tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post9033656526824710147..comments2024-03-08T16:13:12.521-05:00Comments on Journal of Ravenseyrie: The Way of WinterLynne Gerardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16107340619393934366noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post-57580055249557771172010-10-12T09:59:02.386-04:002010-10-12T09:59:02.386-04:00Monica,
What a fantastic idea...putting a sail on ...Monica,<br />What a fantastic idea...putting a sail on each of our toboggans would sure get us out to the forest quicker than trudging and pulling on snowshoes!<br /><br />I'll present Kev with this idea, as a joke, but who knows maybe he'll be inspired to engineer some workable contraption.<br /><br />Winter can indeed be fun, whether one is still a child, or just young at heart.<br />Lynne<br /><br />Thanks for reading, Monica.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post-34490826492081073052010-10-10T08:30:52.524-04:002010-10-10T08:30:52.524-04:00Hi Lynne,
Ever think of harnessing the wind to yo...Hi Lynne,<br /><br />Ever think of harnessing the wind to your advantage? You could do "windsurfing" on that flat stretch before the woods...with Kevin. Could be fun! When I was 6 yrs old , I would always be out on those " School Snow days" with my ski glasses on and like you scarf, long skidoo mits etc.. going down the backyard hill with my crazy carpet! Good idea to use a whistle and if you would be in an area that have bears, I would add "bells" too.Monica Bretschneidernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post-30745674159322038082009-12-26T07:32:09.830-05:002009-12-26T07:32:09.830-05:00Do you know what Kevin got for me as part of my bi...Do you know what Kevin got for me as part of my birthday present last week? A FOX 40 "Sonic Blast" whistle, and one for himself too. We've already tested them out during hay delivery to the woods and boy-howdy! they sure carry their sound through the wind and distance. So, for the present time (since our telepathic connection is yet reliable) we have a rather "low tech" means of alerting each other to our location when out in the elements.<br /><br />Eva, with all the roots, branches, shrubs, grass under the snow, etc. probably if we had waited to put hay out until after the blizzard the horses would have been fine, since they do supplement their diet regularly by browsing on things other than hay or grass. On the other hand, Mistral is almost thirty years old and there pregnant/lactating mares and foals which I sure don't want to become weakened by the harsh elements, so Kevin and I did feel it was important to get the food out there for them. Our mistake was not trusting that they would come back to the usual windbreaks to find the hay and instead we went searching for them. And the split herd situation makes for even trickier variables. I think we're all (horses and humans) understanding now that food will be in the two nearest windbreaks (or nearby them depending on which direction the wind is coming from) and each of us can rely upon the other to "be there".<br /><br />We have an old set of walkie-talkies which we might get new batteries for and use when the weather is really dicey...but to be honest, I don't want to carry those things all the time, they are a bit cumbersome. My "Sonic Blast" whistle is safety-pinned to my vest and east to use--and I'm maybe Kevin and I are a little more storm savvy than we were a few weeks ago!<br /><br />We actually like the physical labor and exercise of hauling hay and will keep doing it ourselves for now, but we may put machines to use or incorporate strategically placed hay stations in the woods years down the road when we get too old for this kind of physical exertion.Lynne Gerardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16107340619393934366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post-29498998630015785252009-12-21T11:56:39.360-05:002009-12-21T11:56:39.360-05:00Wow, Lynne, what an adventure, and some valuable l...Wow, Lynne, what an adventure, and some valuable lessons learned. Isn't it strange? the impulse to scold a loved one when they emerge unscathed from mortal danger? I am prone to the same idiotic behavior and have installed an alarm that goes off in my head when I am about to commit such folly.<br /><br />As often is the case, creative new ideas emerge from surviving an almost deadly ordeal. This one seems to be a winner:<br /><br />"strategically place the hay bales out in different windbreaks prior to the onset of winter, keeping them well covered with tarps and opening them up to the horses as needed."<br /><br />Do you think it is too late to haul one of the round bales out with the tractor or truck to the wooded area? I guess you would need two to accommodate the two herds. As Miek said, the horses WILL find the hay if it is always in the same place.<br /><br />Google "round bale feeder" and you get ideas for building feeding stations around those bales to protect them from the elements and minimize spoilage. Some of them are metal cage like things, but also wooden man made made ones. <br /><br />Now here is a question i really don't know the answer to: what would happen if you didn't feed at all during an actual blizzard? At Shadow's pasture they will not feed during a heavy winter storm, and the reason that was quoted to me (apart from the truck getting stuck) is that the horses will hide in the wind/rain protected woods and the hay gets wasted. Of course this is california and there is always something to eat on these 250 acres, even at the beginning of the rainy season when the grass is not there yet.<br /><br />Wild horses in the wild will dig through snow to find edibles, but during an actual blizzard they are probably just staying put somewhere waiting it out.<br /><br />I would think that the risk of one missed feed would be miniscule to the risk of you and Kevin perishing in the ice scape. But to be honest, i simply don't know the impact of missing a meal. Horses are not cats.<br /><br />Another thing you might consider: don't ever go out alone in that kind of weather, even if it takes more time.evahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352450297889697710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post-74418262619172954982009-12-20T07:51:09.813-05:002009-12-20T07:51:09.813-05:00Ditto the above comment Lynne!! Walkie talkies at ...Ditto the above comment Lynne!! Walkie talkies at the very least would have been a minimum safety net for you both. Glad everyone's ok!!Lesliehttp://www.myhorse.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572142164579536708.post-36964220300231832692009-12-20T05:20:15.543-05:002009-12-20T05:20:15.543-05:00Dear Lynne,
I just had a cup of cappuccino in fro...Dear Lynne,<br /><br />I just had a cup of cappuccino in front of my computer and read your story. The Netherlands is covered under a snow blanket about 25 cm thick by now, the perfect setting for reading your thriller. <br /><br />The photo’s you posted are so wonderfully illustrating your story. Ravenseyrie looks perfectly wild and so beautiful in this snow. While I can appreciate your motivation not to use a snowmobile or tractor, I would certainly try to have some means of communication with me when going outside like you do. I was wondering do mobile phones work at Ravenseyrie, or walkie talkies or a GPS or something? At least that way you could always locate each other in case of an emergency. I have no personal experience with the extreme weather conditions you live in, but from what I have read, the cold permits you few (if any) mistakes. It is ruthless and it can kill in a matter of hours. I think you know that better than I do, that’s why you were so worried about Kevin in the first place.<br /><br />I think delivering the hay at the same place every day is a good idea. The horses will find it I’m sure.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing this story Lynne, I will think of this when I am “struggling” through our 25 cm snow to clean the horses paddock!<br /><br />A big hug for Kevin, I am so happy he got back safe. I felt your worry myself while reading the story : -) <br /><br />MiekAnnemiekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09962378758056371983noreply@blogger.com