Surprise! Wyoming goes home! Yee haw!

Sunday, August 30, 2009, was a big day for Wyoming and myself. And also for Carol and her family. Wyoming was going home! :-)
I know everyone is probably confused by now, but the end result is Carol wanted Wy all along, but they were a little overwhelmed with Blaze, her daughters mustang who just got delivered about 3 weeks prior, stuff to do on the place to get ready for two horses, the idea of two green horses, etc. She still wanted him, but thought she was making the right decision for the time. We all have had to make decisions like that at some point...and they hurt.
WELL! Carol decided she was going to get her horse, so she e-mailed me to make sure she could still get him home! YES! YOU BETCHA!!! WOO HOO!!!
She also wanted to surprise her daughter...so we did not let her know that we were bringing Wy home! I LOVE SURPRISES LIKE THIS!!! This is the type of surprise you just can't buy with money...you can only buy with love!

It was a pretty good drive down there, and the weather was beautiful! We really could not have asked for more.

Wyoming meets Blaze for the first time...no squealing, pawing, nothing. Not until we were getting ready to leave and Wy followed Blaze under their canopy. Then they did a little squealing and pawing, but I think Blaze was just letting Wy know he was there first. Those two will get along great!
Oh yeah, come to find out, Blaze was just gelded a week before he was delivered...so considering that in the mix, I think Blaze is one awesome fellow!



Blaze (left): "I am cuter!"
Wy (right): "No, I am cuter!"
Blaze (left): "I was here first...I am cuter!"
Wy (right): "I was here second, I am the most recent cuter!"

Yep, they are true brothers!



I rode Wy around in their pen, which is a great size to ride both horses to get used to them. He was so good! You know how we all worry and want it all to be perfect? We want our 'kids' to be well behaved. I was in that frame of mind! Ha ha!

Carol has not ridden for quite a while, but she did not hesitate to get up there! There were a lot of questions about the horses, how and what to do, tack fit, etc. Carol started moving him around, and here she is with her big Mustang Smile!
When I was going thru pictures last night, it occurred to me I never got a close up of her and Wy together! Just so much happening in a short amount of time...



Look how relaxed both of them are...



Carol asks Wy to stop so she can rub his rump...I was tickled to see this because not everyone is comfortable doing that.



Jim, Carol's hubby, who I might mention rides a motorcycle so he can't be half bad, was so supportive of Carol. He was watching, asking questions, taking pictures...life is going to be great there for Blaze and Wy!



Carol and Wy blazing by us! Zoom zoom! :-)



The after ride hug...she loves him!



They have a 10 acre field, so I rode him in the field a few minutes. He was a little concerned, and I think it was because he did not want to leave Blaze already. We rode back and forth a few times and he did relax. He even got to experience a little Jack Russell type dog, Oreo, jumping up and down in the grass. He looked with interest, then moved on.



Wy got to meet the family, and you can see how stressed out he is...HA HA! Wow, I wish I was this stressed out sometimes! It looks much nicer than the way I do it!



Granddaughter Cassidy gets pulled over Granddaughter Shaine...



It was time to ride Blaze. Blaze was adopted the same time Wy was, and Blaze went to a different trainer. He was at the trainers for 90 days, and when they got him back they could not get him to 'go'. He was skiddish at first touch but gentle as they come once he lets you in (which did not take long), he saddled up great, he was a love bug, but he just would not go. The trainer delivered him and he had two of the boys who ride for him by his side. They did give Dawn a lot of information, showed her how to do a lot of things, but in the beginning it is hard to soak it all in, and be confident that you are doing everything right. Our goal: We are going to find an easy way to get Blaze moving!

I got on him, and let me tell you, this boy can flex! He is like butter...whereas Wy is tight as a tick! I was describing how he turns and Brian compares it to turning like a boat! YES! Wy turns exactly like a boat! Blaze can bend in half with no problem! I did get him to moving around, but it was work. Carol asked what I thought and I laughed and said "Yep, he won't go!" He is at the very beginning stages, so I showed Carol how I get mine moving. If they give me one step when I ask, I praise them like they gave me 100 steps. Blaze followed Wy around so I gave him the 'go' cue at that time. That way he will eventually associate that cue with "Let's get moving."



