It has been so exciting to watch Silver Fortune get braver and braver with each day she calls Dawn of Promise Farm her home. We brought her to our farm in October of last year. She came with her adorable little cria at her side, Hard Rock's Primary Colors, and her two friends, Hard Rock's Simply Stunning and Hard Rock's Blanco. They are a beautiful and sweet group of llamas. It was a wonderful experience to meet the Gerkens, who bred these llamas, and to see their fabulous farm in Ohio.
As it is with children, each llama has a different personality. Silver Fortune is the quiet one. She rarely ever makes a sound. While all our other llamas hum a greeting or they might chortle in disgust if someone encroaches on their food, Silver Fortune just stands in silence. She is a great mom - always attentive to where Primary Colors is on the farm and happy to nurse him indefinitely (we'll be weaning him very soon).
Upon her arrival to the farm, she was scared to be touched if you were passing by her in the barn or brushing her. I would halter her and ask her to stand tied for just a few short minutes of brushing. She would stand like a statue but her eyes told me she was very afraid, so I never pushed beyond a few minutes or so of attention. Each time, I would reach to touch a few more areas of her body that I hadn't yet brushed. Each time, she has gotten a little braver.
Recently, I have been asking her to stand in the small stall while I brush just one side or the other. I haven't haltered her for this. I have just asked her to stand and praised her for standing still each time I took a step forward. The sweet girl, has decided that it is OK. She doesn't bolt away and she no longer looks afraid. I brushed her whole left side the other night - legs, tail and all. Such a good girl.
Last night, I found her standing quietly behind Betty in a stall. Betty was eating from the hay pile, but Silver Fortune was too shy to ask for a space to eat next to Betty, yet she likes Betty. I watched the activity for a moment, and thought "if I don't intervene, that silly llama isn't going to get any dinner at all." She seemed intent on staying in the open stall, but was not forward enough to get her food.
All I had to do was say, "Betty!" Betty, who knows her name and is a super loving gal, looked up and stopped eating for a moment. I know they can't understand every word of a sentence, but I asked her to give Silver Fortune a little space. In the moment when Betty was listening to me, Silver Fortune took advantage of the lull in the action, and she got brave enough to step up and share the hay. I continued with my barn chores, and also watched as the two llama friends ate side-by-side in the stall. Silver Fortune just needed a little intervention.
On many days, I shut her in her own area so I can be sure she is getting her portion of hay, but I also like to see her take these encouraging steps to fit in more with the herd. You go girl! We're proud of you.
Photo: Hard Rock's Silver Fortune (Vickie Maris Photo)
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