Good Fences #10

Tuesday J and I worked the larger part of our cows and calves, 64 pairs.  But first we had to get them into the barn lot.  

 The last time it worked will to bring them though the bull lot by setting up the temporary electric fence.

 Hank was instrumental in moving the bulls to the other side of the fence then going after the cows and calves.  There is a fence there, take my word for it.

 They were in the wooded section of the hollow.

 Hank really saved me from doing a lot of running around on foot.

Then there was one more bull to move out of the way and it was time to start our real work in the barn.  No fences in there so no pictures of shots, ear tagging and ralgro implants.

 For more Good Fences click HERE.

In Bloom At The 4Rs

PEONIES! 

 They have managed to be in full bloom without getting rained on yet.  It always seems like as soon as they reach their peak a storm comes and flattens them.  But not this year.  They are beautiful.

And a clarification from yesterday's post.  The bull only came from 700 miles away so it really shouldn't have taken a week to get here.  It was just that the professional hauler that brought him had lots of other stops.

There's A New Bull In Town

J bought a new bull at an auction with an online bid 2 months ago.  After several phone calls we finally found out that he was on his way here from Missouri.    

 Once they loaded him up it took a week for him to get here.  I was surprised he was in as good of shape as this when he arrived.

He is a pure bred Red Angus.  Hopefully, he will make a nice heifer bull seeing as how we lost our last one.

For Sale

Well, it looks like E doesn't want to show Wrangler.  She decided that with his more demanding personality and her traveling with the State 4-H Horse Judging Team this summer, that it just wouldn't be a good match up.  He's a good horse but does need very consistent work.  Since I don't really need to show and that's what he is most suited for, he is now for sale.  

Check out his ad on Horse Clicks HERE Horse Clicks.  Anyone interested?  Reasonable offers considered.

Just Kit Sunday #51

I have a shoe box in the garage to keep gloves in.

 Kit loves to take little naps there.

I think someone needs a bigger foot.  Kit isn't quite a 6 1/2 wide.  Maybe an 11 E?

Good Fences #9

J and I worked the cattle at our farm up the road the other day. 

 The pens there are pretty new and work great.

We worked the cows first and then the calves.  The poor little things are so confused for the little bit that they are separated.

But the moms are there to pick their little one out as soon as we are done.  

Click HERE for more Good Fences. 

New Intern

V started her internship at a regional bank yesterday.  She said she really enjoyed it and the time passed much faster than her previous food service jobs. 

She will be working 40 hours a week for 10 weeks this summer.  There are 2 other interns that she is training with for 2 days then she will work closer to home for the next 5 weeks.  The interesting thing about the other 2 interns is that both of their fathers are small animal vets.  One girl said she knew from a young age that she didn't like animals.  Looks like us vets are doing something wrong when our kids would rather go into banking and finance.  Or maybe they are smarter than we think.

Bad Horse For Sale Pictures #18

STUD.. for sale and MUST go asap. Needs to be gelded he's 6 years old and around 36" but will measure if necessary. NOT for a child or lead line pony and gets aggressive with other horses. I have had him sense this past Thursday. He has had some handling but needs tlc. He is not bad unless other horses are around and allowed me to pick all but his left hind foot up and tap on it with my hand. He ties fairly well and leads nicely but still needs manners. $150 OBO

 Haven't posted this for awhile but I couldn't pass this up without sharing.

 I have absolutely no idea what they are trying to show with this angle.  Maybe that's the left hind foot that can't be picked up.

Looks like he has a nice forelock anyway.

Just Kit Sunday #50

Kit Kat has gotten braver around the goats. 

 He was doing his best to make friends. 

Looks like the goats need to get a little more brave.

What Now!?

Our last goat, a yearling nanny,  kidded on Sunday with triplets.  Since we had already turned everyone out I thought we could just keep a close eye on the new ones to make sure they were keeping up.  We lost one the second night but the nanny had found it the next day.  Then yesterday I went to check out my trail blazing progress on Hank.  When I got to the cattle guard this is what I found. 

 J had taken the truck out just a little while before I went riding so it could have been stuck then.  The goats were just going across when I got there so maybe it had just fallen in.

 What ever the case, it was glad to be back out.  One of the triples was with the nanny, one stuck in the cattle guard and one was under a tire rim 1/2 a mile away.  I'm not sure I can keep keeping up.