He will also follow people - they have had the kids on him and he is great when he has someone to follow.
I told them they could use that to their advantage too....Carol walked in front of me, I gave the cluck and leg pressure, we walked, I had Carol keep walking while I asked Blaze to stop and stand (which he did), then I asked Blaze to go again (which he did). That way we were far enough away from Carol for him to pay attention to me, but he could see her and head that direction.



Simon says, hands out in front...



Blaze is young and is going to fill out quite a bit! I was looking at his legs and his overall build, and I think he will be much stockier than Wy will be. Blaze is going to be such a great horse! His eyes are so soft, and when he stands by you, he melts his head into your chest. He is still learning trust, and as he matures he will start to gain more confidence. It does not take a lot of time each day to get these wonderful mustangs to come around...even if it is every other day for a few minutes, it all counts and they remember it.

ACK! What is going on here? Jim is combing Wy's mane! We let him know to be careful because girls like their horses to have lots of mane and tail! :-) Hee hee!



Okay fine...I will just brush his body then. :-)



This is the other most awesome part - Dawn still did not know Wy was coming
home. She gets there and she see's me and yells, "Is that the trainer lady?"
She was so excited to see me and we hugged and talked about Blaze. She still did not know her Mom had Wy there...until Wy nickered. Dawn looks up and says "Who was that? Where is that coming from?" and her Mom says in a voice like you are talking to a little kid you are trying to trick "Oh Dawn, this is Blaze, this is your horse....." We all laughed...it was hilarious! Wy then poked his head out from behind the building and Dawn looked at her Mom and said "You got him?" She cried and hugged her Mom....oh gosh, I am getting choked up again...it was the best day!

I rode Blaze for her to show her what I was doing, and he was even better than he was the first time. That could also be that I was more comfortable than I was the first time. Dawn was not ready to get back on yet (she earned herself some air miles when he took off so her confidence is being challenged) and I told her there is nothing saying she has to. Just spend time with them, bond, take them for walks, and he will become less skiddish with sudden movements, and he will form a very strong bond with her.

When she walked up to Blaze she did not even hesitate to hug on him. Dawn loves Blaze and Blaze loves Dawn!
I have no doubt that these two will become an awesome team!



Carol and I were standing off to the side watching Dawn lean on Carol's horse....Hmmmmm, we are wondering if Dawn is thinking up a plan to steal Wy! Ha ha!



Okay, this is awesome! Uncle Jerry came to visit, and did I get a picture of him? NO! I got a picture of his Chinese Crested dog! I had never seen one in real life, so I was all excited. They are hairless, and they feel weird! Look at this mug! Gotta love it!



While I was with Carol going over Wy's papers, Brian hung out with Blaze...





Blaze is wearing Brian's camo BLM hat, and he looks quite dashing if you ask me!



We were there a few hours and I think it was fantabulous! Then it was time to leave...it was easy to leave because I knew that Wy was going to be spoiled rotten and will love it there. He has a great brother in Blaze, and I have no doubt that Carol and Dawn will treat these boys right. Remember girls, spoiling them is okay, but don't let them get away with stuff...they are smart and will try to work the deal! They are just like young human kids, except better! :-)

Then again it was hard to leave because I have seen this guy every day for several months...



I know this isn't Goodbye...it is "See you later!" I am so happy for all of them!
Yesterday morning it was not really hard to go out and feed without him there...there was more of a ping on the heart. I missed his head wrapping around me looking for the bucket.

ACK! I have to leave for work now. Forgive me for any typo-s! Those will be fixed tonite after I have time to go over this again. I just wanted to get some pictures out there.

Gotta go now...until later...Karen and Tripp who has a cocky smile on his face. :-)