The ATV Dinner Bell And A Very Opinionated Fart

Send us Fan Mail Late August is supposed to feel like summer, but up here at 9,300 feet on our Colorado mountain ranch, fall has already started tapping on the door. Nights drop into the low 40s, you can see your breath, the heat may kick on, and even the hummingbirds start disappearing. Off-grid living in the Colorado Rockies comes with a different clock, and when the weather shifts early, our horse care routines have to shift with it. We get real about what’s been wearing us out lately: Merlin has lost enough weight to worry us, and helping a 40-year-old horse gain weight is not a simple “feed more” answer. We walk through our 24-hour feeding schedule, why we space meals out for digestion, and how temperature affects appetite and timing. We also share the very specific, very Merlin details that can make or break a meal, from the ATV acting like a dinner bell to his need to actually watch the food go into the bucket. Then we zoom out to something we’re always learning out here: horses communicate constantly if you pay attention. Between mash “stirring” that turns into an every-few-minutes routine and Fern’s grazing mask showdown that ends with a hilariously clear message, we talk about reading equine body language, reducing stress, and building practical routines that keep everyone healthier and calmer. If you enjoy off-grid stories, high-altitude homesteading reality, and grounded advice on senior horse care and equine nutrition, listen now, then subscribe, share the show with a horse friend, and leave a review so more people can find us.