We had our trimmer out yesterday and enjoyed a couple hours of conversation about horses' hooves as well as some equine entertainment provided by the November Hill crew.
First up were two young donkeys who lined up in perfect formation, ears at full alertness, in front of B. I have written before how much they love him, and yesterday they stood gazing up at him like two soldiers in front of their general. They love going first.
Rafer lined up in the middle of the barn aisle and presented each hoof one by one. Redford went next and presented each hoof until the last one, which he seemed to think had already been done and he wanted the next part in the process: the alfalfa cookie. A few words and a pat and he was soon back in trim mode.
Salina, who has some trouble with getting her fronts trimmed, had a great day of trimming. She's been moving more and enjoying spring and I think this helps when it comes time for her trim. She was of course kept company by the donkeys, who always want to make sure she's covered on all sides when she's getting any kind of "treatment." Her trim is always a family affair, which she loves.
Keil Bay lined up to go next. He can be fussy - he knows all too well what comes at the end - but yesterday he was very patient and lifted each hoof before being asked for it. He wanted more after the cookie - trim more, treat more!
But it was Cody's turn. Cody was calm and easy to trim. Of all the hooves today only Cody's needed comments. He had a solar "plug" that looked to be the place where his abscess a few months back came through. It came through up at the heel AND the sole, which I guess is good because hopefully whatever needed to be cleared out, got cleared. We spent a few minutes looking at the plug spot and talking about how the hoof works to get healthy. This kind of conversation is good for me, as I tend to catastrophize anything relating to the feet. Knowledge is power, and I love learning more about hooves. Over time I'm not so reactive when I see something happening!
Cody has lost some concavity and his soles seem thinner right now. With his PSSM issues, I always try to keep a close eye on what's happening with him. We'll see what happens as we move forward into spring/summer. He's moving well in the field and under saddle, so whatever is going on is subtle.
Apache Moon walked out of his stall with a bit of circus pony flair - doing a one-sided Spanish Walk. I have no idea what that was about, but he was definitely expressing himself. I wondered if something might be amiss in that particular front hoof, but it wasn't, not that was apparent, and he's been moving wonderfully with daughter, so... I think he was just showing off. He too was extremely good while getting his trim.
Everyone was happy and mostly healthy today. The one thread that ran through the entire hoof trimming session was that one November Hill resident kept trying to steal horse cookies! If you're like my husband you guess:
Redford!! - no
Rafer! - no
Apache Moon... - no
Cody? no
Keil Bay - said with "oh, that Bay" tone - no
Salina?? - said with confusion - she is just not that kind of horse! - NO
So, WHO?
Dickens E. Wickens, feline cowboy extraordaire! He spent the entire time jumping up to the ledge and cramming his head into the bag. Finally, at the end, B. offered him a cookie and he licked it and then tried to sink his teeth in!
I don't know if he wanted one for himself or wanted to squirrel it away to use as a training tool in his work with his herd.
Great trim day on the Hill.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
home on the hill
I'm playing catch up this week after a wonderful, restorative, energizing conference/retreat this past weekend where I studied sandplay therapy, a Jungian-based way of working with clients developed by Dora Kalff. I've utilized this method in my work for about 17 years now, and like classical horsemanship, it is a lifelong journey of learning, experiencing, and learning more.
On Saturday while I was at the conference we had a large number of tornadoes and "super cells" roll through our state, and while November Hill remained safe, a horse farm not 20 minutes away was devastated: indoor arena, barns, home, equipment shed, all destroyed. Tragically, as of yesterday, 20 horses died as a result of injuries sustained during the tornado.
Right now, my herd are grazing happily in the front pasture, meandering from sunshine to shade, allowing the cool breeze that's blowing to help with black gnat control. I feel incredibly fortunate that we are not picking up the pieces of a fragmented farm, and of our hearts, today.
I took photos of three figures I bought at the conference. The wonderful archetypal artist, Georgia Mann, graciously agreed to send me a box of miniatures that I could sell during our sandplay weekend. I think you'll enjoy seeing the three I chose. (or who chose me)
Until my camera is fixed or recharged (something weird happened to it yesterday and it's currently unusable!) I'll send you over to our sandplay association website where you can see the figures that are left. There are also 11 beautiful necklaces remaining and I feel lucky to have the energy of these pieces in my sandplay room until they find permanent homes.
I'll be back to the usual routine soon.
On Saturday while I was at the conference we had a large number of tornadoes and "super cells" roll through our state, and while November Hill remained safe, a horse farm not 20 minutes away was devastated: indoor arena, barns, home, equipment shed, all destroyed. Tragically, as of yesterday, 20 horses died as a result of injuries sustained during the tornado.
