Every so often, I don’t find an incredibly needy horse for our Bucket Fund story.  This month, the Bucket Fund is open.

Bucket Fund Recipient Criteria:

• The horse(s) must be in URGENT or DIRE need
• Horses’ needs/illnesses must be verified by a vet
• Prefer to work with Rescues over individuals
• If working with an individual, no monies will go to the individual, only feed stores or equine  hospitals
• Horse(s) caretaker must provide the original story and photos – plus one update with photos.
• I need direct contact with the primary caretaker

Please email me if you have a story.  Many thanks for helping!

UPDATES!

Mama Tess is having a second round of the Naxcel injections.  Although the first round helped tremendously, she soon had pain back in her left foot – hopefully, the right foot is holding strong.   So, we are trying again, plus adding Team Maggots to the works.

The injections hurt me more than they do her… I have such anxiety when giving such a voluminous injection.  But, knowing the benefits outweigh all else, I will give the shots boldly!  I am quite excited to give her 8 days of shots plus Team Maggots.  I think this will be a great double whammy for that disgusting and powerful coffin bone infection.

Dodger is doing much better.  Two weeks ago, he started coughing.  He would cough 4-6 times and then not cough for a few hours… then do it again.  When the vet checked him, he knew it was viral and not bacterial (no fever, no discharge).   So, we had to ride it out.  After two weeks, I am not hearing the coughing much.  Yay!

Wrigley has gone into big boy training!  (Working non-stop has its benefits!)  Yup, Wrigley is finally going to learn how to carry a rider.  This should be very interesting because I’ve never had my show horses learn from anyone other than a Morgan trainer.  But, locally, the best trainer choice for him actually had an immediate opening!  That never happens!

I had been feeding Wrig in my trailer because I realized that he hadn’t been in a trailer in 4 years.  He was fine with that… But, today, when it came to actually loading him, my friend and I decided that her trailer was more open and better, so we used hers.

Well… not only was it pouring down rain (it never rains in CA but it rained non-stop today, of course) and Wrig did not like the sound of the rain on her trailer.  And, he didn’t like going into her trailer without being able to get right out.  Back and forth, back and forth… this went on for 1.5 hours – in the rain.  We were SOAKED.  Finally, we decided to use my trailer and put Finn in first, which we did.  Once Finn was in, Wrig hopped right in.  We closed the door and took off.

I miss him tonight.  Wrig is full of energy all the time.  He is the only horse here who is always busy.  Tonight, even in the rain, it is quiet here without him.  As much as I love him, it is absolutely time for him to get his higher education.  I cannot wait for his learning to begin!

BG and I went to an Extreme Wylene clinic over the weekend.  Amazing.  In case you missed the post yesterday, here is the link.  We condensed so much training time by attending this awesome clinic.  Totally worth it.  We rode, roll backed, auto stopped, auto turned, ran patterns, mounted from the rail, did obstacles… amazing.  She and I learned so much about each other.

Finn got to ride in the trailer today with his young, excited friend, Wrigley.  He also gets to have his sister, BG,  back with him, so he’s happy.

Slick and Norma did not catch the virus that Dodger was spewing and that is terrific!  Both are very strong and hearty little beings.  Slick has nice weight going into winter now that I am feeding him all soft foods.  Unfortunately, Norma Jean is a bit heavy going into winter, which is normal but I sure wish I could trim her down.  The ponies hardly get any food, but what they get, she eats, too.  Donkeys are like Chia Pets.  They don’t need much to maintain.

Sam, Rojo and Remi are all fine.  They have great lives here.  They are their own little mustang herd.  After meeting Extreme Wylene who has won 2 Mustang Makeovers, I so want her to come help me with Rojo.  I adopted him just when I got sick and consequently, he hasn’t been worked and has reverted.  Sure, he’ll let me pet him, but he is very snorty and bucky.

Bodhi is doing very well in his new home with Monique.  I did write to her when we had a recent lightening storm and she said he did just fine.  She loves him and has ridden him 3 times a week, every week – and for 2-3 hours each day.  Bodhi must be loving this attention!

Gwen is always good.  She is a rock solid mare.  Perfect ground manners and brilliant.  The smartest horse here.  I am thinking, once I am secure with haltering Annie, I will put them together.

Annie is doing really well!  She nickers at me whenever she sees me.  She comes right up to the fence and wants attention.  Today, when my friend came to help me load Wrig, Annie came right up to her at the fenceline!  I’ve been working on haltering her.  So far, she will let me take it on and off several times and then get a treat.  The next step is holding the lead rope.

I can fly spray her and brush her all over.  Touching her udders is still a no-no.  I can pick up her front feet, not the backs.  And, happily, she will let me touch her forehead without becoming upset.  Progress!

I still think she is closer to 17 hands than 16.1.  I need help measuring her.  I know she is a big girl.