Cackling Ranch - A journal of things and stuff.

[Ferguson K]

For those of you that know me, you know I'm not one of many words. This is for those of you that don't.

I'm a retail store manager, and have worked very hard to get here. My husband and I raise La Mancha, Nigerian Dwarf, and Mini Mancha dairy goats. We show actively and occasionally make soaps from our girls. Mostly, though, we feed it back to the critters... we have lots of critters.

Backing up a step:

I was born and raised on a poultry farm. We raised exotics, think Emu... I had an entertaining childhood full of adventure in deep east Texas. When the Emu 'fad' blew up in the early 90's, so did my families business. Although the Emu went south the chickens, pheasant, chukar, and quail did not. In 2010 I took over the family 'business' of sorts. I had my ups and downs, and eventually 'sold out' to follow a different dream in 2013. I moved to another city with my (at the time) two best horses for work. When my Husband moved back in 2014, we moved back to the Houston area. I refound my love of poultry and imported several exotics. We had a menagerie of livestock, over 1000 birds, horses, you name it. Life happened and we downsized, keeping only a select amount of goats and 3 of our horses. We eventually picked up and sold some pigs, time just wasn't in our favor keeping them fed for the table, and finally settled back into a normal life.

Present day we have around 30ish goats, 3 (soon to be 2) horses, a bajillion dogs and cats, and a handful of chickens. We own on a small property in East Texas and are in the process of moving back to South Texas for my husband's job. I'm an active photographer, and have a photography business on the side.... I know, I'm crazy. I run three businesses! I never rest, hardly eat, and can sleep when I'm dead.

Here's a few of our loved ones! In no particular order. I could fill up pages with pictures.... but that will come.


My sweet Maya, who is coming to the end of her old age.

The rotten, the spoiled, the lovely Miss Anna.

The sweetest old man ever, Titan. Titan just turned 17 and is going on 'strong!' He's a lover and think's all babies are his. ALL BABIES.

Blue and Sugar, our retired Hog Dogs.

The destructive, the mighty, my heart and joy Beau.

Some of our goats: Ruby and Junebug

The love of my life, this mare has been through so much of my life. We've traveled all over this great country together. She's retired now, living the high life in my pasture. "Mama". Mama is a Northern Mustang, she comes from the same region as the famous 'Cloud' stallion. I've had her since I was 14 years old, and will have her until she takes her dying breath.

And, just for fun, an Osprey.

 

[Ferguson K]

Life has a funny way of happening. This week we say goodbye to our dairy herd. It's become something of a task to care for them. I'm over whelmed with my husband being gone for work. It was a tough decision but one I needed to make. I do not have the time to milk twice a day and fill feeders and care for them. They're starting to suffer and have become more of a money pit. I can no longer justify them.

I thoroughly enjoy horses. I have lived an equus life my entire adult hood. The past few months of not riding due to having lame horses has been tough. Losing Maya woke something up inside me. We made the decision to sell the goats and are acting on it. Most of them sold within hours of being up. Benefits of selective breeding and quality goats, I suppose.

I'm starting a new chapter, which is an old chapter. I'm getting back into riding and rodeo. I'm going back to doing what I love most. Spending time in the saddle and not behind a goats rear. One day I'll have goats again, one day when I have time. Today is not that time.

We're introducing two new faces while saying goodbye to the goats.

Meet Xena:

And Secret:

Two rescued AQHA / APHA mares with broken pasts. Xena is every horseman's dream. Well mannered, well started, well taught. Secret, on the other hand, is a bit of a project. I pick her up next week.

Here's to starting a familiar new chapter, getting back into a passion that has driven me since I was a child. When I was 5/6 I was so desperate to ride I actually rode a cow. "Rachel". I'll dig up the pictures eventually. When I was 6/7 I befriended the man up the road with horses and started riding with him. By the time I was a teenager I was enthralled. It never went away.

My two surviving seniors have deserved their retirement and are living the retired life out in the pasture.

I can not wait to saddle up Xena and go hit the trails, but she has to finish quarantine first and get the all clear from the vet. That, however, is a story for another day.

 

[Ferguson K]

Another of Maya back in her hayday:

More of Mama:

 

[Ferguson K]

Here's a few more pictures of Maya over the years.

The first one is our very first picture together... 2006-2007 era.

Maya has never been my #1 girl. She has never been the first horse that crosses my mind when I want to go riding. She's always been there for me though. My go to girl is an absolutely insane mustang mare that stole my heart when I was 14. Maya was the first horse that I gave her as a pasture buddy that she didn't beat up on. The first horse that she got along with. Their bond was instantaneous. Over the years the two of them followed me across the country and across my soul seeking journeys. Many horses came and went, but they were always there.

Maya, however, was special from day one. Her first night with me she jumped the fence ( she was a show jumper ) and spent the night running up and down the pasture next door screaming for her former pasture mates. It took us several hours to calm her down enough to catch her. I finally got my hands on her, haltered her, and walked her home. When the sun came up she was still standing where I left her, looking lost. I took pity on her and saddled her up, western of course, and took her for a stroll. She was so calm, so relaxed. I had never ridden a horse that was so care free. She didn't spook at any of the new sights or smells and kept her head high, taking it all in. I was in love.

