer, and since we are boarding, AND since there is no need to keep him a colt, it's on for the 30th. I know he will "sweeten up" after the surgery, so I am really not going to squash his natural spark. There is nothing draft about him, he is shedding out to look like a doll. Plus he runs around doing his "I'm and Arab" imitation Got to get new pix up!

Think I am moving the birthday to June 1, since he is still a little fellow and doesn't seem to be a year yet. I totally miscalculated his height, so now he is only just pushing 14 hands, (Okay prolly 13.3) Hard to tell his age, now, the hair hid how light of a horse he is. A little more food to his diet, oats and LMF. Plus he is loving all the sweet grass and fussing about his hay.

All the swelling of physitis is gone, but he does have some residual uprightness in the hind fetlocks.
Worry, worry, worry!

April 30, 2002
Wow. What a day. Albert has reverted to cuddlepuss status. Irony of ironies, because the 30th was the big day. Dr. Carr arrived around 11-ish, sun blazing overhead. I spent the morning playing with Albert. Lately his "people side" is coming out. That's because I have been working on just slowing down with him. The advance retreat and "be a horse" instinct is good, too. So back to the gelding.
Two shots later, Albert is flat out. The Doctor trusses his right hind up and I hold his head. A couple of snips later and the vet is tossing Albert's "tools" on the ground, actually first one hits his shoulder, my mom jokes about "not many men she knows can throw their balls over their shoulders" and she and the doc are cracking up. Ack! She is taking pictures that I don't know if I will be able to ever look at without wincing. Albert does breath deeply once or twice and even makes a low grown, but never moves and his lips are slack as are his eyes. I don't know what he may or may not feel. I chagrin despite my certainty that he is out for the count. Well before I know it, we are sloshing anti-something into empty sacs and getting ready to stand him up. Dr. Carr gets him up and holds his head. Albert soon wanders off to graze. Man! The Zen of the horse! It is one of the smoothest one's the doctor's done and Albert seems to be no worse for the wear. I am exhausted, Albert then gets wormed, tube wormed. By the end of it, my equine empathy level is maxed out and I am ready to go home and sleep, but off to work...

May Day!

What a horse! What an attitude! He really has just recovered so fast. I must now longe him twice a day for the next 10 days. Since he hasn't been lunged before, and I am not sure I want to work him into the smaller circle I experiment with free lunging. A success to a degree that he knows his commands, but the danger is that he gets sidetracked and tends to stop in a few corners. Hmmmm. I dash around after him, get a nice smooth trot and he moves out nicely at a walk. Albert's sensibility amazes me. I spend short sessions and break it up with snacks, scratches and other fun stuff.

The weather has turned horribly overcast. While brushing Albert I finally figure out why he is so freaking full of dandruff! Lice! How embarrassing!!!! I dash off to get wraps and bandages so I can keep his legs supported during work and cool them down after. MMMMMM horse shopping, the best kind in the world!!! Get some lice meds, but also get some liniment, black wraps and a set of nice bandages which will make a great cool down pack.

Back to longeing. He does fine, his physitis flaired up, and it is tough keeping weight on him, so we are also doing corn oil to get fat on him. I don't mind a little ribs, but he could use some more weight especially since the work load is increasing for a while. He is getting more oats, which helps.

May 3. First day of longeing him on the line. I have worked with a lot of young horses on the longe, but for a baby who has never worn a lungeing caveson, etc, he really amazes me. He does great going to the left, then to the right he has issues. We start at a walk, and work our way up. Day three of me zipping around after a fit yearling makes me realize that I need to bust some butt and get fit! I also realize that I don't lead Albert enough on his right because he definitely made a statement at first. Later in afternoon I decide to free lunge him again, now he has issures with his left side, he keeps rolling back and resisting. I take things down to a walk, make sure he understands me before I ask for more. This is very educational. Gets my chops back. Albert likes to give kisses, it's so cool. Of course he also wants the neck scratch. Glad to oblige! Spend the last couple of days hanging out more in his paddock or in the turnout paddock, he will wander closer, sniff and wander off. Quite a pleasure!

Mid May. Ten days of longeing (free) has taught me a lot about Albert. First that he is extremely willing. Also that he has a delicious kick-squeal-buck combo when he is not. I am not over taxing him, in fact after the 10 days were up I let off, I am in no rush with him, he has so much time to grow.

Now I am getting serious about the food, finally, and am working on getting him onto a lower carb ration.

May 22. After taking a little hiatus, went to the Burns BLM Mustang auction to see the beautiful horses, I come back to see that Albert shot up a couple of inches! I can see eye-to-eye with the back of his hingquarters!!!!
Holy mackeral!

Got to get photos developed, Albert is really looking like a grown up! He also has some itchy spots that are just heavenly to him when I scratch them. Summer will be fun with Albert!

Here is a photo of Albert and his dear ol' mum, me. He has just finished free-longeing, and I can NOT resist a hug.
The Woolley Mammoth is a Horse!
Suh-weeeet!

It is now the time I will call Albert a yearling. His worrysome physitis is going, he is just a gem.

Whooo hooo!

Carole does amazingly well by him, he is healthy, sassy and looks so good.

If you need a horse boarded in the Mill Creek area, I can not say enough good things about Carole, Albert arrived small, fuzzy and recovering from pneumonia...now, well, check out Albert's Yearling Page!

Summer is nice and hot! Albert has been turned out with the other horses and he truly enjoys it. Nothing is nicer than to just hang out, and watch Albert be a big kid.

