Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Men and Their Twisted Priorities....

This post was originally going to be called "Nothing But Net" but just as I sat down to start typing, TC whipped out the dust mop and the vacuum (If it weren't for spell check I wouldn't even be able to spell the word much less actually do it)  and expected me to stop blogging and do the "C" word.

Clearly his priorities are all jacked up.

Clean before blogging?

BLASPHEMY!

Doesn't he understand that this is where I bond with other horsey women?  Doesn't he understand that this is one of the ways I relax on my days off. Doesn't he understand that the world needs  to hear me ramble on about my ponies?!?

So being the good  woman that I am, I stepped away from my keyboard with a smile on my face and ran the noisy thing that you push around which is supposed to suck up the dog hair. I have yet to see or find a vacuum made that can survive my house.

 Of course I still cannot get him to grasp the concept that if you dust before you clean the floor, then you don't have to worry about things falling on the floor.

He likes to start with the floor and then do the counters and the table.

I start with the counters and tables and then do the floors leave the floors for another day! LOL!

Anyway so lets move on to my original post.

Nothing But Net!

I have implemented the slow feed hay nets and it is quite interesting to see the different reactions from each horse. They each have their own method of attack for getting the hay out of the net.

For Sassy it is a puzzle to be solved, and she spends much time putting the pieces together and getting every last bit of hay out of the net. She is relatively dainty about it, taking small bites.  But it seems to be effective, as she has no trouble emptying the net in an afternoon. I don't have pictures of her today, because she is out on the pasture today.

Killian, of course has a more manly approach.



He tends to grab large mouthfuls and bats the bag around with his nose.  He has pulled the bag down, he has stepped on it and pulled hay out.  He empty's his bag in record time.

Trax likes to pull on the net itself, shake the hay out and then pick it up off the ground.


Sometimes though, throwing the bag around can have adverse results.



After that he just followed Killian's lead and just pulled out big chunks.



Danny's reaction was the one I did not expect, and again I do not have pictures, but if you have been following this blog for any time at all and have any idea what a character my old guy is, you will understand.

Basically the conversation went like this.

Hey Danny here is a bag full of hay for you.

 Smells good- go ahead and open it 

No Danny, you don't understand. I don't open it for you, you pull the hay out through these tiny holes.

SAY WHAT????

Yes, see the other horses? See how they are working at figuring out how to pull the hay out through the holes?

Yes, well clearly you have forgotten WHO I am. 

No Danny, I know exactly who you are.

I am not going to play your silly hay bag games. (stomps foot- tosses head)

Well Danny if you want the hay, you have to pull it through the holes. I will leave your for a while to see if you want to try it.

(I watched him pull one sliver of hay through the hole, tossed his head around some more and then went to the other side of the pen and stood with his butt to me.  I went back out 2 hours later and he still had not touched the bag. When he saw me come out he wuffled to me, stomped his foot and shook his head up and down some more.)

I'm not messing around Lady, you come put my hay out where it belongs.  I WILL NOT eat hay out of a bag like a trick pony!


I put some hay in his tub, which he promptly tossed on to the ground and then started to eat. The hay bag remained hanging in his pen for 3 days without being touched. Finally on Sunday I let Killian wander the yard all day to mow my grass spots and he found the bag. He pulled it to the outside of the pen and ate every bit of it.  I no longer even bother with a hay net for Danny. He has made his demands and I have bowed down to the King once again.

I'm okay with that today. After all, it is Danny, and what Danny wants, Danny gets.



As I filled the bags this morning I discovered the hard way that we have ants in our hay.

Biggefy to see the ants


Lets think about this a minute shall we?

When you fill a hay bag, or do anything at all with hay, where does the hay always end up?

If you said "Inside your underwear" then you answered correctly.

So if the hay is full of ants, where do you suppose that the ants ended up?

