Anyway, let's see if I can update you with all that's been happening lately.
Marty is an alien. No question about it. Sometimes I think he is the answer to any spiritual question anyone has had. He's got it! All the answers to the universe. No kidding.
But aside from that. I've been able to do so much with him.
Oh wait, I must interject.
A BLM employee, who treated Marty's eye infection when he was first captured, came by on Sunday last week to help me with a few things. I was having trouble making Marty do circles and also backing up. She got him on the right track. While she was backing him up, I happened to mention that sometimes when he gets frustrated he 'strikes' with his hoof. JUST as I mentioned that to her, Marty reared up and ripped her shirt off! Yes, you read correctly...Reared up, hoof came down and tore her spaghetti strapped pink shirt right off of her!! And, as expected from a horse trainer, she just kept scolding and scolding with the whip not even worried about her shirt being torn! Once I realized his hooves had not touched her skin and she was okay, I felt better, but it was still pretty scary! She was a 'Fencepost'. No anger, no emotions, just discipline. After she left, I made sure Marty understood the backing up process over and over again.
A few days later I decided to put Marty in the corral and then add the two mares, Honey and Sassy. They got real possessive and tried to corner him in the barn and he cut his eye trying to escape (hit it on the barn wall). He also got a cut on his hip. I should have waited and put the 3 of them out in the pasture first then herded them into the corral at night. They are all fine now. Just the first night was rough.
A few days later, I put Bocephus in the corral with Marty. Bocephus, if you remember, is my troublesome 18 year old mustang bred, cut-proud gelding. I was so surprised at how good he did in the corral with Marty. They did so well. My mistake was putting Bo's 23 year old Mustang Mama Honey and his 13 year old Auntie Sassy in the corral with them! It turned into quite a wreck! All 3 of them 'herded' Marty in the barn and cornered him and beat the crapola out of him! Oh I felt bad! I tried to get in the middle of Bo and Marty and the next thing I knew I was lying flat on the ground in the corral with Marty's hooves flying over me! No worries. I'm fine. Stupid! But fine. But Marty once again got beat up pretty good. He was so scared he ran through the corral fence and tore the post out and knocked out a few boards. That's when I knew he was scared for his life! I finally got all 3 horses out and was able to tend to Marty. He put his little yearling head on my shoulder and sighed a big sigh of relief after it was all over. My poor sweet Marty. He's fine though. He actually wanted out with the herd right after that. (Guess he's got a few things he wants to 'say' to Bo. We'll wait till he gets a little bigger before we do THAT again!).
Anyway, I think I will have to keep Bocephus separate until Marty gets bigger. The mares are okay with him now but when Bo gets in the picture, the dynamics are way different. It was funny because Honey seemed to actually 'push' Bo into Marty! What's up with that? Seriously, if anyone does any 'horsewatching' please comment on what you think happened here! I'd love to know!
So other than those few fiascoes, Marty gets caught, groomed and loaded into the horse trailer every night. Then he gets his oats and corn husks (He LOVES those corn husks!). That is all going well. Tonight, I closed the horse trailer up and let him sit there for about 30 minutes. He didn't move a muscle and was totally quiet! Good ol' Marty anyway!
I also ponied him on Honey for 1.5 hours in the desert! He did perfect, if I do say so myself! He really is a sweetie!
I love Marty.
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