Friday the 13th was an uneventful day at the farm. Lots of rain, which is always welcome.
The horses enjoyed the rain and continued to graze as it poured down on top of them. The horses in the stalls were happy for a breeze and for the extra hay I gave them while we waited out the weather.
We'll be keeping the herds where they are until September 1st, at which time we will make some changes. Hopefully we can combine Magic, JW, and Cas with Irish and Aidan - the 5 of them will go out to pasture 5 (that's the southern pasture on the "other side"). Pasture 5 has been mowed and dragged and rested for 30 days. The grass is growing nicely, so these boys will be happy we've managed our pastures. We may also be adding KC to their herd, depending on how everyone gets along. Young Aidan may be going off to school to learn to tote humans around on his back politely - I will miss him because I am already in love! He's so smart!
Dancer and Shellie are currently in Pasture 1, they may be going back to pasture 4 with the oldies for a while. It depends on the grass, so we'll see.
You may have noticed that some of the water troughs are filled with brownish-red water. It's unsightly, but it is only rust from their troughs and won't harm them. They've been scrubbed with bleach very recently and are still ugly, so I am working on finding some higher quality rubber/plastic troughs.
JW had his dental and has excellent teeth! He's in his early 20's and he hardly needed a float. Dr. Bob said that's because he's had such good dental care all his life. He will only need dentals every 18 months or so, even at his age. Jedi and Ufir are contrasts to JW, their teeth have not been cared for and their molars looks like jagged mountains. Jedi was not gaining weight after his arrival last year so I had the dentist out. Just a few weeks after his float he started packing on the pounds. His counterpart, Ufir, also needs her teeth done. If they had been floated consistently all their life this would not be such a concern. It's a good lesson for all of us!
Dr. Bess Darrow is coming out soon to do everyone else.
http://www.tuneupsequine.com/Site/Tune_Ups_Veterinary_Equine_Dentistry.html
Every day, a little something about your horses
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
August in Florida means...
The peak of summer in Florida brings heat, humidity, some rain here and there, high electric bills, parasitic insects, runny eyes, copious amounts of weeds... Those are some negatives of our summers, but what about the positives? Well, for me personally, "not cold" is enough to keep me happy! But we also get to enjoy long days where it's still daylight at 8:00pm, lots of green forage, no blankets, hydrated hooves, and... well, what do you enjoy about summer?
The barn electricity has been sky high with fans running almost non-stop morning til dark. The water pump is also electric and we're refilling troughs twice a day. During these hottest months the electric bill is about 3 times higher than our average. Impressive!
The black fly population has finally died down. I thought we'd never get a reprieve from the billions of little buzzing buggers but their numbers have dwindled. Donkeys are surprisingly susceptible to insect parasitism, so they absolutely have to wear their fly masks during day light hours. Karma has already had two bouts of eye infections. They also seem to be more sensitive to insect bites as well, but keeping them drenched in fly spray is a challenge as it is a donkey's nature to roll, roll, roll in the dirt. Some of the more sensitive horses are getting steroid sprays and injections to keep them comfortable.
The mosquitoes haven't been bad this year which is definitely something to celebrate! Of course it's not the wettest season yet, so keep your fingers crossed and your DEET handy.
Have you seen the new mower? The "Green Meanie" is an old model John Deere with no brakes and a tiny deck, but it's a beast and can push through the thickest weeds. It takes about twice as long to mow a pasture, but the machine does its job. Our landlord's mower, although a nice piece of equipment, could not cut through the weeds. Our best option last year was to rent a heavy duty, walk-behind brush mower every few weeks. Not only was this costly but the labor was intense. We finally had just enough cash to buy this decade-old, quirky John Deere rider, and we're finding that it was the perfect investment. Buying an ancient piece of equipment has its downsides, but it was vetted and past the test so we're hoping it still has a lot of life left in it. At least a few more summers!
We've also upgraded to a golf cart! My mother helped carry buckets of feed across the farm the last time she visited and she took mercy on me - she let me borrow her golf cart! Although a wonderful gesture, borrowing anything from a parent is complicated, so we'll have to keep impeccable care of it. It's worth it if you ask me!
I hope you're finding time to enjoy the beauty of the Florida summer!
The barn electricity has been sky high with fans running almost non-stop morning til dark. The water pump is also electric and we're refilling troughs twice a day. During these hottest months the electric bill is about 3 times higher than our average. Impressive!
