Horses – Page 13 – This Old House 2

Happy Horses

What’s a farm without farm animals, right? We finally brought the horses home today… we have some very happy campers here… that includes me 🙂

Opie

Max

Opie, Lacey & Coady

And all was right with the world once again.

PS. for those of you who are local.. after just one and a half days,

The head gardener here decided we don’t have enough produce yet to

stock a stand the way he would like to see it.

We also have to figure out how to keep the stuff in the shade

so it doesn’t wilt. Live and learn, I say.

His words were a little stronger. Type A thing, you know.

For a brief while years back my daughter and I ventured into the world of showing quarter horses. While we met some wonderful people along the way and truly learned how to ride a horse with all those gazillion lessons, we weren’t really cut out for the upper levels of competition. Neither of us had the drive to do what you have to do to get there, it takes an awful lot of dedication, a competitive edge and money. Money helps. The more the better.

And so, the horses came home to be our pleasure horses. Trailriding, ring riding to tune up sometimes, and sometimes not., that’s their job nowadays. They are awesome lawn ornaments too.

Today I went to the kind of horse show I really enjoy – A schooling show at Whitney Ridge Stables in Higganum, CT where my niece boards her horse, Dude. The kids raised money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital in order to participate in the show. All proceeds are donated to the hospital. There are ribbons and trophies for everyone, and smiles abound. Congrats to Whitney Ridge for putting on such a nice event for their kids and horses.

My Other Kids….

When I met my husband and we decided in quick order that we might be cohabitating in the near future… I warned him that I came with critters. I told him I’d always have a horse, a dog, and I had no idea what else, but a menagerie was pretty much a given.

Now I KNEW that he did not grow up with animals… the one dog the family had did not work out very well, and they keep beautiful, immaculate homes. He was used to a very neat and tidy order of things and I had a feeling this might be a HUGE adjustment for both of us.

And it has been. However in his defense, he has risen to the occasion many times and has even gone above and beyond, much to his own chagrin! I do keep an acceptably clean home, but I have two signs in our house, just to keep it light, you see….

What’s a little dog hair among friends?

and

Welcome to the Zoo!

oh, and this one too…because it applies…

The buck doesn’t even slow down here

So, yeah.. there’ve been adjustments. *ahem*…

and cats and rabbits and fish and hamsters and chickens

and a rat (briefly.. I think for 24 hours… he drew the line.)

Right now, these are our other kids…

Bailey is below.. terrier mix extraordinare. Wonderful dog.

Rudy.. the pisspot. He is called this because..

at every chance, if you aren’t looking, he will pee on something to mark it HIS.

He liked it better when he was briefly an only child.

This is his way of telling us he is not thrilled to have siblings.

When Bailey came to live with us Rudy wouldn’t eat.

For days.

I took him to the vet… and the vet said
“Anything new in the house? He’s depressed”

Ofcourse the new thing was Bailey.

Then the vet said
“Let’s try antidepressants”

I said “Hell no, he’ll just have to SUCK IT UP, thank you”.

Don’t judge me.

Rudy has been a pain in the a** ever since, but we love him anyway.

Rudy is lucky my daughter, in particular, really loves him.

When she moves out some day, he goes with her.

My Big Boy Ben….

It’s hot today and he’s slack’n.

Actually we all are.

Opie, my QH gelding

Coady & Lacey, my minis….

Now I have promised, since we are building a barn again…

that I will keep the numbers down.

You all will keep me to it, right?

Right.

Barn Building

Barn building continues….

An old dead stand of cedar trees out back have been cut to use for fence posts.

Two-three weeks and the equine members of our family will be home again 🙂

Happy Fathers Day

to my guy – couldn’t have planned for a better father to our children

and also to all the wonderful Dads out there ~

Barn, baby :-)

The framing crew arrived today – they will put up the walls of my horse barn, and then move up the hill to the equipment barn. I’m doing a happy dance ~

I finished my perennial rock/shell/driftwood garden at the side door too…

Sarah Palin’s tanning bed and trampoline e-mails revealed

C*sey Anthony’s hideous murder trial

Yet another Weiner cluttering the news (why is it still surprising??)

Weird weather everywhere

I’m am so tired of the non-stop crapitude that is our news – I’m tuning it out.

Barn and garden – that’s where you’ll find me

doing a happy dance..

Holy Heatwave, Batman

I didn’t think , after the winter we’ve had….

.. that I’d be complaining about the heat.

But here I am….and it’s hotter than Hades.

My flowers are wilting.

The chickens seem to like the heat

and I make sure they’ve got cold clean water and cool lettuce from the garden to pick at.

They’re starting to look like real chickens!

Dear Hunter of Florida – this is Giselle below!

And up above, first chicken on the right is Gracie, your mom’s choice!

Remember my lofty ambitions regarding

pimping the chicken coop?

This is as far as I got.

My horse barn is taking shape!

Where ever you call home, I hope you are staying cool or dry or not too wet and you’re getting enough rain but not too much and it’s warm but not Hades-like and you find yourself far out of the path of any tornadoes or floods or water spouts and there are no earthquakes anywhere on earth any time soon, Amen.

Caught with a hoe.

Now get your mind out of the gutter.

Today is one of those glorious weather days when working on the farm is pure bliss. I’m taking a break from the sun and chores to post these pictures. These are the days I cherish. Gratitude is the attitude today and I’m soaking it all up, breathing deep.

Some of you might remember the neighbors in the new subdivision who didn’t like looking at farm equipment two fields over from them, right?… Well, they’ll be looking at a barn full of farm equipment from now on… hope this makes them happy. They’ve been seen taking photos of our manure spreading and haying tactics.

Below is the foundation for an equipment barn.

Walter and son have hayed these fields for many years…

they’ll leave us some bales for the horses this year with each cutting…

Foundation for the horse barn – small this time, three stalls and hay/shavings/grain storage room

Hello, my name is Karen

and I’m a Coca-Cola addict.

It is what it is.

Coady & Lacey

Besides my quarter horse, Opie, who long-time readers have met, I also have two miniature horses. When we decided to buy This Old House and renovate and the old farm went up for sale, it was clear I’d have to find them another living arrangement until I had a place here for them again. Opie went to a boarding barn nearby..and the minis have been living on a sheep farm.

Long story short, they are now back in my possession and I just didn’t realize how much I missed these two little horses. They are living in their old quarters on the old farm (still not sold) until we can get something up for them here. And while I’ve tossed and turned about the decision to build another barn, we’ve decided to bring Opie and a boarder home too. After twenty five years of having my horses right outside the door, (and all the work that entails) and then having a respite… I’m taking the plunge and bringing them home again. This time the barn will be smaller and easier for me to care for…. (oh, my aching back!) and I’ll have a boarder who will share in the work.. that’s a huge relief.

Here we are … IN THE RAIN!…because it is …still… raining….

They are smaller than Ben. (my Dane)