Initial post here.
Shortly after that first post, my mother actually posted our info on a local beekeeper association bulletin board saying that we would like to offer our property as a place to store hives during the downtime from pollinating crops. We had two beekeepers call up right away and they acted very interested, but neither was able to come up and check our property out at the time. I suppose the one guy must have found a place for his extra 20 or so hives or didn't think it was worth coming all the way up here to drop off a few hives, but we haven't talked to either one in a while. One of the beekeepers did give us some very useful information though, about a new/ancient kind of hive that is MUCH easier and less stressful on the bees and produces LOTS more honey.
There is even a variation of the hive built with the Fibonacci sequence that has been found to have dramatically more honey production than would be expected of a hive with that total number of inches inside. Isn't that funny? Fibonacci sequence is so fascinating to me!
Anyway, the current status of the bee project is on hold, due to the fact that we were not able to get alfalfa started. Now that I know it needs hard ground, we'll see what we can do next spring... Until then, I don't think there is quite enough food for a hive in this area. I still really want bees, though.
The only bad thing about bees is their unaccountable prejudice against barnyard animals and the smell of manure. Sheesh, what's wrong with manure? :-D We'll just have to put their hive(s) near the pond and away from the horses when I do get them.
L
Showing posts with label Sustainable Practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sustainable Practices. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A rather different type of post
I try not to get too political on my blog, because I started it as a fun stress reliever. However, I couldn't resist putting this post up. I keep seeing all the panicky news articles on the economy. It's been quite obvious for years that we are due for a very bad depression. The roots of the problem go back decades. For example, when the US and other countries went off the gold/silver standards, that was a bad choice for stability. It does seem to have allowed more rapid growth of the economy, but that came with a price - less security.
The incredible amount of debt that most of the world's countries are in is also very bad for economic health. There are so many things that have contributed to this problem and I am surprised the system has done as well as it has for as long as it has. I have a few basic beliefs about politics that rule my opinions/who I vote for/what I want to see happen. What are your basic, rock bottom beliefs about government and economies?
I believe:
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Translation: Any power the government has will inevitably be abused at some point. Thus, the more limited the power of the government, the more limited its power to do harm. There must be a balance between its power to protect the citizens and its power to control the citizens. Part of the way to achieve that balance is by having as few things as possible controlled by the central government, and as many things as possible controlled by each local community. The local government is closely watched and controlled by the people it is overseeing. It is much harder for the local government to abuse its power than it is for the federal government. And, when it does abuse its power, it will affect far fewer people and is much easier to stop.
The opposite, socialism/statism, where everything is controlled by the central government, has always resulted in multiple disasters affecting millions of people and a general ongoing degredation of the population's standard of living. Even the most cursory knowledge of history proves that point. The current world economic crisis is mostly the result of too much centralized power (which means less accountability and far more abuse). Our sub-prime mortgage mess here in the US is largely due to too much regulation and yet because people are scared and reality hurts there are actually calls for MORE regulation! Sorry, but I grew up in a third-world country and I hate watching my beloved America turn into a third-world country. I remember when my childhood country elected a man they knew perfectly well wanted to be dictator. Our friends said quite honestly that they knew it was stupid to elect someone who would take away most of their rights, but they told us that they needed a dictator to make sure things got done. This is a country that has a hard time developing businesses for reasons like the following example:
Say you start an auto mechanics store. You hire a couple of mechanics and buy some of the necessary parts and put out your shingle. One day when you come back from your lunch break, none of your employees are there, and most of your parts and supplies are gone - headed for the black market. You still have a little bit of money left, so now you hire your nephew and buy some new parts. You hang around the shop as much as possible to make sure he doesn't steal from you, but at least he's not as likely to try because he's related to you. You make a decent living now, but you can never feel at ease going on vacation because who knows what might happen if you are not there personally? And of course it would be quite difficult to start another branch of your store because it is so hard to find employees who won't steal and who will actually show up every day.
This is no joke. I lived there and that is what it is like. In order to pay phone and electric bills every month everybody goes to the offices and pays them in person - you can't send checks through the mail because they usually won't get there. That takes a lot of your time every month, especially if you don't have a car. I loved that country, but even as a child with no responsibilities I could see the effects of all the issues due to people not being trustworthy. If the post office had too many letters they would take some out back and burn them. Hmm...
If you talk to policemen or whatever they will loudly complain about all the corruption in the government and how it really needs to be cleaned up and people need to stop accepting bribes. But it was always "other people" who needed to change first. If you asked them, they would tell you that a man has to make a living so they would accept a bribe even if it was wrong, because, after all everyone else was doing it.
A third-world country is that way primarily because the "lowest common denominator," if you want to call it that, of morality, is too low. The less you can trust people, the poorer the country will get, inevitably. We did know some amazing and incredibly honest people in my childhood country, but they were not the norm. America used to have a lot of people with strong characters. Whatever your theory of why, everybody seems to agree nowadays that there are increasing problems with cheating and crime and and more and more hurting people. I see more and more resemblances to the country I grew up in and it scares me. The bad thing is a lot of the socialist, big brother government-type policies have encouraged less and less personal responsibility and more and more laziness. It seems like we're such a busy country, and we're so used to our comforts, that I wonder how much of the famous American backbone is left. Are we like the Romans now, "give us bread and circuses and we'll be happy" or are there enough of us like our forebears who hated the tax on imported fabrics and so began wearing buckskin to make a point to England? I think Americans want to be a strong, kind, and trustworthy people, but we are so busy and distracted that we don't have time to think about things like that much any more.
We've already lost a lot of our freedoms. Both of the presidential candidates and most of the congressional candidates would like to make a bunch more restrictions on those freedoms. Will we wake up? I don't know, but I really hope and pray that this financial crisis will wake people to the dangers of giving too many powers to the government and inspire more of us to take initiative ourselves. Thus, my continued efforts to learn to grow different kinds of food and my resolve to vote (even if I can't stand what's on the ballot) and do my best to push for fewer laws and more freedoms in this country. I also keep noticing how hard it is to find time for people and even just thinking. Have you noticed the same problem? It's really hard! But, it is essential if I want to experience my life rather than zoom through my life doing five things at once. I keep trying to decide what is vital and what isn't. This type of recreation, or that type? Do I need to do this first, or that first?
A final thought:
Issues such as healthcare and education are prime examples of capitalist versus socialist methods and what works to create the kind of healthy, efficient, working system we all want.
Sorry for the LONG post. I suggest reading Instapundit's blog every day for a month if you want a quick and extremely comprehensive education as to the state of the nation and all sorts of opposing views on issues. It's a great place to clarify one's thoughts and beliefs. Anyway, tomorrow I plan a much more cheerful and easy to digest post. Thanks for reading this far!
