# My Farm's Journal



## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

I thought I'd start a journal about my horses and my farm. My family has two horses and one pony that live on our farm. My horse is a paint mare named Miss Priss. My dad's horse is a ottb rescue named Rachel. And my little sister's pony is a Welsh pony named Pumpkin. I thought it would be better to combine all three horses into one journal instead of three journals. Besides writing about my horses...I'm also going to write about the progress on our farm, what I grow in my garden, different horse events that I go to, rescue horses and training my horses. Plus a lot of other things too!


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

I probably should start of writing about myself. Hmmmm....lets start off with what I like to do. My favorite thing to do is train my horse! I love teaching her new things and watching her learn. I'm in 4-H....I love gardening, hiking and swimming in the river by our farm. I love to read....and I love to write. I enjoy teaching my little sister how to ride her new pony.

I want to take lessons to learn how to barrel race my paint. After 7 years of doing 3'-3'9" hunters....I think its time for a change. I got what I wanted....champion in A circuit on my trainer's arab. And now....I want to try something new. I also do obstacle trail riding with my horse....but just at home. Its so hard to find actual competitions around here for competitive trail riding. 

I also want to rescue nurse mare foals...when I'm older. I never knew about nurse mare foals until a few months ago. It really breaks my heart to know that there are foals being born....and dieing....for no legit reason. Needing a nurse mare is not a legit reason to let their foals die. 

Hmmmm what else. I think thats about it.


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

This is a little information about my Paint mare......

Her name is Miss Priss. Perfect name for her really. When I bought her I thought it was a dumb name....but I soon learned that it fits her perfectly. She is a very picky, delicate mare. Everything has to be a certain way for her to be happy with it. 

She's young....she was 5 when I bought her. She had very little training. She wouldn't pick up her feet, she wouldn't stand in the cross ties....you couldn't even really ride her. She didn't longe. I did all her training. I taught her everything. And I learned a lot in the process....but she turned out pretty well. lol

She came to my friend's farm for training from another friend who wanted to sell her. I had been training the greenies that the friend had been sending up to the farm. But something about her.....I fell in love with the horse the day I met her! And no one else wanted her....she was "to green", "to stubborn"..."to stupid" for anyone to buy her. The other trainers at the barn rode her a couple times....decided she was to "nuts" and stopped riding her. She was left in her stall for a long time....then I decided to get on her. That when I knew I had to have her....besides she was going to live the rest of her life in a pasture...or worse....if no else bought her. I don't want to imagine what that women would have done with her if I hadn't bought her....she had 40 some horses that she could barely afford to feed and no one wanted and....mine was one of them. 

I brought her home last year....to my farm at our house. She is much healthier here...then at the place I was boarding her. And being able to see her everyday is the best part!

We mostly trail ride...hack english and are starting some contesting. But then last summer she came up lame. The vet took ex rays....she had a bone chip. We got the bone chip removed and are doing IRAP therapy now. Her recovery is going really well....handwalking for now....but I can't wait to start riding her again!


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

Pictures of Rachel:


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

Pictures of Miss Priss:


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

This is a story I wrote about our ottb that we adopted.​
*Rachels Wild*​The story of a Racehorse’s New Beautiful Awesome Life​*
　​*Rachel was born on the thirteen of May in 2009 on a racetrack. The meaning of her life was to make her owner a very rich person. She was bred to win. She was bred to run. Her purpose of her life was to run…to win…and to make her owner money. That’s all her owners wanted, was money…not her….just the money. They named her Rachels Wild. It was a joke….she is not wild…not at all. Far from it. Far from a typical thouroghbred. She is calm, friendly and not at all wild. This special filly is related to the great Secretariat and her father, Wild Wonder earned over $7,000,000 in his racing career. Her mother was named Rachels Diamonds. 
She grew up on a racetrack called until she turned 4 years old. She was treated very well at the track, unlike most racehorses. Most racehorses leave the track after their career is over with very serious trauma or bahavioral issues. But some one treated this little filly very well. She was not abused, or beat or ever hurt. She was the lucky one. 
After only 13 starts, her owners started to realize that this little filly just wasn’t meant to be a racehorse. Even though her father had earned so much money in his career, Rachel was just not as successful as him. Rachel was fast…she loved to run…but she wasn’t meant to win. She had another purpose in her life. A hidden purpose that wouldn’t be found till later in her life. 
After her owners decided that Rachel should stop racing it was a matter of time before her new owner would be found. Would she end up being bought by a man to be taken to an auction to be sold again? A lot of people think only sick, old horses end up at auction. But contrary to that belief, many young healthy horses end up at an auction. Would she end up at the auction to be sold to a slaughterhouse? And end up in Mexico or Cananda to be killed for some sick, cruel foreigner that wants horse meat for dinner. Or would she end up being bought by someone looking for a new riding horse?
This fillies purpose was not to be a racehorse. This fillies purpose in life was to make one family very happy. She wasn’t meant to live at a big track with other thouroghbreds. She was meant to live in a small barn with a big pasture and lots of trails. 
Rachel ended up being adopted by CANTER Horse Rescue. She stayed at Canter for nine months looking for a new home. Finally after a long wait a family came and adopted her!Now she lives with a paint mare and a welsh pony on a small farm. She gets turned out everyday, lots of treats and lots of attention! She loves her new job…trail riding!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I like your journal!


