Last month I received a message through Golden Spike Farm’s Facebook page from a girl who used to ride Casey apparently they called him the wonder pony. She was glad to have found out where he ended up and how good he is doing. Social media is a crazy world where it is so much easier to make we can make connections.
As part of my getting ready to leave PA I decided to take Casey’s new owners up and visit him and them. Casey is doing so good and is spoiled rotten by his new family. It was good to see him, go for a ride around the ring and say good bye to the old guy.
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The other purpose of the visit was to deliver to them my dining room table. I helped them bring their old Kitchen table and chairs out to the curb for free pick up. Then we decided to sit at the table and proceeded to pretend to eat, drink and wave at cars.
So it has been a while since my last post. I am so crazy busy with trying to go from a 10 acre farm full of stuff to a 2 bedroom condo. That is a lot of stuff to find a new home for.
I grateful for my Saturday morning rides. At least I am getting on once or twice a week to clear my head. I seem to be taking more pictures lately. I think I am trying to capture memories as my next life will be quite different.
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Recently I proclaimed my personal hash tag to be #neveradullmoment. The Farm never lets me down on that one. So I go out to the barn to feed after work to fine George and Heather in the wrong pasture by the main barn. The gate was busted open into George and heather’s pasture.
Warlock was in Heather’s stall. Strange scenario. Not sure how or why one of the three main barn horses broke the gate latch and opened the gate between them.
My Parents are in town for Easter and to help with the packing and sorting. This past Saturday was another beautiful day for horsie selfies and my mom came out to say hi.
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Other good news… Otis found a great home! He is going to be a spoiled rotten fur baby for a wonderful couple.
We were telling them about Piper and how she is doing great but has basically lost her vision and hearing from old age. I had made the hard decision that it would not be fair to take her across country. I was thinking she maybe too old to find a new home for and there are not many people willing to take on an old lady. Otis’ new family asked to meet her and said they would be willing to take her if I can’t find a local home for her. I feel such a sense of relief. Of all the good I have done fostering dogs this past year has come back to me 10 fold. Karma!
Last night in that half awake half asleep state I thought of Nash. He was walking beside me breathing on my hand. This was the way we always walked. I had my right hand on his lead and his nose was up against my hand. I could feel his warm breath. I have had a few horses through out my life but I never felt as connected to one as much has Nash. Maybe it was because I truly rescued him and he came from an abusive past that he felt safe at GSF and knew he was home. The grieving process is interesting, I have had a blessed life with out a lot of the loss of those closest to me, but I can honestly say I am still grieving the loss of my Nash.
This past Saturday after we finished working on the new fence my friend’s and BF surprised me with a beautiful collage of my favorite pictures of Nash. I feel truly grateful to have such awesome pictures of him taken by Judy and given to the farm as a donation to his hernia fund. (Here is the original plog post about it.) The pictures captured his heart and I will treasure them forever.
We were all coming up from the back field. Bringing the ATVs and Tractors back up to the barn. They were all acting a little suspicious as the BF was trying to intentionally slow me up and not rush through the barn. He had me “help” put the tractor away (he didn’t need any help). I heard him check with my friends that they would meet us on the other side of the barn. As I walked in I noticed all of them gathered at the far end of the barn. I knew something was up, but for the life of me couldn’t figure out what. Then they presented me with this:
I could not believe they had all done this for me. So quickly after his passing and it even included his name plate from his stall door. I was so blown away that tears started streaming down my eyes. They all came in for a group hug and I noticed a glimmer of tears in some of their eyes too. Thank you all for this beautiful gift! I will treasure it forever. I look at it every day as it hangs on the wall beside the front door in the great room.
“As a sophisticated herd animal, horses immediately begin building relationships with people as members of their herd.” ~Dede Beasley, M.Ed., LPC, an equine therapist
“One of the many psychological benefits of spending time with horses is the tranquil nature they encourage within us.”
“A pioneering 2013 study from the University of Kentucky discovered that spending time with horses can help people develop a sense of empathy as well as enhance their social and leadership skills.”
“A study commissioned by the British Horse Society in 2011 confirmed that regular horse riding and horse riding-related activities like mucking out stalls counts as moderately intense exercise and can help keep a person healthy. Additional research associates equine therapy with lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduced stress, and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression.”