L
The incredible amount of debt that most of the world's countries are in is also very bad for economic health. There are so many things that have contributed to this problem and I am surprised the system has done as well as it has for as long as it has. I have a few basic beliefs about politics that rule my opinions/who I vote for/what I want to see happen. What are your basic, rock bottom beliefs about government and economies?
I believe:
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Translation: Any power the government has will inevitably be abused at some point. Thus, the more limited the power of the government, the more limited its power to do harm. There must be a balance between its power to protect the citizens and its power to control the citizens. Part of the way to achieve that balance is by having as few things as possible controlled by the central government, and as many things as possible controlled by each local community. The local government is closely watched and controlled by the people it is overseeing. It is much harder for the local government to abuse its power than it is for the federal government. And, when it does abuse its power, it will affect far fewer people and is much easier to stop.
The opposite, socialism/statism, where everything is controlled by the central government, has always resulted in multiple disasters affecting millions of people and a general ongoing degredation of the population's standard of living. Even the most cursory knowledge of history proves that point. The current world economic crisis is mostly the result of too much centralized power (which means less accountability and far more abuse). Our sub-prime mortgage mess here in the US is largely due to too much regulation and yet because people are scared and reality hurts there are actually calls for MORE regulation! Sorry, but I grew up in a third-world country and I hate watching my beloved America turn into a third-world country. I remember when my childhood country elected a man they knew perfectly well wanted to be dictator. Our friends said quite honestly that they knew it was stupid to elect someone who would take away most of their rights, but they told us that they needed a dictator to make sure things got done. This is a country that has a hard time developing businesses for reasons like the following example:
Say you start an auto mechanics store. You hire a couple of mechanics and buy some of the necessary parts and put out your shingle. One day when you come back from your lunch break, none of your employees are there, and most of your parts and supplies are gone - headed for the black market. You still have a little bit of money left, so now you hire your nephew and buy some new parts. You hang around the shop as much as possible to make sure he doesn't steal from you, but at least he's not as likely to try because he's related to you. You make a decent living now, but you can never feel at ease going on vacation because who knows what might happen if you are not there personally? And of course it would be quite difficult to start another branch of your store because it is so hard to find employees who won't steal and who will actually show up every day.
This is no joke. I lived there and that is what it is like. In order to pay phone and electric bills every month everybody goes to the offices and pays them in person - you can't send checks through the mail because they usually won't get there. That takes a lot of your time every month, especially if you don't have a car. I loved that country, but even as a child with no responsibilities I could see the effects of all the issues due to people not being trustworthy. If the post office had too many letters they would take some out back and burn them. Hmm...
If you talk to policemen or whatever they will loudly complain about all the corruption in the government and how it really needs to be cleaned up and people need to stop accepting bribes. But it was always "other people" who needed to change first. If you asked them, they would tell you that a man has to make a living so they would accept a bribe even if it was wrong, because, after all everyone else was doing it.
A third-world country is that way primarily because the "lowest common denominator," if you want to call it that, of morality, is too low. The less you can trust people, the poorer the country will get, inevitably. We did know some amazing and incredibly honest people in my childhood country, but they were not the norm. America used to have a lot of people with strong characters. Whatever your theory of why, everybody seems to agree nowadays that there are increasing problems with cheating and crime and and more and more hurting people. I see more and more resemblances to the country I grew up in and it scares me. The bad thing is a lot of the socialist, big brother government-type policies have encouraged less and less personal responsibility and more and more laziness. It seems like we're such a busy country, and we're so used to our comforts, that I wonder how much of the famous American backbone is left. Are we like the Romans now, "give us bread and circuses and we'll be happy" or are there enough of us like our forebears who hated the tax on imported fabrics and so began wearing buckskin to make a point to England? I think Americans want to be a strong, kind, and trustworthy people, but we are so busy and distracted that we don't have time to think about things like that much any more.
We've already lost a lot of our freedoms. Both of the presidential candidates and most of the congressional candidates would like to make a bunch more restrictions on those freedoms. Will we wake up? I don't know, but I really hope and pray that this financial crisis will wake people to the dangers of giving too many powers to the government and inspire more of us to take initiative ourselves. Thus, my continued efforts to learn to grow different kinds of food and my resolve to vote (even if I can't stand what's on the ballot) and do my best to push for fewer laws and more freedoms in this country. I also keep noticing how hard it is to find time for people and even just thinking. Have you noticed the same problem? It's really hard! But, it is essential if I want to experience my life rather than zoom through my life doing five things at once. I keep trying to decide what is vital and what isn't. This type of recreation, or that type? Do I need to do this first, or that first?
A final thought:
Issues such as healthcare and education are prime examples of capitalist versus socialist methods and what works to create the kind of healthy, efficient, working system we all want.
Sorry for the LONG post. I suggest reading Instapundit's blog every day for a month if you want a quick and extremely comprehensive education as to the state of the nation and all sorts of opposing views on issues. It's a great place to clarify one's thoughts and beliefs. Anyway, tomorrow I plan a much more cheerful and easy to digest post. Thanks for reading this far!
L
Friday, September 26, 2008
Progress this week
I am glad to note that that the irritated skin on Andolu's back really liked the olive oil. I applied it twice, and it just soaked it up. He is already looking MUCH better, and now I know what to do if it happens again, so that is a relief.
He still is acting perfectly comfortable and sound lately. The advantage to him having that abscess at the hoof wall right after his episode of laminits is that I can tell exactly how much new hoof wall has grown since then. He currently has grown about 1.5 inches. In counting the time since his attack, I realized that early next month will be four months already! I already told the vet I'd like him to come out the middle of that month and do their teeth and rabies/tetanus shots, so hopefully he will clear Andolu for exercise then. That would be really great. Of course, I would gradually start with leading him on walks at first, and work on getting him somewhat fitter before starting short rides. If they both stay healthy and don't do anything stupid, then things looks promising; although, before I start riding him again, I plan to get some lessons at the trainer's so I can get back in the swing of things myself.
It is so nice to feel fall weather here. We're working on planting the winter veggies now. I am trying to decide where and how much wheat to plant, for one thing. Decisions, decisions. I am determined to do a lot more planting than I've done in the last few years. Well, that's it for this update.
L
He still is acting perfectly comfortable and sound lately. The advantage to him having that abscess at the hoof wall right after his episode of laminits is that I can tell exactly how much new hoof wall has grown since then. He currently has grown about 1.5 inches. In counting the time since his attack, I realized that early next month will be four months already! I already told the vet I'd like him to come out the middle of that month and do their teeth and rabies/tetanus shots, so hopefully he will clear Andolu for exercise then. That would be really great. Of course, I would gradually start with leading him on walks at first, and work on getting him somewhat fitter before starting short rides. If they both stay healthy and don't do anything stupid, then things looks promising; although, before I start riding him again, I plan to get some lessons at the trainer's so I can get back in the swing of things myself.
