On Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 8:26 AM, Nancy Sturm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I use the complete other method, assuming that all horses are autistic and > need structure and routine in their lives. I feed by the clock. It makes > life easier in some ways because they become so habituated to the schedule > that they never have to be caught. They're waiting at the gait at exactly > 4:00.<<
I like to be consistent, I go down to the barn 8:00am and 8:00pm, and it's amazing how many times the horses are consistently inconsistent, by not showing up at the barn sometimes at feeding times. Of course, it's usually when there is grass growing. If they aren't at the barn at feeding time in the winter, I'm sure that they have either escaped or are mortally wounded. If it's pm and night I'm frantically running thru the woods yelling their names. They usually come running, but if they are way out in the pasture and it's windy they may not hear me. Sometimes I think they just like to yank my chain. I try to keep enough hay out (even when grass is growing) so they are never 'hungry'. Probably not such a big deal to be consistent now with my hard keeper gone. He got several pounds of food at meal time and I didn't want to stress his system by letting him go too long between meals. Now I keep the same routine more for me than them. I've done it for more than 8 years now and old habits are hard to break. -- Anna Southern Ohio
