Paco and Thunder...the foster mustangs...

The boys have names, the palomino is Paco, and the pinto is Thunder. They have been here for two weeks, and out of that two weeks we have been gone 4 days for Road to the Horse, and we have had a lot of rain. The first few days I had them on a patch of rock so they would not be knee deep in mud - sounded good at the time but their feet got ouchy, so I expanded the pen into the front yard. They were soooo happy! And when they are happy, I am happy. :-)

This used to be the front yard with grass...it is now a big mud circle. I have thought this over, and once the boys are gone I am going to move the panels, then start a rumor about crop circles! Hee hee!



These are in random order...

Each horse is very different in personality. Thunder is bold, faces up quickly, snorts a lot (which I love!) and I can rub him on his forehead and neck with the friendly pink stick. We are not to his body yet, but that is okay. He really wants to be with me, and when I walk around he keeps his distance to about 10 ft., but he follows me. I think he will be the type of horse that is there to take care of you, and he wants to know what is going on and be involved. He reminds me of a cross between Tripp and Wyoming. He is going to be a pocket pony.
Paco finally turned to face me for the first time today! He tolerates me getting up to his withers and neck, but he would not look at me if his life depended on it. I think he was saying to himself "Don't look and it will go away...don't look and it will go away...!!!!!" Ha ha! Tolerating it is a start, but I want him to know it is okay - we are not there yet. When he faced up to me today, and he moved those hindquarters for me, I was so excited! That was huge for him! Both of them handle the string and the rope being all over them, and they have had their legs tangled in the rope while they move around the pen - no issues there.

My biggest problem is the rain and mud. I have been working in both, but footing for me is not great..I am a klutz. I have to quit thinking about how much farther I would be if I had solid footing...well, because it doesn't do any good to be annoyed about something I can't control, and I need to focus on how lucky I am to have these two guys here...they are teaching me!

Okay, enough jabbering and on to pictures!

Thunder peeking over Paco's rump...



This morning I threw the cones in the pen and stood back to watch them...I don't have to do anything WITH them to teach them...they were learning on their own and dealing with me being in the pen at the same time. I turned to talk to Brian and they came up behind me...here is Paco, who surprised me!



Paco had not even started working yet...guess he was just preparing to be tired. Ha!



I had been feeding them by hand, and stuck my hand out a couple of times. Paco was surprised...then I had hay again, and he was very careful when he came in that 3rd time...when he smelled hay it was so funny because he looked at me like "THIS IS A TRICK!" Yes it was, now take the hay...



Paco is laughing...



Paco says: "HEY, THOSE COWS ARE THE SAME COLOR AS THUNDER!"



Paco eyes...



Paco checks out the pool noodle...hmmmm, doesn't smell like grape!



Paco says "Hmmmm, doesn't smell like orange!"



Feeding the boys...





Thunder was more curious about the cones at first - he pushed them over then started rolling them. Then Paco thought "Hey, he is still alive, I may as well check them out too!" Paco isn't stupid! It is about survival! Ha ha!



Every once in a while the neighbors run their cows from one area to another, and they come down the road. This morning was cow moving time...and the boys were watching with interest.



Aren't they handsome?



Check out Thunders lightning bolt snip...



I had just enlarged the pen and Paco likes it! He liked it well enough to put his head over the panels, so we did some moving around. Now the taller ones are around the big area. We feel much better about that. :-)



Self portrait...



Then of course...Mustang Butts!



We should have a few days of no rain - and we are hoping the wind blows pretty good to firm up the ground. We really want to see what Thunder looks like when he is clean. He has white legs but we have not been able to see them real good.

Hope everyone is doing well and getting a good visual of Spring. We saw some flower bulbs poking their little heads out of the ground - Woo hoo!

Until later...Karen and Tripp