Love Hurts

After three days on the rope, Danny is better about being tied but he still is very impatient and chews on the rope. It was so hot today that we thought we'd wrap the rope around the center pole on the barn instead of the fence. The spot by the fence was still shaded and relatively cool on a day when the temps hit 92 by 9:30 a.m. But working with Danny there would mean moving the other horses out of their paddock and run-in and old Brandy sprained her "ankle" yesterday. I don't want to move her more than is necessary at the moment.

So, we thought it would be a good idea to improvise and wrap the rope around the pole. One problem: Danny can walk all the way around the pole. Adding to that dilemma and making any other solution totally implausible was Danny's attitude this morning, stubborn and aggressive. Usually, he is sweet and easy to handle in the morning but maybe today's heat was as irritating to him as it was to me because he started his visit with us off by greeting Steve with a bite that left a large, red, swollen welt on his upper arm. Then he kept charging me when I tried to walk him. So I wrapped the rope around the pole hoping to teach him some patience. Considering that he never gave in and relaxed and I was the only one who worked up a sweat trying to keep him from hanging himself on the rope as he merry-go-rounded that pole.......well, I'm not certain that it was such a great idea or one that we will repeat. 

Another "lesson" tonight and we will see how it goes....and if it turns out to be a lesson for Dan or us!? lol

Also working on the name for his papers. Huston tells me that there was a WGC MFT several years ago that was named, Danny Boy. Huston wants us to use Traveler in the name so I'm thinking either Traveler's Flyby Danny or Flyby Travelin' Dan. I had all sorts of gray horse names picked out but Huston thinks he will be a liver chestnut. I'm still not convinced that he won't be a gray but I can't gamble on the chance now with his registered name. 

As for the question of whether he'll remain a stallion, that question, too, is still up in the air. I do know that he will have to start behaving better than he did this morning if he doesn't want to be gelded.