Feeding and planning

Today is the first day for two weeks that I've been able to meet my feeding turn at the barn - one weekend I was given the day off by the BO, the next weekend I was sick. I'm still coughing like a maniac, but other than that, I feel fine. And am I building abs! LOL

I was excited to be going back out. My husband hates me going out, but I relish the time in the company of only horses. Being a little weak is not ideal, though.

With all the rain and cold weather I knew it would be easy, all the horses that could fit in the runs would be in already. They all greeted me with their usual impatience, although I think I must have been out there earlier than they usually get fed, because they were quite patient.

There are two new horses at the barn, older ones, there to be refreshed and sold. One is an appie, the other is a black TB. I hate to see older horses being sold. Even though I'm one of those people who bought one. Both horses called out nervously to me as I came out with grain, as if they feared I'd miss them.

Here, no one goes hungry. Our BO always feeds every horse - even if they've been abandoned by their owners (which one little arab mare was).

I feel for these two older horses, feel for them being removed from a herd, having to make their way through uncertainty of the next few months. Horses are creatures of habit, and I don't think I'm projecting human emotions when I observe that herd changes are tough on them.

That said, life changes, and horses and humans have to adapt. But changes impact our view of the world. Is it reasonable to presume that it colors how horses see the world?




I have gotten "In the Company of Horses." I'm devouring it. I'm going to have to read it twice, at least. It's already given me a good deal to think about, including what it is I hope to learn at the clinic.

But that's another post. Hopefully the weather will be beautiful tomorrow and I'll be riding.

Feeding 14 horses

(Lilly: Just set out the hay and no one gets hurt)


Today it was our turn to help out at the barn and do a morning feeding.

We get a slightly reduced board since we have two horses (well, we did, but now we don't, but soon we will...) and the deal is that we help out on occasion.

Our BO must have had grave concerns assigning us this task because she walked me through the feeding three times.

So off we went, Sierra and I, to feed at 7 am.

Our barn has a complex series of feeding rituals. The least complex is that everyone gets a wide variety of feed and supplements. Much more complex is the line up.

Some horses come in. Some stay out. Some are fed in ground pans. Some in buckets. Some in hay containers. Some have to be shooed away, others have to be drug back out.

I've been in Shakespearean plays with less stage direction and fewer strong personalities.

We did pretty well except when Sierra forgot to close the gate and the Paso Fino escaped into the aisle when he found his door inexplicably open.

Smart horse.

I swear he was chuckling under his breath as we yelped and began shooing him back into his pasture area. He was the calmest one in the aisle, that's for sure.

It's a good thing we're just planning on having our own horses - I think my management skills are barely enough to handle two...