Night Watch

My best friend Stephanie, whom I met in college, and I love sheep. For one of our classes we had to pick a species to show for the Little I Showmanship at UCONN. We had a choice between sheep, pigs, horses, and cows.

We both LOVE horses but we had to pick something that we haven’t been around so we picked sheep. We had to train them which is a lot easier said then done. Walking them around, getting them used to being on a lead. Once that part was done we had to shine them up to get them ready for the show. We bathed, carded, and sheered them which I really enjoyed. Sheep are a little tough to handle but I loved it. Stephanie won the show and I got second to last but it was still a lot of fun. Stephanie and I had a blast working with them.

Once the show was over we still wanted to be a part of the sheep world. We had heard about Night Watch which is when the ewes are ready to give birth. They almost always give birth in the safety of the night. We just flipped, getting the chance to watch a lamb be born, we were in!

Night fell, it was cold and smelly in the sheep barn but we were excited. There was hay bales which we dosed on that were next to the ewes so if anything were to happen we would be there, ready to go. The night went on and on but nothing happened.

The next night was special. About three hours into it we noticed an ewe acting strange. Walking over to her our eyes got big as we noticed a little head peaking through. Once the birthing process was over we saw that the ewe wasn’t doing her motherly things like licking and trying to protect her baby. Stephanie and I knew that she was rejecting it and we had to step in. Apparently I wasn’t thinking before I went out to the sheep barn that night because I had put my nice pea coat on. I had to pick up the lamb which was covered in slimy, icky birth and carry it over to the lambing cubicles where there are heat lamps and dry straw. I was covered in birth, it was nasty.

Once the lamb was in the safety of the cubicle we went over to get the barn manager to let him know that the ewe had rejected her baby. He had gotten towels, a bottle and formula, and a long skinny rubber catheter to force feed the lamb. Once the lamb was dry, warm and fed we knew he was going to be ok and let him go to sleep under the safety of the heat lamp.

Stephanie and I visited him everyday for a couple of weeks just because we were so attached. We learned that the same ewe had given birth to another lamb and had rejected it. I guess she just wasn’t ready to be a mom. The experience will never be forgotten, it was amazing.

Mt. Agamenticus Riding Stables

Mount Agamenticus is a small mountain that has a lot to offer. It is located in the small town of York Maine where I grew up. It’s a long drive to get to but it is worth it. There is beautiful scenery at every angle, trials to discover, and a big field to play in.

At the summit of the mountain there is a fire tower. My father used to man the tower, keeping watch over the town, making sure it is safe from fires. There was also a small riding stable at the base of the tower and I would go with my father as often as I could to visit the horses. I was about six years old when I discovered the charming little barn.

One day, when I was tagging along, I noticed the woman who managed the barn was out front staining the fence. I asked my father if it would be ok for me to see if there was any room for me at the stables, and he nodded his head and I took off.

I was nervous but I walked over to her with my head up high as she had the stain all over her hands. I asked if I could volunteer and help out at the stables and to my delight she said that she would love to have me help. My eyes light up and I was overjoyed. I ran up to the top of the tower and told my dad. He was so happy for me.

The next day, my father and I went back up the mountain and I was “dressed for success.” It felt like the drive was longer that usual, I just wanted to get there! We pulled up and I hopped out of the truck and ran down to the barn. The horses were out eating their hay, swatting the flies with their tails, and enjoying the summer sun. When I got up to the fence I stopped to walk, I didn’t want to seem too excited but it was a dream come true and I was itching to get there. The aroma of the horses and the hay was all around me and I knew I was in heaven and that this was the beginning of something special.

From that day on I was there as often as I could. I took riding lessons, helped with cleaning the stalls and paddocks, bathed the horses, cleaned buckets, put out hay and water, brought the horses in and out, helped with getting them ready for trail rides and everything else that there is to do with horses, I did it all. I didn’t mind, I was on top of the world.

There was one horse, she was beautiful. She was an appaloosa and her name was Cherokee. I loved her and everyone knew it. She took great care of me. She was the only horse that I wanted to ride, I rode others but she was number one. We went on long trail rides, short trail rides, rides in the ring and even just me sitting on her back with out a saddle, just hanging out. We were best buds, inseparable you could say.

We were out in the field at the top of the mountain with other riders on a beautiful sunny day. The grass was green and the sky clear. I could see my dad up in the tower looking down at us. Cherokee and I were riding around enjoy the sites as we got farther and farther from the group. She looked over and saw the others were far from us and took off at a gallop. I held on for dear life as it startled me, it was my first time going that fast. We got to the group and I was in shock. It was scary but fun all at the same time!

I volunteered there for seven years over the summers. It was my safe haven, a place where I could be myself and truly enjoy life. The trails were wonderful and the people were great but after a while it began to run down. The town couldn’t afford it anymore and the horses all left and I was in tears.

I saw Cherokee one day at a friend’s house. Her new owner’s were boarding her there. I only saw her at a distance and that was the last time I saw her. I still wonder where she is and how she is doing. I look online every once in a while just in the hope that I would find her and if I ever do I will have to buy her. She was my girl and I will miss her forever

The Barn Cat Gretchen

When I moved into the house that I am living in now, the landlord had a cat that lived in the barn. She had gotten the cat from a friend who was ill and could no longer take care of her. I told my landlord that it was ok for her to leave the cat there in the barn and I will look after her. She had left some dry food for me to provide to her.

