Time out Thursday

Ok,...I have been sick.......I am really hoping today is a turn around day. I have not been to work all week, saw the dr yesterday......have about 15 prescriptions.....ugh, enough already, enough. I slept most of the day yesterday....such a waste of a day.

The weather has turned cold again, some folks have snow, but not us....I have to say I am glad. Snow = drama. I turned all the heat lamps on last night, the heat tape and undid hoses so that we don't have anything frozen this morning.

Ryan got the manure pile moved this week and spread the left over gravel pile on the driveway, then put a new light fixture up in the tack room. We moved the benches inside from the weather, put a new blanket hanger up, moved the small refrigerator and put a towel rack up in the barn. Thanks for the help Ryan....what would we do without you?

Grace is having some problems in her new home. We are unsure if it is pain related or just what. The vet will check her out this week and we may bring her home and send one of the geldings out in her place......at least for a while.

Jones should be going to the Jones Farm when I get a chance....maybe Friday if I no longer feel like a truck ran me over...maybe today if I get out of the shower and say I feel great. Jones will get a two week "legging" up so he can get on a work schedule and get adopted. He is such a nice horse for someone, we are surprised he is still with us.

Off to the barn to feed.
Enjoy your day.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

There is no such thing as a FREE horse.

Merry Christmas Morning

A Merry Christmas morning to all of our friends and family! I hope you have a perfect day with your family and friends.

Thank you for the Pony UP gifts.....sunflower seeds, carrots, some kittie krinkles for Ms Kitty, alf pellets, white erase board, photo album, wine basket, grain, beet pulp, horse cookies, peanut butter balls... all put to the best use~ Thank you Christine, Susy, Caryn, Rebecca, Brenda, Sarah...you guys are the best!

The weather is ...um ...surprise...rainy and cold.......no snow and no wind. Everyone is bundled up at the barn. When we put Bonnie in her underwear, we give her an extra layer of hay around her. Beaver has been doing his best to reach Bonnie....reaching over, trying to reach through.....STRETCHING his little pony neck as far as he can. He is curious but deadly.. he does not like chickens in his stall and apparently is not fond of them hanging from the rafters either. No worries.....he cannot reach Miss Bonnie....he just wishes he could.

Thursday night the horses were all worked up....couldn't settle down, especially Tarbaby.....looking at the woods. I shone the flashlight and what do I see? several pairs of eyes staring at me. Hmm. Down to the woods I go.....shine flashlight into woods.....yell......the eyes go away. ...back up to the barn, tell Tarbaby he can relax, turn lights out.......Tarbaby goes ape again. ..turn lights on....okay, shine the flashlight.....there are the eyes.....sigh.....back down to the woods.....throw rocks, clang a bucket....tromp around.....back to the barn. Fog is rolling in.....looks like a scene from Hounds of the Baskervilles.........and then coyotes run across the pasture. Big ones. .........all is quiet......I think they just wanted to cross the property....perhaps check to see if chickens were in bed......turn lights out. Tarbaby is eating and quiet.

When I returned to the barn yesterday morning, all was quiet.....horses quiet....all is good. I let chickens out, fed cat, hung Bonnie up, threw hay and then went in to my mom's house......came out five minutes later and something has killed the rooster....broken neck, laying in the yard. I must have surprised it when I opened the door to come out. This was our young rooster...he was huge....rip poor guy Clyde.
Must have been something that could not carry him off quickly......he weighed about 15 lbs. The rest of the chickens were in the barn hiding. Fortunately we had two roosters....the hens need a rooster. I imagine rooster one is glad that rooster two is gone........more women for him. The farm is a survivor game for the chickens. You don't expect one to get nabbed in broad daylight.

Today, I will clean and feed , then come home........save most of the work for tomorrow, today is a holiday!

Enjoy your Christmas day!

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Spend more time than money.

Bonnie Wednesday to you

Pictures of Bonnie in her sling for those of you who wonder what a chicken looks like in her underwear.

Edited to say that Bonnie is gently cared for by everyone who volunteers at Pony Up.
Bonnie has been our pet, and although some folks will say she is just a chicken... she is a living, feeling being......and we will care for her as long as she is comfortable.
Sure, our forte is horses......but we have compassion for all animals.....feathered, hooved, or those that come with paws.

Enjoy your day!

Merry Christmas!

Truely Tuesday

December 21......my wedding anniversary.....a lovely dinner prepared by my husband and stalls cleaned/horses fed by my wonderful volunteers! thank you.

Tarbaby was colicky yesterday.....sort of....it wasn't your classic colic.....but he didn't want to eat, he was agitated, pawed in the stall....and had small poop piles...Ryan and Sarah kept an eye on him through the afternoon and by evening he appeared to be fine. Poor old guy....we love him so.

Thank you to Sarah for the gift certificate and the white board.......we will have a written feed schedule posted shortly! (I promise!)

We miss Susy.....get well soon and come back!

IT will shortly be Christmas. I ended up finishing my shopping on Amazon.com. Lame I know...but I really was short on time. I do not get an A for effort but I do get an A for completion.

Carmen put Bonnie to bed tonight and the rest of her flock and the barn cat! Great job Carmen....Bonnie is easy to love, isn't she? Even though she is just a chicken..she talks and makes a fuss over her food, likes to get into her sling and likes to sleep with the cat. Pictures soon...I promise. What? you say you have never seen a chicken in men's underwear? Well now you will.

I went to the barn down the road tonight and was greeted by a friendly bat....he was touring the whole barn, flitting and swooping on insects, around my head and then gone. I like bats. Of course I do. If you ever saw one up close, they are so delicate, fragile and beautiful. I really would have one for a pet if I could......

Not much new with the horses.....Beaver had a child visitor and he was not impressed.....he showed BAD manners in grabbing carrots and he would have given a big PUSH to the small child if he could have managed it. Sigh......there goes his career. Not for the faint of heart is this pony....but if you have a sense of humor.....well, you might like him.

I hope your holidays are restful, happy and blessed.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

If you know what you know......then you know it.

So Sunday

This is the very beautiful "Jones".......for adoption!


Cold and frosty this morning...but beautifully blue. I make the trip to the barn and the valley is busy......the quad of horses to my left running their field and the "lonely" pony to my right waiting at the fence....crows in the road making a fuss over a squirrel carcass........a lone black dog walks slowly and deliberately along the side of the road and gives me a glance as I pass by.

I am a little late this morning. I get "that look" from the horses as I pull up the driveway and open the gate. I let the chickens out and they follow me into the barn, hoping for a treat or scraps like I sometimes bring....but not this morning. I give them their regular scratch mix, let the cat out, throw hay and then attend to Bonnie.

We made Bonnie a sling on Friday....Caryn and I. We shopped Walmart for a half hour...not sure what we were looking for..but looking just the same. The goal was to lift Bonnie up where she could stretch her legs and have support for her body. Not an easy task. There are no chicken slings commercially made that we could easily find...........so we ended up with size medium men's briefs.....and a lid to a circular garbage can.
In Walmart.....we were engaged in a conversation while we examined the men's briefs out of the package.....and we got some "strange" looks. You cannot explain in a few seconds that Bonnie is a chicken who needs a sling.....and that yes, her head would extend out the front of the crotch part of the underwear, so she could see......but some people only heard "her"........"head"......."support"......"crotch hole" (IDK...is there a term for that?) Anyway, we laughed, bought the underwear and trash can lid...then left.
We placed the underwear inside the trash can lid ring, rolled the band over the ring, secured it and then started the task of fashioning it for Bonnie. This starts with placing Bonnie in the underwear. Hmmm.....okay, her butt has to have an escape hole, so we cut a hole in the butt....her wings go in the leg holes...the crotch supports her breast and lets her legs dangle....and then, well, her head goes through the crotch hole...the crotch hole had to be enlarged a little to make it comfortable........okay......then we take baling twine and tie three long pieces to the ring/lid........then we suspend Bonnie in the contraption and tie the baling twine to the rafter........voila! Bonnie is suspended over the hay and we build the hay up around her, place her feeders and she is able to eat, flap her wings and seems comfortable. Mission accomplished. The shoer came yesterday, walked through the barn and remarked......"is that a chicken hanging from the rafters?" ummmmmm, yes it is. We still put Bonnie away at night to keep her safe from predators and to sleep with the barn cat.

