an evening with many hooves

Yesterday afternoon I felt well enough to tackle the ongoing chore of hoof care for the herd here on November Hill. We've had many weeks of wet ground and almost as many weeks of sick humans, so after their trims on Friday I was determined to get back in the swing of things.

It was time for Salina's lunch so I got her tub ready first and went to let her in. She was, as usual, waiting by the gate, accompanied by Keil Bay, who is determined that at 21 years of age, he, too, should be brought in for a mid-day meal. Because he was covered in dried mud and clearly needed some attention, I let him in with Salina.

He followed me around like a big puppy, doing his best to look hungry. Salina wisely went into her stall and waited for her tub.

Can you guess how this turned out?

Keil Bay didn't actually get a full meal, but I couldn't resist a small meal of soaked timothy cubes in the barn aisle while I picked his feet. He was about as happy as he could be.

After the two seniors got their meals I realized the paddock needed mucking, so I sidetracked onto that and ended up letting everyone into the big barnyard while I worked.

By this time it was nearing sunset and I had not yet started the hoof cleaning I came out to do!

But it needed to be done, so I set up a "station" in the barn aisle with a tub of soaked timothy cubes inside the wheelbarrow, a hay net to the side of that, my cleaning materials, and brought in Cody so I could get to work.

I've done this in different places and different ways, but I really liked the way it turned out yesterday. I had a big jug of clean water, a flat pan to put the hoof in, my hoof pick, scrub brush and cleaning materials, and my little bottle of oil of oregano in my pocket. We have lots of red clay here, and without a thorough cleaning of the hooves, it's hard to see what the bottom of the hoof really looks like underneath. So I scrubbed and rinsed and treated as necessary with the oil of oregano.

One hoof at a time. Times 6 equines. Equals 24 hooves.

As I finished each horse, I put them into their clean stall with hay for their evening stall time. Fortunately my husband came out and helped - otherwise I might still be out there working!

But what I found, again, is that there is a rhythm to almost all chores, and if we take the time to set up properly, and then look for the rhythm, the chore progresses more easily and with some pleasure.

Yesterday the barn was clean and quiet and DRY, and for the most part the equines were content to have a little meal while getting their feet cleaned up.

I think I hit a little bit of a zen moment as I studied each clean hoof. They began to look like artwork - varying colors and shapes and individual characteristics. A sharp contrast to how they look day to day, the color of the earth they walk on.

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end of a very cold week and trees of fire

I'm sitting inside while my husband supervises the hoof trims being done this morning. Round two of this very nasty cold is being ... nasty. Thankfully my husband and son are on the upswing now, while daughter and I catch up.

Tomorrow we will get up near 50 degrees so hopefully the still very slick sheet of ice in much of our driveway will finally melt, and we can get on with a more normal for the season temperature.

A few weeks ago I was out at the barn, in weather that seemed gloriously moderate compared to what we've had since, and as I got horses ready for their evenings, I noticed the sky was the most gorgeous shade of delicate pink.

It was the pink of a particular antique rose bush that climbed up and over the old "barn garage" that sat out back behind a beautiful old house my parents rented for a few years when I was in college. The roses were the palest pink I've ever seen, and were simply beautiful.

The sky, in that pink color, with the black silhouettes of bare winter trees in front of it, was breath-taking. It was a sky that changed every few seconds, and I wanted the camera but knew if I went in to get it, I'd miss the whole thing. And then it changed past the pink so I decided to get the camera and see what else might happen.

The horses, donkeys, and Dickens the cowboy cat are very accustomed to me stopping all work and standing to watch something. Often enough they will stop and watch with me, which is always touching - isn't that what we all want, really? Someone to admire what we admire, in silence borne of complete understanding?

We were all quite taken by the trees of fire that formed as we stood in the arena together. A beautiful show, and we were there to see it.

after the ice

Well, not quite *after* yet but getting close as the sunshine today melts things down. It's 36 degrees Fahrenheit and windy, but the geldings came out of blankets to get a break and they are right now standing in the front field in full view eating tree bark. What is it that they love so much about tree bark in the dead of winter?

The pony came down the hill at a very fast trot as I was watching and did the equine equivalent of "pumping the brakes" - I'm serious! Trot trot trot trot - sit back a second - trot trot - sit back a second -trot - halt.

