RicelandMeadows

September 27, 2022

We went to a local Metro Park in neighboring Lake county. We went to support their annual “Horsepower” days. We went to show our Suffolk Punch draft horses to a welcoming crowd. We made it a learning session for our son Jake’s youngest horse, Anna. She is the smaller one in the photos. She is a 3-year old and learning fast. The people, flags, balloons, noise and other horses were new to her. She looked and learned. She stayed calm and watched her teammate Amee for clues. She/We had an outstanding day.

We raked the brush hog debris off of the field that we would be plowing. It was Anna’s second or third time on that piece of equipment. She was confident and willing while we raked. We next hauled bundles of corn shocks off the corn field following a corn binder demonstration. The horses had to stand, wait and move up as the volunteers loaded the wagon. The chattering binder being pulled by a team of Belgians, went by us several times. Our horses made no move, other than to watch them go by.

We were just one team among many. The Belgians, Percherons and Suffolk breeds were well represented. The following day (Sunday) was a bit rainy, but the fun moved inside at times. We did not attend the second day. The weather looked ominous, so we went to church instead. The horses stayed home, but we harvested the Word and mingled with a different flock.

We are making plans to attend again next year and take at least 2 teams of horses. There were many things to see and do. We had fun. We met some new friends and cemented relationships with old ones. We represent different breeds. We all choose to do different things with our horses, but all of us come together to play and learn.

As we train our young horses, we expose them to as many things as we can. We do this first at home where things are familiar. Slowly, as the horses gain confidence, we introduce them to even more outside noise and situations. This training is to build confidence, character and to help eliminate fear. When a fearful thing does happen, they look to us for clues. We can calm them with our voices and line pressure. The training, teaching patience, and consistent methods, pays off big dividends in times of trouble or insecurity.

Our rain total yesterday afternoon. The rains continue to fall as a big storm comes to us from Canada. The storm moves over lake Erie, then dumps the moisture on us. We had a dry summer, but we are now starting to get a bit soggy. They say we still have another rainy day coming after today. No worries. The trees and grasses are gulping up the moisture in the waning days of the growing season. The other benefit is that we don’t have to shovel rain! The almost three and a half inches of rain that fell yesterday has been added to significantly over night. The sun is shinning for the moment, so I am headed out to do all things “Riceland”.