We were visited by Christine E yesterday and she brought us grain, alf pellets, beet pulp and a wonderful basket! Thank you for your kindness and support Christine.....we appreciate your giving spirit and generosity. Christine saw Bonnie too and agreed that Bonnie seemed happy!

Louie, Church, Beaver, Tarbaby and Winston got their feet trimmed. Tarbaby's feet are not great....his disease is present and active. His feet are sore. It is emotional for us.... we bute him and keep his stall dry, but the disease is in full swing and is not curable. Immune system issue. We continue to do our best for him.

We are pretty certain that the little abandoned mare has a new home. Details to follow.....great home with good people. We are still trying to assist with a Shetland pony mare and a Hackney gelding. The pony mare is green broke, the Hackney gelding is said to "drive".......we have not seen them yet, they are a distance from us. I have asked for pictures and will post them later.

Here it is the week before Christmas already. It will be 2011 in a short while. Wierd, isn't it?

Enjoy your day, I hope you see some sun.

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

Fortune smiles at you.

Oh the weather outside is frightful..........

Wind....again, ad nauseum.......last night, and now we have cold rain with a small forecast of snow! Dogs did not want to go outside this morning.....me either...I wanted to stay in bed. Unbelievably still sick......coughing...coughing....Nyquil.
My new mantra.
We will have a small work party this morning, share some coffee, clean some stalls, groom some horses ......the horse shoer will come to the farm at 11......then off for some errands, feed store, run grain to Yukon who is in foster care. Thank you to Liz, Doreen and Kimberly for taking such great care of him and giving him a wonderful place to live!

I still don't have all my Christmas shopping done but I actually did get a large part of it done yesterday....now just a few more things. I did not put a tree up yet either..I have one decoration up.....such a slacker.

Well, off to the races........coffee in hand.....coat on back......

Pony UP fortune for today:

It is not where you left it.....not how you found it.

Operation GELDING....

LOW-COST CASTRATION CLINIC

Friday, December 31, 2010
at Tacoma Equine Hospital
3112 156th St E, Tacoma 98446

*Two No-Cost Castrations will be
given to qualified applicants*

Volunteers NeededDonations gladly accepted
Help Spread the Word!
Please forward this e-mail to a friend
and print & post at your barn

Enroll Now - Space is Limited & Time is Running Out!

sponsored by Tacoma Equine Hospital & The Unwanted Horse Coalition
illustration courtesy of Chris Ware





For more information and to enroll, contact:
Tacoma Equine Hospital
253-535-6999
info@tacomaequine.com

Please be sure your colt/stallion is halter broke, in good health, and that both testicles are present.



Forward email

BRRRRRRRRRRR it's Thursday

The good news is that it is NOT raining....but it is cold and the fog rolled into our lives and the valley this evening. The temperature has dropped considerably and we will have frost by morning. I turned the chickens warming light on and when I left Bonnie she was curled up with the barn cat...or should I say the barn cat was curled around her. I briefly thought about why the barn cat has never decided to eat Bonnie......? Too big, too warm.....the only friend she has? I don't know.

A day off tomorrow.....a day off to get better from whatever I have....which is still hanging on. Nothing that sleep and Nyquil can't cure. Isn't that Nyquil awful?

I have Christmas shopping to do tomorrow. I am behind schedule.......no list either. That is what I call "dangerous Christmas shopping."

The shoer comes Saturday..Winston, Louie, Beaver and Church......foot trims, shoes removed.
Saturday we will also work on perfecting the lighting at the barn.....I need one more light fixture and then another switch......a photocell.......almost perfect...almost.
Thank you Carmen and Brenda for making my day, oh so much shorter today....

We will have a little Pony Up get together this Saturday night.....volunteers and friends of Pony UP. Bring a casserole, an hor d'oeuvre or some fattening dessert......and a recycle gift......something under 25 dollars. We play the "gift" game..you know the one......numbered gifts....snd so on. RSVP.

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

Face your fear, speak out loud.

Typical Tuesday

Long day, worked for nine hours.......weather is cold. We had a major lightning storm last night complete with howling wind, sideways rain and cracking thunder. The interior of my house was lit up like a fluorescent Christmas tree on and off for about 30 minutes. I loved every minute of it........woke from a sound sleep and really never got back to sleep.......the dogs were agitated and scared......the power went off, the generator came on......and then it was time to get up.

We are trying to plan our spring tack sale.....already.....seems early I know.....but the thought of spring cannot come soon enough....really.......come on spring, come early.

I have enjoyed showing you the Pony Up horses this week and today we show you Lizzie...saved from the Enumclaw auction a couple of months ago.....a very pretty mare, big bodied and ready for a home! Like mares.?// call us.

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

More than one surprise will come to you.

Mute it Monday

Edited to tell you that this picture is "Silk" with a cookie between his lips!

My day starts early during the week.......no matter if I am sick, tired or simply distracted.....I am up at 5am........I usually do a load of laundry, put the washer load from the night before in the dryer and then fold the previous nights dryer load.....make coffee, feed dogs, empty cat box, empty trash, take shower, get dressed, wipe sinks down, put dogs out........and then down to the barn. I always get Tarbaby's stall cleaned, chickens fed, cat fed, Bonnie fed/watered/situated, then throw hay, give grain, try to sweep barn out if I have a few spare minutes. I agonize leaving the barn in any sort of disarray...but sometimes I do. ... Then off to my "real" job for eight hours, at lunch I might make Pony UP phone calls, appointments, reference check...or buy supplies at the hardware store.......on my way home I might go to the feed store for stall pellets or grain or who knows what........then back to the barn. If it is Monday or Wednesday, one of my wonderful volunteers has cleaned and probably fed at the number one barn......any day during the week, our angel Caryn has fed breakfast at barn number two and the other angel Brenda has cleaned and fed grain at barn number two....I simply drop in there at night, pick up a few piles and throw hay...I am not the important one at this barn...Caryn and Brenda are...because they are the givers of the grain! Throw in bad weather and anything can happen.......barns flood...pipes break, horses get loose.......a volunteer has an emergency or is sick.......life goes on and horses are watered/fed and cleaned anyway in that kind of priority. Saturday morning is a group volunteer day, I take the morning feeding at barn number one and Ryan feeds at barn number two.

We are busy, I am busy.......we all work hard and we all love these horses with committment and dedication. To borrow a phrase...It takes a village to run a horse rescue...that is for sure. I couldn't do it by myself.....can't do it by myself. I have days when my body says enough already.......and then I see three hours of shoveling gravel and pushbrooming water beside a volunteer who could be doing almost anything else but this kind of work......I survive, I kick my ego to the curb and try to regroup on how to do it better.....simpler........quicker........sometimes I am successful and sometimes I need to have my wings clipped. Volunteers are good for that. I am lucky to have so many with so much talent.........Our new volunteer Rebecca who not only baked for our bake sale..but made wreaths too.......Caryn who baked, Ryan who handled the sales......Nina who baked, Caryn's grandma.......what great hands!
Sarah thank you for cleaning on Mondays and Carmen....thank you for feeding when you can........

To the folks who supported our bake sale and wreath sale......thank you........to the folks who just stopped by and gave us a few dollars.......thank you.....we appreciate your support and generosity and overall your compassion for what we do.

I am fluish and cranky today, but trying to remember my blessings and believe me......I have many.....a hot bath is coming my way, a glass of wine and an early bed time.

I am glad to report that all horses were dry during this weather.....the stalls did not flood, nor did we lose hay/grain or any of our supplies......but we did have a lot of water in barn number two.

Enjoy your week........

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Other fish will fry.........

Sunday Sunday...

