Chanticleer and Houdini Horse

I was up at 4 o'clock this morning catching roosters with Whit.  Time for the freezer.  Now that he's gone with them, I'm just realizing how much racket they made with their crowing.  Ah, coffee and sweet silence.  Sort of.  The rest of the bird population is noisy enough around here that they wake the toddler by 6:30 every morning if I don't shut her window, which I don't.  That's part of summer in Maine that I don't want her to forget anyway.

As I enjoyed my coffee and the early morning sun, while I finished reading Kafka's The Metamorphosis in preparation for school this fall, I happened to notice Scooby leaning way out over the not-so-electric fence to get the fresh, green grass on this side of it.  One can hardly blame him; the grass is always greener on the other side of any fence, isn't it?  I really didn't want TBear or Whit to have to fix another fence today, however, so I put my shoes back on and wandered out to give both Scooby and Pat some lovies, and gently push Scooby back to where he belonged.  After straightening out and retightening the fence, I went back in to finish my book.  (That's a really strange story, by the way.  Lots of existentialist symbolism in it.)

As I was reading, I looked up again to make sure there were three horses on the other side of the fence and noticed that the fence was completely down now, and I only counted two horses out my window.  Hmm.  This is the common theme of my early mornings here.  Straining to look out the windows without hauling myself up from my comfortable spot on the couch, I finally spotted Scooby grazing peacefully behind the tractor parked in the yard, looking as though he might actually be hiding from me.  Perhaps I give him too much credit.  Then again, seeing how he works with Whit, how he reads Whit's voice, and how he seems to know what Whit is saying, I'm pretty sure Scooby's grazing method is premeditated.  Especially since he grazes farther out into the lawn, as I notice him noticing me with my camera.  He knows that I am intentionally ignoring the fact that he's on the wrong side of the fence.  Again.  We play this game a lot, he and I.

Patrick, on the other hand, doesn't like white electrical tape.  He doesn't like white lines on the ground or on the road either.  He doesn't distinguish between white lines that zap and white lines that don't, so he just avoids all white lines, which can get pretty amusing when we're trying to drive the wagon down the road and Dig Safe has painted a white line across the road.  Scooby keeps Pat going in the right direction (forward), but Patrick will sort of leap over the white line without touching it.  Needless to say, Pat won't cross the wire tape Scooby has knocked down when he leans too far out over it to get to the verdant grass on my side.  So Pat paces and pretends he likes it better where he is, while Scooby comtemptuously grazes a few tantalizing feet away from him.

Continuing to ignore my errant horse, I know that Whit is due to drive back in any time now, and that he will put Scooby back in where he belongs.  I also know that poor Scooby is in for a shock again soon.  When Whit gets tired of standing up fence posts and reattaching the wire tape, he'll turn the fence back on again for awhile to remind Scooby why white isn't his favorite color.  It's almost annoying to think of how smug Pat will look.  Then again, I might be giving him too much credit.  They are, after all, just horses...though they do have Belgian draft-size personalities.

Oh look, here comes Whit now with a nice bag of chicken for my freezer.  Sorry, Scooby, old man, time's up.

Animal Issues. Yeah, I know, no surprises there.

There are certain things that will wake me from a sound sleep.  One of them is the sound of a baby crying, and, apparently, it doesn't seem to matter what species of baby.  Two weeks ago when I went to bed my tiny cat was hugely pregnant.  The poor thing would follow us around the house and then collapse to lie on the floor... until we moved to another room when she would have to get up and move with us and collapse again.  On this particular Sunday night she jumped (with some difficulty, I might add) up on my bed and went to sleep at my feet.

Shortly after midnight I was awakened by the tiniest little mew.  I sat bolt upright knowing exactly what it was, but was very surprised to see it was on the end of my bed!!  Then, of course, I was bummed because she was having her kittens on my bed for Pete's sake!  I got a towel and carefully put it under Stella Louise and her new kitten to save my quilt as best I could.  For the next few hours I read and watched as Stella produced four tiny kittens in all.  Here's a picture of them this morning, two weeks later.  They are the sweetest little fluffy creatures.

Whit looked over the side of their box this morning and said, "Huh.  It's going to be awhile before there's any good eatin' there."  Nice.  Look at them all lined up, snoozing.  It's been a really long time since we've had kittens (and will be a really long time before we have more) so we're enjoying these.  Especially since they're all spoken for already.

