Knowing when it's time to give up for the day

Today has been windy, sunny, and cool.  A little cold to actually be nice weather, but it wasn't bad.

Justice modeled his brand new adult-sized halter for some photos, and we wandered around the pasture for a bit, just hanging out.

It's a little big still, mom.

He gets green instead of blue, because I was informed by my family that both horses were brown and how would they tell them apart?  (Uh, I thought the star and snip might be a clue...)  So color-coding it is!

Granted, if he keeps up this pace of growing random white areas in the week since I saw him last, I may not have two brown horses for long...

All was otherwise quiet on the baby front.  The main herd was a different story.  Not sure if it was the wind or something else, but the one gelding in the group had his head up his butt and kept breaking and running for no apparent reason.  I startled him, I think, but usually you call his name and he comes over to check you out.  After that, everything is fine.  Not so much today; he stared at me like he'd never seen a human before, and eventually bolted.

Coming when called - the first time. Good girl!

Of course, when he blew, the rest of the herd started running too.  I went from having a quiet moment with Cessa to hearing galloping behind me suddenly... and then to throwing out an elbow to protect myself as Cessa took off after them.

Coming when called - the second time.  Again, good girl!

I figured something had spooked them, so I sauntered after and called Cessa again when they'd stopped.  I basically had time to pat her once or twice and the herd took off again.  She followed, but the super-calm mare that belongs to the BO's mom hung out with me for a few minutes. Then, all of a sudden, she bolted.

There comes a point where you acknowledge that you are surrounded by absolute lunatics, and it's really not worth it to keep risking life and limb.  Thaaaaat... was that point.  They weren't freaking out at anything I could see, and they didn't seem to be freaking out at me personally.  I didn't actually need Cessa for anything.  Time to leave them to get the crazies out of their system.

Of course, then I managed to both face-plant on my way out of the pasture and almost twist an ankle walking to the car, so maybe it's just today? lol

Magical color-changing pony

Today was one of those days where crap happened, the BOs weren't up for doing much, and to be honest - after my activities earlier in the day, I wasn't either!

Justice... is growing more white hair.

That white on his eyelids?  That wasn't there Christmas Eve.

I'm honestly, seriously starting to think he's got two copies of the Appaloosa (LP) gene.  I know his dam and sire.  His dam is going to be 7 this year, and aside from a few random appearing and vanishing spots is still solid dark brown.  When I say a few?  She spent part of the summer looking like someone put sunscreen on her nose, and now I believe she's maybe got one more spot somewhere?

His sire, on the other hand, is a roaned-out, minimal-pattern chestnut.  He's got some small spots, but mostly he's white with red accents, in that particular way Appaloosas roan.

We know Justice has at least one copy of LP, because he's got the characteristics.  There's a 1 in 3 chance he's LP/LP, since both parents are heterozygous.  As quickly as he's trying to roan out in comparison to mom...

Starting to look like a real boy (as long as we ignore the combo of baby neck and maximum what-is-that alert mode) - and about to outgrow his halter!

We also made an effort to conquer the puddle of doooooooom.

Or, you know, the puddle of moderate size and a certain amount of concern.

He had to think about it a bunch, but he did walk through it twice, so I'm calling that a victory!

Cessa and I just hung out a bit, taking stupid selfies and trying to figure out how on earth she gets entire seed pods tangled up in her tail and doesn't seem to notice.

So... why are you back there again? I'm just gonna find another one.

Apparently as long as I don't catch her and there's a chance for cookies, I've got a pocket pony.

Cookies. You mentioned cookies.

And I'm totally fine with that... for now.

Happy New Year...

So despite good intentions, I have yet to be out to the barn to mess with the beasties this year.

New Year's weekend, we had a barn party planned - and those cold temperatures had come back, so it was going to be an indoor party, thankyouverymuch.  But one of the BOs came down with some sort of illness, and we all assured her that party could wait for her to feel better and hunkered down in our nice warm houses.

During the week, it warmed up, but by the weekend, cold as hell again.  And snow on Friday didn't help - nor did the sick BO being in the hospital.  (She got out Saturday, and is doing well, but things were kind of wacky.  And cold.  Did I mention cold?)

This weekend is the rescheduled barn party!  And rain.  At least I'll get to wave at them prancing around in the mud...

(Photo from last February's attempt at a Valentine's Day shoot.  I'm thinking we need white lipstick for that nose, not pink...)