My Pedro...

Pedro is the horse that I had to recently euthanize. He was having some hip problems. We had his sacroiliac joint injected which should have provided pain relief and healing for 6 months to a year atleast. It lasted 5 days. It's also very costly. We tried some pain meds for some time and upping the dosage, but it didn't help much. Unfortunately all the strain he was putting on his good hoof from leaning on it, caused it to flare out and became shaped like a 'C'. Hooves aren't supposed to look like that. It unfortunately cracked under the pressure and a large 3" long by 1" tall piece was gone from the outer edge. He no longer had support there and at that point we decided to euthanize him.



Charmer was a bit lost for a while, but has buddied up some with Napoleon. They both get along well.

The heat is on....

We had an extremely wet winter that allowed us three good snowfalls. That was wild...

This spring has been beautiful with cool temps in the morning and warmish temps later in the day, but a breeze stayed blowing.

But I think Mother Nature got a little ahead of herself. We should still be getting some mildish mornings and warmer afternoons. We're not. So far we've recorded record high's for May here. It's been up to 98 degrees that I know of recorded. It's stinkin' hot and feels like July already...that's scary.

I'd like to say I've been out putting training time on Charmer, who is four this year, but it's too hot! I've had some great rides on him this spring though. I was pleased with his progress. I need to send him to someone to finish off though. I've started him pretty good though I think. He'll go in a bit or rope halter (prefers halter). He side passes, backs, walks, trots, and turns on que. I've not cantered on him yet since no one was out there with me. I like having someone out there just in case.

The Three Amigos....

We have three horses here...Pedro is our retiree at 18 yrs old, Charlie (formerly Charmer and sometimes still called that, but answers to both!) is our youngest at 3 and coming along nicely, and then there is Napoleon Bonepart at 12ish...who I called Fatty Napoleon. He's not so fat anymore now though. Ponies are so prone to being overweight and to foundering. We are very careful with his weight and care.

Pedro....

Charlie....

Napoleon....

We have been letting them into the back yard. The grass is nice back there and why waste gas (at $2.50 a gallon!) to mow it when you have 3 horses and 4 sheep to do it for you! The first day was pretty funny. They ran around not knowing where to go, like all of a sudden they were free and didn't know what to do about it. They finally settled down realizing that there was yummy green grass everywhere and they were allowed to have it.

This is Charlie at my bedroom window. Tall Girl walked out and saw him standing there, moving his head left to right seeming to look at his reflection. She called me out and I watched him walk away and come back 2 more times doing the same thing! LOL...goofy boy.

Here's to beautiful weather and good phone conversations!

I got to head out to work my boy a bit...he was full of it and let me know it..gave me a good solid 4 bucks...I love love that saddle! Stick like glue I'm tellin' ya!

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!

I'm sick of dreary weather already...I don't mind a day or two...it gives me time to relax, read, do some crafts or something like that. But it makes an awful mess outside on the farm. The dogs are nasty, the horses are nasty, the sucking mud is unreal and the mucky stinky water splashes up all over you as you attempt to walk carefully in your rubber boots...which you've lived in all fall/winter season and are sick of wearing! LOL...

I of course can't keep anyone clean or dry. With two horses that are in need of a bit of that it makes things interesting...so I'm attempting to keep wounds dry and clean...yeah right. Oh how I wish I had a barn on high ground....with nice big stalls...a tack and feed room...hay storage...wash stall...electricity...running water...what a dream that was, LOL.

Vehicles....UGH!

So having a vehicle serves a purpose right? I think I'd rather move to Ohio and live with the Amish so that I can drive a buggy instead. Atleast the horses don't require insurance, they don't guzzle $1.78 a gallon gasoline, they don't put out environmentally unfriendly emissions, they don't get speeding tickets (okay so that's my lead foot and not the truck, but hey, a horse can only go so fast!) and if treated/cared for properly, they don't 'break down' when most needed (okay, maybe they do on that last one. Horses have a knack for hurting themselves on the one upright stick in a five acre pasture causing them to be lame for weeks! LOL). They are, however, willing to snuggle up to you (if you have some treats, they'll become lap dogs!), take you along on a trail ride just about anywhere (as long as it's not away from the barn or their buddies) and bring you lots of laughs from time to time (and some not so nice words as well, when they have yet again dumped over that muck cart just when you'd filled it to the top or the feed bucket)...okay so maybe there are some con's to having a horse and buggy, but heck I like horses more and my truck is out of service for a bit.

