Post by gypsy79 on Sept 21, 2007 18:15:50 GMT -5
I have started a new thread for Bella. She just didn't look like a Rhapsody to me.
Copy of my last post from her other thread (originally posted on 9-17):
I have learned a few things about Bella in the week she has been here.
She doesn't like her face touched much. She isn't much of a "pocket pony". She just doesn't have that "love me" attitude. She will warm up to you a bit after you have been petting on her. Maybe this will change. She really doesn't like her mouth touched. It made it hard for my trainer to get a look at her teeth, but a quick glimpse suggested to the trainer that she's not 12-14 years old, but could actually be younger. I have not had a vet confirm this. She did allow me to scissor-cut a bridle path the very first day. She also had some nasty matts in her mane and tail. She allowed me to brush those out the first day too, but she did walk off a couple of times.
She has foaled in the past. The trainer was checking on her overall condition and gave an udder a squeeze and some milk came out. I don't know how many times she may have foaled. I don't know if mares can have milk for extended periods after a foal has been weaned. I don't know if they can lactate at any time if they have previously foaled. My neighbor (who adopted CBER Martini) said Bella looked pregnant to her as soon as she saw her in person. But then again, she thinks that every horse looks pregnant if they are in good shape and that they are just way too skinny if you can even feel a rib! I really don't think there's a foal on the way, but I will be keeping an eye on her weight distribution and that udder!
Her feet are in horrible condition. She has a few vertical cracks too. I hope they are just surface things and not much to worry about, but the farrier should be able to tell me more on Friday. She let me pick up both of the fronts and I picked them out. She does want to lean on me. But it's pretty obvious from their condition that she has either never had farrier care or it has been very, very inconsistent! With the back feet, she won't actually pick them up for me, but she will lean forward and kind of tilt them up. You can get a good view of the entire bottom of them this way. I'm sure hoping that she'll be good for the farrier on Friday!
On a very positive note, she is very careful around me. I was cleaning her scratches up on her hind legs and she was getting a bit irritated with my scrubbing at them. She gave a big stomp, like they do when they are being irritated by flies. Well, she came down right on top of my foot. But she realized that it was not the ground, but my foot, and immediately lifted her foot off of mine. I didn't even get a bruise from it (and I bruise easily).
Another positive, she nickers at me when she sees me heading for the barn to feed her. It may be that she's anxious for breakfast (or dinner), but I want to think that she also wants to see me.
Yet another positive, she watches for me when I come out of the house and when I call to her, she stands very tall with her ears pricked up and watches me, whether I'm going to the barn for food or not.
And lastly, even though she's not a pocket pony, she is getting so that she will follow me at least partway back to the gate whenever I leave after working with her or petting her.
I would love to have more information on this girl. I wonder if I could contact her former PS and see if they have any more information on any of the drafts. Maybe LauraS has some since I think Bella (Rhapsody) came in with Vesper and Passion.
So I guess that's about it for now. Pictures and more info will be coming along.
Copy of my last post from her other thread (originally posted on 9-17):
I have learned a few things about Bella in the week she has been here.
She doesn't like her face touched much. She isn't much of a "pocket pony". She just doesn't have that "love me" attitude. She will warm up to you a bit after you have been petting on her. Maybe this will change. She really doesn't like her mouth touched. It made it hard for my trainer to get a look at her teeth, but a quick glimpse suggested to the trainer that she's not 12-14 years old, but could actually be younger. I have not had a vet confirm this. She did allow me to scissor-cut a bridle path the very first day. She also had some nasty matts in her mane and tail. She allowed me to brush those out the first day too, but she did walk off a couple of times.
She has foaled in the past. The trainer was checking on her overall condition and gave an udder a squeeze and some milk came out. I don't know how many times she may have foaled. I don't know if mares can have milk for extended periods after a foal has been weaned. I don't know if they can lactate at any time if they have previously foaled. My neighbor (who adopted CBER Martini) said Bella looked pregnant to her as soon as she saw her in person. But then again, she thinks that every horse looks pregnant if they are in good shape and that they are just way too skinny if you can even feel a rib! I really don't think there's a foal on the way, but I will be keeping an eye on her weight distribution and that udder!
Her feet are in horrible condition. She has a few vertical cracks too. I hope they are just surface things and not much to worry about, but the farrier should be able to tell me more on Friday. She let me pick up both of the fronts and I picked them out. She does want to lean on me. But it's pretty obvious from their condition that she has either never had farrier care or it has been very, very inconsistent! With the back feet, she won't actually pick them up for me, but she will lean forward and kind of tilt them up. You can get a good view of the entire bottom of them this way. I'm sure hoping that she'll be good for the farrier on Friday!
On a very positive note, she is very careful around me. I was cleaning her scratches up on her hind legs and she was getting a bit irritated with my scrubbing at them. She gave a big stomp, like they do when they are being irritated by flies. Well, she came down right on top of my foot. But she realized that it was not the ground, but my foot, and immediately lifted her foot off of mine. I didn't even get a bruise from it (and I bruise easily).
Another positive, she nickers at me when she sees me heading for the barn to feed her. It may be that she's anxious for breakfast (or dinner), but I want to think that she also wants to see me.
Yet another positive, she watches for me when I come out of the house and when I call to her, she stands very tall with her ears pricked up and watches me, whether I'm going to the barn for food or not.
And lastly, even though she's not a pocket pony, she is getting so that she will follow me at least partway back to the gate whenever I leave after working with her or petting her.
I would love to have more information on this girl. I wonder if I could contact her former PS and see if they have any more information on any of the drafts. Maybe LauraS has some since I think Bella (Rhapsody) came in with Vesper and Passion.
So I guess that's about it for now. Pictures and more info will be coming along.
;D 
