RicelandMeadows

May 29, 2026

The month of May is coming to an end. I look back on a few nice memories. The baby foal of course, but how about pies and picnics? My aunt made me this rhubarb pie. We ate it while we visited, both the pie and the visit was sweet.

May, for me, brings some delightful things. The weather transitions to summer. Garden soil awakens, baby horses make their appearance, seasonal plants like dandelion and rhubarb bust forth. The hay and pastures grow well and natures creatures appear out of nowhere.

The tree frogs guard my gates and search the grasses for mates.

These little fellows make me smile as they hide in plain sight.

Spring work on the farm is always busy. This past month has been unseasonably wet, so I have spent time working with and training the young geldings.

Jaime has started to learn about and wear the “biting rig”. It is a simple training harness that is the first step in our training process. He is taking it well and learning fast.

He isn’t bothered by his new gear. In fact, he is even a bit bored with it. He is just a year old, but learning is good for us all at any age.

Murtagh, Jaime’s half brother, is also learning fast. His training is a bit more accelerated. He will soon be working alone and in a team. He is doing quite well too.

It was a warm day when we were working, but most of this sweat came from being a bit nervous. He sorted things out quickly and settled down well, but he did get a little worked up at first.

After a fashion, he relaxed and all his fears evaporated. We ended on a very good note. We have had several good days of training since this first time. He is a likable colt with a good mind. He figures things out on his own , but trusts me dearly. I value his trust and each lesson builds on our relationship. He will soon be a valued partner here on the farm.

The month of May is all but over. I look back on some pleasing things. The fields are drying up so that the spring work of plowing and soil preparation can begin. The old paddocks are now ready to receive several loads of winter compost. The job of manure and compost spreading are well under way.

We look forward to the coming weeks of foaling, planting and hay making. In these last few days of May, I will pause long enough to enjoy the delights she has shared. Time and life is a blur, pausing now and then is good for all of us!