But this week has been pretty good, actually. A big time storm was predicted for Thursday evening, but as it came time for the puppy training class (outdoors), it wasn't raining at all yet, so we headed over there and sure enough - everyone else was there, too -- they had four full classes. For whatever reason, Gigi does SO much better there than she does at home. Maybe the fact that we pass our puppies around to everyone else initially makes her think she can't get away with everything with strangers and it quiets her down. Whatever the reason, she doesn't bite everyone else -- that certainly is a relief!
Unfortunately, she did poop in the truck AGAIN on the way over there. Yuk! Next week I'll be darned sure that we will go out and walk around until she goes BEFORE we head out. Phew! Need to figure out how to keep that from happening, that's for sure!!
As for tomorrow, I got a note from Jan suggesting I take Zoilo along to check out that mare I'm going to look at, so I gave him a call and he said he'd be glad to do it. Yippee! That's a huge encouragement. He will actually ride her around and make sure she's easy to handle. Her current owner said he uses spurs when he rides her - that he just lightly touches her to begin with so she knows he's wearing them and then she does whatever he wants without him using them again at all. Hmmm. Sounds a bit "iffy" to me! Well, we'll see how she behaves with Zoilo tomorrow. As it turns out, we're going up at 10 AM instead of in the afternoon. That's good. At least I won't have to worry about it all day that way.
I checked to see if Dr. Chapman could go over and check her out, too, but she would have to do it on a weekday - she's not available this weekend. So I guess if there seems to be any question about her health I'll have her checked out up there BEFORE buying her. But if she seems perfectly fine (which is what he says), then I'll just have Dr. C. come by right after I get her. Her annual vaccinations are due the first of June anyway.
Actually, though, if I DO decide to get her, I'm planning to just pay him half now and then have him bring her down AFTER Mark comes home. That way Mark can get the fencing in Lizzie's old paddock secured first. It isn't safe at the moment and we've been keeping the gate to that area locked. He also needs to clear out Lizzie's stall. When they were putting up all the stall doors, the equipment they needed got stored in there and it's still in there at the moment! But hey -- if she has lived with this guy for her entire life, she really needs to have everything well equipped in Lizzie's old paddock so she can stay there alone for a couple days to get used to the area before moving out with Duke and Arthur! I'm pretty darned sure that the two of them will be EXTREMELY happy to have another mare here (hey - me too!), but given that she's a mare she may need a little while to accept THEM.
Oh - I think I've mentioned before how Duke seems to want to protect things from the guy across the road. When that guy is outside, Duke will stand stiff and just stare at him as if he wants to run over at him. Very odd for Duke who generally loves everyone. Well, when I came home yesterday, both Duke AND Arthur were doing that. Both of them were standing just inside the fence staring across the road.
I went out to check on them after I got inside and found that both of them had apparently been rolling around in the mud. Gees! While it was pouring down rain the previous two days I had locked them inside the paddocks, then I left them out yesterday morning. Apparently they decided to go roll around in that drainage area. Yuk!
When I went out to feed them this evening, Duke was even MORE muddy, so I spent more than an hour cleaning him up. He looked really good when I left him -- now if he just stays out of the mud over night . . .
Oh - as for Arthur, I didn't even bother cleaning him up tonight because - as usual - the mud had already just fallen off of him! Wish that were true for Duke, but alas Duke has to be groomed regularly. Fortunately, he loves that and will stand perfectly still for as long as you are willing to brush him without having to even put a harness on him. He's such a sweetie.
Hmm. Wonder what that horse I'm seeing tomorrow would be like when she needs grooming. Better remember to ask. Wish I could get Mark on the phone once I see her tomorrow, but the rig is going to be moving so I won't be able to contact him. Darn.
Okay - time for bed so I can get up bright and early and deal with everyone here before heading out at 9 AM.
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