It is so nice to feel fall weather here. We're working on planting the winter veggies now. I am trying to decide where and how much wheat to plant, for one thing. Decisions, decisions. I am determined to do a lot more planting than I've done in the last few years. Well, that's it for this update.
L
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Update to Alfalfa Patch
See the first post here.
It looks like we haven't figured out alfalfa yet. Last time we tried planting in the spring, this time in the summer. Both times we used the appropriate innoculant and watered faithfully - both times the plants sprouted and stalled and died. Bummerific. What IS the correct time for this area? Oh well! This is what the "alfalfa patch" looks like now - we finally got a good crop of weeds before deciding not to water it anymore. I do have about a dozen black bean plants that are producing pretty well, for my personal project, so at least one garden thing worked for me this year. Now that fall is almost here, I am going to get ready and try to plant carrots, peas, potatoes, peas, wheat, oh, and peas! Ahem. We call fresh peas "garden candy" around here and we can never get enough. Young peas are soo sweet!
Anyway, I don't think alfalfa would do well planted in the fall or winter, so for now I am going to focus on growing people food and ideas for helping the native grasses over the winter.
L
Monday, June 23, 2008
Alfalfa Patch: 1
The beginnings of the alfalfa patch. There are lots of little sprouts, but they are practically impossible to photograph as of yet. This used to be our grandparents' lawn - they have not been able to keep it up lately and starting to grow forage plants here is a good way to get a green spot for them to look at without wasting the horrendous amounts of water to sustain a lawn. Also, being close to the house it is easier to take care of and harder for wild animals to raid.
This patch is only about 6' x 15', but I fully intend to plant more. My goal is to try to plant enough in the next few months to produce 1% of the horses' yearly needs. More on this later on. The way I figured it out is, with Mira on a mostly concentrate diet, I use roughly 6 tons of hay a year. In this area, with decent soil amendments and LOTS of water, a person might be able to harvest a couple tons per acre. Say I would need two acres. One acre is 43,560 feet, or (squared) about 208.7 feet x 208.7 feet. One percent of two acres is 870 feet, or 20' x 43.5' patch. So far I have 90' planted. I will keep you guys updated on this project's progress!
L
Monday, June 2, 2008
News & Updates
Phew, what a busy week!
First, an update on the toddler. I have been anxious to try out all the good ideas you gave me, but due to the death of one of their family friends and various other things, they have been too busy to come over the last couple of weeks. I will let you guys know what happens next time they are able to make it!
I did write to the local newspaper regarding racing and my idea, and hopefully they will publish my letter this weekend. I am almost done with my letter to the Jacksons and Eight Belles's owners, too. Just trying to get it "just so" before I send it off. There were some good comments in the previous post on that issue. I encourage you to read them!
Something else that happened in the last few days was I decided that this fall I intend to get bees! I have thought about it off and on for a few years. My grandfather used to keep bees years ago, and so he has a lot of knowledge about it and would be a big help. Bees do take a lot of checking (not a lot of time, but a lot of daily attention) and that intimidated me in previous years, when my job situation was always fluctuating and I couldn't predict things more than a few months ahead.
But now I finally got tired of reading about the bee die-off crisis. I have been trying to ignore it, because I am trying not to get too worried about all the bad things happening that I can't help. The bee problem is serious - over 1/3 of our food is only there because of bees - and in some places 80% of the bees have died. Nobody is sure exactly what is causing it, but it is a very new and unique problem. Not only are bees dying, but sometimes they will up and abandon the hive and the queen and fly around aimlessly and then die. Nobody has ever, ever in centuries heard of bees doing that! I have read that when they dissect dead bees in the hard hit areas, they have found that the bees have every single disease known to bees - like bee HIV or something. Since bees have been around pesticides for decades and not had this dramatic of a thing happen, my personal and firm conviction is that the Genetically Modified plants are to blame. Genes are too complicated for humans to mess with like that! Anyway, I like my food, and prefer to be able to keep eating a lot of different things.
So, I decided to do something about the problem. Over the summer, I am going to find out how to establish a patch of alfalfa. That is not only good for horses, but it is one of the BEST bee fodders out there. I will also be planting other nectifarious plants... We were planning to get more chickens soon anyway, so probably what we will do is mark out a patch for the alfalfa, put a fence around it, and put all the horse manure there every day. The chickens will eat all the fly larvae and get plenty of protein and keep the fly population under control, and they will aid in decomposing the manure and loosening the soil. In the fall it should be a nice, rich patch of earth ready to plant. Then we can move the chickens to another spot. We might put one of the dogs up there next to the patch to keep deer away... I'm not sure what is the best season to get bees, but I'll find out. I'm really looking forward to this project! I've discovered the only way to get rid of the rather frantic feelings I tend to get after hearing/seeing any world news is to do something, and it's amazing how well it works! We don't use any pesticides/herbicides at all on our property (even the fly spray, when I use it, is organic) and I have a great idea about the neighbors. I think after I've had the bees a little while, I will invite the neighborhood to a party and serve honey-themed dishes and have little tidbits about bees and what they do for us and what chemicals do to them, and alternatives to chemical use. Not in a preachy way, just little pictures and clippings on the table.
Well, so long for tonight!
L
First, an update on the toddler. I have been anxious to try out all the good ideas you gave me, but due to the death of one of their family friends and various other things, they have been too busy to come over the last couple of weeks. I will let you guys know what happens next time they are able to make it!
I did write to the local newspaper regarding racing and my idea, and hopefully they will publish my letter this weekend. I am almost done with my letter to the Jacksons and Eight Belles's owners, too. Just trying to get it "just so" before I send it off. There were some good comments in the previous post on that issue. I encourage you to read them!
Something else that happened in the last few days was I decided that this fall I intend to get bees! I have thought about it off and on for a few years. My grandfather used to keep bees years ago, and so he has a lot of knowledge about it and would be a big help. Bees do take a lot of checking (not a lot of time, but a lot of daily attention) and that intimidated me in previous years, when my job situation was always fluctuating and I couldn't predict things more than a few months ahead.
But now I finally got tired of reading about the bee die-off crisis. I have been trying to ignore it, because I am trying not to get too worried about all the bad things happening that I can't help. The bee problem is serious - over 1/3 of our food is only there because of bees - and in some places 80% of the bees have died. Nobody is sure exactly what is causing it, but it is a very new and unique problem. Not only are bees dying, but sometimes they will up and abandon the hive and the queen and fly around aimlessly and then die. Nobody has ever, ever in centuries heard of bees doing that! I have read that when they dissect dead bees in the hard hit areas, they have found that the bees have every single disease known to bees - like bee HIV or something. Since bees have been around pesticides for decades and not had this dramatic of a thing happen, my personal and firm conviction is that the Genetically Modified plants are to blame. Genes are too complicated for humans to mess with like that! Anyway, I like my food, and prefer to be able to keep eating a lot of different things.
