I know...I'm terrible for not posting

Teja is still THE most amazing girl.

She is always the star at horse shows. She knows our routine. I tie her off on a long line, so she can come and go in and out of the tack stall safely, but still visit with folks. And her size is a nice deterrent to theft. :)

She is just the kindest and most gentle soul I've met. She definitely does her breed proud with her livestock guarding. She gives the goats the distance THEY want, but stays close enough to watch.

She and Bailey are THE best friends. Izzy harasses her from jealousy, but thank the Lord, Teja puts up with it. She even brushed off a HARD butt from one of the goats, Pan. Which got him a swat on the butt from ME. Little turkey made her cry.

Here are a TON of photos from today. Some I'm blowing up to hang on the wall. :)

Teja

Teja is Fantastic

i've had a hell of a month.
my little goat fiona had to be laid to rest on monday in my arms at UF. i'm devastated. utterly heart broken.
i am thankful for the pets i have to keep me going. its been such a struggle. i forget who once told me that anatolians gave the best "hugs".....but they do. teja seems to know when i'm at my worse. she comes over and nudges her head under my arms to get (give?) a hug.
i just wanted to update on how teja is. she's great. i'm not. i will post more when i can. right now....i'm just working on very minium things that need to be done. spending a lot of time with Joy (the little goat Fiona left behind) who is as heart broken as i am. teja is wonderful. she just lays nearby, but doesn't "intrude". that Jacks are "needy" and don't understand. but they get bored of my moping with Joy and go check out other things. honestly, i think teja is mourning some too. or picking up on my mourning. i don't know. but i wanted to update on her.

Teja's Wednesday Update

Teja is doing awesome. she has come SO far out of her shell, she is learning MANNERS now. WAY too big and put on WAY too much weight to jump UP on you. she learns VERY quickly. she went to her second horse show last saturday, and again was the belle of the ball! everyone LOVED my T-shirt I had on- I adopted My Anatolian Shepherd. with a picture of one on the front. i sent a LOT of folks to the web site. a couple for sure seemed like great candidates. she is SO happy and out going now...a completely different girl! i am going to get my best friend rubye to video tape us playing and put it up on youtube. :)
she is SO good in the barn the only time we have an issue is because she is SO quite and still....if she lifts her head when i walk a horse by, it startles the horse who hadn't seen her. LOL most of the horses are used to her now...all but Steve. he's wary of everything though. and honestly, he's the ONLY horse Teja saunters out of the barn to "watch" me ride. other wise, she waits just inside by the BIG utility fan. SMART! she doesn't come out very far, just lays under the tractor...but definitely doesn't nap. my little super girl! :)
she did make the UPS driver nearly fall over from the start she gave him with her bark when he dinged the bell. and i don't mind her startling THIS driver...he's a putz!
i will try and get pix of Teja at the show in Gainesville this weekend. :)

Wowwwww....new horse Steve REALLY pissed Teja off!

part of training and riding horses is that you ARE going to fall off from time to time. 

for whatever reason, today the new horse, Steve, decided to be a complete ASS to mount. as SOON as my butt hit the saddle and before my other foot was in the stirrup....vrrrrroooom! off he went. i got him stopped, chilled him out. but it was ALL over the stupid mounting step he bumped. so, he needed to work on that. i KNEW in my gut...ride him FIRST mary, THEN deal with the block.

but NO...1/2 german side wins again. i REALLY need to go with the 1/2 native american side more.

off i get. on i get and that sucker took off at the speed of LIGHT! no biggie, BUT i am still ONE single stirrupped which is BAD. now, at this point...you know after so long...i KNOW i'm hitting the ground. steve is 16.3 hands, so a BIG horse to fall off of. i DO have some pretty damn good talent on HOW i hit the ground. i've broken my back and had 6 concussions...so you LEARN how you want to hit the ground. the barn girl, denise, sees my spin in mid-air and touch and slide by my butt and roll in to a neat ball. steve comes to a screaming stop and was about to bounce around by my head....Teja comes out of the shade where she was on the other side of the tractor and made SUCH a snarly snapping commotion, it spooked him away from my  head.

the Teja came running in to the ring and sat down beside me facing steve who had already run off. but she kept him in her site. never growled again, but watched him.

i'm ok....but thankful for her help. i don't think he would have hurt me much more, but you never know.

i thought you all would like to hear that story. well...aside from the crash and burn.

