Ellsworth | Morning Bray Farm

October 24, 2011

I’m in love again

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: Bernard, Buck, donkey, Ellsworth |
[33] Comments

The Boyz and Gracie Belle did a wonderful job of welcoming Buck when he arrived at Morning Bray Farm yesterday.

Bernard was worried about losing his “Baby Bernard” status, so I explained to him that he will always be my “first-born,” and that I’ll never stop loving him more every day.

Ellsworth was a very concerned big brother, wanting to be sure that all of Buck’s needs were addressed:

Not to worry Ellsworth. We set Buck up with his very own temporary Buckingham Palace. As you can see, Buck made himself immediately right at home:

I spent the afternoon with Buck and discovered that he loves:

1. Being brushed and being loved on. Forever.

2. Granny Smith apples.

3. Carrots.

4. Peppermints.

I’m in love again. Head over heels. ♥ ♥ ♥

September 5, 2011

It felt like a herd this time

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys, Friends and Family | Tags: Bernard, Big Red, Carson, donkeys, Ellsworth, Lucy, Patrick, The 7MSN Ranch |
[25] Comments

Yesterday Don and I took Bernard, Ellsworth and Patrick to visit Carson and the herd at 7MSN.

Patrick hadn’t been loaded into a trailer since he came to Morning Bray Farm back in March, and we worried about how he would do.

Something I never told you is that Patrick’s former people used a cattle prod to trailer load him.

Well, world, I’m here to tell ya… Patrick don’t need no cattle prod to load into a trailer. Our fluffy boy walked right in.

I was so excited that he could be part of the adventure yesterday. So happy that he got to experience the beauty of life.

It was interesting how the addition of Patrick made things feel different. It felt like a herd this time. Just like that, the boys played and played.

The icing on the cake was my best ride yet on Big Red. Thanks to Carson and Lucy, Big Red and I learned a ton, gained confidence and had a blast.

We practiced a one-rein stop, we trotted, we loped and we maneuvered up and down and through and over various obstacles. Big Red was cooperative, willing and confident. Life was beautiful yesterday!

August 31, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: checking for alligators, Ellsworth, Nigel |
[11] Comments

August 5, 2011

Worth’s feelgoodometer

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: donkey, donkey happiness, Ellsworth |
[21] Comments

Ellsworth has a fairly accurate feelgoodometer.

His feelgoodometer is his upper lip.

The better the scritch…

… the more contorted his lip gets.

Ellsworth: Ah, that feels so good.

♥ ♥ ♥

August 3, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: donkeys, Ellsworth, riding donkeys, riding Ellsworth |
[23] Comments

July 11, 2011

To the river and through the woods

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: Big Red, Ellsworth, riding donkeys, riding Ellsworth, Trail riding |
[19] Comments

On Saturday morning, Don and I loaded Ellsworth into the trailer and headed down to see Ryan for a lesson and a trail ride. (Ellsworth walked right into the trailer with no aids, by the way.)

Once we arrived, we started by warming Ellsworth up in the round pen.

And then headed out on the trail. Me on Big Red and Ryan on Murphy.

Ellsworth was a star. Since the trail we took is closed to vehicles, Ellsworth had to step over a metal fence bar about a foot off the ground at the beginning of our ride. Good boy! I can tell you without a doubt there’s no way he would have done that five weeks ago.

Ellsworth walked strong and tall and I couldn’t stop smiling.

We walked down the canal path for about 20 minutes, then into the bosque a short distance to the river.

It was surreal to be sitting atop Big Red, quietly watching and enjoying the beauty of the Rio Grande.

And to think, this is just the beginning!

I ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Ellsworth.

June 29, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: Big Red, Ellsworth, riding donkeys, saddle training donkeys, training donkeys |
[14] Comments

June 23, 2011

A week of firsts

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys | Tags: burros, donkeys, Ellsworth, Nigel, Patrick |
[15] Comments

We’ve had a wonderful week of firsts at Morning Bray Farm.

On Saturday, Ellsworth rode with his new headstall, bit and reins for the first time. One day later, Patrick was wearing his first fly mask and loving it. Then, on Monday, Ellsworth and I had our first riding lesson together. We even got him ever so briefly up to a trot.

Despite all of the excitement and activity here, Don and I always make it a point to spend time with every one of our critters every day… even if just for a few one-on-one uninterrupted minutes.

For the very first time on Tuesday, Nigel let me really brush him. We’ve brushed him before, but he never allowed us to brush him for more than a few minutes… and definitely not all over.

This time, Nigel allowed me to brush him until the comb ran cleanly through his hair… about 20 minutes. We took a medium-sized dog’s worth of hair from him.

I throw the boys’ hair over the fence so that the birds can nest with it, and so Bernard doesn’ t eat it.

Yesterday, Nigel graduated to a dandy brush and the FURminator. Again, he stood quietly while I brushed and brushed and brushed him.

It looks like he has a gorgeous black coat underneath all of his old, dirty hair.

Being that Nigel is four years old this year and this is the first time he’s accepting regular grooming, we can’t wait to see what the boy underneath really looks like.

Beautiful, for sure. ♥ ♥ ♥

June 21, 2011

Not to be outdone

Posted by Morning Bray under Donkeys | Tags: Bernard, Ellsworth, lunging donkeys, training donkeys |
[11] Comments

There’s lots of donkey training going on ’round here these days.

Not to be outdone by Ellsworth, Bernard insisted on having his own session with Ryan on Saturday.

Ryan pointed out there are two reasons a donkey won’t do what he’s asked.

One: Because he doesn’t want to. Ellsworth generally falls into this category. Ellsworth is one to do things on his schedule; at his own pace.

Two: Because he doesn’t understand what you’re asking of him. Bernard generally falls into this category; he always wants to work and seeks to do what’s asked of him. You know that Barnyard lives to be the center of attention.

Once he got it, Bernard was awesome. He switched directions at the drop of a hat and moved toward and out from us as requested. I think he would have lunged all day long if we had asked.