So, I decided to do something about the problem. Over the summer, I am going to find out how to establish a patch of alfalfa. That is not only good for horses, but it is one of the BEST bee fodders out there. I will also be planting other nectifarious plants... We were planning to get more chickens soon anyway, so probably what we will do is mark out a patch for the alfalfa, put a fence around it, and put all the horse manure there every day. The chickens will eat all the fly larvae and get plenty of protein and keep the fly population under control, and they will aid in decomposing the manure and loosening the soil. In the fall it should be a nice, rich patch of earth ready to plant. Then we can move the chickens to another spot. We might put one of the dogs up there next to the patch to keep deer away... I'm not sure what is the best season to get bees, but I'll find out. I'm really looking forward to this project! I've discovered the only way to get rid of the rather frantic feelings I tend to get after hearing/seeing any world news is to do something, and it's amazing how well it works! We don't use any pesticides/herbicides at all on our property (even the fly spray, when I use it, is organic) and I have a great idea about the neighbors. I think after I've had the bees a little while, I will invite the neighborhood to a party and serve honey-themed dishes and have little tidbits about bees and what they do for us and what chemicals do to them, and alternatives to chemical use. Not in a preachy way, just little pictures and clippings on the table.
Well, so long for tonight!
L
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Update on Field #1 MiG Experiment
Last fall I wanted to plant wheat on this field. Well, it didn't happen because of the messed up rains. The one time I actually thought would be a good time to plant, I was up to my ears in finishing the course and did not manage to get outside long enough to do it. But, if I had planted wheat there would have been a very small harvest, so no great loss. I'll just have to wait until fall again, and THIS year I definitely intend to get it done. Here are some pictures of it right now...
The grass is only about 4 inches tall here, at the end of the season, and quite sparse. Actually, we didn't have much real grass anywhere this year. Mostly we had miner's lettuce and various weeds. Weeds are much hardier than grass, unfortunately. My plan for this field is to make it my manure dumping ground over the summer, and hopefully that will prepare it for being planted next fall.
L
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Update on Field #2 (the Quackmire) MiG Experiment
Last fall's post is here: Field #2
A photo from about a week ago from a similar viewpoint...
A photo from about a week ago from a similar viewpoint...
My goals last fall were to make good use of the early grazing, and then let it grow back and cut it for hay, if possible. You can read my post about our (tiny scale!) hay experiments here.
Unfortunately for my plans, the rain this spring was not at all conducive to good grass. We had a ton of rain in January and February, and then basically none all of March. The grass was stressed and has all gone to seed ASAP because of that. At least the pond filled up completely. That means it should last all summer without going dry.
The grass was thin and not worth putting up a temporary fence in order to graze the horses on it. In fact, I have not done that anywhere this year. Instead, I have just cut big armfuls and taken it to them to eat. Part of the reasoning behind that decision is that I need to follow the guidelines as far as how much grazing/clipping is beneficial for grass vs. damaging. The right amount of grazing at the right time can make the grass roots stronger for next year, but overgrazing and grazing in wet weather can damage it. Next year I want to have as good of grass as possible, so, the best thing to do with my situation this year is take the grass to the horses, rather than the horses to the grass.
The grass has almost finished going to seed around here now, so pretty soon I'll have to stop. :-( For one thing, it will dry up and turn brown, and for another, grass that is that mature is just not very palatable to most animals, even when it is still green. It does not have much nutrition after it sets seed, either.
This year's grazing/hay making did not turn out as I hoped for this field, but at least I can't say it was anybody's fault! Below are some more photos of that field and the pond next to it. It looks deceptively lush! Ahh....
L
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Update on MiG Experiments
OK, time to update on this post and the following series (fields one, two, and three). For a general update, I did not get a chance to plant wheat after all. Bummer. It is probably a good thing, though, because this year's precip pattern has not been very good for wheat, so it would not have turned out very well.
I will try to do complete updates with current photos for each field over the next few days. I have been grazing the horses on one of the fields already, and will show you about how much I let them eat before moving them. I am also picking grass as fast as I can every day from a bunch of places that are too steep for horses but have lots of tall, luscious green grass growing. Both horses watch with intense interest whenever I do that... They really love spring grass, and it is cool to watch how relaxed and super friendly Andolu gets towards me when I am hand grazing him. The more I do this with the horses, the more I think it is a really cool bonding tool. I hand grazed Mira a LOT last spring, and it is one of my favorite activities ever, sitting and reading and watching a horse munch happily, and looking up through the light green leaves at the blue sky... Aahhh...
Anatolian is still a bit standoffish with me most of the time, though much better than he was initially, but his whole expression gets very soft when I take him to graze somewhere. :-)
We have not had any rain the last few weeks, just sun, and the grass has grown incredibly fast. Typical springtime for around here. Some parts of the country have a much longer grass season, but around here, grass that is long enough for horses to graze and immature enough to be palatable, sometimes only lasts a couple of weeks. Thus, we have to grab it while we can!
L
I will try to do complete updates with current photos for each field over the next few days. I have been grazing the horses on one of the fields already, and will show you about how much I let them eat before moving them. I am also picking grass as fast as I can every day from a bunch of places that are too steep for horses but have lots of tall, luscious green grass growing. Both horses watch with intense interest whenever I do that... They really love spring grass, and it is cool to watch how relaxed and super friendly Andolu gets towards me when I am hand grazing him. The more I do this with the horses, the more I think it is a really cool bonding tool. I hand grazed Mira a LOT last spring, and it is one of my favorite activities ever, sitting and reading and watching a horse munch happily, and looking up through the light green leaves at the blue sky... Aahhh...
Anatolian is still a bit standoffish with me most of the time, though much better than he was initially, but his whole expression gets very soft when I take him to graze somewhere. :-)
We have not had any rain the last few weeks, just sun, and the grass has grown incredibly fast. Typical springtime for around here. Some parts of the country have a much longer grass season, but around here, grass that is long enough for horses to graze and immature enough to be palatable, sometimes only lasts a couple of weeks. Thus, we have to grab it while we can!
L
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Rats and Drat. Arggh.
The vet came and looked at Mira today and said that the pus in the anterior chamber of the eye cleared up, which is good, but her eyelid is still somewhat closed, meaning there is still pain. Not good. The ulcer is slightly raised and appears to him as if it has a fungal infection. Bad! If it were a melting ulcer I would just schedule an appointment to remove the eye right away. As it is, fungal infections are not fun to treat. A 3-week course of meds for that, at the cheapest compounded prices he can get, would be $500.00. That does not include vet visits. He said normally he prefers to see these cases 3 times a week, but due to my budget constraints and the fact that I am a very good nurse (quoting him) he could maybe just come every other week. The problem with fungal infections is they take a LONG course of treatment before there is any progress. It would be about 12 weeks, minimum. So, the cheapest it would get is about $2,500.00, which is over the amount I have set that I am willing to pay. A long time ago I figured out guidelines for what is and is not an appropriate amount to shell out based on my budget, and the fact that I don't want to get in a ton of debt. My new job will be several months before I am making that much money, just due to the inherent learning curve, and it is never wise to count on future income, anyway.
