To all my friends

I've been lucky to get my hands on one of the few computers for miles that is working!
We have experienced the worse ice storm in recorded history. Kentucky was hit the hardest and declared a state of emergency...and that was before it got really bad! However Elizabethtown (yes the one the movie was made in with the same name) and surrounding communities (which is us) have been declared a state of emergency...within a state of emergency.
Its pretty bad. In E-town alone (not including us) 607,000 + people are without power and water. In E-town a lone 800 "snapped" powerline poles, the count is not in on the lines itself.

On our property...in a mile radious 12 powerlines snapped in two! All of our fences are down....limbs and whole trees have fallen and it looks like a war zone...litteraly. We stood out after the ice came and listened to the trees fall....sounded like a war in the background!
So far, no cattle has been lost, nor horses, they are all surviving well. Luckily no calves born in this mess.

I think that King and Jack have calmed down...they were really freaked out after the ice hit...in fact they were so freaked they made getting in their shelter a little dangerous. Having disoriented horses isnt a good thing I've found out.
But King had enough about him to litteraly walk me across the lot to his feed trough....I had to hold on to his mane, and he took little baby steps. What a horse! Thats all I can say, he took care of me.
But things are finally getting into some routine....feeding is taking forever, even the big 4 wheel drive tractor has been spinning wheels everywhere. But its getting done..what took us 2 - 3 hours is at least doubled.
But we have a generator, which gives us a light and tv and coffee pot!!! WOO HOO! And a nice hot wood stove! We are doing well much better than most in KY!!! Thankful for God and wonderful friends who have all pulled together...our community is the BEST!
So it'll be awhile before I get back online....so keep us in your prayers!
Thanks all, cant wait to catch up with everyone soon!
Rachel

The Ice Castle

They say your home is our castle....and ours is an ice castle.

The ice storm hit early in the morning, leaving in its wake a sheet of ice on everything an inch thick or more in some places. The silence outside is beautiful with the shimmer of ice on everything. However everything is frozen! Limbs are falling, and it will only get worse.

This is a Dill plant.

The storm has just begun, and the worse part is to come. More sleet,rain, and 3 - 6 inches of snow is expected on top of it all.

So I'm posting now in case the electricty goes out.

Its beautiful, got some interesting pictures, I'll be ready for my Sunday Stills Challenge - this weeks challenge is photographing from above, and below....this should be easy since we have the ice to make ordinary things totally awesome with the ice!

Of course school is out, and will be tomorrow I'm sure, and probably the rest of the week if its going to be as bad as they say, especially if the electricity goes out.

Thankfully we have a wood stove!

Norm made it out to feed, Donnie, Neil and Douglas all went with him, to get him to the truck, tractor and such so he doesnt fall and ruin the surgery! Norm and Donnie have gone to Etown to cut some steele so he can fix the silage wagon...it HAS to be done. Norm said where the roads are plowed its not too bad. They have 4 wheel drive so they should make it okay.

The boys have come back through the farm pastures on the 4 wheeler, they just pulled up.

Getting to the barn today was not easy, everything slopes...getting there and back took some careful planning with my foot steps, and took me awhile to just get there and back! Horses are traveling on the ice much better than I did, in fact I had to grab hold of Kings mane and have him as support to walk to feed. I'm going to bring their trough in the barn so it's easier for me to feed, and keep them out of the weather. I may even close them up in the barn for tonight and tomorrow. I cant take a chance on King falling, with his arthritis, it makes me nervous, even though he is probably more sure footed than I think he is.

Luckily no frozen chicken or rabbit, I'm glad they were in the barn...or else they would not have survived this storm.

I guess I should go now, hopefully I'll be able to post the rest of this week! If you dont hear from me, you know why! So I'll catch up on everyone later!

Be safe!

Rachel

Can Horses Eat Bananas?

Seriously! Can horses eat banaynays? (not a spelling error Ba-nay-nay's) What can horses NOT eat? Finding this info on the web really turned into a chore that saw no end in sight, so therefor asking my horse lovin friends! HELP!

