Celebrating with Sparklers

I have written about this before, but like most people with pets and livestock, the 4th of July is not our favorite holiday. Obviously we appreciate the meaning of the day, it is the fireworks that accompany the day that we dread. I'm thankful that over 11 years of boarding retirees we have never had a 4th of July incident. We have occasionally had horses that are very alert and watchful, but they've never moved into flight mode and started running. In fact. most years the horses completely ignore the lights and noise. Apparently the horses really feel safety in numbers, and being in groups helps them feel secure. All that said, we never know if this year will be the year that a horse(s) decides to get really worked up and hurt themselves.

Usually by the time the 4th rolls around most of the creatures on Paradigm Farms are immune to the fireworks. All of the previews that happen on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd are good at getting them acclimated to the sights and sounds. I am happy to report that we made it through another 4th of July unscathed at the farm. My running joke every year is that I am going to run around on the 5th of July with a sparkler to celebrate the fact that we made it through another 4th. I've never managed to run up and down the driveway with my sparkler, but one of these years I'm actually going to carry through with my promise. Yes, I know, pictures or it didn't happen. One of these days . . .

Thomas and Apollo

Lily and Maisie grooming

Trigger, Chance and Convey

Ripley and Toledo

Squirrel and Sushi

Cisco and Levendi

Cocomo and Silver

Dawn and Cinnamon

Renatta and Calimba

Rip and Grand

Chance, Revy and King made a pretty picture with their sunset grazing

Taylor grazing, Alfie napping . . . 

. . . a closer look at Alfie

Digby, Paramount, Happy, Johnny and Lighty waiting to be fed

Sunday Stills

Dawn and Cuffie

Flyer, Asterik and Silver

Apollo and Hemi

Sam, Taco and Happy

Faune

Lofty and Gibson

Trigger and Cisco

Moe and Homer

King and Revy

George and Donneur waiting for breakfast

Cocomo and Gus

B-Rad, Blu and Lighty

Charlotte and Bonnie grooming

Marathon, Part 2

We finished our annual Spring Body Clipping Marathon on May 10th this year after starting on April 20th. I think we did 21 clips during round one of the marathon. We started round two about 2.5 weeks ago. Some of the Cushing's horses will only need the one clip they got in the spring. Others we will clip 3 or 4 times, some will get two clips, it just depends on the horse. So far Paramount, Renatta, King, Lily and Maisie have had their second clips, all staggered out over the last few weeks. My clippers get quite a workout spring through fall. The plan is to put them to work again tomorrow and give a couple more horses their second body clips.

Paramount checking out all of his hair; his second clip actually took place 2.5 weeks ago

his hair growth was too much but not as bad as others

Renatta had lots of hair to clip off for round 2; she'll be looking at a round 3  and probably a round 4; we also clipped her 2.5 weeks ago

Renatta's second clip job of the season

Lily is another one that will at a minimum need 3 clips  and possibly 4; she had her second clip 2 weeks ago

Lily in progress during clip 2

Lily's 2nd clip of the season

Maisie had her second clip yesterday

Maisie after her second clip

Charlotte

Rocky and Toledo

Cocomo

Cino and Havana

Bruno and Duesy

Levendi and King grazing in the fog

Roho and Gus

Magic, Rubrico, Ripley and Walon

Convey and Chance

Trigger

Thomas and Baby

Elfin, Grand and Rip

Gus, Roho and Rocky

Calimba and MyLight