Mother Goose! its Monday!

They look so inocent at this age...

So , I am back to work today ,after a week of what I like to call the plague! Feeling a bit more like myself , but still very easily tired and weak.

Up at 6:00am to do chores ,and what do I see ? a cow in the wrong place ! so I investigate further and find about half the cows in the stack yard!

Now this is never a good thing , but with the shortage of hay this year...

Suffice to say I channeled my inner Psychotic Jelly Bean and scared the poor buggers out of ten years growth ,but more importantly out of the stack yard!

Get here to work and the phones are ringing off the hook with inquiries about the H1N1immunizations, and clinics , now I work for Mental health but as part of the whole health services structure we do get these types of calls as well. There are still several hiccups to overcome in the immunization schedule , so in the mean time , please

1)cover your cough

2) wash hands frequently, soap and water or alcohol based sanitiser

3 ) if you are ill stay home or seek medical attention

we can reduce the spread of this flu like many others with simple common sense practices , and let those individuals who are at higher risk for complications receive immunization as a priority.

Guess this turned into a bit of a PSA , oh well

Stay safe stay well!

Fat and Sassy!

Just in case anyone thought I had forgotten the boys , or that they were withering away to nothing on fall pasture...

Forgive the voice ! I am a little nasal and hoarse ,recovering from this bug

They are not on feed yet , and they really don't seem to need it. That said Alberta winters are nasty so I don't mind them coming in a little chubby. Today I threw a square(50lb) bale out between the 7 of them just to reward them for coming in so nicely .

Soon they too will have to go in to winter pens and be on feed ,I just like to let them be out running as long as possible.

Hopefully I will keep feeling better ,and get some time thei weekend to work with Justus and Maggie and get some decent pics!

Rest, and Remember

Sort of an odd and random post today .Blame it on the cold medication ! I am home sick for the second day in a row , working in health care I can hardly go to work barking and coughing like I have been , besides I feel like crap! Spent most of today and yesterday laying around trying to rest ,not much sleep till early this morning as I have had a heck of a cough. Seems to be loosening up now so ,I am on the mend . My poor dogs are exhausted though ! when I am up ,they are up ,esp Winston, who will come and sit with me wherever I am in the night ,he often looks longingly at the bedroom , but waits with me regardless.He sleeps on the floor at night ,but today has been hanging out on the bed with me and Skeeter .

You OK?

Stay in bed mom , we's tired!

So while I was resting today I glanced across the room and saw a picture I don't often notice anymore .It belonged to Martin before we met and while we were dating he brought it over for me, anyone who knows me will see that and know why that is such a special pic ! if you can't figure it out, look at my side bar and the picture of Catana and I (best horse ever)

The fact that he already had a picture of her says something doesn't it?Sometimes we just need to slow down and see what we are missing or forgetting.

The Cupboard, she is bare! But its a good thing!

So, just a little update on the Reno,Siding is on and stained , the deck is on and they now have the drywall done. Monday they will be mudding and taping ,also ripping out the old cabinets and refinishing the wall in what will now be the dining room. New kitchen cabinets will be here next Friday ,and installed the Monday following . So I will be living in chaos with limited cooking ability and space , for about a week. Oh well ,I have dealt with worse .I once as a camp cook, after the oven quit cooked a 20 lb turkey on top of a stove( gotta tell you the best gravy EVER!)Still have the stove ,microwave etc(albeit very few pots and pans ) and a Rubbermaid bin full of the goodies I like to cook with so we will prevail.I also still have/had counter space on the side where the china cabinet is, for storage. Or I always have a great dialing finger for takeout!Many thanks to the neighbor lady for the loan of her Rubbermaid containers and her help today!

Starting to look like something isn't it?

Frost is better than mudd !& a few pics around the farm

As you may have noticed from yesterdays post , I had a case of the ICKS ! I was a dreary rainy MUDDY mess out this way. Slipping and sliding around to do morning chores in the dark ,then back to slippin and sliding in the evening chores. I am an Alberta girl ,born and bred and I DON'T LIKE DAMP COLD!!! I am not used to it and it is damn cold!!! The temp is not that low ,but the humidity just gets right through you. Those who live with it regularly ,my hat is off to you !

Any how this morning woke up to freezing temps , which made it much easier to walk around safely so I took my camera out . Did chores a little later (in the daylight) so the kids were a bit irritated (Heaven forbid that I should be a half hour late!)

This is what I went out to...

Kind of pretty really

Hey ! where is breakfast?

Phoenix and Eurus' new pen

A couple pics of "Fix and Arse " I know DVM 2012 is missing her boy , so here is proof he is hale and hearty

Thomas and co. the barn cats . I am creepy ever closer to becoming the "Crazy cat Lady"

Hope everyone has a great day , and Stay warm!!!

