Departures and arrivals, wanderers

We had a busy weekend. Mama had talked to David (a man we go to church with) on Friday about going ahead and picking up Toi and Rain. He and his family operate a horse rescue of sorts and he seemed really receptive of the idea of boarding the two horses. Mama had not allowed them to go last week because she thought there might be some value in keeping them, but that changed with the offer to board Wes’s horses.


So David came in the morning on Saturday and after we got a tire repaired on his trailer – one blew out about two miles from our farm – we moved into the calf lot to load the horses. Rain proved to be a challenge. As we struggled with her I began to pray that the Lord would send us an angel to help us get this done safely. David and I soon came to the realization that Rain did not trust either of us so we asked Mama to lead her.

We had to repark the trailer and back it up to the loading shoot but with Mama leading, Rain was soon in the trailer and David, the two horses, his wife and their two young sons – as well as the two pups he had in the back of the pick up truck – were on the road home. We found out yesterday that they made it home okay and that the horses were adapting to their new location. We will go see them some time next week.

Wes showed up in the afternoon with Jazz and Flashy, two of his horses. We unloaded the two of them with out any effort and loosed them in the lot after introducing them to the donkeys. Wes said they had never been around donkeys before and both species were leery of each other. Fortunately they are in separate paddocks so we do not have to see them fight for a pecking order.

I wish I could say the two big horses and Misty were getting along splendidly but that is not totally true. Misty is the odd-man-out but she is tolerated. Jazz, who is a gelding, seems almost protective of Misty when feeding rights are not in dispute. Flashy is a mare due to foal next spring. She is not the least tolerant of Misty - a recent weanling. Flashy wants to make it extremely clear that no nursing will be allowed.

It is a good thing that the two horses were dropped off that afternoon. Misty was noticeable lonely after her two lifelong friends were taken away. She did not venture too far from the calf lot but was constantly whinnying for her mama and Toi. Mama was worried for her. All is well now that she has company.

For some reason, I let the guineas loose on Saturday morning to see how they would do. It did not turn out well. They fed across out meadow into the neighbor’s fields and then on down the road from there. Our neighbor was quite worried about them but there was little we could do to contain or capture them. What I should have done is let them out one at a time over several weeks so they would stay nearby. Too late.

They were last spotted on the shoulder of the highway on their way to Montague. I hope they end up on a good farm somewhere. If not they will be coyote or fox food within a few weeks.

My bad.