Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Timing on Tuesday

I had "raggedy Anne sleep" last night.......tossed and turned, got up at 4am, made coffee, let dogs out.....layed down for twenty minutes to find that it turned into 45minutes and then I am late. I need to go to the post office this morning and now my time is limited. I hate to be late....I am tired......a little worn out I think. Next week I have the whole week off and I hope to take some "me" time. I have been busy running here and there......meetings and arrangements and errands.....too busy.

Sometimes I get to the barn in the morning and I don't want to leave. It is cool and quiet.......peaceful, except for the chattering of squirrels and the cawing of the flock of crows we seemed to have attracted. I love crows and I am always keen on watching them. They are so smart. The morning is cool but I am soon heated up from walking and throwing hay.....I stop to watch the crows and the very slight breeze feels good on my skin....while I have sweat dripping off my forehead....that sounds really pathetic for an athletic girl..huh?
I have opera on the CD player and I tell the boys in the barn that I will not leave it on for them all day.....so they don't have to worry.

Today my mom gets new carpeting in her house and she will be thrilled....she has been living with bare floors for ten days.

I drive to work and don't have time for Starbuck's coffee.....so I make do with my "brought from home" stuff and listen to ZZ Top sing "Legs" as I drive.

I arrive back at the farm after work to meet the hay man......we got some nice hay ...alfalfa and grass. Everyone was anxious to taste it.
Ryan was here today and groomed horses, moved some dirt with the tractor and then Shelli came and cleaned while I fed.

My mom got her carpeting and I guess our rooster attacked the carpet men.....both of them. Oh oh. I guess he just does not like men...as he has not bothered any of the women. He must have a complex.

Hens are still setting. I have let each of them have one egg. That is final.

I will try to remember pictures of Grace tomorrow......she looks pretty normal now....so very shiny and getting a little meat her belly and hips. You will be amazed.... she and Silk are both eating really well and seem happy together still.

Tarbaby has sore feet today......part of his hoof disease. We clean his feet and apply some medicine. It is very dry outside which should be good for him but this is a weird thing he has. It is incurable. However his weight is perfect, his coat is dappled.......he is handsome......as handsome as any 25 year old horse should be...and most of all he is happy.

Max has to go on a more restrictive diet.......he looks pregnant. I have cut him way back, but apparently not enough.

A little more dirt to move in the arena..........almost done...perhaps by this weekend if the weather stays mild. Notice I have not complained about the weather even once?

To the person who leaves the cryptic messages on the blog comments.......ummm......either you don't speak english, you have some obsession with symbols or you are trying to be annoying.......who knows? I don't get it...don't have time to figure it out....so really, don't bother.....I just push the reject button and go on.


9 pm and it is not dark yet......I am waiting to go and put my chickens to bed...but they will not be totally in bed until it is dark, and so I wait.
I have some laundry to do, dogs to let out/let back in.....notes to make........a to do list for tomorrow......

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Cowardly acts do not become you.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Sunday morning



I slept a little late.......no rain, but the morning is cloudy.......the temperature warm.
On my way to the barn, I saw a fawn, crossing the road by himself......no mother in sight......hopefully she is waiting in the field for the little one. The fawn was still polka dotted and wobbly legged.

I feed and clean, wash water tubs and fill them..I add a few extra water tubs so that a couple are shared in the bigger fields. I put fly masks on ....Beaver refuses to wear one and so after a couple of attempts....I give up. He is a Houdini. I am considering duct tape....on the fly mask......LOL>

Grace and Silk are getting along very well and their eating ability and speed is about the same, so it works to have them together, even at feeding time. As I am cleaning their loafing shed this morning, a red squirrel approaches from the treeline....and goes right to the feed tub and helps himself to the sunflower seeds while Silk is eating. Good grief.....poor Silk.....he is such a target with his food.
Hqnnah, if you are reading this......he is eating good and is settled down to a routine with us....don't worry about him and I hope you are having a great time!

We have not one, but two hens who have decided to sit on eggs. I am not getting chicks for them this time. I can only hope our new rooster is doing his "job".....and the eggs will hatch. I do, however intend to limit the number of eggs.....by previous counts, the banty hens will sit on 15 or 16 if you let them. Some Pony Up friends have wanted some chickens, so I don't mind a few extra..but not 15 or 16....when I left the barn, the two hens were fighting over nest boxes.

I worked on the garden for a while and played with the barn cat. The new cat must have come and eaten during the night..cat food is gone......although it could have been a raccoon or oppossum I suppose. I closed the barn up at 11 o'clock last night and didn't see anything in the barn....all was quiet.

I have to get hay today. Briann and I went to the feed store yesterday and got grain, beet pulp and rice bran. We also got a gate, but I have to take it back today......I didn't measure correctly....my fault.

I spread gravel yesterday in the driveway to use up what we had left over....then Briann and I moved railroad ties (with the tractor and a chain) and made a small retaining wall below the barn. This will help with water run off.....we planted it with a few plants afterwards......it looks good!

