Savanna Update

I’m not sure what got in to Savanna but I’m loving it. She’s turned almost 180 degrees from a month ago. I had the miracle collar on her for the past month because she cribbed. I hadn’t noticed her cribbing since just after Prize was born. The cribbing collar never really stayed on her correctly. She managed to pull it over her ears so that it wasn’t tight and just hung around her neck. I figured I’d better leave it on her as a reminder that cribbing isn’t allowed.

I feel bad. It’s been on and apparently not having it set properly made it rub. So I decided she could go without. I think being out on pasture for 15 hours has really helped calm her cribbing habits. It could be that if I confine her to a stall like I did for the first two weeks that she’ll return to cribbing but I have high hopes that she’ll keep her cribbing to a minimum now. She doesn’t even look for any fence posts or gates while she powers through her twice daily grain ration.

This morning she again hung her head over the gate. I again asked if she would allow me to pet her and she did. I started at her withers and I swear she about melted under my hand. She desperately wanted to return the favor but new better. Smart girl. I rubbed out some of her sweat marks from earlier this week. I really think she’ll turn in to a diva once she realizes that being touched is a good thing.

While I was scratching Savanna’s withers, neck, and shoulder Prize decided that he would investigate what I was doing. Because there was a slight chill in the air for just a tshirt, I threw on a sweatshirt. Prize decided that he would naw on my sweatshirt for a while. The little guy is getting strong! I’m not sure if he was trying to repay the favor to Savanna or if he is teething or what’s going on but it was fun to have Prize come up to me and touch me instead of running away.

We could have stood there for hours had I not had to get ready for work. I shifted my weight and Prize decided he was done with nawing on me. Savanna turned her butt towards me, not in a menacing way but rather to scratch her butt. I worked on pulling out the rest of her crappy winter coat. She’s really starting to get glossy. Unfortunately her summer coat really shows off how skinny she is. But she is putting on the weight. Pasture time will really help.

After a good rub, I told Savanna I was done petting butt and instead she turned to face me so I could scratch her other side. Had she gotten her way, Savanna would have stood there for hours I think. But Prize was getting tired of standing around and wanted out into the pasture to stretch his legs.

I am so impressed with Savanna. She’s really turning into a doll. I can’t wait until she’s to the proper weight and Prize is weaned. She’s going to be a stunning girl. I can’t wait to tell her story to people so that they can become educated in over breeding and backyard breeding.

When I threw hay to Sahara this morning she too asked to be petted. She REALLY enjoys her butt scratched. Hopefully I can spend a bit of time getting her used to the halter. She desperately needs to be wormed but we’re taking it one step at a time. Slow and steady seems to do the trick around here.

If it ever slows down around here, I’ll try to snap a few pictures of Savanna, Prize, and Sahara so you all can see the stunning horses they are turning in to. I just love the petite little heads Savanna and Sahara have. Their petite heads really make them look feminine and dainty. We’ll see how tonight goes. I’m itching to run a brush over Savanna.