The black fly population has finally died down. I thought we'd never get a reprieve from the billions of little buzzing buggers but their numbers have dwindled. Donkeys are surprisingly susceptible to insect parasitism, so they absolutely have to wear their fly masks during day light hours. Karma has already had two bouts of eye infections. They also seem to be more sensitive to insect bites as well, but keeping them drenched in fly spray is a challenge as it is a donkey's nature to roll, roll, roll in the dirt. Some of the more sensitive horses are getting steroid sprays and injections to keep them comfortable.
The mosquitoes haven't been bad this year which is definitely something to celebrate! Of course it's not the wettest season yet, so keep your fingers crossed and your DEET handy.
Have you seen the new mower? The "Green Meanie" is an old model John Deere with no brakes and a tiny deck, but it's a beast and can push through the thickest weeds. It takes about twice as long to mow a pasture, but the machine does its job. Our landlord's mower, although a nice piece of equipment, could not cut through the weeds. Our best option last year was to rent a heavy duty, walk-behind brush mower every few weeks. Not only was this costly but the labor was intense. We finally had just enough cash to buy this decade-old, quirky John Deere rider, and we're finding that it was the perfect investment. Buying an ancient piece of equipment has its downsides, but it was vetted and past the test so we're hoping it still has a lot of life left in it. At least a few more summers!
We've also upgraded to a golf cart! My mother helped carry buckets of feed across the farm the last time she visited and she took mercy on me - she let me borrow her golf cart! Although a wonderful gesture, borrowing anything from a parent is complicated, so we'll have to keep impeccable care of it. It's worth it if you ask me!
I hope you're finding time to enjoy the beauty of the Florida summer!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wrapping up July
If you were wondering where you're at, July has confirmed that we are definitely in Florida! With heat indexes in the 100's, the horses are seeking refuge in the shade as much as possible. I'm adding electrolytes and minerals to their grain and soaking feed at least 3 times per week. Horses are getting sprayed down left and right and I catch them playing in their trough puddles in the heat of the day. The life of luxury, no?
Sadly, we bid farewell to adorable pony face, Bodhi, as he embarks on his life-changing journey to join his mother in Canada. What fun! He was a prince for me while walking through the darkness of dawn to meet the massive (literally the biggest horse transport rig I have ever seen) at the paved road. He loaded without hesitation and was playing in his box stall shavings before they pulled off. Safe travels, sweet Bodhi! And enjoy the Canada weather! We know you will.
Paths change and we are forced to make difficult choices, and unfortunately we must say goodbye to not one, but four horses! We will surely miss the adorableness of Bodhi, the polite independence of Dusty, Tav's child-like curiosity, and Pokey's noble nature.
Congratulations to Ashley on her newest addition, a very handsome, young Thoroughbred boy named Anthony! Hopefully Anthony can keep up with Pokey's play drive!
We expect lots of updates from our friends who have to leave us! You and your horses will be missed!
On the heels of horses bidding farewell is the arrival of a few new horses and their humans. Welcome Mary and her two handsome Irish Draughts, Irish and Aiden. I'm looking forward to meeting these two boys and getting to know them. I bet they would enjoy a good romp with big boy Magic and little man Casanova. JW will just have to stand back and supervise those youngins. Irish, Aiden, and mom Mary will be arriving today!
And in two weeks we look forward to welcoming Morgan and her gelding, KC! She'll be attending the University of Florida in the fall - how exciting!
And as today is the last day in July, we say goodbye to another summer month gone by without a donkey foal. C'mon, Karma, how long must we wait?!
Sadly, we bid farewell to adorable pony face, Bodhi, as he embarks on his life-changing journey to join his mother in Canada. What fun! He was a prince for me while walking through the darkness of dawn to meet the massive (literally the biggest horse transport rig I have ever seen) at the paved road. He loaded without hesitation and was playing in his box stall shavings before they pulled off. Safe travels, sweet Bodhi! And enjoy the Canada weather! We know you will.
Paths change and we are forced to make difficult choices, and unfortunately we must say goodbye to not one, but four horses! We will surely miss the adorableness of Bodhi, the polite independence of Dusty, Tav's child-like curiosity, and Pokey's noble nature.
Congratulations to Ashley on her newest addition, a very handsome, young Thoroughbred boy named Anthony! Hopefully Anthony can keep up with Pokey's play drive!
We expect lots of updates from our friends who have to leave us! You and your horses will be missed!
