Stella the Horse

I have some exciting news!!!

Drumroll please.........................

Stella likes apples! I was worried my horse was some kind of freak since she wouldn't eat apples or carrots, even though her 1/2 sister of the same age and another filly 2 months younger both liked them! But last week I finally got a slice into her mouth, she chewed it, and realized it wasn't bad at all! She is hilarious when she eats slices, she still opens her mouth super wide like she's trying to take a bite of a whole one.

I got her winter blanket, my chubby filly is wearing a 64-66 for this season! at first Stella wasn't to sure about letting me put the foal-eating-evil blanket ON TOP of her, but we had a chat and she decided it wasn't so bad after all ;)

And here's the girl herself showing off her new halter plate, her winter fuzzies, and her lovely manners

Today was the second day in a row we went out to the barn. I lunged Champagne while Nick rode Te, and then we both played with Stella. She was following me around in the pasture, and would eat grass when I gave it to her but didn't want to get it herself. She learned to stretch her head between her legs following my hand, and also to put her head down when I put pressure on her poll.

I measured her for a winter blanket, and right now at 5 1/2 months, she'd take a 60!! Needless to say she's gonna be a big girl! The beginnings of her gangly phase are starting, and her back end is growing but leaving her front behind.

Gypsy was happy, since we brought her out both days. Nanny goat was not so thrilled that we brought her tormentor along. Out of 100+ photos, we managed one half-decent one of me and my girls! Three seconds later and Gypsy was trying to lick Stella, who then tried to stomp on her... etc. That's my girls!

Stella was born April 7, 2008 at the barn where my sister, Karina, keeps her Bashkir Curly pony Sunbeam. Her dam is a liver chestnut QH from cutting lines named Poco (registered name: Docin Dee Dixie) and her sire is a chestnut reining bred stallion called Nugget (Watch Havanana's Gold). I've owned Stella since June 29, 2008, when, after seeing me train a Shetland Pony gelding, the owner of the barn suggested I train some of her horses and she would give her to me. Since I'm just starting this now, I'll try and summarize what's happened up to this point.

Stella with Poco, 3 months old

Stella's Sire Nugget

Stella was imprinted at birth, and although I saw her a couple of times before I owned her, the first time I worked with her was on June 29. Other than her imprinting, which simply made her a lot more accepting of people, she had no training. I got her haltered that day with no difficulty at all, and also worked on her halter training a bit. Within a couple of visits, I had her halter trained and leading around the yard, as well as tying, and lifting her feet slightly off the ground. Dewormer was never a problem and she actually likes the taste, although she doesn't like apples or carrots yet...

She's also got a half sister named Cappucino (Cappy) who she is pastured with. Sunbeam (AKA Mommy Sunbeam) is a good babysitter and Stella feels comfortable being turned out with him as well, and loves following him around the riding arena when someone's on him. She's even jumped a 2' jump following him when they were turned out!

Stella and Cappy playing in the pasture

She's now completely halter trained, will yeild her hindquarters and her front end from slight pressure, walks through puddles, over poles, on top of plywood, she stands quietly to be brushed and can be touched all over (ears, tail, udder included), lifts her feet to be picked, is fine with fly spray, has had a rope thrown all over her, lets me play with her mouth and stick my fingers over her bars, has had a flysheet and a flymask on, has had saddle pads placed on her back and rubbed all over her, will do carrot stretches (with grass :P) to both sides and is learning between her knees, has worn standing wraps and stood pretty well for getting them on, has been bathed without too much fuss, and we've just started trying to load her into the trailer. She got her front feet in last time following a pail of grain in on a loose lead, but wasn't sure *how* to life her back feet. She's also de-spooked to a tarp that was tyed over her pen, and doesn't even notice a whip cracking.

I think this is it for now.. although I'm probably forgetting something, so I'll add things later on!