Right now, my herd are grazing happily in the front pasture, meandering from sunshine to shade, allowing the cool breeze that's blowing to help with black gnat control. I feel incredibly fortunate that we are not picking up the pieces of a fragmented farm, and of our hearts, today.
I took photos of three figures I bought at the conference. The wonderful archetypal artist, Georgia Mann, graciously agreed to send me a box of miniatures that I could sell during our sandplay weekend. I think you'll enjoy seeing the three I chose. (or who chose me)
Until my camera is fixed or recharged (something weird happened to it yesterday and it's currently unusable!) I'll send you over to our sandplay association website where you can see the figures that are left. There are also 11 beautiful necklaces remaining and I feel lucky to have the energy of these pieces in my sandplay room until they find permanent homes.
I'll be back to the usual routine soon.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
the craze for the green has begun
Every spring we hit the day when the day/night temps get close enough together that I deem we can open up the front yard to the equines. We usually wait until the sun is down and then turn out in groups of 2.
At least two weeks ago the equines were asking for this to happen - lining up by the fence outside my bedroom window, hoping someone would come take down the tape so they could go through.
Finally, yesterday, it happened. Salina knew it before anyone even took the tape down. She started walking and then trotting and then PIAFFING in the paddock, whinnying so loudly she signaled the mare across the lane, who began to whinny back.
Rafer Johnson got so excited he let himself into the front field (currently off limits), and Redford began to pace along with Salina.
When my husband opened the tape up, Salina went into her biggest, most ground-covering walk down the hill, followed by two trotting donkeys. Keil Bay, who had originally been slated to be one of the first pairs, was allowed to go ahead and make it a foursome. He started into the barn aisle at a big walk, but emerged out the other end in his floating trot.
At one point he had so much grass crammed in his mouth he gave himself a coughing fit.
They got 25 minutes on the very thick, lush grass.
Meanwhile, Cody and Apache Moon were absolutely certain there had been a huge, devastating mistake. Somehow they had been forgotten! They proceeded to gallop at full speed up and down the paddock, then incorporated the back field into their circuit. They galloped, bucked, spun, trotted, and generally did everything they could think of to get our attention. Just about the time they ran out of steam, it was their turn to go graze.
Last night, around 9 p.m., the moon was shining down on a painted pony and his handsome chestnut friend, and from our front porch the only sound was the tearing of grass and the lovely, satisfied chewing sounds of two equines in heaven.
At least two weeks ago the equines were asking for this to happen - lining up by the fence outside my bedroom window, hoping someone would come take down the tape so they could go through.
Finally, yesterday, it happened. Salina knew it before anyone even took the tape down. She started walking and then trotting and then PIAFFING in the paddock, whinnying so loudly she signaled the mare across the lane, who began to whinny back.
Rafer Johnson got so excited he let himself into the front field (currently off limits), and Redford began to pace along with Salina.
When my husband opened the tape up, Salina went into her biggest, most ground-covering walk down the hill, followed by two trotting donkeys. Keil Bay, who had originally been slated to be one of the first pairs, was allowed to go ahead and make it a foursome. He started into the barn aisle at a big walk, but emerged out the other end in his floating trot.
At one point he had so much grass crammed in his mouth he gave himself a coughing fit.
They got 25 minutes on the very thick, lush grass.
Meanwhile, Cody and Apache Moon were absolutely certain there had been a huge, devastating mistake. Somehow they had been forgotten! They proceeded to gallop at full speed up and down the paddock, then incorporated the back field into their circuit. They galloped, bucked, spun, trotted, and generally did everything they could think of to get our attention. Just about the time they ran out of steam, it was their turn to go graze.
Last night, around 9 p.m., the moon was shining down on a painted pony and his handsome chestnut friend, and from our front porch the only sound was the tearing of grass and the lovely, satisfied chewing sounds of two equines in heaven.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
the senior horse, 2: shedding out, and the first tick
I'm actually not sure this is a senior horse issue, but ever since Salina (now 28 years old) came to live with us at 23 her spring shedding has been unique compared to that of the other horses and the pony.
Salina is black, and most of the year she is a "true" black color. But as the winter begins to wind down, her coat along the back and belly takes on a brown color. If I didn't balance our hay carefully and feed minerals specific to what each horse needs, I'd think her copper and zinc weren't in the appropriate ratio to iron.
I suppose it's possible that at this point of the year she's getting a little sunbleached, but otoh, if that is true, why isn't it on the other parts of her body that also get the same amount of sunlight?
It all seems to be part of a somewhat unique pattern of shedding that happens for Salina. Whether it's a senior horse issue or not might be made more clear as Keil Bay ages and I can compare the two.