Oh, did we have some rain......and then some! Pony Up barn #2 was flooded..we had to take gravel and build a small dike, push water out of the barn........and all while I am sick with the flu.....cough, sore throat...not a good day.
The good news is that barn #1 was dry....no leaks, no flooding.....no troubles.
We will be glad, as everyone else, when winter is OVER! Thank you Ryan for all the help, as usual!

Jones will be going to the Jones Farm for some legging up.....and then he is ready for adoption. Somebody will be lucky to get this nice boy! Beautiful and well mannered to boot!

We went to "rescue" a pony today ..but when we just about got to our destination, ...the person called and said he was gone. Just like that. Such a bad day for a drive....but we are glad the pony is safe. There are so many in trouble.

Saturday we had our bake sale at Del's and it was fun! We made a little money and met some new friends. Thanks to all of our bakers.....Nina, Rebecca, Caryn and Caryn's grandma.......such nice cookies and baked goods! THANK YOU for your time and efforts for our residents.

Not too much longer before Christmas......do you have all your shopping done? I do not. I must get busy...or get online.

Susie.,we hope you are feeling better and we miss you! Come back soon!

Bonnie's companion died on Saturday. She seemed like she was doing better but we found her dead in the nest in the morning. RIP little blonde chicken!
Bonnie is still doing well and we are building her a sling to help hold her up. Wierd, I know. ...but what is the alternative?

Tarbaby is still on bute once a day and he is feeling better, but of course not cured...he cannot be cured...but we are focused on keeping him comfortable. Rain is not helping anything..

If you are considering adoption, see us! We have several nice horses.......green horses, old horses......teen horses! Questions? ask.

We have included a photo of Blue today who wants a new home for Christmas!

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Fortune smiles on those who help themselves.

Rainy day Tuesday evening

Steady cold rain. I returned to the barn from work to find one of my chickens lying in the driveway, unable to move, very cold and wet....so I scooped her up, rubbed her feathers with a towel, wrapped her up and put her under a small heat lamp while I cleaned. I am not sure she will make it. I am no chicken expert that is for sure. Right now she is on my kitchen counter in a box, covered by a towel, resting a little more comfortably. Tomorrow, if she is better, she can share a room with Bonnie. I am not sure what is happening to these chickens. Bonnie's legs are paralyzed and I know that is no life for a chicken, but none of us can kill her. She eats and drinks and talks to us. We carry her around, put her in dry dirt for dustbaths and keep her in the cat room at night....we talked about it the other day and NO ONE wants to euthanize Bonnie...so there you go.

I am sick of this rain already.......wet paddocks, hard to clean.....wet horses, leaks here and there. Maybe just a day or two of sun? Maybe I need a vacation to Palm Springs or Maui? Sure....

We will have a bake sale this weekend....lots of goodies and some Christmas wreaths too, as well as some beaded horseshoes made by my volunteers.

I am saddened to see all the horses left at the auction house. Nices ones, old ones.....inbetween ones......none of them deserve to die. Hard to chose who lives and who dies. Your heart aches for the old ones, the ones who are broke to death kids horses.......and your heart will break over a blind horse being left in an unfamiliar place......how will it find food? how will it protect itself from dominant horses? how will it avoid the dangers of the crummy pens at the auction house? I hope the owner who left it can sleep well at night....it takes a special heartless individual to leave a blind horse to fend for itself. May you be so vulnerable some day....

Every week we get more and more chores done, things that make it easier to care for our horses and easier for the volunteers who come to spend their time with us. Thank you to Ryan for closing in the top of the old loafing shed.....it will make it less drafty for the upcoming winter weather we are sure to experience.

Last night I went to feed in our "borrowed" barn ...went upstairs and got the crap scared out of me. We have fake owls up there to scare the pigeons off.......and so I was expecting a fake owl...but what I ran into was a real owl........and it was loud and it took off........I almost wet my pants...I am not kidding. Those things are loud! He must be interested in the two dummy owls? Perhaps they are real lookers as far as owls go? I don't know.

We need a wheelbarrow. I must remember that. We need two of about everything lately because of the new barn. I am always running things back and forth........we could use another laundry sink too, while I am at it.....mental list.

Off to bed, I am tired and must get up a little early tomorrow.

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

Beauty is only skin deep...

Tuesday too

Time for only a short blog this morning.

I would like to point out that there are MANY nice horses currently sitting at the Enumclaw auction, waiting for the slaughter truck. There are also several OLD horses, several EMACIATED horses and one blind horse. It takes a special, heartless creep to dump a blind horse at a strange place and then drive off for a Holiday Dinner party. I would like to meet them.
Sigh...anyway, my point is that if you have any room in your heart, your barn or your neighbor's barn......please save a life. Some of these horses are in very rough shape. I hate to think of a trip on the slaughter bus for them. I will share two pictures with you, courtesy of Auctionhorses.......one of a little gelding, sick with diarrhea, starved and older. He has nothing going for him like many of the others. The other is the blind mare....

If anyone is interested, please email me and I will pass the information to you.
We will also haul this horse for you this weekend, if necessary.

Help us to help them.

Whoops it's Wednesday

We had some sun today, which felt good on my skin......and good on my brain. On the other hand my camera died and I am home sick with a stomach virus. I slept a good portion of the afternoon and feel a little better now. Too much stress, too much bad weather I think.

We sent a blanket to an old horse. The owner is trying to make him more comfortable and trying to do the right things for him. We cannot take him right now, so all we can do is help. We will gather some senior food coupons and get them to the owner as well. It is a bad time to try to rehome an old horse...frankly it is just not safe almost any way you look at it. I shudder to think about the cases we don't know about...but I can tell you this...there are horses suffering tonight.

The pony went to his new home today.... a really nice home, with another pony...a lovely pasture and nice people! They came and got him while I was lounging around the house sick. Thank you!

If you have any old blankets, I am collecting some for potential horses that we might help this winter. My want list for helping community horses will read:

waterproof blankets in various sizes
corn oil
senior grain coupons
beet pulp
hay
alfalfa pellets
veterinary certificates for dental floats...(I know...this is asking alot...but dental care for the old guys is so necessary for keeping weight on)

We are currently feeding a pony in our neighborhood who is older. His owners do not feed him and he must subsist on pasture alone which you and I know won't support a horse in Western Washington in the winter. We are allowed to feed him once a day....once a day.....gosh, well it is better than nothing...but since when is there a limit on how much you are feeding when someone else is ponying up the hay??? We wish they would simply give the old pony up....still working on it.

The week is half over......and into December we are.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:


Blessed are the merciful.

Tuesday Twilight

This week has been so much better! Heavy sigh of relief. Back to work and sort of back to normal.
The good news is that we have a pony adopted! YAY! To a great home, with another pony, a big pasture and a lot of love coming his way. It never gets better than this.
Congrats Wally!

Last weekend we got a lot done around the barn. We put electricity to the gate and now it is not on a battery any longer. The battery kept dying....now it has power of it's own and we will put a light on the gate as well. We also put up some more exterior lights on the barn and now we have a full compliment of light around the buildings....so much easier to clean in the dark and I feel so much braver walking around the back of the barn.

We lost a chicken during the snow, or so we thought. ...but here she came on Sunday, out of the woods, sort of stumbling around, obviously traumatized......so now she is in the barn with Bonnie, the disabled chicken. I might have to change the name of the farm....The Chicken Ranch! LOL.

The borrowed barn down the road is going well. It is a lovely barn, we wish it was ours or that we could move it to our land. Perfect size and great hay storage. Some day, some day.

We got another five ton of hay delivered and believe me when I say that we have hay everywhere! In the aisleway of the old barn and stacked to the gills in the new barn. It always feels good to have hay in the barn and full grain bins....makes me relax a bit.

Tarbaby is having a lot of discomfort with his feet. I have buted him twice a day for a few days now.......he seems a little more comfortable tonight. It makes me emotional to see him in pain and I begin to have the talk with myself about "quality of life" and what if I am selfish or just what needs to be done. We will consult the vet to keep us on an even keel. He is a nice old horse who deserved a better life than what he got. He makes me smile each morning when I feed him, as he, no matter what, gets excited for his grain/slop and he whinnies and sings to me.....but is always very mannerly in waiting and always waits for you to pour it before he digs in. He gets the slop all over his face and his old man teeth hang out of his mouth and he makes pig noises........and it makes you just love him all over again. I wish I had known him as a younger horse, I bet he was quite the guy.

