Consider this. You wake up in the morning ready for some coffee. After pouring a morning cup of coffee, you check our your seedlings growing on the dining room table. After turning on grow lights, you open the window only to find these guys eating your trees and plants. Welcome to the real world of the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada.
The mustangs have a tough life. Walking miles each day, they are always on the search for fresh food and water. These guys aren’t used to hay and grain. They eat tumbleweeds and sage. How they eat these thorny plants without complaining is mind-boggling. They spend their spring days in the high elevations and then come lower when the water and food dry up. There is a natural spring not far from Winterpast. They love hanging out there, which is an appropriate spot for them to be.
We love “our” horses. They have miles and miles of BLM land (the real BLM-Bureau of Land Management) on which to graze, run, and poop. These empty lands surround our town. Usually by this time of year, we start to see more of our friends walking the streets while looking for tasty morsels. They know each house and the snacks contained in the front yards.
The horses have no natural predators except man. Their biggest threat comes from government round-ups. Planned quite often, they are chased by helicopters, captured, and then trucked to Palomino Valley Adoption Center holding pens. As far as I can tell, few people are in a position to adopt a wild horse. Don’t be fooled, these are wild animals that have just been chased by helicopters and cut from their herds.
They need to adjust to a new diet and fencings. After a time, they disappear and are replaced with new captives. Where are they taken? I don’t like to think about their final destination.
When we see mustangs in our neighborhood, it’s exciting. I mean, how many people get the chance? It comes with the knowledge that with our town’s growth, their days are numbered. Soon, a day will come when they last one will be removed.
Until then, we have a bit of a problem.
Many neighbors deal with them by putting up light ropes with reflecting strips. Many neighbors need to fix those ropes often, as the 1500-pound eating machines don’t care about a little bit of twine and twinkles.
Last week, we made the first step toward a goal we’ve had for some time here at Winterpast. We called the fencing company for an estimate.
First thing to remember when retired. When making an early morning appointment, be sure to write this down in your daily planner. Then, read the daily planner the night before. Both steps are important.
Early Friday morning, we received a knock at the door. It was our fence estimator who found us still in jammies at 9 a.m. Really! What retirement has done to our early morning hours is crazy. After scurrying around to get presentable, we were ready to measure the yard for a beautiful three-foot fence—just high enough to send our equine friends to the next house on another street.
There are many things to consider when installing fencing. One of the biggest is the grade of the yard. Around the corner, one person’s fence follows existing grade, giving the top line of the fence a wavy effect. Add some professional grading to the price of our project. The top line of our fence will be straight.
After measuring carefully, we found we need over 250 feet of Aristocrat fences. We’ll accept responsibility for anyone who gets impaled on the tiny spikes. Hoping for the best, we’ll sign on the dotted line if the price is right.
Once the fence and gate are installed, we’ll create plans for a low-maintenance yard. There’ll be no water-sucking plants, but another bed of roses and some desert-loving plants. HHH and I have yet to agree on the final look. With an outrageous water bill at this point, less will be more. The biggest things excluded from our plans are the 1500 lb. hay burners who’d better not impale themselves on our fence.
Live and let live. I hope our friends walk by once in awhile. We love them, but…… we can’t keep them.
More tomorrow.