Saturday...Rio gets a family of his own

Up bright and early...horses fed,stalls cleaned, feet picked...feed buckets gathered for cleaning.

Then my angels show up...at our farm angel is spelled V O L U N T E E R...you have to love them. They show up and ask what they can do. So they cleaned up hay remnants, swept barn aisles, scrubbed buckets, filled waters, fixed the water spigot, groomed horses, helped with medicine dispensing, painted loafing sheds and ended with riding Sully (who was stellar by the way!) By 1 p.m. they were finished and then I waited for the farrier.

The filly got her racing shoes off...a small trim. She was very, very good and the farrier loved her. She also got a good grooming from Briann which she found pleasant. She is still so coltish in many ways. She loves to sniff your hair and she will do so for more than five minutes if you let her!

Everyone else got trims, except for Sully whose feet grow slowly...he was good while we checked his angles and gave him a once over.

Then it was time to make some more beet pulp, throw hay, give some treats and the later afternoon grain. I got done a little early and will go back to the barn around 8pm to lock the cats in and give Hamilton some more grain/mush.

We still have much to do to get ready for winter...the paddocks need graveling and geo fabric...some more painting to do, some drains to put in, some hoses to hook up, some plywood nailed in place. Gravel is expensive...we may get some oyster shell and use both. It makes a nice-draining surface which is fairly hard...just a matter of getting it here and moved around. You cannot do it by hand...way too much work. We are also putting a 10' x 10' cement pad outside the barn so that the horses have a place to stand for the farrier or vet or grooming or bathing or cold hosing...seems we are always doing one or the other or several. We will need railroad ties to set in place for the paddocks in order to keep gravel/oyster shell in place.

If it does not rain tomorrow, I will set up the forms for the cement pad and finish painting the loafing shed. We got some free paint from the side of the road...two five gallon containers...it is tan-colored...but really looks pretty good and because it was FREE...we love the color. We probably need to paint the front of the barn as well.

We got our donation boxes in the mail! We are ready to put some out and see how they work for us. We have a trial place for the first one.

I hope you all have a pleasant weekend!

Thanks to the Stiffeys for all the work they do on our behalf...what would we do without you?

Oh and the big mention of the week...CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIANN STIFFEY on adopting Rio! He is lucky to have such a girl as you and I know you will take good care of him. Briann...we love you!

Briann has been riding Rio for the last couple of weeks to make sure it was a good fit and last week she took a lesson from a dressage trainer...off the lunge line :)...Rio was good. He hauls great too. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday PM........long day

No help at the barn this week in the morning...Page is gone on vacation!

I had hay delivered at 11am, two tons of timothy...really good looking stuff. Winston taste tested just about every bale as it came by his stall. The hay men stopped and patted him every chance they got. "What a handsome horse!" they exclaimed..."and he is so sweet"...I simply nodded my head. Yes, he is a good boy and like a giant dog in many ways...but he has his moments...he definitely has his moments. I spared them the details...knowing they were not horse people...I just nodded and laughed.

I have Winston for sale. Very reluctantly. I love all my boys and I realize that I can't be everything, everytime, everywhere. Winston needs to be ridden more...needs to be someone's baby. I took him up to a nearby barn today and lunged him. He was brave. There were sprinklers going, papers flapping in the breeze and horses calling. He bucked some...he called back to horses that called to him...but he did as I asked. He loaded great...hauled great...he really is a nice horse. I have someone coming to look at him on Saturday. I feel sad. Someone will get a nice horse if I don't change my mind by then. I forgot how much work is involved trailering, tacking up, lunging, reloading the trailer...long day...but I feel strangely relaxed now. Funny...

Hamilton ate well today, I think he looks a lot better. We discontinued his Dex today and I am keeping my fingers crossed as to whether or not his appetite will diminish again. We still don't have a fast and firm diagnosis of his issue. He felt well enough today to "steal" a bale of hay off the newly stacked hay. When I came back with Winston, he was silently munching on a full bale in his stall. I guess I should have had they hay men stack it a little further out. It really won't hurt him to eat all the hay he can stuff down...so no harm, no foul...I am glad he feels hungry.

I bought donation boxes off of eBay this morning and we are looking for businesses to place them at. We want a particular business to "sponsor" a horse by giving us a donation box space. We will link the business to our website and give them updates on a monthly basis on "their" horse. Horses available are the filly, Rio, Yukon, Sully and Hamilton. Let us know if you have a location idea or know of a business who might be interested?

Tomorrow a trip to go and pick up feed. Hamilton needs Senior Feed and so does the filly...(gee, we need a name for her!) In the afternoon , we will take Rio and go to the local arena and work him a little. Briann will help me!

I cried for a long time after reading the Enumclaw auction report. So many good, gentle horses went to the kill buyers. Horses who were trail trained, family horses, ex show horses, one was a halter champion...what an awful end to their lives. Faithful, loyal family horses who are no longer wanted and so they end up on the slaughter bus. Horses who are scared and shaking as they enter the sales ring...they know what is coming. 75 dollars buys the meat on their bones and seals their fate. I will never understand it. I cannot attend the auction...ever...not until I win the lotto and buy a ranch with 200 acres and still have money to spare. I wish...I can only wish.

