Video: The Economics of Draft Horses

  I despaired of ever getting a post published today, due to our internet suddenly going on the fritz, but lo and behold! At 10:30pm, I'm finally getting *just* enough to put up Monday's educational movie. Sorry it's taken me so long, guys. I've been trying all day.

 Anyway! Look at this amazing video that I found! It's all about the economics of keeping draft horses, and what cases they're worth keeping, versus keeping a tractor. It's super detailed, and is definitely made with beginners in mind. Topics cover choosing a draft horse, building shelter for them, how many acres you might need for a pair, repairing equipment, chores to do when you get your first team, and more. 

  Watching this video reminded me just how much I'm impressed by draft animals and those who work with them. And it also reminded me that this is a farming venture that I am no longer interested in pursuing. *GASP!* I know, I know; for a long, long time I always dreamed of getting a draft horse (or a pair). Shucks, I have quite a few posts about that longing! But in the past few years, I've done a lot of researching and soul searching, and I've come to the decision that I will stick to tractors (much to my husband's relief). Now, if you feel led to use draft horses, then by all means do it! And hey, send me pictures, okay? I'd LOVE to see your beautiful animals doing what they do best! Drafts definitely have a place in this world. As do tractors. And for the specific area that my husband and I are in, tractors are proving to be the most economic/wise choice for us. Plus, I admit that due to some equine-related accidents that have happened over the last two years, my confidence around horses has waned to a degree that would make horse keeping dangerous for me. Confidence is a huge key to keeping horses, and right now... I have none. I'm not out-and-out scared of horses, but I no longer have a desire to own one at present. Maybe someday I'll get over that... I would however, still love to raise a team of oxen; but I'd sell them once they reached maturity, rather than keep them. Again, because tractors are cheaper for us to keep.

  But nevertheless, I will always be in awe of a well trained team of horses. I'll always feel that slight twinge that *maybe* they're something I could do, someday. And I'll always want to pet the Budweiser Clydesdales that live nearby... 

A Horse Girl

  Today I had the immense pleasure of being back in the saddle. ^_^ And not only merely being "back in the saddle" but getting to go as fast as my little mount could carry the two of us, and together we did some crazy, topsy patterns through the pasture. It was interesting, I'll say that much. My mount's name was Benton; he's a fat, short, palomino-colored boy who seems to be a Quarter Horse cross of sorts. He and I were on five days acquaintance, he hadn't been ridden in months upon months, and I hadn't been on a horse since I was seventeen. Four years ago. I won't mention the fact that my safety head gear was a camo hunting cap, 'cause that would freak my parents out. So we just won't go over that... Continue on, folks.

  So! Benton and I were up for a crazy ride! Ha. He was as good as gold *except* for one thing: the silly boy doesn't seem to remember how to turn. Once upon a time he knew that a gentle pull on the right rein meant he needed to turn right. Apparently that info got lost in his spam folder somewheres. More than once today I found myself scolding him, "Benton! That's an electric fence!! Turn you moron! TURN!!! No, don't run me into that tree! TURN!!!"

   But other than that minor glitch (hehe), it was awesome. This little guy can move fast! Riding a horse is a lot like riding a bike; once you learn, you don't forget. So I was pleased to find that I hadn't forgotten any of my riding knowledge, but could instead pretty much go on auto-pilot and simply enjoy the sensation of flying. Being on a galloping horse is such an incredible experience... I feel bad for all those who have never gotten to try it.

 And now I shall stop my chattering and let y'all scroll down and see what's next. ;)

  First we have a picture of chubby Benton himself! Isn't he CUTE!?!? He so squishy looking that you just want to hug him! That, and I'm always tempted to do something to his fuzzy little ears. ;) He's such an adorable character. Even if he does have a grudge against all canines. LOL.

  Second up is Nick. He's a coal black Standardbred gelding; a buggy horse that was trained by the Amish. He's not saddle broke though, which is a pity... He looks like he would have some amazing gaits on him! I like Nick; don't tell Benton this, but I think I like Nick the best. And it's not just because he doesn't mind dogs (although that's a plus). He's just a calm, laid-back fellow that seems wise beyond his years... That, and I have a thing for black horses. *cough, cough*

   And now, ze' crazy video of Yours Truly, riding madly around on a lovely Mississippi winter day. :) 

P.S. All that yipping and yapping you hear in the background of the video? That's Gyp going bananas over the fact that I've obviously been taken captive by an evil horse and no one will let him come rescue me. Once he saw me get off the horse he was fine! But he wasn't keen on the idea of trusting Benton with his master. 

It was crazy fun though. I'm a horse girl through and through... 

