uuuuuuuuummmmm....still raining this morning. I slept in a little, got up, let dogs out, had coffee and toast, showered and then left for the barn.
Turn the radio on and listen to Michael Bolton sing "When a Man loves a Woman"....then get to work feeding the prisoners. TarBaby did not clean up all of his hay and he has wasted a bunch...........I hate to throw out hay....such a precious commodity....oh well, it happens.
Ryan shows up and we finish the hay, then grain everyone......then get to cleaning while listening to the radio.
Kim and Matt come and they start to work on the top rails of the fencing............while I.......I leave to go to the Humane Society and pick up a mare.
A mare.
I always try to have geldings at the farm.........mares = drama.........mares plus geldings = more drama. Especially with studly geldings.
But this mare has no where to go.........no where good anyway. She has been starved by her owner. Her feet were long, cracked and infected. She has rain rot along her spine. She had lice. Her owner had so many days to come up with a plan, pay a fine...........but opted not to. Off the hook he is.
The Humane Society had her feet trimmed and had her examined by a vet..........gave her psyllium to help with the sand in her gut........
The first time I saw her, she was depressed, grumpy........ears back when I approached.. warning me that she had had enough of humans...I approached her anyway.....I gently touched her shoulder and she gave me her teeth.......smack ....hard against my arm and then stamped her hind leg............warning me. I gave her a pat anyway and asked her to pick up her foot.....her ears pinned and head swung.........I said enough......stood by her shoulder and asked for her foot again.......she gave it to me but would not look at me....she stood head down, expecting the worst from me, a human. I put her hoof down and gently patted her neck....then stepped away. She looked after me ...like gee, you're leaving me alone now? I walked out and through the gate.......she turned to look again....and then I left the pasture area.
Okay we will take her.
So here it is today and time to go and get her.........I hook the trailer up in the rain and go out to the Humane Society. The attendant helps me with gates and we go to the mare. She looks much brighter eyed today. I ask the attendant if he has experience loading horses......he says 'ummm.......NO>NO I don't." I say, "okay, well you will learn today>". We halter the mare who seems oh so much friendlier today. He says, "this mare bites....she bites hard." I say, "I know>"...he says, "you lead her, okay?". I say yes. I tell him to station himself at the trailer window and that after I load her, I want him to hold the rope and keep her facing him. "okay, he says." Up to to trailer we come and the mare walks right along, no biting.......no fuss. We get to the trailer and she loads.......I should say she JUMPS right in. I hand the rope to the attendant and shut the divider.......then come out and shut the trailer door. I tie the mare and say...okay, we are done. He is visibly relieved. I think he thought there would be some sort of cowboy drama wrangling scene. LOL.
We drive on home, she is quiet the whole way. I bring her out and the boys go wild.........screaming, calling and oh of course, the mare is in HEAT. Drama...I told you....drama.
We put her in a paddock, give her hay, fresh water.........she is quiet for the most part, a little squealing.......
We have named her Sophie.
Sophie is safe tonight.
We are FULL........a few adoptions on the horizon........some foster situations........so we will only be beyond full for a few days.........thank goodness.
We worked around the farm the rest of the day..........fixing this, cleaning that.......buying grain......sweeping floors.......
and tomorrow we will do the same thing again.
A day in the life.
Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:
You give, you take, you give back.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday morning
Still raining....back to the land of sog.
Lots to do today.....cleaning, buy grain and stall pellets, Humane Society and then off to see my boy Winston. Winston is coming along wonderfully.......he looks like a real dressage horse. I am pleased with the trainer......no gimmicks, no cruelty.......lot's of patience and reward, a beautiful clean facility. Somedays I wish I lived there.
I slept in, I needed it ..I have been running on empty all week because as usual there is still a lot to do. Stalls must be stripped today. I got most of them done last night but ran out of daylight with the loafing sheds.
Yesterday, my mother reports.....a very large bald eagle was walking (yes, walking) around the yard, attempting to snatch a chicken. She yelled at him and he flew off.......without a chicken.
