Thursday, January 20, 2011

HoneyBandit: school boy

HoneyBandit & Auntie Terri/photo by P. Armstrong

Dear Readers,
Most of us have never thought about teaching manners to a rescue foal who's been treated (out of necessity!) more like a baby bird than a baby horse. That's what Palomino is working on right now and she's going to tell you about it Enjoy! Terri

Softly, almost shyly, Honey Bandit walks up and lays his head against my chest. He is such a love bug. All he knows right now (once I stopped poking him all the time and sticking things into him, is that I love him and I am his "safe" place. He is slowly learning that he can no longer lean on me, and that he cannot play "rough horse play" with his human family. It can be a very hard lesson for them.
One of the hard or dangerous things about raising a baby that starts out so critically ill or traumatized, is that although staying close, loving on them, cuddling them, being "one" with them is necessary to help them survive, it can cause nightmares later. When your two day old, (or in Honey Bandit's case I think he was 3 months old before he could voluntarily "come to me") comes running up to see you and crashes into you it is just "way cute". But picture 1000 or more pounds of that same loving horse flying up to see you and bumping into you. That can be deadly. But in critical cases, it is not an option whether you share your space with them when they're small; it can be the difference between losing your baby or "pulling them back to life".
When Honey Bandit was lying on the blue mat at the veterinary hospital, he was in a coma so deep that the Dr. thought we would lose him before she could get the iv in. I kept reaching in his mouth and messing with his tongue. I simply wanted to reach through that fog and let him know someone was there.
But now it's time to teach Honey Bandit about the "space" issue. He doesn't get to come into my space unless he is invited. Chilly Pepper DID NOT like her "Lessons in appropriate space etiquette 101". But she did survive.
HoneyBandit is simply "growing up" and needs to become a well behaved "toddler". He does very well, but he has a tendency to forget that I am not Patches or DaBubbles and that he has to "play" with mommy in a more respectful manner. I have a feeling he is going to be huge someday and I need him to have exemplary manners. With my leg it doesn't take much to knock me down, and America's Poster Boy to Stop the Round Ups need to represent our beloved mustangs in a manner befitting of their level of intelligence!

Honey Bandit sends his love to all. X o

Labels: Honey Bandit, Palomino

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 5:57 PM

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Comments: I understand just what you are saying. I raised an orphan colt from 1 day old through death threatening illnesses to the point that he had to learn that he was not human.. He was a horse like those guys on the other side of the fence that frightened him so. It was difficult..We loved each other so much, but his play could be dangerous. But the happiest day was the day that he was old enough to be ridden, and could carry his own person with him..on him. He was a beautiful gray 17 H TB/Warmblood.
  That's a great story. I can almost see him !
  Hi Terri =)

I have no idea where I commented at when you replied on December 26th last year lol.
I only just got it today... (sad huh? haha)
I was replying because I'm curious.

You have a prequel to the "Phantom Stallion series"?? I had no idea you did.
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