Fergus | Morning Bray Farm

June 30, 2010

Another exciting first for Fergus

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros | Tags: farrier, Fergus |
[18] Comments

After getting a halter on Fergus for the first time three weeks ago, we did the Happy Dance in anticipation of his feet being trimmed at our farrier’s next visit. Fast forward to yesterday evening…

…and a brief quiz for you. Can you tell the difference between this picture:

And this picture? Hint, look at Fergus’s ears and eyes and where Don’s left hand is. Big, big difference.

Let me tell ya a couple of things. First, a lot happened between those first two pictures. (I put the camera down for a bit in between.) Second, a good farrier, a.k.a Shorty, is worth his weight in platinum. Thanks, Carson!

We’ve been picking up Fergus’s feet without incident since the end of April, and he’s been quite fine with it. What we discovered yesterday is that Fergus isn’t comfortable with people he doesn’t know, and that’s understandable.

Each time Shorty initially tried to pick up Fergus’s first front foot, Fergus got up on his hind legs and/or got himself away from Shorty and Don. Fergus had a bit of a wild look in his eyes and seriously wasn’t having any of it. While Bernard and Ellsworth each have had their moments, it has never been like this.

As Don and I were looking at each other in desperation (and I was thinking to myself that this wasn’t going to happen), Shorty was amazing. Patience, soft touches, soothing words.

Then I saw Shorty softly put his hand over Fergus’s eye. Fergus almost immediately calmed down. Shorty asked Don to cover Fergus’s eye on whichever side Shorty was working and…

…success! Fergus just needed a bit of a blinder! Okay, fine, I’ll admit it. I shed a tear or two of happiness.

Meanwhile, I looked over to see that Bernard had untied himself from the fence and was debating whether to take himself for a stroll to avoid his own foot trimming…

…and was happy to see that Nigel was okay with a dust bath as long as Fergus was within sight.

When the fourth foot was done, Fergus seemed to fly away as soon as his halter was removed…

And now seems to be walking with a new spring in his step. ♥

June 9, 2010

Happy Dance for Fergus

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros | Tags: Fergus, halter, Happy Dance |
[18] Comments

Would you care to join us in doing the Happy Dance for Fergus?

While we were browsing at the farm supply store on Sunday, Don mentioned something about trying our rope halter on Fergus because maybe it was the metal buckles on our other halters that were spooking him.

Sure enough, using the rope halter last night made a world of difference. Just like that, no spooking and no resistance. Fergus even thought it was okay to continue eating his dinner.

I am so happy. This means that most likely Fergus’s feet will get trimmed when the farrier comes later this month. Our amazing boy has done such a good job of letting us pick up and pick at his feet these last couple of weeks. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. Happy Dance, Happy Dance, Happy Dance!

June 5, 2010

Vying for scritches and hugs

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys, Friends and Family | Tags: Ellsworth, Fergus, mom |
[22] Comments

On Thursday, after seeing the Hairy Hacienda madhouse, Carson asked if you all could see what happens when MeeMaw gets ambushed in the corral. I wouldn’t say my mom was ambushed, but Fergus and Ellsworth definitely vied for her attention, scritches and hugs.

This was the first time for my mom to meet Fergus and Nigel. Fergus instantly glommed on to my mom. Interesting.

Ellsworth knew from her visit in October that my mom was good for scritches.

As always, there were a few aww moments. Look at Ellsworth’s head on Fergus’s back. You can see Nigel dutifully standing behind Fergus.

And Ellsworth rubbing his face against my mom’s back…

Fergus willingly accepted a hug…

And so did Ellsworth.

If you happen to be wondering where Bernard was during all of this, he was busying himself with trying to eat the camera and wrapping his pretzel self around me. I think he might be turning into a momma’s boy. I find myself totally okay with that. ♥

May 27, 2010

Peace

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys | Tags: Bernard, burros, donkeys, Ellsworth, Fergus, Nigel |
[10] Comments

May 12, 2010

New bonds

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys | Tags: Bernard, bonds, burros, donkeys, Ellsworth, Fergus, Nigel |
[13] Comments

We’ve noticed Ellsworth and Fergus playing together a lot lately.

They look happy together,

and seem to have a genuinely good time.

They don’t mind if Bernard or Nigel want to join in their fun,

but the play between Ellsworth and Fergus often seems to go on indefinitely.

While all the play was going on yesterday morning, Bernard was only interested in what time breakfast was being served. I think he was serious.

May 10, 2010

Fergus the goose herder

Posted by Morning Bray under Birds, Burros | Tags: burro, Fergus, geese |
[26] Comments

Canada geese were still hanging out in our pasture yesterday after we irrigated Saturday. Seeing as how Fergus and Nigel hail from just outside Death Valley National Park in California, I wonder if they’ve ever seen geese before coming to Morning Bray Farm. Fergus seemed quite intrigued.

Poor Fergus. The geese didn’t seem quite as intrigued by him.

Wrapping things up from our 100th post celebration, Sandra asked to see what a Morning Bray Farm tote bag looks like. Here it is:

CeeCee asked us to explain how the boys had four very distinct emotions going on in the photo for that post. The answer: apple slices. ♥

May 6, 2010

Celebrating 100

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys | Tags: 100, Bernard, burros, contest, donkeys, Ellsworth, Fergus, Nigel |
[39] Comments

We’re celebrating 100 posts today, and once again, we’d love to have you join us for some fun. (You can click on the photo below for a larger image.)

One lucky, randomly chosen winner will receive a Morning Bray Farm tote bag. To enter our 100th post contest, leave a comment on this post completing the caption for the above photo. If you’d like to modify the caption and do your own thing, we’re good with that too. The contest will close Friday at 7 p.m. (Mountain time) and we’ll announce the winner on Saturday.

We love you all,

Bernard, Ellsworth, Fergus and Nigel xxooxx

May 5, 2010

Happy hour at the watering hole

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys | Tags: Bernard, burros, donkey, drinking, Fergus, Nigel |
[20] Comments

For the first few days they were here, Fergus and Nigel were terrified of the water tubs we have in the corral and pasture. Naturally, we were concerned about them taking in enough water. Fergus was much more bold about drinking from the tubs and from what I could tell, Nigel was only drinking when Fergus was drinking, which also worried me. Yesterday, I saw Nigel drinking with Bernard, which brought joy to my heart.

Of course, I was excited to get more pink donkey tongue pictures.

May 3, 2010

A hodgepodge weekend

Posted by Morning Bray under Burros, Donkeys | Tags: Bernard, burros, donkeys, Ellsworth, farrier, Fergus, grooming, Nigel, saddle cinch |
[16] Comments

We were hoping we might have Fergus in a halter by the time our farrier came around on Saturday.

Not yet, but that’s okay.

Okay because Shorty; our farrier, said the difference in Ellsworth this time versus last was night and day. It was only last time Shorty was here he was able to trim Ellsworth’s back feet.

Don bought a new (smaller) saddle cinch for Ellsworth and we tried it on for size later that afternoon.

Everything looked good, so we gave Ellsworth a test drive. Our gentle boy walked me around the corral several times. I never asked Ellsworth to move, but he did turn and stop when we asked him to. I couldn’t believe I was actually riding Ellsworth! ♥

I finally got pictures of one of the boys with their pink donkey tongue left sticking out as they tend to do after they have their drinks of water. It was Bernard.