On my first day at the farm, in addition to all of the fabulous things in my first post, I got to go horseback riding! I love to ride horses, even though I don't have many equestrian skills. I have been told that my comfort and confidence around horses helps them to respond well to me even though I don't know what I'm doing, for which I am truly thankful.
This is Chevy, the beautiful and gentle horse who kindly carried me through the pine forests. I had a great ride with one of the owners, who explained to me that eventually, she'd like to take small groups of people from the city for rides like this, as part of the way to keep the farm profitable. I think that's a great idea, as she has lovely horses and a beautiful place to ride!
The next day, after visiting all the animals again and making sure Patty's donkey friends were safe and happy after the rain in the night, we got to help with an awesome job - making friends with the foals and getting them used to human contact! We went up to their big field, and lead the three friendly mothers down the hill into little paddocks, with the flighty foals following their mothers while staying a little ways away from us at all times.
This is Patty with one of the fillies, getting her used to being touched on the shoulder, where eventually a rope would go. The owner coached her in gently increasing the pressure, and in watching the filly's eyes to judge when she was getting too stressed. The goal, she explained, used to be to "break" horses into submission, but now it is to gently help them to learn to be comfortable around people and to obey out of respect for the relationship. Sounds much better to me.
Also, I was excited because the owner asked me to name this young horse. I suggested Lizzie, which has always been one of my favourite names, and she loved it, so Lizzie it is.
After watching Patty and the owner work with Lizzie for quite a while, I decided to say hello to one of the other mother-daughter pairs. I figured that the filly would hide behind her mum, as she had been doing, but that I could hang out with the mare until it was their turn. The filly had started limping on the way down the hill, so I was hoping to be able to see if there was anything visible hurting her. The owner had said she'd just have to leave her, because she wasn't tame enough to get a good look yet.
To my amazement and excitement, as soon as I walked into the paddock, the filly walked right up to me and put her beautiful, soft nose on my chest! Wow! She stayed there for a bit while I petted her, and the owner looked up and saw her being so friendly and was thrilled!
The owner suggested that I take advantage of the moment to look at her leg if she'd let me, and she did! She stood so calmly and let me run my hand up and down her legs, on which I found no hurts of any kind (although admittedly, would I recognize a horse injury if I felt one? Probably not).
After we hung out for a bit, it was her turn to go into the small training paddock with her mum, but she wouldn't go unless I gave her little pushes and walked along next to her. We're close friends now, clearly! Lucky me!
Also, I got to help name her as well, and then owner and I settled on Duchess, which is appropriate for such a lovely little horse! Also, I am now friends with nobility.
I also made friends with this miniature pony name Smokey, who had just arrived at the farm a few days before I did. I adored him, because while he was very nervous around people, he was also determined to make friends, and would come right over whenever Patty and I came to his paddock. He would stick out his nose and want to be touched, but any sudden movement would cause him to pull away... but only for a second, because he'd come right back and try to make friends. I found this irresistibly endearing, and wish that I had more time to become friends with him.
For a break between farming adventures, Patty and I sat down with the other boarder at the farm (with whom Patty had become great friends) and drank tea and worked on a puzzle.
In all modesty, I would like to share that I have inherited my mother's penchant for puzzles, and made fantastic progress in the time I worked on it!
That evening I said goodbye to Patty, wished her well on the next leg of her journey (to India), received an open invitation to visit the farm again, and drove home. I stopped on the way because I thought this view was too beautiful not to photograph.
Although I didn't know this at the time, I can now tell you that the next leg of Patty's journey did not end up taking her to India, as visa issues prevented that flight, so she is still in NZ. She has left the farm and traveled up to a new Helpx site in Kerikeri, which is north of Auckland and has amazing beaches. She seems to be doing well and enjoying the extra time in the amazing country - and who wouldn't?
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