So, I am not sure what to do. Neither I nor the vet want to remove the eye yet. Removing the eye is about $500 and has very little aftercare, and almost no chance of complications, but it's not a fun idea. Right now I am trying to contact Gloria Garland, a Chinese herbalist, to see if there is any possibility of treating it with herbs. They would likely be cheaper, and I don't mind spending more weeks on her eye. I would prefer trying that before removing the eye, if possible. And since it would be cheaper, I wouldn't feel as bad as if I spent several thousand and then had to remove the eye anyway. We'll see what she says, anyway.
Anyway, tonight I'm really discouraged! It's so frustrating not being able to have any certainties, or even probabilities.
L
So, I am not sure what to do. Neither I nor the vet want to remove the eye yet. Removing the eye is about $500 and has very little aftercare, and almost no chance of complications, but it's not a fun idea. Right now I am trying to contact Gloria Garland, a Chinese herbalist, to see if there is any possibility of treating it with herbs. They would likely be cheaper, and I don't mind spending more weeks on her eye. I would prefer trying that before removing the eye, if possible. And since it would be cheaper, I wouldn't feel as bad as if I spent several thousand and then had to remove the eye anyway. We'll see what she says, anyway.
Anyway, tonight I'm really discouraged! It's so frustrating not being able to have any certainties, or even probabilities.
L
Monday, December 31, 2007
Update on Paddock Paradise Project
I have had a bunch of hits from searches on Paddock Paradise in the last few days (maybe from people who were given the excellent book by Jaime Jackson for Christmas?) and Sheil recently asked for an update here.
I have to admit, I have not yet completed my track. My many excuses include the process of changing jobs, ill grandparents living next door and needing extra care, finances, and a general lack of time. Excuses, excuses. Sheesh! I will say, however, that I only have to put about 20 posts in and put up the electric tape, and now that the ground is finally wet, that wouldn't take me very long. Unlike in the summer, when every single posthole has to be soaked for days on end to have any chance of penetrating our concrete that passes as dirt! I am hoping to get time for finishing the project soon. No promises though...
In other ways I am doing my best to give the horses a healthy life, including:
Fed 3x a day, with grass hay almost constantly available. Hay is placed in several small piles to encourage movement.
Only fed enough alfalfa to keep protein at the proper level.
Barefoot and trimmed regularly.
As much exercises as I have time for now, and more as things settle down.
Regular work/play with their minds as well as bodies to keep them stimulated.
Outdoors 24/7 with a run-in shelter when it rains.
Varied terrain (more varied than I'd like, in fact!)
Thorvin kelp in addition to their regular salt and mineral blocks.
I am very happy with how healthy they both are, and Mira, who has naturally great feet, is almost self-maintaining her trim, and has been for the last few months. Very little ever needs to be done to them. Andolu has only been here for about 6 weeks, so I am still getting to know his feet, but he seems to have pretty good ones. They are a little flat, which I believe is typical for a TB, but he is quite sound. He only shows a tiny amount of tentativeness on gravel.
Both horses look very satisfied when you watch them in the pasture. Watching them is fun, because even when they are bickering they look contented overall. They are always ready to get fed, of course, but since they are basically munching all day, they are not desperate at any time. I believe this is one reason why The Dude has gained probably 50 pounds since he arrived - he is a "hard-keeper TB," remember, and is on grass hay and alfalfa with almost no concentrates, but he has gained quite a bit of weight. I like the benefits to their digestive systems in being able to let them "graze" all day.
Other than that, it gets kind of hard for me to describe the benefits of a more holistically-oriented way of keeping horses. It just feels right to me, more and more as I keep making little changes. The horses will show you how much they like it.
To me, health in humans or animals, total health, means not just absence of disease. I believe that the ultimate goal is to have vitality and contentment that radiates from the animal or human. I am seeing more & more of that in the horses, so I know I am heading in the right way. So, if you are considering changing some of your horse-keeping habits to a "Paddock Paradise" or other holistic strategies, I definitely would encourage you to do so. You will not regret it.
However, just as with humans, I strongly believe that the most important aspect, the part that truly affects everything, is the attitude and the love shown towards the horses. I grew up wanting my own horse, and because I never got one as a child, it became a passion. I still can't believe I have 2 horses, and I know the horses can feel how thrilled I am to be around them: You can see it in their expressions. Just like children, it makes them feel secure.
So, the biggest single piece of advice I have for anyone who has horses, or wants to learn how to deal effectively with them, is, be a little kid again! Rediscover the joy of these wonderful creatures!
Well, it looks like this turned into a book, but I won't apologize. :-) I know a lot of you reading this feel the exact same way I do, and for anyone who is still new to horses, I hope this will serve as a reminder to keep your attitude of excitement. Work hard at the skills of horse keeping and horse training, but do it with an attitude of PLAY!
And I will TRY to get that track finished SOON!
I have to admit, I have not yet completed my track. My many excuses include the process of changing jobs, ill grandparents living next door and needing extra care, finances, and a general lack of time. Excuses, excuses. Sheesh! I will say, however, that I only have to put about 20 posts in and put up the electric tape, and now that the ground is finally wet, that wouldn't take me very long. Unlike in the summer, when every single posthole has to be soaked for days on end to have any chance of penetrating our concrete that passes as dirt! I am hoping to get time for finishing the project soon. No promises though...
In other ways I am doing my best to give the horses a healthy life, including:
Fed 3x a day, with grass hay almost constantly available. Hay is placed in several small piles to encourage movement.
Only fed enough alfalfa to keep protein at the proper level.
Barefoot and trimmed regularly.
As much exercises as I have time for now, and more as things settle down.
Regular work/play with their minds as well as bodies to keep them stimulated.
Outdoors 24/7 with a run-in shelter when it rains.
Varied terrain (more varied than I'd like, in fact!)
Thorvin kelp in addition to their regular salt and mineral blocks.
I am very happy with how healthy they both are, and Mira, who has naturally great feet, is almost self-maintaining her trim, and has been for the last few months. Very little ever needs to be done to them. Andolu has only been here for about 6 weeks, so I am still getting to know his feet, but he seems to have pretty good ones. They are a little flat, which I believe is typical for a TB, but he is quite sound. He only shows a tiny amount of tentativeness on gravel.
Both horses look very satisfied when you watch them in the pasture. Watching them is fun, because even when they are bickering they look contented overall. They are always ready to get fed, of course, but since they are basically munching all day, they are not desperate at any time. I believe this is one reason why The Dude has gained probably 50 pounds since he arrived - he is a "hard-keeper TB," remember, and is on grass hay and alfalfa with almost no concentrates, but he has gained quite a bit of weight. I like the benefits to their digestive systems in being able to let them "graze" all day.
