The Big Herd

 

We currently have thirty-six horses turned out on 2500 acres for the winter. Our youngest is Damien, a 2022 Thoroughbred colt by Trojan Nation and out of Golden Lady by Medaglia d'Oro. The oldest is Apache, a Paso Fino mare in her mid-twenties. We have mostly Thoroughbreds in between those two, other than a small handful of Quarter Horses, a warmblood, and a mule.

This herd has been exceedingly frustrating this winter, however. They decided that they would rather graze than eat the hay that we put out for them. This probably is not overly concerning, but we have been putting a large amount of effort into convincing them to eat during storms. They have yet to be convinced that they require extra feed. Considering 2022 has been a significant drought, it speaks to the management of the grass this year, which meant no cows and only the relatively small herd of horses. The worst offenders are The Geriatrics, a herd of four older horses that splintered off and decided to do their own thing in the roughest part of the ranch.

The Geriatrics consist of Maggie, a 2001 APHA mare that served as a reining horse, trick horse and lesson horse for me in the early stages. She isn't sound anymore, but she is as tough and durable as any of them. Eza Royal Pie, better known as Pie, is a 2002 AQHA mare, retired from broodmare duty after her last filly by First Down Illusion in 2020. The herd leader, Dancer, is a 2001 Thoroughbred gelding, who retired from upper-level dressage and also serves as the first Thoroughbred that I owned. He doesn't realize that he is 22, as he bucks, runs and jumps ledges and brush. Finally, Five Bar Fly rounds out the group as the “spring chicken” at only 20 years old. Because she is quite a producer, she has a donor carrying her embryo this year.

The Geriatrics have decided that they are wild and will care for themselves, other than that nasty cold snap when we hit -50 degrees wind chill. They liked their bale of hay during that.

Like The Geriatrics, the main herd spent yesterday staring at two fresh bales of hay, convinced that it was poison.

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