So cute.

I kept Salina and the donkeys in their barnyard and paddock area today so they could go in out of the wind when they wanted to - and also to keep Salina from running with the herd if they happen to start up out there.

We're feeding from the small mesh hay nets this week, trying to reduce hay waste and keep them busy. Although now I see Cody has started in on a small tree trunk and he is rocking the entire tree trying to get some bark. I have threatened to build a track if they keep this up, and ... just might do it for all the great reasons to have a track.

Keil Bay is now craning his neck to reach a branch and pulling straight back with all his might.

And now, for the grand finale before I go finish my chores, the pony has turned and is using a small tree to give himself a nice butt scratch.

I think they're glad to be on the other side of this weather. (although down to 19 tonight, it looks like 50s for the weekend - and please, I'm begging, NO RAIN!)

Hope all are staying warm and safe - I'm seeing so many reports of major snow storms and blizzards in the U.S. - saw yesterday that 49 out of 50 states had snow?!

snow and a disappearing day

Thankfully the snow held off until after noon today, which gave me time to get the horses out for awhile after their breakfast tubs. We took their blankets off so they could go out and roll, and could enjoy the dry day before the wet stuff started falling.

The hoses had been left hooked up and were all frozen and needing thawing. The short hose in the back field was easy, but the long hose in the little barnyard was frozen solid. I unhooked it and stretched it out down the hill, made sure the pump was working, and then went to check the water pump in the barn. The coil hose I have in there had also frozen, but since it's so compact, I brought it inside and thawed it out with warm water.

While I was running around dealing with hoses, the horses went on a parade around the entire property. I'm not sure what they were doing, but Cody was in the lead, then Apache Moon, Keil Bay, and Salina. They were power walking the fence line but there was nothing to be seen or heard, and in fact none of them seemed overly alert. It was almost like they knew they needed to get the exercise in before the weather turned. The donkey boys were still in the paddock cleaning the breakfast tubs.

Daughter and I got stalls mucked and then the barnyards and paddock. Cody escorted me to the back field, the donkeys checked out the muck barrow to make sure it was not hiding anything that shouldn't be dumped, and the other three came and checked things out just to make sure I was doing everything the right way. I spent some time talking and scratching and hanging out with them.

I realized I probably needed to add bags of pine pellets to each stall - of course they were in the garage so I went and loaded them in the truck. One good thing about the cold last night is that the ground is now solid again (only a temporary bliss with saturated earth and yet more snow/ice) so I drove the bags right to the barn door and got pellets distributed and sprayed with the newly-thawed out hose.

While they were sitting I drove the truck out to get the mail - my new Kindle sleeve arrived from Etsy - gorgeous and hand-made, very reasonable price, and even the packaging was lovely - black tissue paper tied with a curly white string. The sleeve had a tag attached by a tiny black matte safety pin, and there were two postcards enclosed - paintings by the artist. Really lovely.

(if you like quilted things - Kindle sleeves, iPhone sleeves, coasters, pot holders, big quilts - go check out Briana Taylor's shop on Etsy.)

Headed back to the barn and finished up the stalls, then went to check on the long hose. It was still frozen but a few snaps against the ground elicited a gurgling sound and then a huge pile of those frozen worm-like things that rush out, making the most intriguing tinkle as they pile together. I got all the tubs cleaned and put back in the feed room, got all the water buckets clean and full, and then topped off the two water troughs. I unhooked all the hoses, covered all the pumps, and noticed the snow was really starting to fall. Daughter's jumping lesson was canceled, my Proust group was canceled, and by this time the herd was canceling their power walking and were all lined up ready to come into clean stalls.

Keil Bay hung his head over and gave his stall the once-over. Sometimes if I keep mucking, getting a little OCD about the last bits of straw or hay or those little bits of manure that defy the rake, he will bang his back door to let me know it's time to move on. Let it go and let him in!

It was 4:00!  Sometimes I don't know where the time goes in a day. But it always feels good when there is yucky weather coming to have everything in order at the barn, and to walk into the house with the sound of 6 equines munching hay still sounding in my ears.

I do not know why seeing a herd of six so content makes me so happy. But it does.