No farm picture today, too cold and I just didn't feel like getting out, well I did - we fed this morning and saw about 50 turkey and had an excellent photo op, but didn't have my camera...figures. So you get my boy, Levi. He is a doll, finally learned to stay ( he's a year and half) slow learner, course that is the hardest for a dog to learn. Bo (my maine coon cat) knows what it means and keeps telling me the dog is just stupid....sometimes I tend to agree. You know its been a long time since I've posted anything about Bo...hmmm lets see...for having a stroke about 5 or 6 months ago...he is doing exceptional! He is about 98% his old self! I didn't think I'd see this day. I havent weighed him to see if he has gained any more weight, he feels like it and I can no longer feel his spine...will do that tonight and see if he has progressed since his last weigh in.

Jack update....I've been working with the little bugger a lot, he now lifts his front hooves and lets them be cleaned, he now tolerates his belly being rubbed and even patted! He is not spooking at movement or touch any longer, and loves me when he see's his food bucket, for a moment I am his best friend!

Pepper is mad at me today because I didnt let her out of the coop, with bad weather coming in i didnt want to have to find her, or end up with frozen chicken.

King....improving every day, I'm loving watching his 'awakening' to this world!

Cows are ready to pop! Bags are swelling and we'll have calves any time..watch..tonight or tomorrow we'll have them begin to come - worst weather of the year!

Norm is improving but is pretty achy at the end of the day. He has been fixing the silage wagon, that needed to be fixed 5 weeks ago, but the fella that was going to come out to fix it ( and talk to me about selling me some goats) has not shown, and we are at a critical time and need to feed the silage. Hay supply is short this year, and cows are not looking as good as they should.

Douglas made a 95% on his Science test! Which is something he should have been doing all along and then wouldnt have gotten his two bad grades on his report card.

Here is what we are expecting weather wise-

DAY ONE...TONIGHT.A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS. AT THIS TIME...EXPECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF3 TO 6 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA TUESDAY MORNING. EXPECT 3 TO 6INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY. ACROSS THE BLUEGRASS REGION...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET IS EXPECTED.FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY...SNOW AND SLEET TOTAL AROUND 1 TO 3 INCHES WITH UP TO A QUARTER INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION FROM FREEZING RAIN.THIS WINTRY WEATHER WILL MAKE TRAVEL TREACHEROUS OVERNIGHT A SUN TREATED ROADWAYS WILL BECOME SNOW AND ICE COVERED. SLICK SPOTS MAY DEVELOP ON TREATED ROADWAYS TOO AS HIGH PRECIPITATION RATES WILL INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACCUMULATIONS ON ROAD SURFACES. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...USE EXTREME CAUTION AND ALLOW LOTS OF EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. A WINTER WEATHER KIT CONTAINING EXTRA FOOD...BLANKETS AND OTHER SAFETY ITEMS SHOULD BE TAKEN ALONG IF YOU MUST TRAVEL. LET OTHERS KNOW WHAT YOUR PLANNED ROUTE WILL BE..DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.A WINTER STORM WARNING WILL STILL BE IN EFFECT...WHERE SNOW WILL BE ONGOING ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA...AND A SNOW AND SLEET MIX WILL BE ONGOING ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND THE NORTHERN BLUEGRASS REGION TUESDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM TUESDAY AFTERNOON...AND A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW IS LIKELY ACROSS INDIANA...WITH MAINLY A SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MIXTURE OVER NORTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY. OVERALL...SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS THE NORTH ON TUESDAY WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES...WITH ICE ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND THE NORTHERN BLUEGRASS UP TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH.A WINTRY MIX TUESDAY EVENING WILL TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW OVERNIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF AROUND MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE...ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 3 INCHES.CONDITIONS WILL BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED. STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST FORECASTS AND OUTLOOKS ON THIS WINTER STORM..SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ WEDNESDAY...ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY...THE BEST CHANCE FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT TONIGHT WITH UP TO AN ADDITIONAL 4 INCHES OF SNOW BY TUESDAY EVENING.ACROSS THE BLUEGRASS REGION...2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION ARE EXPECTED BY TUESDAY MORNING WITH ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY EVENING.FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY...MAINLY A SNOW AND SLEET MIXTURE IS ANTICIPATED. SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT TONIGHT WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES ACCUMULATION ON TUESDAY EVENING.UP TO A QUARTER INCH OF ICE WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY OVER THE BLUEGRASS REGION AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY TUESDAY EVENING.USE EXTREME CAUTION IF TRAVELING THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT AS UNTREATED ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLICK.BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL ALSO DEVELOP SLICK SPOTS AND TRAVEL MAY BECOME TREACHEROUS.A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE

I know you dont want to read all that, but there it is anyway!

