Farm Life Farm Wife - The Perils of Owning Livestock

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Tuesday, February 5, 2008

The Perils of Owning Livestock

You can tell I'm scrounging when I dig into the Archives for source material. But the fact is that it's pretty boring around here lately--since jury duty is over. So I found these old pictures and thought I'd WARN you against giving into your children's pleas for pets larger than a goldfish.

This is Kristel with her horse, Panda. Now Panda belonged to our friends at church, but when their daughter grew up, they gave her to us for Kristel (age 11). Panda was a ripe old age 23, and our friends figured this was the old girl's retirement plan. Since we were already into "livestock mode," having milked goats, raised sheep and chickens, raised calves for beef, as well as meat and angora rabbits, we figured how hard can it be to keep a horse?

It's not hard; just expensive. And you can't eat them. Between worming and the farrier, the hay and grain, she cost a bit more to keep then...say...chickens. But Kristel and her brother played with her a lot. She braided her tail, rode her in the huge field across the street (where, incidentally, she lives in her house in the development now), played "store" and had a ball.

But there were a few added costs to this new pet;
1) Christmas Eve--we come home at midnight to a horse shed full of water; Panda had knocked the faucet off the automatic waterer and it was flooding the shed. Turn off water. Fix another day.
2) Panda decided not to get off Kristel's foot one day, and here was the result:

Surgery and stitches. Pain and payment. But worth it, right?

When we knew they were going to develop the field across the street into houses, we couldn't keep Panda any longer. One acre isn't enough room, and we had no trailer. So we WALKED her home--clear on the other side of town. Panda lived another 10 years!
Go with chickens next time. When they don't cooperate, you can eat them.

Kristel and Chad proudly holding up our freshly killed "dinner." City cousin, Sherry, not so sure about the whole thing.

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Comments

Tuesday, February 5, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by OklahomaSweetPea06

thanks for sharing us on this journey down memory lane, I had a good laugh, all the way to the end!

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Friday, February 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

Yucky toe!
I'm enjoying your blog though...I'm going to link you.
~Dalyn
http://muckbootsnaprons.blogspot.com/

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Monday, February 18, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by desertoasis

Hi Susan! I remember that tea post now (I commented before on it). That is so fun to meet a fellow blogger too!

I would LOVE to live in WA, I've always thought it was the most beautiful state, full of trees and mtns. sigh. Well DH will be moving probably (unless he gets in a rut) after he gets his 6 initial loans done so he will be a certified loan officer and able to transfer into banks or other USDA offices.

Luthien would love a horse, but reading this, maybe someone else's horse would be better lol.

thanks for stopping by!
Denise
aka /HeartnSoul on HSB

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Monday, February 25, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

This is so true. We have 3 horses - no pasture (we live in Arizona) and it's costing way too much. We have 1 for sale.

The picture of your kids with their 'kill' is too cute. The city cousin looks just like how I would look I'm sure. :)

Elisabeth

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/timbuck2mom/

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Monday, February 25, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

I found your blog from a link you had about Tub Butter. You had entered into a carnival.

My oldest memorized the entire speech by Patrick Henry and this past June, while we were in Virginia, we went to the church where Patrick Henry gave his speech and my son got to sit in the area Mr. Henry would have sit and recite the speech.

Thanks for sharing what your family does.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/timbuck2mom/

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Saturday, March 22, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mum26

Beth has kindly put your buttons on my blogs!
She's not at all deterred by the foot photo and dreams horses. :)

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Saturday, April 5, 2008 - Great Blog

Posted by megroocam

I've thoroughly enjoyed your blog. I plan to come back. I, too, write some, though my writing is mostly journalism. I would love to do some fiction stories later in life, but for now...it's just inspirational news as we need the money.
Blessings in all you do.
Tandy Sue

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