I am thankful for the volunteers who continue to help us with cleaning, building and maintenance. I couldn't do it alone....this is a rescue for all of us, by all of us.
Thanks to all of you who share your time and resources.

A special note to Susy.....we will miss you for a while....be safe, be strong and come back soon!

Christmas is right around the corner.....wow. I am so not ready...but I guess I never am. I should get busy!

My family adopted a new cat from the shelter......we have finally decided on a name....Samson...I am sure it will get changed to Sam in short order.....! Welcome Samson to our family. He fit right in, likes the dogs and even likes the other cats...now how did that happen...no drama? Here?

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

You will remember something long lost and bring it to the present.

Fearless Friday comes around

Oh my gosh, what a week.........snow, bitter cold, frozen pipes, dead batteries......fallen trees, power outages that lasted for days......I am so ready for some better weather. Tired, chapped hands....the list goes on but I will spare you.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Pony Up friends! I hope your day was better spent than mine. I spent hours hauling water, pushing flooding water out of the barn, fixing pipes, arranging heat tape onto pipes, putting extra insulation in cracks and crevices of the well room and checking generator. Thank God for the generator..that is all I can say.....and then finally........Thanksgiving dinner. Just in time..

Happy to say that today, all is well.....paddocks cleaned, water tubs cleaned and filled, stalls scraped.......grain in the bin. Finally a quiet minute to myself and a glass of wine with my name on it. Maybe next time we will be further and better prepared.......just think, it isn't even winter yet! Yikes!

A huge thank you to Ryan for helping me today......what would we do without you? Thank you...we owe you a hot lunch! Also thanks to Caryn for helping me pre=make most of my Thanksgiving dishes....always a pleasure to have you in our home! Thanks to Brenda for taking extra care of the ponies in this ugly weather.

Horses are in need everywhere......cold weather means they should have extra hay and an extra blanket if they are old. If your neighbors are having trouble with feeding, lend a hand. We are feeding a pony who is unblanketed, old and making his living on "pasture" only.... Please help out if you are able and please call the humane society on animals who are in bad conditions......they cannot speak for themselves and depend on us.

December is right around the corner and Christmas with it. Seems too fast, doesn't it?

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow, courage is speaking up when the room is silent......have courage today.

TOO cold Tuesday

We had a violent wind storm, with snow..and now we have no power. It is bone chilling cold...in the teens. There are fallen branches and trees everywhere.....looks like a war zone.

I am fortunate to have generator power for a while. There are 55ooo of us without power..........brr. I hope we will have power by Thanksgiving. There are many folks without any heat. I hope they can get to neighbors or family.

The horses were fed extra yesterday evening and this morning and then again this evening. I brought hot water to the barn and they got hot mashes. Chickens are cold. I made a hay hut for the barn cat and she is cozy inside....shavings, hay, an old wool coat and Bonnie to keep her company. It was hard cleaning frozen poop piles from the paddocks, so I picked them as good as I could and plan on catching up when
the weather breaks.

Tarbaby is double blanketed, but he is not eating as well as I would like. I increased the warm water in his food tonight. He seems perky enough, but I worry anyway. I am a chronic worrier....I wish I wasn't.

My truck is dead.......battery dead and I have no one to help me jump it until tomorrow...so I am driving the car. Amazingly enough, it goes well in the snow. I had it loaded up today with presto logs for a neighbor who has only a fireplace for heat in this cold.

With Thanksgiving in our thoughts, I am thankful for friends, neighbors, volunteers and family. If you have something to give, give it up and give it out! There are plenty of folks in need around you.

Pony Up Fortune for tomorrow:

When you least expect it, it arrives.

Sunday morning, coming down

Snow is falling. Chores are done..water pipes wrapped, extra food put out for birds, horses have lots of hay to munch this afternoon, hoses drained....I guess I am ready.
I am not a snow fan and it will be alright if it comes and goes quickly....although I will enjoy the scenery of snow on trees and undisturbed fields.

We had our fundraiser/auction last night. It was a lot of fund......new friends, old friends, lots of auction items, reasonble prices....great food! Mr. Williams, what a suprise to see you.

I would like to thank all the folks who donated items, my volunteers who donated time and effort, Trophy Lake for the use of the room (they did not charge us!) and of course all the folks who kept their RSVP's! I hope everyone found something that they wanted! I know I did. Thank you to the Darmer family for the donation of hay, thank you to Gail Baker for "Harriet's Bench"...we will treasure it! Thank you to Don for being our impromptu auctioneer! Susy, Caryn, Ryan, Milo, Kaydee, Rebecca, Sharon and BRENDA....(edited because I failed to mention Brenda!!!)...I couldn't have done this without you!

If anyone would like a copy of the Pony UP Video that was shown, we would be glad to copy one for you and mail it or you can come and pick it up. We will charge one dollar for each CD, plus mailing costs if applicable.

All proceeds from last night's fundraiser will be used to feed the Pony Up horses through the winter. We run through about two ton of hay per month (we have a lot of BIG horses with BIG appetites). We also use a lot of stall pellets and we try to buy damaged bags when we can. We feed senior grain, beet pulp, rice bran and alfalfa pellets to most horses...except air fern ponies. Every horse has his/her own diet according to age and physical need. For instance Tarbaby cannot eat much hay, so he gets senior grain, hay pellets, rice bran and beet pulp twice a day to keep his weight up where it should be.

The sky is getting progressively grayer as I write this......looks like it might really come down! Yikes.

I am off to do my own house chores this afternoon.....enjoy your quiet Sunday afternoon. I have this whole week off and plan to catch up on the things I never get done...dr/dentist, shopping....friends.....

Pony UP Fortune for tomorrow:

Eyes wide open........mouth shut.

Friday comes around

Brrrrrrrrrrr....cold and rainy...with the weather forecast calling for some snow. Not even Thanksgiving...I am not ready for snow.
The week has been busy as we prepare for the fundraiser/auction dinner. We have a big guest list and we are very excited to see and greet everyone! RSVPs were due yesterday and I believe we have a full house!
We have a load of auction items and we are very grateful to our vendors and friends for donations of goods and services.
We would like to thank:

Nina Lyman
Strohs
Mrs. Pastures
West Bay Auto Parts
NJ Collins
Susy Price
Ryan Bolen (wait until you see his auction item!)
Minders Meats
North Coast Electric
Melody Miller
Beth Anderson Ness
Fred Meyer
Brenda Armstrong
Carmen Farver
Second Wind Coffee
The Darmer Family
Baxter's Horse Cookies
Olsons Tack Shop
The Gift Horse
Cenex
Chinook Electric Partnership
Cliff and Tina Hansen
Peninsula Equine (Dr. Julie Page)
Yvvone
The Stiffey Family
Jax Salon
A Sound Massage

Louie and Jones broke out during the windstorm we had last week......at midnight I went to the barn, after my mom called me and said "horses were on her porch!" Yikes!
In my jammies, glasses and rubber boots I raced to the farm and found Louie and Jones milling around my mom's back porch.....apparently waiting for treats. They came right to me and I lead them up and put them back......then fixed the gate that they broke down. After the adrenaline rush, I could not sleep ..so I stayed up....mistake...I was so tired the next day at work. Hard to keep my peepers open.

We made a great video of the Past and Present Pony UP horses...not sure how to share such a large file yet, but I hope to put it up soon.

Our website is down and we are working on it. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Our next big project is a new tack room. We are so compromised on space. Our old tack room will become our feed room and then we will have more room for hay in the barn. Always a new project coming along.

