Tag Archives: LeRoy the Wonderpony!

I just had a fight with Mother Nature – and she won.






ORIGINALLY POSTED IN FEBRUARY, 2011… but tonight I wanted to post this because I feel the same way.  Tonight, I would have rewritten this story – exactly.

I don’t know about where you live, but our winter out here in California has been extremely wet and stormy.

I know I know, all of you with a mountain of snow and ice on your doorstep probably want to wallop me right now… but for us, as with you all, this season has been uniquely wintery.

What’s up with Mother Nature… is she mad or something?

Maybe she is sick of winter, too.  Maybe she is very sad and keeps snorfeling and blowing her nose.  Maybe she just needs a shoulder to cry on.  Actually, that shoulder was probably me today if you look at the condition of my coat…

Yeesh. Soaked.

EPIC RAINFALL

I know it has been epic all over the country, so I will commiserate with you all.  Yup.  It is raining so hard and storming so violently, I really didn’t want to go out there and feed this morning.  I waited for “a break in the weather” to no avail.  I finally told myself that the poor horses had waited long enough and 7:30am is the end of my window.

So, I went out there.

To my surprise, we have a new pond!  Right in our front yard!  I wonder if it will have fish anytime soon?  I’m guessing we will have plague-type frogs this Spring.

Oh, and I think my neighbor’s illegal dam (they do this all over – dam up a stream so that they can make large ponds for their cattle or fire prevention) on the other side of our fence broke.  Yay!  I mean I’m not happy that his dam broke but I am happy that we have our seasonal creek again.  After all, when I bought this property, it was advertised with a “seasonal creek”.  And then, my ahem neighbor decided it was all his and he took it from me.

For the last 5 years, I have only had an all-year trench that looks like a dry fissure through the property.

Anyway, I explored this morning and took several photos of my new old creek!  It comes from a spring at the top of the hill and flows downstream and meets up with Sonja’s property where it flows into a huge lake.  It is nice to be all connected again.

I have my creek back! It comes from above…

And flows all the way down to the lake on my neighbor’s cattle ranch.

INNYS VS. OUTTIES

Do you have some horses that don’t go in when it rains and some that won’t come out when it rains?  Me, too.  I call them the Innys and Outties.

The innys like their Inns.  Bodhi and Remi are like that.  It is good that I have them together since they are like-minded.  I didn’t know that about them when I forced them to room together… but it seems to have worked out.  As soon as the weather comes, all you see of Remi and Bodhi are the humps of their hind ends as they delve deep into their shelter, never to suffer a drop of rain.

Here are Remi and Bodhi… basically dry except for the new rain that is hitting them as they eat

The bad part about the Innys is that I have to coax them out to eat.  You see, unfortunately, the people that built the shelter did a fine job, put they placed it in the wrong direction.  Consequently, it floods.  So, although Remi and Bodhi are dry, their feet aren’t.

There are feeders in there but they are mounted feeders so the hay falls right into the wet mud.  Remind me that I need to get one of those hay feeders that saves hay and is on the ground. I wrote about those a while ago but it wasn’t raining then…

I had to lure my drenched ponies into their shelter

OUTTIES

The outtie horse stays out in the rain.  I have several here.  What is up with that?  I just don’t get it.  Slick and Dodger are the WORST.  Here they are, the littlest and hardest to maintain weight in the winter – yet they refuse to wimp-out and take shelter in the storms.  It is almost like the “little man” complex takes over and they need to show the world that they can take it.

Having them not use their shelter makes me crazy.  I go out there and I find two completely soaked, raggamuffin Sheltands and I suggest to them, “Why don’t you use your shelter?”  They look at me and tell me for the 100th time, “You messed it up by adding the wall.”  (I added the wall so it wouldn’t flood like Bodhi’s and Remi’s.)

Me:  But I had to add the wall or the shelter would have been no good in the winter!

Ponies:  “Well, you ruined it.”

Me:  Awww, C’mon and try it.

Ponies:  “Make us.”

Me:  Alright, I will!  (squeezing through the fence rails and marching into their shelter with hay and grain)

Ponies:  “She’s crazy!”

Me:  There.  Your food is in the shelter.  Take that!

Ponies:  “Fine.  Whatever.  We’ll just push it all out to where we want it after you leave.”

Now, I really shouldn’t worry about them, especially after I’ve written about all the wild island ponies who suffer way worse conditions and do absolutely fine.  I know they have coats like yaks.  Slick sort-of smells like a yak even…  But, it still bothers me.

Sam, the wild horse, is an outtie as well.  She came from Nevada where rain is a wishful thought so maybe she still thinks rain is cool.  Dunno.

This is the offending halfwall that they hate…. I’m taking the photo underneath it

TEMPORARY ALLIANCES

I find that storms often create temporary alliances between normally unfriendly horses.

