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You've heard the phrase "Good fences make good neighbors?" My phrase is "Good fences make giddy moms." That's right! And this mom is very giddy over this new fence! Our major project this past week has been getting a new fence up for our horse. Andrew finished on Sat. and we had the 'Big Event' of letting Babycakes pony into her new pasture!

We've been putting her out on a picket during our warm season when the grass grows like crazy. The picketing has worked really well for our horse because we can rotate her to new areas everyday, manage the manure piles better which helps on worm prevention (as well as yard maintenance), and also helps keep her from getting too over-weight... which as you probably know or can guess is a big problem for a horse's health. Lots of lush green grass is a big founder trap for horses... something we really want to prevent from happening in the first place. Also it's been good practice for our young pony to learn how to maneuver around the rope and give into the pressure of being tied with a long lead to the picket.

However, our small country road is getting busier and if our pony does happen to get away from us, she can shoot right out into that road. She got away from us twice in a little over a week, and she's now decided that she enjoys the 'catch me if you can' game. A game that totally gives me heart failure...and one that I certainly don't enjoy playing with my errant pony! In the past if we happened to lose hold of her, she would walk 2 steps away from us, stand there, and we would retrieve her....end of story. Those days seem to be a thing of the past lately. So we may still do some of the picketing...but now it will be 'enclosed pasture' picketing....as opposed to backyard picketing.

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Our children were all too enthusiastic to help with the new fence....

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And our son, the little trooper that he is, helping Daddy...even in the rain!

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And finally the big moment has arrived! Babycakes finds her new pasture! Run wild...run free....naughty pony! You can't escape now...unless you're part goat! I can hear all you horse owners out there snickering..."famous last words!"

Yeah well, don't burst my bubble just yet, would ya? Let me enjoy my moment of euphoric idealized non-grounded-in-reality giddiness!

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Looking West. There's a narrower fenced area up at the top of the hill that leads to her barn and water. We can fence this large pasture area off and keep her back there at night or on super rainy days when her hooves will wreak havoc on the grass...

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...and looking East...

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Happy Horse!

Happy us!

Giddy Mom!! : D

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Comments

Rapunsel

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:55:12

Good luck!

 

Karen

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:30:28

What a lot of work! I imagine it was so much easier for big Andrew, though, with son Andrew helping. I see that the girls got in on the action, too. Babycakes must have thought she was in some kind of wonderland when she was finally turned loose. Maybe she'll be satisfied now and won't have to sneak out to play.
Wonderful photos. I can't tell you how much I appreciate them.

 

mom

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:01:59

FINALLY--a chance to comment on the great fence! Hadn't realized Babycakes had begun playing "hard to get". NOT fun!! So glad she's curtailed, hopefully long enough she forgets about "running free". Wish she could visit Lori for some training lessons--but imagine SHE has too little time, too.

 



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