Let There Be Cowgirls

  It's been a long time since I've listened to honest-to-goodness country music. You know, the songs that actually talk about cowboys and cowgirls? I listen to a lot of country music, but my kind is the kind about tractors, crops, and pretty girls. ;) It's been many a year since the term "cowgirl" applied to me. I used to be that type of person... I was a rodeo girl; passionate about barrel racing and pole bending, and desperately wanting to master roping. My usual mount was a little gray Arabian mare; but my favorite was a lazy, bad tempered buckskin Quarter Horse named Snippy. The Arab was great if you wanted a good, dependable run; she was sturdy, and fast enough to finish a barrel course in 16 to 17 seconds. But the Quarter Horse... She made you work for the ride; you had to give things your all, ride her just right, convince her that this was the thing to do... If you were lucky, and she was in a good mood, the two of you flew through those courses and getting a time of 14 or 15 seconds on the patterns wasn't uncommon. I've ridden who knows how many horses over the years, but obstinate Snippy is still a favorite.

 But back to the music! Like I said, I haven't listened to this stuff since I was a rodeo girl myself, at the age of 12; my riding instructor got me hooked on this style of music and usually had it playing when it was just the two of us. I had forgotten all songs and artists that I liked over the years, and then a friend sent me a link to a country song the other day. I laughed at the song; thinking of all the memories that it brought back, and then instantly downloaded it onto my MP3. It's called 'Let There Be Cowgirls', by Chris Cagle and I have to admit that I'm quite smitten with it right now. I sing along with it outside while working in the barn, and my mind drifts back to days of creaking leather saddles, dusty arenas, and three barrels set up in a triangle shape... Waiting for a cowgirl and her mount to fly through it.

Feel free to give it a listen to. ;)

Small Farmers Journal

This stunning video was published by Farmrun just yesterday, and I was delighted to watch it. The videography is as excellent as always, the message in it is great, and it was positively inspiring to watch this gentleman interact with his drafts. :) 

John Erskine from farmrun on Vimeo.

Awesome

This video was absolutely awesome to watch. Music is perfect, videography is excellent, and the subject is grand. ;) I want to learn how to do this type of video work... It's one of my next goals to master.

Heavy Horsepower

Draft animals have always intrigued me, and always will. I found these Youtubes last night and thoroughly enjoyed watching them. :)

This Didn't Help Matters

I have to confess that I've been fighting a VERY strong urge lately to get back into horses. Namely, back into horse training. It's been about four years since I've ridden or trained, and oh the itch is back to start again. While I was on craigslist this morning I found the prettiest cremello colored, yearling gelding for sale (Honest to goodness, I was not looking at horses on there; he was in the goat section!), and all I could think about was how fun it would be to train the little guy. 

And then I saw this video of Stacey Westfall. And that didn't help matters. My riding instructor from many, many years ago taught me how to ride using Stacey's techniques, and watching this video made me remember just how much fun it is to ride bareback and bridleless. 

I highly doubt I'll be getting an equine any time soon, but I can't deny that the temptation is certainly there...

Well Played

Gonna' Watch It This Year

2012 Summer Equestrian Olympics...

Personally, I think this looks fun

Archery. Horses. Competition. Those three words ma' dear can strike excitement into this girl's heart at the drop of a hat. As of yesterday, I found that my very County has a group of medieval reenactors, and for no cost at all, you can join their group and learn all sorts of fun stuff like broadsword fighting, rapier fighting, jousting, and of course equestrian events like mounted archery. *Swoon, faint* 

I didn't think much else could top barrel racing when it came to exciting horse events, but this mounted archery looks awesome! This video shows the basic level of the sport. Higher levels include jumps to go over, water to cross, and other cross country events.

"Teddy, I need a horse."

A Niggling Thought

Found in the Classifieds of the newest Small Farmer's Journal:

"Free to good home:14Y draft cross mare. Was part of a team. Events, skidded logs, training cart, hard worker. Well trained, but not a beginner’s horse. Black, white socks and blaze, 15.3H. Oregon."


You see where I'm going with this, don't you? Well trained, but not a beginner's horse... I could handle that. I've trained and been around enough equines to have a horse who has some spunk and opinions. It would sure be handy to have a power source like that too... I've been mapping out an eggmobile of my own, but the problem I've been having is how to move it. Mine would be smaller than the Salatin's; just a little 8'x10', but that's still quite the load to pull. A horse could pull that... Shucks, I've already got a cross tree, and I know where I could get a harness for a good price. 


 But this is all just a thought still... Just a niggling thought...

If I Could Make A Wish...

Well, there would actually be a lot of things I would wish for, if I could make a wish...

