Sunday, September 25, 2011

Animernal Instinct



I pulled the puppies out from under the barn where the stray Mama had whelped them. I never realized she had so many! But they sure are cute and I was glad to see she had done her job... now that they were in the middle of the open barn in an open crate I started to worry...after darkness fell and everything was quiet as I went to bed I lay there and heard( or imagined!) tiny squeals. I got up 3 times to listen and each time the Mama was by the front door, and not with her puppies. I had visions of tiny morsels for coyotes, foxes, coons, possums, and lord knows what else. Finally, around midnight I made the trek to the barn, found a big box and brought them onto the porch. Of course they escaped as pups are wont to do, but they were safe and sound in the morning. Tonight I made up the rabbit hutch, so after awhile I will lock them up away from critters and varmints that might do them harm.



When I related my story to my sister, she coined the phrase, 'Animernal Instinct'.



(PS, this afternoon a couple of coyotes loped across the pasture).

Friday, September 2, 2011

Note from the farm



Dear Ma and Pa,

Everything is fine here. I am sending a picture of the horse colt born this year. I know you have seen him before but I admire him and his color so I am sending it along. We added a litter of pups to the pack yesterday, a little black dog came a couple of months ago and had her puppies under the old coal bin in the tobacco barn. One hussy mare pushed down the fence to get with the stallion. She is fine but he got a cut on his leg and he is now up in the barn recovering. I haven't had my farm bushhogged lately and the weeds are so tall I can't see my horses anymore. One spot out on the ridge by the pond is bare and yesterday I saw my flock of turkeys hanging out. I know them by their meager numbers (about a dozen) and the one that is all white. I have not seen the foxes lately but I do have a snake in the feed room. I guess that means my mice population is at risk. I use my flashlight to check out the feed bags before sticking my hand down in them. I don't mind snakes but they give me a shock to touch. Your loving daughter...




Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Molter




It is hot all over and even the smallest outdoor task takes my breath away. I thought it would be a good day to work with this boy and start him on some manners... what an engaging mind he has! A few times he became uncomfortable but quickly came back to me and I felt as if I could see the little wheels turning in his brain. I love working with the young ones and leaving them in a thoughtful mood, looking for more.

Beneath his molting brown baby coat he is turning to a sleek, steel gray.




The Molter



































It is hot everywhere and the smallest tasks take my breath away, but today I thought I could play around with this little fellow in the stall and start teaching him some manners... what fun! he is very sharp and engaged. A few times he felt uncomfortable with my actions but quickly came back to me and I could almost see the wheels turning in his brain. This is always a fun time:working with the young ones, learning to read them better and leave them in a thinking frame of mind. Beneath his molting brown baby coat he is looking like a fine steel gray.

Monday, May 30, 2011

All for the newborn

Here he is! No name yet, but a fine colt born on April 22. He came out ready! It was a quick and (looked to be) easy birth for Silver Bell and when he felt his front legs free he struck and scrambled and struck some more with those front legs. Of course at this point he was entwined with his dams legs, who was trying to get some peace at last, and I trying to calm myself that this is nature and this is all part of it while my imagination is picturing thrashing and tangled and broken limbs. I swear the stress gets to me! When the mare finally did arise, she did so gracefully and carefully and her newborn was off on his search for milk. Whenever he approached her head she would let out a shrill squeal and he would change course and keep hunting. It did not take him long to find the spot and latch on. She has been a great dam and he is bold and confident.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Foal Watch

I am officially on foal watch as of 2 nights ago. When I placed her into her newly bedded stall, she promptly laid down, her belly extending toward the sky. The foal inside moved and moved, causing undulating waves on her belly. Tail flicking and nickering I though for sure it would be that night. But alas, whenever you are sure, it never happens! I have had this mare 2 years but she is still new to me, and I to her. This year she has mellowed (when she arrived, her nickname was "Jaws" ). She has begun looking to me this year and her nickering to her unborn is a good sign of her future motherhood.I am very excite about her foal. It will be the first one from my stallion.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Engaged

I've been called a straight shooter by people enough times to recognize it as a significant aspect of my character~but it tends to have poor results working with horses!.
I've been contemplating the horse/human relationship for many years (see my book To Dance with Horses) and of course, struggling to become a better horseman (woman). But the work of getting the "feel" in the horse world tends to result in a passivity when applied to humans and can border on the patronizing and manipulative. So I believe we need to engage human to human and start with the questions. When was the last time your friend asked you, "When...?" or "What...?" or "How..." or "Why....?" Curiosity of the thoughts of our friends reaps many rewards.