Extended Family

It has been the wettest, most humid summer ever, followed by the wettest, bleakest, muddiest Fall ever.  I've tried not to whine about it because at least we aren't on fire or getting drowned in hurricanes, but we've just had another 3-4 inches of rain and I can hear it pouring down right now.  The mud is beyond description, the second cutting hay rotted in the fields, there is fungus sprouting in odd and unusual places and I find that slogging through it leaves my mind a muddy mess as well. 

Since there is nothing but mud and more mud to talk about here (even spell check just wanted me to change mroe to mire, very fitting), we might as well visit with some other parts of the extended farm family.

Remember Lulu, the Afghan Hound puppy?  She has just relocated to Florida where she celebrated her first birthday by getting a fenced yard to run in, a haircut and some MUD to play in.  Lucky dog.

Then there was Elva's sister who was babysitting an entire herd of very clean Golden Retrievers. 

I'm not sure how they stay so clean. I suspect they may be existing in an alternate universe - one where the calico cat keeps all mud at bay. She was abandoned on their property a few months ago scared and feral.  The vet said she would always be feral, but all those Goldens must have rubbed off, because she is anything but now and she rules the house with an iron paw. 

The nameless donkey that Dave took in found his way into the chicken coop  on the only sunny day we've had in months and made it his own.  His official name is now Herb. 

He will, hopefully, be a driving partner for his new friend Hoss (and the rest of the herd: Stormy the other donkey and Levi and Amos, the horses).

 And, a couple of hours north, where it is also dark and muddy (especially as Bill is one of those really wacko guys who voluntarily gets up at 4am), a glow-in-the-dark unicorn is brightening things up and making friends with her new herd.

As for my herd, they are all in the barn, dry, out of the mud and not much interested in picture taking.  And I need to go mop up muddy paw prints.  Again.

Border Brigade

The Border Brigade at once again at full strength and ready for work.

Working the Math

I wasn't sure how things would work out when Little Albert Einstein moved in this Spring.  However, he took one look around, did the math, and decided to make himself right at home. 

He did well at his previous home, but he lived with horses and he very much appreciates living in a donkey herd.  This past week, he has finally passed the last hurdle and made friends with Ben.

He's staked out all his favorite places in the barn and has all the best routes mapped.

I wasn't sure I would keep Al when he first came here or help him find a place of his own.

However, the decision wasn't really up to me.  Little Albert Einstein took one look around and immediately started working the math to make the numbers round up the way he wanted. 

Albert seemed to think there was an obvious hole in my equation and he set out to fill it.  Who am I to argue with a genius?

Unicorn Meet-Up

The new unicorn came to her new house this weekend.

She and the old unicorn are already friends, which is good as a young unicorn could have no better mentor.  Never underestimate the power of a good, old horse to teach the youngsters all they need to know. 

She has her own new unicorn house...

...centrally located in a nice, quiet subdivision.

Welcome home unicorn.

The End of the Cold War

I've seen a few hints here and there over the past few weeks along with a couple of tentative overtures and then, yesterday, Ben and Albert finally decided to be buddies.  It took 18 months for Ben and Ramsey to be friends, but only half that for these two.  Definite progress:)

Donkeys do things in their own time and their own way, and there is no way to change that and let them still be donkeys.  It may not seem like a big thing to us, but a change in the herd is a big deal them.  The only thing we can do is make sure that they have all the things they need to be healthy and happy - food they don't have to fight over, enough space that the they never feel crowded, a shelter they feel safe and comfortable in and time enough to learn that they can trust all of it.  We could probably end all wars if we could figure out how to give those few things to everyone.

Baby Unicorn

I got some baby pictures of Bill's new unicorn from yesterday's post...

All she needs is a horn...and probably a good fly mask and some sunscreen:)

When Unicorns Come Calling...

A friend of mine has been on the lookout for a new horse for about two years now.  He has my old mare, Suki, who is 30 this year and Sprinkle (the appy) who is probably 20(?).  He wanted to find a young horse (preferably a morgan or morgan cross) to work with and take along on long distance trail rides.  Suki is in great shape and still loves to go out for walks and short excursions, but she has slowed down and is not up to 16 mile rides anymore. 