I visited the Humane Society yesterday, looking for my cat....I didn't find him but I did see so many lovely cats......big ones, little ones , older ones and busy, busy kittens! The Kitsap Humane Society is overloaded with cats.....if you have room in your house and heart......go and adopt a cat today! There were about three cats that were twenty pounds or better.....HUGE. I am pretty sure my cat is not coming home...it has been over two weeks. I think it was coyotes.... he ran outside and I couldn't catch him....and off into our ten acres he went.....end of story. The coyotes are very brave and we see them in the yard frequently. Our cat was a house cat and never stayed outside....one mistake and we lose him.

I am off to do chores...run errands and then I have to go to work for a while.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

It's in the bag~!

Monday....hear the wind?

I love the wind. I love to watch it blow the leaves in mini tornadoes and then send them skipping off in all directions. Fall is here. No more glimpses of summer weather, no more picture perfect sunsets....but perhaps snow and ice with brilliant blue skies. I am not much of a snow person, but I do appreciate the beauty of undisturbed snow in a field or snowcapped trees...I just do not like to drive in it.

Last weekend we worked hard around the farm and got even more winterized.....more lights outside to keep the dark at bay while we clean. Horses groomed, blankets arranged, hay delivered, buckets scrubbed, garbage emptied. I must say the new lights are great......so much easier to see the bears who might get me! Even the chickens stayed out later to scratch around under the lights. Thank you Ryan for your time and effort...it was a long day.

We have been working hard on our auction items and we have some great things to offer......some horse type items, tack, artwork, dog baskets, coffee baskets, kids basket, cat basket, Christmas basket, spa basket, hair service certificate, vet certificates, hay, beaded brow band with matching stock pin, dressage lessons from two instructors, original artwork signed by the artist, Christmas ornaments, horse cookies, saddle fittings.........wowie! We are blessed to have such great supporters...thank you. Now come and have dinner and Christmas shop with us! All proceeds will go to support Pony UP Rescue for Equines.


Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

It isn't perfect, but it will get you by.

and again we have Friday!

First news of the blog.........
Don't forget the Pony UP annual Fundraiser/Auction on November 20th...6pm at Trophy Lake Golf Course....lots of fun auction items, food and friends! Please RSVP to Krismasdog@aol.com and save a place for you and your friends!

This has been a long week. I forget how long it takes me to get into a new routine with darkness upon us so early in the afternoon. I remember now where we need more light and how exactly I clean paddocks in the dark! I clean with a miners light....right on my head or my hat if it is raining. The horses get used to it and the work gets done. One of the bonuses of the early darkness is that the chickens put themselves to bed and I don't have to wait or make a second trip.

Bonnie the chicken is still hanging in there.......eats, drinks but doesn't walk much. We move her around, stretch her wings and put her in the dust bath a couple of times a week. We hope she can get better.

It is that blanket time of the year again......blankets get ripped......blankets get wet......horses take them off....we put them back on. Church has a really good winter coat...but we put him in a thin sort of rain blanket.....and he was cold...go figure.....I put a thicker blanket on him and voila....he is much happier. I wonder how things would be if it was REALLY cold, like Montana or Nebraska........by the way, what kind of name is Nebraska? Sounds Russian.....but I know it isn't....hmm.....I will have to google it.

Today we got the fifth wheel home to the farm......finally. What a lot of work. I have never had an RV before ...at least a towable one and good grief ...I had NO IDEA. Of course in order to make it mine, I had to wash it.....bleach it......I am slightly germophobic....I love bleach. It makes me feel better. Someone pointed out that I am in daily contact with HORSE MANURE......but horse manure doesn't bother me.....human stuff does...and of course, if you are bleeding....you don't want me to help you. I will pass out or throw up. I am a sympathetic vomiter.........that means if YOU vomit, I do too. Heck, if the dog vomits, I vomit...I can't help myself. Anyway, the fifth wheel is home....parked...safe......and tomorrow we will set it level, plug it in and voila.....we have an office!

Horses are good this week........Lizzie's weight is good, her coat is beautiful.....Blue is much friendlier....loves carrots........Tarbaby is picky about hay.....so we feed him more senior grain in a slop twice a day which he loves and we give his old hay to the ponies. You have to love the recyle program huh?

I have had to work the last four Fridays and my trail riding aspirations have been dashed.......I worked today for a few hours and I have to work next Friday as well. All money for the horses, of course...so I don't mind.

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, after a beautiful day today....we have many things to acomplish, as usual......some more outside lights to put in, some receptacles, clean paddocks.......check gutters on the barn.......go to the dump.....have a Pony UP meeting......and help on a community project for a particular family.

Thanksgiving is almost upon us! I love Thanksgiving best out of any holidays.... a chance to get together, have a nice meal........and visit. We have a lot to be thankful for this year........we are truly blessed to have some of the folks we have, who volunteer, who donate.......who think of us........thank you!

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Sometimes you don't see the angels who serve you.

So long Saturday

I am late in my blogging duties....so busy, as usual.

We had some beautiful weather this past week and we were grateful for the dry out time! It was seventy degrees here on Wednesday and I took all blankets off for the day and night. Normally the blankets would be on for good about now. Go figure how the weather will fare this winter season...I have no clue...but I hate snow, so it can definitely stay away.

Friday we got a good cleaning done, Mary and I. It is always fun to gab and clean...makes it go so much faster. The past few Fridays I have had to work and so my chore time is limited, this Friday was no different.

This morning we got a lot of things done.............YAY! The automatic gate opener is now functional and it works great! Thank you Alex and Ryan! We had a new volunteer for the morning.......welcome Caryn! (yes, another Car-ryn)...and guess what...this Caryn adopted our bunny!!! Susy and I also got the summer plants put up, made a new flower bed, cleaned the chicken house, cleaned all paddocks and water tubs....groomed the ponies, groomed Tarbaby and Church, got the barn aisle swept, loaded up the garbage from the new barn and some from the old barn....watch Zenyatta run, went to check out an RV and got coffee! We always have fun on Saturdays..at least I do.

We now have an RV for a caretaker to live in.....so exciting. Thirty two feet long, bathroom and kitchen...no leaks.....now we are looking for a caretaker to live at the farm. If you know someone looking, send them to us?

The grass is growing in the furloughed paddocks and we should have nice grazing come spring and summer....we have put about a million pounds of grass seed down so we should have something...LOL. We also got some sand (thanks to Susie) in the arena, although we will need more.......the horses are enjoying rolling in it and just standing in it...who knew it could make them so happy?

Tomorrow I hope to go for a trail ride and relax a little. My friend Kathy has invited me and I have in turn invited Louie. Louie is a horse, of course...a big fat TB....and he needs the exercise....ok, so do I.

My house cat is missing since this morning, he got out around 6 am when I let the dogs out, ran away from me and I haven't seen him since. I fear the worst. We have coyotes. We have let him out a little bit during the summer but he never stays out. I hope he can come back.

It rained hard this afternoon and reminded me to get a new raincoat and rubber boots.
You would think I might own several pairs of boots and several jackets, but I never have enough.

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

Beware of smiling strangers today.

Good Morning Monday

It is five thirty a.m. A steady rhythm of rain is pounding the roof and it is cold. I am not looking forward to getting wet before I go to my "real" job. I shudder to think that we probably have six more months of this..maybe longer if the year is like the last. Remember it was winter right up until about July 7th? I can hardly remember dry paddocks and what they look like.

It was a busy weekend at Pony UP. Saturday, we worked in the rain.....Susy, Sarah, Alex, Ryan, Aspen and myself....cleaning paddocks and moving gravel. A long wet day. Ryan and I later went and got six stall mats to put over fresh gravel...we got the nubby stall mats that are anti slip. All paddocks have mats now. I took the boys to Mexican lunch...my turn to treat the girls next week.

Yesterday, Sunday, we had a lovely morning of sun and I took blankets off until mid afternoon when the clouds returned. Bronte helped in the morning and learned how to soak Tarbaby's feet. Everybody's weight looks good, coats are glossy......and Louie is FAT. We got it figured out why Louie is fat. Louie shares a paddock with Jones. Jones is the boss horse......so we thought. Jones gets grain. Louie doesn't. Jones protects his grain with evil looks and raised hind legs, which seemed be be successful......until we leave and Louie very quietly and non threateningly worms his way into Jones stall ...then quietly takes turns eating the grain with Jones. Time to move horses around......new pasture mates....so Louie's diet can work. Louie is a very nice horse, we all love him but we don't want him to be so fat.

