Villhauer's Farm Blessings: Dreams Do Come True

Preparing to bring Onyx home Sunday evening, I abandoned school work Sat. and worked out in the paddock checking one more time for any "horse hazards" and trying to eliminate them. There were several old post holes that needed filling in. There was also old hardware on some of the buildings that needed to come off. Dan mowed the paddock for me but then left for a “land” party at Courtney’s last Sat. Joe left rather early and went to the Bears game that he won 4 tickets to. So I was on my own most of the
day Sat. Out in the

paddock, I mowed a riding ring and even used the front end loader on the tractor to kind of smooth it out. I was actually having quite a bit of fun. Then I mowed a riding trail through our big pasture and old fruit orchard. I cut it real low, and then walked it with Kaysha to check for holes. I think it is about a 1/2 mile circuit.
<= Onyx later this week.

Getting Onyx home went without a hitch. She trailered quite well.

Onyx at her former home.

Loaded and ready to go.

She was a bit anxious to get out of the trailer when we got home, so unloaded very easily.

Once home, she was more interested in eating than any thing else. I let her chill for a while, and then lead her around the paddock, showing her the corn crib retreat area from hot sun or bad weather, the water trough, her stall, and around all the buildings.

She is very food motivated, so to get her to come into her stall I just shake her grain can. I can walk right up to her to put on her halter and then lead her where ever I want also. I brushed her almost every day last week, and lead her around 4 different times. She seems right at home now.

I went with Joe Wed. night to buy a “cow” up near El Paso.

He ended up buying a 400 lb Holstein steer. His name is Chuck.

(I think his last name might me Roast)

     He was a bottled feed calf (as his Mom is a dairy cow), so he is very tame. He knows his name and will look up when you call. He likes to have his head and neck scratched. He was a runt so is small for his 8 months of age. We will keep him out at pasture until next November (We have 3 friends who want grass only beef). He will probably only get up to about 900 lbs.

     When we first turned him loose at home in the paddock, Onyx went nuts. It was already dark, so I don’t know if she was afraid or what.
                                                           At any rate, she raced around

(trotting and cantering) would stop and stomp her front foot and lift up her nose and snort. I waited until she settled down some, but was afraid to leave her out with Chuck. I had troubles catching her and getting her into her stall. And then she kept pacing and going in circles and looking out. So we finally closed the barn door. I worried about her all night long.

The next morning Onyx was calmer and when let out, she was curious about Chuck but went right to eating. I left for school and let them work it out. When I got home, every thing

was peachy keen....They were grazing beside each other, and Chuck continued to kind of follow Onyx around, eating near where she was eating. They have become “friends” in just two days.

Our two large chickens (or one of them at any rate) has started laying eggs. We have gotten three so far. But they have all been behind the Wisteria by our front door. Now I need to get them to lay them in the nest boxes in the coop.

I made another trip to Farm and Fleet to get more supplies....salt block, cow wormer, water bucket, horse halter and lead rope (I had been barrowing the sellers), and more horse feed, (the first bag we bought was the wrong stuff. With all that going on, and because last weekend I had not done any school work, I was kind of “flying by the seat of my pants” all week. I made it through....but now have another week to plan for.