Opening A New Pasture

Last week, Brett started mowing the very back pasture located behind the dressage court.  He told me that he was amazed to discover yet another huge spreading oak tree.  He counted a total of 14 oak trees in the pasture, including the giant one.  We walked back there so he could show me the tree Saturday afternoon.  While back there, we walked the fence which was more substantial than we both remembered.  The fence is post and no-climb wire and it surrounds the pasture.  In some spots, the fence is pretty low -- maybe three and a half feet high.  Winston could jump out in a heartbeat.  The fence also spans a stream bed that the dogs or goats could easily use as an exit route.

But Flash and Jackson are retired, quiet, with joints that ache.  They would not be interested in jumping the fence.  They would be very interested in eating the grass, despite it being dry and brown.

It would also solve the Winston-Jackson problem.  When Flash, the alpha in our herd, has to discipline Winston (he is such a brat and deserves the flattened ear treatment), Winston takes it out on Jackson who is at the very bottom of the herd pecking order.  Flash doesn't bite or kick -- or rarely does so.  For the most part, he flattens his ears and that it enough.  Sometimes, he will lunge at one of the others.  And, sometimes he does bite Winston.  I haven't seen him be as aggressive with the others.  Of course, the others behave.

Poor Jackson is covered in bite marks from Winston.  They needed to be separated.

We took Flash and Jackson up to the top pasture -- we haven't come up with a name yet.  The gate is labeled pasture "7."  Or we could call if 14 Oak Pasture.  Or the retirement pasture.  Or Marv's pasture (it shares a fence line at the back with Marv's property).

Brett found a big log to sit on while we watched Flash and Jackson settle in.

From the log, you can barely see the house.  The front clover pasture where Winston and Mufasa were hanging out was too far away to see.