Meet the critters: Penny!

Why hello there! My name is Penny! I have been passed off as a spotted Tennessee Walking horse but I am really a mix of cow horse and pleasure horse. There may be some walking horse in my family tree somewhere. I received my name because it is my job to make sure my humans know about everything going on at the farm. The call me the "Penny Press" because I always have something to say.

Occupation: Eater of Grass, daily farm reports

Duties: Lawn mowing, maker of fertilizer, reporting, checking the durability of fences, and creator of farrier bills.

OK, OK. I will admit, I have issues. I came from a rather abusive past and am working very hard to recover from my bad experiences. I am a bit codependent and need a constant companion. I can be stubborn when it comes to working with humans, but if you communicate to me in a nonaggressive manner what it is you expect me to do, I will work with you. I spent my early life with cows and when the cows went away, I was left alone on 50 acres to tend to myself. I had lots to eat- too much in fact and now I have issues related to rich grasses.

I was sent away for training by my previous owner and they were not kind to me. As a result, I am unsure about new experiences but if you are patient with me and work to make me feel safe, I will adapt pretty quickly. It is important to know I have a VERY short attention span which lasts oh, about 30 minutes... beginning 5 minutes ago. (But don't worry- I will be sure to let you know when your time is up. Ask my farrier.)

In spite of it all, I think I am pretty content here at the farm keeping tabs on all my other companions. I have been with these humans for a little over 6 years now. I have learned life isn't so bad after all.

-Penny

Living with Llamas

I cannot believe it has been a whole month since our llamas arrived! In March we became an official SELR adoptive home. In April, our local SELR coordinator notified us of three available llamas in our area. We went for a meet and greet. And the next week they were here!

It has been a smooth transition for them (and us). It's always a bit of a gamble when you add new critters to the farm but these guys just made themselves right at home.

Miss S. is a camera hound

For the first three days, they hummed. Humming is a sign of "llama worry." But after day four the humming was just occasional and by the end of the week, they stopped humming completely. None ever developed the "llama worry wrinkles" under their eyes really stressed llamas get.

Ms. C says "Worry? Why? Got food?"

The neighbor's horses who share a fence line worried a lot though. The first day they spent the better part the morning and afternoon running in tandem toward the common fence line, then making a right wheel and racing off toward their barn. Once they had ample distance, they would stop, snort loudly, and stamp their hooves. They did this consistently for about two days.

WHAT IS THAT!!!!!

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Because you see, to a horse this is what a llama looks like:

But after day two, the neighbor's horses stopped running away in fear and by the end of the week, they were grazing within just feet of the llamas.

Our horses share a fence line with the llamas too but never seemed to bat anything other than a curious eye at them. I know my girls well enough to know "as long as they are up there and we are down here, we're cool with it." By fall however, I would like for everyone to graze together.

Mr. O keeping a watchful eye

Because these llamas are awesome guardian animals. They are alert, curious, and always aware of their surroundings. They are now familiar with our farm dogs and cats, but if any unfamiliar animal shows up in their pasture- they're on it! Except if it is raining. Then you can forget about it. Because llamas HATE rain!

Who me? I'm not going out there! There's water falling from the sky!

Meet the critters! -Lucki

I now interrupt my current series of doom and gloom posts to take some time to introduce you to our four legged family members!

With seniority, I would like to introduce you to:

Lucki!

Occupation: Eater of grass

Farm duties: Former companion horse, maker of fertilizer, lawn mowing, riding lessons for four year olds, and creator of vet bills.

Why hello there! My name is Lucki! I am 16 years young and am part quarter horse and well, the other three quarters, I'm not sure. I never really cared to find out.

I spent my first two years living in a small enclosure with some cows. As I got bigger, my pen did not and it started to get a little cramped. The cows came and went but I stayed. Food was by no means plentiful and I was always hungry. The cows must have been hungry too because they chewed off my tail.

One day when I was about 2, a nice lady came to see me and decided to take me home with her! She had lots of other horses and for the first time ever, there was plenty of food to eat! I ate and ate and ate and after a while my tail began to grow back! At this farm there was a nice girl who took care of me. She has taken care of me for a long time now.

I have lived a lot of places but my favorite place of all is where I live now. I get lots of attention from that girl who has taken care of me for so long. My favorite treats are carrots and I admit, I like to eat. I spent a lot of my earlier years being hungry so I will never pass up food. (Even when it makes me sick!) I lost my pasture mate a few years ago and now live with another younger mare who tends to get on my nerves.

Other than that, nothing really bothers me and I am pretty mellow. I behave for the farrier and don't mind if small humans sit on my back. (But if you weigh more than 100 pounds, I might have to complain.) I admit I have an eating problem and keeping a healthy weight is tough for me, but with the help of my people, I have been doing OK.

Hooves and kisses!

-Lucki