Feed time

Feeding horses is really my job but my recently acquired dodgy knee makes climbing through the fence a bit tricky - here’s isbi performing the task and giving Addie a pat in the process.
For those who are interested, the brand on Addie’s shoulder was originally registered by isbi’s parents many decades ago, being the first letter of their surname in a circle. In those days (1950s), the head of the branding iron was twice the size and a fire brand which scarred the skin forming the brand. I inherited the brand in the late ‘80s by which time freeze branding had become compulsory for thoroughbred horses. Rather than being held in a fire, the brand is in a bottle of liquid nitrogen then held on for 30 seconds as opposed to 1-2 secs for the old fire brand. It’s a bit uncomfortable rather than painful and freezes the hair follicles, permanently causing them to produce white hair rather than brown, black or chestnut.
If you’re still awake, people ask about grey horses which are near white already. Well, you hold the freeze brand on for twice the time and the follicles produce no hair at all.