RicelandMeadows

October 7, 2024

We are working hard to make ready for winter. We are getting the last of the sugarwood in the woodshed to be ready for the 2025 maple syrup season. We are also training our horses. Hank stands ready in the doorway. He is relaxed, listening and ready to go.

I have been using Hank single. This is very good for him. When he was younger I didn’t spend enough time doing this. He is catching on very well. You see when he works single, he must be 100% engaged with me. He has to listen and then react. He can’t rely on his teammate to tell him what to do…He must think for himself.

At first, he wanted to rebel a little bit. He thought that he shouldn’t have to go on alone. I convinced him that indeed he did. We had a little discussion, but he walked on after gentle encouragement from me. He is pulling the cart with a small tractor tire behind it. It doesn’t weigh much, but is adds some noise and some resistance. This was his first time ever in the shafts. He did an outstanding job.

We worked just long enough to get the sweat flowing. The white foam is more from his nerves than from actual work. We kept the lesson short and ended on a good note. He is doing very well. He will have many more lessons in the cart. He will also pull increasingly heavier weight. I will use him in the woods some, pulling out a few small logs.

I like to see his confidence build along with his trust in me. He is a smart , powerful asset to the farm, but most of all he is my buddy. He will earn his keep as a workhorse, a herd sire and a friend. He is one “cool” dude and fits well into my October plans.