Pony Up's goal is to be able to help feed hungry horses this winter. We want an Equine Food Bank. We want to help folks keep beloved horses. Our goal is to have 25 ton of hay put away to help those who have hungry horses/ponies/mules/llamas.

Help us to help others. Donate and mark your donation for "food bank."

Saturday.......cool overcast morning!

I got a lot done this week at the barn. I fenced in the new paddock with it's very own loafing shed...all done with tall posts so the behemoths that we keep will not be tempted to jump, lean, nudge or bulldoze through the fences. It means that everyone now has a shelter/stall and a good sized paddock.

While I was moving the fencing around Beaver escaped. He takes full opportunity of knowing the fence is off and then makes a run either under or straight through the fence. Then of course he runs laps around the paddock while I run after him. This time he went over the old rotten logs in the neighboring paddock and got himself stung by wasps! He just cannot leave anything alone. I finally caught him and he seems none the worse with the wasp stings. I put him back and turned the fence on...so then he decided to fight through the fence with Sully...the old "I bite you and you scream, then you kick at me and I scream" game.

Our new filly is in heat and so there is the occasional scream between her and Winston. Winston has really no idea why the screaming is going on...he is just trying to get any food that is on her side of the fence and she comes up and screams at him. He eventually gets mad and charges the fence, then runs off. He is very jealous of the attention she gets...and so far, everyone wants to see her, pet her and oooh and ah over her. We don't have a name yet folks?! Don't make me name her...you will have to live with it.

I need to tell you about a young boy I have had the pleasure of meeting a few times. He has made a big impression on me and really, it probably takes a lot to impress me.

This is the Stiffey's little boy...we call him Bubba. He helped out at the barn the other evening and he is so polite. If you ask him to do something, his immediate response is "yes, I can do that" and then he goes right to it. He helped my mom with wheeling her trash can, helped us mend a fence line and ran for tools when we needed them. I am going to try to keep "yes, I can do that" in my own answer bag. There are so many disrespectful kids out there, I love to meet one who has been raised with manners and a positive attitude. Bubba.........YOU are a great kid! Thanks for all your help.

I took Hamilton the the vet last week. It was the morning of the 103 degree day and I hated to trailer him, but his jaw was very sore and he was not eating. I was distressed, worried and so I put him in the trailer and went to Maple Valley. We got xrays (I will find the money somewhere if I have to take another job) and we "tapped" the giant lump with a needle for a biopsy. Xrays don't show anything conclusive unfortunately. The vet gave him some new medicine (dex and antibiotics).The vet is perplexed and has never seen anything like what Hammy has.

I left Hammy at the Jones farm that day/night as it was way too hot to put him in the trailer for the trip home and I did not want to stress him. I gave him a bath at the Jones farm. The Jones farm treated him like royalty over night...fed him every couple of hours, gave him his meds, hosed him...in a great big stall next to some very fine Thoroughbreds. I picked him up early the next morning and brought him home. Hammy is a very kind horse, very willing and very stoic with the kind of pain he has had. I have mixed feelings about what to do for him at this point. He cannot stay on steroids forever. I hope the biopsy will show us something.

We have a mission at PonyUp and that is to rehab and rehome sport horses. Obviously sometimes we bend the rules because our hearts rule our heads. This was the situation with Hammy. Hammy will never be more than a light riding horse (maybe) or maybe just a pasture ornament if his jaw issues can be fixed...he also has bad stifles, poor leg conformation...we would not have picked him for rehoming as a sport horse. but I was the one who went and looked and well...once I looked, I could not leave him. Horses make eye contact with me and it's almost always over. I do not regret bringing him home. This rescue business is a labor of love...heartbreaking at times, expensive and time consuming. I look sometimes at Hammy's stall and it is a mess from the gruel he has to eat. He gets it all over himself and all over the walls, the floor and did I mention he likes to pee in his stall (even without bedding?)...I would like to kick him outside and have him eat out there, pee out there...but gosh, he is happy in the stall and seems generally happy until his jaw pain becomes severe. I am trying to manage the best I can and do the right thing for him...my brain is fighting my heart on this one. My brain knows that chronic pain is no life for a horse...horses spend almost all of their time foraging when they are awake...how can a horse with a bad, painful jaw exist like that? My brain says they can't. My heart says...pain medication, gruel...DMSO...

Sometimes we have to let go. Hard decisions. We will wait for the biopsy.

off to the barn to see our volunteers and our horses that we love!

Stay cool today.

more pictures from the weekend

Pictures from the weekend

Monday...it's a girl

It is a hot and still humid Monday evening. Gee...I hate to complain about nice weather but good golly it is just TOO HOT for me. Too hot to work outside, too hot to work horses...just plain hot! I have decided I cannot live in Arizona or New Mexico or Southern California or any place that gets this hot routinely. I am a cold weather/rain girl....period. Hot is for exotic vacation destinations and this is not it.