I'm fired...LOL Teja's newest update

WHAT a brave girl she was this past Saturday! she went to her first horse show and did FANTASTIC! she was the belle of the ball and LOVED the attention! she squatted at the first few people, but by mid-afternoon she greeted everyone with a wagging, curled happy tail. :)

she took to staying in the a.c. living quarter like a trooper. she even lounged in the stall while i braided the horse i was showing. she was awesome with the dogs running willy nilly too. i was REALLY worried about the PA spooking her popping on and off over head speakers, but she just picked her head up, looked at me, then started snoozing again. :) she's gotten a little too happy about mom and dad coming and going. when the come back to the farm, she's been jumping on them. and since mom has a bad hip, we're changing that. she is SO easy. i do the cesar millan SHHHH and snap. i can be over 50' away and she stops doing w/e. she got in to going after the horses at the fence a little when the goat (inside with her) was near the fence. she was protecting Fiona, but she needs to learn the horses are not a threat even though she was doing a good job.

i absolutely adore this girl and am thankful every day when we wake up and she just talks and talks and talks. i never knew HOW vocal these guys were. its absolutely hysterical. and anyone who can make ME laugh in the morning is an ANGEL! LOL

wow what a day- sort of Teja's Tuesday

my parents baby sat her today. :) i didn't want to  be alone while i took my little goatie Fiona back to the university of florida for a re-check.

Dad LOVES Teja, and she loves to maul him. LOL

it was a long day....8 hours by the time i leave and get back. Fiona's appointment went ok. she got blood work ran again and it was about the same, so they gave her another Ivmec Plus injection and hopefully that clears up. she had low grade temps off and on today too, so we're watching that. she has to go back again in 2 weeks. i joked about decorating her stall next time.

Teja definitely missed me! she was whining and roorooing at me...bouncing all over. SO cute! BIG baby.

she's gotten in to playing with Izzy too which was REALLY cute. i wasn't too sure at first she was playing...i'm still learning about her. but it was definitely play growls. she does that stompy/boxing play thing with her front feet...then she started rolling around on her back...then front legs out in front...butt up and tail going. it was pretty cute. :)

mom and dad said she was GREAT, but didn't want her lunch...little mopey. the trip to UF stinks because i have to sit around at the outside barn...too hot for Teja. and let me tell you...she is QUITE the A.C. rat! she goes OUT and wants right back IN. LOL

that's it for now. i have a pretty crap week ahead of me. my Sr. stallion, Lautrec, is having some upper respiratory issues that warrant HIM getting scoped and put on the treadmill at UF. we're hoping its just allergies, and hopefully this will be the reason why he's been so naughty recently to ride. i would be TOO if i couldn't get oxygen to my body properly. i think he has an ulcer too which is VERY likely with upper level equine athletes in Florida. the vet went down a list on the phone with me, and Louie got a check beside each one except for poor coat and appetite. he couldn't be any shinier and it would take a MAJOR event for him to pass up any food! 

so keep poor Fiona and Louie in your thoughts and prayers if you could. 

Teja's Sarurday

Well, I am kinda bummed out I didn't get to show off my new girl at the horse show. We skipped it because the weather was so bad.  I can not for the life of me understand why the horse show committee STILL ran the show. I do NOT ride my horses in dangerous footing. If they wouldn't be sliding, they would strain tendons struggling through muck. No thank you. 

Teja and I finally got to PLAY again outside today! The sun is out even though there is still a breeze and EVERYone's spirits were UP today! Dogs had fun playing...goats had fun...horses and babies were all willy nilly...fun to sit back and watch!

I need to weight Teja and see how much weight she has gained...quite a bit by the look and feel of her! :) And since the sun is out, I will try and get John to get pix of Teja and I playing out side. :)

I will put those up later. :)

Teja's 8/20 Update

 

I had JUST started to work on Wednesday's post when POP out goes the power.