Other than that, it gets kind of hard for me to describe the benefits of a more holistically-oriented way of keeping horses. It just feels right to me, more and more as I keep making little changes. The horses will show you how much they like it.
To me, health in humans or animals, total health, means not just absence of disease. I believe that the ultimate goal is to have vitality and contentment that radiates from the animal or human. I am seeing more & more of that in the horses, so I know I am heading in the right way. So, if you are considering changing some of your horse-keeping habits to a "Paddock Paradise" or other holistic strategies, I definitely would encourage you to do so. You will not regret it.
However, just as with humans, I strongly believe that the most important aspect, the part that truly affects everything, is the attitude and the love shown towards the horses. I grew up wanting my own horse, and because I never got one as a child, it became a passion. I still can't believe I have 2 horses, and I know the horses can feel how thrilled I am to be around them: You can see it in their expressions. Just like children, it makes them feel secure.
So, the biggest single piece of advice I have for anyone who has horses, or wants to learn how to deal effectively with them, is, be a little kid again! Rediscover the joy of these wonderful creatures!
Well, it looks like this turned into a book, but I won't apologize. :-) I know a lot of you reading this feel the exact same way I do, and for anyone who is still new to horses, I hope this will serve as a reminder to keep your attitude of excitement. Work hard at the skills of horse keeping and horse training, but do it with an attitude of PLAY!
And I will TRY to get that track finished SOON!
L
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Field #3
Introducing... Field #3! I know, such a poetic name to give it :-) This is the smallest spot I plan on using this winter, approximately 20'x40'. It is located right below our pond dam, so it is also wetter than some other areas. Right now I am actually not sure whether I will use it for grass hay like Field #2, or if I might decide to plant it to grain. Either way, it is a very fertile (for our area) piece of land.Below is a picture of the pond grass that we made hay from earlier in the summer. The poor pond is so low! I really, really hope we have a wet winter this year. Last year I think we got about half of the normal precipitation and the pond never filled up all the way.
I hope to have more Mira pictures ready tomorrow, so stay tuned!L
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Field #2
And this is Field #2! (Also called the quackmire due to its proximity to the pond!) This is the wettest, shadiest spot on our property, and is roughly one quarter acre in size, irregularly shaped. It is fabulous for late spring grass, and we must have a spring in one spot, because there is one small area that always has green on it (third pic). I will not be planting anything new on it this year - I simply want to manage it better than it has been so far, i.e. graze it regularly and evenly at the right intervals in order to encourage good growth and to naturally fertilize it. I may or may not put top-dressings on it. If I do, gypsum would be my first choice, again.
My ideal plan for this field would be to graze it quite a bit early in the spring, and then allow the grass to mature enough to cut for hay. We shall see whether it works out, and how much hay it produces!
Field #3 pictures coming tomorrow...
L
Monday, September 24, 2007
Field #1
OK, here is what I will call Field #1. This is where I plan to plant wheat. As far as I know, this field has never had anything other than brush clearing and weed-whacking done to it. No fertilizing, watering, or anything else. It is basically virgin land. I plan to wait until after we get a couple more good rains, and then rent a rototiller and work the ground thoroughly. Then I want to scatter manure lightly over the area - lightly, because wheat does not like too much fertilizer. The main thing the ground needs is gypsum to loosen the dirt (or cement as we call it!). I would estimate I'll be planting roughly 80'x100' to wheat.I have no idea what the diamonds in the picture are from! I could not find any dust on my lens... Weird.
More photos tomorrow!
L
Sunday, September 23, 2007
New Photos Tomorrow!
Finally, I managed to get my act together and borrow a camera again, and I've been taking tons of pictures! So, hopefully by tomorrow afternoon I will have a bunch of them sorted out so I can post them. I am doing my best to get good clear pictures of the steps in training the Salute, MiKael. It's funny, I don't think I've ever done a photo tutorial before, so I hope it turns out well! I also have been taking pictures of the areas I want to try growing hay (and wheat) this winter. Wheat is the easiest people food of all to grow in this area. Everything else is very difficult to keep protected from the gophers, birds, deer, raccoons, etc. etc. And then the ground in this area is mostly decomposed granite, literally, so it requires LOTS of amendments and water... and water... and more water... which we don't have much of. It is most practical to grow stuff in the winter here, rather than trying to fight the summer heat and lack of rain for 6+ months at a time.
Growing wheat is super easy, though. I will tell more about that in another installment. :-) I am going to try to get lots of pictures of everything I do in preparing the ground and planting, and then photograph the growing plants every couple of weeks. Ditto with the hay - although I will probably use the native grasses for that. Not exactly great quality in them, but they will be decent supplemental forage.
Speaking of home-grown hay, our pond got really low again this summer. There was a lot of green grass growing on the bottom, and just for fun we harvested some and dried it to see if Mira would like it at all. Pond bottoms are typically FULL of nutrition of all sorts, (they can also contain bad residues, though) and so we were curious about it. I thought it smelled pretty sour, but I have never seen hay disappear as quickly or thoroughly as that hay did. I was quite surprised that she liked it that much!
OK, I'll stop rambling now. See you tomorrow!
L
Growing wheat is super easy, though. I will tell more about that in another installment. :-) I am going to try to get lots of pictures of everything I do in preparing the ground and planting, and then photograph the growing plants every couple of weeks. Ditto with the hay - although I will probably use the native grasses for that. Not exactly great quality in them, but they will be decent supplemental forage.
Speaking of home-grown hay, our pond got really low again this summer. There was a lot of green grass growing on the bottom, and just for fun we harvested some and dried it to see if Mira would like it at all. Pond bottoms are typically FULL of nutrition of all sorts, (they can also contain bad residues, though) and so we were curious about it. I thought it smelled pretty sour, but I have never seen hay disappear as quickly or thoroughly as that hay did. I was quite surprised that she liked it that much!
OK, I'll stop rambling now. See you tomorrow!
L
Monday, September 17, 2007
Cooler weather and new experiments coming
It is actually starting to feel like fall now. Yay! I much prefer cold weather to hot. We might get rain this weekend, but I doubt it... Things are pretty normal around here the last few days, not much new. I am still training the Salute with Mira, and will put up pictures as soon as I can get some. Sometimes I reward her with belly rubs instead of food, and I can't decide which she likes best. :-)
I finally gave in and bought some SWAT ointment for a couple spots where Mira keeps getting bitten. I have done everything else, but before it quite heals the flies will come back and bite it again. Aarggh. I don't want her to get infected, so I decided to bite the bullet and get the "nasty" chemical stuff. It IS working very well, and I have only applied it once. That was over 24 hours ago and I still haven't seen a single fly near the spots. I'm hoping I can get them all healed quickly and not have to use any more SWAT this season.
