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Here we are almost a year on our blog. We have posted over 70 blogs and would appreciate comments from our readers. We would like to know your opinions and ideas about our blog. If there is an article that caught your eye, let me know your thoughts on the subject. We look forward to hearing from you.
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We are a farm family and enjoy our animals and farm life. So talking about the farm and all that it requires is a passion of ours. From equine supplements to chicken coupes, we will discuss just about anything. Comments welcome.
In Memory of “Duke”
Today, 11/12/09, we mourn the loss of our Belgian, Duke. He was one of the most gentlest, big horses I have ever known. He had a long life of 20 plus years and had competed in many horse pulls. He was what I would consider a “Big Teddy Bear” of horses.
My 2 yr. old niece, Kalissa, rode for the first time on Duke, as well as others over the years. Allen’s daughter used to ride Duke and I have seen him with 5 young riders on him at one time and not even care. He was that gentle. Allen would just place his hand on the side of his jaw and he would go wherever, most of the time Duke would just follow him without any halter or lead rope at all and the kids just sat on his back without fear.
When I first began being around the horses and livestock after an absence of 15 years, I had some fears to face. I do not mind saying that Duke really intimidated me and it took me a couple of months to realize that he would not ever intentionally hurt me. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t need to be cautious but, I could, at least, ease some of my fears. Here we are 8 yrs. later and having conquered some of the major fears, I can now feed every animal on the farm and feel confident. I do not, by no means, throw caution to the wind but, I do keep focused when choring and working with the animals. Having Duke helped me conquer that fear, mostly because of his personality and his size. I learned to work around him and therefore, it helped me with the rest of the livestock. Now I am out there everyday and loving it, for that reason alone, I’ll remember Duke and his gentle way.
In the past year Duke’s age really began to show. He acquired arthritis in his joints and there were days that he struggled to get around but, he continued on. We supplemented his food with joint supplements and vitamins and I believe that one small part of his diet kept him up and going. We knew the day would come yet, had not expected it to come so quickly. A few days ago he got down and didn’t come to the barn. Allen went out and helped him up and brought him to the barn. His appetite had decreased some but not so much that it concerned me until two days ago. I don’t have the insight that Allen has with animals and I believe he knew the worst was coming. Two days ago it came to the point that he did not have enough strength to get up and even with help, he could not accomplish that one task. It was then that it sank in, it would not be long before he just gave up and he did. He just closed his eyes and slept, peacefully without pain.
So, now he is in Animal Heaven and we will miss him but, we will keep him in our hearts.
Healthy as a Horse
When you think about horses, what comes instantly to mind? Most people envision a group of wild stallions surging through the chaparral and sage of the Old West, or maybe a thoroughbred racing around the track on the way to glory. In any case, horses are usually associated with their fluid movement and powerful strides. All of these motions are facilitated by healthy joints.
In order to keep equine joints strong and fully operational, some owners and trainers seek out horse joint supplements. These help to bolster the function of fibrous, cartilaginous and synovial joints. Without a full range of movement, horses are restricted to loping along at a pathetic pace. Supplements ensure that they can live up to their full potential as steeds that gallop at breakneck speeds.