Maple Leaf Ranch

I ran into an old friend at church Sunday, the owner of (the late) Tolima, the TB mare I leased when I first came to Germany.

She finally has a new horse - an Appendix QH mare named Josy.

She keeps her mare at a barn in Velbert with the "cool English" name Maple Leaf Ranch (not owned by Canadians - I'm not sure where the Canadian reference comes from).

She told me her barn had a big horsey party this month, the entire neighborhood was invited - a "First Day of Pasture after Winter in a Barn" party. There was grilling, and even dancing. She said that for horses in Germany, it's the best day of the year. I did not mention that at our place, this day does not exist.

She wanted me to see the photos. Here they are. Josy is the chestnut with a blaze and a green halter.

I was confused though, I asked if the horses were slowly acclimated to grass, or if they just let them out an entire day the first day. She said they were all acclimated slowly, and that the party was for the first *full* day at pasture. How the horses know the difference, I'm not sure, but they do look happy.