On the heels of horses bidding farewell is the arrival of a few new horses and their humans. Welcome Mary and her two handsome Irish Draughts, Irish and Aiden. I'm looking forward to meeting these two boys and getting to know them. I bet they would enjoy a good romp with big boy Magic and little man Casanova. JW will just have to stand back and supervise those youngins. Irish, Aiden, and mom Mary will be arriving today!
And in two weeks we look forward to welcoming Morgan and her gelding, KC! She'll be attending the University of Florida in the fall - how exciting!
And as today is the last day in July, we say goodbye to another summer month gone by without a donkey foal. C'mon, Karma, how long must we wait?!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Poinsonous Plants
** This post has been in draft-form for 2 weeks! And you might be interested to hear that I typed this up before having an issue with a bale of contaminated alfalfa hay. Hmmm!
"Poisonous plants" is a scary topic, but I hope to dispel your fears with a little education.
The questions that come to mind are:
1) How likely is it for my horse to get sick from poisonous plants?
2) How much does he have to eat to become ill?
3) How will I know he's been poisoned?
4) What do the poisonous plants look like?
Fortunately for us, small, private boarding facilities generally don't have a problem with poisonous plants when there is good management. You see most poisonings from horses eating hay that has been baled from a pasture full of these weeds or from horses eating the clippings of a freshly mowed pasture. Most poisonous weeds are thorny, smelly, and simply unappetizing, but that doesn't stop some horses from behaving quite opposite to their ancestors and feral counterparts.
So how likely is it for my horse to get sick from poisonous plants? Well, to all you number-nerds, I don't have the statistics, but it is a rare occurrence that a horse will consume enough of the poisonous plant in our pasture setting to get sick. The few poisonous weeds that we see commonly in our area are just not appealing to the equine pallet in the form of a live, growing weed. If they were dried and shredded and stuck in your horse's flake of coastal then you would definitely have need to worry! But have no fear, I know the weed management protocols of our hay grower and he does an excellent job of keeping weeds from his pastures.
Let's say your horse get bored, curious, or thoughtlessly consumes a poisonous weed. How much does she have to eat to become ill? The answer to this question varies from plant to plant, depending on toxicity. The part of the plant that contains the toxin also varies. Leaves, stem, berries, roots... But no matter which plant he's consumed, the treatment is very similar - supportive care in the form of fluids and alternatively, herbal remedies to detoxify.
So far we know that is it very unlikely for a horse to eat the unappetizing weeds, and even when curiosity overrides instinct the horse has to eat more than just a few bored nibbles. So when is it a real concern?
Well, when it's in the hay (or, in the case of our recent issue, when it's come into contact with the hay), or when there are fresh, shredded clippings after mowing.
Again, have no fear! I do not mow over the poisonous weeds for this very reason. Call me crazy, but I actually pull up and toss (into the woods) the poisonous weeds. We have so few that this is feasible.
And how will you know if your horse has been poisoned? Mainly gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea, but also fever, lethargy, laminitis. In the case of our contaminated alfalfa, horses had swollen lips and tongue. This was a result of a plant like stinging nettles, one that causes contact dermatitis. A little bute as per our veterinarian and everyone was fine.
And last, but certainly not least, on the list of common questions is "What do they look like?"
I thought it would be helpful to document in picture form all the poisonous weeds on our farm. So here they are:
Pigweed:
"Poisonous plants" is a scary topic, but I hope to dispel your fears with a little education.
The questions that come to mind are:
1) How likely is it for my horse to get sick from poisonous plants?
2) How much does he have to eat to become ill?
3) How will I know he's been poisoned?
4) What do the poisonous plants look like?
Fortunately for us, small, private boarding facilities generally don't have a problem with poisonous plants when there is good management. You see most poisonings from horses eating hay that has been baled from a pasture full of these weeds or from horses eating the clippings of a freshly mowed pasture. Most poisonous weeds are thorny, smelly, and simply unappetizing, but that doesn't stop some horses from behaving quite opposite to their ancestors and feral counterparts.
So how likely is it for my horse to get sick from poisonous plants? Well, to all you number-nerds, I don't have the statistics, but it is a rare occurrence that a horse will consume enough of the poisonous plant in our pasture setting to get sick. The few poisonous weeds that we see commonly in our area are just not appealing to the equine pallet in the form of a live, growing weed. If they were dried and shredded and stuck in your horse's flake of coastal then you would definitely have need to worry! But have no fear, I know the weed management protocols of our hay grower and he does an excellent job of keeping weeds from his pastures.