Another noise that will wake me from a sound sleep is the sound of hooves thundering down our road and across my yard.  I know exactly what that noise belongs to too.  I will awaken to the sound of one set of hooves (ah, that would be Scooby) walking across my yard, even if he's tiptoeing, which he doesn't because everyone knows a Belgian couldn't tiptoe if his life depended on it.  However, the sound of thundering hooves coming down the road always makes me sit bolt upright and cringe because that means the whole trio is out and terrorizing the traffic, or heavens to Murgatroyd, the walkers!  Okay, I really doubt they're terrorizing anyone because they tend to go on their walk-abouts pretty early, before my friend-who-doesn't-like-animals is out walking.  Furthermore, there isn't much traffic on our road, especially not at that hour on a Saturday morning.

So on this particular Saturday morning, the sound of hooves thundering back up the road at 6am once again made me leap for my shorts and shoes from a sound sleep.  (I guess Scooby had knocked enough of the fence down that Pat followed him this time.)  Shortly after the two goons went past my window I realized that all three horses were out when poor old Magnum came wheezing up the road. It's tough keeping up with buddies who are running when you have asthma.

My garden is nothing to brag about, but yesterday TBear and I spent about 4 hours reclaiming it from the weeds that had sprouted with all the rain we've had lately.  We discovered that someone might have planted the beans a little too deep because there is a serious lack of plants in the first two rows.  So I had TBear try again with some more beans.  Pat and Scooby ran around my garden when they came galloping back into the yard, but, um, someone forgot to give Magnum the memo...

Ah well, he did a nice job patting them down into the soil.  I guess.

It took a few more minutes to get the bad dogs back into their field.  I managed to take hold of Wheezy there on the left (aka Magnum) and lead him back to their pen, whinnying in distress because he felt left behind again.  Little did the lunk realize he was actually leading the herd at that point. :)  After racing around the field behind my garden there, Scooby (on the far right) finally stood still long enough for Whit to put a lead on him.  I took him back to the field while Whit chased Pat around a little more.  Pat is naughty, no two ways about it.  He didn't want to be led.  I opened the gate for him so he could "escape" inside to his buddies without having to suffer the indignity of being caught.  Here they are.  Busted.

I hear a few cars going by on the road now.  Look at them standing there waiting for their breakfast like nothing ever happened.

I'm going to go have another cup of coffee.

Horse-Drawn Snow Roller

At the turn of the 20th century, when farmers needed to go somewhere, they generally still traveled by horse-drawn wagon.  When it snowed, well, they'd just hunker down for a few days waiting for the roads to be cleared.  This didn't phase them in the least; after all, they had all the food, firewood, and fodder stored up that they needed for the winter.   However, there were times that it was necessary to get to town to do business, so a team of oxen or draft horses would be hitched up to a huge snow roller to pack the snow down on the road from one farm to the next, and on into town to make it easier to travel by sleigh.  Interestingly, snow rollers seemed to have been peculiar to New England and New York.
 
Thanks to Henry Ford and his mass-produced Model-T (starting around 1908), cars eventually became more numerous than horse-drawn wagons, roads were paved, and snow plows took over the job of making travel easier by scraping the snow off the roads.

We find much to learn from history though.  Recently, MacGyver, who reads and researches stuff like this all the time, reinvented a snow roller to be pulled behind one of our horses.  Taking an old cable spool, he nailed boards around the perimeter, did a little welding, set the whole thing on a frame with a seat, and voila!  (I make it sound so easy, don't I? :)  It's not nearly as big as the ones drawn by a team of oxen, but it suited the purpose of packing a trail through the woods, hopefully making it easier for our horses to pull a sled.  (The weather is supposed to deteriorate into slop, so it may be a few days before we can go for a sled ride.)

Here is the reinvented snow roller.  Whit is going to make a test run around the yard.  (That turned out to be a good plan. :)

 

We discuss a few modifications that need to be made.

 

Now that we've seen that the roller will work, we're ready to go for the test run through the woods.  Having the two of us riding on it made it less tender, and easier to balance.

  

 It really did work very well.  One pass down the path and one back made it wide enough for the two horses to pull the sled.

Now, I would just like a little more snow.

Twitching Wood

Now that the haying is done, it's time to do some other jobs.  This past weekend, Whit and our friend Jacob took the horses on a job twitching wood.  That's what they call hauling logs up out of the woods...twitching, because a twitching chain is used to skid the logs out.  A twitching chain simply has hooks on either end.  One end is wrapped around the log, then hooked back over the chain, while the hook on the other end is used to fasten the log to the double-tree behind the horses.

