farmlife | one_local_gal

He was a keeper. That was easy to see from the first. He was the right color, good temperament, but best of all he showed signs of being the perfect height and build. Yes, indeed, he was a keeper.

Foaled February 12, 1988 at Mom’s Tag-Along Farm located, at that time, in Gaithersburg, MD. She had big plans from the start for him. She, and my step-father, Carl, bred, raised and showed Miniature horses for 20 years. It was their retirement ‘fun’. And fun they had. His registered name is Tag-Alongs Boomerang, which was quickly shortened to BR. It has held ever-since.

Mom and BR had many fun outings at miniature horse shows.

He was just a baby when Tag-Along Farm moved to Clifton Forge, Va. Days were full for this miniature horse who was sure he stood 16 hands tall! He was one of two breeding stallions for the 26 head of broodmares on the farm. He was a show stallion, an entertainer (see above photo), and a perfect show-off host to farm visitors.

Time marches on, and upon Carl’s death, the horses were sold. All except five. BR was one of the five. They were pals, he and Mom, and she could not let him go. So, she gelded him and the five lived out their later years at the farm until Mom passed away. And now, he, and his stablemates are here at Blue Rock Horses & Farm.

And today he turned 30!

Today BR is 30 years old!

He got lots of treats at feeding time tonight!

Good ‘ole BR, even with all his white, still looks real fine in his blue halter.

Cobwebs happily flutter in the gentle breeze in all the corners of the doors, stalls, and rafters; dust seriously collects in and on every available space; hay and straw are strewn all over the floor like children’s lego blocks; and surely not to forget all the poo deposited in the four corners of each stall. Why would anyone want to clean one of these messy, dusty ‘ole places?

Cobwebs hang and happily flutter in every corner!

Hay and straw cover the floor like children’s lego blocks.

Suppose it is confession time for this PFO. There is no time like time spent out in the barn. It does not favor any season of the year nor time of day. Anytime of the year is a wonderful time to be out in it, and every hour has it’s own specialness. The smells, temperatures, and critters all vary during a day. Several of the critters were put there by this PFO. Others appropriated it for themselves, seeing it very fit for raising and feeding their family. One must be very still and quiet to catch a glimpse of those that have adopted it as their home, for they keep to themselves, and come out only when all is either dark or quiet. As God would have it, they are a benefit to the ecosystem of the barn. The barn swallows eat pesky, biting flies, as do the spiders. The black snakes eat the mice. They also add to the overall mess! But it is nothing a hot cup of coffee and pre-breakfast homemade biscuit cannot handle.

A hot cup of coffee and buttered homemade biscuit can handle any mess in the barn.

Certain sounds and smells are unique only to barns, and a well-kept barn always has the sweet smell of fresh hay wafting in the air. Horses stamp their feet impatient for feed, cows moo softly as they saunter in, the chuckles are busy working in the manure piles (good Chuckles!), the baby birds are chirping high up in the rafters for more, more food from busy parents.

It is a dusty, dirty satisfying job. Being a good steward is important. Visitors to the farm go away with a good or bad idea of farming and how this farm is run. The goal is to send them off with a smile, knowing these animals (and farm) are well cared for.