Author Topic: Critters - cattle, horses, dogs (Read 6168 times)

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #30 on:** October 06, 2008, 06:48:51 PM »

The photos were taken today.

She's recovered from being thin.

Although, to be a truly magnificent example of the breed, we'd have to work her. She doesn't have the muscle that I have seen in photos of her type.

Roark · « **Reply #31 on:** October 06, 2008, 07:19:06 PM »

KJ: That "Eggmobile" is *genius*! I love it! I didn't realize he was doing it that way, but it makes very good sense. As he points-out, chickens aren't thrilled with fresh poop, but they warm-up to it after a couple of days. His emergence/interception point is well-conceived, especially for a temperate climate. Around here the egg cycles are so fast we let just let 'em roam... especially in the summer... but I bet it would work gloriously in the winter!

I may have to get Savannah into the "EggMobile" concept. Not so much for the portability in following the cattle, but rather to help get these blasted birds off the front porch!

Oh Savannah!!!! Whaddaya say to an EggMobile? (You can paint it all those goofy ethnic colors if you like!)

Roark

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #32 on:** October 06, 2008, 08:26:59 PM »

My chickens already are goofy, ethnic colors... white, black, brown.

Everyone who messes with horses dreams of the one horse. There is a bond that some lucky people have with lucky horses. It transcends the rational. The horse that KNOWS what you want, and is happy to be a part of your seeking of it.
My daughter had Shorty.
If you hang around horses, you have seen people and horses that are BONDED. That are so intimately a part of each other's mind and existence that its scarey.

I've not had a horse like that. Lena, my only horse, is a bit catty - aloof - and now she's lame. But I have seen it, and anyone who has seen it is jealous.

So, Roark didn't want another horse. I was pushing because I was grieving over Shorty, and we needed a useful horse. We saw Annie Mae twice before bringing her home.
It was luv at first sight.
Roark couldn't stop looking at this horse.
He tried to keep his eyes turned to the practical, and made all kinds of excuses - "its for the kids" - "she's a tow truck" - but he has been in love with this horse since the first moment he laid eyes on her.

She's gonna be a good one, too.

ANd yeah, I'm massively jealous.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #33 on:** October 06, 2008, 08:48:38 PM »

Syd, the horse I ride weekly is the horse for someone else..... :'( She barely gives me the time of day but she is such a smooth and responsive ride. I'm sure she misses him though, he grew up and moved on.

Joyce · « **Reply #34 on:** October 07, 2008, 07:44:15 AM »

I bonded with a Polo Pony about 20 years ago when I was dating a Polo Jockey from Peru, played for Westhampton Polo Team during the summers.
The ponie's name was Lorenzo, and he was extremely agressive.

But when Lorenzo met me, he turned to a mush, only with me. I had no clue he was violent, just stepped up to him and gave him some love and sweet talk.
Other people, including his owner Mark (my Polo Jockey Boyfriend I used to tease and call him Marco Polo) Lorenzo would try to bite, kick and maim, kill.

After a chukker he would be unsaddled, and would come over to me for a rub down, walk, and lots of hugs and 'mutterings'.
And sometimes some first aid. Polo can be rough on a horse. :'(
We would mutter back and forth with each other, and he would drape his neck over my shoulder and lean, rest his weight on me. It was a horse hug.
And he would mutter, and I would mutter back, horse style. Mark was jealous.

I broke up with Mark cuz he was such a hot tempered ahole, but Lorenzo and I were friends up until he was moved back down to Peru for the winter.

karen J · « **Reply #35 on:** October 07, 2008, 08:31:39 AM »

So, Roarke, if you like the Eggmobile just wait- there's more. It probably wouldn't apply to you since you don't have winter. But anyway, this farmer puts the cows in the barn for winter. They poop on the floor, he adds a layer of hay and some corn. They poop more, so he adds more layers of hay and some more corn. The fermenting layers provide heat for the chilly cows. By the time winter is over, the cows are standing on several feet of poop, hay, and corn. He brings the cows out the pasture in the spring, but what to do with all that mess in the barn? This is when he calls in his other workforce, the "pigerators". The pigs go into the barn and root out all that fermented corn, turning & airating the newly created "mulch" in the process.
Is that genius, or what?

