Photo Blog

Fergus and Finn spent Saturday at the Rex Dobson Ruby Ellen Farm in Leelanau, pretending to be working horses.   At only three years of age, we want to be careful we don’t over work growing joints and cartilage.  We don’t own a horse-drawn plow, but we have a stone boat.  The Ruby Ellen Farm field was lacking in stones to pick up, so we picked up our helper instead.  Good job boys! 

2016 – Meet Fergus and Finn.  They are three year old Brabant cross geldings we’ve raised from weanlings.  This spring they are old enough to begin some driving.  We’ll work them gently over the summer, and then more intensely over the winter and into 2017.  Fergus is shorter, more compact and much more serious about work than his brother Finn, (with the white star on his forehead).  Finn is a bit more of a flibberty gibbit, and walks where he looks, making him a bit more of a challenge. He’ll need more practice than his brother.  Both are easy going and don’t seem to be bothered by much.

Equine Dental care is a very important part of horse keeping.  While they don’t  prefer to have someone using a big file in their mouth, they will tolerate it. Sharp edges from uneven wear can affect how a horse eats and maintains weight.  Dental issues can also affect how they behave with a bit in their mouth.  Nerves in their teeth are very deep within, unlike humans, and while rasping sounds bad and horses fuss against it, there is no pain associated with it.

 

February 2016.  The trails have deteriorated to the point we have decided to put the sleigh away for this season.