If it wasn't for the bugs....The horses are in rotation in what we call 'willow paddock' which is at the south end of the property near the hay field and where the water that flows through middle field exits under the road through a culvert. The night my course ended I came home to find Winston's neck puffed up like bubble wrap with mosquito bites after his first rotation down there. Luckily his long mane protects the right side. He looked like he felt pretty rotten until at least 24 hours later, after several doses of Oakley's antihistamine.
We decided it would be best to exclude them from the lowest points of the paddock, so G put up new T posts and strung electric to exclude the horses from the willow (Oakley's elephant rubbing tree last year).
I feel a lot better about excluding them, for several reasons. I might have gotten a jump on the deadly nightshade in that area by pulling a lot of it last month, but it will likely come back. Also, I believe that's the paddock where Oakley got his face in a bunch of stinging nettles that line the water's edge.
This is what happened to him last summer:
So now pretty much my rule is that even if it's not sunny or buggy, both the horses are turned out wearing fly masks. Putting a mask on every morning is a lot less time consuming than trying to cold compress eyes or treat corneal ulcers! Winston even puts his head down excitedly when I pick up his mask, like a kid who's itching to get out and play but needs his shirt put on by mom first. I imagine that people driving by who see our horses all kitted up with fly wraps, masks and jackets must think we're pretty silly, but I feel it's compassionate care, and protective care, especially for Oakley who tends to get frantic when the bugs are at their worst. Winny has a little more tolerance for them, but still has some pretty severe allergic reactions. Two horses with high eosinophils and COPD do NOT need extra immune stimulation! These are not the usual types of pastures you see at fancy horse farms. They are not mowed twice a week or overgrazed to 3 inches. Lucky for the horses! It's more like a wild prairie out there.
Pearl is not really coming around despite her antibiotics. Her watery diarrhea and weight loss have continued. I weigh her twice a day. She has been moderately active when I put her outside during the day with her flock. She digs for worms and grubs in the compost, and seems quite like her old self, until she poops...Wish I could get it figured out. I'm at a loss without diagnostics. I wonder how long this will drag on.
The Chook Palace crew are enjoying their new rotation--the oats are over three feet tall! The flock disappears like real jungle fowl as they file into the middle of the oat patch in the morning. I still have two broody hens in there, so especially on the very hot and humid days I've been pulling them off of their nests and plunking them right in front of the waterer. Sometimes I have to stand there for a few minutes and defend them from other hens, just to make sure they don't run away without drinking.
Our strawberries are fantastic! We've got so many coming in right now. I'll have to remember to keep up with harvesting while G is away. We also had our first zucchini stir fry last night! Two types of kale, radish, sprouting broccoli, garlic scapes, beet greens, and I can't recall what else. While this is certainly not a food blog, I couldn't resist taking a photo. We wait all winter for this!
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I don't have much time to write today, I have a few errands to run to help G get ready for his trip. The course participants have to bring camping gear for the ten days, but luckily they will be treated to some fine dining by some fabulous local chefs, so he doesn't have to bring cookout equipment. He was supposed to bring his scythe but figured that attempting to fly with one, then trying to fit it on the bus on the way to the little hamlet would be a little too much.
I'd hoped we could go shopping together at Gander Mountain tonight for a few bits of gear he doesn't have, but I may have to go by myself today. I need G to move the sheep to their next rotation tonight, and hook up the electro netting again for the backyard flocks (ducks and Flan crew). I've let them out in the evenings to range a bit, and no one has gone after the corn and or my delicate calendula seedlings coming up in the medicinal plant bed.
Anyway, I don't mind shopping at outdoor stores, even if it's for someone else... I always thought I'd be a good expedition planner. I'm a bit of a gear nut. But as I've mentioned before I'm a big fan of the right gear/tool for the right job. I don't want anything like bugs or sunburn to detract from his experience there.
Have a great time my sweety!!!
We'll miss you!!!!
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| G supervised by Miss Pearl |
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