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

*The past few days I've been working on teaching my mare to ground tie. I'm using the clicker to teach her. She's catching on pretty quickly. *

*I've been working on my sister's pony feet for the past week. He is (slowly) getting better. He is young but very, very bombproof. He was supposed to be an a circuit hunter. But his previous owners didn't finish his hunter training. He has a solid, comfortable wtc though...so you would think (since he's not green) that he would be good about picking up his feet. He's just a little stubborn with it. But he's getting better. *

*I'm still not sure what to do about 4-h. I guess I'll just use my mare as a 4-h project again this year.Even though I can't ride her till may...because of the surgery. ):*


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks Taffy!


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

Havent written in awhile.....I've been busy. I started riding Pumpkin, its been so rainy and it finally dried up enough to ride. The cons of not being rich....no indoor arena lol. Anyway, when I got on him he was really stubborn....wouldn't stand at the mounting block, very lazy, was ignoring me. But after a couple of days he was fine. I think he was just testing me and forgetting some of his training, since he hadn't been ridden in awhile. He is still out of shape...all fat, no muscle....but he's getting better. He collects really well too. And his trot is ADORABLE!!!!! He's such a flashy welsh pony.....we really lucked out with him!

I'm kind of worried about my mare though. I asked the vet how much of a chance she has of being able to be ridden again. He said she will _probably _be able to do trail riding. I happy that she is healthy but I want to be able to ride her again. I'll understand if I can't but it will be so upsetting. We put so much money into the surgery for her bone chip and fracture and for her medications. She is on joint supplements, IRAP therapy and adequan. 

I feel so bad for her because she's stuck in her stall, can't go out with her pasture pals and can't be ridden right now. She loves to be ridden and loves to have a job, and I can tell that she misses it. She is dealing with the stall rest well though. I know she doesn't like it, but she isn't starting any bad habits and I can tell she is being patient. I feel like I put so much time and training into her and now....I might never be able to ride her again. Only time, patience and lots of love will tell what will happen. But I'm still a little worried. :-(


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

My Arab had a bone chip in his fetlock joint and after we removed it he went on sound for many more years! Chin up she will most likely be fine, prayers for you.


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

Taffy Clayton said:


> My Arab had a bone chip in his fetlock joint and after we removed it he went on sound for many more years! Chin up she will most likely be fine, prayers for you.


 
Thanks so much Taffy! That gives me some hope!!!!


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## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

I've finally gotten to ride Pumpkin! He is awesome!!!!! A little rusty at first but got so much better!!!!! He is so much fun...he's got that comfy welsh pony trot and canter! But I found his weakness....he wasn't road safe...but he is now!!! Just about. 

The vet came out again to do Priss's 3rd IRAP. I wish they would take their time a little more. They just walk in the barn grap her out of her stall...put the lip chain on and grab her leg. The farrier, dentist and vet I used to use all did things differently then the current vet does. They walk in her stall, say hi and play with her a little. They are very patient and take their time with her. I do the same. I make sure she feels safe and trusts me before I do anything with her. Which she does now....but not in the beginning. 

I've just noticed a difference with the vets and farriers that I guess have more time, more patience and obviously care more about the horse and training the horse then the money. Some vets and farriers care more about making the horse become a more wellrounded, better training horse then about hurrying up and getting the money. 

I only switched to this vet because it was the only vet that could do the surgery or the IRAP. Other vets don't have the resources for that. With the new vet its all business. They just come in and get there work done as quickly as possible. To the point that they end up punching and whipping my horse....just so they can get their money and get to the next horse. Smacking and punching my horse...well priss....she is stubborn and the more you beat the crap out of her...the more stubborn she will get. And I have foudn that with her patience goes a lot further. 

This doesn't mean letting her do whatever she wants....I don't reward bad behavior...but I also don't scream at her or take a rope and beat the **** out of her. That accomplishes nothing. And one reason I say that is because after the vet cranked on her mouth with the lip chain and beat her with the rope she still fought him....and then he stopped and just gave her a tranq. Which obviously taught her nothing.

It frusterates me....but I can't really do anything about it right now. The goal is to get her sound....and she only has one more IRAP to go!!!


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