She had only one flaw - you couldn't touch her face. If you moved to fast near or around her face, she set back and reared. I spent months desensitizing her to things around her face. Ropes, tarps, noodles, you name it. I tried everything. One day I reached up and stroked the soft spot between her eyes, where that moon shape in her mane was. She relaxed immediately. I rubbed that spot until she went to sleep. It became a daily routine.

When I broke my back in 2009, Maya was the first horse I rode when the doctor gave me the go ahead. It took me over an hour to saddle her. She never moved, never batted an eye. When I finally got the courage to tighten the girth and pull myself into the saddle, she stood tall and proud. She waited on me to be seated and asked her for a step. It took my breath away. I was in so much pain. She waited. She listened. She under stood. As the months progressed and my rehab back into the saddle healed my soul, Maya was there for me. Every day. We ended each ride, however long or short it was, with a rub in that soft spot.

Maya taught both of my nephews to ride. She taught many kids all over Texas how to ride. She was a gentle horse and I was always willing to throw a beginner on her back. She took care of everyone.

I decided one day to see what Maya would do if I carried a flag... again, she never batted an eye.

Our entire decade together that's just who she was. A special mare with a special heart. Those big, brown eyes always forgave when I did something stupid. Always forgave a rider when they didn't know what they were doing.

She was a special horse. We had a special bond.

Two years ago Maya got hurt in an accident at the stable we were boarding at. One of the other horses cornered her and beat her into a bloody pulp. Shortly after that she bowed a tendon. Maya was 'retired'. The occasional small child rode her, and every now and then so did I, but she was retired none the less. She spent the last several years plodding around the front yard getting into all sorts of trouble. Stealing grain from the goats when I was milking them, getting into bales of alfalfa that I had stashed, breaking into the feed room... you name it, she was a houdlum! Maya followed me around as I was feeding every evening and stole bites out of all the buckets. When I was filling hay feeders, she plopped around and took a bite out of each feeder. Ensuring that no feeder had more or less than the one previous. When I got done she would wander over to the weanling pen, lean over their fence, and munch away on the alfalfa with the babies until she grew tired. Then she would wander over to the large bales and either lay or lean on them, depending on her mood.

The day the vet came out Maya knew. I don't know how, but she knew. That unspoken language between us. She followed us around while we collected fecals from the goats in the pastures. When I grabbed her halter she didn't run away, a usual game for us, she stood and looked me in the eyes. I stroked that soft spot between her eyes and laid my head on her shoulder while the vet prepped the shot. She sighed and looked at him, asking him to get it over with. She was in pain and tired of being that way. She was gone in 30 seconds. Even the vet was amazed at how quickly she went. Most animals gasp for air and struggle, sometimes requiring a second shot. Not my Maya. She put her head on my shoulder and then she was gone.

It took me two days to cry the ugly cry. I almost lost it several times that afternoon. I almost lost it when the tractor began moving the dirt, but I didn't. I laid on top of her and stroked her neck and shoulders. I laid beside her and stroked that soft spot between her eyes. I cried softly into the hair on her side as I stroked her cheek. When it was time to move her into the hole, I politely excused myself and went for a walk. I did not lose it then. I came close when my husband pulled me into him and wiped away the tears, but I did not lose it. I did not want her to see me cry. When it finally hit me I cried the ugly cry until I could not breath. I cried the ugly cry until I fell asleep. My husband held me and handed me tissues as I filled the ones in my hands. He would squeeze me tight and remind me to breath by taking exuberant breaths and exaggerating his breathing. He would do that until I was breathing normally again, and then continue to let me cry. It was nice.

Every day I look for her as I head to my truck on my way to work, looking over to where the hay is stored expecting to see her amongst the bales happily destroying them to find only the pieces she wants. She is not there. She is forever in her favorite resting spot under the oak tree. She is free.

I could post a thousand pictures, but I wont. It doesn't take a thousand to show who Maya is. It takes one.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Here's how to sex them.... boys crows....girls lay an egg! Sorry - I amuse myself! Sometimes....

I do love Cochins though - they're so fluffy!

 

[Ferguson K]

So this evening after I got done playing in the garden and feeding everyone, I went out to give Xena her medicine. She has an upper respiratory infection ( basically shipping fever ) and has been getting Penicillin for the last few days. She's definitely feeling better... she saw me coming with that needle and was on the MOVE. She does NOT like getting shots.

I can do anything to this mare, and I mean anything, except spray her with fly spray and give her a shot.

After I finally gave her her medicine I brushed her down, picked her feet, and leaned on her for a while just scratching her back. She seemed to really enjoy it. I'm absolutely in love with this mare.

 

[Ferguson K]

The new installments. I ordered the cups last year sometime and finally put them to use. Everything else we already had. Drill bits, drill, silicone...

 

[Ferguson K]

To keep from flooding my journal IMMEDIATELY, check out my facebook pages for more photography and goat pictures.

Goats - www.facebook.com/cacklingranch
Pictures - www.facebook.com/pondsedgephoto

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Glad you're here!!!

 

[Ferguson K]

Thanks @sumi I really enjoy it.

@samssimonsays I'm doing a garden in pots this year. In case The move is sooner than later. We have 7 tomato plants, 14 different peppers, and an assortment of herbs. I get squash and cucumbers from the hay guy.