Morning Mist

This was the beautiful morning sky and mist over the cabin and back pastures this morning when I headed out to feed the animals.

It was 63 degrees in Buffalo, NY today.  Last year at this time, I was trying to blaze trails in the snow to get to the pastures.  Not sure I like this warm weather but the skies make up for it!

In the moment

Sometimes all you need is a bit of sunshine, warm ground, and a great place to rest your mind and body.

Coming back from a walk in our woods today the horses were enjoying the warm earth for the first time this season.  I envied them being able to lay there in utter peace, no worries, no responsibilities, just  to be.

Interestingly enough the two relaxing are my geldings (male horses).  They are both so different in personality.  My oldest one turned 25 last week.  This is a “senior” horse now.  He’s always been a loving animal, so full of pride and so gentle.  He has a very hard time trusting people and things and after 14 years, it still warms my heart to see him be able to relax like this.  The other one is a 16 year old who has the personality of an eight year old boy.  Full of mischief, inquisitive, loving and carefree.  He trusts his older brother with his life. He does not like to be far from him and knows he can lay next to his brother and not have a care in  the world.

And yet while these two are having their moment of inner peace, there is my mare (female) horse standing to the side.  She is an 18 year old gentle soul.  She is brave and trusting and skimpy with showing her love for you.  But it’s there and you can feel it even when she doesn’t show it.

Stopping and looking at them after my relaxing walk, it came to my mind that she is like me.  I want to relax, I want to lay on the warm ground and not have a care in the world.  I envy people who are able to do that.  Shut off the world and just be.  But that is not in my makeup.

And so like my mare, I will be content with where I’m at and accept who I am knowing I may never be able to “just be” and that’s ok.

Mom and Dad Trail Ride

After a nice cold winter there is still enough chill in the air to keep the bugs away for now.  This is the perfect weather to ride.  Today the man and I had the opportunity to ride together for the first time this season.

The horses were tacked up and we headed down the trail

Took a quick trail ride selfie

And everyone made it back to the barn to enjoy the rest of the evening

And in time for softball practice and to cook dinner 🙂

Groundhog Day? Who needs it

Groundhog day means nothing to me.  My horses let me know when it’s spring and are ALWAYS accurate.  This is a sure sign spring is here and the weather will warm up in the next 3 weeks.

Thank you Oh Great Mysty my mare for your forecast!!

See it’s true

All these years I have been talking to my horses.  Yesterday, I finally took a video.  They do understand what I am saying!!!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10203577379140077&set=vb.1383255143&type=2&theater

It’s all about the tools

Having the right tools in the barn is just as important as having them in the kitchen!!  Here are some of my “must have” tools in my horse barn.

I keep a scrub brush and empty bucket for cleaning out the water buckets in the stalls.  I scrub them and empty them to refill with fresh, clean water.  I have an orange hose that is heated.  I plug it in when I enter the barn and by the time I am done with stall cleaning and other chores in the chicken and goat houses the hose is ready to fill the water buckets.

The blue fish net is an EVERYDAY item.  I use it to clean the water in the buckets on days that I am not emptying them and just refilling.  They catch all the little bits of hay or grain that may have fall in into the buckets.

You just swirl the net around and the water is free of any debris and fresh.

I have scissors and wire clippers hanging at the doorway to cut open hay twine or quickly nip/repair any part of the wire goat and chicken fencing.  Having them at your finger tips when you need them is a great feeling.

Last year I asked for a tool box for my barn.  This is MINE only.  It is off limits to the kids and the man of the house.  I keep a hammer, screw drivers, wrench, and all different size nails for any little projects I need to do in the barn.

Those projects include hanging pictures and items that make me happy.  I love this oil barn painting that was found in a house after someone purchased it.  It’s signed Adele 1956.  I painted the frame black and love seeing it every morning when I am in the barn.  The blue framed picture is one I bought at an antique shop many years ago. I have no idea who it’s by but love the picture imagining it’s a soldier returning after a long time away and getting reacquainted with his woman.  And last the old license plates from my parents, lanterns found in the woods and an old fashioned beater.  I feel right at home in my barn.

