Below is the information for taking care of the horses.   Please refer to the pictures of the horses in the Horses section to know which horse is which!

The horses get fed in the morning and evening.... it varies depending on the time of the year.    Morning feeding is anywhere from 7am-9am.    Evening feed varies since I feed later in summer due to the heat.   During the hot days, I feed after 8:30pm.   During the other times of the year, I feed between 6-7pm.    

**** FOR EVENING FEED, it is best to feed the goat and sheep first so that they will be in their stalls and out of the way! **** 

The feed containers for the horses are in the tool/horse shower room off of the back porch.   The 2 large round containers with black tops is the horse feed .... and has a horse feed label on it.   There are 2 scoops used for the horses.... three large (teal) and one small (red).   The small red one is for determining the amount of feed each horse/donkey gets.  

There are 2 large round green containers on top of one feed container that will hold the feed for the donkey and for one mini .... and the other large round green container is in the large arena on the ground for the other mini.   The horses will get fed in the big silver metal feeders in the horse arena.

Put a full red scoop into each large teal scoop for the horses.

Put a full red scoop into one of the large round green containers for the donkey.

Fill the red scoop all the way up the handle .... the narrow part of the scoop and not any of the large area of the scoop.... and put into the other large round green container in the tool room for the mini and then fill the same amount into red scoop again for the other mini.

Call horses into the arena and don't give anybody food until they are all in.

*** The only difference between morning and evening feed is that the horses are closed out of the hallway all night so middle gate will be closed already and Murphy and Molly will be in hallway side.   And goats and sheep are already in their stalls. ***

Take the 3 teal scoops and the red scoop (partially full) and then walk down the barn hallway.   When you reach the 1st silver metal feeder, reach over fence and pour one teal scoop into the feeder that is furthest (closer to the other feeder).... the closer side should be very dirty since it is never used.   Nick will go to this feeder.   Then walk to next feeder and pour teal scoop into that closer side and Annabelle will go to that feeder.   Then walk to other side of that feeder and pour teal scoop into that further side and Boomer will eat from that feeder.      Now walk into the horse arena and leave that gate open.   Pour the red scoop into the large round green container on the ground and make sure Monty goes to that (and nobody else!).   Call Murphy and Molly to come into the hallway while the others are busy eating.   You may need to step away from the gate so that  Molly will come into the hallway.   After Murphy and Molly come in the hallway, then close the gate and put the hook on the gate so Nick will not open it.   If they don't come in before the horses finish eating then go ahead and close the gate so horses don't come into the hallway.   After they go into the pasture then you will have the opportunity to get the donkey and mini in the hallway..... but most of the time they do go in before the horses finish.

Once Murphy and Molly are in the hallway, get the large round green container that has the full scoop and set it down on the back porch near the table and leave the porch gate open for Murphy to come and go.  Take the large round green container with the partial scoop down the hallway and set it down for Molly.   Molly usually does not come up on the porch so I leave the gate open for Murphy to take her time.... she will eat slow and may walk down the game court to the end of it to eat the grass and then come back and go down the hallway .... and then I close the porch gate!

****** Don't FORGET Murphy is on the back porch and let dogs on back porch (Gemma, Carly or Jaxon) *****

There are 2 troughs in the large arena for the horses.   The hose runs from the tool/horse shower room to the trough.    Please make sure at least 1 trough is FULL each morning!   

There is 1 small trough in the barn hallway.   I don't fill this one every day but when it gets low, I fill it then.

**** I know it won't be fun trying to determine which hose is turned "on" when you look at the hose connector in the tool/horse shower room. *****

Alfalfa is in the last stall and is only for the horses, donkeys and mini horses ... NOT FOR goats or sheep!   KEEP CHAIN AROUND POST AND GOING AROUND STALL DOOR SO THAT HORSES DO NOT OPEN THIS STALL DOOR!!!!!!

They get alfalfa every evening year round.... try to do at least an hour after feeding grain.   Most of the time I do at bedtime. 

 IF THE PASTURE IS DRY, I grab an alfalfa flake and walk out the back of the hallway and towards the fence to the right.    The horses will come to that area as they know the routine.   Try to pull the alfalfa flake apart .... split into half.... and throw one half over the fence away from the fence.    Then walk down the fenceline about 20 feet and then throw the other half of the flake.    Then go back and get another flake and split it .... and go 20 feet further from last one and throw it.   Then come back up close to the arena and the little black and white mini should be standing there waiting so throw his half a flake up near the arena fence.

Then go get another flake and walk into the pasture you are already walking in (straight out from the hallway) and split flake in half and toss into 2 separate areas for mini and donkey.

IF THE PASTURE IS WET, then put half a flake in each of the feeders that you fed the horses in and throw half a flake in the arena on the ground near the mini's green bowl.    And then just make 2 piles in the hallway for the donkey and mini.

*** In Summertime or if not much grass in pasture, I give alfalfa in the morning after feeding grain.    After Molly has finished her grain in the hallway, then open the middle gate and let horses walk through.    The donkey and mini usually leave some alfalfa from night before so I just add to it.... not too much but if the horses act like they are starving then go ahead and put 3 piles of half a flake each.   If raining, then wait a couple of hours and then give horses half a flake each in their feeders and the same for the mini in the arena..... and then put half a flake down in the hallway for the donkey and for the mini

****** DO NOT LET GOATS and SHEEP OUT OF THEIR STALLS TIL THE HORSES HAVE CLEANED UP ALL THE ALFALFA FROM THE PASTURE STRAIGHT OUT FROM THE HALLWAY ***************

Currently, Monty is the only one on medication and it is for his skin condition and only during the Spring, Summer and early Fall.    His medication is on the top counter in the kitchen and is the compound powder.   I get a large Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Cookie (Walmart has the large and regular size cookies) and split it in half.   I open up the half and put a 3/4 scoop of the compound powder onto one side of the cookie and then put the top side back on it and kind of smush just a little to make sure the powder attaches to both sides.   I put it on the white plate at the backside of the drying dish rack then I go out to Monty and call his name.... he knows the routine and is looking for it most of the time!   I give him his morning med right after he has had his morning grain and I give him his evening med before he gets his dinner grain.  

I have others that need to be on meds but needing to wait right now .... but eventually Annabelle will need to be on Prescind for Cushings Disease ..... and in the Spring/Summer she needs to be on an allergy med for coughing if she has that problem.... mainly had it during a very dry summer where vet said alot of horses were having issues.    She hasn't had that problem this year.

Molly needs to be on a medication since I would be she has a thyroid problem.