Chelsea and I picked up a new resident today...a beautiful three year old filly from the track...she is something! Very easy to handle, loaded and hauled beautifully. We got her home and she settled right in with my crew of geldings...no nonsense, no fuss...we love her. She has a track name but we aren't completely satisfied with how it fits her, so she needs a call name. We are "selling" chances to put your name suggestion in the bucket and we will draw a name. See the forum for the details...Five dollars a shot and all proceeds go to support the horses, of course!

Pictures of the filly will be posted tomorrow on the blog, so you can see for yourself and put a name in the hat.

I have some time off from my regular job and so I have a lot of time to get some chores done around the barn and around my house. I did some gardening early this morning before it got hot. I found about ten frogs in and around my small pond. This is a new construction project and I have yet to get the waterfall portion of it going...the pond water is warm with this weather and I noticed I had a lot of tadpoles...which is weird because I thought we got tadpoles only in the spring?

I bathed Hamilton late this afternoon. The heat seems to be really bad for him, he sweats a lot even though I have moved him into the barn. He stands in his stall in the heat of the day, but still sweats profusely. He stood stock still for his bath, unlike some, um, other Thoroughbreds who live there...who shall remain nameless.
Although Hamilton ate well this morning, he did not eat well this evening. I gave him pain medication. His condition is perplexing and concerning. I checked on him around ten this evening and he seemed in better spirits. The pain medication has had time to kick in of course...so we will see how he is in the morning.

Sully had fly spray put on him and his very own fly mask this morning and he was a trooper. The fly spray was initially thought to be "horse vampires" in a bottle, but he settled and took it like a man horse as we continued to spray legs, belly and tail. We have these really serious BITING fly things that leave big welts on the horses...I have never seen such bug bites.

Time to buy hay again. Looking for something with some alf/grass combination or just some great timothy. We will see what our regular hay man has or if we have to go looking. I see some great deals in Eastern Washington...so maybe we will have to take a road trip.

I swear I cannot go to the store during the day. Each time I go, I see that some idiot has left his/her dog in the car! What are people thinking? I want to sit them in the car in a fur coat and roll the windows up and see how long they can take it.

Inevitably, when I see a dog in the car, I make a fuss...okay, I make a HUGE fuss...I get the plate paged over the intercom at the store, then I call 911. I don't care anymore. This is a crime. Heat kills and it kills quickly...and it is a horrible death. Leaving a note on the car does nothing for the dog...you must act fast. Please do not mind your own business in these instances...get involved and make a stink. I figure this...to me, it is worth even being arrested...so I take the risk and make a scene each time I come across a dog in a hot car.

Okay, so think of a name...put your money in the hat and name that filly!

Very Hot Saturday

Cool and overcast ......very still and quiet.....I enjoyed the coolness when I stepped out with my dogs and coffee very early this morning. Our house is right in the middle of a large wooded area and there is always something to see or hear. The dogs look around for just the right place and rabbits freeze on the spot........dogs are oblivious and go right past them, and then the rabbits disappear into the brush soundlessly. We had a bear in the backyard several days ago. He was checking out the koi pond.

On to the barn for morning chores.

The pain medication for Hammy seemed to work as he ate better this morning. He will now get a complete mush three times a day. Beet pulp, senior grain, alfalfa pellets and all of the supplements we give him. Keep your fingers crossed.

My best girl volunteers came and they picked paddocks and helped clean up. I got some good pictures which I will post later. We also cleaned up around the barn and in the barn. Place looks awesome!

On to riding chores.......Briann tacked up Rio and we took him up to the arena, where we worked him on the lunge line, then had Briann get on him. Brianne has perfect riding posture.....it was still cool so we didn't have to work in the heat.

Then.......drum roll please..............

We got Sully out and I put an old jump saddle on him, and IT FIT!!!! So we lunged him both directions and over/around the tarp and trot poles..........

then.......drum roll..............

I had Briann get on him and we walked the perimeter of the arena!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was a little super star and maybe.......just a little on the lazy side. He was unfazed by the constant clanging of the fence (provided by a jealous pony named Beaver)

So we had a successful morning.......

done by noon and everyone went off to their regular chores.

Great job Briann!

pictures later..........my camera battery died and I was unable to take pictures........but one of my bestest volunteers took pictures of our riding events!

Wednesday evening update

Short work week! YAY!

We love long weekends, although in general we hate the 4th of July. Fireworks and horses do not mix and it makes for a long evening. I generally stay up until 2am with my horses to make sure there is no blood shed, no fence crashing and they feel better with me there. I will turn the music on in the barn, something with a rock beat and perhaps give a small tranquilizer to Ollie. Ollie really hates the noise and any visuals.

I worked with Sully, the un-stallion tonight. He had several days rest, but is ready to go back to work. I did some ground work with him and picked all his feet up. He is so little that his feet seem like they are made out of balsa wood. Nothing like the big warmbloods I am used to and I might add that all those big warmbloods WANT you to hold their full weight once you pick a foot up...just another reason I have big biceps.

