Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

We have a document here at Refuge Farms. It is divided in to chapters and it talks about Barn Expectations, Horse Handling Expectations, Public Persona… you know. The kinds of things that you document when you are transferring your mission, your dreams, your goals in to the heads and hearts and hands of others.

This document is founded on the Declaration of Purpose and is intended for people of all ages and all horse experience levels. The idea is that this document will, when read, tell you how to be safe and happy around the horses and the environment here at Refuge Farms.

We call this document The Ways of THE FARM.

Is it a rule book? No, not really. In fact, each sentence begins with “It is expected that ….”. In this way, it is setting expectations understanding that reality, at times, causes deviances from those expectations.

Is it lengthy? Some people say yes. In fact, some people say it’s too lengthy. I would, however, ask you to consider that this document must serve the 11 year old young girl with ‘horse love’ written all over her face just as well as it serves the 50’ish experienced horse handler with ‘knowledge’ written all over her face.

Is it working? I believe it is. This document sets a foundation and a standard of operation for all to read and receive and participate in should they decide to become a part of our Missions. It also reminds us to follow it. Simply put, without following The Ways of THE FARM, there will be challenges.

Let me give you one example:

This morning at 5am I am in the barns picking them clean, filling tanks, and getting ready to feed The Herd their breakfast before I clean up and meet friends at 9am for a meeting. I have the radio on and it’s cool outside. Very pleasant. I am sure my time is plentiful so I take the time to wash a load of barn clothes and get them on the line – taking full advantage of the breeze that today has blessed us with.

I begin my usual feeding routine on the Helen Keller side of the barn. Hooking Miss April at her new feeding spot and then the others… It’s only 15 minutes and I have six horses munching and content at their places. I must adjust PONY!’s fly mask, however, before I continue with the remaining tasks, and so I turn my back and begin to do just that.

Out of the back of my head I see a gate move. Then I hear a hoof on rubber. I know someone on the other side of the barn is attempting to slip past me but I’m confident that when I turn, they will back up. Huh!

Before I can fully turn around, ten horses are out of the gate and through the open barn door to freedom! Ten of them! Free! No fences between them and the North Pole!!!

Foolishly, I go and close and latch the open gate. Foolishly. Then I turn my attention to the forty hooves having a wonderful time running through the yard and playing and munching on flowers in the Memory Beds and just being where they know they shouldn’t be! The fun of being naughty! On a gloriously cool, crisp, and windy day!

I scan this group to find the leader. No, it’s not Babee Joy or Jeri-Ann. Unit is just thrilled and following anyone who will tolerate her. Big Guy is following Babee Joy. Josephina is glued to the side of Addie-Girl. Addie-Girl is sensibly eating grass as swiftly as her mouth can get it in! Miss Bette is eating her fill of that same sweet grass up by the corral. Sweet Lady Grey and Blasie are eating, too, thinking no one notices them way over there by the Andy tree!

The leader? That would be Beauty. If Beauty decides to venture off, there’s no stopping her or the others. Her strides cover twelve to fifteen feet each and I would be so far behind her it would be comical! Would feed work? No time to get the feed and find out! I must get Beauty’s attention and get her turned around and simply heading toward the barn. But how?

Then the answer I am so desperately searching for falls in to her face. My clothes drying on the line. Beauty is fascinated with them and the laundry basket! That basket flew thirty feet in to the air! And the clothes? She was munching on them! She would be startled each time a clothes pin popped off the line, but the clothes were her single focus. Thank you, Lord!

So with Beauty absorbed, I worked on a few of the easier ones. Big Guy who will go anywhere with me was soon back in the barn. Jeri-Ann followed Big Guy out of simple fear of the unknown. Unit was right behind Jeri-Ann. Three down and seven to go!

Josephina was a non-issue once I got a lead rope over Addie-Girl’s neck. Getting that lead rope over Addie-Girl’s neck was a bit of a challenge given that she is still trying to understand this ‘touch’ thing… But we managed to trust each other enough to get close and then the lead rope fell over her mane. In to the barn we walked like a well-drilled team of three. Sweet Lady Grey and Blaise obediently followed those two and so all that was left was Babee-Joy and Beauty. Now the challenge!

Babee Joy was not going anywhere without her leader, so I must focus on Beauty. Remember those front feet, Sandy, and the swiftness with which they strike! Now is the time for feed!

A morsel of feed in front of her and Beauty changes her focus from my now green-stained clothes to me. A lead rope around her neck and off we go – Babee-Joy following close behind. Through the gate we fly! I am so happy that Beauty is returned to the barn!!! I quietly gather Miss Bette and all is back to normal.

Forty-five minutes later, I am sweaty and breathing like I’ve just run a marathon. My heart is just about beating its way out of my chest! And the horses! They are so hyper and excited from this new adventure that it’s now time to kick up their heels and run and play for a while. This gives me time to sit on the feed tank and shake my head.

The Ways of THE FARM says that "It is expected that all gates shall be kept shut and properly latched at all times, except while passing through." Wise expectation. Works very well, too, when you follow it!!!

I had made the mistake of not following my own expectation this morning and I had risked a herd of ten glorious creatures! I risked their safety, their lives, and the lives of people driving by to Sunday services who may have collided with them. My sloppiness and shortcut almost cost me a disaster. And had put others in danger.

My body vibrated for quite a while as I realized and absorbed the depth of my error and the enormity of the risk I had created in my sloppiness. Lock the gate, Sandy. Every time.

So, yes, The Ways of THE FARM works – when you follow it. Just ask me and I’ll show you my green-stained clothes and show you the divots in the yard and the huge hoof prints in the west lawn!

How appropriate that such an event would happen on July 1st. You see, January and July 1st of each year are the times for our twice-yearly review of The Ways of THE FARM. We do this to insure timeliness and completeness of the document. And this July 1st of 2007 there are updates. How will you know what has been updated? The changes have been published on our web-based document in blue italics. Take a moment and review them, please. Truly, The Ways of THE FARM will mean the difference between a grand fun time or time spent chasing horses or soaking bruised bodies. Just ask me!

Enjoy the journey of each and every day,
Sandy and The Herd