I ran errands on Saturday and it ran fine...I got up early on Sunday. Got the kids up (they actually popped up fairly quickly for a change and without complaining. I thought, this is going to be a good day!-should have known it was too good to be true). Got us into the truck early to leave, put the keys in the ignition, turned them and thought, "we're on our way!"...I was so wrong.

That truck sounded like it was going to turn over for about 2 seconds and then whah, whah, whah, whah, whah....nothing. It wasn't about to let me relish in my Sunday morning accomplishment. I was stuck with somewhere to go and no way to get there. I was bummed. So we headed back inside and got changed.

Then a little while later, I found Sophie had killed another chicken. She had somehow got inside the fence...I still don't know how she did it other than going over. Which she in fact did when she saw me heading towards her like a screaming banshee. She was getting the heck away from me! She took one leap at the five foot fence, fell back, looked at me one last time and seemed like she was praying to God for wings. She took another leap, hit the top with those front feet and scrambled over fast. I watched her hightail it to her crate and hide. She knew she was in deep doo.

She hasn't gone near them since...it could be that I stuck a training collar on her and started pretending that there was now an underground fence 4 foot from the fence line. This may take some time to teach her, but she's not dumb...just determined about some things...

Oh and about the truck. It still won't start, no one has a tow bar that I can borrow, and I'm going to need to pay $75 to have it towed 12 miles to the shop. I think I'm in the wrong business!

Sorry I've been absent....but,

My horse Pedro recently decided he'd shake things up a bit for me by attempting to take his foot off at some point during the New Years celebrational fireworks (that are illegal in our Parish) that all of our 'neighbors' were setting off. He succeded in only managing to break off a large section of hoof instead.

My neighbors on one side of me, didn't even have the courtesy to let me know that they were going to be setting off those big rocket ones into my pasture over Napoleon's paddock! How nice of them. Of course they didn't bother to come and pick any of their garbage up either and my horse stepped on one of the sticks from the larger rockets. Have you ever tried breaking one of those?! I can't do it and he managed to find one sticking up in the mud out there and puncture his hoof that already was missing a chunk.

The red line and below it is the part that he tore off:


So I've been taking care of his foot and dealing with his anger at being locked up. I have to keep his hoof dry while it heals over and hardens up so that the foot won't get infected. Those of you that have horses can just imagine all the fun I've had wrapping that up every day and sometimes twice a day since I have a horse that wants to whirl and paw in the shelter he is in causing the bandaging to come off faster than it would if he was calmer. He actually got out one day and that was the best bandaging job I'd done so far! I had actually stayed on well without shifting any...then he managed to bust out and soaked it out there in the lake that should be a field.

The record snow fall...

So it started snowing early on the 11th and it didn't stop until mid afternoon. By the time it was all said and done, almost 6" of snow was on the ground. We lost many limbs from our live oak trees and we lost the entire live oak tree that was right off our back porch. I was very disappointed. It would have eventually been cut down as it was really too close to the house, but I sure didn't want to do it any time soon!

The horses were miserable the whole day. I felt bad for them...they wouldn't stay in the shed, they were soaked from the rain the whole day and night before, they were shivering and there wasn't anything I could really do about it. They got lots of hay though to keep them warm. Poor Napoleon got the worst of it as the other two wouldn't let him in the shed at all!

The kids really loved all the snow. They went through a ton of clothes since I wouldn't let them go back out in wet clothing. They don't really have proper snow gear, but that didn't stop them from playing until they could no longer feel their hands or feet..."we're fine mom"!

They made 6 snowmen, had tons of snowball fights and declared it the "Best day of their whole life"!

Jacob's other 'snow-woman'. It's supposed to be Britney and she has leaves for hair, LOL!

LOL...Ain't the second story the truth!

A letter from your horse ...original version and the real story ...

When you are tense, let me teach you to relax.
When you are short tempered, let me teach you to be patient.
When you are short sighted, let me teach you to see.
When you are quick to react, let me teach you to be thoughtful.
When you are angry, let me teach you to be serene.
When you feel superior, let me teach you to be respectful.
When you are self absorbed, let me teach you to think of greater things.
When you are arrogant, let me teach you humility.
When you are lonely, let me be your companion.
When you are tired, let me carry the load.
When you need to learn, let me teach you. After all, I am your horse.

And now, the REAL story.....

When you are tense, let me teach you that there are lions in them thar woods, and we need to leave NOW!

When you are short tempered, let me teach you to slog around the pasture for an hour before you can catch me.

