The Quiet Between Chapters.
This week felt like one long breath held in anticipation. Every morning we woke expecting today might be the day Luni welcomed her puppies, and every evening she reminded us that nature keeps its own timetable.
As her belly grows heavier, even standing has become an effort, yet she still insists on joining us for our morning and afternoon walks. Obi rarely leaves her side these days. Whether he truly understands what’s coming or simply senses that something is changing, he’s become the proud, goofy guardian of our little family, keeping us laughing with his famous “puppy pose” and the biggest smile you’ve ever seen. For now, we’re simply enjoying these final quiet moments before our little world changes forever.
While we’re waiting for new life to arrive, we’ve also begun thinking about what comes next. One of the greatest responsibilities we’ll have isn’t simply raising these Maremma Sheepdog puppies—it’s finding the right forever homes for them. Bred for generations as loyal livestock guardians and devoted family companions, Maremmas thrive when they’re given purpose, space, patience and a strong bond with their people. Every puppy will have its own personality, and our hope is to thoughtfully match each one with the home where it will flourish, whether that’s on a rural property protecting livestock, an acreage becoming part of a family, or another lifestyle that understands and embraces the unique nature of this remarkable breed.
Over the coming weeks we’ll be releasing The Wildhorse Puppy Companion, a guide we’ve created to help new owners prepare for life with a Maremma Sheepdog, while sharing the training, routines and philosophy we’ve used from the very beginning. We’ll also be opening our Puppy Enquiry Form, inviting prospective owners to tell us about their lifestyle, property and hopes for their future companion. At Wildhorse, we believe choosing a puppy should never be rushed. Instead, we hope to build lasting relationships by carefully matching each puppy with the people and purpose it was meant for—the Wildhorse way.
While we wait, life on the farm certainly hasn’t slowed down. Last weekend we introduced two of our hens into their temporary chicken tractor within the food forest, and in just one week they’ve scratched, fertilised and cultivated another section of ground ready for planting. This weekend they’ll move on to a fresh area while we begin planting where they’ve been working. It’s one of our favourite examples of working with nature instead of against it. Every animal has a purpose, and every small step quietly moves us closer to the thriving food forest we’re creating.
Not all of this week’s animal stories had such happy beginnings. Our resident troublemaker, Koko, managed to cause a little chaos when one of our visiting ducks took flight a little too suddenly, collided with a fence and injured his wing. For now, he’s become a temporary permanent resident on the dam while we provide a few extra meals each day and hope time does what it does best. Watching him paddle around each morning alongside the silver perch has become a gentle reminder that healing often asks for patience more than anything else.
A few days later, Koko herself found life on the receiving end of an unfortunate accident with the bigger dogs. She spent the rest of the week wrapped in bandages, sporting an improvised towel collar to stop her scratching at her dressings and looking thoroughly unimpressed with the whole experience. Between quiet naps on her favourite pillows, plenty of cuddles and what has become known around here as emergency peanut therapy, she’s already beginning to show glimpses of her cheeky personality again. Moments like these remind us that caring for animals isn’t always the idyllic picture people imagine. It’s early mornings, changing bandages, keeping watch, making difficult decisions and simply being present while nature quietly gets on with the business of healing.
Amongst all of that, there were still moments to celebrate. This week saw the official release of our Wildhorse Lemon Myrtle Comfort Wrap™, handmade here on the homestead using Australian rice, rock salt and our own fragrant blend of lemon myrtle, rosemary, peppermint and eucalyptus. Creating products that begin with plants we’ve grown ourselves and end with something that brings comfort to someone else’s home is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. We also launched the very first product in our new Wildhorse Woodworx collection—a handcrafted bird feeder made from reclaimed timber and repurposed bottles. It’s the beginning of an exciting new range that reflects our passion for giving old materials a beautiful new purpose.
Both collections are now available through our website and our Madeit Australia store, and every order directly supports the work happening here on the homestead. Whether it’s planting another tree, expanding the food forest, caring for our animals or creating new Australian-made products, your support helps us continue building Wildhorse in a way that stays true to our values. Thank you to everyone who has already purchased, shared our stories or encouraged us along the way—you are very much part of this journey.
Even in a week that felt quieter than most, the farm continued offering small reminders that life is always moving forward. Fresh banana flowers opened beside tiny new bunches of lady finger bananas, herbs swayed gently as they dried in the winter sunshine, the silver perch gathered beneath the reflections on the dam each morning for breakfast, and Luni happily continued working her way through our pumpkin harvest. We can never seem to grow enough pumpkins, especially when one very pregnant Maremma decides they’re her favourite treat.
Looking back, this week wasn’t defined by big achievements or dramatic milestones. It was defined by care. By tending injured wings, changing bandages, preparing new garden beds and quietly creating products with our own hands. It reminded us that progress isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes it’s found in the quiet work between milestones—the work of caring, preparing and trusting that, when the time is right, the next chapter will unfold exactly as it’s meant to.
With any luck, next week’s journal will introduce the newest members of the Wildhorse family. We have a feeling they’re almost ready.
Thanks for walking this journey with us.
If you’d like to support the homestead, explore our growing collection of Australian-made products, follow our weekly adventures, or register your interest in one of Luni and Obi’s puppies, you’ll find everything in one place on our website.
We look forward to sharing the next chapter with you.