Wednesday

The Colors of Fall

Wasn't going to do this, as the fall colors aren't as pretty here this year. Usually more like my header picture . But we have swans on the lake and I finally got some shots of them . So our fall colors this year are Grey Green Brown ,Gold , And White?

Hubby , not a fan of the Photo shoot!

Here is a where's Waldo (or where's Badger)shot

The swans were at some distance so I did crop and zoom the pics



Swans ? who cares about swans ? I Johnnie Handsome should be the STAR !!!


My nephew Brendan,niece Deanna and I worked on the house yesterday and today Brendan and I, finished the sanding then stained what we could before it got cold and I powered out.Is coming . Honorary nephew Robert (DVM2012's big brother) is coming tomorrow to help out and do some more.

A blustery day

Lots of wind today , so we didn't get to stain the house , hopefully tomorrow.
Though I would grab a couple shots of the weanling's for you , forgive the photo quality , inside the Barn the light is a little iffy.


Hello, what do you want ? cant you see I am eating?

Talk to the Tush!

Yes? I will get up, I guess . Will there be a snack?

Double trouble ! and Andee

Told you we have some Unforgettable Spots!

Reno update ,and a rant!

So this is again where we started, I am not showing the inside yet as it is at a bit of a standstill till the building inspector clears it . The apparently we are fast forward till done!

And now this is how things look ,we will be staining and sealing the siding ,hopefully this weekend.

I am pleased with the result so far , though I am wondering if we might decide to side the rest of the house as well when we are done. Picking the flooring tomorrow.

And now for the rant

I first have to apologise to my good friend Deb (Never Too Old ) As I bit her head off on the phone earlier. She innocently called to ask if I knew of and square hay available for someone who had asked. I snapped at her telling her that my supplier was all but sold out and I was unwilling to give up what I had booked! The local feed mill has some bales at $9.50/bale but they are dang heavy for that price so its probably a decent deal. I can't manage them they are so heavy but its nice hay.

The thing that made me snap at poor Deb is that this is about the 15 th call I have had about hay in the past few weeks ! What are these people thinking ? WE ARE IN A DROUGHT !!! I have had my hay booked since mid June! You don't wait till the snow falls to get your winters feed booked or bought! Everyone has been talking about the poor hay crop and the shortage since spring,It has been a regular conversation around here and has also been reported on the news .I knew what I would need before first cut was complete. As did most of the people I deal with in the horse and cattle industry .

These people who wait till the "sky is falling " then whine about the price make me a little nuts !

When my Sister in law was looking for hay (late July) ,she was quoted 6 cents/lb , I suspect it has gone way up since

,and thew costs for trucking it are huge ! Fuel prices are still very high . But you plan for it and set aside the funds early. That is just the way its done .

I called Deb back to apologise and asked her to encourage the SPCA(where she works) to do an education/ promotion on the subject . If not this year lets educate those that missed the info for next year . I do hope these people find hay , and I have in the past helped out a few , but this year I cannot do it ,what I have I will need.

And I am frankly a little tired of people expecting to be SAVED . When I dance,I pay the fiddler!

I will end this post with a smile , and hope everyone will forgive my bad temper!

This is Skeeter, having an "Oops" moment , he often forgets to leave the barn when I do and sticks his head out the cat door to say "Hey Mom help!" Usually takes me a minute to help him as I am laughing too hard!

Its a beautiful life!

I Know these photos are some you have seen before , but I do love them and my camera and I have not made friends with the laptop just yet.

I woke up this morning and headed out to do chores in the dark, which is how it will be now until spring .Pretty stiff and sore these days with the weather changing and such , so I apply my essential oils and stumble out the door.

Sounds great huh?

It is great in its way ,the dogs are leaping around and rushing off to find the new smells.

And as I walk into the barn I am greeted first by the radio then the soft whicker of the weanling's , saying "Are you bringing breakfast?"

Cat, Andee and Annie are in the pen by the barn ,on a round bale , but still call out when they see me and come up for a pet.

Phoenix and Eurus, waiting ready for their feed , Eurus greeting me with his husky whinny and Phoenix calling out in His "big Herd sire (someday ) voice)

Johnnie and the big boys are still out on the big pasture , but when I head out to check them ,they are always on the run it to welcome me !

So even though I don't necessarily feel terrific , its hard to pass up the warm welcome and good mornings I receive from my gang! I don't think I would want it any different , they make me want to get up in the morning , even when I am tired and it is cold !

It just doesn't get any better!

A few more thoughts about time...

Still learning to use my new laptop ,desktop is in Computer hospital,hopefully not headed to the computer graveyard!

So the only pics I have are just what I could scavenge ,you have seen most already.

Time, we are all so busy in our lives these days that time is at a premium ,it makes us frustrated, and hurried .

I have said this before and will again , when it comes to horses, "IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY, HURRY BACK HOME , YOU ARE DONE!!"

The only things that happen in a hurry with horses are WRECKS!!!

