Hello, Betsy here....my first post on my new blog. You can check out my website, and about me at the left of this page. But let's start with Lady, a Tennessee Walking Horse mare. Her registered name is Walker's Velvet Queen, and she is black and beautiful! Her coat actually looks like velvet. She is short and stout, and 14.1 at the withers and more like 14.3 at the rump! She was born in Iowa, in September, just like me! Her birthday is the 13th and mine is the 27th. She had a nice consistent fox trot gait until this spring. For some unknown reason, she started working with a nice slow running walk, and I encouraged it and enjoyed it....and now she only does the running walk almost all the time, no matter how fast she is moving!
My husband purchased her at a horse sale, just because she cuddled her nose into his arm and he fell for it and bought her on the spot! That was before he realized she has a very alpha nature. So I tried to "fix it" and learned you can't fix alpha, just like you can't fix "MARE!"
I'll talk more about Lady...and I'd like to hear about YOUR mares, too! Come on, join in and let's explore this World of Mares!
About Me
- Betsy Kelleher
- Granite City, Illinois, United States
- I am a horse lover who writes from a Christian perspective. I own three horses and two of them are gaited. My husband and I trail ride less than we used to, just getting older and we have less energy to load up in the trailer and take off to those faraway park areas! My mare is a Tennessee Walker, an alpha minded girl of 13 years, but very affectionate. Because of Lady, I put together a collection of stories about mares: MARES! (ya gotta love em) - Fifty Stories to Aid & Inspire Mare Owners. And because of Lady, I want to continue my interest in mares through this blog!
7 comments:
Blog looks great, Betsy!
I don't own a horse, but I volunteer at an Andalusian breeding farm. My favorite broodmare, Mia, did that nose in the crook of the arm thing and licked my hand when I met her and I was hooked. I later learned she was so dominant, not with me, but with the other horses. She would chase them away in the pasture so she could have me all to herself.
My most precious moment with her was shortly before her last foal was due. She was standing in the pasture, staring into space, and I went to say hello to her. She nickered softly and rested her chin heavily on my shoulder as if to say "When is my baby coming?" I told her it would be soon. We stayed like that for ages, watching the wind in the leaves. 24 hours later she was once again a proud mama, but the birth was so difficult the owners decided it was her time to retire from foaling. Now she lives on a California ranch and I miss her very much, but know she is happy in a nice warm climate after producing so many beautiful babies!
Hey Betsy! Love the new blog spot.
Yes, I believe too that you just "know" when it is the right horse. Sounds like your husband is really in tune with your mare and she spoke to him that day. I have a relationship like that with my Appaloosa mare Candy. Sometimes you don't need words in order to have a conversation, right?
All the Best,
Beverly
Betsy-you and my girl look wonderful-I now have my first mare (shes still considered a filly I think) and there is a definate difference between her and my geldings-shes a little more- bossy and inquisitive-dont know if thats the mare part or the baby part-only time will tell-congrats on the blog-I love it so far!!!!Debbie
Hi Betsy! Lady is charming!! My mare Gem is a hugger too...she gives the BEST all around neck hugs I've ever had from any horse! I came to have her in my life when a friend that found her undernourished in a field couldn't purchase her...I knew I wanted GEM in my life the first time I laid eyes on her. She is a gentle near giant (Percheron/Qtr cross) and was a true 'diamond in the rough'. She has blessed me with a sublime gentle personality and is going to be worth many times her weight in gold someday! She is newly under saddle (at about 7 yrs old) and is so steady and gentle. I have given her back to GOD as my finances aren't great but she is in a good place right now and doesn't have to go anywhere. IF God chooses to bring a new home to her then I must let her go...but if HE supplies the needs and means for me to keep her then I will!!! I look forward to sharing with everyone as she grows and as she grows ME as I work with her:-) Thanks Betsy for your prayers...God brought me a long way from Missouri back to my loved NC and HE always has reasons beyond what we can comprehend or dream! Bless you all who read and share:-)
Betsy, you know I also have a book on horses,soon to be available for purchase, and thanks for your help and suggestions as I was writing it: The Horse That Wouldn't Trot, My Life with Tennessee Walkin Horses, Lessons Learned and Memories Shared" www.rosemiller.net (thanks for allowing me to share here!)
I have a lot of mare stories in it,too. One of my favorite mares is Sunday Praise, by my stallion, Praise Hallelujah. We tried to name the babies with some form of bibical reference. She was a great show mare until '06 when I retired. Sunday was 8 then. I am having a problem with her that perhaps other mare (although this isn't a female only problem, I am sure)may have had. She lives to EAT and that is about all. She has become fat on "air,", she is always on a diet and just like her human counterparts, hates it, so now she is fat and cranky. I hear her say to me, "I feel so ugly." I don't know what to do. I read somewhere that ulcers can cause huge appetites, but my vet doesn't believe it. However, I might try a ulcer preparation anyway, just to see.
I still ride her but in northern IN the weather is closing in on us. Our family is contemplating a move to AZ when hubby retires which might be next year, in AZ I can ride more and she won't have all this grass, but I don't know if her attitude would change.
Has anyone else ever had this problem and what did you do??
Rose, wish I had the answer...because my Lady is also a big eater! She eats anything and everything unless she is sick. Her hay was thrown out on top of fresh limestone for awhile, so she ended up with limestone in her insides, with diarrhea and even colic a few times! Then she was eating her manure. I started giving her a more complete vitamin/mineral supplement, which has stopped the manure eating. I'm still giving her Fiberpsyll on a regular basis with a weekly bran mash, hoping to get rid of the limestone she still has. And I really do believe it helps to do more with her, riding, grooming, walking with her, being with her. She can't eat when we're doing things together.
Rose, I got your email about "mare magic" and I'm going to try it. You said it helped with the marish days, and also with the heavy desire to eat? Yes, I plan to try that one.
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