“The horse is the perfect mirror, they are very emotional beings; we’re only starting to realise how intelligent they are,” Gabrielle Gardner, a therapy counselor of Shine For Life,
The farm has received 8 tri-axle loads of screenings over the past month.
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The grit was used in 2 major projects. The first one was to provide footing in the shed row. The horses had been standing in mud for the first half of the summer. The grit provides now a solid foundation that the water can drain through.
Shed Row
The the most exciting project of all was completed in a day! 7 loads of grit was delivered to the unfinished half of the riding ring. Then the BF spread it that night. So in less that 24 hours we had a full riding arena!
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Before
After
Special Thanks goes out to the BF who makes these things happen!
I haven’t updated you in a while on the grass growing, probably because it is not very exciting. The small square pasture that we built back in April – May is growing very nicely. The horses acclimated to the track system very quickly. They enjoy running around it and sometimes we spread their hay out in it. The horses at the lower end of the pecking order of the herd sometimes get stuck between two “bosses” but they work it out. Yesterday I went out to get Casey unstuck and ending up having Apple, Cuervo and Izzy follow us around.
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Check out this video showing horses in confinement vs. horses living together – primarily on track. Horses in the AANHCP Paddock Paradise show up at 2.00 into the video.
I am looking forward to Phase 2 of our pasture paradise but there are a few projects ahead of it.
So you all have seen the funny cat videos of them trying to walk in shoe or socks. Here is a good one if you haven’t.
That got me thinking how did they decide to make a cartoon Puss in Boots if the cats can’t walk. Well some how Puss figured out how to walk, run, dance and sword fight.
But I digress… I got Cuervo a pair of fly boots. They are basically mesh leg wraps that go from the hoof to below the knee. I was noticing he had a lot of bug bites and blood spots left from the bites because he didn’t stop his feet to get the bugs off. Did mention he is old and lazy? Well this video is the second time putting the boots on. The first time was even more dramatic but he still walked funny this time. Enjoy!
I came across this blog today: Reasons why senior horse are amazing. I couldn’t agree more. My 4 horses are getting up there and they are so trust worthy, reliable and healthy.
Cuervo – He is just an ornery old man. His best friend is Apple Jacks but he whinnies when any of the horses leave the barn area. He is stubborn, doesn’t like to make turns in the riding ring; Clumsy, stumbles when he forgets to pick up his feet, and best of all he is so rock solid as in nothing spooks him.
Apple Jack – He is my little rocket. In the riding ring he is hot, just wants to go as fast as he can. On the trails he is the leader and nothing bothers him. He loves to be ridden and doesn’t run away from me when I try to catch him. He loves water, when I take him in the creek he splashes around.
Nash – He is probably 15 years old so almost a senior. He has completely recovered from his hernia surgery. I find myself getting on him bare back a lot these days. (I got the best friend bareback pad! It is great!) He is comfortable to ride with out a saddle because of his Tennessee Walking horse gait the running walk. He is calming down a lot, used to be super sensitive and slightly spooky but has been doing great recently.
Casey – He is just great all around. Awesome with the kids and lessons. Okay he is a little lazy and will take advantage of the kids if they are not confident enough. But he never does anything wrong and is so patient. He is always last to come in for anything, because he is at the bottom of the herd hierarchy. He whinnies for grain. He loves his scratches especially on the chest and neck.
A photo texted to me this week by one of my lesson student’s mom. The horses as set up on their dinner table are on order of their stalls on the farm. Cuervo, Apple Jacks, Nash, Casey: on the right and have the stalls on right hand side of the barn.
Heather & George in the back. They have their own two stall barn and pasture behind the main barn.
Chex, Warlock, Sunbun, Izzy. On the left side of the barn and in order back to front.
I am so impressed she remembered all their colors and stall locations.
I think she may be one of the horse crazy ones, like I was as a kid.
How are your Pastures?
Hard to think about pastures when all I have is a soppy mess, but taking care of your horses pastures is like grown a crop of vegetables. I don’t have a green thumb but am trying to give the Farm horses the best quality grass. Here is where you start.
The gate was busted open into George and heather’s pasture.
Not sure how or why one of the three main barn horses broke the gate latch and opened the gate between them.
Golden Spike Farm's Plog 
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