But that fact aside, if I had the money, or if I could make a wish, I sure wish I could bring this lovely colt home!!

http://salem.craigslist.org/grd/2799673153.html

A three year old, paint colt who's been trained for cart work! He's been started, and I would love nothing more than to finish him. :) Hey, a girl can dream, right?

To Remember Lancaster By

My one, lone picture that I got while in Amish country...

I absolutely loved getting to see the Amish people with their horses and buggies! Oh how I wish we could use that style of transportation here in Oregon... 

The Equines Have Landed

Two of them, to be exact. They're quite small though. Much too small to be ridden, as they stand at a petite 2 hands high (1 "hand" = 4"). These two stable buddies are about to be sent off to Kentucky, but I thought I might first share some pictures of my latest creations. :)

The flashy black and white is a Tennessee Walking Horse named 'Spirit'...

And the sorrel is a handsome Quarter Horse who goes by the handle of 'Montoya'...

I have to admit that I'm a little pleased with how these two turned out. Spirit especially. These were both custom orders, and I had to use some pictures as my guide to their colors, markings and build. 

Now, back to making goats! LOL. 

When Did It Start For You?

When did the farming/homesteading dream/desire come to you? Perhaps not all of you have the same desire as I, which is to one day have my own farm and all that comes with that package (yes, that includes fallen trees, flooding, and overdue bills [wink]). But for those of you who do, when you think back to your past, what made you want to pursue such a lifestyle that the majority of society looks down upon? Did the thought come upon you like a spring storm? Or did it happen gently, over a period of time, like autumn leaves floating quietly down?

I remember when it happened to me. I was 12. Actually, it was my 12th birthday. We were in Michigan, visiting my grandparents, and my grandpa was regaling tales of when he was a boy. He grew up on a family farm, and they used draft horses. All I remember from that day, was his story about his favorite gray gelding named 'Prince'. If I remember correctly, the other draft was named 'Teddy', but I could be mistaken...

I listened to those stories in awe, and knew in my heart that I wanted to follow in my grandpa's footsteps, and  have my own farm and draft horses.

Before that day, I had never really entertained the thought of farming. Being a vet was my main priority. I would still love to pursue having a DVM one day, but that's on a back burner. My grandpa planted a seed that day, and there's no hope now. The dream ever calls. It must be followed. Sometimes with dogged determination and iron will; other times I can relax and grin, knowing that my boat is floating lazily down the river of dreams. I've got waterfalls ahead, but I'm not there yet. For the moment, I'll taste the nectar of small achievements. I'm gettin' there.

For years after that day, I dreamed about a powerful gray gelding named Prince. I saw him in my dreams. Felt him, smelled the horse sweat. Felt the leather harness. He was still just a dream to me, but he became an icon in my mind. A symbol. 

Four years ago, someone gave us a box of old Breyer horse figures. Amidst the scarred and battered forms of well loved toy equines, at the bottom, there was a gray Percheron. That little toy horse sits in my closet, and every time I open the door, I see my dream horse that has evolved into a touchable figure.

We've come one step of the way. 

Someday, I will own a gray Percheron gelding. I will name him Prince. And I will send a picture of him to my grandpa.

Who Is Pat Parelli?

Good question... I'm afraid I'm pretty bad at explaining things, and especially when it comes to someone like Pat, so I guess you can read this informative link,  and watch the promo YouTube!

We are Barrel Racers

If there is one thing I despise in life, it's when people snort and say how easy barrel racing looks, when they've never done it. I know I  really shouldn't let something as tiny as that get under my skin, but I can't help it. I used to do a lot of barrel racing when I was younger, and I hope to pick it back up someday. But let me tell ya', barrel racing ain't easy! It's down right hard!

I still feel a surge of adrenaline every time I even think about doing a barrel pattern.... I can still feel the surge of immense power of a 1,500 lb horse beneath me, as we run 65 mph on loose dirt, trying to keep our balance as we maneuver around three small barrels.... The timer says we ran for only 15 seconds, but it seemed like eternity out there... Run towards the first barrel, rate the horse at 15 feet before turning, use your legs to guide the horse's body, hands to keep his head up or else he'll fall, pocket him in the barrel at 6 feet, use your eyes to look for the next axis, shift your weight to tell the horse where to go, keep your hands quiet, watch your feet on those barrels! Oh man.... I can still hear my riding instructor yelling directions as we ran...

Barrel racing is a dangerous sport, at the very least.Going at such high speeds on loose dirt increases your chance of being in an accident. I watched once, as some cowgirls lost control of their horse and fell. One girl was crushed beneath her horse... I was lucky, and the worst that happened to me was that my horse slipped, but was able to right herself in time.

 TheseYoutubes brought back some very vivid memories of my barrel racing past...

I do want to mention though, that the music to these videos are contemporary. So if that is not something you listen to, I would recommend turning your sound off, if you wish to view this. I tried my best to find a video that had decent music, but was unsuccessful.