When you are short sighted, let me teach you to figure out where, exactly, in the 40 acres I am hiding.

When you are quick to react, let me teach you that herbivores kick much faster (harder) than omnivores.

When you are angry, let me teach you how well I can stand on my hind feet because I don't feel like cantering on my right lead today.

When you are worried, let me entertain you with my mystery lameness.

When you feel superior, let me teach you that, mostly, you are the maid service.

When you are self absorbed, let me teach you to PAY ATTENTION. Remember? I told you about those lions in them thar woods?

When you are arrogant, let me teach you what 1200 lbs. Of "YAHOO LETS GO!" can do when suitably inspired.

When you are lonely, let me be your companion. Let's do lunch. Also, breakfast and dinner.

When you are tired, don't forget the 600lbs. Of grain that needs to be unloaded.

When you are feeling financially secure, let me teach you the meaning of "Veterinary Services".

When you need to learn, hang around, bud. I'll learn ya.

Poor Pedro...

He is not enjoying his solitary confinement...if I walk out the door. He looks at me and calls out. If he can't see Charmer or one of the neighbors horses he'll pace and pace and call out and pace some more...oh and I sooooo want some more of those red panels. They are great and not very heavy considering how big they are. I want to make a round pen. And a little inside joke for my family: I got them for a good deal! I can get the rest for a good deal...that means it's alright to buy them right?! LOL!
On another note...I am thoroughly sick of duct tape! Of course Pedro wore through the second covering I made for his foot by the next morning. I made another one, this time I made it 4 layers thick and an extra 4 layers at the toe...he wore it out by mid day on Wednesday just to show me that he could...brat.

I knew I had an IV bag around here from when I had Cash. He was always abcessing-we did find out why-but I knew I had kept it around. Those things are really tough. I found it and headed back out for another soaking and rewrapping adventure. By this time I was just about out of duct tape.

I got his foot all cleaned up, slathered in icthamol (smells seriously like road tar...no joke...it's nasty stuff), got a diaper on him (for padding and protection), vet wrapped it, and slipped the IV bag on...then the last of the duct tape went around the top area to keep it on his foot. Lets just say that was yesterday and it's still on and not worn through.........yet.

I got online yesterday morning, sick of the duct tape routine, searching out a solution for a covering for treating abcesses. My friend had given me some horse magazines (she has all sorts of subscriptions and lets me borrow them when she's done reading them!) and I had noticed an add for 'hoofwraps' on Wednesday night while reading through some of them in bed. I earmarked the page to refer to later. Of course I remembered it when I headed outside and saw that he was about to bust through another of his 'silver slipper's'. I looked them up and also some other items that I thought would work...I decided to order the Hoofwraps and see how that went.

They should be here in a couple of days. Here's to hoping the IV bag holds until then!

What a day...

Got up and walked the dogs with my daughter. Normally I run them on my rollerblades. It helps to wear them out and they love it. That Sophie can really go and not even be tired! Anyways. I got back and went out to feed the farm. Looked out and Pedro is really limping...he'd been on and off for a bit and I couldn't figure out what it was. He'd limp one day, then be fine the next...yesterday it was bad though. So I called the vet and made an appointment, hooked up the trailer and headed out. Of course when I loaded him up he didn't act lame! figures... LOL.

Anyways...seems as if he has an abcess way up there that's trying to bust, but they couldn't dig any deeper-they were already over a half inch deep into the hoof and the hole was barely open...he's on antibiotics and bute and locked up since I need to keep his wrapped foot dry and clean as much as possible. Not an easy task with horses.

I had to go to the feed store and purchases some corral panels to close him off into the shelter area of the pasture. I can't use the run-in shed since it's now my feed shed...more $$$s spent...I got them set up and a water tub set out for Charmer..hoses moved so I can fill it up, and put hay out for Pedro so he'd have something to eat on. Though I don't think he touched it as he was too busy running the small fence line calling for Charmer.

Then Steve hollars out that I need to get going to piano lessons. So I head in, get the kids and head out the door to see that he's put his truck out in the driveway to leave for work and I'm blocked in...I need my vehicle so I play musical cars, only after I had to chase down two dogs that decided that as soon as a door and gate was opened, they'd haul off through them and run off...normally they're pretty good about staying behind them...so I chased down both dogs, one of which got 'sent' home by the neighbors dog not enjoying the fact that she was in his yard and the other required the use of his shock collar to bring him back...he's a big German shepherd and when he sees cats...the chase it on...so now I'm really late and must get going.