I am off to finish chores and run some errands. I have my own yard to work in today and then my mother's too. Weeding and some planting.....watering......

enjoy your day.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:


Laugh it off.

My list of thank yous.......my apologies.


I left a few folks off my thank you list....
I knew I should have made a list and checked it twice....

Thank you to:

Angel
Shelli
Jamie
Brenda K.
The ASPCA (for our grant)
Drea B.
Teresa
Jenny W.
Joe
Ron
Dennis
Mr. Storm
Don A.

We appreciate all you do for us......thank you.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Finally Friday


Yes, the cat was there. No, I wasn't able to pick it up. It ate a whole bowl of food.

Ryan is already at the farm by the time I get there and we feed the horses while we chat....we clean stalls and small paddocks ...then we start the other chores.
We regravel two paddocks and regravel under some loafing shed mats in the upper paddocks so that the floors are level. Is regravel a word or did I make that up?After the mats have set a while...they tend to get sags or dips in them and so we want to level them out. We also reinforce the walls of one loafing shed with some thicker plywood......seems like someone has a sense of humor about kicking the stall walls.......Ollie and Max?
It mists outside for a while and we are not sure if it is going to rain or just what...so we work anyway. The temperature is in the sixties......not uncomfortable in our shirt sleeves.
We put Grace in with Silk to see if they can share a paddock.......Grace fusses for Tarbaby a while, but eventually settles down and does a mutual grooming session with Silk.....then they nap together, so we leave them alone and go about the rest of our chores.
We are very excited to say that the arena.....FINALLY will be ready to us by next week. YAY! This means we can work our own horses or even hold a clinic. The end results of the arena are that not only is the fencing new.....it was widened by almost ten feet and lengthened by four feet.

And so the day goes.....the retaining wall is finished, other small repairs are made.....posts are cemented.....water troughs are cleaned.....we are thankful for the tractor...what would we do without it?

Breeze is still in Eastern Washington at Jen's farm......gaining some weight back and having a great time in the grassy pasture. She will travel to the Jones Farm next week an then to California at the end of July to a new home with Erica.

Sully will be coming home from the Jones Farm in two weeks. We have missed him...and will be glad to have him home for the summer...although I imagine that Beaver still will hate him...like he always did...but that is the way Beaver is.

We have made some good friends in the last year and I don't thank them enough.........so publicly.....thank you to the following persons or companies who have helped us to help horses in the last year
.
I will only identify some folks by their first name and last initial so that privacy stays intact......you will know who you are!

Sandy M.
Hannah J.
The Berglunds
Lauren B,
Rainsong Stables
Kim and Matt
Strohs Feed
Sound Equine Veterinary
Kitsap Humane Society
John
Ryan B
Kelsey
Briann S
Sharon S
Jan S
Darlene S
Colleen and Caryn D.
Cam and Carrie R.
Cararra
Mary V.
Betsy
Kathleen M.
Brooks
The Leitz Brothers Hay
Cenex
the Mishko's
Erin (QHbudy)
Jason
Dr. Julie
Maia
Gary B.
Cherri
Page
Devon C
Liz
Doreen
Dr. Mike
Beth A.
Whidbey Island Equine Rescue
Debbie
Old Dog Haven
Rocky Bay Equine
West Sound Electric
Toni (my mom)
Pam and Joe
Krista D.
Jim W.
Dawn
Julie T
Katy F.
Rod W
Milo D
Bethel Mitchell Chiropractic
Kitsap Lumber

All of these folks have provide time or donations.....Thank you for your generosity and kindness.



Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Do not carry a heavy heart by yourself.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wonderful Wednesday

It is peacefully quiet when I get up at 5am....make coffee.....eat oatmeal, drink the coffee......read my mail, make a list, put some laundry in, let the dogs out and then back in......fill water bowls......shower and off to the barn.

It is so beautiful on a sunny day, particularly in the morning, at the farm.....horses run the fence as I pull up the drive and they whinny at me.....I know it isn't love, but it's close....and I treasure the scene all the same..it is something I never tire of. I love them and that is all that matters.

I throw hay and then clean stalls for a while. Grace is a bit of a stall pig and I won't leave her in a dirty stall...she is free to come and go, but she naps in the stall on and off throughout the day. Then I throw grain, my favorite part........Tarbaby sings to me as he does every single time I give him his "grub"......I really have to video it and put it on here...if it doesn't melt your heart.....well, nothing will.

Beaver is grumpy and demands some of Silk's grain as I pass through....I give him a handful and he stops to chew it up and then follows right behind me to see if he can grab some more. I refuse. He stomps and swings his little butt around......the grain is delivered to Silk and the gate is shut......game over.

I leave a note for Ryan, leave a check for gravel......leave Ryan some cold drinks, and snacks. ...then off to work.
I listen to Foreigner sing "Hot Blooded" and I sort of laugh.......it was a great song in it's day. Hot Blooded always makes me think of a Thoroughbred.

