Characters at the barn

So the routine changes based on how much grain everyone gets and weather I want to brave having Thunder in the barn, but usually, Super and Thor eat together, and Thunder and Panther eat together. Thunder spills grain everywhere and then breaks into the not too secure feed-bin. 

The roadway up to the barn is quite steep so I usually slide two feed tubs down. Thor takes his and takes his. And then they share. Each get 1 kilo of sweet feed in the evenings and since the weather has been so hot and humid, a quarter scoop of a supplement. They also have salt and mineral licks and I'm forever changing the water in their troughs from warmed by the sun to cold. 

Korea is a really hot place and the horses are dripping with sweat just eating hay by 10 am.  I'm so happy that Liz opened up the spring behind the barn. With the rock wall and pond, the loafing shed can be much cooler. I know because we have a chair bed back there and have found myself too cold to nap on some very hot days. Which is fine, there is always stuff that needs doing. I have to admit though, it's fun to hang out back there with the horses and no agenda.

Anyway, tonight I sent the feed tubs down and prepared Panther's dinner. Thunder was already in the barn having broken in for dinner. Despite not feeding them at the same time ever, she's learned to read my body language of when the grain is coming. Smart girl. 

So, when I went down I turned around, I realized Thor was not eating his dinner. Panther wasn't eating it either, he's that low in the group. Then I saw Thor, held by the hay net by an eary. Every so often Thor will get stuck this way.  Just an ear mind you, but he's been taught to give to pressure.  And while it took him longer to understand than any horse I've personally trained and was a true trial in patience, now that it's in there he can't not do it.  

Our vet says, Thor reminds people of a not so bright warmblood. But we'd never call him him stupid. For one thing, he's a very, very good boss horse. He's firm but fair. He'll hang out with everyone and really doesn't seem to have a preference for who his buddy is. When they spend their time behind the barn, Thunder is by his side. I mean, right there in the most annoying way possible. Super has little patience for her when she's clingy. Thor also hangs out happily with Super but reminds him of his place. Super has the perseverance of Wile E Coyote. And he hangs out with Panther, sharing a hay net and recently sparing. Which I think is really nice for Panther. For one thing, despite being a stallion, he was too afraid to even think of playing stallion games. As number 4 of the herd, certainly, Thor could really put a stop to it. But there was a break in the weather and so everybody when for a short run and two boys had a fun game. Usually Super spars with Thor so it was just very interesting to see that the game has nothing to do with rank. At least not as far as Thor is concerned.

Thunder spars sometimes too, but she looses interest quickly. Her favorite game is "Run with me!!!" Unless you're riding her, then she's like, "What is this thing canter? I've never heard of it before." Sometimes I think she'd love another mare, but at the same time, it would really be rolling the dice. She's a grumpy girl. And when she grumps at the boys they're all like yeah, yeah, yeah. Another mare might not not. 

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