Updated 10/26/06
Christi will be taking Willow for 60 days of professional training on Sunday, 10/29. Willow is still up for sale, but Christi decided to train her as a riding horse instead of a brood mare. I don't know if she will be able to sell her once she starts riding her, but she has admitted to having too many horses.
Vergil has been weaned and is sharing a pasture with Roland. They hang out and play together. Roland is the most gentle horse I have ever seen. My son, Jim, takes his acoustic guitar outside to play for the horses. Christi and Jim tell me that Roland mouths the strings while Jim sets the chords. I would like to see it for myself and I will take the video camera just in case they decide to put on a show.
Christi took Chloe for a trail ride with our neighbor a few days ago. They were going to sorting practice this evening when our neighbors horse injured himself loading into the trailer. It doesn't appear he was hurt too bad but he reared and scraped his legs on the center divider requiring some attention. His owner had Christi lead him into the trailer and then lead him back out to see his reaction to loading again and he did fine.
Updated 8/15/06
Christi took Chloe to sorting practice at a local horse ranch. Chloe is not as aggressive as some of the horses that were there, but she did just fine. Christi also took Roland with her one time to see how he would do in a crowded arena with a bunch of unknown horses. He handled it so well that she unsaddled Chloe and put it on Roland. He acted like he was born to wear a saddle and responded to the halter/lead rope like he knew what he was doing.
Vergil is growing like a weed, Christi measured him at 12.1 hands at the wither at four months old. Needless to say he is growing nicely.
Christi has decided to put Willow up for sale. She is having a hard time keeping up with the financial situation of having four horses. Willow will be listed in the Bay Area Equestrian Network as soon as Christi has the advertisement ready.
Updated 6/27/06
Christi decided to name the colt Vergil and he appears to be a Dunn. Willow, Vergil, & Roland are together in the same pasture and Willow now tolerates Roland around Vergil. Roland is a sweet horse and plays extremely gentle with Vergil.
Roland has been getting training from Christi and our neighbor Tony. He is doing great because he wants to please. Tony said he should be ready in a few weeks.
All three horses had their feet trimmed and Chloe had new shoes put on her two front feet. Chloe will be ready to ride as soon as she gets used to her shoes in a couple of days.
Updated 5/09/06
Willow had her foal on April 11th, between 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm. Christi fed her animals around 9:00 pm, checked Willow and saw no signs of labor. Christi came back to the house for a short time and then went back outside around 9:45 pm to cover the hay trailer because we were expecting rain. Jim & Christi covered the trailer and Christi checked on Willow before she milked the goat. She came running into the house to tell us that Willow had her foal in the barn. The foal was brand new and was not up on his feet yet. We watched him get up after 15-30 minutes. Willow would not let him nurse so Christi had to help. Christi spoke to Willow, petting her, and touching her udder until she was at ease. Christi helped the colt to nurse by allowing him to suckle her fingers and guiding him to Willow's teat.
Willow and her foal were kept in a 12' x 12' open barn with access to a 60' round pen for the first three days. Christi let them loose in the pasture area so the colt could run around. They still have access to the barn, round pen, and pasture.
The colt appears to be a Grullo (Grew-yo) or Dunn. He does not yet have a name because Christi has not decided on one. The little guy is adorable and is growing like a weed. When he was about a week old he started getting ornery, he would kick at Christi and bite. Every time he would kick at Christi she would gently spank him to divert his attention from kicking. He only kicked a few times and no longer behaves in that manner. He is still biting so Christi told us to rub his muzzle enough to make him uncomfortable. Pictures have been added to the Colt Photo Gallery.
Chloe & Roland are hanging out with the Kiko goats in the large pasture on the other side of the driveway.
Updated 3/12/06
The vet came and gave Willow the shots that are required to provide immunities to the foal. Her due date is on 4/01 and is getting close. The neighbors are almost as excited as we are. One of our neighbors wants to be present when Willow goes into labor so she can witness the birth of the foal, night or day.
Christi and Chloe went on a trail ride with two of our neighbors, Bobbi & Maritza. They were unable to go on the usual trails because they were wet from all the rain we have had. We actually had three days of snow that finally ended this morning. Chloe was very well behaved considering she hasn't been ridden outside of the pasture in over a year. Christi is looking forward to going again soon.
Updated 1/31/06
Chloe had shoes put on her two front feet and Willow and Roland had their feet trimmed by the ferrier on 1/24. Willow is cooperating and doing much better with the ferrier.
Roland is making his training real easy. Christi says he does everything she asks of him. In the morning, when everyone else is asleep, I sit in the living room with a cup of coffee and watch him harass Willow and the goats. Roland tries to play with his mom until she runs him off and then he chases the goats until they get fed up and go back under the gate to where they belong.
Willow was loaded in the trailer and taken to the vet for her third and final Rhino anti-abortion shot on 1/26. She is scheduled for her last series of shots on 3/3. Christi needs to work with Willow so she loads and unloads better before that time.
Updated 1/06/06
Willow is doing great. Christi was grooming her the other day and she felt the foal kicking. Willow is due to have her third and final Rhino anti-abortion shot the end of January and she is due to foal around April 1, 2006.
We took new photos of Willow and Roland today. I have added four new photos to the Willow Photo Gallery and four new photos to the Roland Photo Gallery.