Hank was a dream on my new trail.  I went around and down the front side where I haven't cut yet to see where it would be best to take the trail.  He would stop and stand while I broke branches and backtrack when I would change my mind on which way to go.   We went back and forth a couple of times on the trimmed part to test it from both directions.  V is now helping me with the trimming.   I'm super excited about this new project.

More Awards

E's High School awards were last week and  the Governor's School awards banquet last night. 

She brought home; Highest Average in Advanced US History, Participation in All Around MACC, Participation in VHSL Scholastic Bowl, and Participation in Social Studies MACC from regular school and Award of Special Merit in College Algebra/Precalculus with Trigonometry from Governor's School.
Way to go E.  Only one more year of high school left.

Why Didn't I Think Of This Sooner

I had an epiphany the other day.  I don't know why I never thought of it before.  See that section of pine trees to the upper left?

 It's a section that is fenced off from a previous owner's participation in some conservation program.  There is probably 10 - 12 acres of pines, a small clearing and a steep section of hardwoods.

I was herding the goats out of here the other day when I thought, why not make a trail through here.

With a little pruning I could end up with a mile or two of trails with NO GATES TO OPEN!  It's been pretty slow going so far.  A lot of decision making as to where the best course should be.  And my arms are pretty tired of pruning and sawing.  Can't wait to try it out when I get done.

Plant Sale

The FFA had a plant sale this weekend.  Looks like I have some work to do now.  

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers broccoli, dahlias and saliva.  But first I have to get my goat manure and work up the garden.  It's going to be a long day.

Just Kit Sunday #49

Just Kit Kat again.

In Bloom at 4R's

Some flowers for Mother's Day (a day early)

Good Fences #7

As part of the spring development program we participated in several years ago, the spring head needed to be fenced off.

 Since we have 6 tire troughs on the farm, we have several little patches of land fenced with no gate openings.

It may look a little strange if you didn't know what it was for.
Look HERE  for more Good Fences.

All My Fault

 We got the cows up the other day and brought them through the bull lot.   I opened the gate to the lot but only closed back 1 of the 3 things that J had keeping the gate closed, thinking that he would be coming back out that way and would fix it back the way he liked it.   But I was wrong, he went out a different gate and I forgot to tell him that the gate security system needed to be reengaged.

So Saturday morning he says that 3 of the bulls are out but he had already gotten one back in.  Feeling guilty, I went the help get the other two back.

 Not only were these two still out but they were at the very end of the biggest field.

And at the bottom of a very long, steep hill.  The little one split off and we had to go back to get him after we got the big one all the way back to the lot.

I guess I shouldn't make fun of J's triple security system anymore.  

Another Outing For Brother

I made a last minute decision to go to a horse show on Saturday.  J asked if I wanted to go and I asked what else would he do if I didn't.  His answer was, mow the lawn.  So of course I said let's go because who wants to mow the lawn when there's a horse show to go to.  

 I hadn't been riding Wrangler much, well nothing really for the last week except for Brother on Friday, so I took him.  E was taking her SAT exam so she couldn't go either.  I thought Brother did exceptionally well under the circumstances.   There was a morning gymkhana show then the pleasure show to start at 1:00.  I thought they would take a break between the two divisions to let us warm up in the ring but I was wrong.  I rode a bunch outside the ring but that is just not the same thing as letting the horse walk around and see everything on the inside.

 His first class, Adult Go As You Please, he did well but looked around at everything.  He does well jogging but his head is on a swivel at the walk.  At least his looking doesn't speed up his feet any.   I ended up 4th out of 4 but did better when we came back in for Adult Western Pleasure.

 We won that one even with a crazy gaited horse on his tail for half the class.  We finished with Open Go As You Please and were 2nd out of 7 in that one.  So a red, white and blue day.

I thought there might be a little bit more competition at this show and the wind was really blowing so I even banded his mane.   I also decided to wear my chaps.  It took J's help to get me in them and on the horse however.  But still not too bad for something that I got when I was 16.  Since my show shirt doesn't match the chaps I just wore the shirt I also had from when I was 16. (don't ask - doesn't everyone keep all of their old clothes?)  I think I need to work on the shirt part a little more.
Yet another good experience for Brother.