I actually bought a western saddle for Louie and I am going to start taking him on trails with Caryn and our friend Kathy......and whomever else wants to join us. I need someone to take Jones on the trail. Any volunteers? How about you Kari L?
Banner forest, here we come. The Pony Up posse! We are looking for one more western saddle with a WIDE tree.

I work five days again this week and then next week go back to my normal schedule. I hate to work my regular job on Fridays because I get behind schedule at the barns. I still have work to be done at the new barn........gravel, garbage run....replace light bulbs.....hogsfuel....... okay, don't get me started....I have a mental list going already.

I watched this fascinating program on crows (I love crows).....and now I love them even more. Did you know they were as smart as an ape? The U of W has a program which is studying crows, they filmed a lot of their research and made this documentary. Crows not only can use tools, but they can make tools to use.....how smart is that? They also remember faces and places for over two years.......in this study. If you get a chance....watch it. Called "A Murder of Crows" ...

Off to do a load of laundry, shower, feed dogs........find a hat to wear in this rain......where is my list?

Please remember to reserve your tickets to the Pony Up Fall Fundraiser! 28 dollars now, 30 dollars at the door. November 20th, 2010. You still need a reservation if you are going to pay at the door!...we only have so much room. Please join us.
The fundraiser is going to be held at Trophy Lake Golf Club, in Port Orchard...6pm.
http://www.trophylakegolfclub.com/Directions.aspx?SecID=840
If you have an item to donate to our auction, please contact us........if you want to donate a dessert for the dessert auction........let us know!

Enjoy your day!

Pony Up fortune for today:

If not you, then who?

Through Thursday again.....

News of the day.......

Pony Up Rescue for Equines is having their annual fundraiser/dinner auction on November 20th, 2010. The event begins at 6pm. Tickets are 28 dollars in advance or 30dollars at the door. We will have a small live auction as well as silent auction tables.....something for everyone! The dinner this year is a pasta buffet with caesar salad! There will be a non hosted bar as well. Please RSVP to Rosemary@ponyuprescue.com by November 17th. We hope to see you there. Also I should mention, that we will have a desert auction after dinner, with all proceeds going to the "For Jake's Sake Fund".

The weather was back to cool today with light rain and more promised to come. I got pellets down in all the stalls and all hooves are standing in the said pellets as we speak. Blankets are still on.......no tears or catastrophic disasters as of yet..but I am sure it will happen...it always does.

Wally the pony is FAT. We have him on a diet but gosh.....he is still fat. Like pregnant fat.
Speaking of pregnant.....Lizzie is NOT! We love foals....but it is a relief..no room at the inn presently...always a waiting list. Right now we have three horses on a waiting list.......nice horses too..that folks just cannot keep. Sad isn't it.

I cannot believe that it is already November..Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the bend and then TAX time. UGH>

Funny how you notice things during the day. Today at work I noticed that my very dry hands were stained a lovely shade of green in the lines and crevices of my palms..from mixing grain/beet pulp/alf pellets in early am horse mush.....I went right to the bathroom and scrubbed them with antibacterial soap....but it did no good.....it stuck like glue. I really should wear gloves...why don't I wear gloves? Good thing I am not a nurse...wouldn't that be lovely?

Bonnie the chicken is still hanging in there. She talks to me when I pick her up and softly clucks while I stretch her legs and wings. She is very thin and needs to eat more. I have to think of how I can best do this....she cannot stay outside unprotected...maybe the cat room?

Tomorrow, I will spread some gravel, clean paddocks.......soak Tarbaby's feet.....then I have to go to work in the afternoon.....so I won't get as much done as I would like ...

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Stick to your guns.

Wow...it's Wednesday already

Hardly any time this week....to write or even sit down. Tonight is my night off from the barn......but I went there anyway, because we were out of stall pellets and I expect it to rain again tomorrow. Tarbaby's feet have to be kept dry, at least as dry as we can keep them. The weather was cool today but the sun came out and it was a welcome break. If you don't live here....you have no idea about the kind of rain we had the last few days. The wind was big too......and we lost so many of the maple leaves from the trees......it was hard to even see the pavement on the road. The trees are simply breathtaking with all of the color...really lovely.

Our horses faired okay through the rain and I shudder to think about the horses who are just starting to suffer from the effects of folks not taking care of them. Right here on our own street......two black horses.......no shelter, no blankets.....sporadic water. It is going to be a long winter. Sometimes these things, they end right up in your lap.

I am thankful for my volunteers and all the work they do for the love of the horses.
It would be impossible to do this all myself and I am fortunate to be surrounded by people with big hearts. We love the horses as our own, don't we?

Still working on the fundraiser....and it may have to be the first week in December now......not enough time to get everything done and we are having a hard time finding a place...details, details.

Time to go and finish a few home type chores before I go to bed and start all over again.

Halloween this weekend......so much fun!

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

You cannot find what you seek where you seek it.......change your direction.

Soaked on Sunday

It rained buckets last night...it woke me from sleep and I listened to it for a while, had some anxiety about whether all of our prepping for winter would be okay or did we miss something.
Although it is my sleep in day, I got up early...let dogs out, made coffee......ate soybeans.....and then went to the barn. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were NO leaks....no floods...stall floors were dry and all blankets were still on. The barn roof has one small leak and it is around the vent...it drips just a little. Something to fix this week.

I finally blanketed everyone yesterday. I have been blanketing Tarbaby, the old guy for the last couple of weeks at night. It is funny that you cannot remember who wore what last year........okay, I can't...maybe you can. I really only remembered that Winston wore the HUGE purple blanket.....and Max came with a Horses in Black blanket. Imagine my surprise when the HIB blanket would not begin to fit Max. ...and it is now being worn by Jones. Louie had to take the size 86 blanket, while Lizzie wore the 82. Where did all the small horses go? Ah, well we have Blue who is as wide as he is tall......but he hates a blanket....so does Beaver, and as I am a fast learner....Beaver never wears a blanket because the blanket is immediately destroyed...not just taken off, but destroyed...and since he has hair like a Tibetan Yak, I don't worry about him.

Bonnie the chicken is still about the same..physical therapy twice a day..I put a dirt box in the chicken coop so she can eat small pebbles, like she would do in the outside world.....and so she can also take a dust bath. She did both yesterday. She loves to share the canned cat food in the morning with the cat.....and I am not telling her it is chicken.

We had visitors yesterday..a new volunteer and someone who is interested in Wally. Caryn and I were also at Cenex yesterday and handed out flyers and Halloween candy......we had lots of interest in Wally.

Thank you Nicky M for your donation and also thank you Erin for the grain you donated.......we appreciate all you do for us. Nicky, we hope to see you again soon.
Also thanks to Susy P for the work on our behalf and the stall pellets. This is the time of the year that we use a gazillion pellets.....Thank you to Strohs for the donation of the fly sheet and hood.

I was chastised by Chippy this morning because he was out of sunflower seeds. He scolded me right up until I filled his dish.

The sky is dark and threatening......promises to rain all day and apparently we are supposed to get wind too. Great. Although I really do love the wind.

Images of fall and of course, the squirrel....

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:\

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Wait......it's Wednesday...

The week is flying by, as it always does.
Cold and clear in the morning and leads to a sunny clear afternoon.......no rain. I love this type of weather. It is supposed to rain later this week. I just have time to go and get the newly cleaned horse blankets at Strohs before the torrential downpours begin.

One of my chickens got better and is back with the flock. Bonnie still struggles to get well. I get her out each morning and help her stretch her wings, feed her and let her drink.....then she sits on the hay while I feed. She clucks to me and makes little noises. As I walk by her, I stand her up so she can stretch her legs. Now I am a chicken physical therapist. Good grief.

