With the new door up on the shelter Amber is in the middle stall (Patch's old room). Katie is on the left of her and Tex on the right. If this were a perfect world the girls could be on the outside and Tex could be in the middle however...Tex is too big so the girls are stuck together.
I've become concerned about Amber's weight in the last week or so, I 'think' she may have lost some. I have that in quotes because I have a horrible eye when it comes to their weight. I always think someone is losing weight. In any case I want to keep a closer eye on her and control her intake a bit more because I am convinced she lost weight. I think her being up in the shelter stressed her out, she really didn't like it and was the first one to say "screw this, the tape isn't "hot" I am outta here" starting the great gate dilemma!
Amber is funny, she really is the sweetest thing ever. She will lay her head on your shoulder and just stand there while you stroke her face. She's just a sweetheart really. I say that all the time but it's really the best way to describe her; she's not much into the "antics" the others participate in, she tends to stand by the side and watch quietly.
That being said, she also doesn't much care for Katie being next to her. The other night, Friday, she had her butt right up against the gate and although I noticed her standing there and I even remarked on it I did not anticipate what Saturday morning would bring. Late Friday night, before I went to bed I heard a rather large noise however after standing outside and listening for about five minutes (Leo behind me fiercely protecting the path back into the house should anything be there) I disregarded it and went about going to bed.
When I went to the barn Saturday morning I saw what the big noise was! Amber had kicked up on her gate and lifted it right off the holder thingys on one side. She couldn't move the gate because of the way the chain was latched on the other side. I must have heard the one side hit the ground as she lifted it up, there was no further noise because she wasn't trying to break the gate down she was trying to kick Katie's big Quarter Horse Butt! I imagine Katie was over there sticking her tongue out at her or whispering "hey, Tex says Patch really wants me".
It's funny to watch the way they interact; funny in a charming, adorable, insightful way. Amber and Katie don't really have a dispute over who the boss mare is, that's Katie and everyone knows that. Amber does however get sick of the Princess with her pinned back ears and threats to bite, when she does there is typically a squeal and a kick out. It's not even that they don't like each other, they will eat together on occasion and graze together pretty happily as well. Every once in awhile Katie reminds Amber that she is the top dog and every once in awhile Amber squeals in case Katie forgot that she doesn't care! The boys have opinions for sure but the girls seemingly have conversations about theirs!
Oddly enough they have conversations with Captain Mouth too. The boys just lift their heads and perhaps offer a snort when Leo decides to voice his opinion. Amber and Katie will snort, threaten to chase, and last but not least attempt to kick when they have had enough of his opinion. Last night Leo was in Amber's stall sniffing about her feet and she must have had about enough of him for one day because up came her foot. Leo, thank the lord, is fast and scooted out of there. Having missed a hoof in the head by about an inch and a half he sat with his tail between his legs and his ears flat back, looking around as if to say "Holy Cow did you see what she tried to do!?". I often wonder if it's his speed or her good aim that keeps his head on.
She is such a sweetheart that it is easy to forget that even my dainty little lady has a bit of fire in her. She stands next to you all petite and lady like, her big brown eyes calm and trusting and it's easy to forget that she started the great gate dilemma, threatens to kill Leo once a week, and lifted her stall gate clean off the holder thinygs cause Katie was talking smack ;-)
Going bitless solved these issues
2 months ago
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