Buddies

As alluded to in yesterday’s post, Mr. Banderas arrived several days early this week due to an impending snow storm.  So on Super Bowl Sunday, I was happily getting the new tenant settled.  My farrier (www.usethehooves.com) brought him up from Sleepy Eye in a 4 horse stock trailer.  I should have taken a picture of MiniMe inside the big horse transport.  I need to measure him – he’s shorter than I’d originally thought and not sure what he actually sticks at yet.   He’s a Hackney pony and looks the part when he’s in his summer coat, but his height (or lack of it) makes me think he’s a partbred?

J. is obsessed.  I forgot until yesterday that he has a history of being obsessed with small horses: at the stable if he caught sight of a foal he would go nuts whinnying for it and wanting to be next to it all the time.  I think he has something of an identify crisis.     I brought Mr. Banderas into the barn last night in order to separate them for feeding (J. still gets a decent helping of oats of which the pony is forbidden).   Mr. Mom created quite an annoying ruckus outside in the paddock on having his buddy of, um, 8 hours? out of sight.

I sense these phrases will figure highly into my training program this year:  “buddy sour” and “separate paddocks”.

Otherwise, Mr. Banderas is a delight.  I feel a bit sorry for him as J. literally will not leave him alone for a second even in the big pasture today.      Had him on the lunge line in the arena for a little bit last night and he trots out nicely.  Does seem to think he is more clever than I and can stop or turn whenever he wants so we’ll have some basic training to get through before driving lessons.  I’ll have to try to take some video of his speed trotting.

Tags: buddy sour, hackney, identity crisis, J, Mr. Banderas, pony