Hello, Paisley the horse

[bt03]

Meet Paisley. She is a paint we just got (looks like we aren't getting a dog in 2 months after all

) We know a couple that breed and sell them for a living. They have a ranch that has been passed down for generations and this year was a tough one for them. They bred over 20 of their mares (as usual) and all of them had live births. The difference this year is the cost of hay and feed. With the drought this year they have been having it really rough and decided that they just weren't going to make it if they had to keep feeding the babies and the mommas, so they gave away all the babies. They are all 4-6 months old and Paisley is just over 4.

He just gave her to us with her registration papers and everything! We had a 2 horse trailer and he tried giving us 2 but it just wasn't feesable for us right now. We worked one horse into out budget as soon as we knew he was giving them away but we couldn't find how we are going to work in another until my husband maybe gets a raise in 3 months. His aunt got one and we will probably take her later on if the friend doesn't have any left in a few months when we can re-work our budget. They were all a bit underfed and I can understand why he had to give them away. There is very little grass in her temporary pen but she has found it and has just about eaten it all. The one thing she hasn't done yet is drink water. We just got her home last night and I know that she hasn't had enough to eat since she was nursing and that in her mind food is her number one right now but I really need her to drink.

That saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink"? Yeah I understand it now

Dang horse is about to have a vet trip she isn't going to like if she doesn't drink by the time I go home at lunch. She is a sweetie but you can see that little bit of flare in her eyes. The one that she knows she is loved and will be taken care of but she is going to test her limits just because she knows she is loved.

My daughter is over the moon right now and my husband is right there with her. He has been waning to get her a horse but buying what she wanted (a paint, go figure) would have cost about as much as the supplies. So we ended up spending half of what it would have cost If we had bought her. We built her a smaller temporary pen until she gets used to us and then we can move her into the bigger pen and work on bigger skills. We went over to Tractor Supply to get what we needed to bring her home (

) and now my baby has a horse. My husband told me every little girl should have a horse, especially his little girl

So now we have a horse in the back yard next to the chickens

 

[KDailey]

What a sweetie!

 

[Frosty]

Beautiful!

Please, if you leave a halter on her, make sure it's a break away type. Horses can really hurt themselves (or worse) if the halter gets hung up on something.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

She is beautiful! And I love her name!

 

[SarahFair]

What a wonderful thing to happen!

Would like more pictures!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but if those stacks of pallets are still in her pen, they are an accident waiting to happen. Babies FIND stuff to get hurt on. And I hope you did remove the lead rope. I'm not one who has fits about halters on babies, tho--I think they are way helpful--BUT only when the turnout area is totally bomb proof with absolutely NOTHING that she can get it hung up on. Even then consider a breakaway halter. If she's been with her mom in a turnout that had a stock tank, she already knows how to drink. If not, she may need help finding the tank and learning to use it. I would NOT just hang a water bucket for her, as it will be one more thing to play with, dump, and possibly hurt herself on. I do see you are using the feeder with a side that hooks over a board and not one with a bale. Bales can do babies terrible damage. Hay free-choice is always good. Just expect that she will waste a ton of it pawing and pooping on it. That goes without saying with babies.

Good luck with your baby. She looks sweet and I really like her markings. And I apologize if I'm telling you a bunch of stuff you already know. I figure it is better to be repetitious and maybe someone else reading this will learn stuff they didn't know.

Rusty

edited to add: I just realized she is your only horse. Babies learn a LOT from the adult horses around them and they really need that interaction. Do consider getting her an older gelding or mare for companionship. They are herd animals and loneliness can be pretty hard on a baby. Besides, that will give your daughter someone to handle, ride, and learn from while she is waiting for Paisley to grow up. Do not, however, get another baby unless you are really experienced horse people or you will wind up with 2 incorrigible youngsters! And, again, I'm sorry if I am telling you a bunch of stuff you already know.

 

[chickbea]

Very cute!
Some unsolicited advice (you may already be on this - disregard if so)

: It sounds like this is your daughter's first horse. Unless you are very experienced, NOW is the time to start involving a reputable trainer. Your little filly will be growing fast and even the most good-natured foal can be rambunctious and full of beans. It doesn't take long for a young horse to start developing bad habits, and prevention is always easier than correction.

 

[bt03]

Frosty- We did get her one but we didn't expect she would be so little so we had to make due with this one for yesterday

husband is working in town today so he is going to pick up another

And don't worry when I get off of work this afternoon everyone will be upset with the giant photo bomb I plan on putting up here

 

[bt03]

Quote:
The pallets are being fenced in tonight

they are going to be moved soon but there is a huge hole behind them. The previous owner had planned for a septic tank but he never got around to filling back in. We put those as an added barrier until the dirt truck can come to fill it next week. She was with her mom where there was a stock tank so I'm not to sure if she is just being stubborn and eating what she can before she drinks. Thanks for the advice on the water bucket, I had no idea she would try to play with it and try to dump it. Looks like hubby will be picking up that tank after all

She has already wasted a bunch of the hay

She has eaten the grass she can find and ignored then pooped on the hay.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

hanks for the advice on the water bucket, I had no idea she would try to play with it and try to dump it. Looks like hubby will be picking up that tank after all

LOL if she is anything like our last baby, she will find stones and pebbles that she will drop into the stock tank just for the fun of it. Babies really do play like, well, babies! They are totally silly and will buck and jump and play with their own shadows even.

Have fun!


Rusty

edited to add: I just remembered why we don't keep the mineral blocks near the stock tank anymore. Lovey bit chunks of it off and dropped them into the tank. She dropped quite a few...enough to make the water salty, so of course nobody would drink it until we dumped the tank, washed it, and refilled it...oh, and MOVED the mineral block!

Just a word to the wise!​