Pasture Pictures

I didn't get a chance to take pictures last night because everyone came up from pasture while I was out. After one day, they are already trained to come into the drylot for the night. I'm guessing it had more to do with the flies and mosquitoes than anything else but I'll take it.


There is so much relief right now for me with almost everyone out on pasture. No more hay (except the ponies and Mayhem and that will change soon). Everyone is pretty well content to enjoy the grass, water, and shade that summer brings. No more heavy winter coats, coveralls, boots, hats, gloves, mittens, etc. to don before trudging out. I can just walk out the door and not have a care in the world other than making sure everyone is comfortable in the heat.


Hard to think that 2 months ago, we were dealing with winter and snow. But I'm happy for summer even if it seems like we are dealing with July weather rather than June weather.


I will leave you with a few pictures from that first morning and their complete enjoyment of being out on pasture. Love seeing the look of pure bliss on the horses

Brego

King, with Zeke and Brego in the background

Jim and Rain

The herd (much smaller this summer but still very diverse)

Maverick trying to photobomb King's picture

Happy Ponies

I let the ponies out for about an hour last night to start getting used to grass. They get the left over grass that the big herd didn't eat. Because they are ponies (and therefore super naught) and because one part of the pasture had "courtesy fence (i.e., please don't push on this fence because it's really not electric and it's really only there to detour you from actually going where I don't want you to go). I left lead ropes on which I absolutely hate doing but knowing the ponies are hard to catch and knowing that there was a "courtesy" fence, I figured it was the best move.


But with a little bit of grain, and a little bit of coaxing, they were happy to go in after an hour of running and grazing. We'll start getting the ponies and Mayhem used to grass and then we'll be on easy street.


For now, I'll leave you with a few pictures from the ponies enjoying their outing (I promise, there was some running, bucking, and farting going on earlier).

Morning Pasture Time

Finally had the opportunity to finish fencing last night (not without a bit of a temper tantrum and throwing out the "mom card") but at least its' done and now the horses are enjoying a portion of the big pasture. I'll leave you with just a couple pictures from this morning. What I would have given to spend about an hour taking pictures instead of only a few rushed minutes, knowing that I'll be late for the paying job (but oh so worth it).

Finally Pasture Time

I sort of had it in my  mind that I would spend most of May away from the computer and social media. I've been too stressed lately and don't want to bring anyone down.


But when we finally do have fun stuff going on, I want to share.


I normally like putting horses out on the lawn the first of May but with the weather and my health, it's been impossible until this past Saturday. I had to keep everyone from trying to mow the lawn because it was getting too high. I want the horses to eat it down.


I like putting them out on the lawn so that they get used to the grass and I can call them in easily. Out in the pasture, they won't come in. I want to get them into the routine of coming when I call for them so that I don't have to wander the pasture in the middle of the night to get them to come in. I doubt that'll be a problem because we are going to be overrun by mosquitoes this year. The local farmers have tiled all their field and guess all that water is now going into OUR pasture. I'm not happy. I would have fought that decision had I known. But I'll be doing some of my own "field work" this fall to rectify the issue.


But I digress. The horses are happy and finally getting a few blades of green grass and that makes me happy. They all look really shaggy. I haven't felt well enough to get out and groom them. Junior looks terrible. I really let him down. I've been so under the weather I didn't get to grain him every night because I knew I couldn't make it back out to let him out of his stall. He takes up to two hours to eat his grain. And once May rolls around, he needs to be on grass immediately and I only started getting him on grass this past week. So he's looking like he's on his last legs. It could be that this is his last summer but we'll have to play it by ear. If he picks up weight with the grass and grain, then we'll see but if he continues to go downhill, then we'll look at the alternative.


But for now, I'll leave you with a few pictures of the herd enjoying their first taste of the 2018 grazing season.