I come back this evening and Ryan, Shelli and Caryn are there.....we chat for a while and Ryan shows me all he has done during the day.......wow, he got a lot accomplished. Caryn has a show this weekend ...Good luck to you! Shelli is working on her new house......we are all so busy.
Ryan and I move some railroad ties and then I send him home...he is tired. I finish up a few things and the barn is quiet, the chickens are going to bed and I spy a black cat eating out of Silk's grain pan. Hmmm?
worth a second look , so I walk down there and call the cat......it jets. I notice it is the same cat that I saw last week eating out of my mom's birdfeeder....it is very thin. I make a mental note to leave cat food out on the hay bales and walk back up to the main barn. As I come through the barn, I hear a faint "mew".....and I turn around and there is the cat behind me.........small, perhaps 6 or 7 months old......thin.....dark chocolate brown......small white spot on chest. I call it......."here kitty"...it mews again and follows me. I get some food out and set it down....the cat comes running.....eats so fast, it drools and chokes a little......I reach to pet it and it backs off.....then comes up again......eats some more......lets me scratch it's head....but I cannot pick it up....cannot touch the body...it runs off......then comes back....it is very hungry.....poor kitty. I fill the bowl up and leave to go home. Lots of places for a cat to sleep at the barn...and we have lots of food. It came to a safe place. I don't think our barn cat saw it......? We lock our barn cat up at night for safety. This new one....It is a female and I hope it is not pregnant. Generally that is how it works.....they show up pregnant. We will try to gain it's trust and then make it a vet's appointment. I am sure someone dropped it off......well, perhaps it got lost, who knows. I named her Minks...she looks to be the color of Mink. We will see if it is still here tomorrow....what do you think?!

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow;

It is okay to change your mind.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A beautiful Tuesday

I am becoming boring ......speaking of the weather and how it affects me....so I will continue ad nauseum.....the weather was gorgeous today.....what a treat....is all I can say. I won't ask for more or complain that it might rain tomorrow. Today was beautiful...horses napped in the sun...pastures dried a little...

Ryan came back to the barn today and got a lot of chores done.....moved the manure pile, cemented some posts, cleaned water buckets.....loved on Grace and Promise......so nice to have you back......thanks for your hard work Ryan.

We have a new rooster. His name is Spike. He has been pretty low profile the last few days, getting to know the hens and we have been fairly unimpressed with his ability to "rooster" the hens. They ignore him mostly. He crows here and there. He is a small rooster......but today he came to life. Apparently he hates Ryan. Who would think? He has been fine with me and the other volunteers...but he went after Ryan today a couple of times.....Ryan sprayed him with the hose. We hope he will settle down? Shelli carried a broom after the attack......just in case.

Phone calls today and I have someone ask me to come and get their two horses....her kids are gone,....she has asthma, her horses are getting thin. I call her back.....no answer.......I say "sorry we are full.....ideas? Advertise them for sale, ask for help from the humane society, call some other rescues (who are probably full, as well),,,,,euthanize them......get a second job."
Umm......I have asthma too....believe it or not, I am allergic to horses.....dust, alfalfa......I have two rebuilt shoulders ...and hey, I still make it work. I work full time....manage my household and the farm......plus run a small business on the side.......You have to be committed and you have to want to do it and then you find a way. Honor your committment and take your responsibility seriously....make a plan. If you have kids or had kids.......it is the same responsibility...you don't just take your kids to a foster home when they become inconvenient.......do you?

Anyway, I am ranting......and there are lots of valid reasons that folks need help....maybe even a valid reason for today's caller......but c'mon...you have to try. It seems too convenient and too simple to just drop your burden and walk off.

Silk is eating well and feels much more comfortable with us. We will change pastures around this weekend to be a little more accomodating to pairs of horses.. Ollie and Max, Tarbaby and Grace, perhaps Silk and Promise........everyone loves company...at least until dinner time...they work it out eventually.

I would like to say thank you to those who continue to help us along.......Strohs, Cenex, our shoer Jim, Dr. Julie, Dr. Mike....Dr. Tooman......the Jones Farm, the Mowry's, Hannah J....my great group of volunteers....Mary, Ryan, Shelli, Caryn, Colleen, Briann, Angel, Sharon and Jan, Darleen.....we can't do it without you.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

You may throw caution to the wind......it's all good.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday........more rain

Woke up to more rain this morning. This is beginning to sound like a Stephen King novel. "FORECAST RAIN" should be the title.....I can write the first chapter myself.

I went and fed horses, cleaned stalls, fed chickens...and then went home to meet the folks who owned the second of the two lost dogs from yesterday. I am happy to report they are both home...safe and sound.....although they had wandered quite a distance. Funny, the two dogs come from different households and didn't even know each other until they apparently met on the road. I am happy with good endings....it could have been much different as they were on a really busy road.

