# We Got A New Horse!



## Baymule (Jan 28, 2017)

We got a new horse. I've been looking of and on for 2 years for a dead-head broke super gentle small horse for the grand daughters. Found one.

He is 13 hands, sorrel with 4 stockings and a blaze face. He is skinny and needs some weight put on him, but we've been down this road before and we know what to do. The lady we bought him from bought him out of a kill pen. Her 2 girls could crawl all over him, slide off his butt, slide down his neck, ride him in the round pen or on the trail. He is a follower, slightly barn sour, but I know what to do about that too. He doesn't seem to be fazed by anything. The chickens fluttering around and the sheep didn't make him bat an eyelash. He is friendly, good natured and gentle.

Of course, in the back of my mind is the possibility that a couple of hundred pounds might bring out a more spirited animal or help him discover an ornery streak, but I don't think so. At 13 hands, he is big enough for me to ride him and straighten him out if needed.

The lady we bought him from called him Canyon. He will get a new name. We'll let our 9 year old grand daughter do the honors.

We fed him-just a little. We'll gradually build up the amount he gets. I don't want him to founder switching feeds or get too much at one time. He has been munching on hay, grazing and trotting around. He will lead a soft life here.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 28, 2017)

Congratulations!


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## Bunnylady (Jan 28, 2017)

Isn't he a handsome little guy. Congratulations, I hope this works out well for all of you!


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 28, 2017)

Congrats!  Thinking your grandkids will be excited


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## NH homesteader (Jan 28, 2017)

Congrats! Gorgeous!!


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## promiseacres (Jan 28, 2017)

ponies!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 28, 2017)

Look at all that chrome!  He'll be stunning when you get him slicked out and fattened up!


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## Mini Horses (Jan 28, 2017)

LOL...congrats on having a grandchild who wants to ride.  My one and only is not at all interested!!  Shame, I'd buy a couple to ride if anyone would go with me.  But her mom wasn't big on riding, my son was great....until mini-bikes entered the picture.  We had some great "ponies" who were fun to have around & be around. 

He'll round out & glow in no time!   A horse can be a good learning experience for a child -- as I know you will make them do what is right and correct.   ATTA GIRL !!


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## TAH (Jan 28, 2017)

Congrats! 

I have to ask, how much hay and grain do you think he eats a day?


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## Baymule (Jan 28, 2017)

Today he got a coffee can of feed and a bale of hay. He scarfed down the feed, grazed on the sparse grass and munched hay. We have two other horses, age 27 and 29, that are butterball fat, along with 1 mule. Between the 3 of them a 50 pound sack lasts 2 1/2 days.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 28, 2017)

Yikes thanks for reminding me why I don't have horses. They're so expensive!


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2017)

Sure are!

Congrats @Baymule !!


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 28, 2017)

Congrats Bay!!


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## Ferguson K (Jan 28, 2017)

Hes gorgeous! Do you have a picture of his face?


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## Ozzy Goat Girl (Jan 28, 2017)

Congratulations! He is gorgeous.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 29, 2017)

Congrats!


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## Latestarter (Jan 29, 2017)

Congrats Bay. Like I said when you mentioned this might happen... the grandkids are gonna be thrilled! Even if it does take a few years for the youngest to be able to understand what great grandparents they have.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 29, 2017)

Congrats


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## Baymule (Jan 29, 2017)

Funny thing happened today. I was scratching his head and talking to him. I told him to help me out, that I would scratch his favorite place, but he would have to show me where it was. He walked forward and stopped, plainly showing me his withers. So I scratched both sides, much to his satisfaction.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 29, 2017)

smart horse!


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## Ozzy Goat Girl (Jan 29, 2017)

Very clever horse


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## TAH (Jan 30, 2017)

He is a smart horse!


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## AClark (Jan 30, 2017)

How old is he supposed to be? He looks fairly young. He'll be a real good looking guy with some good groceries! I like him, he's nothing some dewormer and food can't fix.

If he's young, you might get a surprise growth spurt. Sometimes they play catch up when they start getting good food. Though he's about the size of Trav right now (he's 13.2HH) but he's over 10 and has never missed a meal in his life, lol.


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## samssimonsays (Jan 30, 2017)

Oh this story makes my heart happy.


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## Baymule (Jan 30, 2017)

He's in the 8 year old range. Good feed, care and attention will bring out the beauty in this boy. We're going to set up the round pen by the barn for his entertainment value. The grands will have a safe place to play with him. Right now we have him in the front pasture by himself. He can see the sheep, dogs, chickens and other horses and they can see him. I wanted a little time to feed him and let him get acclimated to the place before I toss him to the wolves (other horses LOL). I brushed him this morning, quit, walked off and he followed me for more.


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## AClark (Jan 30, 2017)

I don't blame you, from the skint marks on him, it doesn't look like he's top dog in the pasture and might get beat out of the feed. I had to do the same for Lucy, as Trav would gulp his down then go eat hers too (and the goats...horse is seriously a chow hound) and even though she was a lot bigger, he is definitely the dominant type horse. No reason for the skinnies to have to compete for food when they need it more.


