Day Six: So Junior has been at the Sanctuary for just shy of a week. I introduced him to the mares and to the geldings over the fence. Junior has no interest in being with the horses when I'm around. He desperately tries to hang out with the mares but Rabbit will have none of that.
When Junior sees me, it's almost like the world stops. I've never had a horse watch me so closely. Bo will watch but not with such hawk like precision. I am guessing it's because I grain Junior. I have no idea if he ever received any grain on a daily basis.
I was told that he was hard to catch. Last night I was late in getting out to do chores and when I went to get Junior, he put his nose into the halter. The only reason he backed away was because the mares came into his space. He has a very large bubble. I can enter that bubble now that I grain him, but no one else is allowed in.
Junior is not a demanding horse (unlike some where they whinny and paw at the stalls). Junior will simply reach his full height and keep his head over the corral panels/fence waiting and watching me. When he's in his stall (and he's eaten all of his grain), he'll follow my everywhere I go.
I do believe that if Junior had thumbs, he'd put his halter on himself and walk right into his stall. I'm not yet ready to trust him to simply open the gate without a halter and lead rope to get him into his stall. But I expect within a month, I'll simply put his mash into his stall and open the stall door and then open the gate to the pen to let him out. I think the way to his heart is through his stomach.
I don't like how thin he is but is what the owner said is his normal weight. I want to see if graining him will help and keeping him stalled away from all other horses so there's absolutely no competition will change the weight issue.
For grain, Junior is receiving one scoop of Nutrena Senior, one scoop Nutrena Stock and Stable (sweet feed), and a half a scoop of Calf Manna. I haven't introduced beet pulp yet but am waiting until we are in the midst of winter (although I think we are there). I am also throwing him a sliver of alfalfa each night (a sliver from a small square bale). I also feed him a half a sliver of dairy quality hay from a 3x3 hay bale. I have not weight any of his feed but the normal herd receives a half a sliver of hay (from the 3x3 bale of hay) and they maintain their weight. With the colder temps, I've been throwing Junior and the rest of the herd alfalfa. The herd of 10 receives one bale of alfalfa (one small sliver each) and the mares and Junior receive a sliver each of alfalfa. The ponies do not get alfalfa (and never will unless they discover where the alfalfa is stashed).
I have not seen any improvements in weight on Junior but I didn't expect to see any, especially when he came right at the beginning of this horrible cold snap (and there's added stress of moving and routines). If we are to see any weight gain, it'll be another month from now. With the winter hair, it might be impossible to know.
I did refrain from throwing a blanket or a sheet on him Saturday. He has a very thick winter coat and the sheet I had, I didn't think he would benefit from it. I also didn't want to rush him (and I'd be putting the sheet on in the dark). I am unsure how Junior will handle a blanket/sheet, especially when I have to touch the left rear leg. No one is allowed to touch the left rear leg (says Junior...with a kick).
But I expect we will be blanketing Junior once we find a heavier blanket than the no fill blanket/sheet.
But in the week that we've had Junior, he's already picked up the routine and enjoys his grain mash. It's a little unnerving to have a horse watch me so close, but I guess that means he's happy. I'm starting to get the impression that he thinks he's died and gone to heaven. I can only hope that we can keep him happy!
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