I will have Grace checked by the vet this week and see if maybe we can start some dental work. I really think she looks almost "normal" now....I know she feels normal and she is full of herself. She will turn around and back up to you, and I mean right against you to have her butt scratched...it is cute. Funny, almost all of my horses do that.....must be something I do...? I would love to put Grace and Tarbaby on some pasture next month....it would be good for both of them.

Tonight I was cleaning after I fed and I heard crows cawing and fussing, so I looked towards the noise and there are about four crows eating Silk's grain mixture while he stands and watches them. I go and chase them off and he goes back to eating. I tell him he should fight back, give him a pat ..move his feed pan further into his stall. The crows are mad......perched in the tree and calling me every name in the book. I should let Beaver down there...but then the crows would not be the problem...he would. He loves grain.

I clean water tubs, then decide that all horse tails all too long and I trim them to a shorter length....then while I am at it..bridle paths need clipping....... ...then my brain says...manes need to be pulled, but there is no time for that and I move on. Sweep the barn aisle, put some more stall pellets down for Tarbaby and empty the trash. it is lightly raining now.

I make a list for the week.....
call vet
order hay
get twelve more railroad ties
dirt..do we need more dirt?
order gravel
advertising
decide who goes to training next....Promise or Breeze. I had decided Breeze, but Promise is really ready to go...and she is muscled up too.....should be easy to start her. Very nice disposition on this little mare...she just had some bad breaks afer leaving the track.

Ryan...we have lots of work to do. Now if the sun would just co-operate....ummm...back to that novel......

I saw Cherri on Friday and was glad to visit with her in her busy little restaurant.
She has the best vegetable lasagna in the world. Nice to see you Cherri! You are truly one of the nicest people I know.

Back to work tomorrow......up early....lots of chores to do......Caryn comes to help on Monday eveinings....I shouldn't say "help" because by the time I get there....she is done and I just stand around...with idle hands.

Enjoy your week, I hope the sun comes out for all our sakes.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Hide and seek is a tiresome game.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Rainy day again Saturday


OOOOOhhh..it rained on and off again all day today. I am trying not
Briann came and helped me with morning chores and then hung out with me all day to run errands...she is so much fun and so much help too. I told her mom that I wanted to adopt her, but they say she is not available.......hmmm.

I dewormed Grace yesterday and knock on wood, all is well with her tummy. I was slightly expecting her be colicky for some reason, but I was wrong....I will deworm her again tomorrow. She is still eating like TWO houses on fire...I swear. Briann was amazed by how much better she looks in just a week. Sleek and shiny.....gaining muscle....I bet she was a brick house when she was younger.

We put in some railroad ties for the arena retaining wall today.......little Briann and I. She will for sure be tired tonight. We also went to the feed store, bought grain, beet pulp, sunflower seeds and senior equine, loaded it all into the back seat of the truck because, well, as I said, it was RAINING. We put down the railroad ties and Max and Ollie immediately chewed on them......gross...it must have tasted gross. Tomorrow I will move dirt around in the arena and place it up against the railroad ties.

When I was taking Briann home, we found two dogs in the middle of the road......and so we looked for their homes for two hours....door to door.....left notes and made up signs. I finally brought the dogs home to my house after I dropped Briann off......put up a few more signs. Happy to say that at 10PM tonight.....one of the dogs was claimed...the other is sleeping in my garage on a Costco dog bed.

Tonight I will post pictures of Breeze a few days after she got to her semi adoptive home in Eastern washington back in April. Breeze went to be rehabbed for a leg injury and to possibly be an event horse for the rehabber.....Things have not worked out and Breeze is coming back to Pony UP this week......pictures after she arrives. Breeze's leg is healed and we will have her started under saddle next month at the Jones Farm.

I am hoping for good weather tomorrow to finish off some chores but will probably work on them anyway.....some chores cannot wait.
Ryan comes home from vacation this week..we have missed him and will be glad to have him back with us...we hope he had a great time in the desert....at least we know he had some sun.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Do not believe what your own eyes can't tell you.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

thoroughly Thursday

long week.......\
I will start with this.....frankly I am disgusted with gossip.....and disgusted with those who spread rumors.

I will say this once and go on about my business.

Anyone who has been involved with Pony Up.....vets, farriers, volunteers, hay vendors.......will tell you that our horses are well fed and well cared for. You can see the pictures I post on this blog, you can see pictures on the website.......you can come and see horses at the farm...many of you have.....you are always welcome.

Yesterday, I got a phone call from someone who said that "another rescue" had called them and told them that a horse that I had was emaciated.
HUH?
I replied that they must be talking about Grace?
No.......they said they were talking about a horse I had placed.....saying it left our farm in an emaciated condition.
Blood pressure went skyward.
I was angry beyond what I can say.