Anywho, I just wanted to share these with y'all...

 This was my past... I was, a barrel racer...






And someday I'll be back in the saddle...

Remembering...

This, is Jazzy. a 17.2 hand high Thoroughbred mare whom we boarded at our farm a couple years ago.

17.2 hands... That's two inches shy of being 6 feet tall at the shoulders... Include her neck and head, and you were looking up at a 7-8 foot tall animal. Oy.

 I found this picture amongst the many files in the murky depths of our computer, and it gave me a smile as I remembered that horse...

She was an ex-racehorse, who had been literally forgotten in her owner's back pasture for five years... Her legs bore the scars from her accident that ended her racing career, and her face bore the mark of a halter that had been worn constantly for many years... I honestly thought that horse was going to keel over and die when she first came. She looked so horrid...

 Despite her looming size, and the fact that she hadn't been handled for years, Jazzy was still relatively gentle around people. Well, providing you played the game by her rules.

I had trained a couple horses in the past, and Jazzy's new owner asked if I would be interested in re-training Jazzy to be a western pleasure/gaming horse. I still remember the thrill at the prospect... Oh man I miss training horses....

And so I began. Or, I tried at least... I tried to introduce the bit to Jazzy, and got to see first hand just what a 17.2 hand horse can do in full fury. That horse wanted nothing to do with a bit, and wasn't afraid to let me know it! I tried two different hackamores (bitless bridles), but she blew up at the pressure on her nose. So what did we do? Well, I rode that huge horse with nothing more than a halter and lead rope. She accepted the compromise. ;)

I do believe Jazzy taught me more about horse training, than any other horse or book ever has... She was extremely barn sour and herd bound. If you tacked her up in the barn, she would firmly plant herself right where she was, and nothing in the world would move that horse, until you took the tack off. She went utterly berserk when her stall mate, Peaches, was out of sight, and more than once I almost got slammed against the barn wall as she wildly tried to look for her friend.

When she was finally tacked up outside, she would only go one direction: Towards the barn. She would side pass, walk backwards, do a roll back, whatever she felt was needed to get herself going towards her barn. Everyday, I rode her out and asked for only one thing: A straight line. I remember one day in particular, she would NOT straighten out, and was continuously trying to turn around and go back to the barn. I decided there and then that two could play at this game, so I made that horse keep the arc she was doing so well, and I trotted her in a big circle for an hour and a half. She fought me for the first 45 minutes. Wanting to break away from the pressure, trying to go back to the barn, trying to go straight for once!!! But no, I kept that horse going, and going, and going. Circle, after circle, after circle....

But you know what? After the first 45 minutes, I felt her relax.... Her ears swiveled back to listen to me, and for the first time, we moved in harmony... That was an incredible moment. After that day, Jazzy began listening better. She still wanted her barn, but she no longer fought me. Our straight lines got longer each day, and I still rode her with the halter.

 She was a proud animal... Aristocratic and well bred. She couldn't be handled with any type of force, I learned, but needed a sensitive, yet firm, hand. We played Parrelli games together, and she eventually learned that it was okay to be alone.

I worked that horse every single day for an average of two hours. We played; we worked; we watched each other. After three solid months of working with her, she was sold by her owner to a family that had four little girls. They were delighted with Jazzy's calm temperament, and how easy she was to ride. The little girls loved her to no end. Alas, this story doesn't have a happily-ever-after ending... One month after being sold, Jazzy colicked again in the night, while the owners were away. She was found dead the next morning. :(

I was shocked when I heard the news. I worked so hard on that horse, and now she was dead!?

I guess that's life for ya'... One thing is for sure though; Jazzy is one horse I will never forget.

More on the draft horse thing

I meant to add this onto the previous post, but somehow forgot (talent). My excuse is that it's late, and I'm tired. So there. ;)

 To continue though!! Don't these pics look like something straight out of 'Lord of the Rings'? I am positively swooning over every bit of it. The cart, the gorgeous horse, the harness, everything! Now, if only there was a Hobbit in that cart.... ;) 

The pretty mare turns out to be a Shire/ Hackney cross (be still my beating heart!), and is FOR SALE. [gag, choke, sputter] Alas, methinks she's a wee bit beyond my price range right now. Phooey.

You can see her ad, HERE. (Although, maybe I shouldn't give you the link... I don't want any competition on this girl!) 

Dreaming Of The Day

When I will have leather reins in my hands, and a sturdy draft horse (or two!) working in front of me...

The day will come. Of that I am sure... I will, someday, have my own team...

Until then, I'll just feed the dream with many trustworthy books on the subject, and THIS handy, dandy website. :)