Where to start? There's so much to see! Well, when you drive up to the Huge barn you can see a little field on your right and the ring to your left and the barn up ahead. On the left side of the barn, in front of the cow barn (storage area currently), are the bunnies! Mama is white and her baby Barbara is brown (she's gotten so big!). Behind the "shoot" (indoor hallway that slopes down to the cow barn) is the chicken coop. We have 3 hens and a rooster (who is leaving soon -they've been hand raised so his lack of fear of humans has caused him to attack people). The rest we had to give away, but we've had them since they were chicks and they don't even mind being held! You can see the paddocks from here, but we'll go in the barn first. Wait! There's Pete, the pheasant that visits, he's by the ring! In the barn we enter the newly refurbished tack room, where we find Sparky and Love Bug the 2 kittens we got from a cat rescue. Sparky's black and the bigger one, he's very out going and loves to play! Bug is a gray striped kitten, he loves to jump in hay piles and be pat! The barn houses 4 horses and ponies, 2 goats, and 3 kids out of Inkspot (Luke Skywalker, Princess Leah, and Yoda (I think). The Star Wars theme was playing on the radio as they were born!) currently, there's also a big loft where the hay, shavings, and extra stuff is kept. The second level of the loft (not used -it goes for 1/3 the barn length in the middle) is a summer home for a bunch of barn swallows. As we walk out of the barn to the paddocks (in back) we see the goats. Inkspot and L.C. (Little Cow) are the goats, they are very interesting to watch -they play but, climb on the log and stumps and are just funny. Inkspot had her 3 kids on May 1st! L.C. apparently wasn't in heat at the time Inkspot was bred, but we're going to have dairy goats and make cheese and stuff! We turn left and walk down the little path (parallel to the goat pasture) to the main gate. Jay, a rather large chestnut draft/QH cross grazes in the paddock across from this one since the gate is left open. Blue, a gray arab, keeps to himself but ventures over if he suspects he's being left out of food! He also tries to scare you away when you try to catch Misty because he's the "Alpha" horse and she's "his" mare (although when she's in heat she seems to like Woody better!) Woody's a 15.3hh chestnut Apendix gelding, he's the quiet type and is pretty mellow. Misty, a chestnut Apendix mare, looks at you and if she sees you have a halter walks the other way. She sometimes comes to the gate but usually just watches or hangs out with Blue (or hides behind him) and Woody. Jay seems to be left out of the herd lately, hmm. There's another paddock attached to this main one, it's across the way from the first one I mentioned and behind the goats.' This gate is also left open since all the horses are fine turned out together. Ky was sold and Mrs. B went home, so there's only 4 horses left!!!!
The horses all take part in the lesson program. It's light work, mostly walking, but as the kids progress they can trot and a few canter. I ride Misty (in case you haven't noticed yet), and on occasion Blue, but one of the instructor's normally rides him. My friend wants to start riding Jay. Another woman and their showing student ride dressage on Woody. All the lessons done here are therapeutic, see my page on volunteering or my SIM association for more info. The goats help too! One of the activities animal care classes do is clip them. The bunnies and chickens, oh and the kittens now are there to be held and pat.
MHS lessons started up again March 30th. They're Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:30-5pm. They also have animal care classes at the barn, and a pet therapy class. Sundays Jill teaches her outside lessons. Sarah will be starting again, maybe this summer? and Diane teaches lessons when she has time.
To see pictures of all the animals check out the Gallery (under the subtitle MHS: Reservoir Farm)! |