There is no horse on our farm that has ever left in an emaciated condition.
EVER.
We take in emaciated horses and rehab them......Hamilton, Jake, Mercy and now Grace.
but this person was not talking about those horses.
This particular horse had had a vet check two days prior to leaving.......had it's feet trimmed a week before leaving.....my volunteers saw the horse......pictures had been posted. The horse was in excellent flesh.....dappled and shiny coat.
Emaciated?
Completely untrue.
Why would someone say this about us?
I have no idea. Jealous? Perhaps they need medication or perhaps they are confused with someone else's horse..perhaps they are delusional..who knows?
....but now I find that I have to defend our reputation? unbelievable...and how strange.
Come and see our horses......speak to our vets.....speak to our adoptive homes. I have phone numbers available...just ask.

The only horses who have been in an emaciated state are those who have come to the farm that way.....starvation seizures......Hamilton, Jake, Mercy, Grace.....who all gained weight and looked better within weeks. They were not starved by us.

My volunteers and I work our butts off to take care of the horses, feed them properly and responsibly rehome them. Stalls are cleaned every day, sometimes twice a day, horses are fed twice a day,water is changed daily and horses are checked after dark.......they lack nothing. I work a full time job to pay the bills and spend my spare time taking care of horses, repairs, maintenance, errands and Pony UP business.... I do it because I love horses. There is no money in this....

It is irresponsible for someone to speak of something they have not seen, especially another rescue. They have never been to our farm....they certainly don't know me or the volunteers or the horses
.
I encourage you to go and see the rescues you support....see the horses, speak to the volunteers, get references from the vets.......and if you like what you hear and see.......volunteer/donate,,,,,,make a difference.

Warning signs for rescues:
Dirty stalls
not enough food
thin horses
too many horses in crowded conditions
horses feet are uncared for
no vet references
caretaker/rescuer cannot let go of any horses
caretaker or rescuer living in filth on the property
books that are not publicly audited
is the rescue person/caretaker living on your donations or are your donations going to the horses?

The horse in question is fine...always has been.

You know who you are...and so do we.


Pony Up fortune for tomorrow.

Integrity does not hide in the daylight.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Wednesday morning








I have the day off....I thought I would share pictures from this morning at the barn......several pictures of Grace to show her improvement, a head shot of Tarbaby, and some scenes from the road as I go to the barn and back.

Enjoy your day........

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Tuesday

Back to rain again......and I am cold today.....wore a sweatshirt all day...so much for June.

Grace continues to do well, eating all her food and wanting more. Her coat is all shed out and she is slick and shiny. Such a pleasure to look at her coming back to health. She talks now too, whinnying loudly when you enter the barn.....insistent on getting some scratches and treats.

Silk feels better today......not quite so depressed and eating a little better too.....such a big change for him. He misses his people and his old girlfriend.....I wish we could have brought her here with him, but there is just no room. She went back to her owner's breeding farm (not to be bred...)

I came home this evening and found our rooster drowned in the pond........very sad about this. Buckley was a fine rooster, always gentle and so good to his hens. They will be lost without him. We will get them a new rooster because I think a barnyard needs a rooster to watch things. RIP Buckley....we will miss you.

It is brilliantly green here.....like I imagine the Amazon to be or as I said before..it is like our own rain forest. My plants are thriving. All the same, I hope the sun will come out again soon. My truck needs washing, Grace needs a bath....we want to grade the arena.......lots of outdoor chores.

More phone calls about unwanted horses......horses who need help.......horses who cannot be kept for financial reasons.....the list goes on and on. It is overwhelming. My best advice is MAKE A PLAN.......DO NOT BREED without a PLAN......foals are cute.....but a long term project that can drain your pocketbook......training, vet care, time.......do you have it? any doubt? DON'T DO IT. Old horse? There are very few homes for old horses....not saying it is impossible......but it is almost impossible.......consider a gentle euthanasia for your old friend instead of giving him away to a "good" home...or find a horse retirement center and belly up to the responsibility.....your horse deserves it......lame horse? No one wants your lame horse either......or someone will take it and then ride it into the ground or not feed it, not respect his or her limitations......or.......worse. I don't want to go into worse.....but it is out there. Get your horse trained......everyone is looking for a well trained rideable horse......it makes him or her so much more valuable and saleable....geld your stud colt...unless you HAVE A PLAN for him and he is TRAINED and he is WELL BRED and he has good CONFORMATION and he has a GREAT TEMPERMENT.

I don't feel bad about euthanasia for an old horse, a sick horse, a lame horse.......yes, it is emotional.....but it can be the kindest and safest option for your old or lame horse. I have seen some real trainwrecks occur with "free to good home"........
Please do a site check........please check references..........please deliver your horse to his/her new home...please offer to help rehome the horse if "something" happens.

