Last water/hay run for the night and that little kitten came to the paddock gate again & yelled at me for food, wind blowing the snow all over him. Gosh. Runs away when I come toward him but he stayed while I put food in his dish under the hay building even though he put on his best "mean" face.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
First Winter for New Horse Owners
This is Carrilee's first winter (as an adult) for taking care of horses in the winter. Over the years, she has made numerous comments similar to "yikes who would want to take care of horses in February." So, I thought it would be cute to cut and paste her facebook notes about serving her horse lords throughout the month of February. Here is a sample of her notes. She also picks up a new barn friend through the winter and this is intertwined through the notes. Grab yourself a cup of tea and start down at the end of this post if you want the chronological effect in the correct order. I think it is going better than she expected (for now!)
Carrilee's Facebook Comments in February about horse husbandry:
Near the end of February, 2013;
It's hard to clean the barn/paddock when one horse is pulling at the rake handle, the other is very obviously asking to go for a ride (we did) and a kitten is batting at the tines of the fork, playing with the hay wisps and pooping in the paddock (emergency scoop job, Willow would NOT like to step in THAT!). Lots of happy interruptions making this a happy horsey day. And SO much sun for SO long, wooohooooo
- How is the little Cheshire cat doing today?
- Carrilee Eddy she was SO funny today. I didn't see her in the morning and wondered where she was. Late this afternoon there she was meowing at Mister, rolling in the hay. So cute!
- Carrilee Eddy Willow watched her poop in the paddock and then turned to look at me. If she had eyebrows, I'm sure she would have lifted one at me!
Another time in February:
Both Mister AND Willow backed up two steps tonight so I'd put their food dish down. I didn't have to say a word - that's the first time they've done that. Realized that I work in there, looking and touching them every so often and smiling the whole time. Even in February! I think the word is "revel"!
And, Another time in February: I look out towards the barn when I hear the rain to see them looking at me. "Ah, could you please put some fresh hay inside 'cause it's um, like raining all over us and see, we're all wet and pathetic-looking." Done. heeheehee! Still happy in February.
I was taking too long inside the barn so kitty came to tell me so & ran back to the fence. So I took a little break, sat down & she came over & rolled around in the leftover hay. Willow came out to have a look. Gave her a few nuggets of food - she came so close I could have touched her. Later, while walking to the hay building to put food in her dish she kept stopping & rolling - I touched her tail but that's as far as I could get today!
That time in Feburary:
The little kitten waited until we were pretty close before hitting the bricks tonight. He doesn't seem as good lookin' as Radar but that may be an unfair comparison considering the living conditions! He eats/drinks under the hay building and we think he's been sleeping in the wood building.
February 11 - FB Note from a concerned friend (Tammy) to CarriLee:
Since you're in clean-up mode today, I couldn't help but think of you when I saw this :)
February 9, 2012
Just finished the supper, hay & water top-up and MAN it's still so windy out there. Willow loves it - from inside! - comes out all happy & high-steppin'. Mister comes out just the same - ears pinned back so far you can't see them until I laugh and then they pop up for a second. Both backed a few steps when I asked even with that snow blinding them.
February 8, 2013:
Well, little kitten, I'm not sure what you wanted tonight when you meowed at me so much and even came under the paddock fence towards me. You ran away each time I came over to show you where your food was. But I put some water out too, just in case that was it - better hurry and have a drink before it freezes! You are very cute, look a bit like Tidal Treasures' Radar, feel free to cuddle up in the wood building, hay building or the barn. Sorry Willow didn't vouch for me when you two had that conversation - I think I'm still on probation.
February 7, 2013
ooooooo it's cold out there this morning! Inside is where they want to be just now!
February 6, 2013
a beautiful sunny day - Willow & Mister stayed outside all day and I found three flattened "nap spots" in the snow.
Feb 5, 2013
can appreciate the benefits of deep litter bedding just now. The wind is having fun making big drifts just where it can laugh at my efforts to struggle through with a wheelbarrow or buckets of warm water. It could be worse, I could be horseless...
February 1, 2013
standing by the door this morning after feeding horses to say the usual "have a great day"s and my boy says, "who smells like barn?" and looks at his sister. "It's not me" she says. I smile proudly, tell him I love smelling like horses. He smirks & says "you smell of horse FECES, not horse." Fine. Have a great day!
January 2013 - Original FB Message to a new found barn friend:
Thank you for leaving me the dead mouse in the paddock. I'm guessing that since you didn't eat it you prefer cat food so I've left you a dish of food under the hay building. I've put a bucket of food in the building so I'll keep feeding you and you can keep catching mice for me. Please don't put any kittens in the hay in the spring, I don't need any.
CONGRATULATIONS CARRILEE THE END OF FEBRUARY IS HERE AND YOU STILL HAVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR! GOOD LUCK WITH MARCH!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Weekend RIde-Kathleen and Ali
Saturday the outdoor arena offered a change from the inside arena for a beautiful ride in the fresh air, a ride that Kathleen and Ali both enjoyed.
For Lynn, with Love
Throughout our lives many of us have the incredible fortune
of spending time with a person who supports our dreams and helps us to make
them real. A person who helps us along
the road of life, lends a shoulder to cry on or who helps celebrate our
victories, regardless of how big or small. A person who teaches us and knows
when to let us learn from our mistakes.
Very few of us find this all in one person and Lynn, that is why we all
love you so much.
I hope this makes you smile as much as all the people you've touched over the years smile because of you.
http://youtu.be/OLeItZ3TVeI
I hope this makes you smile as much as all the people you've touched over the years smile because of you.
http://youtu.be/OLeItZ3TVeI
Today I Rode My Horse
Today I rode my horse.