She wasn’t a very friendly cat at first. She used to sleep on the hay and I would just talk to her and tell her she was a good kitty. I couldn’t remember what my landlord had named her so I changed it to Gretchen, perfect for her country living style. She is a fat cat with tan stripes and a white face, a cutie. If I tried to go to her she would look at me with wide eyes and run off. After a while of talking to her and trying to win her trust, she started coming down off the hay. I did nothing; I just kept on talking to her to let her know that I wasn’t going to hurt her.

After about 3 months went by of me talking to her and giving her the space she wanted, I went over to her. I talked in a soft whisper voice to keep her calm and went slow. I was able to pat her and after a couple of minutes she let me pick her up. I felt so good! I did this every day and she has now turned into a nice little girl.

When ever I go down to the barn she is there to greet me. She cries and cries, for food of course. She hops onto the table that has her bowl and yells at me. Every time I walk by her, if I haven’t fed her yet, she smacks me! It hurts! She puts her nails out and literally smacks me as I walk by. I don’t get it; she catches birds and mice but leaves them there without eating them. She’s a barn cat! She should know these things! I still end up having to give her dry food or she will continue smacking me.

My Chihuahua, Charlie, doesn’t like Gretchen very much. He will chase after her from the house all the way down to the barn; barking, growling, and hair up. Gretchen just jumps up onto her table where her food bowl is and does nothing. She knows that he is too small and can’t reach her but he still tries. She looks at him and I know she must be laughing thinking “you can’t get me….muhahaha!” Charlie barks and barks, jumping around, trying to get to her. After a while he gives up and moves onto something else. Meanwhile, I’m stuck getting smacked. But it’s nice to have her around to pat and talk to. It feels good knowing that she trusts me now and that I can be her friend.

‘Pony’ being a nosy boy! 

For Christmas last year, my mom gave me a flashlight that is in the shape of a horse, since I love horses she gives me anything and everything that has to do with them and I happily accept. To work the flashlight you have to squeeze the tail. Each time you squeeze the tail it makes a whinny noise or a “horse blowing it’s nose” noise, I’m not sure what the name is for that but all you horse people know what noise this is.

I was walking down to the barn one day with this flashlight. I squeezed the tail and Lady freaked! We had just recently sold a horse that was her friend and I think that she thought he was back. Her ears went up and she was looking all over for him. She would whinny back and run back and forth looking. I kind of felt bad.

The pony on the other hand just wanted to eat it. He is so nosey! I got a great video of him in “Pony Mode” (a.k.a. him being his nosey self!)

Now, every time I have to use the flashlight I have to tell Lady that it’s ok and that it’s just a flashlight, I think she is getting used to it now. She has come to the sad realization that her friend isn’t going to be returning. But at least she has her little pony shadow.

 Lady & Pony Video Clip

Opening Day of the Back Paddock

At my barn I have two paddocks for my horses to stay in. One is used all year round. It’s nice, it has a lean too for weather protection and I can see them easily from the house to make sure that they aren’t getting into any kind of mischief. I also have a back paddock which is just electric fencing. It’s not as nice as the other paddock. There are rocks and a slight ditch that if they weren’t being careful they could slip and get hurt. I don’t let them out there in the winter due to there being a bigger risk for trouble.

At the beginning of spring, I make my way to that paddock in the back and make sure that the fencing is still up to par and that it’s completely horse proof. My horses like to come over and watch to see what I am up to. They look at me with wondering eyes that say “whatcha doin?” They know what it is that I am doing and they are itching to get their hooves over there, they want to run!

So, I’m all done, done with getting the branches and sticks off the fence. Check to make sure the charge is good so that they don’t go running into the neighbor’s yard, go and get my camera and get ready to open the flood gate.

I get over to the part of the fence that has the two boards keeping the horses from getting into the back paddock and they know what’s about to happen. I lift up the top board and the pony tries to jump the bottom one but being the pony, he has no luck. I get the bottom one off, move out of the way, and “their off!” They bound and leap and kick and buck. They were in heaven! Both of them would run back and forth from the main paddock to the back. Back and forth, back and forth they would go. Only stopping to make sure that a strange noise they heard, which was just the neighbor’s dog, was not going to be joining them. I get my camera out and take as many pictures as I could. It was a sight that had to be captured.

Eventually they stop and eat the grass. The excitement is over. The leaves have settled and the thunder has been brought to a halt. It’s time to go back down from heaven and back to earth. Seeing them being as happy as ever made my day. They make me happy and that’s what I want for them!

As some of you may have guessed by reading a few recent posts, Whales & Friends® has a new contributing blogger, Teakay. Her passion is horses and we are thrilled that she has joined us. If you share Teakay’s fervor for horses, own a horse, dream of riding, have a child that prefers to spend their days in the barn,  consider the stables to be your second home, or maybe your first, then check back often to read the words of a kindred spirit.

Whales & Friends® Horse-themed gifts are great for any occasion.