This horse shopping thing has been super a bit frustrating for me because when people ask for my help, I get right on it and never know what to do when they don't keep up.  This has been more of on-again/off-again thing where I get a random ad sent to me or I send something to him, but nothing ever happens.  I'd give up for months at a time and then, boom, a bunch of new prospects would show up in my inbox.  I'd  find one I like and say, "hey, check this one out".  Then I'd get the excuses...no time, second shed isn't finished, too far, wrong color, gotta buy more hay.....

Most frustrating horse shopping EVER!

I try to be understanding because it is a big decision and I can dither as well as anyone.  I am super good at dithering.  However, once I finally do make a decision, shit starts happening!  It may take me two years to decide to buy a horse or build a house, or buy new boots, but once decided, it's gonna happen come hell or high water.

So, couple nights ago, I stumbled on a horse I really liked and I just knew this was the right horse.  She is a five year old mare, the sire is a purebred Morgan named Amberfields Desperado with a solid reputation for making nice, sound, babies with sweet, even temperaments.  The mother was a Cleveland Bay/Canadian Sporthorse cross.  This mare has had a good foundation in ground work, but has not been started under saddle.  Since longevity, soundness and distance riding are important here, I like that, she has been allowed to grow before being worked hard and this is a great cross.  I liked everything about this horse except for her color, but that is like complaining about a unicorn being too white (actually, I like the body color, but not the blue eyes and pink nose, but that is just me). 

Every time I've had a feeling like this about a horse it was dead on and has never failed.  Every time I have tried to talk myself into or out of it, it was a disaster.  I saw this horse and just had that feeling so I sent it right off to Bill then, just to be sure, I sent it through messenger too.  I dreamed about her that night and the next morning I sent another message.  I got back a lack of enthusiasm that made me want to reach through the computer and strangle the man.  The conversation eventually went something like this:

  Did you hear back about that horse?  Are you gonna go see her?

Oct 13, 7:47 PM

you must really like that horse. no haven't heard back yet. 

I do.  If I needed another horse I'd snap her up.

What don't you like about her?

don't have my shed finished yet. 

I find you a unicorn and you can't come up with a place to keep her!  It's like complaining that the gold on her horn is too shiny.  I give up.

It's a big decision

When you find a unicorn, you have to decide if you want to go adventuring or stay home.

talking to her now

Good.  I want a full report:)

alright i'm going to see her tomorrow. 

Good!  what is her story?

sounds nice. Older woman has her, originally wanted to keep her. 

but she's been slowly downsizing over the years. she has a stallion and another mare left

Bill • Oct 13, 8:51 PM

I hope you like her.  Let me know how it goes, I will be waiting to hear.  I am not a huge fan of creamello, but I have a good feeling about her.

I'm not a fan of the color either, but everything else sounds nice

I'm glad you are at least going to look at her.  She's been buzzing in my brain all day.  Good luck. 

Oct 13, 9:14 PM

You are a bad influence...😉

😉

😉

😉

Thats me, a bad influence and proud of it!

Did you buy the unicorn????

Yes I did! 😁

😁

😁

😁

😁

I KNEW IT!  What is her name?

Gift

HAHAHAHA!  What a name for a UNICORN.

She's a sweetheart. Young and untrained but I think she will do well

A month at the trainer's could do wonders.

She responded really well in the little bit of time I had with her. I think she will be a fast learner.

Gotta get her house finished....

Nothing like a bit of motivation:)  Congratulations!

1:45 PM

You'll have to visit her. Hope to get her next week.

Bill • 5:46 PM

Yeah, I'll have to get up there.  I'd like to see Suki and I want to meet the unicorn.  Are you going to change her name.

 2 new messages 

If I don't I'll never be able to look in her mouth....😜

 actually I don't know. I'll have to think about it.

Lots of enabling going on lately:)