Everyone Loves A Little Special Attention!

 I think we'd all agree, it's nice sometimes to have someone fuss over us.  Equines are the same - at least my equines are.

As soon as the brushes come out, everyone lines up to get groomed.  I'm sure it feels good to get brushed - to loosen up the dust from their coat and sweep it off onto the ground.  I think they enjoy the feeling of the brush on their coat - but the dust part.... well, judging by how quickly they once again roll on the ground and re-coat themselves with dust, I don't think they mind it at all!

This blue-eyed boy, who, I think, looks like a carousel horse, stands perfectly still while I brush his mane and tail.  I pick up his hoofs and clean the dirt out of the crevices.

So handsome.

Of course, every grooming comes with a complimentary cat-scan.

Not surprising, Forrest kept running off with the brushes.

Jealous of all the attention that Red has received, the donkeys make their way over to me.

  Before long, I have a donkey head on each of my shoulders.

"Whatcha doing?"

Stand in line, Daphne... you're next.  It's amazing how clean donkeys keep themselves.

After grooming was finished, I put a halter on the horses.  

Apparently, Moonie thought he deserved a treat for standing like a gentleman.  After I left the dry lot, he poked his head around the corner so that he could see into the workshop.

"Hey - how about a carrot??"

I was busy putting the grooming tools away and didn't get treats out quickly enough, so Moonie then resorted to ringing the bell next to the door. (The bell I ring when I want the horses to come back in from the pasture.)

"Hang on... carrots coming!"

Yesterday was a farrier visit to trim hooves - just horses.  We only do the donkeys every other time as they don't grow their hooves as quickly as the horses do.

The dogs have a tendency to get in the way as the farrier works.  

They love to nibble on the trimmings.  Yesterday we worked on waiting patiently for the farrier to finish,

so that no one slowed him down, and everyone stayed out from under the horses' hooves... not that there's any risk to that.  The horses are quite used to the presence of the dogs.

Chester, seeing that I was keeping Forrest away, sat down and waited patiently.  Good boy, Chester.

Good job, Forrest!

Annie, older and wiser,  understands and never gets in the way.

I jumped the gun just a little, yesterday, and picked a few pumpkins from our pumpkin patch.  You would not believe how many pumpkins are there!  Most are not quite ready for harvesting.  Hopefully they will be ready in the next month or so.  For now... just a little bit of Autumn color...