May 27, 2008

We really lucked out when Billie walked into the chute and onto our trailer! This little girl seems to really want to be part of our herd.

Yesterday she was eating hay out of my hand, and when Charles climbed up onto the roof of her shed to add more screws to the tin, she really didn't mind either his being on the roof or the sound of the drill--she didn't ignore it, but her reaction was minimal.

Today I introduced some grain--I think she must have had some of that before! I put it in a ground feeder and held it at my waist, and that little girl walked right up to me and ate it as I held the feeder! After a bit, I set the feeder on the ground and stood next to it. That didn't faze her either. She ate as I stood there. At one point, she reached her muzzle to me and sniffed as if to say "thank you" for the yummy snack. Right after that, as she was munching more grain, she stepped on the edge of the feeder and scared herself (and me!) and had to wheel away! She walked right back, though, and ate more, stepped on it again, scared herself a tiny bit less than before, and came right back to the feeder. I decided at that point to make my exit so I would not be in the way on subsequent startles!

For the record, we are able to enter the pen, scoop poop, put down hay, rake hay, put down feed, etc., all in just a couple of days after bringing her home! Amazing! What a gem of a wild horse.