A Mouse In and Out

It was morning at the farm.  I walk into the barn and say "Good Morning" to each horse as I pass their  stall.  Some horses whinny while others shift and snort.   They are hungry for breakfast.
I enter the feed storage room.  There are barrels of grain lined up along one wall.  Most mornings the grain buckets are ready, having been refilled the night before in readiness for the morning feed.  This morning, as occasionally happens, the buckets weren't filled.  So I begin by taking off the barrel lids to fill the buckets with grain.
I open one barrel to find a mouse inside it.  For a split moment I let out a short scream and shut the lid.  Then in the next moment realize it's not useful to freeze since I have a task at hand.
I open the lid and look at the mouse.  Mouse gets nervous since big human is standing over barrel that it's in.  It occurs to me how senseless it was of me to scream at a creature so much smaller than I am. Especially in contrast to how large I am: human being vs a mouse.  Yet it is what it is.  I got startled so reacted.
Mouse runs and tries to jump up to get out.  It fails each time to get out.  Apparently mouse is lower in barrel than it can run and jump out.
So I choose to help it out.  I try to get the mouse into a scoop to lift it out, but it runs and tries to jump out more.  So I stop for a moment.
Mouse stops for a moment too.
--then there is the incredible moment.
Mouse looks up at me.  I mean really looks at me.  Our grazes meet.
Mouse's eye look soft  and shiny.  The feeling I get- "Please don't hurt me".
I say, "I'm not going to hurt you.  I just want to get you out of the barrel so I can do my chore- to feed the horses.
Mouse seems to relax a little. I position scoop and shift it under him and lift him. He accepts the lift then moves - jumps out of barrel and scurries away.
Out loud to myself I say "Now I can get to the chore at hand-feeding the horses". I turn to pick up a grain bucket.
Out of the corner of my eye I notice mouse momentarily still for a moment under the wire shelf on the other side of room.
Mouse looks.
In a soft voice I reply, "Your Welcome".
Mouse scurries off to do what mice do.
I move to do what's at hand.  Feed the horses.

Ask for help and You receive

I've been thinking lately about business and how some think being an entrepreneur is about doing it alone.
The truth is it's not done alone at all.  It takes a team effort to make an idea into something real.
So I ask my self, "do I have the support?  Do I Ask for help?
well, not always.  I probably should ask more often when needed.  

It can be amazing where help can come from.

Like the other day at the farm, I was to bring the ponies in from the pasture before I left.  It had been rainy off and on.
I walked out to notice that they weren't out back in the lower pasture.  So I guessed right that they were up on the hill.
I've only been up on the hill maybe a couple of short times to check on them. There's a lot of rocky places and quite a bit of brush-trees, bushes.
I put the lead rope on Moony.  I looked around and realized I was unsure of the best way-path down the hill.  I chose to unhooked Moony, so I could figure out where to go before leading him.
I felt a little lost and spoke to him about it.  "I'm not sure which path or opening in brush to go, ...can you help me?
Moony moved down a small pathway through brush.  Bubbles, gray pony, followed him.  For a moment Moony looked back at me to follow.  I followed at the rear-----all the way down to the barn door.  :)
Such a smart and good sport Moony is.
I clicked lead rope on Bubbles since he can be nervous like and put him in his stall.
Moony decided not to wait for me, and just walked down the aisle into his stall.
I said "Thank you" to Moony.

See you never know where help may come in or in what form it will show up as.
So don't be afraid to Ask.
-I'm telling myself that too.
:)

Farewell to "E" Pig

I first met "Emily" Pig when I visited Lend-A-Hand farm.
She was a rather large, black and white adult pig.
She would wiggle her nose and grunt.
When I volunteered  there, I'd walk by her pig pen in the morning as I did chores and say "hi" to her.  She always seemed to reply with soft grunts- perhaps content-- happy sign.
Of course if she were hungry the grunts would change.

Lend-A- Hand closed. Thus a change.

At the new farm, she was in a stall.
Apparently we were all experiencing the adjustment.
   "change is a constant"
Timing of feeding changed.
She got out of her stall a few times.
She seemed more grumpy in waiting for her food.

One morning when we approached feeding her, she pushed her way out.  To keep her in the aisle, I faced her off with a pitch fork.  I didn't touch her, just make it so she wouldn't want to get passed me.  My working partner showed her her feed bucket.  We got her back in.
Second time, I talked to her through the stall door and let her see I had a pitch fork if need be.
She calmed down, so I opened the door and passed the food to her.  She was much better.  And she seemed satisfied and good.  whew
Last few feeding went well.  She seemed to settle in.
I've checked on her water dish too, and she seems content.
Nice to leave that impression on her.

Well, with arrangements made, she'll be going to a new permanent home in PA.  Sounds like a good "pig" place.
I imagine she'll get a pig pen again and be very content.

May she find a pig paradise.

A sweet Farewell to "E" pig.

I know she left an sweet impression on me from the start.

Best to you.

Out to the Pasture, Finally

So we finally have some warm weather tickling our fancies.
Yesterday was near 40's.    Snow is melting.

With that it was decided that the "big girls", as I like to call them- Sophie, who's actually average height for a Quarter Horse and Eclisp, 17.2 Hanoverian/paint cross, could get to go out to the back pasture.

With the amount of snow adding up with each snow storm throughout the winter and pretty cold temperatures, using any of the pastures was out for quite a time.
Some of the other horses are placed in paddocks that have open stalls.  There are 4 of those paddocks.
The "big  girls" have been usually placed in the indoor arena, while the barn is getting clean.  It gives them time outside of their stalls in winter.  They're good with it.

Yet as all of us experience, when the end of February and beginning of March come around we're all itching for spring weather.  Warmer and brighter days.