It's been a very rough week here at the farm. Our son was diagnosed with a serious illness. He lives 1000s of miles away. Him, his wife and our darling little granddaughter. I feel like the the news has left us feeling lost, tossing around in very unfamiliar water with no anchor and only half-inflated life jackets. The endless turmoil of this week has created an inner tenseness in my body that leaves me aching and sore, longing for the ability to take one long, deep breath, but the muscles in my body are on reaction mode and not letting go.
I didn't feel like riding Spirit today. I call this horse "my boy" and that alone puts me into tears as I think of my real boy, so far away. But I did ride him. I put one foot in front of the other and with the help and encouragement of other barn dwellers, I saddled him up and got on. A first Spirit didn't understand what was going on....what was this stiff unyielding body on top of him. What did this rider want? So at first, I consciously relaxed - to make it easier for "my boy". Then it all began to flow. Our dance became more real and as he carried me along, him recognizing my cues and me recognizing him. The tension in my body started to let go, muscle by muscle, stiff joint by stiff joint began to loosen up. It all felt so good.
As we continued around and around the arena, I could easily let my mind drift away from reality and into all the trails and woods and beaches and roads and sunny days and rainy days and beautiful days through which this wonderful horses has carried me and I smiled. The more I smiled; the more my stiff body released. There were a few tears, but they were soft, simple tears - tears of release. And then, there it was - a few deep sighs and then a beautiful unhindered deep breath that felt real.
I will hope and pray that if you are lucky enough to be a rider and you are going through a stressful time, that someone makes you pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get your ass on your horse. The time when you least feel like riding is the time when you probably need it most.
My ride on Spirit was a beautiful gift. It won't make my real boy any healthier and it won't solve any of the problems that lie in front of us, but it was a gift nonetheless. There is so much about our future that is hopeful but strangely unfamiliar and foreign. So much I don't know laying ahead. But I do know about today and what I know most about today is that Today I rode my horse and for that I am thankful.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Blizzard Day
Today is blizzard day! We knew it was coming so put lots of hay in the barn from the hay building and made sure we had extra buckets with water in the house in case we lost power. We only have about 100 gallons of water in the tank, so I take out some warm/hot to "stretch" that. Hubby carried the buckets this morning.
Went out this morning in -11C with 80km winds, approximately, to find them standing with their faces looking outside - Mister's was covered in snow! I put their breakfast dishes outside without asking them to "back!" first. Willow gave me such a long, straight "back!" yesterday and I wasn't thrilled to stand in that icy wind for very long!
They still had lots of hay and one bucket of water with a skim of ice. Switched out the icy bucket for a new one & poured hot water to melt the skim in the other one. Scraped some manure and wet hay off to the side & put out more hay. Clean-up will wait until tomorrow!
I looked out at them every so often but couldn't see them through that blowing snow - they were happily hiding inside with their hay.
Went out a couple hours later to find Willow wanting to play and trying in vain to coerce ole Mister into joining her. I'd like to call what she does a "rear" but it's the most cute little pop, really. A roll the snow and a barely noticeable snake of the head was all she could get from him!
Maybe she'll get him going later...
Went out this morning in -11C with 80km winds, approximately, to find them standing with their faces looking outside - Mister's was covered in snow! I put their breakfast dishes outside without asking them to "back!" first. Willow gave me such a long, straight "back!" yesterday and I wasn't thrilled to stand in that icy wind for very long!
They still had lots of hay and one bucket of water with a skim of ice. Switched out the icy bucket for a new one & poured hot water to melt the skim in the other one. Scraped some manure and wet hay off to the side & put out more hay. Clean-up will wait until tomorrow!
I looked out at them every so often but couldn't see them through that blowing snow - they were happily hiding inside with their hay.
Went out a couple hours later to find Willow wanting to play and trying in vain to coerce ole Mister into joining her. I'd like to call what she does a "rear" but it's the most cute little pop, really. A roll the snow and a barely noticeable snake of the head was all she could get from him!
Maybe she'll get him going later...
I've been suspicious of our fence charger lately, Mister has been standing closer to the fence than he usually does. He is one who keeps well clear of that fence! At the end of this short video I could see Willow hold her head over the fence - so that just about confirms that there's little or no power there!!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Meet Ali Faataah Na- Part 2
This video was intended to be attached to our first post, however-it took a lot of figuring out to get it to work, so.... here it is.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
The Real Deal
Aziim here -
Hi Folks! I just wanted to let everybody know what REALLY goes on at this barn of ours! Don't let those humans let you think it is all fun and games and silly little walks in the woods! No sir-ee!! A week or two ago, both Kohl and I were introduced to "TROY TRAINING". And Man - that is work -- work -- WORK !!I managed to hide a video camera - NOT easy I can assure you - and I got some real incriminating footage - take a look! First we had to go one way ... for hours .... What makes you think horses can't tell time! (Trust me, I really had to shorten the video!)
Then my human - Troy, made us go around the other way AND jump over logs - well, one log - but it was EXHAUSTING I tell you! ... for hours and hours! (Trust me, I had to really shorten this video too!)
Then - we both saw ourselves in the mirror ... we were both SWEATING!!! EWWWW!!! I mean really - is that any way to treat the "Ships of the Desert!" - oh, no - that was camels wasn't it! Well, KINGS of the desert then! I mean, what shoddy treatment. Are you serious!!
Around we go some more Link
Around we go some more Link
Afterward, I decided that Kohl and I had to have a private conversation about this outrageous situation!
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Man - Just LOOK at me! I am ALL SWEATY! |
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| I tell you Kohl - we are going to have 'ta break-out-of-here! I mean, they actually expect us to EXERCISE! |
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| I know they open this door somehow ... is this the latch??? |
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| Oh - here is the latch! Man-O-Man these things are tricky! |
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| Groan! It won't open ... We are DOOMED!! |
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