Hamilton was a little fussy with food today. We backed off on his corn oil and he ate better for a while, then we added Gleam and Gain which he ate with good appetite...but today he was a little sluggish. Perhaps the heat? He has no temperature, no runny nose...we will watch him.

Beaver has made friends with Sully over the fence...no screaming this time, no striking...just some evil faces when the grain is passed out. Beaver does not get any grain and so he is desperate to take anyone else's grain. He is not shy about it. He has the large TB's trained to just give it up...but Sully is not so easy. It is good to see them hang together, even though they are separated by a fence they still stand next to each other during the day.

It is just coming dusk and the little one legged bird is at the window as I type. He still brings items to his reflection in the window...so sad. I have never seen him with a mate. He spends most of his time on our patio.

The weekend will bring more chores. Fencing...roofing, moving stall mats...the weather is supposed to be good and we are glad for that.

This weekend, I will ride Rio and Sully. I will not allow pictures of me and Sully...it will be like riding a pony. Nope...no pictures. I may ask my trusty assistant Briann to help me.

I had a dog fight in the house this evening. Jack Russell. Need I say more? How about Labrador ? How about jealous? How about blood?

More later...have a good evening!

Sunday morning guest blog

I promised to make Briann famous and here is her own Sunday morning blog. I am getting ready to travel to get Sully and attend obedience.

Thanks Briann!

Here you go:

Horses, Rescue, and Volunteering

by Briann S.

Horses... I could go on and on about them but I promise to keep it to a limit.

Horses to me are very important, for both life skills and companionship. The horses in my life are like my best friends, they are always there when I need them and I can talk to them, as long as I continue to feed them they will continue to listen! I'm sure most of what I say goes in one ear and out the other but sometimes its nice just to talk, let it out,you know? when I first arrived at Pony Up, Rosemary showed me Rio, I almost IMMEDIATELY fell in love, and when I turned around I suddenly felt something heavy on my shoulder, what do ya know, it was Rio! He rested his head gently on my shoulder, since then we have been BEST FRIENDS!!!

Rescuing...well I don't have much to say on this topic. But I can say that since we got the Arabs my dad, Rosemary and Page have really opened my eyes and taught me about tough love. It's a big part of life, and nine months ago I did not understand how important that is in life. You have to be able to understand when you rescue a horse you have to know what ever decisions you make, whether it's giving a horse away or sending a horse to those green meadows of eternal life, that they will always remember you as their life saver and care giver! Rosemary and Page have taught me so much,they are my inspiration!

Volunteering... Hmm... Well, I think volunteering is something you should want to do not be forced into it or do it because you will benefit from it in some greedy way.I always feel really good when I volunteer to do something, whether it's something as small as helping some one across the road or as big as donating money to a good cause. I love helping at Pony Up, I love the people, the horses, and the environment around me! Volunteering is a wonderful feeling at least I think, and at the end of the day I love to sit back and think how I have helped some one or something that day.

Saturday comes and goes...

We got a lot of work done today.

More boards put on the loafing shed.

Fence repaired with new post,

Roof on loafing shed waterproofed.

New gate installed on Winston's paddock.

Paddocks picked.

Water tanks cleaned and relocated.

Rio got a spa treatment from Briann.

We had a deer come to see us this morning......mommy and her baby........they watched us a while. I tried to get a picture, but could not sneak up on them. ...not ninja enough I guess.

Tomorrow I go and get Sully. I also have dog obedience so I will take the trailer to the Jones Farm, go to obedience and then go back and collect Sully. FUN!

Must eat dinner....more later.

How did Wednesday get here already? (Edited late pm)

I am only writing for a moment...I am LATE...I went to bed late, I got up LATE and I am just plain late. I got the dogs out for their run, coffee made and now I must jet around like a crazy woman...get to the barn, get to work on time and get some things done!

Contact vet about dental floats.
Call about oyster shell...wonderful draining material, cheaper than rock and FREEEEEEEEE!
Make sure we have a feeder for Thursday pm.
Buy feed today.
Send some thank you notes out.
Make plans for Saturday chores.
buy arena fence posts
call tractor man to come and auger holes for new fence.
paddocks must be picked/dragged
rocks picked from arena
hotwire put up for Beaver
buy another fence post hole digger....honestly, we got one from Lowes last week and what a hunk of junk......I had no idea that one post hole digger could be different from another but ..it picked up about a tablespoon of dirt at a time...no good! I think Page should have her own.

It never ends...constant chores...not complaining and glad to do it or have it done.

We have horses ready for adoption! Sully, Rio, Simon Beaver(?)...no, not Beaver...but really, if he escapes one more time...I might mull it over...all are ready for new parents who will love them, feed them and care for them! The healthy ones must go so that we can help others and we have folks knocking at our door each day, so we either need room, or a bigger farm or possibly to have our heads examined.

Again, we are thankful for our volunteers and the folks who support us in donations...we could not do it without them. Hug your volunteers today...they are special people with big hearts!

I promised a Beaver story.