Let's say your horse get bored, curious, or thoughtlessly consumes a poisonous weed. How much does she have to eat to become ill? The answer to this question varies from plant to plant, depending on toxicity. The part of the plant that contains the toxin also varies. Leaves, stem, berries, roots... But no matter which plant he's consumed, the treatment is very similar - supportive care in the form of fluids and alternatively, herbal remedies to detoxify.
So far we know that is it very unlikely for a horse to eat the unappetizing weeds, and even when curiosity overrides instinct the horse has to eat more than just a few bored nibbles. So when is it a real concern?
Well, when it's in the hay (or, in the case of our recent issue, when it's come into contact with the hay), or when there are fresh, shredded clippings after mowing.
Again, have no fear! I do not mow over the poisonous weeds for this very reason. Call me crazy, but I actually pull up and toss (into the woods) the poisonous weeds. We have so few that this is feasible.
And how will you know if your horse has been poisoned? Mainly gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea, but also fever, lethargy, laminitis. In the case of our contaminated alfalfa, horses had swollen lips and tongue. This was a result of a plant like stinging nettles, one that causes contact dermatitis. A little bute as per our veterinarian and everyone was fine.
And last, but certainly not least, on the list of common questions is "What do they look like?"
I thought it would be helpful to document in picture form all the poisonous weeds on our farm. So here they are:
Pigweed:
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Herd Dynamics
Every horse is an individual and fits in a particular place within the herd hierarchy. I thought you'd like to here a short little story that pertains to your horses!
Last night at feeding time the sky was dark purple, there was a humid breeze blowing through the barn, and the rumble of thunder was making a bee-line for our farm. I saw lightening off in the distance as well, but there was no rain just yet.
I turned Dancer and Shellie out immediately, hoping that they could stretch their legs before the down pour. If it got too scary I would likely have brought them back into the barn (not because I am a softy!) because these sensitive girls prefer the safety of the stall. I went to take JW out of the stall but noticed he had some discharge from his nose, a little more than usual, and I figured getting completely drenched in a storm wouldn't be good for his special sinuses, so I threw him more hay and left him in.
I waited and waited and still no rain! All the symptoms of the storm were evident, but it had not, and was not going to, manifest itself. So at 10:30pm I went out, flashlight in hand, to turn the old boy out.
Here is where the story actually gets interesting.
It seemed more dark than usual but the moon was full and bright! My guess is that the sky was cloudy and light wasn't getting to us.. or something. But man, it was dark! JW nickered at the Thoroughbred gals as we walked by and they came to visit. We finally made it to his pasture gate and I brought him in, undid the halter, and stepped back. He just stood there. So I turned off the flash light so his eyes could adjust. He stood still, listening, then let out a loud call to his buddies who were no where to be seen. The sound of hooves pounding got my heart bumping. All four pasture mates came galloping up, little Casanova returned JW's call with a girly one of his own. Magic lead the group through the darkness and stopped them about 10 feet from JW. JW had not moved an inch yet - I still don't think he could see. Then Magic walked away from the herd, greeted JW with a very long sniff, and allowed him into the herd. Then all 5 hung together, sniffing and talking, before quietly walking back off into the darkness.
Isn't it so cool how welcomed JW must have felt in his herd? And how Magic lead his followers to find a lost "sheep"? And Cas, the adorable talker, couldn't help but say "We're coming!!" as they cantered up to the gate. And even Dusty, Mr. Independent, stopped what he was doing to follow his leader and greet his pasture mate.
I could watch horses interact with one another all day long, how about you?
Last night at feeding time the sky was dark purple, there was a humid breeze blowing through the barn, and the rumble of thunder was making a bee-line for our farm. I saw lightening off in the distance as well, but there was no rain just yet.
I turned Dancer and Shellie out immediately, hoping that they could stretch their legs before the down pour. If it got too scary I would likely have brought them back into the barn (not because I am a softy!) because these sensitive girls prefer the safety of the stall. I went to take JW out of the stall but noticed he had some discharge from his nose, a little more than usual, and I figured getting completely drenched in a storm wouldn't be good for his special sinuses, so I threw him more hay and left him in.
I waited and waited and still no rain! All the symptoms of the storm were evident, but it had not, and was not going to, manifest itself. So at 10:30pm I went out, flashlight in hand, to turn the old boy out.
Here is where the story actually gets interesting.
