The Days are Getting Shorter.... Really!

The days have been extra dark feeling lately because we've had fog. Fog: down to the deck, can't see more than 100' in front of you, you know there's blue sky above, but it's thick and dark outside kind of fog. Really eerie at night, when Emily has to shine her light on us to be sure we're where she should be. Last night she fed us just after darkness fell, and it was very quiet and muffly outside as well as difficult to see very far. Emily thought she knew where she was in the big field, but she underestimated and she was two fence sections away from the gate when she was finished feeding us! She looked surprised, but just re-aimed her headlamp and went on to feed the others.

With the darkness of fog it is difficult to tell that the days are, indeed, getting longer! The sunrise is a few minutes before 7:47 a.m., and sunset is at 4:54, so it is dark for 14 hours each 24-hour day.

However.... as evidenced by the photo above, I am beginning to shed! What?! Yes, the days are getting longer, so my coat is starting to loosen and itch and I rubbed on the fences the last two nights. That's why there is fur in the fence! The daffodil and tulip bulbs have sprouted also, so I'm not the only one thinking that Spring and longer days are in the not too distant future! What do you see around you that makes you know Spring will be here in two months??!

It's Melting!

The snow is melting... melting... and the world is turning green and grey once more. I missed our green fields! I missed our easy temperatures in the 40's and 50's, and now they're back! The ice is melting in our stock tanks, and getting water to us is much easier for the people. Next year they'll have an insulated water spigot right by the paddocks and field, but this year they don't, so it's been a week of carrying water with the little electric golf car. I think Nils, Britta and I enjoyed the snow most of all. We Fjord horses have no problem warding off ice and snow! We had snow and ice on our backs and manes, and little balls of ice on our leg feathers and beards. It's good to be so shaggy when the weather is so wintery! What kind of weather are you having?

Merry Christmas

There is about 15" of snow on the ground. Our street is plowed and smooth going, but many of our Island neighbors are stuck at home. Power is on. Phones are on. Even cable is still flowing. Water is flowing, but hoses are mostly frozes, so the humans carry water to us a few times a day. It is lovely. It is not cold. It is time for the snow to go away! Emily heard from a smart Fjord horse owner in Bothell (thanks Corinne!) that plasticky feed sacks make great sleds. She's going to try it today. Maybe Alex or Annie will take a photo and I'll put it on my blog! We horses will be very pleased when Santa Claus and his reindeer bring us Christmas carrots on Thursday morning! Merry Christmas to you and your family, and especially to all your animals.

Snow!

We have about 6-8" of snow and more is falling right now. It's been really cold (19ºF), but is warming up a bit now. That's Nils looking through his pasture gate. Do you like his furry coat?!
Isn't the blue light at sunrise beautiful?
Have a great snow day like we are!

Beware the Scottish Highland Cattle at the Dressage Clinic

My horse friend, Echo, and her rider Emily went to Port Orchard for a dressage clinic. They had a blast, but on the first of the two days they had a little walk to get to the outdoor arena for a short longe session. On the walk they saw some handsome horses, some fencing, some trees, a house and.... what are those???!!! The red Scottish Highland cow raced across his corral and charged the fence. Echo took a few gigantic strides to leap away, stopped, turned and snorted. She grew to seem like she was 19 hands tall, and was simply alarmed by the strange look and sudden appearance of this creature! She settled down and walked to the arena, was very good on the longe line, then walked back past the cattle with no excitement but some more snorting (just in case?).

The riding sessions during the clinic were terrific. After 2-1/2 years off from work (yikes!), she is coming back better than ever. Echo is just 8 years old, and while Emily has been wishing the two of them worked together more consistently, it looks like they're on their way! The clnician was Dora Dean, a very positive trainer based in Redmond. Dora urges her riders to pat and praise the horses often, which makes for happy horses and riders. All riders should praise their mounts! Dora is very precise and careful to ask the riders for correct work, always improving their way of going.

Echo traveled to the clinic with her old friend Sir. They were well behaved, which is a good thing, as they traveled down the road and onto the Rhododendron ferry to Tacoma, then about 25 miles to Port Orchard. Both horses enjoyed excellent hospitality in the barn and the big turn outs while staying at Big Steel Ranch. It was cool both days and rainy on Tuesday, but with a covered arena to ride in, the horses and people had nothing to complain about! Echo told the horses all about it when she got home on Tuesday night. We do enjoy hearing stories from off the farm. Good job in the arena, Echo, and especially good job keeping Emily safe from those long horned steers!

Patrick will be Greatly Missed

From Emily...
It is with sadness that I let you know of Prince Patrick pony's death on November 21st. He suffered little and was helped to comfort and peace by Dr. Thorn, surrounded by three who loved him so much: Alex, Asia, and me. Patrick was 26, foaled March 17, 1982. He was 13.3 hands, a registered Pony of the Americas. Patrick loved many people, horses and things in life, among them his time teaching riders of all levels, eating grass, rolling with vigor and second guessing his handlers. He jumped his last jumps in June, walked his last trail and had his last arena ride on Saturday, November 8th. His life spanned many riding disciplines including dressage, jumping, eventing, trail riding, cow work, English and Western showing. He was the Shaggiest Pony at the 2006 Olympus Pony Club Shaggy Horse Show. Owned and dearly loved by Judi of Goldendale, and then Emma and her family until we were fortunate enough to be his people in May of 2006, Patrick has been surrounded by loving, happy humans his entire life.

Alex buried him in our big field, where he will overlook Fish Bowl Farm and his horse and human friends. I am so glad he passed quickly. Please give your kids a hug for me and help them to understand. This is the hardest part of loving these wonderful animals, but we can be so proud to have known one of the best. He will be greatly missed.

Horse Management Lessons - Saturdays for Everyone

Fish Bowl is offering weekly horse management lessons for students, families and friends. One recent Saturday the people talked about assessing overall health and body condition scoring. Looking at a horse when you first meet them, or first see them on any given day is important. How you feel each day is important to how well you do in school and at work, right? Same for the horses. If you find a swollen spot, a cut, or a lazy attitude, you'll have to deal with them, as the horses can't take care of things on their own. Body condition scoring is about proper, healthy weight: too fat, too thin, no muscle, good muscle, etc., are what are involved. Email me or leave me a comment if you want more info on body condition scoring. Other weeks the discussion has been about tack (care, cleaning, fitting, types of bits, bridles, saddles, etc.), vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration) and first aid, colors and markings (there was a discussion that went on and on - it was such fun!). Dressage, the mechanics of the gaits (walk, trot, canter, gallop) and jumping, so many topics!! Join us Saturday for a post-Halloween time! Treats but not tricks! And a door prize!

This coming Saturday we'll do more horse management from 3:30-5:00. For more info about HM, please visit the News! page on our website. Thank you!

Emily can take it!!! Make a comment here to tell her what's wrong with her riding position in this photo. The best answer gets a prize. (Her feelings won't be hurt - she knows the camera caught her in a very awkward moment at this show a few years ago!)