Catching up

Well I had planned to write a lot this morning, but it appears I'm in a bit of a homesick funk. It really can hit at any time. I drove G into the city this morning so he could ride home tonight, and on the drive home I was just hit with it hard--I'd love to be sitting in a ferry lineup right now, or walking along Island View beach, or finishing up for the morning at a RPBO banding station. Just to see a truck with a Goats-on-the-Roof sticker would make me so happy right now...
 

Maybe another coffee will help...but I want it to be SSI coffee or Kicking Horse. Somebody play some tiny violins for me and snap me out of it!

Blog Fade-I have legit excuses!
 

Well we've been pretty busy the last few days!
 

I'll see if I can remember...Rode Winston the other night--(neighbours horse that we are thinking of adopting for company for Oak). I wanted to see how barn sour he was. I had a riding partner so he left his home just fine, and we went down the road to boarding stable. He did fine until he saw the other horses turned out on pasture, then he started the most pathetic whinny. He tried to turn around numerous times, but he never bolted, and when I corrected him he didn't fight with me. I took him home before he got completely worked up--I didn't have company then so I'm sure being out of sight of other horses made him more nervous. We pranced most of the way back (not really a trot). So overall it's not so bad, and like I said he got stressed but didn't do anything dangerous or completely awful. He's a good old guy for sure.

 

G took Thurs. Fri. off work, which was great. All weekends should be 4 days! He did so much work around the property this weekend....amazing stuff. He's paying the price, but feeling better about getting a good start on things. This six months of winter thing has been a little disorienting! Good news is that plants grow like crazy here, so even though we have a late start everything should be ok.

Friday I did my usual TRC shift, and I got to grab a gorgeous long-eared owl, and enormous 1.72kg great horned owl (wow do I ever need longer gauntlet gloves--I'm amazed she didn't try to bite me-she sure was thinking about it) The restraint method for raptors there is different than I'd seen before--it's sort of like holding some firewood cradled in your arms. One hand restrains the super sharp end (feet and talons) and the other arm cradles the bird near the other sharp end--the beak. Great horneds are notorious for biting--and since they can turn their heads so much it can be challenging. You don't want to pull them in close like you might with other animals to improve restraint. You don't want them to bite any part of your torso...especially not the important bits if you're female. GHOW will also bite and twist--I've had one bite from a bird who didn't really mean it, and that bruise lasted three weeks, so I've learned my lesson!

Had to pick up fence posts and some other stuff at the farm store-people seem to get a kick out of what we manage to fit in our car.

 

Friday night we found a chukar partridge in the chook palace and run.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukar_Partridge

 

 

 

"The Chukar Partridge or Chukar (Alectoris chukar) is a Eurasian upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae"  They are feral in the US.

 

 

What I find even more interesting than their natural history is the culture surrounding them. According to Wikipedia:  "The Chukar is the National bird of Pakistan. In Punjab, the Chukar has been considered as a symbol of intense, and often unrequited, love. It was considered to be enamoured by the moon and said to constantly gaze at it.^[34] Because of their pugnacious behaviour during the breeding season they are kept in some areas as fighting birds.^"

 



The chukar made himself at home in the chook palace, lounged in the warm poly tunnel and G even saw him eating from the chook feeder.  Wedge and the hens didn't seem bothered, until the next morning when I found him in the poly tunnel again and Venga was pretty freaked about having this stranger watching her from the other side of the door.  She was very vocal and ran around basically freaking out, so maybe the "unrequited love" bit has some truth. : )

 

The next day chukar was with a mate, and they've hung around all weekend, dustbathing around the barn and basically strutting around like they've found the Taj Mahal and it's all theirs. Like I've said a few times before, Galliforme Rescue Ranch is open 24/7.

 

 

The Minnesota Horse Expo
 

It's a huge event held at the state fair grounds, which is like it's own town it's so huge. I went to a seminar on hay and making it last on a budget, and one on rider fitness. I sat beside an ostrich boot and belt wearing, grizzled mustache sporting super nice old horseman, and he renewed my faith a little.  I think I just get my guard up when I go out in public here, feeling like an alien....