It seemed more dark than usual but the moon was full and bright! My guess is that the sky was cloudy and light wasn't getting to us.. or something. But man, it was dark! JW nickered at the Thoroughbred gals as we walked by and they came to visit. We finally made it to his pasture gate and I brought him in, undid the halter, and stepped back. He just stood there. So I turned off the flash light so his eyes could adjust. He stood still, listening, then let out a loud call to his buddies who were no where to be seen. The sound of hooves pounding got my heart bumping. All four pasture mates came galloping up, little Casanova returned JW's call with a girly one of his own. Magic lead the group through the darkness and stopped them about 10 feet from JW. JW had not moved an inch yet - I still don't think he could see. Then Magic walked away from the herd, greeted JW with a very long sniff, and allowed him into the herd. Then all 5 hung together, sniffing and talking, before quietly walking back off into the darkness.
Isn't it so cool how welcomed JW must have felt in his herd? And how Magic lead his followers to find a lost "sheep"? And Cas, the adorable talker, couldn't help but say "We're coming!!" as they cantered up to the gate. And even Dusty, Mr. Independent, stopped what he was doing to follow his leader and greet his pasture mate.
I could watch horses interact with one another all day long, how about you?
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Diamond Back Rattlesssss
Are there words to describe how humid it has been? Dante's Inferno comes to mind...
Don't get me wrong, I love the heat. But this humidity is deadly! Saunas are for occasional use to relax and detoxify, not carry out your daily routine in! Those of us brave enough (or without a choice) to sweat through the heat are probably burning a million calories a minute and losing gallons of salts. There are bottles of soda (how nice, a diuretic drink in the hot summer!) in the feed room fridge. But I recommend drinking water or something with electrolytes while your melting in the sun.
As for the horses' electrolyte intake, everyone has a mineral block available to them in addition to their complete feed. Horses that sweat more than others should be on an electrolyte supplement just for kicks. If you have a sweater and want me to give something extra, just leave the supplement in the feed room or tell me to get some for you and I'll pick it up on my next trip to the feed store.
With the heat comes critters of all shapes and sizes seeking out water and breezes. Before nearly stepping on this 2 foot diamondback rattle snake, I thought I heard a bee buzzing near. Well, that buzzing was her rattle and she was directly in my walking path! Thank God for overcautious mothers - she pushed me out of the way! We immediately contained the beautiful snake (I called it a "she", my mom just kept telling me to "kill it!") under a wooden drawer and secured it with concrete blocks. I called Animal Services, Snake Busters, and Wildlife Rehab, and no one deals with Venomous snakes. After some research and seeking advice, we decided we would try to contain her more safely and relocate her. Thankfully Molly had access to a snake pole! Without that pole and Chris's bravery, I think we would have had a very difficult time! Due to the adrenaline rush while we were attempting to get her from under her wooden drawer, catch her, and put her in a trash can, we did not take pictures. But once the adrenaline wore off we remembered the camera and snapped some cell phone shots of her release:
So stay safe, be cautious of picking up logs and pieces of wood, feed bags, etc. Lots of wildlife living among us!
I bought 4 new high-velocity fans! I found a fantastic deal at Sam's Club so we were able to afford 4 fans. I'll be putting them up today. Hopefully we'll notice a difference! I think the change in air flow will be significant as you can't feel any breeze from a few of these older box fans.
Stay cool, hydrated, and steer clear of snakes!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
June trims
Lana was out on Monday and Tuesday of this week to trim horses. Both days were hot, but Lana comes equipped with her own fan! We had two fans blasting her and the spoiled horses on the cross-ties. I think it was because of the fans that all the horses were falling asleep and were therefore very uncooperative! Fortunately, Lana is amazingly patient (more so than I am!) and even at her most frustrated with simply step back and say, "Quit being a snot nose."
Gone are the days where the farrier whacks a horse on the belly with their rasp or angrily yanks the horse around. Not Lana. She'll put a horse back in the stall and come back to them later.
On Tuesday we did the Thoroughbreds (JW, Dancer, Shellie) and Kurly has his front hooves trimmed (we're doing corrective trimming every 2 weeks on Kurly's hoof since he tore a huge chunk of hoof wall off a few months ago). The TB's hooves always look awful just before their 6-week trim. Lana suggests a biotin supplement for horses with crummy hooves - no other product really does the job.
On Wednesday we finished up the horses on the 6-week schedule. Bodhi and Magic had lead in their feet as I dragged them from the pasture to the barn. I do not recommend trying to walk the two most lazy horses on the farm at the same time. While one eats grass, the other plants his feet. I wanted to release a badger behind them to nip at their heels! We finally made it to the barn where they rested in stalls with breezy fans and copious amounts of hay. Molly and Betsy were also trimmed. It was a bad day for Molly's arthritis (and attitude) so we didn't push her and didn't finish her back hooves. I will be giving her a dose of bute a few hours before our next session to help ease her discomfort.
