Work Horse Diary

Working horses day after day the routine wants to remain constant but it varies, and it can be different and yet similar in important ways. Here's a narrative as personal diary with added observations.

The sun's not yet up. The sky is a cold silver-tinged with reds. Even before I step outside, I can see from the kitchen window that all eight horses have their eyes glued to the door of the house in anticipation. They are looking for me, for my approach, for my errands of service to them. As I walk from the house, towards the shed which serves as our barn, the horses begin to nicker from their night pens. I slip from a low down deep throated hum to a soft whistle and back to a hum again, this morning it's an Argentinean Tango. 'Lucky', the Australian shepherd, follows me, excited for responsibility. The horses bob their noses and shuffle front feet as if to say 'it's about time'.

Inside the barn/shed I pitchfork large quantities of the loose hay into each double manger. The two-foot deep mangers run across the front of each double tie stall which measures ten feet both directions. Each double tie stall is partitioned from the next by a planked half wall. The floor is packed sand. For fifteen years I have promised myself a real barn with a wood floor and well placed harness storage crowned by a large hay loft. But finances and circumstances haven't allowed such an improvement so the horses and I make do. No, excuse me, it's better than that. We are thankful because what some might see as a crude open equipment shed temporarily converted to stabling for work horses we have enjoyed as an airy and well lit little barn. It has served us economically and well. I lean on the pitchfork and look around wondering how I will remember this building...

Horse's nicker louder and I wake up to the job at hand. First I go outside with halters and lead ropes to the pen which holds the two geldings. They are in a rail enclosure just 100 feet from the barn. It's their night accommodation. In the pen each gelding stands close by, nose forward as if aiming at a coming halter. I smile thinking about how these daily routines work so well to build the best working partnerships with the horses. Halters on and off everyday. Horses become not only accustomed but, by association, actually pleased with the process. When it comes to the haltering they each know that it is the first step in going to their stall and eating, so they lower their heads and reach their noses forward for the positively associated halter. And when day is done and halter is to come off once again they lower their heads and now rack or rotate sideways, ears over towards me and down, to make it easier for the crown strap to come off, anticipating the comfort. They are happy going in to the barn and they are happy going out. An excellent indicator of a system which works.

Both horses haltered and with lead ropes in hand we exit the pen. They are anxious but they know, because I never allow exception to the rule that they must walk behind me and on a loose lead. No bolting, no dragging back, no stepping on me. We walk together easy and fluid. It's either that, or I get cranky and dream up clever ways of making their rule violations uncomfortable for them. They elected me leader. It may have been a rigged election, but I am the leader nonetheless. If I fall out of favor and dominion over them, it is my own fault and I must work to regain the leadership position. Otherwise, it is my contention there can be no safe working relationship.

So we walk calmly to the barn where I snap each one to their individual secured manger chain which is bolted beside the 2 x 4 grain box. (These boxes are anchored in at the left and right sides - or opposite sides - of the manger, one each for each horse.) There is enough slack in each manger chain so that the horses might reach the middle of the manger and not much further.

The chains have big heavy bull snaps. I don't want them to break. It's not because I'm afraid my horses will try to break them but because accidents may happen and I prefer not to have loose horses in the barn. I occasionally use ropes instead of chain and sometimes panic snaps which allow that a twist or quick downward jerking motion will release a tangled endangered animal. These I usually relegate to trainees or new horses I am unfamiliar with. Just a small dose of caution which may one day pay off in a big dividend by saving a horse's life. But to date, after 30 plus years, I have not had to use one in an emergency.

Geldings are snapped in and eating the morning hay. I flip off the electric fence charger and head back out to fetch a team of mares. With the girls you never know how the day's chemistry might stack up, one day mellow, the next day sullen or cranky. Today, with the first two, it seems they are mellow.

There are two pens, wired with electric fence tape. Because I have four teams of horses in for haying, and because one of the mares beats up any horse she has to share space with, I needed additional enclosures and have set up a temporary electric pen arrangement for harmony and my own convenience.

This season, in total, I am working five of my mares and three geldings. Four of the mares work in teams or as three or four. The fifth mare has issues, not with me or any human but with other horses. Before I bought her, she was made a pet of and spoiled terribly. What she wanted she got. She works well with her gelding team mate as long as I am around to warn her off her worst tricks. She listens to me. I make sure of that. I've had her a short time and am determined to trick her into changing her attitude and nature. Right now she gets a pen to herself and occasionally is put into a large box stall for isolation. What I'd like to find is that she develops an attraction for one of my other horses and wants to be with it at all times. When this happens, I will use it to advantage.

Work Horse Diary - Part I