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## Baymule (Jan 30, 2017)

We have the barn, but there aren't individual stalls built yet. We can get the round pen set up and I can feed him in there.


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## AClark (Jan 30, 2017)

He'll catch up, winter pics are never flattering anyway, I bet he comes out slick as a peeled onion in the spring.


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2017)

I went out and got a couple of pictures. It was hard to get one of his face, he is so friendly that he kept walking up to me. I got a good close up of his nostrils. LOL Haha, just noticed the wood chipper trucks are in the top left corner! Highline contractors are in the area and they are bringing us loads of wood chips, we are letting them park their trucks here at night.







I took a picture of his other side. He has remnants of what must have been a beautiful mane. The lady we bought him from said it was real long, but another horse chewed it off.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 1, 2017)

He's got such a nice calm eye... I like it!


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## babsbag (Feb 1, 2017)

I love his socks and his white blaze, he looks very calm and relaxed. 
Does your granddaughter know that you bought her a horse? I was completely horse crazy as a young girl, that was all I ever wanted but my family had no land and no money so it didn't happen until I was about 14. And by that time I started to have other things to do, sports in school, piano lessons, church groups, choir, etc. I never was a super accomplished rider, I wish I had started sooner. I think I was about 17 when we sold my horse.  It was also hard to find places to ride and you can only ride around a 3 acre parcel for so long.


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2017)

She knows we have a surprise for her, she thinks it's a chicken.  We're picking her up Friday, along with 2 of her friends, to spend the night. And we'll be keeping the 2 year old and 5 month old for the weekend.


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## TAH (Feb 1, 2017)

LOL! 
Hope it goes good!


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## babsbag (Feb 1, 2017)

A slumber party AND a new horse. You are working on the grandparent of the year award and I think that it is just AWESOME.   Be sure you have your camera ready when she sees the horse, I bet it will be priceless. I started being 'horse crazy' when I was about 7. Rode my first horse at age 9. When I was 12 I went to girl scout camp for two weeks in the wrangler unit...it was our job to take care of the horses every day for 2 weeks. There were many other Scouts and everyone took turns riding but we were the caretakers. We fed, groomed, saddled, checked feet, etc. It was a marvelous two weeks.


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## Baymule (Feb 2, 2017)

Haha, we did get more chickens today....might make her close her eyes and drive her up to the chicken coop.....


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## babsbag (Feb 2, 2017)




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## Baymule (Feb 5, 2017)

Well, it was a complete surprise! We really pulled it off. My husband went to pick up our grand daughter and 2 of her friends from school, they were going to spend the night. He went on and on about the surprise. We had planned it all out..... I was hiding behind the big wood chipper trucks that we let the power line cleaning crew park on our place for the weekend, with the horse. He made the girls shut their eyes and get down on the floor in the backseat of his truck. He drove up to the chicken coop, got them out one by one, making sure they kept their eyes shut. It just so happened that we did get some new pullets the day before....LOL He finally told them to open their eyes and shouted SURPRISE! He kept talking about the new chickens, keeping their attention on the chicken coop while I snuck up behind them with the horse. I got right behind them and DH said, "Now turn around and see your REAL surprise." Grand Daughter yelled "Y'all got a new horse?" DH-"No, YOU got a new horse!" Grand Daughter yelled in disbelief, "You mean he's MINE?" Me-"Yes, he's yours."

Three little girls launched themselves at the horse, screaming like banshees, grabbing and hugging him. A sensible horse would have whirled around and ran like wolves were after him......but he did nothing. he stood like a champ while the girls shrieked their delight, smothering him with hugs.






We put her on the horse. She threw up her hands and yelled, "I got a new horse AND I got chickens!!! This is the best day of my LIFE!"

We saddled him up and they all rode him. Basically I just walked around and he followed me. They were excited and they loved it. One of the girls had never been on a horse, I took her picture and texted it to her mom. We unsaddled and the girls brushed him again, loved on him some more and I showed our Grand Daughter how to feed and water him.

Then began the name game. I suggested Dandy or Beau. Nope. DH really liked Dandy, but the girls voted it down. Stormy. No, he's not stormy. Spirit!! Oh I love Spirit! That's my favorite horse name! But he's not spirited, he's calm and gentle and sweet. We need a name that fits him. We continued to toss names around, then Grand Daughter settled on Tempest. Tempest it was.

We also were keeping our two younger grand daughters, age 2 and 5 months. And they threw in the dog for good measure. It was a lively weekend.

I just wasn't satisfied with Tempest, so I started the name game again. Dh didn't like Tempest either, but she stuck to her guns. I threw out names, the girls shot them all down. They were watching a Harry Potter movie and there was a scene with a Phoenix bird. It hit me. "What about Phoenix? A Phoenix dies and is reborn again to a new life. The horse was in a kill pen, headed for death and slaughter. Now he has a new life." Thumbs up on Phoenix. It was unanimous. Horse has a new name to go with his new life. Phoenix.

