ewww, February

2.12.19

 What a winter it has been here. A LOT of mud, slippery slopes, and very dirty horses are all a part of winter but it seems there has been a lot of it. Oh- then the mud freezes around the ankle-deep hoof prints in the pastures and they quickly become mini potholes for we humans to fall over. I am not sure which I hate the most- the boot-sucking mud or those little 'tripsters'. Either one makes life a little more miserable to deal with.  I bet the horse people reading understand how very terrifying it is to the horse when a human falls down...
< winks>

Today, it is snow to contend with. Not much but enough to create a wonderland out of the farm. That is if one ignores the icy patches...

Our farm has slowly been downsized to just two horses by now. The husband and I decided last year that come this Spring, the farm would be for sale and we are planning on moving into a much smaller place.  Sadly enough, I don't think my chickens will be able to move with me. :(    I love my chickens but sheeesh- can't see them living with neighbors all around. 

The ring is below- can you tell my Percheron gelding has been in it?  Just about all of my driving cones have been knocked over. Hahaha- it is seemingly HIS job to knock them over and he does it really well

 Briana is a hoot lately. She's my American Draft Pony and reminds us so much of my Percheron mare, Evie.  Same look, same personality, and spunk.   I love her a lot and can't see life without her in it. When I lead her out to her pasture for the day, she's head's up, looking all over for something 'new'. If she finds it, we must head over to check it out. Lately, it's been an old green tarp. She'll sniff it, and push on it with her face in checking it out. Never has she been unsure of checking things out because I have never allowed her to be scared or hurt.  Trust is a glorious thing between a human and a horse. Lynn used to trust me explicitly and would give almost anything a checkout or a try. I'm hoping my pretty pony develops the same kind of trust.

There have been SO many untrusting horses

in my life and each one has belonged to someone else. Not ever has a horse learned fear or confusion when it was "owned'' by me. It's easy to develop and is wonderful to watch happen.  Sadly when the horse goes back to its rightful owner, and THEY have not learned the things needed to continue, it reverts back to how it was before.  Lynn was mine from the time she was 15 months old and hadn't been mistreated too much by her former owner, so she was great fun. Briana had had two owners and the first one really destroyed her trust in people when it came to having her ears handled. Still, she isn't 100% trusting about that, sadly enough. I just don't understand why people don't take some time and show their animals that clippers, etc will not hurt them... I guess because they either have little education in all that or just don't care. Forcing is easier and faster. At what cost to the equine though?

Below is my little smarty pants  :)