Generally, when someone wants to clear some land they can just pay someone to bring in a skidder and do it.  This job, however, was to selectively clear some trees that were blocking the owner's view of the lake without cutting a lot of extra trees or roughing up their property, plus their woods are on a pretty steep hill.  So Whit took Pat and Scooby to haul the logs up a relatively narrow path, wending their way between the trees.

Whit and Jake worked all morning bringing up some smaller logs.  I arrived with lunch and my camera.  Here, lunch break is over.  Whit is walking the boys back down the drive from the trailer where Pat and Scooby had their lunch, and across the yard to the top of the path leading down into the woods.

Jacob is carrying the double-tree in the foreground.

You can get an idea of the view the owners are trying to preserve.  (The house is off to the left here.)

 

 The horses prefer to watch what's going on while Jake wraps the chain around the log in preparation for hauling.

Hitching them up to haul.

And off they go.

Everything is pulled up to the driveway where they can be loaded onto a trailer.

Headed back down the hill again for a big log this time.

 

This is a pretty big log.  Whit had created a hoist to lift it up off the ground, but it needs some modifications to get around the rocks and trees.

It is kind of a donkey path with a really annoying rock in the way.  The front end of the log didn't miss it this time.

The cable snapped!  Back to using the chain.  But first they have to get around the rock.

Using a peavy, they roll the log sideways enough to get around the rock and tell the horses to giddup.

Unfortunately, the next obstacle was this annoying tree.  Hauling logs behind horses is a little like trying to play crack the whip while attempting to get up the path...around the obstacles.  Jake has his trusty peavy.  (Never leave home without it.)

They finally made it up the hill.  Because the horses had to pull pretty hard to get the log up over the top of the hill, Whit didn't want to stop them.  Notice the little two-step Whit does between the log and that rock on the right to keep the log from running over his toes.

That was a good haul.  The horses need a  break, so Jake is going to fetch his chainsaw and take care of that annoying tree in the trail.

The troublesome tree is on the right.  Jake is contemplating which direction he wants it to fall before he starts sawing.  (Well, okay, he's also wondering why I'm taking so many stupid pictures. :)

 No more tiresome tree in the trail.

Whit and the horses are watching Jacob finish the tree job.  Then they'll head  back down  into the woods and haul up another log.

They're all good boys.  They did a good day's work, but it's not nearly done.  They'll be back again next weekend.

Working the Horses

The horses needed their hooves trimmed again so Whit harnessed up Scooby and had him drag the stock into the barn from out back. The project went better than expected. Everyone was cooperative standing there, so it didn't take long. Since Patrick was the last one into the stock, he got to be harnessed to pull it back out of the barn. However, before he hooks any of the horses up to pull, Whit usually walks them a bit just to remind them of what they're supposed to be doing. Pat is pretty funny. No matter what he's doing or pulling, he prances. I really think he likes the entertainment and challenge of pulling something.

Here he is pulling the stock back out of the barn.

Last year, when the weather was better, we had taken the horses to the fields where we're cutting hay so they could be harnessed to help. Unfortunately, we weren't able to do that this summer, so the boys are a tad bit bored. They haven't been worked enough lately and it shows. Pat didn't follow directions pulling the stock out as well as Whit wanted, so he got to do a little extra work this day.

Whit hooked Pat up to the sled and had him drag it around their field in figure 8's. The next morning, bright and early, they were at it again, and Whit had helped TBear harness Magnum. TBear has been working with Magnum in the mornings too, while Whit deals with Pat and Scooby.

We've decided that Magnum really can't be ridden, but he seems to like walking around the field. I'm sure he's been bored this summer too.

TBear and Magnum on their way back to the barn from the horses' field.

TBear and Magnum are doing a good job learning to work together. TBear needs the practice, and Magnum is pretty patient.

Spring Effects, or maybe Affects

I really have nothing stellar to report today. It is just a beautiful spring day in Maine. I don't know if it's the effect of the beautiful weather or what, but I saw some things that just struck my funny bone, so I thought I'd share.

While I was teaching math this morning, I happened to look out the window and observed that the horses are certainly enjoying the warm weather. They were napping. We knew before we got them that draft horses are not particularly high strung, but I don't think I've ever seen such laid back beasties. Pat seems to have the nap thing down to an art.

I seriously think he was drooling.
I actually walked right up to the fence and talked to him before he came to. (See Mom? He's really not dead this time either. :)

Riss came home early from work this morning, and presumably took charge of Sunny. Apparently, she was on a different wavelength. This is what happens when everyone assumes someone else is watching Sunny.

