Co-Op Picnic

We walked the entire round today but mom had a hard time. She thinks it is because she hasn't been doing exercises but we are not sure that is the reason. After the walk Diane gave Molly a bath while I brushed mom's hair. We both left at the same time. This morning was foal education day again. I worked with 4 of the 6 foals starting first with Soul's filly who didn't run at all when I put the halter on. She is learning well. She also stood while her hooves were picked up and didn't pull back once while tied. This is the 3rd day in a row for her and I'm very pleased with her progress. Next up was Jury's colt. He had only been worked with once 2 days ago. He ran around mom a couple times but then stood when I got the rope around him. He pulled back a couple times but gave up pretty quickly and also let me pick up all 4 hooves without a fuss. His halter was put on and off about 10 times. He is getting it quickly. Lily's filly was next. Now Lily's filly hadn't been worked with since she was a couple days old. She was not happy to be tied and it ended up taking about an hour before she would stand without throwing herself backward. I also had to work at her hooves convincing her that she must stand still while they were up. By the time I put  her away I was happy with her but will need to reinforce this lesson each day for a while. Rosalie's filly was last and she was a piece of cake. She knows the routine. By the time I finished though I was too tired to work with the last 2. Soul and her filly were put out in the field where the barn is going to be built then the barn cleaned up. A bit later I put Lola and her colt out with them as Lola kept calling for Soul. Below they are grazing together while their foals play together.

About that time the Co-op group started to arrive for the picnic. Berlica brought some of the kids over to see the horses.

Oksana LOVES attention from the kids and puts her head down for all the loving she can get. 

I took the golf cart over to the opening where the heavy trucks come in to for the new barn and put some electric tape up across the opening so Soul and Lola wouldn't be tempted to go walk-a-bout then took the golf cart back to the house to let my airbnb guests know the apartment was ready. About then I realized my phone was missing. I was sure it must have fallen off the golf cart when I put the tape up so went there first to check but couldn't find it. I borrowed mom's phone and used that to call mine while searching for the next hour and a half. Finally I gave up and took the phone back to mom's house. As I was leaving the house Berlica came running up to show me the turtle she had caught.

They had actually caught two and she wanted me to go with her to see the second turtle but I said, "I can't I lost my phone and have to go search for it."  She said, "I know where it is, I found it and put it in Mike and Diane's house."  Since I knew where it was I spent some time taking pictures of the co-op group as some were swimming, fishing, playing volleyball, using the playground equipment, climbing trees and doing flips on the trampolines. Everyone seemed to be having a really nice time.

IF you would like to see the rest of those pictures click HERE. When I got back to the farm Lily had gone down to the pond to get a drink, took Rosalie and Irish and the foals with her and started splashing.

The splashing got the foals wet and they took off running.

Lily enjoyed getting cooled off then went back to grazing. Rosalie and her filly both went down to get a drink next.

Irish saw us at the fence and came up for attention.

After we quit petting her she went down to get a drink too. Her hair was blowing in the wind.

A bit later they all took off running for the paddock. Below are Rosalie and her filly at a flat out gallop.

Karin arrived to take a group out trail riding.

Below is a short video of the creek crossing.

This evening Mark wanted to take the excavator off the small Kubota and put on the mower deck for the Mother's Day work day tomorrow.

While we were working on that Rosalie was watching us from the shelter.

Emma had followed us out and when we came back into the house she was glad to lay down on the cool kitchen floor. She almost matches it.