 

Vendors and competitors from all disciplines from across the US come to this event. I even met a French Canadian. Was good to hear the accent and have a chat--so much more easy going than about 90% of the Minnesotans I've met--getting to know someone here can be slow and a little excruciating when they just don't offer anything about themselves! Not surprising that I didn't have even one friend to invite to go with me, even after being here a year. Lame.

 

Highlights included some fine displays of redneckery (no time for details, but there were some mighty fine t-shirt slogans etc), petting a giant clydesdale (about 18.1 HH at least), petting a fuzzy gypsy vanner foal, and too much window shopping.  I managed to find the ariat cowboy boots I've been wanting (which unbeknownst to me you are supposed to wear with the tiniest jean shorts imaginable, no matter what your age) but I struck out on finding a belt, since I'm just not a rhinestone kind of gal.  But if I really wanted to I could have bought Oakley and I some matching jewelry (um, what?) 

 

I could go on, but I want to get on to the real highlights of our weekend...Oh wait--we had a bonfire that night.  Definitely a must-do every weekend!!

 

 

Shearing Day

 

G built a separate 'shearing shed' out of pallets attached to their barn enclosure.  My ridiculous mistake (I KNOW BETTER) was to not have the sheep locked in the barn before the shearer arrived.  It was already getting hot and I guess I just wanted them to stay out until she arrived. Stupid!  They are extremely sensitive to new happenings, and new people.  Anything out of the routine makes them suspicious (and people think sheep are stupid--pretty smart if you ask me). 

 

We finally got them in the barn, only to have the pallet blocking their escape blow down in the 30mph winds. We then spent the next 20 minutes getting them riled up and open mouthed breathing--G tackled Oats as she blasted past him, and I managed a not so graceful tackle of Starburst from a kneeling position and then rode her into the barn (sort of ) like we'd seen the shearer do. So two major mistakes, which I won't make again, but other than that it went well, and I had everything else set up and ready for the 'what ifs'.  Extra hoof trimmers, Vetricyn, tissue glue, gauze, blood stop powder.  Despite the shearers care and attention Mama Ewe got some rather nasty lacerations (they have very thin skin!) 3.5 cm and gaping 1.5cm one on her L hip...Was glad to have the tissue glue and she's doing fine.  It's not really that much of an infection risk, but with the flies erupting like crazy with this sudden warm weather I didn't want her to get fly strike. 

 

Was pleased to see that everyone is in great body condition so that gives me some feedback on the quality/quantity of hay fed this winter, as you can try to feel them through their fleece but it's much easier to tell when they are naked.  And boy are they naked!! They look like tiny goats now!!

 

An email from our neighbours:

 

"WARNING IN HUGO! 

 

Hi guys!
Just wanted to let you know there have been reports of naked sheep in the area. We are not sure if this is a new "gang" infiltering our neighborhood or just harmless streakers celebrating the warm weather. Regardless, please be aware and take the proper precautions!
Your neighbors,
T and B"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As each shorn ewe was turned out with the still woolies, she was met with curiosity and aggression.  Some major headbutting ensued...We'd read about this, so I wasn't worried.  They treat each other like new herdmates since they look so incredibly different.  Strange considering that sheep have amazing facial recognition software, and can remember humans they've known for up to two years.

 

I was glad that Lace forgave me and I had a great social with her later in the afternoon.  She loved being scratched and her skin twitched and her tail wagged endlessly.  Starburst and Mama Ewe both came to me in the barn this morning, and I was able to pet them both.  I won't push it.  All of you trainers know how far you can set things back if you get too pushy.  I think sheep are like the Stellers of the ungulate world, if that gives you any idea of their sensitivities.

 

Well I had some chook and guinea updates too, but I must get on with my to-do list.  Farrier arriving in a few hours.  Oak finally getting his studded shoes and snow pads off.

 

It was 26 C yesterday, and it's supposed to snow on Thursday.  ??????  Whatever.  I'm becoming less and less surprised by the weather.  Good news is the grass is growing so fast I can practically hear it--which is great because our hay supply is dwindling fast. 

 

Until next time!