Saturday, May 24, 2008

Saturday Horse Stuff


We have had an exciting day today. We have been looking forward to visiting a friends big horse farm all week with our kids and grand kids. Hubby's sister and niece are in town and they are horse lovers as well so we were delighted that they could go along too.


These people raise Standardbred horses that they race. They have about 150 of them at several different locations in different states. They take a lot of them south for the winter so that they can race down there. They love their horses. Their facility was immaculate and each and every horse looked wonderfully well cared for. They also had a collection of other animals that they adopted such as sheep, a llama, peacocks, hens, roosters, geese, ducks, dogs and cats.

They rescued the rooster who lost his feet due to frostbite and nursed him back to health and he is doing great even though he walks on stumps. He has a lady friend and they have their own digs as poultry is notorious for picking on any of the flock that has injuries. He is fat and sassy and crows each morning at 3:30 a.m.

Their welsh corgi dogs, Annie and Andrew greeted us with kisses and wags and just loved the grand kids. We were quite smitten with Andrew who has a disability but thrives with his little cart to help him get about.




The foals were just gorgeous with their long wobbly legs that will someday turn them into powerful trotters. Some of them were born in February and some were only a couple weeks old and one is due any moment. Here are pictures of a few of them.






To say that we were enchanted with them would be an understatement. There's just something about those soft little muzzles and short fluffy tails that are just adorable. They also have a couple of champion Morgans that the wife rides. She has a whole room just loaded with ribbons, trophies, coolers, and other winnings from her showing days.



This lady is remarkable, she didn't even start riding until she was 56 years old and has gone on to win everything on the east coast with these two horses! She is a wee bit of a thing at only 5 feet tall but handles these big horses with ease. She is also the one that nursed the footless rooster back to good health where most people would have just put him in the stew pot! :o(

The farm consists of about 300 acres so we got around in these Polarises. The kids loved it and sat in the back on a blanket. We use ours to haul poo so they don't ride in ours........ahem.....



It was just a great day, we all had such a good time and the owners were so gracious taking their Saturday afternoon to show us around. The grand kids won't forget it, especially little Andrew who stole their hearts. :o)

23 comments:

Needled Mom said...

Wow...it looks like it was a great trip. The photos of the foals almost look as though they are statues. They are such beautiful animals, aren't they?

We have a local couple who just received some Nokota horses. Have you ever heard of them? I thought about you right away when I heard about their delivery.

I am trying to imagine the rooster without feet. That must be quite a sight to see him getting around.

I suppose the Corgies have the issues with those long backs. I know that the body shape is not good for strong backs. That is a wonderful contraption that he gets to wear to help him out.

The kids look like they had fun in the cart. What a great trip it was for all.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Dawn said...

Once again I missed two posts! How does that happen anyway?

Looks like a wonderful spring adventure you had - colts are so adorable.

We took a ride after our gourmet Wendy's dinner last night and saw all sorts of baby goats (kids?) I was sure wishing I'd known we were going on a ride so I could have remembered my camera!

Tammy said...

Oh, you and your family do have such wonderful outings because of your love for horses...those photos of the foals are SO sweet!
And what a cutie that little doggie, Andrew, is!
What a fun day this was, I can tell!

Have a great rest of Memorial Day weekend!
~Tammy

Mrs. Mom said...

Those are some wonderful looking foals- what GREAT bone! Man I love Standardbreds. Level headed, strong, and just plain cool horses to be around. Thanks for sharing your day with us, and thanks even more for the fantastic pictures!

It looks like the grand babies were having a complete BLAST there too!

Mrs. Mom said...

Those are some wonderful looking foals- what GREAT bone! Man I love Standardbreds. Level headed, strong, and just plain cool horses to be around. Thanks for sharing your day with us, and thanks even more for the fantastic pictures!

It looks like the grand babies were having a complete BLAST there too!

Pattie said...

Hi there - nice to meet you! I've heard such nice things about you from Needled Mom, our mutal friend. Thanks for visiting my blog - and I love yours!

What great photos - of people and animals. You gotta love a person who'd be willing to nurse a footless rooster back to health! Her horses are beautiful, and those Corgis are darling.

Have a great Memorial Day!

Anonymous said...

Wow what a fun day! The puppies and horses are so cute !

Susie said...