For example, Norma (the donkey) doesn’t really like Mama Tess because Tess terrorizes Norma.  It is really not nice but kinda entertaining.  Norma’s stall door is right next to the gate to “outside” and Tess will reach her neck over the rails and fake-bite at Norma as she runs into her stall.

It is a game to Tess but not to Norma.  I see Norma time her entrance to the stall for when Tess isn’t looking.  Poor girl.

Anyway, I noticed that this morning, after a huge storm, Norma is flanking the rails so she can be next to saged and solid Tess.  Tess is fine with it.  And, I noticed that Norma spent the entire night in her stall which is quite unusual.  I think she hunkered down next to Tess.  Kinda sweet.

We’ll see how long it lasts…

Here is Norma, taking solice next to ‘been there done that’ Tess.

FEEDING IN A STORM

First of all, as I write this, I want to tell you that the rain has turned to snow.

Many of you have fed in a huge storm.  Not fun.  The feed flies everywhere, the hay gets soaked, your best boots want to stick and stay in the mud (have you ever pulled out of your boot and stepped in muck with just your stocking feet? – yup.  fun. )  and your coat becomes authentic camouflage.

The best part about feeding in a storm is how I look afterwards.  My hair appears to have spent several minutes in the spin cycle.  My coat has grown hay seeds all over it and will never be the same again.  In fact, since my coat is drenched, it may actually sprout a seed or two by morning.  And, those of you who have to wear long coats and tall boots to feed in bad weather will definitely understand when I mention the totally wet part between the end of your coat and the beginning of your boots… nice.

The totally wet spot between the end of your coat and the top of your boots…

My boots have become a mud and wind victim.  The mud is up to my shins and the wind has blown seeds inside (nice when the seeds dig into the interior padding, eh?) and also created a mud/seed decoupage covering.

MOTHER NATURE

So maybe we all need to give a nod to Old Mother Nature and perhaps calm her down a bit.  I mean, how often do we salute her or praise her or embrace her effusively?  Maybe she is just lonely and she’s sobbing all over us neglectful subjects…

Mother Nature turned the rain to snow… this is the skylight in my office. No sky, no light.

newrule2

JEWELRY WITH A PURPOSE – For the horses!

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Click here for webpage, click here for Facebook!

Screen Shot 2014-11-05 at 7.34.57 PMWe gift wrap, can add personal message and drop ship! Just email me !

JEWELRY THAT BENEFITS THE BUCKET FUND HORSES! Every donation counts! Click image to see the new pieces!

JEWELRY THAT BENEFITS THE BUCKET FUND HORSES! Every sale counts! Click image to see the new pieces!

LOVELY NIGHT SKY bracelet/necklace for the horses! Only $25!
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To purchase this Night Sky brac/neck for $25, click here!

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Update Day! The Junkyard 4, The Diaper Foals and that baby donk all dried off!


Thursday, April 14th, 2011 | Filed under Handy Tips




I received a bunch of update materials today so I thought I would pass them along since I know many of you would like to hear about horses that have been featured in the blog…

LEROY THE WONDERPONY!

Hopefully, I will receive a new photo of our boy as well as the new radiographs that will be taken on his next check-up on April 14th.

I did get an update.  Here it is:

I was in a staff meeting today and learned that LeRoy is going great!  He will get his splint off today.  He will always have to were his orthopedic shoe, but that will help him to walk properly. He has been enjoying time out side in the pasture moving very well.  LeRoy continues to be a very popular boy around the farm.

Just in case you are new to LeRoy, he was found wandering around a Home Depot parking lot with a broken leg that had healed over… but the wonderful people at HAHS rescued him and provided excellent care and surgery.

THE JUNKYARD 4

These poor horses were our Bucket Fund horses for last month.  They were found in a Junkyard, hence the name, and all were in horrible condition.  They only had brackish water and no food.  One perished.  Luckily, 4 are under the care of BHFER.  Thank goodness!

Red and Tucker (mini geldings, Tucker is Glory’s yearling foal who was still nursing from her when they were rescued):

Red and Tucker are doing well!  Tucker is finally coming around and starting to stabilize and gain weight.  They hang around together and have even started running and wrestling in their paddock.  Nice!

Red and Tucker. Happy and almost healthy boys, finally!

Faith, the pregnant Percheron:

Faith seems to be doing very well.  She is gaining weight and her coat is looking much better.  All are hoping that enough time has passed for her to become well enough to deliver safely.  Right now, she seems fine and everyone is sighing with relief!  Oh, they say she is a lovebucket!

Faith is looking shiny and healthy! The baby isn't quite due yet, thank goodness... more baking time needed.