In any case, Salina's coat color shifts in the late winter, she begins to shed, generally almost a full month before the geldings do, and as she sheds, the new coat grows in shiny and black, with gorgeous dapples.
Before we get to gorgeous though, we live through a very scurfy stage - during which it seems like she is shedding not only fur but dry skin. The more you groom her, the more you see it - almost a dandruff, but finer, and she ends up looking gray.
When she first came to us, this scurf ended up looking a little like rain rot. Once I got her onto the balanced diet, which includes freshly ground flax and vitamin E gelcaps, that part resolved. Now it's just the fine shedding of dead skin.
The only thing that "cures" this is her first spring bath. We don't bathe horses in the winter, and don't have an indoor wash area, so the first bath comes usually on the first day when both daytime and nighttime temps are warm enough that I know the horses won't get a chill.
Salina's first bath came this past Friday, when I walked her out to our bathing area beneath the big oak tree and started a slow, gentle, soapy scrub-down with a soft rubber curry I have. She always loves this first bath, and stands untied, with only a lead rope laying over her neck so she knows I want her to stay with me.
As you can imagine, this bath takes care of the scurfiness, but it also helps get lots of loose hair out, and it takes a good amount of time to scrub every inch of her body (except her face, which she prefers I do with a cloth) and then rinse and rinse until there's no soap left.
Usually at some point in the process she needs a break to go check on her donkeys, so I let her take a walk, nibble some grass or hay, and then I bring her back to finish up.
After this first bath, I keep her groomed from day to day and marvel that she is suddenly transformed - back to the black mare she is most of the year.
It just so happened that on the day of her first bath this year we also found the first tick. She was happy to have it removed. A little calendula tincture and water helps the tick bite stop itching and heal quickly. Banixx also works but is more expensive to use.
Yesterday I looked out the window and saw a gleaming black mare walk across the barnyard. It's nice to see her shining again!
Salina is black, and most of the year she is a "true" black color. But as the winter begins to wind down, her coat along the back and belly takes on a brown color. If I didn't balance our hay carefully and feed minerals specific to what each horse needs, I'd think her copper and zinc weren't in the appropriate ratio to iron.
I suppose it's possible that at this point of the year she's getting a little sunbleached, but otoh, if that is true, why isn't it on the other parts of her body that also get the same amount of sunlight?
It all seems to be part of a somewhat unique pattern of shedding that happens for Salina. Whether it's a senior horse issue or not might be made more clear as Keil Bay ages and I can compare the two.
In any case, Salina's coat color shifts in the late winter, she begins to shed, generally almost a full month before the geldings do, and as she sheds, the new coat grows in shiny and black, with gorgeous dapples.
Before we get to gorgeous though, we live through a very scurfy stage - during which it seems like she is shedding not only fur but dry skin. The more you groom her, the more you see it - almost a dandruff, but finer, and she ends up looking gray.
When she first came to us, this scurf ended up looking a little like rain rot. Once I got her onto the balanced diet, which includes freshly ground flax and vitamin E gelcaps, that part resolved. Now it's just the fine shedding of dead skin.
The only thing that "cures" this is her first spring bath. We don't bathe horses in the winter, and don't have an indoor wash area, so the first bath comes usually on the first day when both daytime and nighttime temps are warm enough that I know the horses won't get a chill.
Salina's first bath came this past Friday, when I walked her out to our bathing area beneath the big oak tree and started a slow, gentle, soapy scrub-down with a soft rubber curry I have. She always loves this first bath, and stands untied, with only a lead rope laying over her neck so she knows I want her to stay with me.
As you can imagine, this bath takes care of the scurfiness, but it also helps get lots of loose hair out, and it takes a good amount of time to scrub every inch of her body (except her face, which she prefers I do with a cloth) and then rinse and rinse until there's no soap left.
Usually at some point in the process she needs a break to go check on her donkeys, so I let her take a walk, nibble some grass or hay, and then I bring her back to finish up.
After this first bath, I keep her groomed from day to day and marvel that she is suddenly transformed - back to the black mare she is most of the year.
It just so happened that on the day of her first bath this year we also found the first tick. She was happy to have it removed. A little calendula tincture and water helps the tick bite stop itching and heal quickly. Banixx also works but is more expensive to use.
Yesterday I looked out the window and saw a gleaming black mare walk across the barnyard. It's nice to see her shining again!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
my most anticipated book this year: Rebecca Rasmussen's The Bird Sisters
You can read about it HERE.
This is one of those books I have been longing to read ever since I saw the gorgeous cover and read an excerpt.
It's all the better when one of those special books was written by a generous, fun author. Who just tweeted that the book, just launched today, has already gone into a second printing!
Congratulations, Rebecca!!
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