So they got to go to the back pasture.  They spend a good part of days there in the other seasons.
-winter has it's challenges, as we know.

I led Sophie through the arena to the back pasture.
She was rather excited, when she caught on where she was being led.  Nostrils, breathing the excitement in and out.
I found myself for a moment trying to keep pace with her.  Then realized, "Ah, I'm the leader, eh".
So I made her do a small circle with me to refocus some.
After I un-clipped the lead from her halter and stepped away, she did a Happy hop.
Eclipse was excited too.  funny- for just a moment she chose to check out the hay on the ground, then not.
Both lowered themselves down and rolled in the snow.  Eclipse wiggled on her back.
Then they got up and ran and raced around the pasture, which had about an inch or two of snow left.
Breathing, snorting and totally in joy.  Pieces of snow flew through the air as they kicked up their heels.

We just stood and watched them.

It was contagious.

In a nearby paddock, Zoey caught the excitement and ran up and down her paddock.
On the other side, Lady and Prince stood at the corner of their paddock taking in the scene.

Electric

oh, what Joy to experience.

Typical Good Buddies

Typical, Good Buddies:
Look for each other.
Stand together.
Enjoy each others company
Playful

Eclipse and Sophie are quite the buddies.  They've been around each other for a while.  They are in stalls next to each other.  They can look out of their stalls at each other.  In fact when moving one of them to the other aisle or out of the barn, the other one will always whinny for their bud.
They are more content when led out together by two leaders.
I sometimes get to lead Sophie in-line behind Eclipse as we walk them out.

They get to spend time out together in one of the pasture on warmer days.
On colder days, they are put in the arena for a time.
- this gives us farm hands a chance to clean stalls and the barn easier.
They do spend some good time together.
Sometimes I check in on them.   They can be seen standing together, either dosing or grooming each other.
They do get playful too.  Though I've only seen a little of that.  I look in and they stop and just sort of stand around.  Wonder if they don't want us humans to get any ideas if they run around or such.
- I get a little amused.  Yes, their amusing

They always get food and water where ever they are put.

Well, one day they were particularly amusing. 

Deba and I led them into the arena for the morning.  They needed some hay in the arena, so I went and got it.
Usually they hang around near the front doors waiting and anticipating it.
Well, this day they must of been feelin' good.  Playful
I went through the break room to walk into the arena.
They were on the other end of the arena.  Must of been playing a bit. 
They were standing next to each other facing forward, ears pricked forward when I entered the arena with the hay.  In a split moment they went into a run.
Yup, racing down the length of the arena.
A "Beat yah there".
I placed-dropped one flake of hay in one spot and the other flake of hay a few feet away-as usual- and stepped aside toward the wall.
They slowed down just so as they got there.
I couldn't help smile and sort of laugh ,"Slow down". 

I've had other horses sort of hurry over for hay- trotting over and such. Yet this was buddies racing each other.

too fun

Height and Humble

LAH farm has about 10 horses total on the farm.
There are a variety of sizes among them.
Peanut, a Shetland pony, is white with brown spots.  He's the smallest of the horses.
Eclipse, a Hanoverian/Paint cross, is black and white.  She's the tallest of them all.  And I must say quite tall at 17.2 hands.
Horses are measured in what's called Hands-about 4 inch units. 
So yah, she's quite tall.
I've been near and next to her at times.  Sometimes when I'm watering her bucket or the trough in the pasture she'll be nearby and I'll say "hello".
Sometimes when I'm near her I can't help feel a sense of awe and humbleness.
She's so big and yet also thankfully has a good demeanor.  She's pretty gentle and sweet.
Can't help loving that.

Such large beautiful animals can bring up feels of awe and humbleness.

I remember my mom taking us to see the Budweiser Clydesdale premier at the South Shore Plaza, Braintree years ago. 
They had them prance around for the crowd.  Just awe inspiring.  What a presence.

Horses are large, beautiful, strong creatures that inspire me.

Here's a pen and ink drawing I did of a team of draft horses.
This image was used for an embroidered logo for a draft horse farm. 

The Sand Box

When I was young we had a sand box in the yard.  I enjoyed playing in the sand box. 
Moving the sand around.
Creating grooves.
Sometimes making building  like structures.  Adding twigs at times. 

There was that enjoyment in using my hands to create something and not minding getting a little dirty. 

I do morning chores at Lend-A-Hand farm.  It's outdoor work.
Watering troughs
Clean  Paddocks of manure and hay-no longer fresh
Sweeping in indoor arena

One has to not mind getting a little dirty in such work.

One good thing about clean paddocks is "What one sees, You Pick up".
I  rake a small pile of manure together.  Pick it up and dump it in the wheel barrel.
Sometimes I rake the spot over to smooth out dirt after.
I'll rake hay- no longer fresh in a pile too and then pick it up.

There are many other tasks to do on the farm.
In the afternoon, the horses that will be used for lessons are brought in the barn.
I'm not on this shift, yet I know there is:

Grooming of horses
Putting riding equipment on horses as requested to suite individual lessons.

During lesson:
Horse leader
Side walkers
Therapist work

When I took riding lessons, I groomed and saddled the "school" horse for each lesson.
When I participated in the barn's horse shows, a whole group of students and instructors would get together the Saturday before the show and bathe, groom, braid the horses.
We'd also clean saddles and bridles.
- I must say I am pretty good at braiding.

oh those days were fun.

Sometimes when I am with the horses, I think about my good friend and former riding instructor.
She passed away a couple of years ago from Cancer.
She was a riding instructor for a number of years.
Outdoor work - working with horses and students.

I know she was proud of all her students accomplishments.  I was one of her students.
I was so proud of her too.
She knew I loved being around the horses and farm.

Sometimes I imagine her watching and smiling down at me as I work around the farm.

Blessed