Any way....we are both doing fine with the storm. She seems to understand that she isn't going to be stuck in it and she's safe inside. Now, getting a BIG, scared girl OUTside for potties....well, THAT is another story. She will go out when she is bursting though. I refuse to haul her out and no amount of coaxing can get her out. When she's ready...she's ready. :)

Honestly, there isn't anything new to report on...just waiting for this dumb storm to move its big butt along. 

Teja's Stormy Tuesday

Well, its not quite so stormy yet. Just off and on.
She has been hiding quite a bit or trying to plaster me to the couch. She's funny. As nervous as she is about the storm, when she's beside me or ON me, she goes to sleep. First BANG of thunder, she's off to squeeze her but in to the large airline crate that is still WAY too small for her.
John had a little vacation the last 4 days and could N OT believe the change in her! He said weight was and attitude were SO much better! She almost knocked him over in her enthusiasm to see him! :)
My Dad forgot to pick up the pictures...so I told him he was fired. LOL I will try and get them tomorrow after the storm goes away.

Well, that's it for now...I hope all those in Florida stay safe and certainly sending my prayers out to you all. :)

Teja's Monday

Poor Teja has had a rough day with this storm coming. I've been busy in and out of the barn getting 30 horses ready too. She did NOT want to leave the house, so I let her stay in my room where she is comfy. Every time I came in, she would bulldoze into my lap and hide her head. She's snoozing now from my holistic cocktail for nerves. 

I have a feeling I'll get BOMBED in the middle of the night by a very frightened, very large girl! I have my flash light bedside, but hopefully all we won't lose power though. I sleep with the TV on, and it seems to keep her soothed. I turned it on around 2 when I came back in from the barn to check her, i turned the TV on upstairs...then when I checked her at 4, she was sleeping. (holistic free).

She also seems MUCH better today about Sierra too. Sierra jumped off the couch and FLEW over Teja's head. Teja hopped up, (obviously startled), but didn't chase her. I think she's learning boundaries. :)

She met my Mom' St. Poodle, Briggs, today and that went well. He can be a butthead...hyper like Izzy but MUCH bigger. One good THUMP in the head from Teja's front  paw calmed him right down. She LOVES to thump you one if she can. LOL 

She is such a cool girl. I've had my fair share of whacks to the head over the years with horses...which have left their mark in some ways. Every so often I have balance issues. Today I lost my baring and she just pushed in to me, wrapped her head around my leg and stopped.  I don't fall over or anything...well, I haven't in a long time. Whether or not she did it one purpose or not, it was cute. Nice to have someone to lean on. :)

Teja's Sunday

Lesson #1. with Anatolian Shepherds...do NOT go down the stairs FIRST! LOL I didn't completely bust my butt, but DID bounce down the last two ON my butt! She just trots back around the corner and gives me the HURRY up face!

She is definitely getting the hang of being down in the barn (still does NOT like the tractor.). I got her to sniff the tractor tire today at least before she slunk down. She licked one of the foals noses today which was SO cute. Adrianna (filly) was VERY put out she couldn't nip Teja (bars on the stalls). She's little miss queen B and tries to see what she can get away with ALL the time. 

I have Pharyngitis in THE worse way right now...hurts to even move my jaw my glands are SO swollen. Teja didn't quite under stand why I wasn't bouncing around today with her, so bounced ALL around me. I put in a 1/2 effort at least. I can't believe how HIGH these guys can bounce up! 

I didn't get to the store today to pick up my camera, but Dad is getting it for me in the morning. Hurray  Dad! 

Ok...I need a popsicle.

Teja's Saturday

Well, Teja is officially showing some personality now! LOL Poor Dad nearly got bulldozed with her enthusiasm this morning! He just laughed it off, but poor sporty really did nearly hit the dirt. 

She spent a good bit of they day down at the barn with me, but I put her in the barn apartment when the employee brought the tractor in the barn...she did NOT like that. So, that will be on tomorrow's list... desensitising to the tractor. She is REALLY good around the horses...although a few of them are really NOT sure of her. She got a good slap on the nose from one of the barn kitties today (not your run of the mill house cat!) and I think learned a valuable lesson. She wasn't scratched, but definitely yipped and rubbed her nose. 

