My mustang, Ranger, has never liked the worming paste required to keep horses in captivity healthy. Actually, that's not quite right. He HATES the stuff. It's a major battle the 3-4 times a year he gets the stuff injected into his mouth. For such a little guy, he can sure go through the lead ropes and halters, pulling back until they pop, then standing there, looking at me saying "You like it so much, YOU eat it".
Today, I snubbed him up good and tight to an iron pipe rail, so the side of his face was right up to the pipe, and pulled the syringe out of my pocket. I expected the usual violent reaction. Nothing. I pulled the cap off the tube, and expected him to jump.
Nothing.
I put the tube into his mouth and pressed the plunger.
Nothing.
I pulled the now empty syringe out and re-capped it.
Nothing.
I untied the lead rope, and stood back holding the rope.
Nothing.
And I do mean nothing. He stood there, with his cheeks bulging with wormer paste, refusing to swallow. Soon, the yellow slime mixed with horse spit began leaking out of his hay-hole onto the ground, lead rope, my foot, his chest... but no other movement. Just standing there, staring at me, and oozing.
"All right, Ranger, if I take you over to graze in the yard for a little while, will you PLEASE swallow that crap?"
Ever hear a horse say "Okay" with his mouth full?
Bill
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI hate getting outsmarted by a horse. It's bad enough to have my 4-year old do that all the time, but when a four-legged child does that...
I am totally giggling while picturing Ranger's face!
Did he spit it out all over the grass?
ReplyDeleteRemember when Meeker tried to hide between the truck's back window and the headache bar?
Dang smart horses! Though dumb ones would be much more boring.
just another convincing point to quads....
ReplyDeleteYou never have to worm them, they don't spit out the oil, and you never have to step in their exhaust....
just saying....
*snicker*
can anyone say passive aggressive. LOL. I taught my mustang to eat it with clicker training. He still doesn't like it though and gives me the stink eye.
ReplyDeleteMr. Daddy... my horse has yet to get stuck in the mud on your favorite trail ;) For all of you who are wondering, our son was an infant and the poor new mom had to get out and WALK THROUGH THE MUD with the baby while he dug us out.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, I jabbered about my horse the whole time ;)
Rachel- It was that unemotional detachment he was looking at me with that got me.
ReplyDeleteGD- Meekers avoidance technique was world class.
Mr D.- Yeah, but if you pat your quad on the rear and say "Thanks, boy", people will look at you funny...
TJ and Mark- Never got much further than targeting using clicker training with Ranger. Tried to get to take the wormer, but no treat was worth it to him.
being a farm girl.. that was funny..
ReplyDeleteSheesh ... I thought giving it to my German Shepherd was bad!
ReplyDelete