Rocket is Home!

Y'all, Rocket is the cutest thing in the world. We brought her home on Thursday and she has settled in really well! (Her dam is another story for another post - the short version is, she's so obsessed with Grayson that she will actually run away from her filly to get to him. They aren't turned out together, but last night we had to bring the geldings in before the girls, and Somara lost her mind. Ugh.)

My neck is too short!

My legs are too long!

 We worked with Rocket last night, teaching her to yield to pressure, and she did GREAT! Except when we worked on getting her to move off pressure on her hindquarters, because she loves having her butt scratched so much that she just leeeeeeeeeans into it.

Bonding?

 Seriously. She weighs 250 pounds (she gained 120 pounds in two and a half weeks) and she just curls her body toward me and puts all her weight on my hand, while trying to chew on me with her mouth because that's how horses show each other affection. It's hilarious and a bummer, because we're gonna have to stop giving her butt scratches. My plan is to not touch her hindquarters at all for awhile until the area is sensitized again. If that doesn't work, we'll figure something else out.

 I have several videos from before she left Mountaintop Ranch, but I'll have to wait until I'm back in Florida and on a better Internet connection before I upload them.

This hotel has good service.

 Right now she and her dam are spending their nights in the foal stall, or, as I've been calling it, the nursery. They're getting a mare and foal feed but I'm not sure how much Rocket is actually getting. She can't get her nose on the ground that easily so she can't really eat out of a ground feeder, but yesterday since she was lying down at feeding time we just put her food on the ground for her. She's so cute.

Dirt is also yummy.

And in honor of Derby Day, here are a couple of pictures of my personal favorite ex-racehorse that Lovely Barn Mate S sent me on Thursday. I miss the little red mare!

I love that forehead.

No photos, please. I haven't had my coffee.

Anyone else going to watch the Derby? Who are you rooting for?