I have seen:

a horse who was locked in a chicken coop.....in the dark.
a horse tied to a cement culvert in a back yard......with only lawn grass to eat.
a horse living in a pig pen with pigs, fed pig food, in deep mud
a horse living in a 40 x 40 fenced area, knee deep in mud with five other horses, grain thrown in the mud, hay on top of that.
a horse kept in a horse trailer..every day, starved and water deprived
a horse in a back yard in the city limits, a lawn grass diet
a horse tied by the leg to the power grid line stanchions on a back road
a horse who was about 14H, 600 lbs (weak and underfed) being ridden by a 350lb person
a horse locked in a residential garage with a trampoline
horses being fed day old bread and rotten vegetables.......no hay.
A pony mare left in a makeshift pen after the new owners moved...for four weeks.

The free to good home horse is at risk if you do not do your homework. Please do it for the horses sake.

Off my soap box for the evening.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Your heart knows where to go.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Such a Sunday

Beautiful morning.....warm, no breeze.....I get right to work...throw hay, grain them.....clean stalls.
Then......I decide that Grace and Silk should be together. I lead Grace down to his fence line and let them sniff. She is NOT interested...she cries for Tarbaby. I let go of her and she RUNS...I mean runs as in canter, gallop....runs back to Tarbaby.
I try it again.
NOPE...she is not going to have it. She whinnies for Tarbaby. He whinnies for her.
I had no idea.
So with my plans ruined, I decided that Grace and Tarbaby would get turned out together.
Much better plan.
No screaming...they groom each other and settle in for a nap, right next to each other.
Then I have the bright idea that everyone should have fly spray.
Grace takes her fly spray like a champ. Beaver stands relatively still....
The TB's off the track snort and run for the lower pasture. Obviously they have never seen fly spray before......I guess they don't use it at the track, huh? I get halters and they procede to run. I give up. I go to spray Church, my big warmblood...ummmmmmm, no he doesn't really want to be sprayed either....he also runs and he kicks at me as he whizzes by. I stand up by the barn with a halter and a lead rope, fly spray hanging from my pocket...
Grace stands and looks at me, like what is all the fuss for?
I don't know Grace...it is just fly spray.
We both go hmmmmmm......fly spray.
The fly spray has set off a whole torrent of running, bucking and blowing.....there really is no catching them now.
I really give up.
I am trained....remember?

more later.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Such a sunny Saturday

Ahhhhhhh.....sun.......blue sky.........no breeze.......perfect.
I get up late, after sleeping in (I needed it).....drink coffee, eat toast...head to barn.....listen to Earl Thomas Conley sing "What I'd say"......I used to love that song. ....my country music song of choice.

I take Grace's blanket off, knowing the day will be far too warm....throw hay, prepare grain.....feed chickens....feed cat.......clean stalls.
Today I go and get Silk. He will stay with us for three months while his owner travels.

I go home to shower, change clothes........then come back and hook the trailer up..head down to gas up the truck and then head to Fox Island to get Silk.
Hannah greets me and I see Silk is pacing......his horse girlfriend left a little earlier and Silk is upset. We go over feeding and emergency contact info and then load Silk up....he loads like a champ.......we hug and say goodbye, then back on the road.

I turn the music up......listen to Snow Patrol......then Michael McDonald.......such a gloriously sunny day. I get Silk home and unload him.......no fuss.....no one calls and he behaves like a gentleman horse......I put him in a pasture paddock by himself and plan that tomorrow he will have Grace as a companion...but today he will get used to the farm by himself. He shares a fenceline with Beaver and Tarbaby. Tarbaby is uninterested....Beaver wants his food. Yep..that is a day on the farm.

I had someone call me this morning.....leave me a message, saying it was URGENT. I call them back.....ummmmmmmmmm.....can you come and get my horse? Today? .........ummmm.........NO , I can't. Well, he has to go to auction if you don't take him. Why?
Because he is a stallion and I can't keep him.
Oh boy.
Geld him.
I can't do that to him?
ummm......but you can send him to auction?
well, I can't keep him.
Geld him....I can send you a link for help.
Can't you just take him?
NO.
Why?
No room....we are full.....stallions are hard to place.....hard to keep with mares.
You are a rescue.
Yes, we are..but we are full...we have a capacity....we are not flush with money to take every horse, I wish we could...but we can't.
You suck.
Thanks.
I hang up with that.
Guilt...they hope to heap guilt on you...and I do feel bad..but I am just one person.I cannot help every horse. I wish I could. I wish I could help more........but we would need more land, more volunteers...I would need another job...more donations.......blah, blah, blah.

I refuse to let this tarnish my good day. I do some gardening.....wash some water tubs.....keep an eye on all prisoners.......there is a lot of napping in the sun...mutual grooming......snacking........a good day all in all. I talk my mom to town and to the garden co-op.....she has a good day too.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Truth is truth.....good or bad.......

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Torrents on Thursday

Yes......it is STILL raining. I sound like a broken record, I know. We had a small sun break and then it came down again. It is beginning to look like a rain forest in our town.....brilliant green foliage, warmer temperatures and rolling banks of rain clouds. Umm....I never wanted to live in the rain forest...nice place to visit but, well, you don't want to live there.