I head off to piano, get a few things at the store while Tall Girl is taking her lessons, grab lunch for the kids after I pick her up, and a smoothie for me (yum!), get my oil changed and ended up smashing my front end into a very large and strong post at the car shop...big dummy! Now my truck has a nice large dent from top to bottom of the fender...good grief...I was just trying to miss the car that was parked behind me...didn't even see that post next to my front end!
(Nice Huh!)
I get home, head back out to rewrap Pedro's foot since while I was gone he has pitched a royal fit about having to be separated, has worn his other wrap complete off from running back and forth, and is hollaring at me about it. That was fun since now I had to soak his foot multiple times because he kept jerking it out of the bucket...goober. I made the new wrap three times as thick...I wish I had a medi boot for him...then I wouldn't have to use so much vet wrap and duct tape.

Then it was time to take the kids to my friends house, as I was off to a soccer coach's clinic. Was there until 7:15 and headed off to Tractor Supply to get feed. I had a really good coupon to use before it expired and I'd tried to get feed earlier, but the truck hadn't arrived yet. Of course when I got there, it was just pulling in! The driver had got stuck behind a pretty bad 6 car pile up...so he gets it unloaded and I get my 14 bags of feed and head home...it's almost 8:30 now.

Got the kids home and ready for bed...as I'm heading out to feed the dogs Pedro hollars at me again...sorry buddy, your stuck for the next week or so!

Thanks Fay!

So we did need some rain...but I didn't buy ocean front property! And it's supposed to rain more today...

Oh and who in their right mind thinks that it's okay to permanently house 4 full grown horses on a 75x75 foot lot, never cleaning any of the droppings up which surely pleases the neighbors and then wonders why the horses develop some bad habits...it's not rocket science people. Horses are grazing animals which means they need room to roam. Course I also have a beef with people that have horses that spend the majority of their lives in stalls...that's just not natural either. I mean would you want to live all your life inside a 12x12 foot room day in and day out only coming out to work a bit and then go back in...not me that's for sure.

Time to get back to scheduling school work. We start school next Monday.

I'll be updating the lists with all the things we'll be studying soon.

Our visit with Eric 'Herman' and family...

We had a really great visit with them yesterday! I had made some chicken salad (then tossed it into the freezer for a quick cool down-remember that...) and homemade bread (and another loaf for them to take with them-YUM!).

They arrived in their totally cool (as per my son) RV. The girls headed right off to play in the back bedroom with our daughter. She has a lot of Sylvanian Families dollhouse toys and they just loved them.

We all chatted and then headed out to the back to visit with the animals. The girls wanted to ride the horses and I had told them that they could at the library. They were quite excited about that. I got Pedro tacked up and took him out for a quick spin to see how his mood was...he was a perfect gentleman unlike the last few days when I had ridden him...he was a royal pain the last two mornings! He knows though when he has the kids on, he has always been good as gold.

I started walking out their daughter Becca. She is so articulate and was cracking me up with some of the things she was saying. At one point Pedro had left us some more 'horse apples' while walking along and I told Becca, "Did you know that horses can poo while running?!" That sort of thing always amuses a kid, LOL...she responds, "Now that's talent!" I laughed so hard!

Then I took Emmee out...she was too funny to...just chattering away about wanting to go to the "end of the world". I told her that we could go only so far because there was a fence at the edge of the tree line. We got all the way to the back of my property (though I own five acres, it's narrow and long), and as we turn around she says: "Wow, we're at the end of the world! Everyone looks so small!" Too cute!

Eric and Roseann got to ride as well...Note to Roseann: when ya'll get home, ask at a local feed store of someone looking for help at a farm in exchange for some riding time, or for some riding lessons. It is a lot of fun and I know you'd enjoy it.

We all headed back in; besides it was getting hot out there...we got some lunch and I offered everyone some chicken salad, opened the refrigerator and at that very moment, I'd realized that I'd left it in the freezer earlier to cool down....I just laughed! It cooled down alright...only the inside of it was unfrozen! LOL. It was good and cold though. Everyone got to have goats milk and ice cream (of course made from all this goats milk we have). I sent them along a quart of milk, the bread, a few jars of homemade jams/jellies, and almost a dozen eggs (my chickens are still being a little stingy with their eggs) to take with them. I hope they enjoyed them.

We were so glad they could make it out here and I hope that they had a wonderful time! If they make it out here again and we're still here, then I hope they stop again!

