RicelandMeadows

June 12, 2026

The month of June is still HOT (for us anyway) Temps have been in the low 90’s F! The foals are being born. We welcome #2 of the season, a little boy. He will get a name soon. My wife is discussing it with him. He belongs to our son and his family, so we will know soon.

The hot weather is ushering in almost daily brief showers. The haying season has stalled, but we are finding plenty to do. Fencing repairs are the focus as we move into pasture season. We are setting things up so that each paddock has some shade to offer.

Some of our small pastures have man-made sheds or shade shelters. The paddocks that don’t, we try to make sure there is access to shade trees or wooded plots. The biting flies are less in the shelter of the shade. Many of our horses are “in” during the day. The cool barn works very well and they are stalled where we can harness and use them.

As our herd grows, we have to ensure their summer comfort. The shady pastures help a lot. These same wooded plots provide windbreaks during winter grazing and exercise. A little forethought goes a long way for animal comfort.

He and his momma were in for health checks and hands-on love. This kindness pays off big dividends. When it is time for haltering and such, this guy will simply go with the flow. No stress and no fear of us or what we want to do with him.

It will pay off big time down the road when he starts his harness training. He will take it all in stride just like his uncle Murtagh.

I enlisted the help of one of my draft horse friends for Murtagh’s first drive. Most of my “teachers” are either very pregnant or nursing foals. We used my buddy’s Belgian draft horse for a tutor and a big anchor if needed. Things went very well, no anchor needed.

Murtagh’s first hitch and drive. It was a warm afternoon. The heat along with a few nerves got him wet. This helped his brain to understand that a short rest felt good. He learned a lot during his 30-40 minute lesson. We ended on a good note of course, but there really weren’t any bad issues anyway. I am pleased with this colt and his progress.

Murtagh’s training now intensifies. He will be hitched and worked daily both single and double. He is a good colt who learns fast. He will be a real asset to me very soon. It is a project in this heat, but morning or evenings provide a fair amount of cooler opportunities. We will take advantage of them for our hot projects.