Even without much rain the pastures are holding up. Pasture 4 (the one on the left as you drive up our road) is empty - the grass is beautiful! Two more weeks of growing and hopefully some down pours and that pasture should be busting with grass! Pasture 5 (Magic. Bodhi, Cas, Dusty, JW) is holding its own. I mowed it this week to keep the weeds at bay and the grass, although short, is thick and available for eating. Come July 1st, there will be more pasture rotation to allow other pastures to grow.
Since it is SO hot I will be buying some more high quality fans for the barn. As tempting as it is to purchase the $20 box fans, they just don't create the breeze the horses need in this humidity. Even brand-spankin-new box fans leave you begging for more. Plus, the plastic fans don't stand up well to the barn dust and they are more likely to cause a fire, apparently. It looks like the best deal I can get is $40 per fan (metal 20''), but these are Wal-mart brand and who knows about their quality. The next best option is a huge leap to $80 per fan, but they are guaranteed high quality, high velocity and will do the job. If I bought one for each used stall that would cost $700. It would take months and months to recoup that cost. So I may get a few fans at a time and see how doubling up on box fans will work. Rest assured your stalled horses will not be hot!
If a horse is sweating, I hose them off. I just can't help myself. Sometimes even if they aren't sweating I will hose them off anyway because it feels so good. Just this past week I have hosed off Molly, Betsy, Shellie, Tav, Pokey, and my horses.
I got a load of 15 coastal square bales on Friday. These are super green! I'll be heading to Micanopy to pick up a load of O/A bales this weekend.
That's all the news for now! Stay cool - your horses are!
Gone are the days where the farrier whacks a horse on the belly with their rasp or angrily yanks the horse around. Not Lana. She'll put a horse back in the stall and come back to them later.
On Tuesday we did the Thoroughbreds (JW, Dancer, Shellie) and Kurly has his front hooves trimmed (we're doing corrective trimming every 2 weeks on Kurly's hoof since he tore a huge chunk of hoof wall off a few months ago). The TB's hooves always look awful just before their 6-week trim. Lana suggests a biotin supplement for horses with crummy hooves - no other product really does the job.
On Wednesday we finished up the horses on the 6-week schedule. Bodhi and Magic had lead in their feet as I dragged them from the pasture to the barn. I do not recommend trying to walk the two most lazy horses on the farm at the same time. While one eats grass, the other plants his feet. I wanted to release a badger behind them to nip at their heels! We finally made it to the barn where they rested in stalls with breezy fans and copious amounts of hay. Molly and Betsy were also trimmed. It was a bad day for Molly's arthritis (and attitude) so we didn't push her and didn't finish her back hooves. I will be giving her a dose of bute a few hours before our next session to help ease her discomfort.
Even without much rain the pastures are holding up. Pasture 4 (the one on the left as you drive up our road) is empty - the grass is beautiful! Two more weeks of growing and hopefully some down pours and that pasture should be busting with grass! Pasture 5 (Magic. Bodhi, Cas, Dusty, JW) is holding its own. I mowed it this week to keep the weeds at bay and the grass, although short, is thick and available for eating. Come July 1st, there will be more pasture rotation to allow other pastures to grow.
Since it is SO hot I will be buying some more high quality fans for the barn. As tempting as it is to purchase the $20 box fans, they just don't create the breeze the horses need in this humidity. Even brand-spankin-new box fans leave you begging for more. Plus, the plastic fans don't stand up well to the barn dust and they are more likely to cause a fire, apparently. It looks like the best deal I can get is $40 per fan (metal 20''), but these are Wal-mart brand and who knows about their quality. The next best option is a huge leap to $80 per fan, but they are guaranteed high quality, high velocity and will do the job. If I bought one for each used stall that would cost $700. It would take months and months to recoup that cost. So I may get a few fans at a time and see how doubling up on box fans will work. Rest assured your stalled horses will not be hot!
If a horse is sweating, I hose them off. I just can't help myself. Sometimes even if they aren't sweating I will hose them off anyway because it feels so good. Just this past week I have hosed off Molly, Betsy, Shellie, Tav, Pokey, and my horses.
I got a load of 15 coastal square bales on Friday. These are super green! I'll be heading to Micanopy to pick up a load of O/A bales this weekend.
That's all the news for now! Stay cool - your horses are!
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