Pulled Albert's mane. So much THICK hair! He stood like a champ, of course his mane is a little itchy, and he just sweats underneath it.

Albert loves to have his butt scratched and will just move his butt to you for a big scratch! He almost stepped on my toe for the first time in an effort to get a big scritch request in! I can only laugh, because it must be the way he was raised in his herd, but he never pushes or runs me over. Butt...when there is a scratch request, he just forgets his sweet self!

July 10. Albert now has a more open turn out, he hangs closer to other horses, and of course the first days he got a couple of scrapes. I think his personal space issues with other horses is hilarious. He seems to think they all will like him!

Almost the anniversary of when I adopted Albert. Amazing. He went from feral foal to goofy puppy. Now he's emerging as athletic, intelligent and one generous person called him "baroque" (I almost fainted from pleasure!!!!). I would like to thank Jan Turnbull and all the volunteers at FoalQuest for all their hard work and dedication.

If you have been reading this up to now, please consider adopting a PMU foal. Certainly the work is there, but these farmers are producing beautiful horses. Every bit as deserving a chance to prove themselves as equally as Albert has. Perhaps it's that he wasn't spoiled by people or handling before I got him, his expectations from the human race were not that high, but, to imagine him going to a feedlot is heartbreaking. Serindipitous though it may have been to find Albert's little mug on a photo on the internet, on a farm over 1500 miles from my home, I am so glad I found him.

Ok...toss the tissue in the trash, time to talk about Albert's first BATH!
I didn't have anyone there to document his thorough enjoyment of the shampooing of mane and tail, or his sudden realization that he was standing in a bit of water (WATER?!?!?!).
Or his decision that the dark path of water on the paved floor of the barn was in FACT the GRAND CANYON, or how he knocked my gaterade all over the floor, AND I had to hose off the floor and he suddenly realized he was now standing on a completely WATER COVERED(!?!?!?) FLOOR!
I have never seen a horse stand on his tip toes, but Albert did.
Once I gave him lots of praise and pats, and of course snacks, he realized he was not going to get eaten by the water monster, all was fine.

For a while his mane and tail smelled like Lavender Baby Shampoo. Of course he rectified that in a few days by laying in POOP!!

All I can say is thank goodness he is not WHITE!

Dusty Dry August marches ahead. I have met some nice horse folk at the horse shows I have attended as a WA State Area Rep for FoalQuest. I had hoped to learn more about Warmblood inspection for Albert in September, but sans truck and trailer, it might have to wait until the spring.

In the meantime, Albert's butt has hit 15hh and his wither at 14.3. I am sure he will spring up to at the very least 15.3...those legs just keep on going!

I have been longeing him very little, just occasionally to recall verbal commands. He does like to pull a "scoot" but he is pretty dialed in and after he jets off, all I have to say is "whoa-up" and he comes over ears pricked and looking happy. So I know there is a control issue. He is goofing, but I remember my being told once "don't enter an argument with a horse you can't win." So, I have two choices. Once I can longe him proper, this cavesson I have is a monster and designed for the head of a horse at least 500 pounds heavier, or I longe him and we keep the calm endings to each session. I have opted for the latter. Free longe, but limit the transistions to walks and if I trot then keep is short and do a downward transition. I am learning that Albert, like myself, worries about doing things right. He is a kind fellow who is still a young horse mentally. I have no intention of riding him before he is three-ish, and longeing can ask so many questions. There is no need to ask all those questions of him yet. His genuine way of thinking merits the respect of letting it grow.

He does like to get feisty about picking up his back left, but I go back to square one and lift it with a longe line gently and then back to my hands.
When I think about this, however, I know that asking him to stand with good manners before he can get some fresh juice out of his system is just part of the process. He really does not fret, just goofs off. Have been putting a rag on and around him, walking over things is a start to debug him on the water. Of course I could wait until I am in the saddle. But why the heck not just keep it all fun?

Summer fun: Albert loves to let himself loose, he will stand, but I almost envy folks with those perfectly 4-square, leg-at-each-corner horses that stand like they are comatose. Albert likes to nibble the rope, reach back and see what I am doing (most interesting when you are picking out a hoof) and generally nose around in the grooming kit. On a rare occasion, when I am kicking back in pasture or the turnout, he likes to walk up and take a bite out of my sneaker (ow!!), he also LOVES the scritches.
He also likes to follow me around, I follow him and he follows me. Massages are fun, because I can practice anatamy (sesamoid...long pastern...short pastern...).

Aug. 27. New vet! Bump on back leg and long conversation about nutrition, his leg angles, worming options (no more tube worming), and Dr. Greenwald floated his teeth (there were some cuts in his mouth from sharp edges) and it was so New World Method, I had to laugh as Albert dozed while the drill BUZZZZED away and the teeth got floated. He also had his wolf teeth removed. No, I did not save them.

Back on LMF Super Supplement "G", much less this time around. More oil, and zero oats! I love this vet!

(So did Albert, he kept nosing him while we talked)
Albert did kick out at me during an upward transition while I was showing the vet his trot. Sigh. I am the mom of a rude teenager sometimes! But the physitis is not there, just a bump. Bump should be fine. yay.

This journal will continue on a new page. I am trying to redesign the site a little.

Journal Continues...

I take my pix with a minolta xg-7 and x700 (I will build a page on this site that talks about my kit) - and my mom's advantix camera, if I am in them, my very talented mom did it (ain't she sweet?)

And that ultimately means that I have the film developed and scanned...so where am I going with this??...well, that means that hot off the press photos of Albert lag behind the text.