LOL

And to boot...we need to go to the grocery cause we have been putting it off for a couple weeks...so now I'm forced to go. I hate going to the grocery.

I want a few of my blogger buddies to know that I'm praying for them and their families...you know who you are and your needs, not gonna place your business here, but just want you to know that your on my prayer list!

I'm so far behind on everything to do with soap! I have so many soaps to list and my etsy shop has been ignored for weeks now....hopefully the weather wont be too bad tomorrow so I can go to Mari's and list my products in my shops.

Crossing my fingers Mari!

I know there was a lot more I wanted to talk about...however...due to getting older, my mind cannot recall what it was that I wanted to blab about.....fact of life, and one I'm fighting every day...I will not grow old without a fight!

So until I remember what it was I wanted to blog about...I reckon I'll go!

Wishing you all good weather over the next few days!

Luv

~*~Rae~*~

The weekend

Sorry I havent been to visit everyone this weekend. Leah and Douglas were home, and I dont like to be tied up on the computer when its the weekends. So I'll be by tomorrow, I have lots of work to do on the computer so I'll have the chance to stop by!

I've had trouble with commenting, on my own blog even! So guys I'm not ignoring your comments I always read each one and try to comment back!

On those of you who picked up your awards...you deserve tons of awards for your great friendships! I wish we all could visit and have a cup of coffee ( *Kathleen*) ;-D

This weekend in a few words: Leah worked with Jack, he picks his two front feet up well now for cleaning! She has gotten to where he can be touched all over now without nervous jerks or jumping around! Great job!

The neighbor who's cow hurt Norm came Saturday to get her out....she almost didn't come into the lot with the others, but she finally did. She was seriously wanting to go after the two neighbors who came to get her (Cookie - his cow, and Dale, another neighbor who came to help Cookie)..but Norm was in the tractor driving her into the barn and keeping between her and Cookie and Dale. She wasnt happy, and they had to be very careful once she was in the barn...one slip up and they would have been looking at surgery too! But she finally got loaded and off the farm! YEA!

Friday we went out to eat with our friends and neighbors Michele and Donnie and their children, Neal and Michaela....had a good time.

Actually this weekend was a very lazy one, and we didnt do much of anything, a disappointment to the kids I know, but I wasnt up for much. So thats it for tonight...talk tomorrow

This is my today...worming calves, making soap, and cleaning house.

This morning we ran the calves that are to be sold in a couple weeks through the chute for worming. All went well...pretty quiet, and uneventful. Which is really good considering Norms knee....Josh helped run them up to the chute, Norm wormed, and I worked the gate that comes down to keep the cattle in the chute. The worming meds get poured the legnth of their backs, and then they are let out back into their lot. One calf got an antibiotic shot, his poo is runny and bloody, a result of eating too much grain, and being too little. He went in with the other smaller calf that is in the stock barn where their feed is more measured. For the next two days they will only be given hay to dry up the little calf we just put in. The one calf that has a few screws loose, that before has gone after us..making me climb the walls...litterally! LOL was more calm than normal. In the picture above you can see her stance...neck stiff and straight, almost bowed like, ears pointed out, these are the signs of a very nervous cow...the kind that you need to watch closely. When a cow is that scared, they tend to try to go after you. Luckily this one was better than the past, with no problems except being the only calf in the chute who threw a big fit, then somehow got the side door open to the chute and running back over top of the meds and making a huge mess....with no where to go she turned and ran out....luckily not going for anyone. The rest behaved well. Oliver however knows no fear with humans, in fact loves the attention that they give (oooops my fault!) and he is just a big ol baby! He didn't go up to the chute easily rather turned around and Josh couldnt get him to move on through...he doesnt know to go away from people! LOL Yep my fault, I made him into a gentle and hooman loving calf! I'll be so sad when he goes.

