Bitter Sweet

I decided to sell Morrissey. Her ads have been posted for a few days. I showed her to some potential buyers this morning. They were very nice. I'm not sure how they felt about her, it is hard to tell. It was very hard showing her to people, but I do feel confident that I'm making the right choice. It will be better for her to have owners who will ride and drive her. She seems happier when she is working.

I'm lucky I have these little sweeties to cheer me up. To hear more about Leda and Valencia check out my goat blog.

Deep Thoughts

I've been thinking a lot lately, and I'm considering selling Morrissey. Even thinking about this at all, has been really rough on me.  She is a really great horse, and I really enjoy spending time with her, but I have realized that I am not going to get over my fear of riding with her.

It all started a few days ago when I went out to catch Morrissey. She normally walks right up to me, but this time she tore around the pasture like I had the plague. Mike, the wonderful man who runs my boarding stable, saw that I was having trouble with her and offered to help me. He had his nephew, who is an experienced rider, ride Morrissey for about an hour. Half of that time, she was bucking or in some way testing him. Not maliciously, he never lost his seat, but bucking is bucking.

I find myself making excuses for her often and really I think the fault lies on me. Horses don't stay "kid friendly" sitting in a pasture and getting lunged occasionally. Having me as an owner isn't doing Morrissey any favors. I've also realized that kid friendly can be quite a misleading term. Mike's nephew is a kid, and also an experienced rider. Morrissey's former owner's small children had been raised around horses and seemed to do very well with her. The thing these kids have in common is confidence. Something I'm lacking.

Morrissey is not a horse for a beginner who lacks confidence. She is not a babysitter. She will challenge her rider. When she is ridden by someone who knows how and what to tell her, she will listen. She is a great horse for someone. I just know I'm not that someone.

Watching Mike's nephew ride my bucking bronc really made realize that I'm not going to ride her. I'm not even sure if I want to ride anymore. Trying to force myself hasn't been enjoyable, it has been stressful. The non-riding times have been the good times. Having the goats has made me realize that my farmish life can be easy and fun without pressure.

I could keep Morrissey as a pet, brush her and love her like I've been doing for six months, but financially it doesn't make sense. I haven't made up my mind for sure, but I will be thinking long and hard about what is right for both of us.

They Grow Up so Fast

This week has been busy busy busy. I don't know how many of you have experienced this, but having twin goats living in the bathroom means a lot of extra cleaning. I've never done more laundry in my life. I can't complain though, because I happen to own the sweetest goats that ever existed. Even my non-farmish husband is completely in love with the kids.  

I've taken them to the barn every day for the past three days. Tonight they won't be coming back. This will be their first overnight stay. I have to admit that I'm pretty nervous. I've always been quite the worrier, and this situation is no different. All week I've been modifying a former pig pen into a maximum security prison to protect my babies. The local dogs and coyotes are no match for my six foot high fences.

 

Pony Keg

Morrissey is fat. She has always been a big girl, but she seems to be getting bigger. I'm really trying to focus on all of my animals' nutritional needs. Just because I have cookies and junk food on occasion doesn't mean I'll feed them that way too.

The pugs are all pretty fit and trim, Coli is underweight because of her Cushings disease. The goats are going to have every nutritional need they could ever even think of having met. But Morrissey is the one I can't seem to figure out. I already feed her practically nothing. She gets free choice pasture, two flakes of grass hay, 1 cup of rolled oats, minerals and water each day.

 I can't take her oats away or she'll throw a fit when the other horses get fed. I don't want to take her hay... that leaves pasture. I'm thinking of getting a grazing muzzle. Horse people out there, especially haflinger people. What are your thoughts?

This post is part of Farm Friends Friday! Check out all the other fun farm blogs!

Shedding Out

This is after 5 seconds of curry combing

In both my suburban life and my farmish life I spend a lot of my time dealing with fur. At home I have three pugs who shed off a basket ball sized amount of hair per week if not more. I seriously use a shop-vac to combat the weekly 'extra pug' they are so inclined to give us. At the barn, I have a woolly mammoth of a Haflinger that is now ridding herself of her winter coat, and what a coat it is. This means that I spend the majority of my time either using a lint roller, or covered in yellow and orange hair. 

Plenty of people would probably be embarrassed of this, but I don't mind. My babies are worth it! I've been spending a lot of extra time with the curry comb trying to free that sleek, shiny horse from her fuzzy prison. I bought Morrissey in October so this will be the first time I get to see her new look. I'm very excited. If only the pugs would stop shedding for the summer too!

Goaty Goodness

Leda

I bought another unexpected goat. Now I've doubled my original number planned for this year. Who could resist them though? I also want to let everyone know that I'll be blogging a lot of my goat related things over at Gray Stables. Feel free to follow!

Valencia

Update!

photo via blueherontexas.com

It is official, I bought her! Now I just have to give her an official name. She is currently going by Flashdance, which is totally fitting. I wasn't planning on bottle feeding any goats until next year. My other two doelings will be raised until weaning by their breeders. Since she is from a dairy, they need the milk for cheese.  I'll be picking her up in the next couple of weeks and bottle feeding her myself. Here we go!

Suburbanish Weeks and Farmish Fridays

Photo via  Blueherontexas.com

The past couple of weeks have been somewhat lacking in the farmish department. I am a fourth grade english teacher, so I've been devoting most of my extra time to helping my students succeed on the writing portion of the  TAKS test. Thankfully, we are past that. Spring break is only a week away! It is time to get farmish!

Just because my life can never be too simple, I've gone and fallen in love with a doeling. I saw her picture on facebook and she is just too cute for words. The same farm that makes the best cheese I've ever had in my life also happens to make adorable goats. I've maxed out my farmish budget on the other two doeling reservations I have for this breeding season, so my husband is not too keen on the idea of adding another one. Morrissey's performance last week probably isn't helping.

To add to the difficulties, I'd have to pick this little treasure up right away and start bottle feeding her store bought cow's milk. She'd have to live at our house for a week or two. Our suburban house with suburban neighbors. I haven't quite convinced him yet, but I'll see what I can do.

In horse news, Morrissey is in season. Apparently she is one of those mares who gets witchy. She had a few other fun symptoms as well, but that will have to be another post.