The girls played all day Saturday. They ran through the woods, played on the piles of wood chips, played dress up, cooked our lunch (ramen noodles and grilled cheese sandwiches) and later, they made brownies. The baby felt bad, she was fretful, so I pretty much held her all weekend. The 2 year old would smile and say, "I love you Papaw" and Papaw would do anything she wanted. She is working him over already. The girls Moms came and got them Saturday evening.

This morning, we loaded up the kids and took them to Whataburger for breakfast. First time we ever took them all three anywhere. We told that to  the lady that brought our food to the table. She laughed and asked if we wanted her to say a prayer for us, and she did. We took the oldest to a friends to spend the day and took the little ones home with us. Our DD came and picked  up the little ones this evening.

Our oldest Grand Daughter fed Phoenix and watered him Saturday evening and this morning. Phoenix has started his new life.


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## NH homesteader (Feb 5, 2017)

lovely story! So happy for you and Phoenix!


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 5, 2017)

Ahhhhhh!  I love hearing all that.   And really love Phoenix a whole lot more than Tempest!


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## babsbag (Feb 5, 2017)

Oh my, the smile on her face is just precious. Being the lover of all things horse as a youngster I can totally understand how excited she has to be. She may not ever want to go home now.


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## Baymule (Feb 5, 2017)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Ahhhhhh!  I love hearing all that.   And really love Phoenix a whole lot more than Tempest!


LOL I told her that if we had a horse with the personality of a tempest, I'd sell him!


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## goatgurl (Feb 5, 2017)

awww bay what a good grandma you are.  this is a day she will never forget and babs is right, that smile says it all.  and yes I like phoenix much better than tempest.  his new life begins.


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## Ferguson K (Feb 5, 2017)

She looks so happy!


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## promiseacres (Feb 5, 2017)

what a wonderful time


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## TAH (Feb 5, 2017)

Wonderful! 
You guys did a great job planning that!


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## Baymule (Feb 7, 2017)

I rode him a little over an hour yesterday. He needs a better handle put on him. He was calm going down the road, cars going by didn't bother him at all. So DH and I talked it over and today I rode him to a trainer about a mile away. We had to go by a couple of houses that looks like the worst junk yards ever and a pack of dogs boiled out, but he never missed a step. Phoenix needs a little polish....he doesn't neck rein, when asked for a stop, he fiddle foots around, he pulls back when I tighten the cinch, just a few little things that needs attention. I won't have the time for this because my husband is having shoulder replacement surgery tomorrow. So that's why we decided on the trainer. We want him to be the best he can be for our grand daughters.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 7, 2017)

Good plan!   You will sure have your hands full with DH's shoulder.   Is he right or left handed and which shoulder is it?


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## Latestarter (Feb 7, 2017)

that all goes well for DH tomorrow! I know you got good old boy neighbors down your way but if you need anything that I can help with, let me know.


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## Baymule (Feb 8, 2017)

He is right handed and it is his right shoulder. it pops out of socket all the time and I have to pop it back in. He has been in a lot of pain for a long time. We started this journey over 2 years ago, but got side tracked with open heart surgery, oral surgery, knee replacement surgery, recovery and therapy and now, finally his shoulder. I just want the man to wake up in the mornings with out such terrible pain.

Thanks for the offer Joe. I appreciate it. In preparation for his surgery, we have crammed in as much as we could. Whatever he has wanted to do, that is what we have done. He is dreading the long recovery and not being able to use his arm. And he just found out he has a cataract on one eye and will need surgery for that too! One of these days we'll have him all rebuilt and he ought to go for another 100,000 miles.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 8, 2017)

Dang - I feel his pain!  Well, sorta.  Mostly I feel YOUR pain!  My DH has had his share of challenges too. (heck, we both have lately - ugh) You just want them to be pain/challenge free.   I had a shoulder issue last summer and the rehab is "owie".  But, he'll get through it and be better than ever.


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## Hens and Roos (Feb 8, 2017)

Hope all goes well


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## Bruce (Feb 8, 2017)

Maybe it is time to trade him in on a new model @Baymule 

Your granddaughter knew she couldn't pack the horse up in the car for the trip home, right? Yep you and DH are good grandparents. BTW, did you need the prayer from the Whataburger lady?


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## Baymule (Sep 12, 2017)

We changed the horse's name to Prince. This time I think we got it right. He is a sweet, gentle boy and we love him.
Grand daughter and a friend had fun with Prince. We got her a book on braiding horse manes and tails, plus a kit of combs and hair bands. Prince is doing what he is supposed to do, entertain little girls.


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## promiseacres (Sep 13, 2017)

Ohhh that's pretty! I should do that to Richie's double mane!


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## Baymule (Sep 13, 2017)

They took it out before they turned him loose, it would have snagged on everything and been a mess. But they sure did have fun with it and Prince enjoyed all the fuss and attention.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Sep 26, 2017)

Aww, Bay, what a sweet story! What a good horse too!  You can just see the happiness in your granddaughter's face.


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## Palomino (Dec 20, 2020)

What a great story! He is such a special horse. I'm so glad you named him Prince instead of Tempest!!🤣


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