Great poem by my good friend, Wayne McKinzey Every Horse has a Story Came down from the steep hills, an empty belly, half lost. Cold mornings in the mountains, too little feed, too much frost. Crossed our browning pastures, barely held a trot. Eyed us from a distance, for fear of being caught. But a … Continue Reading »
No place is horsemanship more important than in the first few rides on a colt. I was riding with some friends this last weekend and one was on a colt for only his fifth ride. We were reviewing the importance of the one rein stop. The one rein stop is an important horsemanship skill to … Continue Reading »
I think there is a saying “Rarer than a hen’s teeth” and it is a good thing hens teeth are rare. Hens are very protective of their eggs and chicks so even though being pecked by a chicken is not fun it is much better than being bitten. This spring I decided I was not … Continue Reading »
Last week I ran over my cat, Owl, and this week CC, my clinic cat, died of old age. Owl and CC were both old souls and I believe they both made a choice to move on to a better life. Last fall I went in search for a male kitten to keep Owl company … Continue Reading »
I do intend to get back to talking about horses but the goats have been keeping me very busy lately. My cousin had 5 sets of twins drop in 24 hours and one doe was not doing very well passing her afterbirth. As I was walking back from checking this goat I saw Sally was … Continue Reading »
Sometimes things happen so fast and furious that all a person can do is hang on and survive. That is the way I have felt for the last several weeks. Most of the activity has been good but there have been some low spots as well. Here are the highlights of the last few weeks … Continue Reading »
I pride myself in taking good care of my animals so I was appalled last week when I realized I had a wormy goat crisis on my hands. This came to my attention when I loaned Sissy to a friend who needed extra milk. After Sissy moved to her new home she dropped weight quickly … Continue Reading »
By circumstances beyond my control I have found myself in the cheese making business. Last year my cousin, Libby, made the cheese but since she lost her husband she has not had the energy. I had milk coming out my ears and the cats refused to drink any more. After failing to find anyone to … Continue Reading »
For those who did not get on your computer on memorial day I thought you would enjoy some of the videos that were available. Mike Mansfield Amazing Grace Ring of Freedom We are so blessed to live in America. Madalyn
The baby goaties are here and not without some drama. First, Sally had only one kid and he was huge. I bred her when she was still being milked so I guess that is why she had only one. She was pretty sore and cramping several hours after delivery so I decided to palpate her … Continue Reading »
Life on the farm is never dull but last Thursday was particularly eventful. I have new baby nubian goats so I ordered a disbudding iron to burn around the horns so they don’t grow. I have seen this done but not actually done it myself so I was quite nervous. My neighbor, David, is great … Continue Reading »
Guest Post Alan Joel Being an avid consumer of AFA blue-green algae, I’m always interested in learning more about this incredible superfood, even though I already know so much about it. I am constantly amazed at what I discover. For instance, just the other day I read that chlorophyll, a substance that is very dense … Continue Reading »
Why do we get so excited about newborn babies. Yes, they are cute but they are a huge amount of work. I have cleaned the goat stall and set up the area for milking. Set in my supply of organic alfalfa and worked on the fence. Both of my nanny goats are due any day … Continue Reading »
Do you ever wonder if your DNA can change as you get exposed to new things? My virtual assistant, Stephanie, has always handled my social media chores but lately I have been learning how to do more things myself. Talk about getting out of my comfort zone! I have now personally tweeted several times and, … Continue Reading »
For many people winter is the season of depression, low energy, or what some people euphemistically refer to as “the blue meanies.” In other words, they’ve got that fatigue feeling. Ick! If you feel slow and sluggish this winter, it may be the season but it may also be that your cells are running out … Continue Reading »
I have a hen named Squawker and she is without doubt the most annoying chicken I have ever had. She is constantly hiding her eggs so about every 3 days I have to go looking for her stash. She sat on eggs in the middle of the winter and then when the chicks hatched she … Continue Reading »
Some women have a weakness for new shoes but for me it is tack. I could spend all day in a tack shop and never get bored. Touching and smelling leather brings me into a state of euphoria and peace. A new bridle headstall is a treasure. Saddle pads and girths are nice but they … Continue Reading »
My cousin, Sonny, is facing an end of life journey with brain cancer. His symptoms are primarily loss of memory and confusion but he was lucid enough to make the decision to have surgery to biopsy and remove a portion of his tumor. The neurosurgeon had explained that because the tumor was growing into the … Continue Reading »
Well, I had hoped 2010 might be a little bit quieter than 2009 but so far that is not the case. It seems like there is some new excitement every day. My cousin, Sonny, who helped me so much with my fence has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. He has been having some confusion … Continue Reading »
Well, I have started off the new year a bit behind schedule but I have a good excuse. In years past I have done an exercise at the beginning of each year to evaluate what happened the previous year. I have missed doing this the last couple of years and I feel this has caused … Continue Reading »