Yes that is right, I literally had ants in my underpants, in my bra, in my shoes and everywhere else.  Not the best way to start my morning...and then TC wanted me to come in clean?????? Sheesh!


Now it  really is time to get some things done.  I have to go print off fliers for the new business venture, as well as get an ad up for my extra saddle which I need to sell.

Oddly enough, no sooner did I decide to go for the boarding business (and thank you everyone for your input- everyone had great ideas and I have written them all down so I don't forget anything) but I called for an interview for an 8-5 Office Manager position. I will go to the interview, but not as thrilled as I should be about the possibility.

I made my decision to pursue my dream, and abandoning that idea for a desk job is a little depressing.  On the other hand, a decent paycheck would be nice.  Not sure what I will do, I guess I have to see how the interview goes.

I shall end my post with some gratuitous yard shots.

I love the yellow buds

This one is on the down side of its life. 

Old Butchy

Smarty Pants


12 comments:

  1. Don't you just feel like you are being teased by the timing of things? Now you have a choice you have to make. Bummer. It would be so much better to be railroaded into fulfilling your dreams. Ha ha.

    I'm glad it's not just me who gets hay in my underwear, but I haven't had to deal with ants yet. I did pluck a luminescent beetle off the hay this morning. I thought it was dead and tossed it aside, only to have it fly into my hair.

    Today's vacuum cleaners suck. I mean they suck poorly. I came across an old lightweight Hoover from the 1960's in my mother's house and kept it. It handles all the dog hair, mud, pebbles and even sucks up scorpions. It's my go to machine. I'd seriously consider shopping for something old in the thrift shops next time you are in the market for a vacuum cleaner.

    Interesting to hear how each horse handled the nets. I've toyed with the idea of getting nets, but I know the boys will instantly find some way to get their feet caught in it, and then rip it to shreds.

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    1. I had the same concern about the nets which is why I hang them high enough that they cannot get their feet into them.

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  2. The net abuse will subside once everybody gets it really figured out. As for Danny, I know you probably don't want to hear this now, but I would suggest you have his teeth checked (which i think I remember you saying you were going to do anyway in another post:)

    Good luck with the job interview. Although, I am not sure whether I am wishing you good luck in getting the job or getting overlooked!

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    1. yes a teeth float is in order for Danny. I just had him checked this spring and was told he was fine, but things change so quickly with him.

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  3. Interesting how each horse handled the nets- I think Beamer needs one, he tosses his hay around and uses it for bedding.

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  4. Clean the house in good weather??? is the man daft?? LOL Funny thing about he hay nets here, Phoenix LOVES his , has quite simply found his zen and wont eat hay (unless he must) off the ground . Cactus? well he was pretty irritated the first day or so so I fed him some on the ground and some in the net so his frustration was not so bad, he is now good with the net. Martins mare Jewel? pretty much inhales the whole bag eats the hay and spits out the mesh!

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  6. Like the stories oƒ how the horses are faring with their hay nets. We have no problem with any of ours, they've all figured it out. My daughter came up with an ingenious idea and we use hockey nets because they are bigger and hold an entire bale. They're spaced around the top paddock and everyone picks an chooses at will.

    I can only say from experience that having a boarding/training business I'd take the day job with a regular pay check. There's no end to the problems boarders cause and then again sometimes they don't pay either. We had one woman just leave her horse with us and she came back after a year and couldn't even pick him out of the crowd. A lotta nerve. Anyway, I hope whatever decision you make you're happy with and it works out for you.

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    1. I'll be honest, I am a little afraid of the drama that most likely will come from this, but I am also trying to make sure I take steps to avoid it from the gate too. One of the clauses in my contract is that any board that is left unpaid at 2 months, barn owner will seize and sell the horse. I know that there is a process one must go through to do that legally. But I'm investigating what that process is in this state. My rules will be clear, and will be enforced...period. I'm hoping that by being a small facility, the potential for drama will be slightly lower if only because of the numbers. LOL

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