06 February 2011

Jill Speaks! A New Chapter in the Adventures of Jack and Jill - They're Home!

(The ongoing journey of Jack and Jill of the Ohio 52 straight from Stone Gate Farm! Thanks Jackie! ~ ed)


Saturday, February 5, 2011


Settling In at Stone Gate Farm

Last night Kyle came out to the barn with his brother Kevin to put the other horses back in for the night and check on our hay and water.  Kevin is a tall young man and he looks like someone needs to increase his feed & get some more meat on that boys bones! But that's besides the point, what the boys did next was really fun.  They let each horse out of their stalls one at a time so they could come down and visit with Jack and me who were eagerly waiting to meet them as we both hung our heads out over the dutch door. 

We had already met Jethro and Gopher because they were in the stalls next to us and I must say that Jethro was beginning to get on my nerves and I told him so in no uncertain terms to quit bugging me but he persisted. I couldn't get away from him because if I wanted to meet the others I had to stand close to his stall.  I actually had met Gopher earlier in the day (who names a horse Gopher anyway?) because he lives in the stall on the other side of ours.  He seems pretty nice and it doesn't hurt that he's tall dark and handsome but he didn't seem overly interested.  The next one to come and visit was Kevin's horse Tintin (another interesting name? ) and oh boy oh boy is he ever nice!!  He's a very classy looking horse with a kind eye and was very polite, I'm looking forward to getting to know him better.    Jackie's horse Pip (a slightly better name) came over with a very inquisitive expression on his face and he genuinely was happy to meet us although he seemed a little nervous about it.  I hear that he's a little lacking confidence dealing with the other horses and really doesn't have friends. That's too bad, maybe he and Jack can be friends.  After meeting the guys, it was time to meet the gals;  Jack was particularly interested in them.
Kyle's horse Margee (finally a more normal name) was the first mare that we met and she's really cute, chestnut with a blaze, two white stockings behind and a real spring in her step.  She's the youngest of the group and I think I may enjoy hanging out with her. Last but not least was Kat (who gives a horse a feline name anyway?)  She belongs to Kevin's friend Laura (who we haven't met yet)  she's a really cute British Sport pony (as she told us very proudly) who has the most beautiful tail I have ever seen.  Even though she 17 she seems pretty feisty and full of herself.

Jack and Jill...
 

After meeting all the horses it was time to turn in for the night and I was finally able to get out of Jethro's reach. After the long trailer ride and exploring the pasture and meeting all the horses we were pretty whooped and both Jack and I slept well in a nice deep bed of straw.

Bright and early this morning Dave, who we found out is a vet like Doc Stearns, led us out to the pasture where we were free to eat as much hay as we wanted and to explore a little more with no one watching our every step.  Actually, after yesterday's experience we decided to play it safe and stay fairly close to the barn.  After a few hours Jackie came out to put us back in the barn so the others could go out.  It was later than they usually go out and they were a little cranky.  I hope they don't hold it against us.  We're looking forward to the day when we get to go out with the herd.  At least I have Jack to keep me company.

When we got back in the barn Jack and I were put in separate stalls so we could get grain and I wouldn't have to worry about Jack trying to snitch any of mine.  After we got done eating the beauty treatments began. Since Kyle was at work (I hear he gives riding lessons and trains horses) Jackie was the one who began to groom us with a funny looking thing with a bunch of rubber finger on it.  It felt so good I started to groom Jackie too, but she told me it wasn't necessary. 

After the grooming she started to comb my mane and said that if Jack and I were humans our manes would be long enough to give to Locks of Love.  She didn't explain; just said that it meant that we had really long manes.  I wasn't so sure about this, but when she told me that there was some pink paint in my mane I told her I was NO punker and to please get rid of it. Unfortunately she said the pink paint on my shoulder wouldn't brush off and we'll have to wait until it's warm enough to wash it off.  She trimmed up my mane and CUT of some hair right right behind my ears.  She told me not to worry that she was just trimming a bridle path.  Well I don't wear a bridle yet, but the halter felt a little more comfortable.  I was just relieved that she didn't trim my forelock; it's very full and luxurious if I must say so myself.  After all that Jackie had me pick up my front feet and I was a little nervous and tried to get my foot back on the ground as fast as I could.  Jackie quietly told me that we were going to have to practice that every day before Walt comes.  Who's Walt and what is he going to do with my feet? 

It was Jack's turn next.  He seemed to like to have his mane combed more  than getting groomed with the rubber fingers. He even enjoyed it when she was trying to get the burrs out of his forelock because she kept rubbing his face and he would sniff her hair.  Don't ask me why he was doing it, but he seemed to enjoy it.  But then the burrs weren't coming out so easily and Jack started to complain. Ya know Jack, if you wouldn't have put your head where it didn't belong you wouldn't have this problem with the burrs.  Anyway, all the burrs finally got out and Jack looked really funny with his forelock all bushed out but he did say that he was more comfortable.

Jack also had to pick his feet up.  He picked them up really good but he didn't want to keep them up either.  So I guess both of us are going to have to practice every day so Walt can come out.  I think he's going to trim our feet or something like that because I heard Jacking saying something about Jack needing a trim.  I guess that wouldn't be a bad idea, with the snow our feet haven't worn down like they do in the summer.

We got to relax the rest of the day and after dinner we are going back out for the night.  I dibs the turn out stall first!!

Jill ( the name is staring to grow on me )

Well Jill pretty much told you everything there is to know.  It was a pretty nice day getting all that attention and I got to meet the cute redheads.  I want to know why it's ok for Jill to have a thing for Tintin who is 10 years older than her but she's hassling me about Margee who's only three years older me!

I hear that I might get the burrs out of my tail tomorrow.

And Jill;  have you even looked at the turn out stall?  It's bigger than the one we slept in last night.  Geesh

Jack

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