This is like a chicken survivor show.......if it isn't the chicken hawk, or a wiley coyote....it is the bald eagle. Poor chickens. My chickens are free range, they have a coop but no fenced yard. They help keep the manure piles turned over, take care of bugs and lay the occasional egg......alhtough I might have to hunt for it.
I want to extend a very large Thank you to Sandy M. for her generous donation. We can't do this without folks like you and we appreciate you thinking of us.
I finished our grant application. It is intended to help us pay for replacement of the arena fencing. This is the first time we have done this, so we are hopeful!
TarBaby ripped his blanket to shreds yesterday. I didn't see it with my own eyes and I suspect that there might have been some pony involvement. TarBaby is easy on his blankets.....so it seems odd. The ripping was all done on the back end. HMMMM?
I better get running, the prisoners will be planning an escape because I am late.
Enjoy your weekend!
Pony Up fortune for today:
If not you, then who?
Lots to do today.....cleaning, buy grain and stall pellets, Humane Society and then off to see my boy Winston. Winston is coming along wonderfully.......he looks like a real dressage horse. I am pleased with the trainer......no gimmicks, no cruelty.......lot's of patience and reward, a beautiful clean facility. Somedays I wish I lived there.
I slept in, I needed it ..I have been running on empty all week because as usual there is still a lot to do. Stalls must be stripped today. I got most of them done last night but ran out of daylight with the loafing sheds.
Yesterday, my mother reports.....a very large bald eagle was walking (yes, walking) around the yard, attempting to snatch a chicken. She yelled at him and he flew off.......without a chicken.
This is like a chicken survivor show.......if it isn't the chicken hawk, or a wiley coyote....it is the bald eagle. Poor chickens. My chickens are free range, they have a coop but no fenced yard. They help keep the manure piles turned over, take care of bugs and lay the occasional egg......alhtough I might have to hunt for it.
I want to extend a very large Thank you to Sandy M. for her generous donation. We can't do this without folks like you and we appreciate you thinking of us.
I finished our grant application. It is intended to help us pay for replacement of the arena fencing. This is the first time we have done this, so we are hopeful!
TarBaby ripped his blanket to shreds yesterday. I didn't see it with my own eyes and I suspect that there might have been some pony involvement. TarBaby is easy on his blankets.....so it seems odd. The ripping was all done on the back end. HMMMM?
I better get running, the prisoners will be planning an escape because I am late.
Enjoy your weekend!
Pony Up fortune for today:
If not you, then who?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Aways to go Wednesday
You hear things that strike you in the news.
they stay with you.
they disturb you.
they haunt you.
Generally these things are child and animal abuse... at least with me...
I think of the loss of a victim's soul to unspeakable acts..........attrocities.......the perpetrator takes it from the victim and the perpetrator lost his to God only knows.
I read these things and sometimes weep that anything would have to endure such suffering at the hands of another.
You look at pictures of children and animals who are suffering abuse and the light is gone from their eyes........it has been extinquished......lost when the suffering became too much.....the pain too severe........the hunger too intolerable.
and yet it goes on.......it continues.
I read this morning of such a case and I will not repeat the details because it is so disturbing......
but it only makes me feel more like SPEAKING out.........YELLING at the top of my lungs........
There have got to be stiffer penalties for unspeakable behavior.........those of us who are compassionate, educated, rational, loving human beings have to speak for those who cannot.
Punish within the full extent of the law.......make the penalty fit the crime. Life is precious.........our children, your children, their children are precious. If someone murders and rapes a child..........Death penalty. .....goodbye, we don't want you or need you......In my book there is nothing more unspeakable, never a soul more unsalvagable. People who abuse animals most often abuse children..........animals should be protected too.......if you starve an animal you should NEVER have another. NEVER. Starvation is not an unfortunate accident........someone who scalds a child or dog should have jail time and mental health evaluations the rest of their life.........no time off for good behavior.,...never allowed to have children again or animals........give them a scarlet letter for life.
Let me be the judge for a while.