Norm had PT yesterday and they worked him harder, his whole body was more sore, muscles that he hasnt used much since he got hurt. Today he is achy again and tired, but there is much to do...as they say..."no rest for the wicked". Hee hee....kidding Norm.

I came home after working with the calves and started on making some soap for some orders that I have gotten yesterday, and now my kitchen and dining room smell like Oatmeal Milk and Honey, Dragons Blood, Soapy Clean, Love Spell, and Chai Tea and Yuzu......yummmmmm its better than burning candles!

Have a great day ya'll! I'll try to get over to your posts later tonight!

~*~Rae~*~

Attn:Liz,Mari,Amy,Lida,Peggy,Kathleen,Kacy,weaver of grass,Sharon,and Libby-READ THIS!

I have been SO honored by my special friends to recieve blog awards! This first one I may have already posted, so if I have sorry but I'm posting it again! LOL
My friend KIM at Creative Eye Studio has give me a Fabulous Blog Award, you must list your 5 addictions....so here goes


1. Keeping in touch with my blogging friends


2. making soap


3. ALL my farm animals


4. photography


5. My horses..yes I said all my farm animals, but they are special
and should be added twice...double addiction!


These are the 5 Fab bloggers chosen to receive this Fab award.
Be sure to post your five addictions!



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This award was given to be by my other dear friend Elaine at Elaine Magliacane Journal!

Proximidade is described as follows:

'This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships.

These blogs are exceedingly charming.

These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.

They are not interested in prizes for self-aggrandizement!

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

Please give more attention to these writers!

'The rules are:

This blog award should be sent to your favorite eight bloggers

and they, in turn should forward to eight of their favorites.

You should include the text for Proximidade (above) in your announcement blog.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My sweet and dear friend Rapunzle...sorry I mean Lisa at Laughing Orca Ranch has bestowed upon me this lovely award!
This award is for bloggers who show Great Attitude/Gratitude:

1. Post the picture
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Link this post to the person from who you received your award.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay So.....this is how I'm gonna do this...a little different than the rules...Kinda....so since the highest number of blogs I need to nominate is 10...it will cover all three awards.

Since the 10 that I will nominate ---are those that I feel covers ALL 3 AWARDS

I'm giving the following 10 of my friends who have wonderful and exceptional and contagious blogs - who come to visit me the most and who have all become someone whom I'm proud to call my FRIEND!

All other rules apply..including listing your top 5 addictions

take one, take two, take all three...either way my friends, you each deserve them all,

1.Goings On at the Madbush Farm

2.Whimsy by Mari

3.Home with Amy

4.Laughing Orca Ranch

5.Hidden Haven Homestead

6.My Creative Blog Spot

7.All Horse Stuff

8. The Weaver of Grass

9. The Old Oak Swing

10. ~*Auroras Garden*~

Since I cannot leave a comment to you tonight (and have trouble leaving comments a lot)

...I'm placing your names in the post title....and since you come by to see me often..you know you have this award!

Wordless Wednesday....

Can you tell he was fearful at first?? This is a big step for Doug...if you dont know his story by now..let me know I'll tell it again....tho I hate to revisit that day, it helps to get it off your chest too.

Read

If your looking for my "horse breakthrough" post I told you about....then read on past the really long one!
Rae

Talkative Tuesday

Mainly because I can now leave comments on every ones blogs! Thanks to Linda @ Just Another Day On The Prairie from my Sunday Stills challenge! Your a doll Linda for helping me out like that! I've been able to get updated on EVERY ONES blogs today...got too busy to finish leaving comments but I was at least able to read today!

Peggy...I'm still just thrilled at reading about the last few days there at Hidden Haven!!!! You all really should check out her blog its really great! She even had a write up about her Haven and you can view that HERE, it's a really nice interview!

We've had a busy day here on the farm today. Norm has ordered a lot of rock to lay in the gateways entrances...hoping that this helps with the mud this winter from the tractor. And also to lay under and around the feed troughs so the cattle dont sink up to their armpits in mud, and we dont get any "stuck" calves in the mud like my little Annie was last year! (dont worry she lived!!!! She was my 1st success story!)

