When you bring horses to your own farm for the first time, there are a lot of unexpected things that you learn quickly! Vlogger Shelley Paulsen recently brought her beloved mare Maggie Sue home from a boarding barn, and then added Fritzie to the mix as well!
From just how much poop they really do generate, to the incredible support system it takes to have horses on your property, Shelley shares a few key learnings that just might help you out if you are considering bringing horses on to your property for the first time.
Listen in as she shares “6 Things I’ve Learned in 6 Months of Caring for Horses.” Oh, and fair warning – you might want a kleenex in hand! Happy tears, we promise!
If you’ve been through this journey, share in the comments other things that new horse owners should know!
What a fortunate woman. A place for her horses at home, a supportive husband and (obviously) the funds to support it all and the good health and strength to get it all done.
All I could think of is the countless women I know who are doing the same thing on their own, without enough money to buy the best sub-zero clothes, without the confidence of knowing they will be able to pay the mortgage/rent, without a supportive husband.
Kudos to Shelley for having the self-awareness to realize how the caretaking part of horse ownership enriches her life. Kudos to everyone who is out there in the paddock or barn in the cold or the rain, doing the best they can for their horses, with whatever resources they have.
May the fortunate ones always take a moment now and then to count their blessings.
Hi Fran! Indeed you are right, I am a very fortunate woman! I count my blessings every day, and do all I can to share those blessings with others, as I know not everyone has the opportunity and resources to have what I have.
In addition to caring for my animals, I work endless hours running my own business (which brings in more than half our income), deal with limitations due to chronic health issues from a traumatic brain injury, and do without a lot of other things in order to afford this privilege. It hasn’t come easy, but it has been worth it!
Thanks for taking the time to watch my Vlog and leave a comment!
I was horse crazy from infancy. My mother told me my first sentence was “Wanna wide a pony!”
At age forty, pregnant with twins, my husband and I bought 120 acres with a house that hadn’t been lived in for years. We had a well drilled and installed plumbing and a septic tank. We built a barn with ten stalls, a feed/tack room, and a wash rack, and moved in shortly after the twins were born.
I would have to write a book in order to list all the things I didn’t know about caring for horses, cattle, sheep, and chickens, not to mention keeping the children safe….
But it was heaven on Earth!
What an amazing adventure Susan! I’m sure it wasn’t always easy, but what an exciting experience. Thanks for sharing your story, we love to hear about people’s passion for their animals!