Whoo Hoo....

Awesome training day last night with Mr. Charmer!

I had tied him of course before we headed to the round pen (that my neighbor so wonderfully lets me use any time I need to-did I mention that I have a great neighbor...that can't be said by many people. I hope whenever we do decide to move, we have good neighbors near us). I got him leg wrapped and started to head over. He decided that going over the bags at his feet wasn't going to happen and proceeded to sort of plow into me to keep from walking over them...um, we had a very sharp lesson on how not to run into humans and then we had a more calm lesson on how he will walk nicely beside said human and cross the bags nicely without fuss. The whole lesson took about 10 minutes...not bad...

So again we headed over to the pen, of course crossing again the horse swallowing bags with calmness...maybe they won't swallow him after all.

I worked him a little while, then bridled him up and did some bit work. I grabbed my friends old trusty saddle and saddled him up. Let him work around the pen for a while with that on and then I got up in the stirrups on both sides a few times, laid across the saddle and had him walk forward a little...no big deal to him...he was totally relaxed and even turned to check out what I was doing up there. So I stood back in the stirrup, gently swung my leg over and lightly landed in the saddle. He just stood there waiting for the next thing to happen. Like it was nothing. I jiggled around a little and then asked him to back for me. Which he did willingly (better than he did from the ground I might add! LOL). Then I asked him to move forward. This one has always been his area of hesitance. He always wants to look left and right to see me back there, though he would move forward, but it was funny to watch us doing this...smooch smooch, tap tap, him walking with his head swinging to one side then the other trying to see me back there, looking like some drunken sailor. LOL.

He did it though and without looking back at me at all...he just walked on a few steps, I stopped him, backed him up again and dismounted...he looked at me like 'Was that it?' Not hardly buddy! LOL

Still more training...

I'm back from my grandfathers memorial service...it was nice, my father did a great job and many people showed up. I wished some others would have spoken including myself, but I wouldn't have been able to get up without blubbering through the whole thing...no one would have understood me anyways.

I took Charmer out for a walk along the roads where I live...he actually did really well. We had lots of cars go by, a few loud trucks, some barking dogs chased after us, he beautifully crossed a ditch after a while of coaxing. He jumped the thing with grace, front legs tucked up all nice...I may have him in the wrong discipline! LOL. We'll have to see. He may like jumping! It was so hot though out there...I thought I was going to pass out. That'll teach me to carry a small pack with some water in it next time.

He is doing much better at the post. He hasn't gotten off the few times he pulled with the new set up. He did manage to skin himself good in that rope halter. A friend gave me a good idea to try and if he pulls back again, I'm going to use it. I think he's getting it though. Today I hooked him up before we left on our walk...pushed some of the scarey bags towards him and he came forward to them instead of backing up. Although his eyes showed some worry and his body tensed...still he came forward. That is great for him. He has to learn to trust me. I plan to have him for quite some time and I am hoping he'll be my partner in riding no matter where we go. I wanted that with my other horse Cash and didn't get the chance to...

Till the next lesson. More bit work tomorrow, more consistent backing and getting out of my space when I ask him...he was such a pocket pony as a baby. He's much better now.

Hug your loved ones or give them a call...they won't always be with us...

Working horses...

My 2 yr old horse, Charmer, has decided that all bags might swallow him up. He has sat back against three lead ropes, breaking the snaps on two and taking the snap right off another...I'll have to clip it back together. I fixed up the other lead rope that I had and he hasn't been able to get off it yet. It is a very bad habit for him to start so we're tending to it now before it gets out of hand. He is learning to eat with bags hanging above his head, sitting under his feeder, laying around the feed trough, at the tie post, just laying around. Funny thing is, he'll play with tarps and doesn't seem to mind that at all. I don't get it. He'll even grab the bags in the field...goofy boy. I've also been working in the round pen with him a lot. I had the saddle on him yesterday. It was my aussie saddle, but it doesn't fit him properly right now and rides up on his neck a little...he did fine though and trotted around for a bit with it on. I also stood in both stirrups and laid across him. He didn't seem to mind at all. I won't actually start riding him until next year. He is maturing nicely, but slowly and I don't want to mess his legs up. This morning we worked on carrying the bit again and giving to pressure. He did really well. Even backed up nicely with it. I'll work him again tomorrow and then he'll be off until Sunday. I have to attend my Grandfather's memorial service on Friday. I'm flying out on Thursday.

Kids and horses...

