It's so fun watching the babies grow up. I raise them in the living room of my home, so they get plenty of attention and also learn that household noises are really nothing scary, just in case one of my babies goes to a pet home.I also had a chance to go through some photo's taken over Easter, although none of them are bunny related, I do have a lovely one of my puppy. Copper is now 4 months old. He is a black and tan coonhound, a rather rare breed.
He is fixed already and is learning commands. He sits on a dime! Very smart boy. He opens doors, moves gates and you name it. I'm amazed at how well he can learn things, but he's already extremely stubborn. It shouldn't have shocked me, as hounds are known for it. I had two Scottish Deerhounds growing up, lovely dogs and very well mannered, another very rare breed. I couldn't go through having another one, after I lost the first two at age nine due to bone cancer (the breed has several genetic issues). So this time, when I decided to adopt a puppy, I wanted something different but also a dog that would do well with all the animals. Copper is such a good puppy! He would never hurt a bunny, he plays with our rescue kitties and just watches the chickens. He's too scared of the horses to really go near them, but will touch noses with them over the stall doors. Silly, considering he's not a small dog. He's currently 30lbs and we except him to mature between 65 and 75lbs, possibly more, except I won't let him get fat. He'll be out running with me and hiking in the woods.
Copper has been quite a fun little guy though. We are changing his feed though, to Solid Gold Wolf, a holistic feed made with bison and duck. I'm going to try a full holistic approach with his diet, much like the horses. Basically meaning he'll get nothing humans eats (although mutli grain wheat thins, he loves those! His other favorite treat, ice cubes). I'm looking forward to taking him out on runs and long hikes, but till he's eight months old he can only go out for two miles (stress on growing joints will be harmful if more than that). He's also a blast to take out with me, to stores like Petco and Tractor Supply, along with other 'doggie' okay stores. People tend to ask what breed he is and he loves all the attention. He's been great on car rides, he even went on vacation with us (my boyfriend and I) to NC in early February. Puppies are just so fun! He just had his third set of vaccines, three more sets to go. He won't be happy about that next week, although he wags his tail more than any puppy I know.
Back to bunnies... I have some hopeful babies in the nestboxes. I'm starting to see some cute faces and hopefully some lovely typy bunnies. It'll be fun to have some Hollands for the show tables if I get any time to go this year or next.
Things overall are busy here on the farm. We're expecting the birth of a lovely pinto Oldenburg foal in the next two weeks. I'm very excited about this foal, it has been two years since a baby was born here.
This spring will be full of horse training in my free time, so bunny updates may not be as possible as I was hoping. I have a four year old mare to start under saddle, she needs to be marketed as well. She is a beautiful half Andalusian mare, a black with snowflakes all over. I just adore her, and I'll post more about her soon. I also have her full sibling, but two years younger (their dam had a year between foals to just rest and hang out). He is just stunning! Amazing movement. He is a black with white socks, and a blanket (I love appaloosa markings on classy looking horses). Which also makes me a little sad, as this past year I sold a wonderful, talented mare. Crown Jewel, an appaloosa x thoroughbred bred mare I purchased when I was sixteen years old. I worked several part time jobs after school and then over the summer to save up enough savings to purchase another horse (at the time I had my lovely Morgan pony, whom I had for 15 years and she was put to sleep at age 26 because of a brain tumor that could not be medically managed).
Anyhow, Jewel was my second mare. She was completely untouched, other than haltering and being led. After eight years of training, she was competing second level dressage and a solid 2'6" packer.
At 12 years of age, I decided to move her on, as her training was not going to go further. It was one of the hardest things I had to do, and I also had to face the fact that she was slightly too small for myself to ride (I'm 5'8" and on her slender TB body, looked a little odd). I turned down so many homes and owners for her, it took several months till a mother and daughter, as well as a trainer from MI contacted me about her. After sending photos, video and several phone calls, we decided it would be a lovely match! The daughter, 13 years old, was looking for a low level dressage mount with training. Jewel was just a perfect match, and as a bonus she was trick trained by myself as well (she bowed, backed, and was target trained, she also was schooling several upper level dressage movements). It was a lovely match and Jewel is the diva of the barn. Matches like these are rare, but I think if owners of their horses really try to place their horses in the best of homes, then it works out fantastic for all the humans involved, along with the horse. Which is something I need to carefully think about when it comes time to market these few horses in the late spring.
Myself riding on Jewel, August 07, before she left for her new home in Sept.
This spring will be full of horse training in my free time, so bunny updates may not be as possible as I was hoping. I have a four year old mare to start under saddle, she needs to be marketed as well. She is a beautiful half Andalusian mare, a black with snowflakes all over. I just adore her, and I'll post more about her soon. I also have her full sibling, but two years younger (their dam had a year between foals to just rest and hang out). He is just stunning! Amazing movement. He is a black with white socks, and a blanket (I love appaloosa markings on classy looking horses). Which also makes me a little sad, as this past year I sold a wonderful, talented mare. Crown Jewel, an appaloosa x thoroughbred bred mare I purchased when I was sixteen years old. I worked several part time jobs after school and then over the summer to save up enough savings to purchase another horse (at the time I had my lovely Morgan pony, whom I had for 15 years and she was put to sleep at age 26 because of a brain tumor that could not be medically managed).
Anyhow, Jewel was my second mare. She was completely untouched, other than haltering and being led. After eight years of training, she was competing second level dressage and a solid 2'6" packer.
At 12 years of age, I decided to move her on, as her training was not going to go further. It was one of the hardest things I had to do, and I also had to face the fact that she was slightly too small for myself to ride (I'm 5'8" and on her slender TB body, looked a little odd). I turned down so many homes and owners for her, it took several months till a mother and daughter, as well as a trainer from MI contacted me about her. After sending photos, video and several phone calls, we decided it would be a lovely match! The daughter, 13 years old, was looking for a low level dressage mount with training. Jewel was just a perfect match, and as a bonus she was trick trained by myself as well (she bowed, backed, and was target trained, she also was schooling several upper level dressage movements). It was a lovely match and Jewel is the diva of the barn. Matches like these are rare, but I think if owners of their horses really try to place their horses in the best of homes, then it works out fantastic for all the humans involved, along with the horse. Which is something I need to carefully think about when it comes time to market these few horses in the late spring.
Myself riding on Jewel, August 07, before she left for her new home in Sept.