A year or so ago, I was at my other farm, had a horse with a temperature, so I called the vet on my cell phone. Then I put my cell phone up where I could easily hear it ring. I proceeded with chores...cleaning stalls, raking paddocks...some time passed and I wondered why the vet had not called back. Hmmm...maybe I didn't hear the phone? I should check the phone...now where did I put it? On the stall wall? No. On top of the food bin? No...where the heck is it? oh, I put it on the top of a wood fence post...but where? I can't find it. I am losing my mind.....I check the truck, I check my pockets...I look in the barn, on EVERY fence post. I must have dropped it? No...as I look up, I see that Beaver has it in his mouth...standing and facing me...chewing it. He is on full alert. I tell him to drop "that phone" and I lunge for him.......he, of course runs...he runs like the wind with my cell phone still in his mouth...I chase him out into the orchard and I get close enough to almost grab it...and he is off again, back to the paddock and loafing shed. I run back up the hill after him. He stops in his paddock, right in front of his stock tank and looks at me...I say "c'mere Beavey...come on, I have a treat...give me that phone! He puts his little pony ears up, gets a really cute look on his face and promptly drops my cell phone into the stock tank...then looks at me. I dive in after it...but of course it is too late. The Treo Palm phone is not waterproof...not pony proof...I shake the phone, I take the back off...but it is too late...a trip to the bottom of the tank is not good for an electronic device.

Beaver stands in one spot, very proud of his accomplishment. I tell him he is going to the fox farm...I tell him the phone is worth more than he is...I then run to the house to call the vet, in case he has called while the chase was on and now that he CANNOT call because my phone does NOT WORK!!!

That is the type of pony he is...I have a million more stories.

---

Late Wednesday pm...Pony Up girls rock...Briann and Darlene came out and helped me feed...then we put the roof panels on the new loafing shed and braced the underlying supports. What a big help they were. Now we need to patch some nail holes, put some mats in the stall, attach a feeder...put some paddock fencing up and we are ready for Sully. Oh and we got another wall of plywood up (thanks Jan!) in Beaver's stall.

almost 9 pm and I have more stuff to do here at home.

Goodnight!

Saturday and we work

We got a lot done today! A new loafing shed was built for Sully in a group effort by my brother-in-law (Rod), Page, Briann and myself. We got it all done except for the roof and I will finish that up tomorrow...if it is not pouring rain. The weather held today and so we did not get wet or even too hot! Just right. Now we need to get the paddock built around it and get the stall mats put in it.......hang a feeder up and voila! we are ready for Sully.

I also got Rio out today with Briann's help and we tacked him up. Then we lunged him...what a good boy to lunge...very obedient...then I put Briann up on him and we walked him around practicing relaxation exercises, halting from her seat and learning gentle aids and gentle hands/quiet legs. Everything went well and we plan to make a schedule for him to come out, get some exercise and see how he continues to bond with Briann. Keep your fingers crossed as they both seem crazy for each other!

I don't think I posted it but I am a foster mommy to a chocolate Labrador retriever named Baylee. I have fostered lots of dogs and I am mostly a terrier fan, but I have never fostered a Lab before. WOW...24 hour fun is what this dog is. She loves the water, especially the hose AND MY KOI POND. The Koi pond seems to be fair game anytime my back is turned. I got her a kiddy pool today and although I am sure it is not as good as the Koi pond, it entertained her for a long while. She laid in it, pawed in it, drank from it and splashed in and out of it. When I get a new dog, I always take it to work in order to assess socialization and to have a little bonding...my guys at work love her....they walk her every couple of hours, bring her treats, show her off to customers and take her to PetSmart. She has it good I guess? I bought her a new Costco dog bed and it is on the passenger side of my truck so she can travel in comfort. We adore her!

Tomorrow I take my Rottie pup to obedience class. Seven week course. We are..or should I say I am looking forward to it.

Saturday night and we always have Mexican food....I have about forty minutes before dinner, so I better get the dogs fed and out of these "construction" clothes.

A big thank you to the work crew today.....it was fun! My brother in law rocks!

As I write this I am always thankful for the folks who help us out, donate their time and skills.....it means so much to us and the horses who depend on us. We meet great people and lifelong friends.

The un-stallion rides again (Sully)

The UN-stallion had another day of riding around the Jones Farm...look how GOOD he looks! He is definitely ready to have his own person...if you are interested in adopting him, please contact us. Adoption contract and fee will apply.

Rain,rain, go away...I hate to complain after all the nice weather we have had, but I really didn't need the rain today.

Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow and we can work most of the day on a new loafing shed for the UN-stallion. My brother in law is coming to help. Hey...he is a good worker and he does side jobs...he is a gas stove technician/heating/cooling guy. If you need some work done...email me? He also does door installation and some wood work.

I guess you are tired of him being called the un-stallion...me too...so he got a new name today. His name is Sully. YAY he has a name...!! How did I come up with that? well, let's see...he was so sullen for a few days...I actully called him so swollen and sullen...then sullen turns into Sully. yes...Sully. It is a good name for a nice little gelding.

