Lessons Learned On The Farm Too

What I Don't Like About Horses...

{ 07:14, Wednesday, November 1, 2006 } { 4 comments } { Link }

I have never been a huge fan of horses. Don't get me wrong, I think they are beautiful animals and I think the world is a better place because of them... probably.

You see I worked for a veterinarian while in High School and my first year of college so most of what I have seen is the sick, not-easy-to-get along-with side of horses. Sorry, but it did shape my opinion somewhat. But after some gentle coaxing from my family, I decided horses would be a nice fit for our little homestead. Actually just seeing how happy they make my wife and boy #2 Jake should make me forget about all the things I don't like about horses....almost.

Case in point... today, after a long day at work, I got home to find both horse out of the fence and in the yard. Not a big deal. Getting the horses back in the field. BIG DEAL!!!

We, me and boy #1 Joseph, tried to slowly approach both horses who, while in the pasture are very approachable animals, only to have them casually walk out of reach again and again. Time was important due to the fact of the quickly fading daylight and I didn't want to try and catch two horses on a 50 acre farm in the dark. So we got back in the truck and followed them when they ran off to the back of our property (about 1/2 mile) to a field.

The horses then decided they would be happier back at the barn. So we came down the hill in the truck just in time to see them going past the barn, through the front yard, across the ditch, up the hill, and without a care in the world, across the road. The heavily traveled by lots of cars and trucks road!

They went into our neighbors yard and then, in what made me want to sell them to the lowest bidder, decided to go for a little walk down the left side of the road, into traffic, up hill into a blind corner. I thought I was going to have a coronary.

I was trying to stay back so as not to make them run, but I felt the urgent need to get in front of them to warn any oncoming traffic. I finally got in front of them and they went off the road and into the woods, circled back around onto the road, back across the front yard, and finally into the barn. Thank God, and I mean that with all of my heart, that there was not one single car on the road that whole time. We were truly blessed.

All in all the horses are fine now. We found where they had pushed open an old gate that is never used and hopefully we have things where they can't get out again. Now I know that some of you are going to write back and say -- if you would spend more time with your horses doing this and that -- or you know there is a good set of videos by the horse whisperer that we could buy and learn how to prevent this from happening again -- or if I were more in tune with my horses energy and emotions then I could have telepathically communicated a feeling of warmth and love that they would cause my horse to never want to leave my side again.

Thats all well and good and maybe I should do more of some or all of these things. But for now here's what I want to hear from you. What should a rookie horse owner do in this situation? What did we do right and what did we do wrong? Please let me know. I'm open for opinions.

Just remember... the horses are ok now. They are tucked in their stalls with bellies full of feed and clean stalls made for relaxing and sleeping. I'm not, nor would I ever, get rid of them, but they do get on my nerves when they run amuck.

All of this said the immense happiness they bring to my wife and kids is worth the intermitent stubborness. After all, I've been known to be stubborn as a horse and they keep me around.

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{ 09:03, Wednesday, November 1, 2006 } { Posted by j706nancyr }
The best way I have found to catch a horse is with a bucket of feed. Put feed in a bucket, go near the horse, and shake the bucket.....always worked for me!LOL
I just wish that when my first horse somehow got out of his pasture at the farm we kept him on the people who "chased him on a 4-wheeler" would have just gotten a bucket of feed and shook it at him. He was 22 years old and really calm and would have came to the feed bucket. But having something a noisey 4-wheeler charging toward you when your instincts are flight not fight was the WORSE thing to do. He was ran out onto a busy road and was hit and killed by a car.
One of the worst moments of my life.
I am so glad your situation ended up alot better.
Nancy

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{ 06:13, Thursday, November 2, 2006 } { Posted by HANNAHb95 }
Oh, you need to try to catch rabbits!
It's like going on a wild goose chase!

~Hannah

Yup!

{ 10:38, Saturday, November 4, 2006 } { Posted by Ashli }
Feed in a bucket! That's what I was going to suggest as well. Or a favorite "treat" they like, that works too! They love being chased. Honestly! They do! It's like a game to them, I swear it is! :o) Because they're in control and you aren't.

You need to gain trust of the horses. Spend more time with them. Talk to them without riding them. Get them to learn the family together. Groom them, love them, talk to them, visit often. Then eventually they'll trust you and not run off, but come and visit you. It takes time though.

I'm so glad you have them back. I would work on the trust factor to help them not run again. Especially with that dangerous road there : o /

God bless, much luck!

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{ 08:43, Friday, November 24, 2006 } { Posted by vlcowley }
Yup!
I kind of feel the same way about horses but for different reasons. My dad had a horse, from when he was a young boy, when I was growing up. Unfortunately by the time I was old enough to start riding it on my own, it was so old and lame we weren't allowed to ride it. We still had to clean up after it, feed, water, and groom it. All work and no enjoyment kinda soured me on owning a horse. The story about you chasing your horses around reminded me of the time a bull got loose from the livestock pavillion at C.S.U. and "somehow" got into a dorm and totaled several students' rooms. But thats another story.

Thanks for sharing.

Vince