My, my, manure....

Flash

       Yesterday, I went out to visit Flash and Appona. To my astonishment, the each stall was half full of a pile of manure! The large slab ranged from 1/2' to 1'. I watched as Appona and Flash tripped over pieces of manure getting in and out of their stalls. I felt so bad for them! 

The large pieces of manure I dragged out of the stalls.

      

        So I started on Flash's stall. After I had shoveled all the loose manure out, I started on the 5x6 chunk of ice, manure, and pee. As the shovel wasn't strong enough, I got out the pitchfork and got down to work. I broke the slab into small pieces by shoving the pitchfork under it, and pulling up. This worked for most of it. At last, I had a 3x2 feet block of it left. I pushed and shoved, but there was no way I could get it out of the stall. So I pushed it over to the side and hoped that Rich(Appona and Flash's owner) would somehow move it.

        

The slab before chipped it down.

        The next day, even though I hadn't planned to, I went back and had some grooming/bonding time with Appona. After that, I decided to work on Appona's stall, it was still filled with manure, although it was a thinner layer. I worked and worked at it but  could only pick off a little around the edges. At least the stall is easier to walk in then before :) I went back to Flash's stall, and Rich hadn't moved it :( So I started banging and stabbing it any way I could, hoping it would break! I jumped on it, I stabbed the pitchfork into it with all my might, but it would break! I gave up , and started cleaning up around the stall. But I couldn't give up. I started around the edges, ramming and ramming the pitchfork into it until finally, pieces started to break up, I worked and worked on it, my hands getting sore from the pounding of the handle on them. Piece by piece, the slab got smaller and smaller. Finally, a large piece broke off and I could pick it all up!!! I threw it into the manure pile, feeling great!!! I had done it!

The Slab after I chipped it down.

          Now I had Flash's stall done. I was so happy! I gave up on Appona's for the day, every time I tried to pry a piece off, it lifted the whole thing up and wouldn't break. So, maybe I'll finish is tomorrow... maybe... :P