Looks like a delightful way to spend a Saturday. Those adorable colts seem to be all legs!!
We see a dauschand being walked at the waterfront with one of those rear leg wheeled devises (not sure what they call them) He seems to enjoy getting out and enjoying the fresh air.
I can see you had a sunny day, we had lots of rain, clouds and cool weather on Sat. The sun is out today!
love you!
xoxo

Rising Rainbow said...

Looks like you all had a great time. I love the pictures of the foals. I've seen those little carts for disabled dogs before. Amazing what some people can think up.

Callie said...

It looks like a great day.Poor rooster on stumps! Thank God there's people out there with such hearts to help creature who might well be tossed away. I love foals! :)

BarnGoddess said...

what a great day-you KNOW I loved the horse photos! beautiful Morgans, wow

hippo chick said...

What a wonderful post. I am encouraged that someone started riding at 56. Riding a horse is on my "Bucket List". I plan to do that this summer, but wondered if I was too old? Guess not!

Thanks for visiting my blog. Glad to meet you.

Carole Burant said...

Ok, remind me not to ride in your Polaris if I ever get to visit you! lol Hello my dear friend and Happy Memorial Day to you and your loved ones:-)

Sounds like you all had a wonderful day on Saturday doing what you love most!! I so enjoyed seeing the pictures, omigosh such gorgeous horses and as you say, it's so hard to resist the foals, how adorable they are.

That's quite the menagerie of animals they have there! I think if I could ever start all over again, I would live on a farm with tons of animals:-) Isn't it wonderful that Andrew the Corgi is able to get around with the help of that little cart on wheels? Amazing what they can do for animals nowadays.

We've just finished having a thunderstorm pass through and that's brought along very cold weather...it was in the 60's before the storm, now it's dropped down to 41!! We're supposed to get frost tonight...aaarrrgggghhhh! I knew I shouldn't have planted my faerie garden! lol At least I haven't planted any petunias or impatiens in my containers, I got caught last year planting those too early and I lost them all to frost.

Thank you for being YOU! Love you!! xoxoxox

kdwhorses said...

Wow! Just love them foal photos! They are just beautiful!!
Looks like you all had a great time! And the dog with his cart and the rooster on stumps!

Pony Girl said...

Thanks for sharing your visit to the farm with us! It looks like an amazing place and I think the kiddos had a great time! I am impressed with that woman who started riding so late! The Morgan she is pictured with is gorgeous. I like Morgans. The first horse I learned to ride on was a Morgan mare. I loved the Corgi's, too! I dogsit one named Penny and she is such a character!

palmtreefanatic said...

wow! Sounds like a fantastic time! I really enjoyed all the photos! The horses are so beautiful!!! I cant believe this little lady taking all this on at 56 yrs young, thats fabulous! And to be so patient with the rooster! wow!

The corgies are so darn cute too!

I guess it has been a while since I came to visit! life has been busy!

Glad everyone is doing well and had a great time!

Nancy said...

That poor rooster! God bless that woman who saved him!!! Also, that dear little dog with his cart! There are so many good people out there, aren't there?

I just fell in love with the little foals! My dad brought us kids home a pony one time, and we had the best time riding him. I raised chickens, and, of course, all 200+ of them ended up being pets! My brother was raising rabbits for an FFA project, and we ended up with all kinds of rabbits, too! You know how that goes.

In addition to the pony, chickens and rabbits, we also had a couple of pigs, some geese, one duck, a boxer dog and also a chow, and a cat. Is it any wonder that I love all animals the way I do??? LOL

I just love your blog!!! It is so interesting and so many pics of your horses and other animals. Very enjoyable, indeed!!!

smileymamaT said...

Aw sounds like a lot of fun. Great photos, WOW...

Donna. W said...

Amazing. Simply amazing.

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

What a great day! I love the pictures of the colts....I don't get to see many of them!

Mary said...

A beautiful post. I certainly can see how Andrew stole everyone's heart. And those foals... they are adorable.

Thanks so much for your kind words and loving support on my post today. I thank you for being such a great friend and for praying for my aunt.

Blessings,
Mary

Kaila said...

I just LOVE horses. Those pictures were beautiful. I'd like to get back into riding again. But, it'll have to wait for the time being.

Mikey said...

Gosh, I keep scrolling down and there's just more and more good stuff!! Those foals, the barn, the Morgans... oh that's so pretty!!!
And the dog, oooohhhh, he is darling! How sweet is that they had the little cart made for him. I've seen it before, but I still think that's really a nice thing to do. What wonderful people!
You do have the best pics, I tell ya!