This message is from: "windago" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear list, My family and I went camping this past weekend with Ben, the Fjord, and Blackhawk, our gaited appaloosa. First off, this was our first campout with Ben. I was concerned about him as he and Blackhawk don't exactly see eye to eye, with Ben on the bottom of the pecking order. But, Ben and Blackhawk did VERY well standing tied near each other throughout the weekend. Hardly any fighting, just a few "threats" with hooves, but no actual kicks. Ben would "lick" Blackhawk on his sides. I have never witnessed this with any of our other horses. He was too cute when he was doing this. Perhaps he was licking the salty sweat off Blackhawk.....who knows??
Ben the brave, as he was called after not getting crazy when his back leg became entangled in some dead vines, was the star of the weekend. Many comments were made about "the fat little cute pony" to a comment from a small child who said, " I like that pony. He looks like a zebra". (referring to his cut mane). There even was a rider who actually knew that he was a Fjord, as her husband was Dutch. Ben did VERY well in his Old Mac boots. He kept right up with the gaited horses ( for the most part.....except for the mudholes which almost swallowed him whole....being a horse on short legs...ha ha). I feel that he did have to get used to the way the boots changed his way of going. But by the last ride this afternoon, he never missed a step. He was such a good boy!!! The weather was iffy at first, with all most 2 inches of rain Thursday night. We almost did not get to go as we had trouble getting the trailer out of the field Friday morning. By Saturday morning, some of the trails at Cuiver River State Park had dried up nicely and the scenery was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!. We could not have asked for a more beautiful weekend or such wonderful horses!!! I just wanted to share Ben's first campout experience. Teresa Farley Missouri
