One good thing about Winter is that the horses are not driven crazy by flies.
There are, of course, various methods for keeping flies at bay. There are sprays, dangly things, and total face-masks. Personally I favour the dangly things that hang from a band above the eyes. A quick shake of the head and the flies disperse.
However, flies apart, this isn't a good season for horses. It's cold, it's often wet, and there is very little grass. They tend to lose weight, and become grubby with all the mud. I often wonder which season they prefer; the heat and flies of Summer, or the fly-less cold and damp of winter. At the moment we buy cheap bags of Carrots for them.
Bok is quite good friends with these two above, they are on affectionate nose-touching terms. All in all (like us) they seem to be coping reasonably well with Winter.
p.s. Later in the day two escaped, and I had to round them up and attempt (badly) to repair fences. I'm not over-keen on horses. When I was small, my sister's horse held a grudge against me, and I've been a bit wary ever since. Never a dull moment, eh?
32 comments:
What did you do to Misty to make her hold a grudge? I didn't know that.
You have mentioned these horses before I think - are they the ones that the owner does not looker after well? They must be happy to see you and Bok.
Greetings Maria x
I tried to ride her; that was enough. She was fine with me when she was pulling the trap, but not when I tried to sit on her. She was OK with you though!
These two are simply dumped in a field with very little grass. We are the only people who visit them. They are very friendly. Their owner occasionally comes to make sure they're still there, and brings some water, but otherwise that's it.
There are two others who are in the next field nearer to us, who both have warm coats, plenty of water, and fresh hay.
We have horses like that around us. The owner is exactly the same. He says he loves the horses but they are confined in a field of mud with very little water. Our grnadlids take them carrots and apples. The owner has been sued by an animal welfare group but it has made no difference.
These two are OK, but, likewise, we take them Carrots and Apples every day as a little treat.
She didn't like to be ridden especially in a paddock. When I went to Pony club everyone had a turn to see if they could stay on.
Horse eyes always indicate flightiness to me. Always alert and ready to run.
Yet she was wonderful pulling the trap.
All horses are 'skittish'; I don't trust them. Even so, I do act heroically on occasions.
Horses always look sad to me.
They certainly don't smile too much!
I used to ride horses a bit, but I have always been scared of any animal which is bigger than me, plus ones which are smaller but with bigger teeth.
Oh Cro ..... those two look so happy to see you .... they must love you and your visits..... does anyone ride them or do anything with them ? We have a field up the road with horses in it ..... many people stop with carrots etc. I always feel sorry for them when I drive past and it's pouring with rain ..... they always look so sad. XXXX
They do look a bit sad.
I am always fascinated by your ring Cro - can we have a bit of information and history about it?
I feel so sorry for horses in summer when they are plagued by flies.
That's a good rule to live by; especially the teeth.
No-one rides them. I'm not really sure why they're there. The owner has several horses.
My ring is based on the symbol I've put in every house I've owned. It was offered to me by Lady M many years ago. It's become part of me.
I live around a few horse farms and have always felt sad when I see the horses out of their paddock during bad weather. However, because of many complaints, new laws were enacted, and owners can be fined dearly for not taking proper care of their horses. They are such beautiful creatures.
It's horrible. The Horses nod their heads all summer, then even continue to do so when there are no more flies. It becomes habit.
Laws about size of paddock's, stabling, food and water, etc, exist here, but are rarely enacted upon!
The horses are fortunate that you and Bok feed them. It's really not fair that the owner doesn't really care. Do they have names?
You must think how many horses have perished in the so-called service of mankind. Think back over the centuries and all the horrible wars. Many, many millions the number of innocent horses killed by man. They are wonderful animals. We truly don't deserve them.
If they do, we don't know them. They're not always here, he brings them for a few months at a time.
Horses who trusted humans, and then were shot down or horribly wounded. Terrible.
Quite a nice looking pair..but sad to see the mud
Field + Rain + Animals = Mud. A fact of life.
Beautiful creatures, absolutely love horses. In someone else’s field that is.
When I was eight or nine a horse walked up to the fence, put his head over and took a serious bite of my stomach. My shirt was grass green, until the blood, that is.
I'm the same Doc. I go over, have a word or two, hand them a Carrot, then leave them to someone else to look-after. A bit like grandchildren!
I don't think I was ever bitten by a Horse; just thrown off.
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