Feeding

Well its been three days since I started the feeding with the ponies and now I remember why I dont feed grain everyday.  Specially when I have to seperate them to do so.  Of course I am lucky they are good ponies and getting into the routine, I have yet had to catch a horse and move them, they just kinda separate themselves.

First day Bailey hardly ate anything and I was a little concerned but that was a lot of stuff for a horse that hardly even got oats.  So I never worried to much and gave it back to her the next day with a little more oats and the new tea and hindgut stuff.  She ate most of it and left a little and I left the feedpan out there and moved the other horses in and they ate it haha probly shouldn't have but there was hardly any left.  And today she ate it all, even licked the pan clean.  I also notice less swelling in her glands and that probly is why shes more interested in eating if shes feeling better.

Jess ate her tea no problem, of course it smells so good I cant see why she wouldn't.  I'm sure I could put anything in her tub and she would eat it lol, there is a reason shes not skinny lol.  But I am still glad she likes it.  I want to switch her to the co-op feed but since its pellets even she suggested waiting cause it will just turn to much with liquid on it.

And Razz, poor girl just gets plain oats.  She could be on the ration too, but I will also wait till I put Jess on it too and move them both to it gradually.  Will be a lot easier when I just go back to feeding grain after I ride.  Whew 10 days is a long time.

(my feed room)

Would be easier if I had a barn...or at least a feed room.  I have to bring everything inside cause it will freeze.  The hindgut stuff freezes almost instantly after I put it in the tub so I make sure its on the oats so she can get it.  The teas don't seem as bad but there's a lot more of it.

Oh and Lisa it was 160 total.  She charges 60 per horse and then whatever supplements you get are added on and they are cheap, both teas were $5 each.  I actually debated getting the virus one for myself for when I get feeling crappy she says works real well on people in 3 days.  And the hindgut I don't remember but not much more and then a little for travel since she lives in Thorsby but it was split between 3 of us so was cheaper.

Silly Horses

So yesterday the farrier was supposed to come about 9:30, so I went out and my silly horses love being in the corral so I just opened the gates and they all walk in.  I put them in the small corral cause there are usually a few who think they don't need to be caught, but as I was walking the gate closed George rushed out the gate and I just let him.  Of course after I closed the gate he wanted back in but I just ignored him and went to get his halter.  He is usually the one running around getting everyone riled up, so he didn't know it but this worked perfectly for me.  By the time I got back with his halter he was just standing at the gate waiting for me to catch him :)

(Razz pretty sure she should be in the pasture)

I tied him up by the barn and then caught Bailey and of course she is always wanting to be caught.  Then Kali and she thought she was being hard to catch by walking away 2 steps, lol.  I don't think she knows she can run away if she wants and I like it like that.  Then Duchess and she was good as always.  I cut those 4 out cause I planned on putting them in the north pasture later so they might as well stand together and be friends for a couple hours away from everyone else.  Then I caught Razz who is good, but her face still is bothering her I wish I knew what was going on there.  I tied her in the corral then Disco who was so sweet just waiting for me.  And I had just grabbed Belle's halter and was about to put it on her when Neil comes out and says Jason isn't coming cause his wife (who is a vet) had booked him to pick up semen in Calgary this morning and forgot to tell him.  So I just scratched Belle and walked away.  Then I went over and scratched Jazz too.  I shoulda picked up her feet while I was there, but now I have till the 16th so I hope I can get something done with her before then.

(Pasture ponies who wanted to be in corral)

Belle is being really weird lately.  I noticed it all this winter she was acting really curious and always wanting to be close.  Before she was always watching but standing at the back of the herd.  Now she is less than an arms length away.  She almost acts like a yearling/2 year old when they get to that point where they just want to learn something.  Don't know why it took her so long to get to that point, but it is kinda nice she is relaxing a bit more around me.

(Trying to get better shots of Magic but all I got was a nose)

So I put the 4 out north and they all wanted in and the ones in the bull pasture all wanted to be out.  So it was kinda noisy around her all day.  Magic got a little excited when I was walking horses out cause they have to walk right past her pen, but after she couldn't see them anymore she didn't care.  Even when they were calling she just ate and ignored them.

(feeding horses on pasture)

This morning I looked and they were all standing so they could see in the yard and Magic still had food so I sat down to computer a while before going out.  And then Neil comes in from doing chores and says there is a horse in the yard.  I look out the window and see Duchess.  So I go out and get a halter and catch her and instead of putting her right back I took her over to the hitching post and brush her.  It had to feel good, there was a ton of hair that came out!  Then I put her back and fed everyone and Neil gave a bale to the horses in  the bull pasture.  I just want to leave them there for a couple weeks to let the summer pasture grow and hopefully it will rain in there and make it really grow.  The calves were out there for the last week so any new grass is probly chewed off but now they are moved out to real grass and it can grow.

(More feeding horses)

I filled hay in my truck and hauled it far away from the gate and fed the ponies although I am not expecting more trouble cause the in horses won't be looking over the fence and the pasture horses can't see the other horses when they are eating off the bale (which I imagine they will be doing pretty well all the time).

(Bailey posed for me)

Looks so funny out there all that pasture and the horses want hay!  Sometimes they are just silly.