Farm Fresh Blog

We hitched Ona to a cart today!  For the very first time, I drove my own horse!  Wooo hoooo!!!!

 Ona is a great teacher!

 I LIKE driving!

 I REALLY like driving!

Now it's time to find a wagon!

There's a reason why we call them the Porch Ponies.

My lawnmower died again. That happens when your mower is old and held together with duct tape and baling wire.

This week the belt broke.  Can't fix that with duct tape. It must wait until Other Half returns home. But fear not! I have a whole barn full of lawn mowers!

This was the view from my kitchen window last night.

  The view from my front door this morning

When the Porch Ponies get bored, they hang out on the porch and beg for carrots. Other people have dog smudges on the glass. We have pony smudges on the glass.

(I'm sure my neighbors with the Better Homes & Garden Yard hate me.)

Other Half left on Monday to go to K9 training again. Cowdog saw the duffle bag sitting on the floor and figured it out.

First he tried to climb into the bag.

  "Pleaaase take me!!!!"

Then he tried to stow away in the police car. 

(Something tells me that in a sea of German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, a single black and white Border Collie "might" stand out.)

  Poor Cowdog

 Life is so tough. It's gonna be a long week for one little black and white dog.

He sees her.

His Lady Love

 She comes.

But wait . . .

 Something keeps them apart.

  The Chasm

The Great Abyss - Eater of horses large and small and any who dare to step across its yawning jaws. 

Old Dog

  Old Dog watching Young Dog

  Young Dog (wet dog!)

Young Dog Zigs!

  Young Dog Zags!

         Young Dog Zooms!      

"That Chick makes me tired just watchin' her. I think I need a nap . . ."

Even though she is a driving horse. I REALLY bought Ona because you can do THIS on her!

We're not quite sure if she is broke to ride. Leg aids appear to be a foreign language to her.  But she is so easy-going that you can sit on her back and just veg out while she munches.  Yesterday the kids came down for a visit.

 The Supervisor hopped on Ona to survey her little kingdom.

 The Kingdom met with her approval.

 Ona wasn't bothered in the least bit by her tiny passenger.

And THAT measures the True Value of a horse.

Sunday Afternoon Drive!

We hitched Ona and her old pairs partner, Magic, together again.  They haven't worked as a team in almost 3 years.  What a cute pair!

Magic on the left. Ona on the right.

For those of you who asked about George the chicken: The hen survived her ordeal with the Very Loving Slobbery White Dog. As far as we can see, she hasn't been in the back yard since.

Yesterday Yours Truly bought a present for herself. (cuz my 4Runner has 232,737 miles on it!) It's used!  (cuz I'm cheap and don't like to pay New Truck prices!)  I'm so excited!  I haven't had a new used truck in forever! 

Look!

   Ain't she purrty!

Look from this angle!

 Makes a farmgirl's heart go pitty-pat!

Note:  You have to buy the Border Collie and the hay separately.

Disclaimer: Border Collie is NEVER allowed to ride in the back of the truck anywhere but around the pasture.  Despite the obvious fact that it's a safety issue, Border Collie likes her leather seats and air conditioning.

I cannot begin to tell you how much fun it is to learn draft horse skills when you have an experienced horse.  Ona never gets flustered when I fumble getting her harness on and off.  Those suckers are HEAVY. Fortunately my horse is short. Gently hoisting that harness onto her back is tricky and I cannot imagine trying to harness one of the Percherons by myself. 

Yesterday we had our first lesson in pulling a log.  I worried that since Ona had been a carriage horse, this might not be something she was familiar with, but I shouldn't have had concerns.  She was a champ and made me look like I knew what I was doing. 

 No, this is not us pulling the log.  I wanted to get pictures but Other Half argued that we had around 200 pictures from the day before and we did NOT need pictures of Ona pulling the log. (Now I wish he had taken them!)

In reality, although I call it a log, it's actually a long pole with an eye hook in the end. The weight isn't necessary because she's out of shape, and I just need something for her to pull while I practice my driving. There are real cut trees out there that we'll work our way up to when she's in better shape and I feel more confident!

That shouldn't take too long, Ona is a patient mare and a wonderful teacher!

This was a BIG weekend. I got my first taste of driving draft horses. (Princess LIKES driving draft horses - A LOT!) I have driven all manner of motorized vehicles and Friends & Neighbors, none can begin to compare to the raw power of holding two 2200 lb horses in your hands.  And I'm not talking about Dobbin the sedate plow horse, I'm talking "pick up the reins, cluck and off you go at a Budweiser Clydesdale trot" - RAW POWER! 

I think Doug and Debbie Halford are drug dealers. But instead of dealing cocaine, they're getting people hooked on draft horses. 

 The addiction begins!

They live down the road from us, and I often see them driving their team through the neighborhood.  I made the mistake one day about a month ago of stopping to inform them that "some day" I'd like to get a draft pony and learn to drive.  "Some Day" after my 30 year old stallion passes away, "Some Day" when I have less farm animals, "Some Day" when I have more time, I wanted to get a draft pony to drive and help out with farm chores.  I envisioned something that could help haul hay, pull downed trees, etc. In essence, I wanted an equine 4wheeler that always started in cold weather.  I wanted this Some Day. One week later I had a Haflinger.  I'm still not quite sure how it happened.

She had once been a marathon driving horse, but had been put out to pasture and with a steady diet of alfalfa, sweet feed, lush grass, and the ever present round bale, she had ballooned to a whopping 1600 lbs.  Egaads!  Her fat rolls have fat rolls. but underneath all that plumpness is the calmest, most adorable, well-trained little mare.  Doug and Debbie assured us that they would help us every step along the way.  So we bought Ona, and they bought her driving partner, a delightful little gelding named Magic.

After two weeks on not much but hay and pasture, Ona "might" have lost a little weight. She still needs to get back in shape.  I need to learn how to drive. It's a good way to start slow.  Hot summer days + Fat Horse + Novice Driver = Education Without Excitement. (always a plus when you're dealing with a 1600 lb animal!)

Yesterday we had our first lesson.  We trailered over to Doug and Debbie's.  When Ona gets in better shape, the plan is to bareback her over there, but for now, Hot Fat Chicks ride in the horse trailer.

Doug started off ground driving her. No problemo.  She hadn't forgotten anything.  Then I drove her.  I have a hard time remembering that GEE is pronounced like "Gee Whiz" and not "Git 'er done!"  Ona is very forgiving.

Doug then hooked Ona to a small wagon that he uses with the percherons.  Ona was certain that it was far too heavy for little fat ponies.  Debbie and I had to get in the back and push the wagon a couple of times. 

 "This sucker is heavy!"

 "Hey! Y'all in the back, gimme a push!"

 "Heeeavy"

 "I think I can.  I think I can. . . "

We later hooked Ona's partner, Magic, to the same wagon.  He had no problem pulling the little wagon.  Fat Chick is just Out Of Shape!  I have ordered my Other Half to stop making fat jokes and ragging on my little fat pony.  Yeah right. I know. She is fat.  But nevertheless, it is easy to see that she is worth her weight in gold as a teacher.  And that really is what matters.  And until she gets back in shape, we'll have her pull something a little lighter! 

Thus begins an addiction.  So forget about sports cars, speedboats, and tractor pulls.  If you want to experience REAL power - drive draft horses!