western australia

Breakfast for the ponies

@JudyEv (342088)

Rockingham, Australia

August 21, 2022 8:51pm CST

One of our daily tasks at our house-sitting job is to give the three horses a hay-net each morning. A strong, iron ring has been hammered into the tree-trunk and the hay net is suspended from the hook. You can see it in the top left photo. I take the three full nets down on a wheelbarrow and bring back the empty ones from the previous day. The top right and lower left photos show the horses feeding and the guinea fowl that hang around under the hay-nets to pick up any grain that happens to fall out. The lower right photo shows the ‘old, grey mare’ who is 28 years old. It’s not a very good photo but you can see she is showing her age. The trees are river gums. ‘Gum’ is synonymous with eucalyptus.

18 people like this

18 responses

@LovingMyBabies (85288)

• Valdosta, Georgia

22 Aug 22

They are beautiful! I know their a lot of work, but working with horses must be incredible.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

Yes, they are a lot of work but luckily these are quite easy to cope with.

1 person likes this

@ptrikha_2 (47069)

• India

22 Aug 22

That is some busy routine. The Horses would have become quite familiar with you by now! 28 years would be a good age for a Horse. Are the Guinea Fowls also becoming familiar with you?

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@ptrikha_2 (47069)

• India

23 Aug 22

@JudyEv They would be looking forward to this routine!

1 person likes this

@ptrikha_2 (47069)

• India

23 Aug 22

@JudyEv So Ponies can roam around a bit? But what if they go too far? Is there any fenced boundary?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

The horses wait for me each morning but the guinea fowl keep their distance.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RebeccasFarm (90464)

• Arvada, Colorado

22 Aug 22

Oh Judy this is so lovely!!

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@RebeccasFarm (90464)

• Arvada, Colorado

23 Aug 22

@JudyEv I do like it and you have.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

I'm glad you like it. I've taken a lot of photos really.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@LadyDuck (472074)

• Switzerland

22 Aug 22

How cute this old grey mare, I just love him. The guinea fowl know where to stay hoping to pick up some grains.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@LadyDuck (472074)

• Switzerland

22 Aug 22

@JudyEv I am sure they do, the sparrows and other birds wait for me in the morning, they know I bring seeds for them.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

They look forward to breakfast as much as the horses do.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@Ronrybs (19584)

• London, England

22 Aug 22

They all look fairly young to me, guess I don't have a 'horsey' eye!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

The grey has big hollows over her eyes. If she was side-on, her back would be a bit bowed down too.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Aug 22

@Ronrybs Maybe sometimes carrying heavy riders doesn't help but mostly it's just an age thing like people getting round-shouldered or bowed backs.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (19584)

• London, England

23 Aug 22

@JudyEv Is her back because of all those heavy people!

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RubyHawk (99405)

• Atlanta, Georgia

22 Aug 22

Thanks for the pictures. It must be an interesting three weeks. My sister and brother in law have a cattle ranch and I love the look of the pastures and open land.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

We've enjoyed being here and apart from the animals we haven't had a lot to do so it's not like it's strenuous.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

@RubyHawk Yes, we're having a farmstay holiday.

1 person likes this

@RubyHawk (99405)

• Atlanta, Georgia

23 Aug 22

@JudyEv You can enjoy the time you’re there like a vacation

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@rsa101 (38166)

• Philippines

22 Aug 22

That is nice to know that you are really living the farm life there. It seems like a very relaxing place there with just the horses roaming around and feeding them. Is there another animal out there that you are taking care of besides the bird, dog, and that horse?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

No, there is nothing else so we have a lot of free time - just like we do at our other place. But it's nice being able to go for walks with the dog.

1 person likes this

@rsa101 (38166)

• Philippines

22 Aug 22

@JudyEv I can imagine since they have a wide open space I think it would be nice to walk around there.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (47667)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

22 Aug 22

I'm glad you identified the guinea fowl... at first glance I thought they were stones...

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

It's amazing how some creatures really blend into their surroundings.

1 person likes this

@allknowing (137775)

• India

22 Aug 22

You are doing your duty diligently - your host is lucky.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

We like to do the right thing by people and it's pretty easy here.

1 person likes this

@rebelann (112966)

• El Paso, Texas

22 Aug 22

That's really cool, I rarely get to see things like this. As to the old gray mare, I wouldn't know an old one from a young one in a picture but I'm betting in a video it would be obvious as the young ones are more energetic.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

To me, her eyes look old and she has big hollows above her eyes which older horses often get. Certainly you could tell more easily in a video.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (108126)

• Marion, Ohio

22 Aug 22

I miss my guineas. She looks great. I would not have guessed that old.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@wolfgirl569 (108126)

• Marion, Ohio

22 Aug 22

@JudyEv I hope she does. My oldest was 35. So it is possible.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

She has been a great endurance horse and have never been lame or sick. Hopefully, she'll have a few more years yet.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RasmaSandra (80736)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

22 Aug 22

What beautiful ponies, It looks like you are in a really nice place.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

It's a very pretty spot except for the house being so cold. But we have been working around that okay.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (181721)

• United States

22 Aug 22

What nice looking horses; and I like the guinea fowl too. What fun to be watching animals!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

It's nice to watch the interaction between the animals.

1 person likes this

Zhang jing xuan

@zhangxueying (3339)

• China

23 Aug 22

There are few horses around me. When I was young, we had carriages. Farmers would use them to pull things.Now we have agricultural four-wheel vehicles, and horses can only be seen in grassland areas and horse farms.I'm glad to see your horse.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Aug 22

Thanks. I'm glad you liked the photos. I used to drive two horses in a carriage when I was younger. It was a lot of fun.

@Juliaacv (51359)

• Canada

22 Aug 22

She's a pretty grey mare, such gentle eyes. The trees are awfully interesting looking. While you stay here, out in the country, are you lucky enough to see any kangaroos?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

I was only thinking yesterday that we haven't seen one kangaroo. I guess there isn't really much bush around for them to hide in. The patches of bush are small and surrounded by acres of farmland.

1 person likes this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (61627)

• Centralia, Washington

22 Aug 22

Your house and horse sitting jobs will keep you young. You know that I am envying you, right?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

We just fell into this by mentioning the next one to these friends. I'm hoping they might pass the word on and we'll get some more house-sitting. No money changes hands but I like being out in the country rather than in the city.

1 person likes this

@FayeHazel (40243)

• United States

22 Aug 22

Very cool, 28 what a grand age for a horse.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

Some horses live longer than others and even those that are well looked after don't always live particularly long.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (14692)

• Hong Kong

22 Aug 22

Nice pictures. 28 years old is a grand age for a horse.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (342088)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Aug 22

Yes, that is certainly getting on in years.

1 person likes this