Rio is going to work tomorrow...he will be tacked and lunged. We hope he will work like a soldier with a minimum of fuss. He certainly looks good and feels good. We will let you know tomorrow how it goes. Rio is ready for adoption as he does not need anymore rehab.

So now we have:
Rio
Hamilton
Simon
Gossip
Sully
Beaver
Yukon

Don't we come up with great names?

More tomorrow!

Wednesday morning Un-stallion report

The un-stallion got ridden outside and around the farm this morning ...see pictures...he looks great and is feeling good! He has come a long way and we are still proud of him for all he has gone through. Look how handsome!

He is ready to start considering adoption. Now who will consider him? He needs an experienced horse person of his own. He is ready to learn about trails, maybe English disciplines or heck...he might just like western pleasure. Please email us if you are interested in adoption of this gorgeous boy! He is healthy and happy...hooves are in good shape, de-wormed, teeth done...what more could you ask for? He will be coming back to Pony Up north at the end of June and ready for his own adventure.

I cannot believe it is already the 17th of the month. June has absolutely flown by. The projects are coming along and piling up as well. We need to construct a loafing shed for the Un-stallion, so that when it rains he can have shelter.

We are making proposals and cost estimates for enlarging the arena. We need about 81 yards of sand and we need some of the ecological blocks to make a partial retaining wall. It seemed like a little project but suddenly got more complicated...what's moving a little dirt around? Obviously more than we knew.

At any rate we need to get going on it before it is winter again. It really won't be long at this rate.

We also have a patch of fencing to put up for the new pony paddock, some more brush clearing and some re-seeding. We need a Noble or a Behlen shelter for Pony Up South.....so we can squeeze in one more!

Anyone who wants to come and volunteer for any projects, simply let me know...bring your hammer...we have nails and we have boards. The Stiffey family is probably tired after all the hours that they put in.

Say a little jingle for Yukon, he is suffering from really sore feet and we are not sure yet if it is a founder or just sore flat feet.

Oh and by the way...hello and welcome to the fold to our newest volunteer, Dawn...she is currently helping out at Pony Up South (Kapowsin)...WELCOME!

more later.

The sweet smell of fresh hay

Thursday pm.....finally home after a long day......I got some nice Eastern Washington hay today. The hay truck came to me at my place of work in Federal Way. A petite lady was driving the semi and got out to meet me. I was looking for the beefy hay guy to get out of the cab and join us. Nope...there wasn't one. Me and her. hmmmm...I am looking at the hay. Three string bales...huge. I got up on the truck bed and tried to move one...sort of like moving a huge block of cement. Me and her...hmmm...she hardly weighs as much as a bale of that hay. My dad's voice is playing in my head....."you aren't six feet tall for nothin'"...yes...It is looking like I am going to move this hay twice. To her credit, she helped with each bale...both of us sweating like an ice cube in the sun. We got it loaded on my truck, I tied it down and I hit the road for the farm. YES...I unloaded it again..maybe I should say I "dumped" it, kicked it out of the truck and left it. It is not going to rain tonight, right? Page loves to move hay and I know she will want to help first thing in the morning. LOL.

I forgot to mention that the hay is very nice...I gave some to the crew tonight and they loved it! It was a great price and I give it a thumbs up!

Update on the UN-stallion:

He is feeling better after running a slight temperature yesterday. He resumed eating and was very happy to visit other horses over the fence. Tomorrow...it is back to work. He is on medication (antibiotics) for ten days...as a precaution.

More pictures of him tomorrow.

Wednesday comes calling

Up at 4:30am, to the barn and then to an early work meeting... ...makes for a dull PonyUp girl.

Then back to the farm at 3pm for some horse dental work. Ollie, my own horse got his teeth floated today. He is getting older and unfortunately, so are his teeth. Anyway, the Dr. got them in sort of good shape and then I had to wait for the tranquilizer to wear off. So I had some time on my hands... ...hmmm... ...what to do? Got my new "used" saddle out and tried it on all of them, except of course Hammy...he is way too thin to think of putting a saddle on. So I put it on Rio and it is a good fit, put it on Yukon and he is too fat for it...yes, he really needs a diet...put it on Ollie...a little too tight in the shoulders and far too much tranquilizer to hold his neck upright. LOL oh and I forgot to try it on Winston, so I march up to his paddock and as I am marching, I say...oh, well, I should just lunge him...back to the barn, I get his bridle, the lunge line and oh, I better have a saddle pad and a saddle.

Really?

Winston is eager to be bridled...happy in fact. He puts his head down and takes the bit, I tie the reins up into the throat latch and attach the lunge line. He happily walks along beside me to the arena.

Did I mention that I didn't bring my helmet?

Did I mention that Winston is very happy that I bridled him?

Okay, we are in the arena, I take the lunge line in hand and ask him to walk out.

He does.

Why didn't I do this earlier?

Have I even mentioned that Winston is a lot like a hyperactive kid when he is first worked?

I ask for "trrrrroottttt"...

slight miscommunication.

I get a mach 1 canter.

Why didn't I bring my helmet?

