fryguymoore

I would never dream of using barbed wire to fence in my horse. I spent this morning researching barbed wire and have decided to not re-do the block. Barbed wire was used a lot in the 1900's. It was first invented in 1874. It was used to fence in cattle. While barbed wire may not be ideal for cattle it may have been safer than having the cattle roam free. Anyway the people of the period of the Pony Club would have used barbed wire so I decided to leave it in the quilt. AND in my quilt the parts actually fenced in have no horses in them

Thanks for the info QuiltingNinaSue! I feel so much smarter today after all that research.

QuiltingNinaSue

You are welcome. Many who read this dwell in cities and have never been around animals on any farm, so just wanted to clarify that point here. Yes, the barb wire is a part of the history of the west and is still used today on farms across America. And it looks good in your quilt; I would not want you to change it, fryguymoore. And you are welcome to use more of it in your quilt. I love the story about the guy who bought up wild mustangs and set them free to roam in the Datoka ranch land of his. I do wonder if he used barb wire on his many miles of ranch land.

QuiltE

It's kind of fun to see all the different kinds of barbed wire! I've been in agricultural museums where they've had samples of all the different types there were. Some quite unique!!

Perhaps you found some of the variations, FryGuy, as you did your web research?

Yes, it can do damage to horses/cows and people too! ... though sometimes that's the least of a farmer's concerns and more to keep them contained where they are supposed to be.

janRN

QNS, please keep the "farming" info coming. I'm one of those 'city folk' who's never been near a cow or pig or horse. Dogs and cats are the only animals I know LOL. I love learning new things--thank you!

QuiltingNinaSue

Ponies are very smart critters. If our creek overflowed and washed the fence out, it was our ponies who lead the cows, sheep and hogs out the missing fence gap. Usually the ponies would herd all the animals back down our lane to our house so we would know they were all enjoying their "freedom" break. I have seen my riding mare let a calf nurse; then nurse the sheltand mare who was suffering from too much milk in her udder because her colt was being weaned from her. And seen a pig stealing a "nursing" from a newly fresh cow who had just calved.

If there are 4 strands of barb wire on the fence post, it is probably holding in only cattle. If it has five or more strands of barb wire, it is holding in sheep and /or hogs as well. Hogs must be "rung" or will root up ground, fence, & gates. (rung= A ring in their noses). The horse does not "see" the wire (barbed) unless it has flags or similar things tied to the wire. They can come at a full run, charging blindly right through the wire, and become seriously hurt. Yes, when the barb wire snaps off the post where it was tightly strung, its a wild wire that wraps around whatever is handy. It hurts.

Most farmers and ranchers build "corrals" or padlocks for ponies & horses out of young tree trunks or wooden boards. We tied young tree saplings, about 3-4 inch-trunks, together to make our "corral", so the ponies were quickly available to ride throughout the day. With or without bridle & saddle because they were well broken to guide with a single rope from the halters or knee pressure on the sides of the ponies or horses. We often played "leap frog" onto their backs out in the pasture. And did so with a couple of cows that let us ride them. Childhood memories is one reason why I wanted to do the "pony quilt" and pass the stories along to grandson. Thanks for listening to my stories.

QuiltE

QNSue ... I hope that you are writing these down for DGS, so he has them in years to come

QuiltingNinaSue

Well, a good friend has challenged me to write the story I told her for every block of the Farmers Wife Quilt, and of the Pony Quilt too. Maybe. I am struggling to find the time. Thanks, QuiltE, for the suggestion.

JeanieG

Just love your stories QNS, thanks so much for sharing. Like Jan said, I'm a city girl too! No experience with all these things.

QuiltE

Maybe? If you get enough nudges? Then you'll do it?
It's ever so important to get those stories down ... I never knew my one Grandmother as she'd passed before I was born. The other three Grands were all "old", so I never knew much about them either. And now I would love to know so much more about them! I envy others who have the fortune to "know" their Grands and to have them be part of their lives with them.

How old is your DGS, QNSue?




P.S. to all ... woooohoooooo 99 FWS done! I was on a roll, and just could not stop to go to bed tonight. Alas! I decied 100 would have to wait til tomorrow. So Sunday will not be all about PC. I'm bound that #100 will get done first, and all FWS will get posted before I switch gears to PC. Now the real challenge is, can I get to sleep?

QuiltingNinaSue

Good news , QuiltE on your the progress of the FWQ. I am still on #142, and have slashing to finish on the last half of the King sized quilt. Its an economy pattern that needs the sheep appiqued on the meadow and cows in the corn all fenced in by a pole fence. You know, "little boy blue come blow your horn; sheeps in the meadow and cows in the corn."

Have the first three of Pony Quilt done, templates and pp for 10 more, but then discovered my Nikon cool pix thumbprint pictures are "too big" to transport into QB since I posted last December. So will take the time to finish some 6 Iowa Hawkeye table runners for dh stepsisters & brothers in Cedar Rapids, Ia, in memory of FIL.

DGS is just passed his third birthday and is talking up a storm. Amazing child, I must say, even if he is our only grandchild we most likely will ever have. He cannot be anything but smart, loving and caring child, from our loving, caring, smart daughter and son-in-law; Christian family. SIL plays in church band, helps gospel music groups with their sound system on performances in the area. So there is several UFOs in the quilting room with his name on them, SILs name on some and dd name on others. I vowed to empty my sewing room stash reserves sewing all into quilts, and dd laughed at me. She knows me far too well. With encourgement from this QB, I just might get the job done!!