The new barn is still awesome and we love it....so clean and roomy and SPACIOUS! Max, Ollie, Blue and Lizzie are loving the pastures during the day and the nice big stalls at night. I have been looking at Lizzie and hoping she is not pregnant. She has a belly......I was told she did not take this year and yet...umm.....stranger things have happened. I have not seen her in heat.....even with these big handsome boys next door. She really does not have much interest in them. Hmmm. Worth checking I suppose. Brenda promises a beauty treatment for her this next week....her mane is long and her tail needs banging.

We have someone coming to look at Wally on Saturday and we hope it can be a new family for him! Keep your fingers crossed for him. He really is a lovely pony....flaxen mane and tail...liver chestnut with snowflake spots.

I had the night off from the main barn tonight...thank you Caryn.....you are a Godsend....can we adopt you?! I walked my dog, did some home chores....so very nice to have an evening off.

Stories during the week which would break your heart and bend your mind. Things you and I will never understand or comprehend...it isn't just horses.....dogs too..cats.... I cannot write of it tonight....I need to get away from it. It makes me a jaded cynical mess some days.

On Saturday we will be at the Purdy Cenex for Customer Appreciation Days.......come see us and visit a while. We will finish our morning chores and be there around 11. It promises to be a great event. Cenex is always good to us!

We are starting to plan our fundraiser...watch for the announcement next week! If you have something you want to donate for us to auction...send me an email.......if you want to attend.......send me an email. We are interested in items that can be auctioned like lessons, articles of tack, garden items, tools, artwork....spa packages, services......it does not have to be horse related!

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

The the opportunity as soon as it is offered....

Sunday

Trying to get this photo thing to work.......I need a zoom lens and my troubles would be over!

Grace and Silk.........as we left them today from visiting to take blankets!

Saturday

Up early.......got my house in order and then to the barn....oops, someone has beat me to the barn.....Jamie! Bringing beet pulp and horse cookies! Thank you.
We had a full day of volunteers........I am very thankful.....we got so much done...my chore list is almost non existant.

Thank you to Christine for helping to arrange this and for bringing food for everyone.....thank you to Lower Puget Sound Dressage Club members and Peninsula Equine clients......and my regular volunteers too. We got the washrack done, the arena picked, limbs and debris picked up from the paddocks, leaves blown, interior of stalls painted, stall fronts painted, a new wall put up in the pony shed, horses groomed, gravel spread on paddock number one and on the driveway to the new barn, electric fencing put up, gutters cleaned, this has gotten us so far ahead of where we were.......thank you! We met a lot of nice folks today........your generosity is very appreciated. I was glad to have folks in to see the horses and our facility, so you can see what we do. The washrack is going to be a real bonus for us.

I am tired as I am sure everyone else is...so my blog is short tonight.


Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

Pay it forward even if you only have a little to pay......your kindness will be rewarded.

Fri fri Friday

LONG day......got a lot accomplished....all my errands and then some!

This morning I was greeted by Mary V, who I had not seen in a long time. There she was like an apparition..cleaning paddocks! That's what I'm talking about....I show up and there is someone already cleaning? So nice to see you Mary, we missed you. Bronte soon followed and then Ryan. We cleaned and raked, fed grain, filled water troughs, laughed a little....found out Bronte is a champion tennis player and I am not.

Later Ryan and I went to Starbucks, the feed store, my sister's house, Lowes....and then back for chores. We worked until six thirty when I realized I should let Ryan go home and quit working. I could seriously work for 24 hours on a project. Susy and Sarah came to feed at the main barn, plus they picked paddocks in the upper field........so I headed down to the other barn and fed there, put blankets on and shut the barn up. Ollie was quite fussy.....the no-seeums are out and he is easily irritated...kicks his belly and is quite dramatic.......so I did the usual.....sprayed him down with gnat spray, coated his legs and sheath with Corona ointment....and then cleaned his sheath......yes, the gnats get THERE too....and he was more comfortable when I left. Anyone else might think he was colicky...but no...he is not.

Big day tomorrow....lots of folks coming out. We will work on the remainder of the washrack, clean gutters, move manure pile, gravel to spread, put some hogsfuel down , there is sand to spread....scrub horses and barn, pick paddocks.....paint, put fencing up......I have a big list somewhere......? The weather is supposed to be nice and I hope it will hold for most of the day.

The shoer comes tomorrow....Beaver and Max.....and we also send the shoer out to see Grace...time to change her shoes, plus we need to take her blanket to her. Always good to see the folks who have her and Silk...such a beautiful farm and nice folks.

The horses had a good day napping in the sun. I was sad to think that their days of sun naps are almost over until next year.

Winston tortured the chickens today....they were close to his paddock and he could just about reach them, so he made ugly faces, shook his head, tried to scare them and could barely reach their food.....but finally did reach it and ate the few crumbles of scratch they had. Such a pig.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

So much for your choice of delivery.

Thoroughly wet Thursday

I was tricked this morning....blue sky......my mind said "one more day of sun" and I promptly forgot about the weather forecast. I should have listened. Torrents of rain and it got cold.....and me with NO jacket. I was so cold that I even put on one of those jackets that had been sitting in the barn....but I vigorously shook it to avoid spiders. Creeps me out to think of one getting on me....eww.

Here it is Thursday already and tomorrow I have LOTS of work to do to get ready for the work party on Saturday. I have made my list and my morning will start early. Railroad ties, gravel.....paint, brushes, fencing.....the list goes on and on and on.

Pictures today from the farm......Tarbaby soaking his feet.....the chicken Bonnie with Miss Kitty....

I got a new laptop and I hate it so far. I loved my old one but the model is discontinued. I should have had it rebuilt I guess. Sometimes I hate change, sometimes I love it.

The Pony Up girls gave me the day off yesterday. What a treat! I did some normal, non horsey stuff......like cooked dinner (macaroni and cheese with buttermilk and turkey bacon).......walked my dog Georgia....read a book...and felt guilty. Thank you ladies!

I am ordering sweatshirts.......Pony UP style.....if you want one.......raise your hands!.......Yep, they have to cost money......but will be sold at cost. Black sweatshirts, green lettering.......

We will have a big turnout on Saturday and I am hoping it doesn't rain, as I don't think we can all fit in the barn. No fun to work in cold rain. Anyway, we are excited and hope to get most of our winter prep done.

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:


You have been putting it off for too long.

Twilight Tuesday

I am having a hard time getting up....fall does that to me. Biologically I must want to hibernate or something....when the time changes again, I will be fine,but right now I struggle to not be late in the mornings.I sleep better when it is cold...maybe everyone does...I don't know. It is now chilly when I get up and I have already drug about five jackets to the barn and of course, I take them off when I get too warm and then leave them in the barn.....when I return, I won't put them on again....why? One word...SPIDERS. Ewww! I hate spiders.

The drive to the barn in the morning is sure to bring a sighting of some sort of animal...this week I have seen a coyote and an owl. It is still fairly dark when I leave. The owl was perched on a wooden fence post and took flight as I drove by. I am fascinated with owls and so this was a treat for me.

The new mare is settled in and everyone loves her. She has a great disposition, loves the camera, loves the carrots.....we dewormed her and will let her just hang out for a few weeks to relax. I do not think she will be hard to adopt out....she is beautiful and easy to handle. We are calling her Lizzie. It suits her.

I can hear the news in the background and I hear that the Chilean miners are being lifted out of the mine...........what a relief....oh my gosh. I pray that everything goes well with the entire process. Thirty three men....a miracle.

We have a work party this weekend and an opportunity to get a lot of things finished at both farms. I am very appreciative of the generosity and efforts of my volunteers...I cannot thank you enough.

Anyone who has any room, the Kitsap Two need homes. Good permanent homes with a paddock, grass and some real care. These two horses have lived in hell for the last year and it breaks my heart. They were kept in a tiny shed day and night, never let out, starved, kept in complete darkness most of the time. There were also dogs locked in crates.....fur so matted that the dogs could not stand up...feces for beds. Remember the sweltering summer days we had this year and last year? These horses were locked in that tiny shed with no ventilation. The officers who finally freed them had to wear masks due to the smell and the heat. The woman who did this to them, has done it before.....same thing, locked horses in small stalls, then slowly starved... resulting in the death of four horses. Some had severe burns due to standing in manure up past their knees. This woman should have the book thrown at her and be placed in a mental institution. She has to be completely off her rocker. She was court ordered to not have any more animals....she should be in jail right now. Write to the Kitsap County Prosecutor and ask what is being done.

