Horse Whispering

Big Fella has started training the littlest fella - Hawaii, the Shetland Pony. He's been getting him used to having his feet handled, a pony pad on his back, being led up the road with Small Boy whizzing by him on the pushbike. Who'd have thunk it?

Airborne

Small Boy and Mia are progressing in leaps and bounds. Not literally, thank goodness! Boy has got his pony to canter this week, and that's a huge achievement. The next thing, of course, will be to teach him how to ask for a canter without chasing her into it, but she's a responsive little thing, and that won't take long, I suspect - some time in our small yard on the lunge should be productive. At this rate, he'll probably be working Hawaii for Small Girl, and improving his horsemanship out of sight.

She's always up for a chat and a smooch

Dante is getting a ride once weekly, at this stage, and getting fitter in body and brain. He's even stopped 'stalling' on the road, and those large rolls of silage no longer threaten his self-esteem - it's just shadows in the late afternoon that send him packing, ever so slightly.
We've had a solitary young koala come back for a few days, before winding it's way back up or down the creek's biolink. It watched as we fed horses, put out washing, showered and arrived and left home. We're pretty sure it's the baby of the mama and baby dyad we had from last Cup Day, and from time to time this year.

Going solo this Spring

Snakes are getting their snakey groove on again. We had a sighting near the caravan last week, as one was attempting to grab a spot of take-away frog. Unfortunately, the beautiful reptile went hungry after a certain Big Fella pursued photographic glory and moved the prey onto the road. Amphibian killed, snake hungry and no photo taken...t'was, sadly, all in vain!
We're reconsidering the proposed house site up the top, taking into consideration orchard siting and how to orchestrate horse yards and function areas. As the shed dwelling takes shape we can stretch out in here, get comfy and get our thinking caps on. It gives us time to save some bikkies, gather knowledge and think about what we need and want from this farm caper.
Big Fella is nearly finished with all his course requirements and has a map with several overlays for all the farm planning he's going to have to fill me in on.
I cleared away the grass that was growing over our veggie patch and rediscovered the beetroot, the spring onion, silverbeet and carrots hidden in there. At the next Coal Creek Farmers Market it is rumoured that there will be seed potato for sale, and for that I am impatient! Although, if we grew our own potatoes, what excuse would I have to go to the Kongwak Market every Sunday morning? Hmmm...I'll have to get my thinking cap on. Herbs that I have growing in planters are largely happy, still - parsley, chives, thyme, marjoram (or oregano, I can't remember now!) and sage. The lemongrass is nonplussed about how much water the planter retained over winter and will need to be sweet talked back into growth. Big Fella has a collection of bare rooted apple and pear trees that need a home in the ground. He's still shaking his head over my cumquat tree purchase - can someone tell him that cumquats are a perfect little sourbomb, and that it's quite reasonable for a sour-tooth like me to forget to also buy a lemon tree, in my fervour to take home said cumquat?
The paddocks are drying out after a particularly wet winter and summer couldn't be more eagerly anticipated! I sort of can't believe outdoor showering as a mode of cleansing survived the soggy, wet season...and that I don't hate showering on a wooden pallet with corry walls...

And here they are...

These are our latest additions to the equine aspect of our farm! I did it! I converted us all into horsey types! Believe me when I say that I am done for now. No more horses. Not till we have a house on the hill, with the horse paddocks better organised so that I can keep a Friesian or Andalusian (leave me with my fantasies, please!) as well...
These guys were picked up near Bendigo just before 11am and arrived her, via Warragul, after 4pm. They were tired, they were sweaty and then they had to contend with the eejits in the paddock who believed themselves to be wild stallions. Hawaii (the little one) was chased, but out-manoeuvred Dante, and Mia is learning that her kick has currency in THIS herd, too. Being the only mare, she can teach them some manners.

They both came from Brosha Pony Stud, though only Brosha Hawaii was bred there as Karedon Mia was bought in for breeding, but never grew big enough for their liking. Mia is partly educated and I just need to finish her off. Hawaii hasn't a scrap of education, is strong and, as I discovered tonight, very cuddly. I gained his trust a bit and I hope to work on that over the next weeks, before I even try to do anything else with him. I'll stick him in the small paddock and hang out with him, touch him all over, pick up his feet, groom him and work from there.
Mia will also get work in the yard I'll be getting on her soon - she needs a weight-loss regime! I'll let her settle in before I stress her and ask some more demanding questions of her. She took a shine to Tom, as he led her around, away from the paddock bullies. Oscar also led her down the road a bit and she was lovely in hand - very promising. She'll teach HIM some manners, too.
The search for these ponies was quick, but not easy. I thought about it long before I eye-balled any ponies. The gamble is the Shetland, as he is very unbroken and unhandled. If we play our cards right he'll be a dreamy pony for Small Girl. Mia is going to be a gorgeous ride for Small Boy at Pony Club and at local agi shows (we'll have to update her Buckskin registration), and there is a new section called Ridden Native Ponies that both of these fall under for shows - none of this in hand showing, or being snorted out of ridden classes! But only for local agis - I will NOT be travelling the countryside for showing...!
Anyhow, that's the latest headcount and I'm sure Tom wants it to stay that way...that's a lot of feet to trim now...