I have been doing some more research on easy, small-scale hay growing, and as winter is our growing season, I will share my experiments as I gear up for growing more feed this winter! For a list of last season's experiments and LOTS of helpful links, click here. One reason I am passionate about this topic is because there is so much concern throughout the horse world about hay shortages. If you look at the news, and study what is influencing agriculture in this country, it becomes apparent that we really should not count on hay (or grain) becoming plentiful and cheap again. In fact, it is best to make plans otherwise. The good news is that growing some of your own animal feed, (as well as food for yourself!) can be quite simple and still produce a big supplemental supply to "boughten" food. You don't need much land, you don't need very much equipment, (nothing with motors is necessary!) and you don't need much time. Mainly what you need is the right knowledge and good timing - something many horse people have an edge on already. :-)
So I hope you all enjoy going with me as I learn more, and maybe this will inspire you to try a few things to make your barn more sustainable!
L
I finally gave in and bought some SWAT ointment for a couple spots where Mira keeps getting bitten. I have done everything else, but before it quite heals the flies will come back and bite it again. Aarggh. I don't want her to get infected, so I decided to bite the bullet and get the "nasty" chemical stuff. It IS working very well, and I have only applied it once. That was over 24 hours ago and I still haven't seen a single fly near the spots. I'm hoping I can get them all healed quickly and not have to use any more SWAT this season.
I have been doing some more research on easy, small-scale hay growing, and as winter is our growing season, I will share my experiments as I gear up for growing more feed this winter! For a list of last season's experiments and LOTS of helpful links, click here. One reason I am passionate about this topic is because there is so much concern throughout the horse world about hay shortages. If you look at the news, and study what is influencing agriculture in this country, it becomes apparent that we really should not count on hay (or grain) becoming plentiful and cheap again. In fact, it is best to make plans otherwise. The good news is that growing some of your own animal feed, (as well as food for yourself!) can be quite simple and still produce a big supplemental supply to "boughten" food. You don't need much land, you don't need very much equipment, (nothing with motors is necessary!) and you don't need much time. Mainly what you need is the right knowledge and good timing - something many horse people have an edge on already. :-)So I hope you all enjoy going with me as I learn more, and maybe this will inspire you to try a few things to make your barn more sustainable!
L
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Someone I Really Admire
I just found this article. I love how this guy thinks all the time, and how simple his techniques are! I especially liked the bit about the turkey Gobbledygo - certain family members will understand why! LOL
Not much going on lately, just the usual. Mira is doing well, though the flies are crazy right now. No matter how much I work at controlling them with traps, fly predators, and (a little bit of) fly spray, they still are being a real pain. There are so many horses on our road that even if I get rid of my flies, that just leaves more room for flies from the other properties :-( ... For some reason hardly any of my neighbors ever pick up manure! So, I am thinking I might just buy a couple extra orders of fly predators and scatter them by night over some of the neighbors' fences - shh, don't tell! Well, maybe I should just ask first? :-)
L
Not much going on lately, just the usual. Mira is doing well, though the flies are crazy right now. No matter how much I work at controlling them with traps, fly predators, and (a little bit of) fly spray, they still are being a real pain. There are so many horses on our road that even if I get rid of my flies, that just leaves more room for flies from the other properties :-( ... For some reason hardly any of my neighbors ever pick up manure! So, I am thinking I might just buy a couple extra orders of fly predators and scatter them by night over some of the neighbors' fences - shh, don't tell! Well, maybe I should just ask first? :-)
L
Thursday, May 24, 2007
"Paddock Paradise" by Jaime Jackson: Part 2
One important observation from wild horse bands all over the world is that they do not usually wander aimlessly around their territory. It may look like it to humans, but when you study them closely, horses have distinct paths, looping and meandering trails, which they tend to travel on. These paths will take them to water, grazing areas, salt and other minerals, dustbathing areas, sleeping areas, and more. It may take them several days to cover all the ground, and some areas may not be visited at all in some seasons.
The description of herd life and the pictures of wild horse social dynamics in this book are fascinating. The author spends quite a lot of the book describing the wild horse's life, which is good - We need to know what wild living really is like before we can copy, modify, and tweak it to our own horses' needs!
He does not say exactly how he came up with the idea for "Paddock Paradise," but however it ocurred to him, the basic idea is a long, meandering track that is basically a large fenced loop about 10'-20' in width. The width is important, because having it narrow enough encourages the horses to keep moving. The twists and turns keep them always "looking around the next corner." Along the track you will put their feeders, their salt and mineral blocks, and their water, at different locations, so that they keep moving often to get to the next thing. There will also be a few areas where you can widen out the track to create loafing areas.
I love this idea, especially because it ties in perfectly with a rotational grazing system, to really maximize your pasture health as well as your horses' health! AND, save money on feed by having productive pastures because the horses are not constantly on them!!!
Overall, some of the key reasons why I am building a "Paddock Paradise" for Mira this summer are:
The description of herd life and the pictures of wild horse social dynamics in this book are fascinating. The author spends quite a lot of the book describing the wild horse's life, which is good - We need to know what wild living really is like before we can copy, modify, and tweak it to our own horses' needs!
He does not say exactly how he came up with the idea for "Paddock Paradise," but however it ocurred to him, the basic idea is a long, meandering track that is basically a large fenced loop about 10'-20' in width. The width is important, because having it narrow enough encourages the horses to keep moving. The twists and turns keep them always "looking around the next corner." Along the track you will put their feeders, their salt and mineral blocks, and their water, at different locations, so that they keep moving often to get to the next thing. There will also be a few areas where you can widen out the track to create loafing areas.
I love this idea, especially because it ties in perfectly with a rotational grazing system, to really maximize your pasture health as well as your horses' health! AND, save money on feed by having productive pastures because the horses are not constantly on them!!!
Overall, some of the key reasons why I am building a "Paddock Paradise" for Mira this summer are:
- Constant movement keeps a horse's joints supple, strong, and young.
- Moving all day keeps your horse much more fit, even when you can't ride.
- Less need for warmup and cool down when you do ride.
- Horses are not bored - their minds are stimulated and they get to "fulfill their innate horsieness." ;-D
- More natural herd dynamics.
- Apparently needs as little as one acre to work.
- I believe "Paddock Paradise" would dramatically lower risk and incidence of colic, for a lot of reasons!
- Lessens or eliminates need for frequent hoof trims, and naturally creates a tough, resilient, well-shaped hoof.
- Horses that are moving and exploring are HAPPY HORSES! :-)
I hope you enjoy this review, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to find out more about simple, non-labor-intensive ways to increase their horse's health, mental wellbeing, and longevity!
L
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
"Paddock Paradise" by Jaime Jackson: Part 1
This book is only about 100 pages long, but it if you want a truly information-packed resource on holistic horse health, practical advice, and an imagination inspiring nudge, you will want to get this one!