She definitely does NOT like storms, but the Aconitum Nap. I use (holistic) works wonders. I remember my ex-husband laughing at my silly little "herbal" remedies when I suggested using one on his terrified German Shepherd for the storms. I finally talked him in to it since it wouldn't hurt...within 10 minutes, he was mellow and almost napping. You have to test that stuff because I've give Izzy 3 to do her nails and she will still wiggle and argue a little...but Bailey...1 and she's nearly knocked out. And Bailey is heavier. Teja I just give 2 and she is relaxed. Not drugged, but relaxed. 

Teja almost had Fiona the goat talked in to letting her groom her. Teja really wants to be around them, but not in an obsessive way. Any time I'm cuddling on Fiona, Teja will sneak kisses in on Fiona. Once Fiona realizes, she gets VERY indignant and trots off. 

Joy, Fiona's chunky buddy wants NOTHING to do with Teja. LOL Poor goat.

I am off again in the morning to take my stallion to Jose's so Teja will get to see her new friends there. :)

Belated Teja's Friday

Yesterday was one of those "horse farm" days. ANARCHY! LOL By the number of 30. I think its the drop in pressure from the storms. But they all had me running willy nilly.

Then I got a call from the Repro vet in Ocala that they needed my stallion TODAY to breed a mare. That is the ONLY draw back on breeding horses....the stallion side any way...I have to drop EVERYthing and GO with him. (within reason...I said NO on my wedding day...I should have taken the stallion instead!)

Teja hopped in the back and snoozed the way up. Everyone at the farm was googley eyed over her and don't be surprised if at least one or two people don't apply to adopt...including the head vet, Jose! :)

She is just SUCH an amazing girl! Happy  happy happy! I HAVE to get more pix of us playing and pick up the camera the volunteers did.

She and Izzy play some times though she still has to tell Izzy how much is TOO much. She makes her rounds in the morning when she's outside...checks on the goats.....trots over to the bus, says HI to Mom and Dad...then back in for breakfast. She is getting the "kitty" thing more and more each day and Sierra tentatively crept by Teja yesterday. :)

I will post more later!

Teja's Thursday

Oh WOW is her personality coming out now! LOL 

Whatever I'M eating...SHE needs. Hahaha

She has started bouncing around with me outside more and more which is a hoot!

My parents surprised me by coming out with their bus to stay. They park it in the back yard and its BIG.

I thought...OH  boy...just what Teja needs...something ELSE weird! But, she went outside and RIGHT up to Mom and Dad and put her head in Mom's hands, then trotted over to Dad and let him cuddle on her. She kept her tail up and 1/2 curled the whole time. :) ...and wag wag wag. She ended up climbing into Mom's lap when Mom sat down which just warmed my heart so much. She has gotten in to the habit of napping with me. Oh  yes...34 and I nap. Mainly because I don't sleep, and if I do its not more than 4 hours max. I'm up at 6 and on my first horse by 7. I'm not done in the barn until 8pm, but never ride the horses during the hot parts of the day...hottest. SO, NAP time! And Teja squeezes her leggy self up on the couch beside me. And it isn't a HUGE couch...so we know THAT is a tight squeeze! LOL 

And tonight when I took her outside and she was PLAYING! Tail all curled over her back...bounce bounce... sternum down, butt up and rrrrooooing at me! She was SO funny...she'd mirror every move I made.

No more "cat fiascos" but I made sure they were separated. 

She did finally start to play with Izzy and Bailey too, but Bailey was almost road kill a few times so left the BIG play to wild Izzy!

I think today marks the day of Teja truly settling in and realizing....she's HOME.

Teja's Wednesday

She is doing a LOT better in SO many ways.

She attempted to bounce around with me outside today (which, if neighbors had seen my antics... probably would have called the white coats on me!).

I will definitely say she is NOT a fan of storms! Poor girl. I do a LOT of homeopathic, holistic and Chinese Herbal medicines, so I gave her a little remedy to help her for the lightning. Its pretty fast acting and she was calm again in about 20 minutes. 

