Morning Chores

Last September I posted about what it’s like to get all the horses fed and at that time, there were only 13 horses here – ah, the good old days!  Things have changed quite a bit since then and I’m sure there’s someone out there wondering just how the heck I manage without a real barn.  If there isn’t anyone wondering that, I’m going to tell you anyway.  So there.

Right now there are 27 horses here.  Maggie over at Ponies in Med School is adopting Synergy and Holly in a few weeks, so they’ll be leaving soon.  I’ve already had interest in Jacob (what a hunk!), so hopefully he’ll be moving to his new home shortly.  But for now, here’s how the morning chores go:

Feed and water meat chickens, laying hens, and rabbits.

Feed Synergy, Holly, and Kisses. 

Feed Jacob, Stride, Quest, and Maverick in the bachelor pad.  I let Stride out to eat since he’s the slowest.  Mav finishes first, but he’s also lowest on the totem pole so doesn’t steal anyone else’s food.  Jacob finishes next, but doesn’t dare come near Quest while he’s eating.

Meg, Dolly, Junior, Sadie, Duchess, and Semi are usually waiting at the small gate by this time so I let them out into the yard and feed them.   While they’re eating, I head up to the main barn to feed.  We have 10 standing stalls and one box stall in the barn now and here’s how that plays out:  Gentry, Ellie, Kita, Frisky, Abbi, Maggie, Quill, Jewel, Willow, and Classy all go in standing stalls.  Jasmine and Sky go in the box stall.  Kenzie and Marbles eat on the left side of the barn behind four of the standing stalls.   Once everyone is done eating I turn them loose, then head back to the house to round up the old fogies in the yard and put them back in the pasture.  Sometimes I’ll leave one or two out in the yard to graze, but only if they don’t decide to go walk about around the countryside.

Since my pastures are crap and need to be burned and reseeded this Fall, I’m still feeding round bales to everyone and have no more need of square bales (whew!).  All of this only takes an hour and a half.   Then I start my job at 7AM, taking quick breaks twice throughout the day to feed the new girls.  When I get off at 4PM, I start the process all over again and include grooming, trimming, or riding once everything is done.   That is, if I don’t have to run to the feed store or drive into town for water.  Or run to Walmart for dog and cat food.   Regardless of what I find myself doing after work, I usually finish up shortly after 9PM when it’s starting to get dark, grab some dinner, jump in the shower, then fall into bed.

So that’s my day and I love it!   The only thing I miss is the yoga I used to do in the mornings, but I just can’t picture me getting up at 4AM to get it done.

Nope, can’t picture that at all.