Readying fencing for a donkey

I spent the day working on my fence, adding another row of electric rope, from 2->3 rows. Wow, that looks better, I had no idea how incomplete our fence looked.

I found this on the Internet and I totally want it:

I mean, you're not just dead, you owe me money. I love it.

I also found that donkeys are good guard animals, so maybe I need an Attack Donkey warning sign. Anything to keep trespassers out - my little polite signs don't always work.

Anyway, after 2 days of fence building, I broke my man's drill (Bosch), oops, that's a really important tool on a little farm. But we have three rails on the wooden fence by the gate now, thanks to my man for taking over the job for me. I was helpless with this tough wood and 5 inch screws and a busted drill.

That will be Bellis' paddock when she first comes here and it must be absolutely donkey proof. Hence the big piece of plywood blocking possible escape that direction. I've also added a paddock divider thingy I'll have to photograph later. I'll do that when we get the stall divider - my man ordered the lumber Saturday. It will be a removable wall in there, for introductions.

My hands are cut and scratched, and the brand new electric rope has blood on it too. I didn't think of gloves until too late, dummy.

I was recently at the doctor because I hurt my foot somehow, walking too much with Baasha. I limp around everywhere, expecting to have a laminitic outbreak in my good foot, which is doing most of the work.

The cat was so thrilled I was working out there, in "her" area down by the ponds especially. She climbed a tree higher than ever before to show off. She got pretty worried up there, howling a bit, trying to figure out a way down. I said, "Oh no, don't go higher, or it's gonna be a Fire Dept. call!"

Baasha was annoyed that I locked him in the pasture for the day (strange horse, he'd rather be eating hay in his paddock than browsing for new grass - that will change as soon as the grass really starts growing).

He galloped back and forth, whinnying. Nothing prettier than an Arabian, tail up, galloping. Unless it's an Arabian standing still..that's also nice. He just kept running the entire fenceline, as I worried he'd fall through a mole tunnel.

He even cantered a 20 meter circle, as I joined him and talked to him.

When he was calm and grazing, the cat would trot over to him, tail up in friendliness, and rub on his legs. Mean cat, every time he drops his head to sniff her, she runs. She can touch him, but he cannot touch her. Poor cat-loving Baasha!

I love that she accepts him as family and even hangs out near him when he's grazing. I suppose her nervousness is what is keeping her alive out there.

I realized in this adding of a third row of electric rope, I'd have to move the middle line up, so that the three are equally spaced. But the darn Tpost insulators are frozen on there nearly permanently. I tried various tools from my man's workroom, until one finally worked. A ratchet, that finally popped them off with a bit of effort. (I gimped this photo to make it look nicer.)

I was worried about the cat getting shocked on the fence so I carefully put the new line just high enough that she won't be able to touch it, even if her tail is up. I hate the necessity of an electric fence, that it's potentially dangerous. But practicality wins when you're not wealthy.

As I worked my way around the field, I finally came to the two huge tractor tires that are partially under my fence. I thought, hmmmm....should I try to roll them out of the field permanently? I sure like them, sitting on them in Summer, using them as mounting blocks, but there is a small risk that animals can hurt themselves on tires - ok, a very small risk, but I decided to be conservative so I tried to roll those things out. Just a few feet, but they are so heavy, I couldn't budge them. I tried and tried and finally found I could budge them a bit, if I was smart about how. Finally I wiggled that first one a few inches, and suddenly it dropped on my left foot. My good foot. It was exactly like a draft horse standing on your foot and not moving. There was no budging it, but I had enough adrenaline that I got it off my foot. I had to sit down for a while until the throbbing pain subsided. Moving tractor tires is something I've never done before, and will pass if asked to do it again. But I got them out of our field, whew!

I'm tempted to gimp these photos to make them more colorful but no, this is how it is here now, foggy and depleted of all color. Cologne, Wuppertal, they have sprouts and buds, but here we're still waiting.

I keep telling Baasha, "It's for your friend who's coming in a few weeks. That's why I'm doing this!" I'm sure he was curious. I wish he could understand me.

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice about donkeykeeping. I do tend to worry, it's in my genes, but I am also very excited.

And I'm learning a lot on donkey forums and such.