Anyway, I am ranting.......but I think it is important for all of us to speak up, write letters, make petitions and let our voices be heard when we disagree with "how something is". When you read about something that shakes you to the very core........act on it. Write a letter to the sentencing judge. If the law doesn't allow adequate punishment, speak up........let's change it. One person can make a difference by lending their voice, their written words, ....their perseverance. Only "we" can change it. Take notice in your county, your state about what is going on.........voice your opinion to the court, to the authorities.........be professional, be polite, state your facts and your opinion.......and VOTE.
##################
Rain again this morning........cooler temperatures.........I want some more of that sun we had.
I heard someone say the weekend should be nice.........I will cross my fingers on both hands.
I changed Tarbaby into a new paddock this morning. He was fighting with his (neigh)bor........Churchie. Churchie is a big Holsteiner and has a long reach, while TarBaby is much smaller and does not have a long reach.
The barn cat was missing tonight. I called and called.......it was dark and we had a little wind....I took the flashlight out.........no luck. Then I heard a faint mew....so I called somemore. i was beginning to think I was hearing things........it was not a very good meow.........I walked around......shone the flashlight hoping to catch the eyes of the kitty. Nothing. Nada. It must be that peacock....so I started back to the barn..........and heard it again. ...sort of behind me.
I turned around and shone the light up to the house.........and there on the roof was the cat. ...she was very wet and hoarse. hmmm. ...back to the barn for the ladder....back to the house for the cat. Up on the roof, grab the cat...........she is not having it........so I put her inside my coat...hold my coat really tight against me and climb down. I deposit her in the cat room with her sister and give her some wet food and a stern warning.
all in a day..
Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:
A busy mind sometimes forgets all the details.
they stay with you.
they disturb you.
they haunt you.
Generally these things are child and animal abuse... at least with me...
I think of the loss of a victim's soul to unspeakable acts..........attrocities.......the perpetrator takes it from the victim and the perpetrator lost his to God only knows.
I read these things and sometimes weep that anything would have to endure such suffering at the hands of another.
You look at pictures of children and animals who are suffering abuse and the light is gone from their eyes........it has been extinquished......lost when the suffering became too much.....the pain too severe........the hunger too intolerable.
and yet it goes on.......it continues.
I read this morning of such a case and I will not repeat the details because it is so disturbing......
but it only makes me feel more like SPEAKING out.........YELLING at the top of my lungs........
There have got to be stiffer penalties for unspeakable behavior.........those of us who are compassionate, educated, rational, loving human beings have to speak for those who cannot.
Punish within the full extent of the law.......make the penalty fit the crime. Life is precious.........our children, your children, their children are precious. If someone murders and rapes a child..........Death penalty. .....goodbye, we don't want you or need you......In my book there is nothing more unspeakable, never a soul more unsalvagable. People who abuse animals most often abuse children..........animals should be protected too.......if you starve an animal you should NEVER have another. NEVER. Starvation is not an unfortunate accident........someone who scalds a child or dog should have jail time and mental health evaluations the rest of their life.........no time off for good behavior.,...never allowed to have children again or animals........give them a scarlet letter for life.
Let me be the judge for a while.
Anyway, I am ranting.......but I think it is important for all of us to speak up, write letters, make petitions and let our voices be heard when we disagree with "how something is". When you read about something that shakes you to the very core........act on it. Write a letter to the sentencing judge. If the law doesn't allow adequate punishment, speak up........let's change it. One person can make a difference by lending their voice, their written words, ....their perseverance. Only "we" can change it. Take notice in your county, your state about what is going on.........voice your opinion to the court, to the authorities.........be professional, be polite, state your facts and your opinion.......and VOTE.
##################
Rain again this morning........cooler temperatures.........I want some more of that sun we had.
I heard someone say the weekend should be nice.........I will cross my fingers on both hands.
I changed Tarbaby into a new paddock this morning. He was fighting with his (neigh)bor........Churchie. Churchie is a big Holsteiner and has a long reach, while TarBaby is much smaller and does not have a long reach.
