Looks like mostly great weather for the National Drive this week. Is anyone going for a day or more? It is always a good time meeting new people and driving your horse in such a nice area.
We thought we might attend, but it didn’t work out. Alyss cut her leg about the time Hawk got sound right after Labor Day. She is healing well, just a bit of cut to still close, then grow in hair. Typical “dumb horse” accident, nothing could have prevented it. Wicker did not get worked enough to be a substitute in the Pair out in public. And the HEAT just wore us out before we got everything done. Northerners do not do heat well! The last week was great, plenty of energy on 60F-70F days.
So we have been concentrating on preparing for winter. Cut up some downed trees, took down some dead trees, stacked the wood in metal baskets, hoping to sell it later. Burned the BIG brush pile because I could not throw new stuff on, it was too high! Now we have a giant ash pile. I read that wood ash is good for the land, may spread it on the hay field a bit later.
Hay is under cover, looks like plenty for winter with the second cutting. Just no room to stack it in the barns. My tractors are headed in to the hoop barn, “rump out to the weather”, because the hay wagons are taking up all the room! Still, a good feeling in being prepared.
Still have some trimming to get all weeds under control, fences HOT. I quit mowing pastures after Labor day, so they have a lot of growth for nibbling on into winter. Got the good carriage washed and stored in the carriage shed today. Husband kept thinking he would be able to drive it again before weather got bad. Didn’t work out and we NEEDED to get the carriage shed organized, vehicles covered and put away before bad weather made it impossible. Just leave out the working/training carriages out to use daily. Pulled a lot of stuff out, sorted, put in the discard pile, keep pile, labeled boxes so we don’t have to open them to learn contents AGAIN. Sorted the tack sale stuff into a pile by the middle door, which I can access more easily to load the truck. Good stuff, just not used in years. Big pile of box fans to wash and sell. Marked cheap, they should sell pretty quick. XMore space!! I bought sealed motor fans for the stalls in the barn next year. We got it done, but I need to put a small sign on the main door to “Open Slowly” because stuff is packed in pretty tight!! Ha ha That new-last-spring carvriage we bought sure used up all my extra space!
Horses are starting to blow their summer hair. Nuts are falling in quantity, squirrels should be happy over winter. You do want a hat under the Oaks! Those acorns are hard!! Time for some hair trimming, bridlepaths, ankles, under jaws, tail shortening. I think everyone’s tail is at the dragging point. That is bad when the mud starts. May do a couple manes too. The young mare looks rather feral with her length.
Wondering what winter weather will be? Farmer’s Almanac said colder and snowy. Now with El Nino, forecasters are saying drier, warmer, which sounds like last winter. Supposed to be a long, dry fall, so farmers can get crops in. Not good for the drought areas though. My ditches are mowed clean, rain can leave if we get any! Hoping to get in more driving as Wicker develops, with a nice fall ahead. Get him thinking like a driving horse with mileage before spring!