I have been up early the last few days and consequently to the barn in record time, much to the agreement of the prisoners. My dog, Georgia, is responsible....she gets up at around 4am on a regular basis......she wants outside or she wants to eat....and she has me trained to get up with her. As I said before, I am easily trained.

Grace.....well, Grace is eating like a house on fire....and then some. Her weight is looking much better, she is walking better and she actually has some spunk in her eye. She has gotten very demanding about getting scratches on her butt and about just when the food should be served. Grace is also in heat and teasing the boys unmercifully.

The manure pile is huge and hot....I must make a stab at moving it this weekend. Ryan ...where are you?!!! I hate moving the manure pile.

I have gravel being delivered tomorrow and if it is not raining I will spread it with the tractor on the roadway......we still have mud.....imagine that......with all this rain......ugh.....don't get me started again.

The hen took the "feed store" chicks just like a charm......so she is parading around two little chickens just like they were hers.....they don't know the difference and neither does she. Isn't that how adoptions should be?

If you didn't check out the new website......please do.....it is gorgeous..lots of pictures. Thank you to Katy....fabulous job.

You know I love Thoroughbreds. My favorite horse......send me a tall 17H, lanky, gelding, who is a bay and I am in heaven......(don't really send me one...we are full!).....but I mean I never get over the beauty of them.....a perfect specimen every time....and is there any other color horse than bay who is as perfect as ......well...bay? I am sure you feel that way about your own favorite color too...and perhaps you are a mare lover.....but did I mention that every horse on the farm right now is a shade of bay? (Sully is not on the farm right now, nor is he a Tb)...For a few years, every horse I owned was a bay gelding with two white hinds.....my friends call it Rosemary color. LOL.

The weather forecast calls for sun tomorrow. ..I can only hope....for all of our sakes....we need to dry out.....I need my freckles to come out....maybe a suntan line....heck, maybe a sunburn would be nice.

I pick up Silk on Saturday.....he stays for the summer and I think he will bunk with Grace. I am hoping they can be fast friends.....both old and sweet..too old to play chase games but maybe old enough to gum grass together.

Thank you Jamie for sending Grace's supplement...it is helping her so much. I think it is what really set her appetite going......we appreciate your donation.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

It doesn't belong there......pass it on.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Sleepy Sunday

After a gorgeous day yesterday, this morning we awaken to rain ....again.....at least it is not cold...but a dreary morning none the less.
I head to the barn after coffee and toast. I feed Grace and then I will get to the rest. Grace is feeling oh, so much stronger and has dismantled part of her stall. I took the gate away and put a 2 x 4 in it's place, as I did not want her to catch a foot in it.....she paws when she sees you enter the barn and it doesn't stop until you FEED her. I am now trained to feed her first. I learn easily....she is amazed how well that worked.
I throw hay to everyone else and then fix grain for them....then time to clean. Grace and Tarbaby have a mess, as usual.
Then it is time to soak Tarbaby's foot for a little while, then I will medicate it and wrap it. He doesn't think it is a good idea to soak his foot today....and he exits the stall as quick as he can.
Okay, I get a halter.
He waits for me and I halter him, then I lead him back into the stall and give him a pat, a stern word to stand still and I mention how much better he felt last time I soaked him.
No deal....he does not want to lower his delicate foot into the bucket.
I try forcing his foot into the bucket. I speak some French to him.
Nope.
He puts his foot down, outside of the bucket.
I pick his foot up.
I pick the bucket up.
He puts his foot down with a stomp.
Enough already.
I pry his foot off the floor and drag the bucket over and I tell him we are putting his foot into the bucket.
His foot goes into the bucket and immediately comes up again and he wings his head around to look right at me. He has knocked some of the water out of the bucket.
Look, I say.....the water is simply not that hot....you are a baby.
I demonstrate by putting my hand in the bucket, almost up to my elbow.
He is unimpressed.
He plants his foot and I use both hands to lift it off the ground.
I move the bucket in place.
I aim his foot and voila.....into the bucket.
He gives up.
He visibly relaxes and just like I said....it feels good and he stands by himself, foot in the bucket while I go and get the pamper diaper (for his foot wrap) and the medication.
About ten minutes later...I say okay......you are done....let's lift out of the bucket.
Umm...his foot is planted.
I tap him on the leg.
nope.
I poke him in the side...move over....thus to pick the leg up........
un.uh.
Okay.....I push his shoulder......
he lightens the leg and I take the opportunity to grab it.
Such a Prima Donna.
I dry his foot, apply the medicine....apply the baby pamper, wrap with coflex tape....then wrap with duct tape to hold it. He holds his leg up very nicely the whole time....the duct tape is easy to tear....phew......we are done.