I say..."t...rottt"..."easy now"...he is moving like greased lightning and is now in a state of euphoria and adds several bucks and kick outs to his mach 1 canter. His nostrils are flared, you can hear him breathing...gosh, he is really fast...

I think to myself for a moment that he looks like a racehorse gone bad.

He can no longer hear me and the cloud of dust between us obstructs my view.

I should have given this more thought.

I should have a bigger arena for such a fast moving BIG horse.

I probably was too tired to do this

I should have taken him to the trainer for a while.

did I mention he is 17hands and big as a full grown moose? Is my helmet anywhere close?

...

I give him a yank and tell him to quit being a jackass. He slows slightly...looks at me, rears, comes down, bucks hard and proceeds at mach 2 canter...he is squealing now...every time he bucks, he squeals and then kicks out.

I tell myself that I am cutting his grain down...tonight. ...maybe I am not going to give him any more grain at all...ever. NEVER.

Did I tell you that Winston is a Hanoverian?

Okay...enough, already. I get him down to a walk. He is dripping in sweat along with me...I tell him it is his own fault. I make him switch directions. He is tired now. He walks out, I ask him to trot...he trots nicely,...dare I ask for the

C A N T E R?

I do.

He canters beautifully, obediently...I ask for trot...he trots...I ask for walk...he walks...finally halt...very obedient.

phew.

we are done...

I tell myself that he needs to be lunged every day for the rest of his life if I am going to ride him again. I know that after three days of work, he is a solid citizen,but he needs regular work or you get this hyperactive thing...

Okay, to be fair, he is half TB...the half that encompasses his brain and speed controls.

I walk him back to his paddock, he is still really happy and he gets a bath...which feels good on this hot day. I give him fresh cold water in his tub and then turn him loose...he immediately goes and rolls in the dirt...then comes back for some loves...he is a very personable horse, loves grooming...gotta love him.

Update on the un-stallion. We had the vet out to see him today as he was depressed and not eating well. The vet cleaned his surgery site, gave him some antibiotics and then we put him out on some pasture with some other horses on his near fence line.
Hopefully this will make him feel better. The vet says it is not unusual to have older stallions have this....loss of hormones, change of scenery......he has been through a lot. Keep your fingers crossed and jingle for the boy.

have a good evening!

The un-stallion gets training

Here is a picture of our boy, saddled and bridled........looking pretty handsome isn't he? A far cry from the wild stallion of a few weeks ago.

He had his feet trimmed and it was reported that he stood very well and behaved....no biting or fussing. Very, very smart he is and I might add that he looks rather stunning in his photo shoot. (thanks to Carrie Reeves for the photo!)

He has been round penned and will probably have a rider on him come Monday or Tuesday......we are all very excited! More pictures Carrie!

We moved stall mats this morning. We have stall mats outside the loafing sheds so that we don't have muddy areas and sometimes they get moved around despite our best efforts. After you have manhandled stall mats for fifteen minutes, you feel like you had a full work out. I think this is why I have such big biceps.....years of moving stall mats.......bucking hay and wrestling horses. No kidding, I have biceps to die for.

The horseshoer came at 1:30 and everyone got their feet trimmed. Hamilton's feet look much better but it will be several shoeing cycles before they are normal. He has typical thoroughbred feet.........flat soles, thin walls. He was good for the shoer. I put a hot wire on his fence boards and he simply moved to a new spot and was also seen windsucking on a wood post...... I thought they were too high but apparently not. Hamilton was brushed out and had his mane combed too. He loves the attention.

I am always thankful for the folks who do things for us and we have a whole host of them. Such a blessing to know such good people. I am moved by the people who have nothing but they still have something to give......a fencepost, apples from their trees.....homemade cookies or some boards or towels. We are appreciative of all we get...

Briann was out today and helped with stalls, grooming and measuring the arena. In case I forget, it is 59 x 108........so we have a little enlarging to do but not as much as I thought.

My condolences to Bob and Margaret H. on the loss of their son. Our hearts go out to you. It was so nice visiting you today, if there might be anything we could do, please let us know.

Just another reminder that life is fragile and short..........love hard......hug often.

Tuesday is almost over

The gelding who was a stallion is resting comfortably.......he was getting some ground lessons today and learning to stand tied. He never pulled back, but was definitely agitated and showed his displeasure by pawing, snorting and if looks could kill.......well, you know what I mean.

I cannot thank the Stiffey family enough for all of their work........today they brought their tractor and drug/tilled my arena, they cleared rocks and roots....and the arena looks awesome!

They also brought some oats and beet pulp to us, then groomed the crew of geldings, then cleaned and filled water buckets. I am thinking of how lucky we were to find them!

My resident banty hen hatched one egg and she has a stunning little black chick with a yellow spot on his head. This one is for you Chelsea! Oh and we named him Spot....nothing else seemed to fit. The hen had three other eggs left, but we checked them out and they were not fertile...........too bad as she is a good mother. Last year she was only able to hatch one egg as well and it wasn't even hers!

It was so warm today, I hope you got out to enjoy it...such a nice change from the rather ugly weather we were experiencing.