Here is is his website:
http://www.polyfacefarms.com/default.aspx

You can see a bit of the Eggmobile in this short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5496QhWIWU

A much longer video of a talk he gave at Berkely:
http://journalism.berkeley.edu/events/details.php?ID=164

Roark · « **Reply #36 on:** October 07, 2008, 12:06:51 PM »

Quote from: karen J on October 07, 2008, 08:31:39 AM

So, Roarke, if you like the Eggmobile just wait- there's more. It probably wouldn't apply to you since you don't have winter. But anyway, this farmer puts the cows in the barn for winter. They poop on the floor, he adds a layer of hay and some corn. They poop more, so he adds more layers of hay and some more corn. The fermenting layers provide heat for the chilly cows. By the time winter is over, the cows are standing on several feet of poop, hay, and corn. He brings the cows out the pasture in the spring, but what to do with all that mess in the barn? This is when he calls in his other workforce, the "pigerators". The pigs go into the barn and root out all that fermented corn, turning & airating the newly created "mulch" in the process.
Is that genius, or what?

Very cool, KJ! And definitely genius!

Ooops.... but we have a minor implementation problem here. Savannah has formally nixed the idea of getting any pigs. I believe the actual quote was "...NO MORE SPECIES, ROARK!!!..."

(I'm still working on an emu however).

Roark

Joyce · « **Reply #37 on:** October 07, 2008, 01:23:34 PM »

Roark, have you ever seen an emu egg?

I have one. They are navy blue with pale blue and white speckles and can be carved like a cameo because the shell has several layers of color.

http://lujs.tripod.com/eggers/eggs-pg6.html

http://www.pbase.com/sue_w/image/85651882

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #38 on:** October 07, 2008, 01:32:26 PM »

I won't own a pig because they are smarter than I am.

NO MORE SPECIES!!!!
We have plenty of dinosaurs running around already.

Joyce · « **Reply #39 on:** October 07, 2008, 05:26:51 PM »

You mean Roarkasaurus?

Roark · « **Reply #40 on:** October 07, 2008, 06:28:19 PM »

Quote from: Joyce on October 07, 2008, 05:26:51 PM

You mean Roarkasaurus?

Oh... that's right... yuk it up, GreenGrrl!!

Just 'cause I've got one foot in the tarpit doesn't mean you've got to rub it in ya young whippersnapper!!!

Roark

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #41 on:** October 07, 2008, 06:29:44 PM »

What has a thousand teeth and holds back a monster?

Joyce · « **Reply #42 on:** October 07, 2008, 06:54:31 PM »

A big zipper?

Kittyzee · « **Reply #43 on:** October 08, 2008, 05:53:15 AM »

Why didn't I think of that? $:-\$

Sangreaal · « **Reply #44 on:** November 10, 2008, 08:39:56 AM »

Quote from: Roark on October 06, 2008, 10:37:21 AM

Quote from: LeeAnne151 on October 06, 2008, 09:55:57 AM
As someone who has been waiting for her first horse for forty years now, I'm jealous.....

I've never ridden a draft horse but I am told they are great rides. Is Annie Mae a Belgian?

Annie Mae is a Suffolk Punch, which is another member of the "fuzzy-foot" crowd. This breed of horse is programmed both genetically and via personality to PULL THINGS. Simply put, they love it. In Scotland they used to have competitions where they chained the horse to an immovable object and timed how long it took the horse to dig themselves in up to their belly. This falls far short of being cruel however, because nobody was whipping the horse. The horse simply WANTED to move that thing, and would actually die trying if someone didn't say "WHOA" at the right moment. Did I mention they like to pull?. Sorta like a grass-powered tow-truck... in other words... she's about right for the Roarkster.

Annie Mae stands about 16 1/2 hands, but at 5 years old, she's still growing and I think we'll be pushing 17 hands when she's done. In horse-size, she's definitely in the top of the class, but wait until you see a full-blow Percheron! (Maybe I can get Marie/Toragoi to post pictures of her "Odin". HINT-HINT!! I think you could probably park my horse under hers. heheheh).

