Tiffany and Ephiphanies...

Week two of horse ownership has been one of "Aha" moments for Tiffany and myself. Having your own horse at home and being responsible for her behavior is really a lot different than showing up at a barn once a week to ride someone else's horses, and being on your own when they aren't on their best behavior can be a challenge.

Tiffany decided last weekend that she did not want to walk on the lead rope. At the suggestion of her former owner, I put the lead rope through the noseband of her halter. And it worked-- for about 5 steps. Ms. Tiff had decided she WAS NOT going to lead. The problem for my four-legged friend is that she does not get to make such decisions- if we weren't going to walk forward, we were going to turn in circles until she decided to follow. After about 10 minutes of me turning her in circles, urging her on with the light taps of the whip (which I used as an AID, not as a punishment), her trying to get away, and then throwing a couple of kicks at the whip, she stopped. And refused to move again. I gave her a lead a couple of sharp tugs up and down, left and right, and a light bulb went off in her head-this human means business. She has been following me when she's on the lead every since.

I have to admit I was really nervous working with her that day-what if I couldn't get her to lead? What if she got away from me? What if she ran over me? (A legitimate fear as she weighs 1700+ lbs.) When I was riding growing up, people would say "horses can smell fear" and "don't be scared, they'll sense it and take advantage." For a while I was so caught up in not trying not be scared. But now I think that the important thing is that even though I was shakin' in my boots, I didn't let her or my nerves get the best of me.

The Round Pen (which is in the middle of the overgrown arena).

Today I took her up to the round pen-the session went well. I entered the pen knowing that it was going to be a learning experience for me and Tiff. She needs to learn my signals, my body language, and I need to learn what she already knows and what we need to work on. We kept the session short, and I ended it by brushing her and letting her munch on the green grass behind the barn.

I plan to work with her in the round pen for the next couple of weeks. Our neighbor loaned me her draft-sized saddle, so I'm hoping to have the courage to get on her tomorrow or Sunday. She hasn't been ridden much, so we'll start in the round pen, move out to the arena (when it gets mowed), and then onto wide open spaces. I've only ridden once in the last 10 years, so I'm hoping it won't take too long for my riding legs to come back.

Tiffany enjoyed munching on the green grass after her workout this morning.

Once the arena is mowed, we'll also start ground driving, and then move on to hitching her to the cart we have on loan. Once we're comfortable in that, we'll give my wagonette a spin.

Fair Week

This week is Fair Week in our county. While I grew up in a rural area in Georgia, the fair was never this big-here everyone we know is involved somehow. While this is only our third summer here in Michigan, we already have a tradition of going to the fair on Wednesday night-we start out with dinner at the Rotary BBQ chicken booth, followed by ice cream from the 4-H booth, and end our evening at the harness race. Look for more photos later this week.

I've volunteered two of the last three years. The first year I was in the exhibition building with all the craft, plants, and food projects. This year I helped with the draft horse show on Sunday handing out ribbons, cleaning carts, and trying not to get run over by HUGE horses. Thank goodness the heat wave broke and highs were only in the 80s.

This is our neighbor's team of Belgian Drafts, which won its class at the fair.

There was time to walk around on Sunday to look at some of the farm animals. I was especially interested in the chickens as we will be getting a small flock next spring. I have very limited experience around chickens (brief encounters with them on the family farm out west as a child, and looking the birds as we drive past farms), so I was a little surprised by how big some of them are :-O.

What a pretty feather pattern!

Chickens don't really care to have their photos taken, but this guy perked right up when he saw me standing outside the barn with my camera phone:

These little piggies are headed for market...

Photos from the Garden

This year is my first attempt at planting a garden. While most of the flower beds are a work in-progress (or work-in planning), there are several containers and two raised beds. Honestly, I was scared to death I would kill any vegetables planted, but everything seems to be hanging in there, despite this heat wave.

I love looking out at the containers on the porch. But, I could do without watering them every day-where oh where is the rain?

Here are some photos from the first week in July.

Tiger Eye Rudbeckia-this one is planted in a container and there are two more in the bed in front of the house. So bright and cheerful!

Raised Bed # 1-includes tomatoes, peppers, melons, onion, summer squash, herbs, lettuce, marigolds, and nasturtium.

Raised Bed #2-pretty much the same plants as Bed #1 (you can see the Rudbeckia, coneflowers, and daylilies in the background)

Sugar Baby melon

Yellow squash

Nasturtiums

Carnival bell pepper plant--these were grown from seed, and currently are less than a foot tall. I'm not very optimistic, but at least one of the plants has flowers, so maybe there are peppers in the future.

This basil plant seemed to grow four inches overnight! At least something here likes the heat.

"Hot Papaya" coneflower-these were too fun not to pass up!

One of the flower pots-the marigolds and snapdragons were both grown from seed. The violets were a freebie on Mother's Day from a plant nursery near Sutton's Bay, Michigan. The snappies turned out to be a very tall variety...

I don't remember the name of this plant, but what a vibrant pink color!

Pink Lemonade petunias

Purple petunias-I love petunias because they attract hummingbirds.

Other plants not pictured include daylilies in the flower bed in front of the Hot Papaya Coneflowers, a big metal container planted with carrots, and a small pot of parsley.

Horse Progress Days

Last Friday I had a chance to attend the Horse Progress Days in Clare, MI. It's an annual event that rotates to a different Midwestern state each summer. It showcases the latest in horse-powered  equipment. Of course I was mostly interested in seeing the horses and vendors (Tiffany got a halter and lead rope to match our wagon), and eating some freshly made kettle corn!

We saw all different types of wagons, forecarts, plows, discs, lawn mowers (gas powered and reel), hay balers, hay wrappers, sprayers, and lots more. It was also neat seeing the range of equines in attendance-everything from a 19-hand dapple gray Percheron mule, miniature horses, miniature donkeys, purebred Percherons, and stubby little draft ponies whose sole purpose is to work on the farm.

There were so many things to look at I forgot to take pictures, but here are some of them:

This was a huge team of Belgians-the horse on the right must have been 19 hands tall. The horse on the left has "freckles" on its blaze-a color pattern I've never seen before.

Blogger won't let me rotate this photo. ANYWAYS, this is one of my favorite pictures from the day-this Belgian mule is taking a break from the treadmill while his buddy behind him calmly goes through his paces.

Basically, the horse walks on shallow stairs to generate electricity.

 

 

Here is a team of giant donkeys-they were probably 14-15 hands tall. (I thought they were mules until I read the sign ;-)).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big event of the afternoon was the Amateur Auctioneer contest, that featured contestants from all over the country. A lot of people in attendance were Amish, so I tried not to take any close-ups, as the Amish prefer not to be photographed.

I'm not sure that Tiff and I will be plowing the garden together next summer, but it is really neat to see that people are preserving the "old ways" while looking towards the future.

She's Here!

Tiffany arrived at the farm on Saturday during this blistery heat wave. We were told at the end of last week that her owner was ready to bring her over, so she was dropped off with her pasture-mate, Jubilee. Both mares are Belgian Draft Horses. I haven't worked with Tiff much yet, as she is still getting adjusted to her new home.

She's my first horse (and I've wanted one since before I can remember), and it's still surreal to look out the window and see these girls in my backyard.

I'm sure there are lots of stories to come, but for now here are some photos.

She even had her "nails" done for her homecoming!

 

Always underfoot

A cat's balancing act

In life, it's important to...

Compose yourself....

Remember that life's a balancing act...

It's important to hang in there...

Keep an even keel...

And carry on!