Haying Time

It's haying time out at the barn!

 When I arrived this afternoon, Tim, Brandon, and another man were baling hay.

 Tim's neighbor to the east was also cutting his hayfield.

After cutting the hay, it is raked into rows for baling. Then the baler is driven over the piles, the loose hay baled in the machine, and the bales are stacked on flatbed trailers.

After that, it will be taken to the barn and hoisted up into the hay mow. (Haying is hard, scratchy, hot work!)

Of course, Abby came up to say hello and to see if I had any treats.

I sure did! I had a bag of carrots and handed her the nibbles as I scratched her neck and stroked her face.

Haying is a sign that winter is on the way. Sure hope we do not have a winter like last year's!

An Hour of Horse Therapy

I have a student with some serious disabilities. She is a real sweetie, and I love having her in my class, but her disabilities are proving too much for her to be able to remain in school. I received word this afternoon from her mother that she would most likely be withdrawing from school, perhaps even tomorrow.

The news left me feeling deflated and sad. We have worked so hard to meet her needs, but in all honesty, I am not surprised. It has been a real struggle for this child.

After aimlessly wandering around my room a bit, I closed my classroom up early instead of staying after school to grade papers. Time to head to the barn for some horse therapy.

Abby came up as soon as she hard me call. I opened the gate into the small paddock so she could walk through, put out my camp chair, and plopped myself down in it to think.

Abbs grazed around me, coming over occasionally to ask for a sugar cube, then resuming her grazing.

I got up and brushed her a couple of times, rubbing her itchy spots, and just chatting softly to her, all the while thinking about my student and the overwhelming, life-endangering things she must live with. Such a heavy load for small shoulders to carry!

When I was a child and had Abby's predecessor, Amy, I would seek solace with her if I had had a bad day or  was concerned about something. Spending time with my horse brought me peace back then, just as it brings me peace now.

I cannot change the situation with my student - that's out of my hands and not my decision to make. I simply cannot fix everything in my students' lives, and what she must deal with is beyond my capabilities as a teacher. She needs far more than I can give her through academics and a good learning environment.

Being with Abby this afternoon helped put a bandaid, albeit a small one, over the gash in my heart as I tried to come to terms with the bad news that a child I loved was leaving.

A Former Horsey Student Checks In

It is always fun when I have a student or two in my classroom who is horsey like me. They read all the horse books on my shelves, draw ponies on their work, and gratefully accept back issues of the horse magazines I read.

Mackenna was one of those gals. She was riding when she was in my classroom, and came out to see Abby. She also invited me to one of her riding lessons where she was learning to jump. Two years later, she is still riding and has remained in contact with me. I got this email from her last night:

Dear Mrs. I, 

            Hi, how are you? I have missed your class so much! I hope your are having fun with the 4th and 5th graders. I am really enjoying middle school! I have met a lot of new friends. 

              How is Abby? I hope she is doing well. I am still riding Axel, but we have been looking into the possibility of buying a horse. We are trying to find a barn close to our house for boarding. Do you know if there is any available space at your barn?

              Hope you enjoy this fall like weather. Talk to you soon!

                                                                                                                                                                                    -Mackenna 

How exciting that she may be getting a horse! She included this picture of herself riding Axel, the horse she has been working with for a couple of years and who she rode when I went to her lesson.

She's a responsible girl and would give a horse a good home.

Unfortunately, Tim is not taking any new boarders, but I will see what I can do to help her find a place.

Neither Mud, nor Weeds, nor...

We've had a lot of rain this August, so it has been difficult to maintain the pastures due to the pouring rain or the mud that all that rain produces. As a result, we have some areas that have good sized weeds growing.

 I whistled and called Abby Wednesday evening, and while I could hear her, I could not see her over the weeds in one section of the pasture.

Then a flaxen tail briefly flipped up over the tall weeds, followed by a black head with a wide blaze. I knew then that they'd heard me. Would they come up for a carrot? I sure wasn't walking through the mud and weeds to get to them!

But just as the old saying from the US Postal Service goes, "Neither rain, nor snow, nor hail..." will prevent the delivery of the mail, neither will mud, nor weeds, nor insects keep Abby from her goodies!

Never underestimate the power of a candy cane.

Abby sure enjoys her treats and is willing to hustle for them.

After eating her treats and having some itchy spots scratched, she followed me up to my car. Hoping for more, no doubt!

A Sweet Summer Afternoon

There is nothing like heading to the barn after a tiring day at work. Even if you've had a good day (and I did today), when you are worn out, it's a real pick me up to enjoy this:

 A nicker or a neigh. Pricked ears. And a happy amble up to the gate for a visit.

The drive home after that is a happy one.

Abby & Hokey

Abbs and Hokey aren't pasture buddies. In fact, if Diablo isn't close by for protection, Hokey often will put his ears back and run her off.

But every now and then they find some common ground.

Mutual grooming is one of those times.

Hmmm. I've thought it was Diablo who was chewing Abby's mane off; maybe it's actually Hokey!

Anything for a Carrot!

Some horses will do anything for a carrot.

Including stretching through an uncomfortable opening...

 ... in order to snag the prize.