Fish!

Who isn't concerned about mosquito larvae in their horse's water trough? Gross right? Not to mention  all those mosquito born diseases. To combat this I utilize goldfish to keep my water clear of larvae. The fish also keep algae down as well. I have had the same fish for many years. They over-winter just fine in my three-hundred fifty gallon tank. The fish eat the grain from the horses mouths when the boys take a drink after eating. One thing I have learned is to move the fish to a different tank after worming the horses. The wormer is toxic to fish if the fish are exposed. Goldfish are a beautiful, fun, practical addition to any farm!

Quality Time

Have you ever wondered if your chores will ever be done? Keeping your own horses at home requires hours of work! Poop patrol alone is a full time job where my big guys are concerned. I find myself spending so much time on the things that need doing that sometimes training gets put off. I know my horses needed training time but I was never good at balancing things out. That is until I had my last session with the farrier. Let me tell you that I love my farrier! He not only trims the horses hooves but also works with them if they behave badly. All three have come a long way from the wild, young horses they once were! The  morning of his arrival, I put flakes of hay out for all the horses to enjoy and

Fabe

Fabe is my "Mr. Personality". He is a Percheron Belgian cross with a wavy mane and tail. Almost from birth he has loved to be groomed. The more styling products the better for this guy. Sadly, a scratched cornea that didn't heal correctly has left him blind in one eye. This doesn't seem to slow him down though. There are special concerns when handling him and during training time but he is worth the extra effort. I have learned from Fabe to go forth in my life with flare, style and unbridled enthusiasm!

Back from a short break!

Hello.I am back! I took a short break from posting due to some technical difficulties. I hope to get this blog up and running now. Look for upcoming posts about my draft horses, farm tips and wisdom learned from my beautiful animals! Thanks for your kind patience!

Personalities-Finally

Finally is my sweet, shy boy. He is a sensitive soul and always has been. While his brothers Dave and Fabe enjoyed being brushed and stroked from an early age, Finally was never a fan. Although better about it now, it still takes him a few minutes to settle into any grooming that we do. Finally is also sensitive to loud voices and swift movements. A gentle voice and firm but soft commands are the way to help Finally learn. Understanding Finally's personality has helped him shine and learn to be more confident.

Farm Tips: The Water Bracelet

How many times have you gotten distracted and left the water running while filling your horse's stock tank? With so much to do around the farm, it is  easy to do! The best case scenario is that your tank overflows a little and worst case scenario is you burn your well pump out!!! I have a very simple solution that works well. Whenever I have the water running, I take a piece of baling twine and make a bracelet to wear around my wrist. The baling twine bracelet only gets removed when the water is turned off and the hoses are put away. Such an easy reminder can be a real water saver!

Dave: Wisdom from a Reluctant Leader

I got my first draft horse, Dave as an untrained yearling. He has grown into a picture, perfect Percheron and has learned so much in the years I have known him. He is a sensitive soul who takes exceptional care of me when we are together. He is definitely the herd leader. His qualifications for this job are that he is the biggest and the oldest (he is twelve). Intuition tells me that my horse is a reluctant captain. I'm not sure that he always enjoys his job but he does it because no one else can. From him I have learned that sometimes you just have to be the boss even if you aren't feeling that brave. Do the best you can and stand by your decisions. Be confident, strong and firm but not violent. Take care of the others who look to you for guidance and take your job seriously! Thank you Dave for your wonderful wisdom!