Some people have a nose for chocolate. Others have a gift for finding lost shoes.
Sunny is a marker magnet. He can find them anywhere you hide them. He really likes magic markers. He found this one hidden in TBear's room. He's a very bad dog, Carl.Yes, Sunny, nice job. Fortunately it was water soluble and came off easily. Fortunately.
That was enough entertainment for one day. Sunny and TBear are outside having wagon races, but they're moving a little too fast for pictures, so you'll have to imagine that.

The Farrier Visits on the First Warm Spring Day

It's been a long winter, but spring has finally sprung here in Maine. It was in the mid-70s here this weekend. Small green leaves have sprouted on my lilacs and the birch trees. My daffodils are up and blooming in the dooryard, the grass is turning green.... and the farrier came to trim our horses' hooves today. We love our farrier, Sandy. He does a great job, and is very patient with our creatures. Our horses, on the other hand, weren't wild about having their feet done this afternoon. They never are, really. We continue to try to work with them a lot to make this a better event, but it can still be a challenge the first time around after a long winter. (Whit keeps them in pretty good shape all winter, until the farrier makes it out again.)

I have mixed feelings about our horses' feet. Take Scooby, for example. This is our most reliable, low-key, steady workhorse. You can walk around behind him, or bend down to hitch up a wagon or logs to the singletree for him to pull, with absolutely no fear of being kicked or even stepped on or backed over. (In fact, we hitch Scooby up to the stock to pull it into the barn for the farrier to use.) Scoob stands patiently waiting for the click of your tongue, and off you go. And yet, this poor boy has an incredibly difficult time standing still in a stock for the farrier to trim his hooves. Sandy doesn't hurt him at all, and certainly makes him feel better by the time he's done! Scooby just doesn't like it, and Pat's not a whole lot better.

Look at the stock below. Scooby, who was first in this time, in all his 1600+ pounds of slightly overweight, winter glory did a tap dance (more than once) until he sheared off six #10 screws holding the 2x2 in. board which supported the 2x6 floor boards. See how the floor lists on the left side? (The photo is actually of Magnum getting his feet done. He's a good boy. He doesn't dance much.) Whit's repair list isn't getting any shorter.
Sandy noticed our sheep, which are both hard to miss, and for sale. He made an offer on two of them, which delighted Whit as we are trying to whittle down our flock some. We raise meat lambs, and although we shear our sheep every spring, we do not get much money for their fleece, at least not nearly enough to support them for the rest of the year, so we need to decrease our flock size.

This is what Sandy is driving today, his wife's car.
These are the sheep Sandy bought. I'm not sure what his wife is going to say about them in the back seat, but there you have it.

The spring day was so lovely, Whit hitched up the horses and we all went for a wagon ride later that afternoon. (Look at those feet. Aren't they lovely? :)
Sunny, Rissie and her friend went along for the ride.

TBear and Sunny seem to be practicing for photos like those early ones where no one smiles, but they had a good time. Don't let them fool you. : )

Spring Cleanup

Just three weeks ago we had about two feet of snow on the ground. Now, most of the snow has melted and the grass is starting to get green in between the patches of mud. Mud season wasn't too bad this year for us, although it's hard to avoid in the horses' field. High muck boots are a must because one does sink up to one's ankles when walking out there. Whit finished burying rubble and stumps and raking out the field on the garden side of our house. Time to move the horses there to let their field finish drying out.

Scooby was brought in to be harnessed so he could help move their hay feeder. Those are two of our new baby goats...escapees.
Scooby was so excited to be working again after a long winter that he could hardly contain his excitement, which is pretty funny looking. He prances. Look at those ears perked up...he is one happy horse.

The hay feeder tends to tip forward when it's being dragged, so TBear is ballast.

Into the newly raked field.

Another small project to finish was dragging some logs out of the woods to be cut up for firewood. Scooby is already harnessed, so now was a good time to do it.

TBear's job was to wrap the chains around the logs and attach them to the singletree.

It wasn't exactly a tough workout today, but Scooby is definitely enjoying the brush down and catching some rays here. Boy was there a lot of hair coming off that horse. The barn swallows will have lots of nesting material when they get here.

Going to the dry field. I brought his buddies over too, shortly after this.

This rocking horse in our barn belonged to Whit when he was Sunny's age. That makes it more than forty-five years old. They just don't make toys like they used to, do they. We love this horse.