He and Neil, the young man who helps Norm out A LOT around here (and by the way is one awesome "young person"!!! We do love you like our own Neil and we BOTH appreciate you more than you know!)they fed and brought wood in, and Neil helped take some big boxes downstairs since Norm still has to be very careful on his knee.

I had a conference with Doug's teachers about his Soc studies grade and his Science grade....lets just say they wernt good....the year started out wonderful but the little bugger was hiding things from me and goofing off in class...no need to tell you how unhappy I am with him about that right now. He is grounded from hunting and his BB Gun until his grades come up...thats 9 weeks....for him eternity and a terrible "loss". I must say he has been on his best behavior lately! LOL

The rest of the day I have been making soap for several orders I got in, I'm so thankful that things have picked back up!!! I made the most awesome Body Butter today....wow am I proud of myself! I have a designer fragrance its Victoria Secrets Love Spell! Its my favorite, and I'm ordering more designer fragrances next month.

But the good news...I got my light box in today.....here is the info on how it works...A new light therapy modality, to leverage a recent breakthrough discovery of a third light receptor in the human eye. This retinal receptor is sensitive to light frequencies, It monitors or "reads" wavelengths, particularly of blue light, sending signals to the brains hypothalamus the area of the brain where we sleep, hormonal, and motive functions are regulated. As this receptor sends signals to the hypothalamus, it regulates our body clod, that cellular sensitivity that keeps us in tune with the earths natural time and seasonal cycles.....okay so basically the more in sync our body clock is with optimal natural cycles, called the Circadian rhythm, the better it will work to stimulate our overall well-being. We'll sleep well, want to eat at regular times, and experience emotional stability. If our clock is out of sync, which can happen from illness, night shift work, jet lag, or winter light deprivation, we can experience disturbing symptoms such as insomnia, and other problems that can range from daytime drowsiness to depression. This also has a Negative Ion therapy......the are ions that are found in the air naturally. Research shows negatively charged ions can lift your spirits. A recent scientific study on depression, mood, and Season Affective Disorder (SAD) found that 85% of patients studied experienced a significant improvement when they were exposed to the streams of high density ions...it can also help asthmatics and those with allergies because it eliminates tiny irrigative particles such as pollen, mold spores, and other irritants from the air.....

Scientific Journal and the medical community have all done extensive testing on light therapy and endorse such lights and negative Ion therapy....they have been around for a long time, but only in the last 4 or 5 years have they improved on the light therapy boxes that doctors are now insisting that patients with the above problems get them....however like I had stated before they are expensive...but go to Amazon.com if you want a lower price...say over half!!! Beware tho of those that give off the blue light, or with blue bulbs...the blue light I spoke about above is not BLUE to our eyes....and in order for the light therapy to be effective it must output 10,000 LUX and it must cover the width of BOTH eyes and slightly curved so that the outside of your eyes can take in the light....differences should be felt in 3 - 4 days. No its not a tanning machine! LOL

There are certain lengths you have this on in use depending on how you need to re-set your biological clock....low mood, jet lag, irregular sleep patters, falling asleep to early, sleeping too late ect......

I warned you in my title that it was a talkative Tuesday! LOL I know most of that is probably boring to most....maybe all of you...but I'll let ya'll know if it works or not!

has given me an award! Lisa I'll do a post tomorrow....I've been so busy today, and took some time out to write in here, now I must feed some critters and let the horses in the barn! Again..break ice for waterers!!!! SUMMER HURRY UP!!!!!!!!

Love all

Rae

King...reaching his horse soul, chipping away one chip at a time...

