Friday, December 05, 2014

Ranch Math

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Story problem:

You have two pastures with good shelter and water that doesn't freeze in the winter.

You have six horses. Two mares--Myla, who is approximately a hundred in horse years but can still kick an upstart gelding away from the hay pile, and Target, the fat Paint pony, who gets along with everything. Four geldings: Hollywood, Nico and Bailey, all of whom think they're studs and should be top dog in the herd, and Vegas, who is a total weenie and gets pushed around by the fat Paint pony.

Hollywood can't be turned in with the mares or he goes completely brain dead.

Bailey and Hollywood can be together, but only as long as there are no other horses in the pasture.

If Nico and Vegas are in the same pasture, Nico will run Vegas through the fence just for the fun of it.

Nico and Hollywood are sworn enemies.

Bailey, Vegas or Nico can be turned in with the mares, but no two at the same time.

Hollywood has to be in the pasture attached to the barn because you can't get a halter on him unless you lure him into a stall with a bucket of grain.

Divide the above horses into the two pastures. Please show your work.

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WARNING: Any person who suggests the mares are the problem gets a two week time-out to consider the error of their ways. My mares don't take no crap,


UPDATE: So I did the horse shuffle, splitting up Hollywood and Bailey so they didn't gang up on anyone. Nico, Hollywood and Vegas went in one pasture, figuring there was enough space that Hollywood and Nico won't kill each other and they'll be too busy fighting to pick on Vegas. Bailey was more than happy to go out with the mares. Everybody appeared to be safe, if not thrilled with the new arrangement. Until this morning, when we were doing chores and Bailey tried to come in the barn while we were bagging calf feed, and Max the Cowdog bit him on the nose and drew blood. 

*sigh* Horses and dogs. It's always something.  

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5 comments:

Cynthia D'Alba said...

HAHAHA I'm so tempted to sit down with a pen and piece of paper and try to work this out! Hubby and I got a good laugh of this

Myra King said...

Before I read the update, Kari, I did a quick calculation and came up with Vegas, Hollywood and Myla in the barn paddock and Bailey, Nico and Target in the other one - that was assuming you didn't have to keep the mares together. Lol. Will definitely be buying your book. If it comes up in paperback will buy several for my horsey friends!

Kat said...

When we were on the ranch with 50+ horses, I just defaulted to separating the girls from the boys :)

Anonymous said...

You know, it's actually easier when you're dealing with big bunches. They establish their pecking order and life goes on. It's when you've only got three or four that they seem to fight. Like kids, I guess.

Anonymous said...

You know, it's actually easier when you're dealing with big bunches. They establish their pecking order and life goes on. It's when you've only got three or four that they seem to fight. Like kids, I guess.