The barn cat was missing tonight. I called and called.......it was dark and we had a little wind....I took the flashlight out.........no luck. Then I heard a faint mew....so I called somemore. i was beginning to think I was hearing things........it was not a very good meow.........I walked around......shone the flashlight hoping to catch the eyes of the kitty. Nothing. Nada. It must be that peacock....so I started back to the barn..........and heard it again. ...sort of behind me.
I turned around and shone the light up to the house.........and there on the roof was the cat. ...she was very wet and hoarse. hmmm. ...back to the barn for the ladder....back to the house for the cat. Up on the roof, grab the cat...........she is not having it........so I put her inside my coat...hold my coat really tight against me and climb down. I deposit her in the cat room with her sister and give her some wet food and a stern warning.
all in a day..
Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:
A busy mind sometimes forgets all the details.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
move over Monday
So.....umm.......the rain is back and it is 41 degrees......the prisoners are blanketed again and I warmed their grain up tonight. Not that they need the grain warmed in 41 degree weather, but gosh it seems oh so much more appetizing, doesn't it? Imagine eating cold, really cold oatmeal? YUCK.
Yukon's adoption did not go through......through no fault of the adopter nor any fault of Yukon's......we liked her just fine.......but we really think horse and rider should be equally matched and Yukon is a lot of horse.......even at the ripe old age of 23...soon to be 24. ...so he went back to his foster home where he is adored by three women and he resides over 15 acres with two other old geezer horses. I took grain to him tonight and blanketed him.......he was unimpressed with seeing me once he realized I was not feeding dinner. Simply no gratitude on some days.
We have a lot of interest in our filly Breeze and I must have three applications for Vinnie.......the beautiful Vinnie.... yay! We want some adoptions....We have met a lot of nice folks as of late who would make fine adopters. Keep your fingers crossed!
The barn cats are now coming and going freely.........I think their Stockholm Syndrome is turning around. Some of you might have to look that up.....?!
I will order hay again this week........the horses eat a little over a bale and a half a day. TarBaby doesn't eat much but he makes up in beetpulp, rice bran and senior/complete grain. Beaver eats the cheap local grass hay and he hates it....but he eventually eats it. We had to force a diet plan on him........he was getting very fat....not good for ponies.
Are you watching the Olympics? I have watched a little, but I really am more of a summer Olympics person.......although I do like the ski jumping..........wowee, now that takes some guts.
Off to eat dinner..........drink some wine..........relax...........
enjoy your week.
Pony UP fortune for tomorrow
A tall dark stranger has news.
Yukon's adoption did not go through......through no fault of the adopter nor any fault of Yukon's......we liked her just fine.......but we really think horse and rider should be equally matched and Yukon is a lot of horse.......even at the ripe old age of 23...soon to be 24. ...so he went back to his foster home where he is adored by three women and he resides over 15 acres with two other old geezer horses. I took grain to him tonight and blanketed him.......he was unimpressed with seeing me once he realized I was not feeding dinner. Simply no gratitude on some days.
We have a lot of interest in our filly Breeze and I must have three applications for Vinnie.......the beautiful Vinnie.... yay! We want some adoptions....We have met a lot of nice folks as of late who would make fine adopters. Keep your fingers crossed!
The barn cats are now coming and going freely.........I think their Stockholm Syndrome is turning around. Some of you might have to look that up.....?!
I will order hay again this week........the horses eat a little over a bale and a half a day. TarBaby doesn't eat much but he makes up in beetpulp, rice bran and senior/complete grain. Beaver eats the cheap local grass hay and he hates it....but he eventually eats it. We had to force a diet plan on him........he was getting very fat....not good for ponies.
Are you watching the Olympics? I have watched a little, but I really am more of a summer Olympics person.......although I do like the ski jumping..........wowee, now that takes some guts.
Off to eat dinner..........drink some wine..........relax...........
enjoy your week.
Pony UP fortune for tomorrow
A tall dark stranger has news.
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