Cherry Hill - Cherry Hills Horsekeeping Almanac

CHERRY HILLS
HORSEKEEPING
ALMANAC

THE ESSENTIAL MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE

FOR EVERYONE WHO KEEPS OR CARES FOR HORSES

Illustrations by Elayne Sears

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Deborah Burns
Editorial assistance by Melinda Sheehan
Art direction by Cynthia N. McFarland and Alethea Morrison
Cover design by Alethea Morrison and Jon Valk
Text design by Vicky Vaughn Design

Illustrations by Elayne Sears
Maps and image coordination by Ilona Sherratt
Photograph on page 14 by Randy Dunn

Indexed by Susan Olason, Indexes & Knowledge Maps

2007 by Cherry Hill

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information, please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.
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Printed in the United States by CJK
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hill, Cherry, 1947
Horsekeeping almanac/Cherry Hill.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-58017-684-2 (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. HorsesCalendars. 2. HorsemanshipCalendars. I. Title.
SF285.H549 2007
636.1--dc22

2007032328

DEDICATION

To my mother, Sally George,
91 years young, who followed her own Almanac
while raising five children.

Thanks, Mom, for passing along your love of nature
and for teaching me how to cook, can, and make soap!

And to Richard,
husband, best friend, and fellow horsekeeper,
who has helped make my dreams come true.
Thank you, Richard, for everything!

God forbid that I should go to any heaven where there are no horses.

Robert Bontine Cunningham-Graham in a letter to Theodore Roosevelt, 1890

I CANT IMAGINE life without horses. They are the thread that ties the stuff of life together. Horse ownership asks us to give, but we receive so much more in return. Although horsekeeping is a year-round task requiring dedication and hard work, the benefits are there for us every day.

We horsekeepers tend to our horses needs every day at least twice a day, often before our own. We tend to their feeding, grooming, and exercise, as well as buying feed, cleaning and repairing tack, maintaining land and facilities, and much more. Many aspects of horse ownership require hard physical labor: shoveling manure, toting bales, carrying water, training, and riding. Sometimes we have to make trade-offs. We might have to give up something wed like to do or have in order to ensure that our horses receive proper care. We might have to interrupt our sleep, work schedule, or love life to take care of a foaling mare or an injured or ill horse, or to meet with our veterinarian or farrier. During the winter, when we are least likely to ride, our horses require just as much care as they do during the summer. We also have legal obligations to our horses, our neighbors, and other horse owners in the area, as well as to pedestrians and motorists that pass by our properties.

We horsekeepers are dedicated and hardworking and reap the many benefits that horsekeeping provides. A relationship with a horse can be very fulfilling. A horse doesnt talk back but does tell us, using body language and other nonverbal communication, how he interprets our actions. A horse reveals our tendencies and provides the opportunity for us to become better people. Caring for and interacting with horses can make us more reliable, thorough, trust-worthy, honest, and consistent. People who have difficulty working with other people often find that a horse can teach them the meaning of teamwork. When we work closely with a horse, it becomes a partnership. Each of us has certain obligations to the other, and when those are met consistently on both sides, there is the potential for a great relationship.

An honest, trustworthy horse can provide invaluable therapy for us when our life is hectic. Riding can reduce stress and stop unhealthy mental conversations. Few experiences equal a trail ride in the fresh air, especially amid gorgeous scenery. Riding down a road or in an arena can also be enjoyable and beneficial for us and our horses in many ways. A rein-swinging walk can connect us to natural rhythms; a brisk trot with its metronome-like quality is physically invigorating; a rolling cross-country gallop rekindles the sensations of freedom.

We horsekeepers receive regular exercise and daily inspiration. Grooming, cleaning, health care, and riding involve many muscle groups and types of activities. Horsekeeping can help us establish good habits and routines and bring order to a chaotic life. Horses are a feast for the eyes. But then, you already know that if you are a horsekeeper. They are beautiful to watch resting, grazing, playing, and moving with energy and grace. They provide a valuable opportunity for learning about animal behavior. Their reactions and interactions are fascinating and provide us with stories to tell our family and friends. Horses are such treasures. They encourage us to live passionately. Our work becomes our play.

The master in the art of living makes little distinction
between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure,
his mind and his body, his information and his recreation,
his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which.
He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does,
leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing.
To him hes always doing both.

Zen text

TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA of where my horsekeeping advice comes from, I thought Id describe our facilities, climate, horses, and horse activities. We have 70 acres of nonirrigated semiarid pasture in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains in northern Colorado. There is a year-round creek running through the three largest pastures. A seasonal spring runs through two other pastures. Natural shelter includes trees, ravines, and large rock outcroppings. The pastures are fenced and cross-fenced as indicated on the accompanying map and result in 12 pastures that range in size from approximately acre to 10 acres.

The climate is semiarid; we average 15 to 17 inches of precipitation per year. It is a mild climate for its 7,000-foot elevation. During the summer the temperature rarely rises above 90F, and during the winter, we have only short patches of days below freezing. Occasionally there is a string of days below zero and snow over 3 feet.