Riding Luna

Luna is the only rideable horse we have at the moment. Our 2 year olds are in training for this summer and our other mare is recovering from founder. And Luna is an easy keeper and gains weight fast if not ridden. So my husband rides her when he can. Yesterday at sunset he took around our country roads. She wears an English bridle as it is the only one we can find that fits her small face. She wears the cowboy martingales to keep her from popping her head up. She does this and can hit the rider in the face without them. Luna is very head strong and can get away from the rider. And the halter is still on for when my husband wants to dismount and visit with a neighbor, he can tie her up with the lead rope. Never tie a horse with the bridle and reins like in the cowboy movies. It does not work and the horse can take off and destroy a bridle, which Luna has done. I rode a well trained quarter horse once that would stay in place if you dropped the reins on the ground, Luna is not that horse.

Hatching Day

A friend gave us some bantam hens she no longer wanted. She said they are good broody hens and she was right. After 22 days of ownership, we have chicks hatching under these hens. I have 3 broody hens that are all about to hatch this week. I also have incubator chicks and ducks due to hatch in 2 weeks. Very exciting to have new life on the farm.

Donkey on our farm

Our neighbor bought his first guard donkey for his sheep farm. We are keeping his jenny (female donkey) for him until he has a flock to be guarded. She is now guarding our herd of oblivious mares and their babies. She is a sweet donkey and likes to be handled. And she might be in foal as well. So he is getting two for the price of one. She is a great guard and goes after predators without hesitation. I am learning to really like donkeys after having her around.

Naps and Freedom

Our herd got to run around on a windy afternoon in their new pasture. All this running wore out Luna the gray mare, so she took a nap. Luna is getting back in to shape for trail riding again. Her son still needs to grow up a bit before he can be ridden.

Free at Last

We got our electric Horse Guard tape up after 2 long years of waiting. We fenced in over 15 acres of pasture and woods for our two mares and their babies. Now our horses are clean and happy to have the tall fields to be natural in. They can run and nap in the clean grass instead of our dry lot.