History of the Horse

~Beautiful Feet~

Done with owls and getting back into our horse study!  'Beautiful Feet' is a fantastic curriculum that uses real books- classic literature to teach different topics.  We read 'King of the Wind' and now we're onto 'Black Beauty'. 

Today was chapter 3-6 and draw a picture of a snaffle bit (as 'Blackie' described); here's Kaya's tracing of a real snaffle bit.  They include discussion topics and activities to go along with the chapters we read; but it mainly lets the text do most of the work.

Dylan drew 3 pictures the top is the snaffle bit and the others are used as the training of the horse progresses. 

This week's memory verse:

"Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there.  And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True.  For he judges fairly and then goes to war."  Revelation 19:11

              Here's one of the ranch's Barn Owls.  We took these pictures at noon on Tuesday!

    Owls are in the Strigiform Family.  There are two types of owls; owls with heart-shaped faces- like this Barn Owl- and round faces like the Great Horned Owl.  

" It was Really Cool to see the owl!"  -Kaya   One of her favorite things in the world is to sort through owl pellets.  They can not digest the bones and fur so they cough up these owl pellets.  Today we went to the visitor's center to ask them about owls and she said if you cook them at 400 to kill all the germs, which they get after they touch the ground AND a new technique for us is to put them in a cup of water and watch as they separate - the fur floats while the bones sink!  

                  They have 4 talons on each foot and two holes for ears one which is higher than the other and it helps them precisely locate their prey.

This owl kept flying back and forth in the barn - he was not comfortable with us watching him.  We can hear the babies in the owl box squawking in the late evenings.

               

                                   Owl feathers have fringes on the outer edge which help make their flight absolutely silent.   Cool Creation!