This Little Piggie

The piglets arrived today from the auction. A pair of sisters from the same litter. They are the boys' 4-H project and this is about as cute as they'll get. They are reported to be around fifty pounds. If I have it right, the boys will add another 200 pounds for the 4-H Fair in August. Weight gain is carefully regulated. The boys have to bring the pigs to weigh-ins during the spring and summer to make sure the pigs aren't putting on too much weight too quickly. The boys will also train the pigs for showmanship with the goal of competing in conformation and showmanship at the fair.

Cody and William took umbrage with the piglets taking up residence near their turnout. Finn and Phantom were free grazing closeby and reacted to Cody and William more than to the pigs. Last year Phantom accepted the pigs as long as they were in the pen where they belonged. However, once a blue tarp was added to provide the pigs some shade during the heat of the summer, Phantom was NOT happy. The tarp flapped in the wind and made a nose -- obviously the traits of a horse eater.

We've talked about rotating the horses in the turnout near the pigs so the horses can become accustomed to other farm animals. I figure the more my horse is exposed to, the better. Back in the olden days when the State Fair offered hunter/jumper classes and I competed Kiyara, we had to deal with miscellaneous critters in the nearby livestock pavilion and come and go past the cattle wash racks. Not to mention warming up next to the racetrack (a thrill for all those riding recycled thoroughbreds!).

PHANTOM

He trotted out sound again today. I didn't detect heat in his foot, but that could just be me. I let him free graze, then returned him to the round pen. We'll see what he's up to tomorrow. Still the potential of an abscess acting shy for the moment.

AB FAB DAY

Absolutely fabulous day! Low 70s, nice breeze. Home owners will be dragging their b___s to work on Monday after a weekend of yard work.

I attacked some overgrown shrubs in our yard, and went on a seek and destroy mission to clean the cat pooh from our barkdust.

Indy kept me company while I did yard work. When a couple of neighborhood cats joined us, he just watched them and later tried to play with the cats. They, of course, thought he was a goober. :-)