A Sad Day

A while back we made the decision to place the horses. I don't have time to ride much these days and if I did find a day, I am too old to work the "piss and vinegar" out of one that has been standing in a pasture for several months ( an old saying from my beloved grandfather!). Being that I would most likely get tossed, all I can say is that it hurts more than it used to and an injured homesteader is NOT good.

The day started out in the usual way. Milking and chores. We made some time to practice our shooting at the range since Doug bought me a more compact pistol and I needed to practice with it as well as my shot gun. Back home we checked the bee hives and found (much to our delight) they all needed supers. Luke teddored the hay once more and they spent the late afternoon hooking up the baler and rakes for tomorrow. I finished evening chores and checked the garden. I harvested enough strawberries to make a batch of jam and cut all of the elephant garlic scapes.

Just as we were winding down for the day, my older son appeared with the horse trailer. Though I knew it was coming I wasn't quiet prepared. I was most attached to my little bay mare. I have raised and worked with her since the day she was born here almost 4 years ago. Of course she walked right on the trailer! Now Halle, the bottle filly, was a whole other story. It took over an hour to get her loaded, but finally with a lot of grain, patience and coaxing she went on. As I watched them pull of of the drive, I cried. It is for the best, they will get some much needed attention and I gain a pasture. It has been a long time since our homestead has been "horseless". Our farm is constantly evolving and with this change we will most likely be adding some type of beef cattle this Fall.