You and I must be the voices for the voiceless. You must take a stand when you see things that are not right....animals cannot call 911. You cannot depend on someone else to do something.....take pictures, make notes, get the address.......call animal control, call the sheriff, follow up with an email....be civil, be polite, give information and keep calling until someone does something. Have other people call as well.....the more the merrier. Call the media....but do something.


Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Someone depends on a word from you.

Nina has named the new mare...Elizabeth

and so in short order, we have nicknamed her Lizzie.

Sunday and the weekend is over

Busy......busy as always.
Friday I ran errands all day.....paid hayman, picked up grain, went to the bank, cleaned at the barns, dog to vet.....the usual sort of stuff.
Saturday it rained but a group of us worked on some inside the barn chores.....and some outside but under cover chores...we got a lot done....the place looks great, if I do say so myself....and I do. We are fortunate to have Alex helping us out for a while as his senior project and between him and Ryan...a lot got done on the washrack and a couple of other construction type things.
This morning we went and got the new mare. She loaded eagerly and mannerly.....hauled just fine. A really nice mare. Thanks to everyone for helping her. She is at the new barn in quarantine for a while. I am not sure about the name yet.....we are letting Nina name her.

It was interesting to hear this morning about some other folks ragging on our small rescue.....and it was relayed that we keep horses in small corral panels in TINY turn outs. HUH? Well, first of all, I WISH I did own some corral panels...because I would build a round pen..but dang, those things are spendy...secondly, our paddocks are quite spacious as compared to some high rent boarding stables I have boarded at. The three attached to the barn are forty feet long and then open into an additional grass paddock. We have forty foot long paddocks so that the pasture in the bigger part of their paddocks can grow and so that we don't have a mud mire. Anyone who has visited knows this......and you are welcome to visit....and see for yourselves. I have never had corral panels..... funny how some people just make crap up, isn't it? I know who said it and all I can say is...it figures. Pictures of our paddocks attached so that you can figure who tells the truth and who doesn't.

We have a work party next weekend......come join us and check out the non corral panels...or bring us some of them. There will be painting, horse grooming, paddock picking and other assorted chores....something for everyone.

The chickens continue to heal.....the bunnie has his own house now and we are actively seeking a new home for him. He loves spinach, and shredded carrots. He tolerates petting but doesn't like to be picked up. No kids please....they scare him.

The rain was relentless last night, but our paddocks drained nicely.....no flooding, no leaky roofs. The work pays off. Tomorrow we will get some sand and later in the week more gravel.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

You have to see for yourself....

Whoa it's Wednesday

Pictures of the Pony Up synchronized eating team.......Max and Ollie.

People remark that some of the Pony Up horses don't look like rescues....well, we don't want them to look like rescues........we want them to look like they have been rescued....well fed and well loved.


The week is almost over, tomorrow is my Friday...and then, on the real Friday and the following Sunday...the chores continue. Put the new wall up on the pony shed, put some path lights in (so the bears don't get me and any volunteers who dare to feed after dark!) Build a wooden ladder inside the barn to get to the roof area, put some temporary fencing up to block off muddy areas, groom horses, put the top railings on the arena fencing, put the fencing up in the back pony paddock, GRAVEL a drive way, clean stall walls, .......prepare for winter......oh, yeah.....buy a generator because I am sure the power will go out at some point...you know it will happen.

Pony Up not only helps horses but Pony Up has been known to help folks in their community or particular persons in need. Last year we provided a wheelchair for a cancer victim who was no longer ambulatory. We did it quietly and we did it because it feels good to give back sometimes. Well, this year, we have a similar scenario. A person needs a new wheelchair. They are not asking for an electric one.....they are not asking for a brand new one.....a used manual one would be just fine. This person is in financial need and does not have a home of their own. We would like to raise funds for a regular wheelchair and a Thanksgiving dinner...or if you have a wheelchair you are not using....let us know? When you think of all the things that you and I are blessed with...this seems to be a very small request. If you want to help, please email me at Rosemary@ponyuprescue.com.

I show up at the new barn and the prisoners don't consider themselves prisoners....they, um , hardly recognize me. They are in the Horsey Hilton, where slaves bring them treats,turn them out for grass and offer them massages....they are not interested in "the warden" and so they RUN from me when it is time to come in. One of these is my OWN horse, who I have owned for 13 years...and yet, he does not even blink when I call him. I know where I rate.

It is already getting dark earlier and so we will put more lighting in and around the barn, chicken coop and driveway or else I will be cleaning with a headlamp like last year. We have these great miners lights but it is so much easier to turn on a switch, huh?

We have a Pony UP meeting this Saturday, at my house.........2pm....bring a treat and join us if you would like to help out with Pony Up activities. There are activities for everyone..believe me...everyone. Brenda...remember to ask for your tupperware?!

The chicken update is that both chickens were a little better today. The bunny is still ..well, not really friendly. We don't hold it against him....we named him Chavez.

I was asked three times today if we could take a horse. Guilt shows it's ugly head and shadows me. We have room for another horse but no finances.....not enough help during the week. I cannot physically care for another unless I quit my job and if I quit my job......well, then we can't support anyone...and none of the horse care is cheap. Hay is expected to go up and grain never came back down to earth prices after it skyrocketed. I need help with fundraising and advertising...just not enough time in the day for me. That being said, we will have a fundraiser in the beginning of November and we will be looking for donated auction items. All donated items are tax deductible and our attendees love variety!

Congratulations Beth on your beautiful baby girl......we are so happy for you and Mark. I can hardly wait to see her!

Off for a few more chores.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Trust is a matter of conscience, isn't it?

Monday...it says "RESCUE" on the building?!

Umm....we have a bunny at Pony Up.
I know nothing about rabbits.....nada...zilch...and yet we,, umm..seem to have a rabbit. Oh boy. Well he is furry and cute and did I mention angry? I can hardly blame him....tortured by children, scared to be handled because it might hurt him...and he has no trust for anyone at this point. He spent the day in the chicken coop...it is roomy and has fir shavings and a place for him to hide. We haven't named him yet...and I suppose "he" may very well be a "she"...I really haven't looked. If you have a nice home for a rabbit and some experience, let's talk. I am thinking about the name Wascal E. Rabbit.

I am still running a chicken triage clinic....both chickens have improved. Both are now eating without being force fed (thank God)...they will need several more days of hospice care before going back out with the flock.

The new barn is wonderful. I want to live there. There was an orange kitty visiting the barn today..but he/she wouldn't make friends with me. There is a beautiful sunset view and lots of crickets out tonight. Peaceful...very peaceful.

The pastures dried out again......but rain is on the way, so I hear. We have the paddocks cut off so that they can grow grass and not turn into mud pits....this means the horses make do with smaller paddocks and turnout on the weekends...except the guys living at the new barn (The Equine Ritz)

I was cold all day and today I wore a jacket most of the day. Summer is gone for sure. Hard to think of ice and snow and early dark days...but fun to think of Thanksgiving and holidays.

We hear that Grace has settled in and is roaming the property with her boyfriend Silk. Good news. We miss the old girl.

Jones had a visitor yesterday......nice to meet you Carol......we hope you will come back again.

It is raining horses out there....if you are looking I can hook you up......and if you want a small pony who does not work, call me... :) Beaver and Wally broke out last night and are lucky they did not get their butts kicked by much bigger horses. I say that mares = drama...but ponies = anxiety.

Blue is getting regular groomings by Nina, who lives at the new barn. He doesn't know what to think...he is sort of happy, I think. Bless you Nina for fussing over him.

Off to do come chores...then to bed. Long day.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Do something for someone else today.......and do it quietly.