My Mysterious Barn Cat

One miserably frigid February morning a few years back, I opened the door to the shed where I keep hay and out streaked a ball of black lightening. I looked into the nearby brush afterward and saw two green topaz eyes checking me out! Oh, no! A stray kitten. When feeding and chores were done, I put out a bowl of dry cat food that I acquired from my aunt's house next door. The food was gone in the afternoon when I returned and Jack (as in Black Jack) and I began our slow dance towards friendship. At first, the only thing I ever saw was those striking green eyes looking out from the bushes as I put the cat food down. Then one day, Jack began his habit of eating lustily from his bowl as I did my other chores. It was then time for twig training! What do I mean by that? Each day, I would take a twig and touch Jack gently with it. Most of the time he would rush away but eventually he got used to it. Now a try for the sweet spot!

An Affaire To Remember!

If you have never been to the Equine Affaire in either Springfield Massachusetts or the one in Columbus Ohio (April 6-9th 2017) then stop what you are doing and make plans! For those who love horses it is a joyous and amazing experience. Think Christmas morning when you were a child and then add in the day you got your first puppy! The four day event is filled with horses of all breeds, vendors selling everything you need for your herd and some of the best horse people in the world giving clinics and demonstrations. All this for a nominal admission fee! I attended the Equine Affaire that happened last week in Springfield. I bought some great products at the trade show including an item called the Water Wrangler. This is something you attach to your hose and when your trough is filled, the water shuts off automatically! No more over-flowing stock tanks or buckets! I also saw some clinicians who really inspired me to up my training game!

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.