A staple gun is another handy tool for those days the wind is coming in the cracks of the doors.  You can easily plastic them with a quick staple to the corner of a sheet of plastic.  Plastic bins for important items such as paper, pens, leg wraps, injury wraps, etc.  keep the items free from dust.

Felt blankets purchased at Walmart for $5.00 each work great at covering the saddles again keeping them free from dust and dirt and easily removed when getting ready to ride.

Bucket rakes and muck carts are another fabulous invention.  They make picking stalls a breeze.  I also keep a few around in case one breaks or for when someone else is helping (after you forced them) to clean stalls.

And last, but certainly no less important, is a baseball cap for those days you get stranded in the barn when it starts pouring!  It helps keep the rain or snow out of your eyes when emptying buckets, bringing in all the animals or making a mad dash to the house.

These items sure make my job easier and assist in keeping me happy in my barn 🙂

Night Lesson

Chase, Bailey and me!!

My heart skipped a beat when my daughter came home from cheer practice and said “I need to ride mom”.  I could not saddle up the horse fast enough. 

You see my children do not carry the same yearning for horseback riding as I did at their age.  They have been around horses since birth and sometimes I wonder if that is why.  I did not get a horse until I was 10 and felt like I missed out on many years of riding so I spent every waking moment with that horse.  I have trained under a few different horse trainers and I train horses.  But I am not as relaxed and laid back as my mother.  I think of all the bad things that could happen and was very strict on their riding forcing them to behave and worrying about the horse reacting if they were too nervous or explaining what their fast actions could cause the horse to do.  So you see, it was my fear feeding their fear.  So when I try to push them to ride more, I have to remember it was my fear that pushed them away in the first place.

I have given lessons to many children.  Our horses have shown in the local shows and Bailey in his younger days could not be beat.  He is a teacher and a true show horse in every sense of the word.  He knows his job and would teach the kids I was giving lessons to or having show him.

My kids do ride and they ride well but not as often as I would like.  They clean stalls and do afternoon feedings of the animals during the summer and on weekends.  They brush, fly spray, and bathe the horses.  But I would like them to eventually show our horses at the Fair and in local horse shows and enjoy the things I could not as we did not have the funds when I was growing up.

So that explains why I was so happy to hear those words tonight.  And I gave Chase a great lesson and she was happy to be able to ride around on her own for an hour before it was too dark and getting very chilly for her barefeet!!  Maybe this will be the start to her inner “horse” calling 🙂

squaring her shoulders and staying straight

Working on rein hold for showing

Trail Ride Celebration

Our neighbor turned the big 6-0 today and his wishes for his celebration were to take a group trail ride and have a cookout after.  So we all saddled up and took a little over and hour trail ride and grilled some wonderful food.  We came home early from our County Fair to celebrate with him.  A truly awesome day with 5 hours of fair fun and 4 hours of neighborhood fun!!  Happy Birthday to Eric!

Heading out

trying to take a picture of my friend behind me while riding no handed

That is the man of the house in the lead. Of course my horse decided to trot when she knew I had the reins down and was taking a picture..blurry!!

Neighbors Sue and Eric

Happy Birthday 🙂

!

Load Number One

And so it begins…the first of the 1100 or so bales of hay we have delivered at our house and our neighbors.  We always get a group together to unload.  Tonight was the first of our deliveries at my barn.  In total 160 bales.  While it’s heavy work it is also a huge peace of mind to know after another 2 loads we will be fully stocked for whatever Mr. Winter throws our way.  Our horses, goats and rabbits will eat good regardless!!

 

True Friends

Disco and Mysty

It is said it’s always easier to workout with a friend.  Friends help each other stay motivated and make the time pass faster.   I believe my horses feel the same way.  While I know they look forward to their “alone” time with their mom (yes, I truly believe that!!), I also know they like riding in a “herd”.

Horses are herd animals and that explains why I have to have 3 not just one.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!!!

  Bailey!!  Couldn’t leave him out of the post