I did have a situation with her and my kitty, Sierra, today. I went up to the corner store, and when I came back...little tufts of Sierra's orange hair here and there...and a very spooked, upset kitty....and a VERY guilty looking Teja.

I can only imagine what happened. Sierra is a rolly polly...never hyper or nervous (she and Izzy are BEST friends! go figure...lay together and groom each other) ...any way...

I found some over turned candle holders, a few vases and knick knacks on my counters over turned. 

When I picked Sierra up to look her over, Teja was WAY more interested than she needed to be...so I gave her a Cesar Millan SHHHH! and she parked it.

I found quite a few spots of hair missing on Sierra and lots of bruises...but no punctures or blood.

I wrapped Sierra up in a towel so I wouldn't get scratched up, put Teja's leash on and had a lengthy session of calm/submissive with them both. After a little bit, Teja just laid out flat and relaxed and Sierra stopped spitting. (and I've NEVER heard tubby spit before!...so SOMEthing big happened) She's never been afraid of dogs....she rolls around the horses' front feet outside too so she can get nuzzled on. 

Even Izzy, who was in her crate and Bailey in hers, would NOT leave Sierra's side the rest of the day and would GLARE at Teja any time Teja lifted her head their way. 

I won't make that mistake again and will make sure kitties are safely behind a closed door. I did put the JRs in their room because Izzy is still overly curious about Teja. I think its more jealousy now more than anything.

She also FINALLY had a BM last night and wow once those gates opened...! She didn't have any problems today though. I'm feeding her the Nutro Holistic food (I did switch her from the Blue that she had been on.) Luckily I found a friend to take the Science Diet Large Breed so it wasn't wasted. :)

I'm actually amazed she's eating it. As much as I like holistic things, most of them taste gross.  

I didn't get very many pix today or the camera picked up. I just had a lot to do today. Getting ready for the first horse show of the season in a couple weeks. So that is 4 more horses to work with on top of the 7 I ride every day. :) My time just ran out!

That's it for now. :)

Adopting Teja

Where to start.

I've ALWAYS wanted an Anatolian Shepherd. I found a wonderful rescue site, http://www.nasrn.com and applied.

I was SO elated when I found out I was accepted in the adoption of, (then) Deja. I looked her name up, and it meant "the same". So, I decided to check names out. And Teja, in Indian, means "Radiance" . So, Teja it was. :)

Teja is approximately 4 years old, clearly has had puppies at some point. She was dumped out in the world by her owners no better than their garbage. 

A shelter picked her up, but it was a KILL shelter. Lucky for Teja, NASRN found her and I found Teja! :)

It was QUITE a feat getting her trip planned out. She was coming ALL the way from Texas! Their were 12 legs of the trip with  17 people (including myself) involved. She was absolutely THE prettiest pup I've ever seen! And so shy and so sweet.

I decided to drive ALL the way back home (6 hours with a good wind). I found some memory foam in Wally World for 15.99 for a queen size, and got two...tri-folded each, and put them in the back cargo area behind my seats of my 4 door truck. It was about twin bed size and SO squishy. She was OUT in 10 minutes! LOL

She's been here since Sunday evening, and what a sweetheart. She's really big...85lbs and very skinny. What a laid back and gentle giant she is. Izzy got a good growl for personal space, but she earned it. Young, hyper Jack Russel in your face...that would test ANYone...let alone how tired Teja had to be.... despite sleeping the WHOLE trip! LOL

 She's still very insecure and timid, but coming around. I have to coax her off her big bed to go outside, but she's getting better. :) I'm not sure if she's afraid of the goats, or Joy's (goat) nervous energy. Joy is extremely scared of Teja and bolts and snorts and makes as much spastic noise as one could. Fiona (smaller goatie), is more curious, but irritated...she wants to SEE Teja, but she doesn't want Teja getting all the scritches that SHOULD be hers! LOL

I also have a website where I will be updating Teja's photos: http://www.marygoroundhorses.net/teja.html 

I absolutely love this girl with all my hear already. She is just the most loving girl and I'm amazed at the strength and faith she must have to still want to be around people.