I had to clip Tivar today, he was sweating too much. Last year this time when i clipped him he danced, flattened his ears, cocked his foot one time as if to kick at me, gave one little half rear and then settled in grudgingly, obviously hating it. then spring, the same but a little better. i decided he just hates clipping. Then today, when i first turned on the clippers he danced away as far as the lead would allow, then stopped, obviously a little unhappy but did not try and avoid the clippers at all and by the time i was done with the first stripe he was totally relaxed. I adjusted them so they do not cut all the way to his skin so he doesnt looked obviously clipped, just leaner and closer :) But interesting to see how he has settled down this year. I put a brand new fly mask on him and he walked over to the pole barn pole and immediately bowed his head, rubbed his ears in a downward motion and seemed sorta proud of himself when it dropped to the ground. he kinda swaggered when he walked off, like "heres your fly mask, right here..." But I also in thinking about it realized he does not mind a bath anymore, actually enjoys it. When he first came he did not like baths much. There is nothing like a hot florida summer to teach a horse to love a good bath, and today was the first time i noticed he is finally ok with having his face washed, which most horses dont like i think. I sprayed half of him with a natural citronella insecticide and half with the strong strong stuff i have for gnats and stood and watched as a little cloud of gnats built up around the 'natural" side. It was in fact interesting I could see where he needed more spots of insecticide applied. I also cleaned his sheath, he was totally fine with that. now i gotta find his fly mask that fits... i found the most BIZARRE source of gnat breeding ground... a giant weed that has a milky stalk. it had grown so big in the fenceline I went to stomp it down and gnats came boiling out in a thick cloud! Janice
-- yipie tie yie yo