Next up is Grace...clean and medicate the feet....no worries...no issues...she is as good as gold. She stands stock still. Then I groom her a little and she leans into me. I give her some more mush and as she eats it I hear her teeth making noise. She really needs her teeth done.....but we will have to wait a few more weeks until she is strong again.

and so my morning goes. I meant to take pictures of the new chicks..but I forgot the media card for the camera.

Yesterday I got quite a bit done....Briann and Darlene were there to help in the morning and then Briann hung out with me for the afternoon and we ran errands then came back and worked some more. We got the chicken house painted, the benches paited, beauty bark spreah and then layed down a stone pathway (which looks fabulous!) Briann went home with paint freckles. She was such a big help. ...thanks Briann.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Wag more........bark less.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Wednesday

Off to the barn this morning in rain and wind.....tree down in the driveway...I climbed over it and called my brother in law to come with a chainsaw. My hair got wet while I was feeding hay....I got the big hair look....circa the 1970's....... I knew I should have taken a blow dryer to work or at least to the barn.....then I would need a mirror, wouldn't I?

Grace is much stronger. She stands like a statue over her food and no amount of prodding or pushing will make her move or pick her head up. It makes me laugh. If you get close to her, say stand at her hip....she will lean into you like a dog....and she is very insistent to eat first. Her new hair is shiny and she is actually getting some muscle on her thighs. I will de-worm her next week if all is still going well. She is coming along better than I expected....although still stiff and I don't really expect that to change.

Sully is feeling better from his horse cold....back to work this week. He is enjoying a pasture turnout with another gelding and so we now know it is possible for him to live with another gelding peacefully.

Lots of kids graduating......like Caryn who volunteers for us....congrats to you and thanks for the time you spend with us.....we like you!

Another hen is sitting on eggs and yes, I am tempted to do the "adopted" chick routine......like maybe just one chick? I don't want a whole crop of new ones. I think the feed store still has some and I intend to check it out tomorrow.....hopefully they have some purebred ones left...and the hen will never know the difference.

The weather is supposed to warm up for Friday......thank goodness......maybe we can dry out again and work on the arena. Rain or shine, I am picking up railroad ties on Friday for the retaining wall..they were so heavy last time.......I will have to find help getting them off loaded.....although I do have the tractor and a chain.

Ryan is still on vacation in Arizona.......come back soon.....we miss you! We hope you are having some fun and surely you must be getting some sun? Give those mules a kiss for me.

Survey says the diet plan has failed to work for Max and Ollie........umm...and Church.......and Tarbaby. My fault I guess...they always look hungry...don't they?

A very large THANK you to Sandy Mowry, Hannah J and family....your donation will help us to help horses......dental work, training.....food.....you are very generous to us and we appreciate your support!

Off to shut the chickens in......I really need an automatic door closer. I am sure they make those things.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

Is your mountain a mole hill?

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Take some time........Tuesday

I received an email from a reader regarding an opportunity for Pony Up and a chance for you to have fun with your horse........

Here are the details......sounds like fun for horses and riders and an opportunity to break a Guiness Book record too!

From: Jamie:

"I am the ride host for the ACTHA Ride for the Rescues Competitive Trail Challenge on June 13th in Fall City, WA. I have been asked to choose a local rescue in which to donate the first $500 in proceeds for the ride. Here is my dilemma! I know, socialize, work with or help at least one person associated with all the rescues in the area and choosing one would have me playing favorites which I hate to do.
A friend had a great idea and I got the approval from ACTHA to entertain the idea. Here it is….....I am going to invite several horse rescues to the party and ask every paid rider that comes to the event to choose which of the rescues would they like the money to go to. The rescue that has the most riders representing them gets the money! Now, $500 is nothing to sneeze at. But it means that you have to have riders at the event who choose your rescue to win!!
Since this is a ride to break the Guinness™ World Record AND to raise money for local horse charities, it would be fitting if you could put the word out with your adopters, volunteers, fan clubs, bulletin boards and ask them to ride in the event! Even better, ride one of your rescue horses in the event!!
The ride is geared to even the most novice of riders and the obstacles are fun but not overwhelming. Besides, you can always go around an obstacle and pass on it."

For details on the ride,please see the information below. Riders must register online by Friday June 11th to participate. Riders need to sign up by going to the www.ACTHA.us website and picking on the FALL CITY, WA ride.


Ride Name: Washington World Record Attempt – South

Location: Fall City, WA (Tokul Trails, Snoqualmie Valley Trail)

Affiliate/Host: Jamie Thomas

Phone: 206.817.3731

Email: jthomas@nomadsrestranch.com

Website: www.actha.us


GO here for more information:
http://www.actha.us/index.php?option=com_association&view=guest&area=rides_events&state=WA&sortby=date&max_show=50&task=view_ride&ride_id=415



This historic event is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of the Guinness™ World Record Attempt. Join trail riders across the nation setting a world record while raising desperately needed funds for horse rescues.



Ride…Volunteer..Make a Difference!