Peru'vn Around Ranch

01/11/2024

Brick loses control around horse feed..especially the Triple Crown Feed flaxseed that’s on and in his nose.😂

12/16/2023

A beautiful and enjoyable day caroling with all of these lovely friends! Thank you for sharing in the joy. Could not have done this without you Sharon!

12/16/2023

There go the carolers on horseback! I’m following behind pulling a hay wagon for those who aren’t on foot or horseback. More photos to come!

Thank you to all who joined us in the last minute caroling in the neighborhood!

12/14/2023

Brick celebrating Day of the Horse…hugs and love to all the ponies out there!

12/09/2023

Will you be my friend? I have an empty feed bucket.❤️😂

11/28/2023

The moon is quite spectacular tonight!

11/22/2023

Keeping track of Brick & his friend Chowda on a night walk.
Thanks to a good friend for the idea of using our headlamps on the dogs!

11/22/2023

Do you like coffee? Here’s your chance to buy delicious coffee and help a company increase their donations to rescues who dedicate funds to the care of dogs needing permanent homes.

11/20/2023

Great information! I strive to “listen” to not of my horses but also the 3 who are boarded with us. Listening to them also creates trust and bond with the horses providing them security they will be cared for in the way they need.

Horses are generally content and compliant animals—unlike humans, they don’t typically have “bad days” that negatively affect their personalities due to emotional duress. Furthermore, as a prey animal they are cognitively designed NOT to show stress or injury, or else they will be recognized as a target by a predator, or bumped down the herd hierarchy.

If a horse is acting differently, it is almost undoubtedly due to a medical issue. We can appreciate this as lameness, but typically the behavioral signs preclude an obvious gait abnormality. Sometimes these behaviors seem chronic (e.g., “He/she always pins their ears when we tighten the girth, or bites at my leg when I ask for more effort.”), but it is important to remember that many horses live with chronic pain. It is rare that a horse is angry or cranky as a result of its genetic nature. Admittedly, some horses “train” their people to back off if they demonstrate a particular behavior, but pain absolutely should be ruled out before coming to this conclusion.

Therefore, if your horse is acting differently, or comes out stiff or lame, it is necessary to consider medical reasons for this behavior, even if your equine friend “works out of it.” As pain is generated, the horse’s body releases pain modifying agents in order to perform its job—which once again goes back to being a prey animal.

As the guardians of these magnificent animals, it is imperative that we “listen” to what the horse is trying to tell us and at the very least get a medical expert’s non-biased opinion about what could be going on, in order to rule out injury or illness as a contributing factor. We owe it to the horse.

Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee
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Want to learn more? Watch the documentary based on Dr. Sue Dyson’s groundbreaking work on signs of pain in the ridden horse here: https://equimanagement.com/news/dr-sue-dyson-featured-in-new-equine-documentary-on-the-24-behaviors-of-the-ridden-horse-in-pain/

11/12/2023

Pretty sure they think I’m nuts.🤪

11/07/2023

Dats mah boy!😃 Held him back from walking into the reception area. Perhaps he wanted a beer.😂

Let’s play a round of “Caption This”! Leave your captions in the comments below⬇️

11/01/2023

Happy Halloween!

How we greet trick or treaters at the ranch.😀

10/27/2023

Frosty morning at the ranch.😂

Definitely not ready for this cold!

10/22/2023

Bestest husband getting our new to us “Lotta” ready for winter with tracks and plow.

Evie got up early this morning to learn how to drive Lotta, participate in an LCHA event with Rose and a birthday party!

10/07/2023

The pony dog testing the new hay net before the horses.😂

10/06/2023

There’s always one….If you know, you know.😂

10/04/2023

🐴 Here are 15 interesting facts about a horse's brain:.
1. A horse’s brain is relatively small compared to the size of its body, and accounts for only about 0.1% of its total weight.
2. Despite their small size, horses have very complex brains, with a highly developed cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for conscious thought, decision-making and memory.
3. Horses can learn and remember complex tasks, such as navigating a jump course or performing a dressage routine, through a process called associate learning.
4. Like humans, horses have a left hemisphere and a right hemisphere in the brain, each with specialized functions. The left hemisphere is responsible for the processing of logical and analytical information, while the right hemisphere is more involved in emotional processing and creative thinking.
5. Horses have a great memory and can remember specific people, places and experiences for many years.
6. Horses can learn by observation, and often they can acquire new behaviors and skills simply by observing other horses or humans.
7. Horses have a very sensitive sense of touch and can detect even the slightest pressure or movement on their skin. This helps them respond to subtle cues from your rider or guide.
8. Horses can process visual information very quickly and accurately, allowing them to avoid potential hazards and navigate their environment with ease.
9. Horses are social animals and rely on nonverbal communication to interact with other horses in their herd. This communication is facilitated by the horse’s brain, which can interpret subtle changes in body language, facial expressions and vocalizations.
10. Ultimately, like all animals, horses have a unique personality and individual traits that are shaped by their experiences, genetics and environment—all of which is reflected in their brain function and behavior.
11. Horses have a very strong sense of smell and their odor bulb, which processes smells, is relatively large compared to other parts of their brain.
12. The brain, which is responsible for coordinating movement and balance, is also relatively large in horses. This is because horses must be able to move quickly and efficiently to escape predators or navigate through difficult terrain.
13. Horses have a very high pain threshold, which is believed to be related to how their brains process pain signals. While this can be beneficial in some situations, it can also mean that horses may not show obvious signs of pain, making it harder for their caregivers to detect and treat underlying health issues.
14. The hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory, is particularly well developed in horses.. This allows them to remember not only specific experiences, but also general concepts and patterns that they can apply to new situations.
15. Finally, studies have shown that horses, like other animals, are capable of experiencing emotions such as fear, happiness, and anger. These emotions are believed to be mediated by the limbic system, a group of interconnected brain structures that play a key role in regulating mood and behavior.

10/01/2023

Photo dump!

I don’t always get around to posting or organizing photos in proper albums.

Thank you for the continued support of our page and those who board here entrusting us with your beloved pets that are family members to you and us!

Enjoy and you’re welcome!

10/01/2023

My little pot of gold under the rainbow.

09/26/2023

Treat time!

09/24/2023

Quality time with “mah gurl” this gorgeous Colorado day! Looking forward to getting back in the saddle soon!

09/17/2023

Evening walk in the field and captured the beautiful horses by sunset.

09/12/2023

Rosie and I are back from Custer, SD. The others had great care while I was gone although turns out they missed me as much as I them.❤️

09/01/2023

At our ranch we strive to create a safe, happy and healthy environment where critters (ours or others) feel comfortable and look forward to human interaction.
Diamond is one of our boarded horses. She’s 28 years old and super sweet.

Diamond chose to join the dogs and I on a walk this evening.❤️

08/30/2023

We are outside a great deal although it’s rare I have the chance to capture the sunrise and moonrise on the same day.