early december

Has come on quietly, with nice days and some chilly nights. The fields each morning are white with frost. I have noticed the last few days that Keil Bay and Cody, in particular, seem to be craving something - Cody was after tree bark and then both of them went at the honeysuckle leaves in the big barnyard.

I did a little research and found something called Barlean's Green Powder, a supplement for humans which has all kinds of good stuff in it. When I saw that Joyce Harman has it listed on her website as well, I decided I might get a few containers of it and rotate it into the horses' mix. Hopefully I can find it at the local food co-op when I make a run into town later today.

I've recently put the pony on Quiessence (a mix of mag ox and chromium) and I believe we're seeing good results. I normally have extra mag ox mixed into my Glanzen but when I started the equine nutrition class I decided to wait on re-ordering the Glanzen in case I needed to customize it even more. So the pony went into autumn without the mag ox and I think his weight gain is a direct result.

On other fronts, we haven't put the Christmas tree up yet. Until last year we have always had live trees, but with all the cats and their sudden habit last year of doing their own version of watering the tree, as well as my concern with the dryness of the live tree in the same room as the wood stove, we bought an artificial tree.

I personally missed the smell of a cut tree, but otoh, it was nice not having needles dropping, and b/c the dryness factor had been removed, we left it up longer. It made the winter a bit brighter and we all enjoyed it.

This year we'll probably reprise the home-made ornaments that can be played with safely (and without regret if broken) by cats, since Mystic is in a phase where he just loves to knock things down. He's the most toy-using cat I've ever seen, and I feel sure he'll view the tree with dangling objects as his own personal playground.

Speaking of Christmas, frost, and trees, this photo from Matthew is one of my favorites:

butterfly!

Ted Andrews, in his lovely book Animal Speak, says this about the butterfly:

Butterflies appear to dance as they light upon flowers and such. They remind us not to take things quite so seriously within our lives. They awaken a sense of lightness and joy. They remind us that life is a dance, and dance, though powerful, is also a great pleasure.

Butterflies bring color and joy with them. When butterflies come into your life look at how much or how little joy is within your life. Lighten up. Look for change.

And here it is - a butterfly for all of us!



Victoria at Teachings of the Horse awarded this yesterday, and I'd like to say thank you to her both for the award and for her blog. I had to laugh when I read that she starts her day with coffee and a visit to Linda at 7msn, Arlene at Grey Horse Matters, and here. I do the very same thing. It's a little bit of blogging synchronicity every morning, and I think it adds something of value to my day.

This butterfly award is meant to be passed on. I have an image of the lovely little thing flitting and darting, making its way across the country and around the world, from one blog to another.

I'd like to send it to four blogs:

jme at Glenshee: jme writes eloquently and succinctly about riding, and I get completely absorbed in her explanations and descriptions of things. It's like an online graduate class in the art of riding, and while I'm not at all sure I'm a graduate level rider, she makes me feel like I am and gets me thinking about the details. Thanks, jme!

Sheaffer: Sheaffer is a miniature donkey whose blog makes me laugh out loud on a regular basis. He is brilliant and funny and his philosophies about life and animals and "the woman" are always enlightening and entertaining. Sheaffer should have a lovely TV show on PBS, where he sits in top hat and waistcoat, introducing his audience to the day's adventure.

Janet at Talk 2 the Animals: Janet is an animal communicator with a wonderful perspective on how animals can teach us about ourselves. She offers information about specific animals each week, and she also shares her own experiences with the animals in her life and those she encounters. I especially love reading what her horse Shiloh has to say. Janet has inspired me to ask questions and to listen to the animals I live with. I've learned that Keil Bay will get down to the bottom line very quickly for me. Thanks, Janet!

We Three, Ginger Cat Tales: This is one of my favorite blogs to visit when I need to escape for a little while. The photographs and the writing provide a window into another world (Wales) and I leave feeling like I've taken a mini-retreat to find creativity and imagination. Thank you Ginger Cats Three!

and a little update

It has become apparent just since this a.m. that Rafer Johnson is moving significantly more normally MORE of the time now that he has had his hooves trimmed. Thank goodness - he can roll into the new year back to his precious Rafer self.

trim notes for december - a year's review

We had the trimmer here this morning, so I was up early getting equine breakfasts served and trying to get the barn aisle raked so it would be ready when he arrived. I had a pumpkin eggnog latte delivered to me at the barn, but just realized I took one sip, set it down, and forgot about it. It is still out there!

I was a little stressed about today's trims, because it was Rafer Johnson's first trim since he got his cast on. The trimmer has looked at his feet each visit since the break, but each time we made the decision not to trim, because we didn't want to risk injuring him further. Rafer has had to go through so much with the broken leg - the sight of the halter became shorthand for "the vet's coming."

