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I am a 42 year old woman that is about as happy and content as one person can be. My husband of 21 years and our 15 year old daughter live on five and a half acres out in the country. We moved from the city four years ago and never looked back. I homeschool our daughter. We also love our animals. Our daughter has a miniature horse and two rabbits. We also have a border collie, two cats (again), two pot belly pigs, four peafowl, three emus, 2 llamas and an undetermined number of chickens, lets just say ohhh about 200. I have many breeds, from layers to fancy chickens. I love poultry shows, I love fowl in general as I have come to find out through having more than just chickens. Chickens will always be my first love though. I do show some of my birds occasionally.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Stock Dog Demonstration At The Fair and Ponderings

Good afternoon. It is raining here...and raining. The wind is blowing too. I sure wish it would slack off some for a little while. I know we need it though. I need to go to the feed store but I don't see myself driving in this. Maybe it will slack off soon. Time to get out the muck boots I reckon.

I got sticker shock when I called the Tractor Supply in Hiram. They keep Bermuda Hay when they have it available, really clean good horse quality. Last year it was six dollars a bale. When I called to see if they had some because it is time to get Derby some for the winter now that the grass has gone dormant. It is now ten dollars a bale! I should have expected it because with the drought there has not been a good hay season for most. Got to have it, so I will pay it. Better get as much as I can now too as I don't know how long they will have it in stock.

I got a question for horse owners. Why does Derby stand out in the wind and rain? Its obvious he doesnt like it. He backs up and paws the ground showing his dislike for it all. Why doesnt he go into his barn where it is dry? We are going to have to finish up the front of his house I guess and put him in it when it is raining and at night when it is cold. It isnt cold here right now, but I know sooner or later it will be and he cant stand out in the cold and rain like that. Why doesnt he have the good sense to go inside? Even the pigs know to go in their house during the rain. Even the chickens take shelter. Why doesnt Derby?

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This is the last entry for the fair pictures.

When we got there and Dewey started his show he informed everyone that Tip (that is my Tips Daddy) did not make it through the summer. In July he began to cough up blood and he said he knew it was time. So he had him put down. It was actually quite miraculous that Tip lasted as long as he did considering when it was discovered he has cancer that he was only supposed to live a few more months at the time. He got another year and a half or so before the cancer took him over. He was a good dog, dedicated and loved to work. Sometimes I think that is what kept him alive longer is his obsession with working the sheep. He had a notebook for everyone to sign their names that always came to see Tip every year. We signed it of course. He says the fairgrounds will have a plaque made up with his name on it in honor of him and have it placed for everyone to see when they come to the fair.

Dewey has another dog now. She is a Kelpie. A little known breed, there are only about 2500 in the US. It is an Australian breed...supposed to be a mix of border collie and dingo he says. You just thought that border collies were hyper...this dog was so gung ho I thought she was just going to explode where she stood...lol. She is only seven months old and he is still working with her so she is not ready to be working fully yet.

There are also pictures of Tips half brother Victor, and her half sister Bow. Victor is good, but Bow has more of her Daddy in her, you can tell she is really focused.

 

 

 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

You sound like you're getting our kinda weather. Hope you're able to get to the supply store soon. If I was you I would go ahead and buy as much as I could too, because you know when winter gets here it'll go up again or that is what happens around here.
Take care, Chrissie

Anonymous said...

Wish I could tell you why the horses stand in the rain unless taken inside but they do.  Even if you just got a few panels to use as a gate that would help.  My friend said that Sunshine who used to live here was shivering today so she built him a little stall since they don't have their shelter built yet.
Love to watch the dogs work sheep.  They are so intense.
Traci

Anonymous said...

Fantastic, the look on Bow's face is lets go, lets go, come on lets go!  Linda

Anonymous said...

That's too bad about Tip's daddy.  We're getting rain here too, & I love it.  We need it soooo bad.  Maybe it will let up some up your way so you can go get your supplies.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

Horses are just that way.  The four horses here irritate me no end because when it's 100 degrees outside, they won't get in the shade.  Oh no, they stand right out in the sun all day long.  And we have plenty of shade out there!

Anonymous said...

Horses are prey animals and instinctively do not want to be confined anywhere they cannot run away.  If he had a stable companion they might stand in the shed together...but maybe not.

Anonymous said...

Interesting pictures. I was just thinking your husband must be a good guy to not complain about the price of hay etc. (At least I'm thinking he doesn't). lol Paula

Anonymous said...

great pictures!!!
becky

Anonymous said...

Kelly loved your pictures ~ I love to watch sheep dog trials ~ they are such clever animals ~ I often wonder why horses stand out in the rain the ones round this way do the same thing ~ so sad about Tips daddy not making it through the summer ~ glad they got to have him for an extra year and a half ~ how lovely a plaque with his name on it will be placed in his honour for everyone to see ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Working dogs are wonderful dogs!!!  Bubba had a Border Collie that was THE perfect boy's dog.  As for Derby and the rain....we have several horses, some just stand in it, some do seek any shelter they have available.  Horses seem to be like three year old children.  -  Barbara

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