I came back from a trail ride (down the road) yesterday and the kids were waiting for me at the driveway asking to ride ol' Pedro.

He is a 17 yr old, retired Polo horse that was given to me. He is a great fella, but was retired due to a paralyzed airway flap which causes him to 'roar' when he is worked hard for an extended amount of time. He does not breathe as well because of it. He could still run quick timed events and such if I did that sort of thing, but I don't, so he's living a good life as a 'kid's horse' and trail horse.

The kids got to ride him a bit in the back yard. It was too wet to do any real trotting after all the rain we had. The ground was still way too soft. They enjoyed it, though Jacob got a little timid after Pedro 'shook'. Jacob was like...can I get off now...mom, get me off please...mom, I'm done. LOL.

We had a crawfish boil at my neighbors house this evening! YUM! If you've never been to a real crawfish boil, then you don't know what you're missin'! They are good eatin'! They also threw in onions, garlic, sausage (deer and pork-these fellas are all hunters so deer sausage is plentiful around here...also very good stuff!), corn, potatoes and Steve's favorite, mushrooms...I eat only one or two very small ones-them suckers are way too hot for me otherwise! I choked up on one tonight.

The kids had a blast with the other kids there. They played in my neighbors huge pile of river silt/sand that she'd had brought in to fill low spots in the yard. They dug tunnels, buried each other's bodies, tossed a bit around and got really messy! The silt is so fine that it just sticks, plus there is a bit of clay in it that makes you look very tanned! They played hide and go seek in the dark using a friend's four wheeler as base. They were slap wore out when we finally went home to get them in the shower.

Till later.....

Row, Row, Row your boat....

That's what I could be singing if I had a little boat in my backyard...It poured here this morning for over an hour...then sprinkled and stopped. It started back up for the last two hours and now it's sprinkling...it's a mess out there and only my horses hadn't the sense to get in their shed during it all...of course where were they after the rain slowed? In the shed munching hay! Weirdo's! LOL!

Ahhhh...the joys of living in lowland Louisiana...This will take atleast a week to get rid of...the mud alone will be here for longer than that, unless it turns sunny and 80 again! Which who knows down here......

Oh, good grief!

Why is it that my goofy little colt has to bite, taste, grab, and fiddle with every little thing around this place. I even bought the goofball a Jolly Ball in hopes he'd leave more things alone. He does play with it, quite a lot, but he plays with everything else too...the tin on the goat shed, the chicken's tail feathers as the poor dears walk by, a halter he might see on the fence, the water tub, the tarp on the shelter, and now the spigot on the water pipe. Unfortunately he has this fetish about it lately. Maybe I should have sprayed the thing with that bitter apple stuff! We had to wrap the pipe when the cold weather hit last week to keep it from freezing...I should have known he'd discover the newness the next morning! He played with the insulated wrap and then seemed to let it be for a few days. Yesterday he took a big hold of it and pulled...pulled the darn pipe sideways...it was set in concrete when it was put in...of course now it has a crack in the pipe and was spewing water. So I had to dig up the pipe and of course when things like that happen on a farm it's not discovered during the day when it's warmer and light out... There I was in the dark with my little funny headlamp on, digging out the area where the turn off valve was supposed to be, getting wet while water was going everywhere. Come to find out, the valve stem (which we knew had lost the turner last year ) was practically rusted down to nothing! I barely got the water turned off before it broke completely off. So on Steve's next day off we'll be digging up old pipe and concrete and setting a new system...no valves underground! No pipes accessible to horses! LOL!

Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to my friends house to pick out my calf. I won't be bringing him home yet. It rained too much and I can't get the trailer in the yard now.

This is what happens when a certain colt gets a little too big for his britches...

I was heading out to feed the animals and looked out the back door to find the shed looking like this....from what I can tell, Charmer got on Pedro's bad side at some time and Pedro must have kicked out at him. Charmer can really irritate the crud out of him...I caught him that morning with his little head stuck in there just stuffing his face with hay. The Brat...

So we gathered some tools, some scrap wood, and set out to fix it. J helped cut and drill, B just wanted to play in the hay and then with the goats.

Then the kids had to get silly after we had the boards up. Don't they look so tortured?! The life of a farm kid.

Here's the hole fixed...unfortunately that's the way it'll have to stay for now. Some paint would be nice, but that mean's I'd have to paint the whole thing another color since I don't have green paint and it's so faded...but it's more than I want to deal with right now. Hopefully they won't put another hole in it!