I think Hamilton looks better today. I de-wormed him again and increased his corn oil. His teeth need to be addressed and we will try to arrange funds for that shortly. Hamilton has turned into a love bug with me.

Rio loves Briann Stiffey, who patiently combed his tail today and made him shine like a copper penny. He was quiet and willing for the whole beauty process. Maybe a match made in heaven......we will have to see says I. I want to take Rio to a barn and see how his mind does when it is a busy place and then see how he does riding amongst other horses, being cross tied and being hauled. Keep your fingers crossed.

We always want the match to be just right between horse and owner. It should be an even playing field with two willing partners who understand each other. Sounds like a romantic notion, doesn't it? LOL........but really, think about it.......you know each others strengths and weak spots.....and you don't take advantage, but make it work for you like a team sport. You appreciate the skill and take care of each other. It is that commitment and responsibility thing that I preach about.

I will try to get updated pictures tomorrow. I promise no bloody ones tomorrow!

have a nice evening!

The "stallion": is now a GELDING (Warning...Graphic photos!)

The actual castration ............ The final product... teeth being done after castration...

Warning! Graphic photos......not for the faint of heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am happy to announce that the gelding procedure took place this morning without complication or incident. Teeth were done and tetnus/flu shots!

I am sure he is wondering what exactly happened to him and how he got to where he is...when just last week, he was king of his domain.

Poor boy!

He is in great hands and resting comfortably, he will be hand walked later and get a gentle hosing with cold water of the "injured" area.

Carrie took pictures for us and I will post them later this evening. Send good thoughts his way.....I wish I could tell him that in two weeks he will feel much better about most things.

The little sparrow was at my window this morning and I discovered he/she only has one leg....maybe that is what makes it hard to find a mate if you are a sparrow. I am not sure what to do for him/her......he/she is bringing something each time he/she comes to the window....bugs, small worms......dried grass.

We got a lot done yesterday and my construction friend should finish the upper loafing shed this week.

I picked Winston up and he is not sure my hay is to his liking.....I explained to him that perhaps the Taj Majal had better food, but this was the only food he was now likely to be getting, so he had better eat it up. They took great care of him and he looks gorgeous. I have missed him and am glad to have him back home.

some folks have asked why I posted pictures of the "nads"........ummmmmm, well.....it is part of the procedure, which I promised to share with you......and it is reality.........comes with farm life, animals, responsibility, committment.........the whole 9 yards of owning a horse. Not everything comes wrapped in a My Pretty Pony package in the horse ownership realm..

I promise to keep the blog clear of unsuitable topics for younger teenagers, I promise not to swear in print but I also promise to show reality......that might be the graphic starvation cases or any type of surgery we encounter.....or hoof problems......you name it, it can be ugly.

I had my old dog euthanized late this afternoon, he was 16. A sweet old Bull Terrier. We called him "The Man Dog".........but his real name was Amos Moses......we sometimes called him Mouse Man due to his timid nature. 16 years......a long life but not nearly long enough for those who loved him. RIP old man.......we will see you again.

I will update tomorrow on the stallion's ....oops........new gelding's progress......

sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite!

The Stallion arrives at the Jones Farm

The Reeves’ dog Bo......isn't he handsome? The hotwalker at the Jones Farm. The stallion is his new stall. The beautful barn......so clean and organized. Looking out of the jail bars on his stall.

Saturday morning and here is another update of the stallion chronicles..... we got up bright and early, got our chores done and then it was time to load up the stallion for his second trailer ride.

About 9:30am, we took the trailer up to the arena, drove in, opened the trailer.....then I caught the stallion, tried a couple of halters on him that were too big......but I really wanted a leather halter on him for the trailer ride, so I finally found one that would work. I had Page fill the hay bag and hang it. Then it was time to see if the boy would willingly load. I asked him to come forward and then Beaver started screaming......the stallion called back to him...... I had Page go back and lock Beaver in a stall. I asked the stallion to walk around a little then brought him back to the trailer....asked him to step up........he did, then he got in and then turned around and got out. No worries. I asked him again, tapped him on the behind and he got right in.......we shut the door and we were on the road.

Thanks to Bonnie for coming down to help us and sorry for the wasted trip.....I actually got him loaded before Bonnie got there.......but it was nice to have help on the way if I would have needed it.

The stallion hauled nicely, no screaming , no drama.....we drove for about an hour and got to the beautiful Jones Farm around 11am. He unloaded very nicely........no screaming, no misbehavior and walked right into his stall like a pro. We are very, very proud of him.

Monday, the gelding will be done and his teeth also. I am sure he will be sorry he got in the trailer come Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning he will have a regimen of exercise to prevent swelling in the surgical area. He will be rinsed with cool water and walked. They will take very good care of him.

We drove home, stopped at Stroh’s, got a couple of items , then drove back to the farm, unhooked the horse trailer, checked waters........sighed.....time for a nap? I have chores at home but will go back to the barn for pm feeding around 6pm.

gorgeous day......

He has come very far in just a week.