I have a radio plugged in and playing most of the time in the barn. Sometimes I have it tuned to a country station, other times I listen to classic rock. My horses seem to like to listen to the sounds (or at least I believe they do) :-)

This morning I went down to feed and found some of them still asleep in their shavings. The radio was off, and it was quiet for the most part, or so I thought, until I stopped and listened. The backside of my barn is about 40 yards from the edge of the woods. When the weather is pleasant, like it is today, I keep that back door open.

The songs of the birds in the forest is an absolute symphony this morning! All the birds are singing their hearts out. So many different tunes to take in and enjoy. No song on the radio can top the tunes of nature!

In our barn we play music during the day. Usually it is on Country or Classical...sometimes I get a little bored with that and shake things up with the local hip-hop station.

I like to turn it off at night because I think it is pry annoying to them. I know it would be for me, like trying to fall asleep with the tv on when you do not want it on.

But I am with you on the sounds of the birds, crickets, geese, etc. around here...it is soothing and you can not get that from the radio!

oH how I relate to this. People don't understand how I can get up and jump out the door first thing in morning to get to barn. It is one of the most beautiful moments for my day. You discribed my barn and outside exactly like yours. Nothing like looking out back door and see a deer staring at you or have a bunch of robins take a bath after you filled the water tanks. Makes yah glad your alive!

Morning feeding time is my favorite too. There was one morning I stood down at the barn and watched a fox playing out in the pasture. The birds and ohhh the toads singing down at the creek, we have a pair of ducks that are usually down at the creek in the morning and then there are the pheasants a ###### and 4 hens that wander through each morning. We have several deer and anymore they know my routine and just lift their heads and then put them back down as to say "ohh it is just you". This morning I went into the shed to throw Kameh a little morsel and a baby bunny came darting out.

When I go down to the barn my daughter is still in bed so I can take my time and really enjoy the morning. I don't drink coffee so you could say that my barn time is like most peoples cup of coffee if I don't get it or it gets interupted watch out I am a grump the rest of the day.

Nothing better than the sounds of nature. As I am typing now I am listening to it rain, the gently rumbling of thunder and the occassional bird singing.

Jacinta

If the girls have to be stalled due to very bad weather, I will turn the radio on. It's usually set to KTIS (Christian music). I also have had Classical music on as well. It just seems to keep them entertained

I love morning feeding time, just me, my dog, the girls, and the critters. It is my favorite time. Same thing with evening barn check. Just me and the girls, beautiful sky.

During the day when I am working outside I love the radio. Usually KTIS (local christian station) or Cities 97.

Ah, ya'll are KILLIN me, here! Have had such a situation a few times in my life, but was never my own place. THIS IS THE BIGGEST dream of mine, second only to my kid growing up safe and healthy and happy (almost there, thank ya JAYSUS!) I want my own place w/ no sounds but nature, WAY out in the boonies. Me, mr. hall, ponies, kikis, coupla Danes, maybe a few chickens/ducks/geese....sigh....heaven, pure heaven! Mornings in the barn/on the farm are just the best. For me, if all the above was in place, I was writing my books, life truly could hardly be better. Ok, me/travs in the barn, nekked, before mr. hall got home - BUT, HEY! LOL...as for the music, I love some of all, but mostly listen to pop/rock, love classical/Celtic a ton, too!

Cyclone

I too love watching the sun come up and go down at my place. Watching the horses just being well a horse is the BEST. Summer mornings are beautiful. The ones outside come running to their pans for feed and to say hello and we get soft knickers when we are about 50 feet from the barn and the doors open up and all heads are peeking out. It truly is the highlight of the day

We however dont play music. I find when my horses hear talking they are listening and are more awake sort of like a person i guess. I prefer no noise for them, nice and quiet, we leave a few lights on in the feed room that leaks into each stall and they are comfortable.

Cy your paradise will come...and when it does you will know. The day will come and it will happen!!! It is like heaven i feel. Nothing better than looking out your window and seeing your horses. Just nothing.

Yeah, even with the boy gone, I still put a little quiet music on for the girl. She comes and stands with me, lets me do stuff or just just nibbles nearby. I have to wait till mid morning to wash the bath tub of her water, because the various birds have to have their baths, including cockatoos, magpies (currawongs), galahs, a few bell mynars, a couple of black crows and some little rosellas. We keep a stone in the bath so they don't drown and they use it to bath. We have the cleanest birds in the country. The thing that is very annoying is that the cockatoos will crap in the water. Hence we leave it till they have all finished. Some of the smaller birds will hang around all day. The brown mynars will sit on the mares back and peck at things (I assume mites or something), and she doesn't mind.
I do the rounds, check if the koala is still in the tree (he is), check if the cats have killed anything (are you kidding, its too cold to get out of bed before lunchtime), see what else has gone on. It surely is a wonderful time of the day.

k

I pretty much always have a gentler music station on for my horses; I like the fact that the new foals are hearing human voices almost constantly that way & I believe it really helps the horses relax. I seem to remember hearing that dairy farms who play music in the barns have a slightly better milk production then those who don't? Can anybody confim that?