Updates............

While we're on the subject of updates, it's probably a good time to bring you all up to speed on some of the other things currently happening here. I know there are a lot of loose ends dangling with so many Arabian horses to follow. Sometimes I find it hard to keep up and I'm the one living this.

To start things off, Scarlet is surviving weaning OK. She's not been all that happy about it but has now figured out as Richard would say "It is what it is." There are rarely loud protestations as she hears her mother moving anywhere near her direction...........however, the filly is still pretty p*ssed off over this whole weaning thing.

I don't put new weaners out for turnout for two weeks due to how crazy they can get. I've had my share of fence jumpers..........those who did clear it and those who didn't........with all of their assorted injuries. Also one hit the fence hard enough he actually flipped over the thing and a couple of others just tried to run right through it. So now it is routine around here to keep them in...........with daily hand walking if the little monsters will behave. (Some do and some don't, some are just too crazed over the loss of their mothers to respond to the idea of hand walking. Exercise is the last thing on their little brains.)

Scarlet's two weeks have long since been up so the filly has finally gotten some time outside. At first I put her out with Solidare as a baby sitter since the two are already bonded. Although Solidare cried louder over the weaning of the filly than Lucy, her own mother did, Solidare was not sure she wanted to be stuck with the overly dependent, missing her mother Scarlet.

At least Scarlet didn't try to nurse off of Solidare. That probably would have totally blown any chances of using the mare to transition this weaner into turnout with other horses in my herd. But Scarlet did stay glued to Solidare's hip just like her shadow. The filly wasn't letting this mare out of her sight for fear of losing that familiar connection in what has now become a very scary world.

Normally, Scarlet is such a brave, bold little horse. There really was never much time spent anywhere near her dam right from her birth. The whole weaning process has turned this filly into a bundle of insecurity..........that is when she hasn't been totally pissed off!

Outside with Solidare it easy to see herd dynamics at play as the young filly clung to the older horse for protection from the unknown in this new world without her mother. I think it took the filly a couple of hours before she let anything more than a foot come between her and Solidare. The mare wasn't sure how much she liked this new, needy Scarlet. The bold, aggressive monster normal for this filly is more to the mare's liking.

Solidare had thoroughly enjoyed teaching the pushy Scarlet about her manners and other such stuff on their turnouts together with Scarlet supposedly at her mom's side. Solidare had even let Scarlet "hang out" on many occasions.........not something Solidare is prone to do with the older fillies. But allowing the filly to visit was just not the same as being stuck in the same paddock with the little brat. Solidare was definitely put out with this arrangement and she let me know it.

The way my farm is laid out not all of the horses have close proximity to one another. There are many horses in this herd that Scarlet has not had the opportunity to meet.........particularly any of the fillies that I could consider for turnout partners. So Solidare was stuck with the job of companion until I can get Scarlet acquainted with the other Legs' daughters over the fence. Once a suitable victim.........errrr....friend is found for this filly, Solidare will be off the hook.

Any thoughts on who you think might be precocious enough to withstand Scarlet??

More updates to come............including some on training issues....

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