What’s it like having horses at home? Part II [Part I – Morning]
Housecleaning II
If I did not clean the stall when I let them out, I go back later. I try for a time when they are at the far end of the field. If they are nearby or in the run-in, they will come help [Let Me In!].
I take the serving buckets back to house, leaving them in an obvious spot.
Work
If Greg is home, we work horses in the ring. This is the time for exercises that require two people &/or supervision, generally weekends and one afternoon during the week.
If I am alone, I vary the activity: a thorough brushing, body work, walks, hill work, ground work exercises, or a combination thereof.
House rule is to get halters on them every day, even for a simple brush-off. These two go feral around the edges after only a day or two on their own.
Dinner
Greg feeds the evening meal. If he’s running late, I offer to feed. He almost always says no. After a long day of working to keep the ship afloat, he enjoys seeing the horses and sitting in the field with them.
Dinner is fed outside. Since the meals never quite match, we often have to play referee [Talk To Me, bonus example 1]. There are worse things than being out in the field under the sun/stars, listening to horses chew.
Mealtimes can vary several hours in either direction. More than that if we are leaving for the day &/or returning home late. Horses do not cope well with schedule changes. However, we figure if they never get adapted to a set schedule, then they can never have that schedule interrupted. Plus, they are out grazing rather than hanging about in a stall wondering where we are.
As he leaves, Greg tells them, “You guys be good. Stay safe. Don’t do anything stupid.”, and pulls up the drawbridge.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 