I often ask myself what goes through folks minds when they give a horse a registered name. It can't be good. I've gotten to name one of my horses and help with another.
I would never have named Dandy..dandy and I certainly wouldn't have tried to be clever with poor spelling practices. But Dandy he is and Dandy he'll stay and we love him no matter the moniker. He knows his name too and answers usually with a loud whinny back at me when I call him, no doubt hoping I have a treat. It was late in the morning when I finally got out to the paddock to grab a horse and do a little lunge line and round pen work. It was the D Man's day. He can get quite fresh on the lunge. I think it offends his sense of superiority that I would take him back to "baby" lessons so we try to keep it short and entertaining for him with some little challenges along the way. A ride was out until Morgan the farrier comes out on Tuesday for trims.
It's too hard to hold a camera and a horse on a line so pictures are far and few between but I did my best.
Dandy has a big sweet kind eye, sometimes full of mischief and when he's cranky and worked up his whole expression changes. That big sweet eye can get kind of mean and squinty. :-)
He's the smallest horse in the herd, coming in at barely over pony size at 14.3 hands high. A hand is 4" and a horse is measured at the withers or top of the shoulder blade, so he is 59" tall at the top of the shoulder. His size makes no difference to the herd, what he says, goes. He wants your pile of food, he simply turns his head and pulls his ears back and you move. If you don't, I'll find a bite mark on your rump or neck. It won't be more than a scrape of hair off, but I'll know you didn't move quick enough. Mostly he's a pretty benevolent leader and I treasure that he has taught all the babies to be polite. A good herd leader can do a lot of training for you. Here he is looking back towards the paddock down the hill, watching and listening to make sure his "peeps", as we call them, are all okay.
After making sure everything was as it should be, he wisely turned his attention back to me and walked on over . Note, one ear on me, the other on them.
I let him graze the few edible blades that have grown up in the round pen while I draped myself over his back, scratching all those top bits that are hard to reach from the ground. Maybe the name isn't so bad, he really is a dandy little horse.
On a completely different thread, this charming Youtube link was sent to me this morning and I thought it so sweet and dear I would pass it along to all the dog lovers that happen to read this blog. So stop reading this blog and check it out. :-) Enjoy!
5 comments:
Dandy is a beautiful horse!! When you said pony-sized, I imagined the little Shetland ponies I used to ride growing up. He's taller than that!!!
It does look really dry out there (as you've been saying). Our rain finally left us....I think it's in northern Europe now....Hopefully it will make its way back around to you!
You know I had to check that Youtube link....quite appropriate on a Sunday morning....when I'm just back from a walk in the woods with Jim and Bailey.
Sue
Dandy thanks you for being appropriately in awe of his handsomeness! He is a little vain. Ponies are defined being 14.2 hands high and under.
The Shetlands usually run around 11 hands I think, but it's been many, many years since I was around such pluckiness as most ponies have. Horses 15.2" and under are ideal up here, you can ride under most trees without being whacked in the face by a heavy branch. Small branches are easy enough to move out of the way.
It is terribly dry, but this is typical of Southern Oregon. We probably won't see any real steady rain until late fall, November or so and then of course, it could come as snow!
Dandy is beautiful - I particularly like the picture of his eye from behind. That's got tapestry written all over it. I also like his leadership - that's great!
Dandy is quite a beautiful horse. So distinguished looking.
Dawn
Thank you all. We all love to hear that our furry friends are beautiful and I will pass on all the compliments to himself this morning.
Jennifer, I NEVER would have seen a tapestry in that photo, but now that you point it out, I bet it would be a good small piece. Come next spring I really need to save some of the soft and long winter coat that sheds off the boys and spin up some yarn of each. Out of all my horses, I think D has the most beautiful color. Geez, I keep telling him all this good stuff I'll need another trailer just to haul around his horsey ego! ;-)
Post a Comment