Pet Me

Pet Me.This is Chester one hard year old. This is his favorite position, he learned it when he was an hour old and his dam was snappy to him so he found he could stay out of trouble if he stuck his head in and stayed in the corner. Poor Chester. He is a hard boy to unstick. After the two of them made some peace she took him to the pasture where he could have some buddies but she bared her teeth at all of them and he didn't dare move from her side. We're giving him courage little by little. Pet Me...

Spring Morning

Fresh May morning, looking out the bedroom window to see what I could see. Sometimes there are geese honking by the pond, or deer sidle over for a drink and gambol off in a sudden flurry, but this morning it was my little herd of horses, waiting patiently for their morning grain.

Winter Snow

The snow storm blew in last night and filled all the cracks and crevices in my barn. Drifts made it under the door and in one spot a veritable cone of snow 3 feet high stood along one wall!
When I let the horses out in the morning they shied away from the door...'what is all that bright white stuff?' they seemed to be saying. A two year old led the way and soon the herd of 7 trotted around, heads down and investigating.
The snow is dry and light and drifts to 2 feet in some spots. I feel for the folks in the midwest. Last year we had the ice storm which left us without power for 10 days. The sun is trying to break through now and sparkling the snow.

Night Lightening

I could see the lightning streaking to the ground across the ridges and the thunder rumbled so deep it vibrated the barn.

Jesse was still outside and when I made the mad dash through the pelting rain, she nickered and ran to me. I haltered her in a rather hurried and rude way, but she was ready and so was I!

We trotted back to the barn and I tucked her in for the night. Nothing like a storm coming in to hurry the old bones along!

...and puppies, too

These little guys are a day old and belong to my neighbor's dog. I fretted so much about whelping with a 6 degree temperature reading I moved everyone inside my barn room to the shower stall. My neighbor has 6-10 dogs and never neuters anyone!
There is no energy to think when the weather is this cold! All I can do is work on taking care of extra equine needs due to the freezing temperatures!
I can't imagine ranching in the upper midwest and readily understand those who move to Arizona or Florida! Everyone HANG ON! (that's me talking to myself!)

Mud City

Once a year I tumble
Leading or feeding my mission
Boot sucking mud
Stops my stride
Landing me flat on my side

My horses never falter
My task gets finished
But I walk a bit faster
Moaning demeaned

Seems the layers of mud
Proclaim their victory
Humbled, Humility
Score one for the earth

Spicy Etta

It is always a delight to walk up to my home in the barn because of my travel through the pasture where some of my horses live.

Right now there is the Spicy Etta, the youngest of my weanlings at three months. She is short and stout, quick to rear or whirl and kick out as she keeps the bigger, bruising boys from pushing her around. Ever confident, she oftentimes sidles up to a horse four times her size to nuzzle his withers and invites a vigorous nuzzle in return. Even in her youngest hours she would walk straight and strong, ears and eyes focused forward, the instinct of fleeing with fear far away in a distant past.

If I am not mindful I could take it for granted and her confidence would not be shared with me.