Changing goals and speed

[frustratedearthmother]

I've got to get me one of those!!! Thanks for the info.

 

[Baymule]

You have been doing all that you do while in the family way? I already knew that you are one outstanding woman, but you are so far, far beyond outstanding!

 

[AClark]

Being hugely pregnant doesn't really slow me down at all. If you stay really active, it's not so bad other than wearing out faster than everyone else. But, nobody complains at you when you sit down and take a break either.
I managed to get 1 goats front feet done. Those cutters work great (just hand helds) and the goats have fairly soft feet here so they cut right through. Couldn't catch the other one, after 45 minutes of chasing her around trying to herd her into a corner where I could grab her, I gave up. DH and I scraped tons of bot fly eggs off Lucy but didn't finish - she was getting a bit impatient after an hour and we figured it was just best to give her a break and some sweet feed. I cut my hand on the trimmers and just finished soaking it with some drawing salve since it puffed and got infected. That stuff works great, it's all drained and no longer tender. Good reminder to use gloves to do that!

Lucy's wormer worked, she passed a ton of small strongyles. Good to know I'm feeding a horse and not parasites now. I bet her weight picks up quick.

I had a rather large pile of crap in the pasture with the creatures, and had al ot of concerns about them stepping on it. We picked out car parts, rusty nails, wood, dirty diapers, you name it, obviously none of it being our garbage. Broke down all the wood and burned it in our firepit, and shoveled the rest into a bag. Now I don't have to stress over nails and trash.

Yesterday's weather was super windy, but we had our other horse delivered. "Fred" is a really sweet little guy. He's 12 or so years old and already broken. Very gentle and calm. Lucy needed a buddy anyway but she's a little jealous of him. We were messing with him and she walked up so nonchalantly and nipped him on the butt! They squealed and kicked at each other pretty half heartedly over that - but this morning I see they're standing together just as peaceful as can be.

I didn't get pics of him because it was late and my camera was a move casualty, but here's the ones the seller sent me:





I'll get some more when it gets light out with my Ipad. We also picked up a pygmy goat buck. He's still pretty young, so he's penned up in my shed (ask how long it took to catch him after he got loose from me, lol, he fits through the fence.) Pics to come later.

 

[Baymule]

What a pretty line back dun! And wow! He is put together real nice!

 

[Bruce]

Dang you have a TON of things going on!!!! I hope you get all the animals settled before your baby is born, you might have a bit less time on your hands

Glad Lucy has a friend, she sure hit the jackpot when you chose to take her home.

About the crap in the field. Do you have a metal detector? I got one of the rolling magnetic metal picker uppers to make sure the barn alley was clear before getting the alpacas. Amazing how many times over several days we went over that space and kept finding MORE old metal, nails, etc even after the last sweep was clean. It doesn't work in the taller grass which is why I asked if you have a detector.

 

[CntryBoy777]

What a really Nice looking horse!
It seems that ya really have things going at a Fast pace there. But, ya may want to get started "Preparing your Nest" don't ya think?
Don't push things too much, ya would hate to go into labor while dickering with catching animals to trim hooves.

 

[AClark]

What a pretty line back dun! And wow! He is put together real nice!

He's a palomino dun - I was baffled on his color too. Thought with that light gray he was a grulla (very obviously dun factored with the lineback and striped legs) asked my grandmother because I'd never seen a grulla or dun with a blonde mane and tail...palomino with the dun factor, and that's why he's such a smokey gray color with the flashy stripes, haha. She provided a lot of photos for Phil Sponenberg's book on horse color genetics, so she's an excellent source when I'm lost. I've met Dr. Sponenberg a few times when I was a kid.

He is put together like a tank! He isn't very tall, maybe 13.2HH, all body and short legs.

So, there I was this morning. I came in from feeding, talked with DH a bit (it's my birthday, he came home after PT this morning) and I"m sitting here debating finally getting that cup of coffee I've been coveting this morning. DH texts me, as he just left for work, and says "I'm chasing your goat home". The new little buck was about half a mile up the road. DH chased him partially home with the truck.

...This was an hour ago. I walked up to the end of the road in my PJ's and chased his little butt the rest of the way home. Piggy horses pulled his fence down to get his food and let him out. It was a temp set up until it got light enough out today for me to do something better in there. Well, I start putting up something a bit more permanent, and he's gone again! Back down to the end of the road. Lucky me, I have very little traffic. I herd him home but he's not going to cooperate, he goes every direction that I don't want him in, and isn't having it with going back to the shed to be penned back up.

Then, it dawns on me. I own an aussie cattle dog, and I'm tired. My dog doesn't have any training but whatever, I can call him off if need be. I let Buckshot out and I point to this little demon buck and said "get him". Dog bee-lines for the little goat and gets right on his heels, pushes him right into the field and turns him. I point to the shed and whistled and he turned him right to it. The buck gets defensive, still not wanting to go in and butts the cattle dog, but cattle dogs are nothing if they aren't persistent and he pushed him right where I have been trying to get this goat for the last hour - in about 3 minutes. I lock the gate up and out the dog. Not bad for zero livestock training, he's over-zealous and was just waiting with baited breath for me to tell him who to get next. He knows his basic commands but gets a little wired around the critters so I usually make him stay in the house because he wants to nip heels while I"m messing with them and I constantly have to out him.

I'm getting that damn cup of coffee now. I think I earned it.

We're ready for the baby, I'm only a week out from the actual due date so I'm kind of hoping things will hustle along. I don't generally mess with anyone since I'm home alone during the day, but DH is only 5 miles away at work and as soon as I go into labor, he's got 2 weeks off of work

 

[Bruce]

Dang good dog! How the heck did he know where you wanted the goat, or even that you DID want him to fetch the goat??

 

[AClark]

You know, I think it's because I point to things when I play with the dog for him to fetch, and point which way I want him to go and he just picked up that the goat is a fast running toy. I know I can out him if things didn't go how I wanted them to, and the goat seemed more than happy to go back to the shed with a dog after him. I stood there with my jaw on the ground for sure.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

They can read your mind! Really!