Jaime is a farrier/barefoot trimmer who studied wild horses in the high desert for 4 years in the 1980's. Being a farrier, he was especially interested in their feet, which were (obviously) never trimmed or cared for by humans. Domestic horses are prone to many different kinds of lamenesses, and a huge number of horses are chronically lame to some degree or other, even at very young ages, sometimes even before they are started under saddle. Farriers, vets, and horse owners spend a great deal of time and money each year treating lameness in horses, yet lameness issues are still some of the worst killers of horses. When Jaime realized that the wild horses he was watching were almost never lame despite traveling dozens of miles a day over all kinds of terrain, (soft, hard, rocky, slippery, sandy, wet, dry, and gravelly ground) he started thinking, and examining lots of cadaver hoofs, footprints, and photos of the wild horses. What he found caused him to rethink hoofcare, and revolutionized his techniques, especially in regard to use of typical horse shoes...
In the last couple decades, other horse people ended up on similar paths of questions and discovery, and now barefoot high-performance horses are becoming an accepted reality. And successful rehabilitation of thousands and thousands of "hopelessly" lame horses has caused an entire industry to rethink a lot of traditions and practices, for the good of the horse.
However, one thing that the various barefoot "gurus" have consistently found, is that movement, and LOTS of it, is far, far more important for the health of a horse's feet, (and whole body) than the particular style of trimming. Horses that stand in a stall or under a tree most of the day will never have hooves that reach their full potential, unlike horses that travel 20 miles a day or more.
So the dilemma for horse owners has been, how is it possible to provide enough room and motivation to encourage their beloved horses to move that much? Even in very large pastures, horses will often stand near the gate most of the day, swishing flies. We do not want "pasture potatoes," but very few of us horse owners have the resources to give our horses several thousand acres of open land to simulate a wild environment. Riding consistently is very good for horses, but they still tend to stand around the rest of the time.
So, what is the answer to this puzzle?!?
Part 2 coming tomorrow. :-)
L
Jaime is a farrier/barefoot trimmer who studied wild horses in the high desert for 4 years in the 1980's. Being a farrier, he was especially interested in their feet, which were (obviously) never trimmed or cared for by humans. Domestic horses are prone to many different kinds of lamenesses, and a huge number of horses are chronically lame to some degree or other, even at very young ages, sometimes even before they are started under saddle. Farriers, vets, and horse owners spend a great deal of time and money each year treating lameness in horses, yet lameness issues are still some of the worst killers of horses. When Jaime realized that the wild horses he was watching were almost never lame despite traveling dozens of miles a day over all kinds of terrain, (soft, hard, rocky, slippery, sandy, wet, dry, and gravelly ground) he started thinking, and examining lots of cadaver hoofs, footprints, and photos of the wild horses. What he found caused him to rethink hoofcare, and revolutionized his techniques, especially in regard to use of typical horse shoes...
In the last couple decades, other horse people ended up on similar paths of questions and discovery, and now barefoot high-performance horses are becoming an accepted reality. And successful rehabilitation of thousands and thousands of "hopelessly" lame horses has caused an entire industry to rethink a lot of traditions and practices, for the good of the horse.
However, one thing that the various barefoot "gurus" have consistently found, is that movement, and LOTS of it, is far, far more important for the health of a horse's feet, (and whole body) than the particular style of trimming. Horses that stand in a stall or under a tree most of the day will never have hooves that reach their full potential, unlike horses that travel 20 miles a day or more.
So the dilemma for horse owners has been, how is it possible to provide enough room and motivation to encourage their beloved horses to move that much? Even in very large pastures, horses will often stand near the gate most of the day, swishing flies. We do not want "pasture potatoes," but very few of us horse owners have the resources to give our horses several thousand acres of open land to simulate a wild environment. Riding consistently is very good for horses, but they still tend to stand around the rest of the time.
So, what is the answer to this puzzle?!?
Part 2 coming tomorrow. :-)
L
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Tiny-Scale MiG: Post Script
Just an update to let you know how my efforts and experiments turned out this spring. We are almost to summer now, which in this area means brown grass and no more growth until fall...
Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this series, as well as Tiny Scale Hay Making for more information about what I was trying to accomplish and what I have learned so far.
MiG Stands for Management-intensive Grazing, which could be described, VERY briefly, as:
"The thoughtful use of grazing manipulation to produce a desired agronomic and/or animal result. This may include both rotational and continuous stocking depending upon the season." (Thanks to Stockman Grass Farmer.)
I have been very enthusiastic about MiG for several years now, ever since I started learning about the many benefits of grassfed meat and dairy, and how good this technique is for the environment. At first though, when looking through the articles and advice on actually DOING MiG, I was pretty indimidated. It seemed so... complicated! However, gradually I've stopped worrying so much about that and just decided to start small wherever I can. :-D
THE RESULTS: The grass that I grazed Mira on this year has done quite well. We have very poor soil and pretty pathetic grasses, to be honest. I was mainly attempting to manage the grasses so that Mira could eat a lot but so that the grass would improve in health at the same time. It seems to have worked! Comparing areas side by side, the places that were grazed/cut at least once are actually taller now than the areas that I was unable to harvest. It was a thrill when I realized that, and I think it's interesting that even though no fertilization was done (Usually she wasn't even on a patch long enough to leave one pile of manure) the grass still looks greener and healthier just because of getting cut/grazed once or a few times. I wonder why?
Anyway, for those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment, (;-D) I hope you are glad to know how this series of experiments turned out!
L
Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this series, as well as Tiny Scale Hay Making for more information about what I was trying to accomplish and what I have learned so far.
MiG Stands for Management-intensive Grazing, which could be described, VERY briefly, as:
"The thoughtful use of grazing manipulation to produce a desired agronomic and/or animal result. This may include both rotational and continuous stocking depending upon the season." (Thanks to Stockman Grass Farmer.)
I have been very enthusiastic about MiG for several years now, ever since I started learning about the many benefits of grassfed meat and dairy, and how good this technique is for the environment. At first though, when looking through the articles and advice on actually DOING MiG, I was pretty indimidated. It seemed so... complicated! However, gradually I've stopped worrying so much about that and just decided to start small wherever I can. :-D
THE RESULTS: The grass that I grazed Mira on this year has done quite well. We have very poor soil and pretty pathetic grasses, to be honest. I was mainly attempting to manage the grasses so that Mira could eat a lot but so that the grass would improve in health at the same time. It seems to have worked! Comparing areas side by side, the places that were grazed/cut at least once are actually taller now than the areas that I was unable to harvest. It was a thrill when I realized that, and I think it's interesting that even though no fertilization was done (Usually she wasn't even on a patch long enough to leave one pile of manure) the grass still looks greener and healthier just because of getting cut/grazed once or a few times. I wonder why?
Anyway, for those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment, (;-D) I hope you are glad to know how this series of experiments turned out!
L
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