We've been working with Rafer, re-teaching him that the halter means good stuff sometimes, and he's been making progress in that regard. But I worried that the trim might be hard, and he would transfer all his negative vet stuff over to the trimmer.

Thank goodness my worry was in vain. When B. arrived, Rafer marched right up to him and sniffed. He remembers that B. gives yummy alfalfa cookies after each trim, and he also remembered that B. has very cool tools to play with.

We started with Salina, with donkeys haltered but allowed to stand with her. My theory is that if they see her getting a trim, and see how good she is, it can only reassure them. Today they got bored and went out into the barnyard. Salina stood for her trim, and today was easy for her. I'd given her the Bute last night and again this a.m., to help the knees. And it was heartening to see that she is growing good hoof, remaining balanced between trims, and the crack from the abscess last May is nearing the ground. B. prepared me that as the crack gets close to the ground it will chunk off, and I might be alarmed, but it will be cosmetic only. So I'm ready for that.

Redford went next. He stands well, but he is still young so we go slowly and carefully to teach him that it is No Big Deal. He was quite happy to get the alfalfa cookie pieces at the end, and actually acted up a little when my daughter led him away! He wanted more trim and more cookie.

And then it was Rafer's turn. I cannot tell you how absolutely amazing he was. He fussed just a little as we got him lined up in the aisle, but then he stood like a little soldier. B. did the fronts first so there wouldn't be any stress on the hind end. And when he got to the hind leg that was broken, Rafer had it lifted and waiting for him! B. had to adjust his gloves, so Rafer let the hoof down again, but when B. turned back, Rafer lifted the hoof again, offering it into B.'s hand. He stood so still and was so good. Even when he had to stand on the injured leg so the other hind could be trimmed.

B. said he would normally have taken a bit more off but he wanted this trim to be very successful and easy on Rafer. And he feels now that the leg is healing and Rafer is moving more, and the hooves are all balanced, he may self-trim some between now and the next visit.

Hooray! I was so happy to see Rafer get his cookies and walk proudly out to the paddock with his best friends Salina and Redford.

I also have to add that right in the middle of these first trims, the scary tree-trimming machine cranked up and began to move. It was out of sight, but the sound was familiar. However, Salina and the donkeys were absolutely fine. The donkeys positioned themselves in front of Salina, between her and the noise, and stood like donkey guardians while she finished her trim.

On to the geldings.

The pony was absolutely perfect. His feet are great and he was soft and comfortable hiking those hind feet up. I was relieved. And as focused as we've been about the pony's weight, B. said he thought he looked good. Not too heavy.

Cody fussed a bit but B. said he's "acting like a 5-year old." Ha! We worked him through it and the reward was seeing his truly picture-book bare feet: beautiful shape and concavity, healthy wide frogs, and no separation or flares. B. wisely had me stop and take a moment to appreciate the way Cody's feet look now. It's so easy to let that go and hone in on any problems. But I looked and appreciated.

Keil Bay went last today, mainly because this is the first trim following my maiden effort at trimming his fronts in between trimmer visits. B. had left me with sketches and notes, a good rasp, and the instructions: "it will feel awkward, you'll be sure you're taking too much off, and you will want to give up. Don't! You'll be fine."

And I did it. Sure enough, the Big Bay's front inside edges had no separation today. I kept them trimmed so the excess growth didn't even get a chance to occur. B. said this is exactly what needs to happen, and I should keep it up. We talked about my getting a shorter rasp that I can handle more easily, but otherwise, I'll do the trim halfway between now and next visit, and see if I can maintain the progress. And Keil's frogs are looking good too.

Every equine got good trim notes today. I feel so much more knowledgeable and at ease with their feet. It's been a year since I embarked on this hoof learning journey with the new trimmer. And every single horse has improved measurably during this year.

The horses are off processed feed, off sugar, and doing beautifully. I'm taking the equine nutrition class and learning to balance the diet based on our pasture, our water, and our hay. And I've taken rasp to hoof, and am eager to continue learning so that I can be an active participant and partner in the health and well-being of these horses.

Thanks, B.! I'm really happy we found you!

november's billet-doux

It's one of those November days I love, gray and misty and chilly but not quite cold. Most of the trees are bare, but those that still have leaves have them in the beautiful burnished colors of autumn: tobacco brown and burgundy offset by evergreen.

I went out to get the mail and had to come right back in for the camera, which was mercifully on my desk and charged.

As I stood collecting mail, a kettle of black vultures suddenly settled into a tree overlooking our driveway, forming a venue, or committee. They made quiet little chirping sounds and stayed there while I took photographs. One decided to leave, stirred by the horses galloping up the hill, and singly, as if on cue, the vultures flew away.



The two handsomes set their burnished coats against the landscape, in the season I think fits them best:



Each month of the year has its own special gifts, but today is November's little love note to me.