As to the quality of ride, I'm told she's pretty darned smooth for a fuzzy-foot. I don't have much experience myself, so I'm sorta lost in the judging department. All I know is she's the quintessential red-head: It takes a trip to the jeweler and a half-hour of begging before you'll even be considered for a date, and if you *do* get one, there isn't any guarantee you're going riding. (But once you're on, you'd best strap-in, shut-up, and hold on. She'll go everywhere SHE wants to go, and you're just along for the ride. But if you've dated redhead before, this isn't anything new to you. hehehe).

(((LMAO!!!))) (((DUCKING!)))

BTW: This was all Savannah's fault. I wasn't thrilled about horses until she introduced me to Annie Mae. Now I think she's a little jealous off all the time I'm spending with my "Little Girl".

Roark

Looking at the pics of Annie Mae, she very much reminds me of Rowen, my favorite Belgian mare--gots lots and lots of heart and strong sensibilities. About the same size too--Rowen's about 16.3h, weighing in at the vet's a respectable 2279lbs, so though they're both short for draughts, they make up in sheer mass! Here's a pic of her in Saskatchewan, just before I bought her.

Odin....my past great jousting warhorse, of whom the Roarkster is enamoured. 18.3h, 2600lbs of giant 'golden boy' Belgian, Odin was the King of the Pasture while he was here. Here's a pic of he and I--I am 5'5", just to give you some idea of scale. To mount him from the ground meant I had to put my toe in the stirrup right about chest high and haul myself up with the aid of a long leather strap attached to the pommel of the saddle. No way up bareback, save for from a stump, fence or fender. *LOL*

But there is a horse that eclipses even Odin for heart and size (though not reliability and sheer cuteness *L*)--Suzanne, my friend's 19.3h, 3000lb Percheron mare. I don't have a pic of them side by side, but Sue would definitely dwarf Odin for size and presence-wise. What a mare! But not for the faint of heart....

Now check Sue out as she runs down the list--as the opponent's lance approaches her rider's shield, she follows it with her ear and eye and leans her weight into the hit! Sue is sport in every way--an intimidating mount for medieval games. Imagine this thundering at you full speed!

Back to you now, Roark, so you can explain this drive-by hijacking to Savannah. *LOL!*

Toodles,
Marie

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #45 on:** November 10, 2008, 03:37:29 PM »

WOO HOO!!!!

Why did we ever give up riding for cars? A car that "leans into the hit" would be having steering problems!

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #46 on:** November 10, 2008, 05:13:33 PM »

Great pictures!

Roark · « **Reply #47 on:** November 13, 2008, 07:05:55 PM »

My understanding is that Marie's "Odin" is currently head-over-heels in love with a little sprite of a 4-year old girl... and has bonded to the exclusion of everyone else.

If you want a study in contrasts, just visualize the size differences in THAT relationship!

On a different note, we're going to RenFest this weekend up north of Houston and I'm hoping to have a few minutes to see what the Jousters are riding. (I'm still absolutely green with envy of the little girl who got "Odin". heheheheh!)

Roark

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #48 on:** November 17, 2008, 07:16:42 AM »

The jousting was a disappointment from the equine angle. Only one thin fuzzy foot - and not a full blood, short and skinny. The rest were thoroughbreds, and skinny.
Odin could have won the contest with a look.

The fairy horses would have fainted to see him thundering at them.

But we had a lot of fun. Especially the kids. RJr and his friend were wild! Of course, they had to have swords (dull wooden blades).
We took RJr and his friend into a REAL sword shop. You should have seen their eyes. The guy behind the counter gave them a short lesson on how knives are made, and let them hold them. They couldn't pee straight for an hour.

The camping was a little brutal. We took full "yuppie scum" gear - a hot shower and full kitchen. But it got so COLD. Down to 35 Saturday night. It was like sleeping in an ice box. And, camp cots are always uncomfy - more so when icey.
Thank GOD for the Irish. Back when we had money, I invested in GOOD capes. And they were worth every penny this weekend.

Nevertheless, we recovered like turtles. Sitting in the sun until our shells thawed out. And went back to crowd gaze some more.