In the Process of Learning

Today, while Andy went and scooped up manure, I went and added to the DIY obstacle course I've begun in one of the paddocks. I pushed yellow poles into the dry ground using a sledge hammer (mallet), straightened up the logs that made a short track to go forward and back in and got out the flags and the big ball. The wind had picked up a bit this afternoon but I was willing to still give it a go. Flint and Harry watched from the safety of their paddock and I wondered if their conversation went like this: 

"Uh-oh, she's doing something out there".

"Looks like you're going to have to do some work, Flint".

Flint chews on a piece of hay, watching carefully. He's been there, done that but wonders what the blue thing she's putting on the ground is for. "I don't like it," he says to Harry but Harry's already put his head back in the hay.

I went out to the paddock and put the halter over Flint's head and he walked alongside me to the 'work paddock' with Harry following closely behind & beside. Flint was a little bit hesitant at first but he calmed down when he knew what I wanted from him. Harry went straight to the hay scraps that Andy hadn't moved to the other paddock and ignored us.

Flint went forwards and back between the poles on the ground, he weaved around the yellow poles effortlessly and walked closely around each large orange traffic cone, touching it with his nose. 

As he was listening well, I took him over to the blue tarp I'd placed on the ground, held down by tyres. He did not like this new thing. What is it? Will it hurt me? It looks and smells different. I gave him time to process it and at each step closer, I praised him. He stood and looked at it and pulled back. I stood patiently and waited. We left and walked around the paddock, came back and walked around the perimeter of the tarp. I stopped and he took a step towards it and then dug his hoofs in. I waited patiently and he took a step towards it but he did not walk on it.

We went over to the ball and as it was something familiar, he was willing to give it a sniff and tug but when the wind blew and the ball rolled, he flinched so we went for another walk around the paddock. We spent quite a bit of time in the work paddock doing different things, always going back to the blue tarp and when I thought he'd had enough, we went back to the safety of his paddock and he munched on the hay after he had called Harry to come back and join him. 

The important lesson to learn is when faced with a new 'step' (whether it be ourselves or our students) we need to be patient, allow time to process, take a step forward and know when it's time to take a break. While Flint didn't 'master' the blue tarp, we will go back to it another time when he is feeling more refreshed. We will keep coming back to it until Flint has figured it out and can do it effortlessly.

While the boys ate hay, I went and retrieved the horse treats and offered them to Flint.

Shut the Gate!

 Today, Andy was transferring hay from one paddock to another via the driveway and our backyard. In context, it means opening the gate, cross over the driveway, go through the backyard gate, cross the backyard and go through the tall gate which only fits one person through. 

Andy thought he'd make it easier for himself by leaving the gates open. He thought that as the horses would be busily eating hay, they wouldn't be interested in all the gates being open. 🤣

He forked the hay onto the wheelbarrow and crossed the driveway. As he went through the gate, he looked up and saw a horse! At 17 hands high, he's hard to miss! He shut the gate behind him, called out to me and went through the tall, narrow gate which he left open. 

Harry decided to explore the backyard and eat the hay that had fallen off the wagon. Flint saw Harry over the fence and was agitated, running back and forth alongside the fence but not willing to enter through the narrow gate. 

As Harry didn't want to leave, I went and got the halter and lead rope and told Andy to shut the tall gate and calm Flint. I cornered Harry and threw the rope around him, leading him out with his mouth full of hay. Flint calmed down and after I rewarded Flint with a carrot, they went to their pile of hay.

Lesson: Shut the gate! Be watchful and don't assume that horses will be so focused on hay, that they won't notice the open gate!

Happy Ending for Tina

 Recently we had the privilege of looking after a 30 year old horse for the last 3 weeks of her life. When she came to us, she had just been washed (to get rid of lice) and she was extremely thin. In fact, she was being rescued from being euthanised in that condition. When my friend dropped her off, she said we had her to love on and make sure the rest of her days would be happy.

Flint heard her, smelt her and waited on the other side of the fence at the end of her paddock (about 100 metres) to welcome her but she saw the round bale of hay and thought she was in heaven. Both Flint and his new friend Harry waited patiently although Harry saw it as his opportunity to go and eat hay without Flint interrupting him. 

Over the next few weeks we saw Tina grow and change. Her coat became a shiny colour and the lice did not return. One time Andy saw Tina trot across the paddock to where he was offering her a biscuit of lucerne hay and some attention.

After a couple of weeks of Flint grooming her over the fence, sharing a water tank with her and him just watching her from a distance, we gave them the opportunity to share the paddock. I led Tina down to the gate that opened into their paddock where the Bay Boys were waiting. Flint followed her as she walked determinedly to their hay and paid him no attention. At one stage, she let out a squeal and Flint moved away. As she ate, Flint put his head close to hers while Harry kept his distance. 

Something happened between Flint and Tina - I think she wasn't paying him enough attention so I took Flint out and did a bit of ground work with him. Andy watched Tina and Harry but when Harry tried to befriend her, she ignored him so he trotted off to find Flint. He called out to Flint and was agitated at not being in the same paddock as him but Flint stayed focused on what I was telling him to do.

Finally I was finished with Flint so I returned him to Harry and we put Tina back in her own paddock. We often caught Flint standing watching her while Harry tucked into the hay oblivious to all else.

Yesterday morning, I went to check on Tina and her left eye was weeping and almost closed. When she opened it a bit, I could see an ulcer so she was in a lot of pain. The decision was made that she would leave us that night. I led her down to the water trough where Flint was and he tried to reach across the fence to groom her while she had a drink. She walked down to the gate hopefully, but I didn't think she'd have the strength to deal with the boys. Flint walked alongside her, then stayed next to me while she walked back to the water trough, said goodbye to Harry and returned to her hay home. 

When she left, Andy went out and gave a lot of love to Flint, then Harry. He said, "I know it is part of farm life but I haven't dealt with this before. It's hard." This is a photo with Harry but he and Flint did a lot of hugging before that.

This afternoon, as the sun setting, I walked down the driveway and there Flint was, staring at the empty space that Tina had once filled.

What we can learn from this: Love those who are with you now and enjoy the moments you share together. Be a blessing to others.