Wednesday, July 20, 2011

How Long Will This Friendship Last?

My good friend and former drill team partner is keeping another one of her three horses at my barn for this winter. While one has been here for a while now and is used in her lessons and is being leased, she decided that she wanted another one here for the winter to bring back to shape. The third one was used for the drill team this year and got a lot of saddle time, while his half-sister, Chica was a little more dormant in her pasture, recouping from a colic scare this past winter.

Chica would be staying in one of the three pastures, but which one? Initially my friend thought to keep her with the BO's broodie, Lexi, as Covergirl would be leaving with her owner in only a few weeks for another year at school in Idaho. In the meantime, I told my friend she could put Chica in with Milo and we could see how they would get along. I also felt that Milo needed a friend again as it had been a couple weeks since Diego moved out. She agreed and after I left and she worked Chica, she put her in with Milo. Apparently, they did just fine and she sent me a photo of them grazing together.

The next day I got a voicemail from her saying that they were still doing well and in fact, come dinner time (our most concerned portion of their rooming together) they shared the same grain bucket! Apparently Milo and Chica switched off grain mouthfuls and there were no hooves flying or pinned ears. Thats great news! But....I dont really want the money I spend in supplements being shared between two horses. So I think Chica will start getting her own grain (currently she is with none) to hopefully keep the two occupied eating in separate buckets.

Enough chatter now, meet the new girl! I hope she stays with Milo through the winter.

Meet Chica! I forget her registered name though. Pretty girl. 
Whatta boat! Fun ride though! Pwetty girl
Let's congregate around the wheelbarrow...
Oh hello. 



They seem to be doing well together. Hope it lasts!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad Milo has a friend, and that they're getting along well. You could try feedbags for feeding grain and supplements - and other than having to wait a bit for the horses to finish to take off the bags, it's pretty convenient and you can have horses with very different feeding needs in the same pasture. It even works for horses who need soaked feed - you just soak before you carry out the bags and they self-drain.

Mare said...

I think the key to finding Milo the perfect friend was just giving him a pretty girl to hang out with:)

Mary said...

Chica has such a kind face. I'm glad Milo is not in solitary anymore, I hope it lasts.

in2paints said...

See! Proof positive that mares and geldings can live happily ever after in the same pasture!! (Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox.)

She's a pretty girl and I hope she can be Milo's friend for quite some time. :)