By the time this post is published I will be prepping to load Happy and Blade onto the trailer for the journey home.
- Not the trailer we’re using but isn’t it gorgeous?
The weatherman has been even more unreliable than usual lately. It’s typical for this time of year but it’s been really affecting our progress.
If you caught my Weekend Update you’ll remember we were rained on for a majority of the day. Back-filling the trenches was very difficult since it became heavy sticky clay.
Despite the calls for nice weather we didn’t actually see sun until Tuesday. I spoke to my boss and worked out an agreement to go into work late and allow me to utilize the daylight.
Less than 24 hours and we still needed to get hay, water, figure out the issue with the fence charger, and finalize the trenches.
TICK…
…TOCK…
…TICK…
…TOCK
Hay came on Sunday. My friend and her father brought over 58 bales of beautiful first cut hay. It smells so nice! We used a few tarps to enclose the carport and keep the “goods” safe and dry.
We had some trouble with our solar charger. Zac had been testing it and could only get 100-120V readings at best. After extensive Google and YouTube searches we came to realize that a multi-meter does NOT work the same as a fence tester…two scientists didn’t figure this out beforehand.
As we learned by our Google research typical multi-meters are designed for our AC homes which are high current, low voltage. The charger, however, is lower current but high voltage.
For instance, your home is a continuous 120V but the fence charger is a pulsing charge with thousands of volts. Zareba recommends 2000-3000V for horses, and 4000-5000V for predators.
I stopped at Tractor Supply and grabbed a fence tester. Tuesday before work I began that final push to make the property 100% horse ready.
To start I tested the voltage of the charger under NO load. We have over 7000V!
The charger is no issue.
I connected the grounding system only and tested that. Over 7000V.
The grounding system is no issue.
I connected the fence only and tested that. Over 7000V
The fencing is no issue.
I connected the grounding system to complete the electric fence setup. I tested the fence at multiple points around the perimeter. Even at the farthest point we have 7000V pumping through the fence!
Easy fixes are the best kind.
After playing with our fencing system I took out my H2Go bag. I don’t have a photo but follow me and I’ll come back to it. The H2Go bag is a plastic bladder that holds water for the wheelbarrow. I ordered it from Horse.com. I placed it in my wheelbarrow, filled it, and wheeled it over to the paddock. As I tipped the cart the whole bladder slid out and plopped into the water bucket (despite having a grippy pad under it). In one simple trip I was able to fill the water tub completely.
- I love a fresh clean water trough
The horses will also need hay on arrival. To make the move transition smoothly I filled two hay bags and got them outside and ready for the arrival.
Finally…
The trenches.
I woke up around 2:30pm and it had been sunny out so the trenches have had some time to dry out. Although it was packed the dirt was dry and came up rather easily with our new garden hoe and rake. A couple hours of raking and the dirt was piled into a heap along the center of each trench. All that’s left is tamping it down. I spent a considerable amount of time and energy tamping one trench. Upon finishing it I realized something.
I have a tool available that is heavier than my tamp and easier to use physically.
My Car!
On Friday I had the thought of it but with our weather conditions feared the car would get stuck in the mud. With the sun shining, however, all systems go.
I drove my car with one side on each trench a few times. The tubing seems to have held up well so I am officially no longer afraid to let the horses loose on them. If it holds my car it should have no trouble with the equines.
…and just like that…
I am officially ready for the horses to come home!
The Green Horseman 