Ok, that said , I have heard people all over complain that they don't have time , me either .

The things I have to do very often take precedence over the things I want to do.

One fellow we know commented about his hard to catch horses "I don't have time to make them easy to catch"

Well I call BS!! I would far rather take the time to make my horse easy to catch than spend 30-60 min each time trying to catch him/her. Some of the bloggers I have read have wound up with horses that are hard to catch ,and I would suspect they agree , It is far easier to "get it right the first time and create an easy to catch horse than it is to fix a "hard to catch habit.

So take the time in the beginning ,and you will gain time in the end.

Spending quiet time with your horse ,just grooming ,and ,I don't know "hangin out" is never wasted time.Nor is riding, schooling etc. Just make good use of the time you have and enjoy the gift your horses are to you . They don't ask for much , just creature comforts and of course...

TIME

A bit of a ramble I know ,but it is what it is . Hopefully will get some Weanling pics over the weekend. Also wish Canadian Classic(Classy ) well on her adventure to spend the rest of the school year with DVM2012, In Saskatoon , she should be OK, it is after all a Veterinary School, where better?

Its been a little chilly

The foals are doing well, and I am pooped! big weekend,hauling bales ,moving panels,sorting and shipping calves . Also we are still in the cold snap with more snow expected tonight !

Weather is supposed to break by Friday,hope they are right .

More pics and updates soon.

Weaning day has arrived

These babies have come a long way already ,they are both around 4 months old give or take . And the Mommas have done a great job of taking care of them this far.

From where they started ....

And as they grew

And got more beautiful by the moment
To now , where my turn to care for them really begins!


So what do you need to wean a foal?

Silly question ,the first most important thing you will need , and absolutely CANNOT do with out is ...

A FOAL!!!!

Ok in all seriousness , I am not the be all to end all in horse care wisdom , and the way I do things is a result of many years of learning and trying new things . This is the way I do it now ,and it works for me . But there are many safe healthy options out there , the #1 priority is SAFE & and healthy .

As my posts have shown my mares and foals are out on larger pastures as soon as is safe for them , this helps to ,increase muscle development and growth, access to clean green grass and fresh water all help to reduce reduce parasite load and grow a healthy happy foal. That said a good parasite management program is and will remain a must especially in young animals( because the sad truth is ..baby horses eat poop! ) there, I said it . So keeping them in a small dry ,or muddy lot with little or no clean grassy areas is unhealthy for any horse ,but a huge issue for young stock .If it must be done , rotate these areas often , feed in tubs and clean up wet waste areas as often as possible.

So on to the actual weaning ,

My gang quits cold turkey. I have heard of gradual weaning ,and I suspect it works ,but I don't use it . We just bite the bullet here and get the tough stuff over as quickly and easily as possible. Why?

The mares seem to suffer less (dry up more quickly )

The foals also appear to have only a day or so of upset,before falling into a regular routine without mom.

The foals by now are eating hay and drinking water , I also have for a time been giving the moms a sweet feed treat once a day , not much mind you as this would increase milk production right at the wrong time , just enough to get the "kids" used to sampling from moms treats . This pays off later as the foals learn to eat from a pail ,and have developed a taste for grain.

We bring the moms and babies into the barn for about an hour ,let them settle in a box stall , then we take mom out. and put them in a safe pen.

The foals are given fresh hay and a pail of slightly warmed water ( they seem to take it easier )

The moms a light feeding ,and I withhold water (no longer than overnight ! this is a trick my vet taught me ,to help the mare dry up more quickly) If you have ever seen an engorged mare and how the poor things seem to suffer!

In the morning I give them slightly warmed water as well , this time of year a cold drink is just not what the doctor ordered .

The foals are safely ensconced in the barn with a radio BLASTING country music ! This helps to mute the sound of mom calling and somehow distract the foals from their worries .

I will be up most of the night checking on them ,to make sure there are no hiccups (this is why I do it on a weekend ) and in the morning when I feed I will be first and foremost looking to see how much water they drank ,and looking for poop!

So that is how day one of weaning goes .

From here on out it is my job to take the very best care I can of these kids , and my wonderful mares leave me some pretty big horseshoes to fill!

oops we missed it!

I meant to have a giveaway for my 200th post , but I missed it ! so we will do it this way .
Guess which post was # 200,and leave a comment .The first 2 people who get it exactly right win a Fern Valley Farms 2010 calender!
The weaning post, still to come

What do you say?

Actually ,I know what I said , but I am trying to keep this blog G rated .

This too shall pass ,I don't think we are into the thick of winter just yet , but Dang! I was not ready for this . Justus and Maggie are moving in to the barn this weekend to be weaned ,I am sure they will appreciate the warm dry space albeit without the mommas.

I will do a weaning post as promised ,with some of the little tricks I have used over the years to smooth the process.

Stay warm and safe!