The summer has been amazing here in Alberta, we had tons of rain and the pastures are so thick; the haying was hampered by how tangled and moist the grass grew. The mare and foals are out on pasture about 16 hours a day. Our pasture this year has everything: alfalfa, brome, timothy, and some wild grass I don’t know but that the horses love to graze.
The foals are surprisingly not engaging with each other yet. It will take a bit longer. The black colt Pavarotti is certainly mischievous enough but the palomino Marcello seems lower energy and not as motivated to engage. He is cheeky however and they will play a bit of ” I will bite your face-no you won’t” but then they break it off before it goes any further.
The mares have settled in an odd dynamic. Krea moves Zig, who moves Peppy but Peppy moves Krea… I thought it was transitory when I first put them all together but it seems to be holding.
Thankfully Zig has returned to her old self: she loves to be out in the pasture and eats her fill. For a few months: when she was heavy in foal and when she was quite protective of her new boy she just would not venture out into the pasture. Glad to see her back in the thick grass, feeding that growing baby of hers.
The two colts could not be more different than night and day. Not only are their color quite different but their temperament and their physical appearances are also polar opposite. Pavarotti is bold and curious and energetic and has the look at me attitude. He is compact, short coupled, his short back matches his short neck. His bum is already round with muscles and he knows how to use them. Marcello is quiet and reserved, curious, and cheeky but in an introverted way. He is lanky, slim, and lean. He has no idea he looks stunning and so he carries himself like an unassuming old quarter horse. They are almost the same size but somehow Marcello looks way taller because of his proportions. Pavarotti looks more imposing because of his carriage.
They are starting to walk quite well in hand and picking up their feet is no problem. Neither of them needs attention from the farrier at this time but by the time they do, they will be ready.