Glory, the pregnant mini-mare who is the dam of  Tucker:

Glory came in very underweight, wormy and just a mess…  No one knows if her baby is OK in there and everyone is a bit worried.  Glory has put on weight and is much better, but no one knows if the fetus was damaged by the awful water source or the lack of food.  Everyone is praying for this little lovebug.

Preggers and bagging little Glory, the mini mare.

Glory is on Marestare!  If you want to watch her, she is in her foaling stall during the evenings!  If they feel the birth is impending, they will keep her in the foaling stall 24/7.  Here is the link where you can watch little Glory!

Glory as seen on her Marestare camera. Click image to watch her!

 

BABY MINI-DONKEY WHO WAS JUST BORN TWO DAYS AGO (you can read/see pics of the birth on this blog link)

He is so cute!  Can you believe that HUGE baby was inside that tiny Momma?!!  So far, no official name but I think ‘Mammoth Jackini’ would work for him!  (He is for sale in New Mexico – no affiliation … click here to go to their site)

This was 2 days ago, 27 mins after he was born.

LOOK HOW BIG HE IS! He is 2 days old now! We should call him 'Mammoth Jackini'!

Look at that face! And that moppy brow! Too cute!

Healthy baby and Momma...

 

DIAPER FOALS!

These are the little babies who were our MID-MONTH MINI BUCKET FUND for March.  Two fillies were abandoned at birth in the Paiute paddocks (Sassy and Tina) and the other one (Ruby) is a Mustang from the range in Nevada who was found alone – only a few hours old.  Luckily they were all brought to foalnursemaid extraordinaire, Shirley Allen.

(These fillies will all be available for adoption when they are big enough… Let me know if you are interested and I’ll put you in touch with Shirley.)

Here they are today… pics hot off the presses!

This is Sassy, the Biggest filly at 3 months old.

This is Tina (for Valentina) who was born on Valentines' Day

This is Ruby the tiniest filly! Look at the white on her legs!

 

THE BROODMARES’ CREEDO

OK, well, since we have been chatting a lot about foaling, a reader sent this to me. ..

And, having known many a broodmare, I thought this was priceless!  Hopefully some of you will get a churble out of it to start your day

“Foaling Mare’s Secret Code”

The mare’s secret code of honor is as old as horses themselves and is ultimately the species best kept secret. NO mare shall ever produce a foal before it’s time.

It’s time being determined by the following factors:

1. No foal shall be born until total chaos has been reached by all involved. Your house must be a wreck, your family hungry and desperate for clean clothes, and your social life non-existent.

2. Midwives must reach the babbling fool status before you foal out. Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair and the inability to form a sentence means you’re getting close.

3. For every bell, beeper, camera or whistle they attach to you, foaling must be delayed by at least one day for each item.

4. Vet check, add a day…internal, add three! If you hear the words, “She’s nowhere near ready…you will be fine, while I’m away for the weekend,” then wait 12 to 16 hours and pop that baby out!

5. Owner’s stress must be at an all time high! If you are in the care of someone else, ten to fifteen phone calls a day is a sign you’re getting close. When you hear the words, “I can’t take it anymore!”…wait three days and produce a foal.

6. You must keep this waiting game interesting. False alarms are necessary! Little teasers such as looking at your stomach, pushing your food around in the bucket and then walking away from it are always good for a rise. Be creative and find new things to do to keep the adrenaline pumping in those who wait.

7. The honor of all horses is now in your hands. Use this time to avenge all of your stable mates. Think about your friend who had to wear that silly costume in front of those people. Hang onto that baby for another day. Oh, they made him do tricks too! Three more days seems fair. Late feedings, the dreaded diet, bad haircuts, those awful wormings can also be avenged at this time.

8. If you have fulfilled all of the above and are still not sure when to have this foal, listen to the weather forecast on the radio that has been so generously provided by those who wait. Severe thunderstorm warnings is what your looking for. In the heart of the storm jump into action! The power could go out and you could have the last laugh. You have a good chance of those who wait missing the whole thing while searching for a flashlight that works!

9. Make the most of your interrupted nights. Beg for food each time someone comes into the stable to check on you. Your stable mates will love you as the extra goodies fall their way too!

10. Remember, this code of honor was designed to remind man of how truly special horses are. Do your best to reward those who wait with a beautiful filly to carry on the mare code of honor for the next generation of those who wait!

–Author Unknown

 

Blessed are the broodmares!

 

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April Drop in the Bucket Fund:

THE HEARTBREAK KIDS – Nurse Mare Foals.?So sad. Born to be thrown away.  But there are people who rescue these fine foals.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate towards the care of The Heartbreak Kids, please click on the photo

Please help the Heartbreak Kids! Click here!

 

 

 

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HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth... if you like this, please pass it around!