King
a.k.a. Old Man
Red Roan Quarter Horse 20+ years old
I LOVE this picture I took today!
I've written about King before...
But some really cool things are beginning to happen with him! I'm just so excited!
As you know I have now read several books about training, horse behavior, communicating with the horse through your own body language...some of the old cowboy ways.
etc.
I've begun over the last two weeks to incorporate what I've been reading each day when I walk to the barn!
I owned King previously....purchased him from a horse sale about 5 years ago. He was going to the "killers" and I outbid them. Why would I want a horse under weight to the point he was a skeleton, a horse that may have had health problems, or could have been nutso?
My gut told me too. The whole night he was all I could think about, yes there were some beautiful well broke horses, but I HAD to have HIM.
At the time that I bought him I was partners with a friend.
He also saw something....King had now found a new home.
It took a few months but he quickly gained weight, walked with more "life" than before.
However, he never bonded with any of the other horses...he was always aloof and to himself.
He made me so sad.
I divorced...had to sell my horses. He and Babe (will talk about her and her story...she saved my life in a very hard and scary time)
were sold to a mutual friend, Larry.
After a couple years he got rid of his horses and King and Babe went to new homes.
Well my friend whom I partnered with in the past called me last Spring to tell me King was needing a new home, was I interested....YES!!!!
He came back to me again...it was meant to be!
King is what horse people refer to as "bomb proof", the perfect teacher for a nervous friend like myself.
But he hadn't changed...still so sad. When peering into his big beautiful brown eyes, you cannot see into the depths of his soul. Not like you should in a horse. That dreamy quality has long been gone over years of hard work and hard hands.
The light is not on.
Sadness is what his eyes tell me. Disappointment, beaten, broken, and withdrawn. He tugged at my heart and I have been determined to turn on that light that is missing from his gorgeous eyes. I've been so happy to have him back with me, I've watched him get to a normal weight, he even bonded with Bella- the first time since I've owned him that he has done that. His coat began to show signs of good health, even if he is slowly going blind in his left eye.
However even with this progress, he never sought out attention, never considered me his friend. He again, remained aloof to my attempts.
Like I mentioned I've been doing a lot of reading....I want to change his outlook on life, though once a horse has withdrawn so deeply into himself this is very difficult and often times impossible if he has been that way for a very long time.
I've been working on bonding with King more than ever using everything the books suggested.
Saturday I was laying out a huge pile of straw for him and Jack to lay in while it was cold. King did something he's never done...and it was enough to stop my heart a few beats. I was cutting the twine off the bails as I heard him walk into the barn...this was good! I soon felt his soft warm nose on the back of my neck, inspecting my hair with his lips. He gently and softly nibbled my hand, I had ceased moving, paralyzed with joy of the moment, afraid if I even breathed I would forever miss this moment! As I looked up into his kind and lovely face, he didn't move!, but reached toward me for affection!
It was a small quick moment....but I'm finally breaking away at that wall...will he just change tomorrow - No I dont expect that...it will take time for him to trust me and bond with me as my best friend. But I'm confident it WILL happen.
Norm thinks I'm crazy with all my reading and my new efforts....but he doesnt love the horse like I do. And King? He is worth every and any effort.
Lisa asked me what my goals were with the horses this year.
I think the above has answered my goals with King.
Break that wall King has built
Work on trust
my confidence
being the "herd" leader
communicating through body language
begin Jacks Kindergarten classes
Ride more
get over my fear of the other horses
imprint Georgia's foal when he arrives
Take Bella and Buck back to 1st grade for more riding time and to cure Bellas barn sour
Well, thats the basics...I'm sure there are lots I'd like to accomplish...but I'm so tired from listing items in my Artfire shop I cant seem to think and Im seeing double.
I've gotten several messages I cannot reply too due to lack of time. I havent forgotten anyone, but rather been busy out the wazoo today and last weekend. I'll get there! I will get to everyones blogs as well to catch up.
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man. ~Winston Churchill
~*~Rachel~*~

Well if it wasnt a holiday, Douglas would have gotten his wish and had a snow day today!

It was awfully pretty this morning, but I'm over it! LOL

I have spent the day making soap for some orders that I've received, and then to my friend Mari's so that I can get some better pictures with her light box and much better camera.

I get home and we downloaded the pictures incorrectly and they aren't on my memory stick!

Aaarggghhhh why doesnt nothing seem to work right for me lately?

LOL So I'll be going back to Mari's tonight, I hope, to get my pics!

I've got tons of work to do on Artfire and Etsy.

Lisa has asked me about my plans this year with my horses, and I have been planning a post about my old man - King...so I'm going out now to feed and hopefully get some nice pictures of him for my next post! So stay tuned...an exciting post coming up...well for me its exciting! hope you will think so too!

later!

Peace out!