Look Ma, no legs

Some how I deleted my original post about Lim's legs when I was trying to tag/ label it:-( Sorry I deleted everyone's comments too, stupid blogger! So here it is again! It always cracks me up when I see her laying like this. I call this her "turtle" mode. She's a great dog to sleep with too because she folds up into just a torso.

I'll also take this time to brag on Kroger grocery store for those of you in the Southeast. I was in there the other day and was amazed and happy to find made in/from USA rawhide. They also had a huge selection on treats and some organic dog food. I bought 2 cans of Brandon Farms canned food to put into the girl's Kongs, they love them!

Like Father Like Son

This is Lester's daddy, Non-Wet. I'm told his barn name was Sean. I searched through his pedigree to figure out how one comes up with a registered name as "Non-Wet" and can find no reason. It's just weird. So from there if you click on "Progeny" you will find the names of his offspring. Lester is "Little Bit Wet" and has a half sister named "Slightly Slippery". His other TB half siblings are Irish Muffin and The Dancing Machine and didn't get a name like dad's.
On a whim one day about 7 years ago I wrote on a Ohio Horsey forum (Lester was born and raised in OH)asking about the farm where Non-Wet resided and if anyone new the Harpers who had bred my Lester. Well I got an email from a girl named Christi saying she knew the Harpers and had pictures of Non-Wet, AKA Sean. She also told me she had a QH mare that was bred to him at the time and was waiting it's arrival. It turned out to be a filly and she named her White House Lady AKA Hillary. It was fun seeing a picture of Lester's daddy and a half sibling, he defiantly got his daddy's eyes. According to Christi he also got his dad's personality too because she said Sean was a very sweet, laid back stud.

The Internet is great isn't it? We can track down so much information these days. Three years ago I was able to track down Lester's one and only Win Photo from his racing days. The photographer still had a copy of it even though it was 11 years old. So for $18 I was able to get a real piece of history on Lester! :-)

Anger Management

Limo is in need for some serious anger management. She can't stand it when I pull up next to the pasture and Lester comes up. This is the same thing we have to deal with at home when Peanut or any other dog comes up to us while we sit on the couch or bed. Oh and she does it when another dog comes up to her too. She growls, licks nervously and shakes uncontrollably. Sometimes the whites of her eyes go red too.

We've tried our best to "rehabilitate" her, but she seriously goes into that "Red Zone" dog that the Dog Whisperer talks about. We found that forcing her to be submissive and holding her down till she gives up doesn't work at all. It makes it worse. Kicking her out of the room and putting her in a time out works the best.

13 Years

I bought Lester 13 years ago today. Last year I posted about that day so I'll just direct you back there... back in time.

January 11, 1996

Sometimes it's hard to believe that I have had a horse since I was 11 years old. That's over half of my life! Before Lester I had a mare named Chocolate Moose for 6 years that I rode hunter/jumper with. She was literally a dream come true. Then I bought a little QH mare and named her Button and sold her 8 months later for a little profit. With that money I bought Lester.

I got on him yesterday. He was a good boy, we even trotted a little. I did a posting trot for the first time in 6 months.

Lester the Grouch

Picturesque huh?
It's didn't last. We tried turning Frosty, the lone mare on the property, out with Lester and Polo yesterday morning. Lester kept herding Polo away from her and wouldn't let them sniff each other, but other than that it seemed like it really might work out. Since I've owned Lester, 13 years this month, he's never been out with a mare. The horses spotted the humans walking down the driveway and trotted over to check things out, from there it just turned ugly. Lester and Polo both turned on Frosty and began chasing her and biting her when ever they could reach. The rain soaked ground made for horrible footing and they were all slipping and sliding. It was quite clear they weren't going to stop until someone got seriously hurt so I retrieved my wild gelding and put him and Polo in a separate pasture. So much for that plan.

Lester is top man in the herd rankings and makes sure everyone knows it. He is such a bully:-( I do appreciate the fact that he doesn't reach out and bite someone walking by his stall, but he can be down right mean in the pasture. He guards the gate and chases away anyone that comes too close.

He's been really grouchy and grumpy even more lately, but I have too so maybe I'm rubbing off on him. He seems to hate being turned out lately, in no time he's pacing the fence line and calling to any and everyone to be brought in. I guess he knows there is a full bag of hay waiting for him in his stall. Lazy boy, again I'm probably rubbing off on him.