I Hung Up My Bridle Today

by Kris Garrett

Yesterday, for the first time, I was too tired to ride.
Yesterday, for the first time, I was afraid I would be hurt if I was thrown.
Yesterday, for the first time, I heard someone say my barn was too shabby.
Yesterday, for the first time, I let someone tell me I was too pudgy to ride.
Yesterday, for the first time, I realized I was old.
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to face that I could no longer keep up.
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to let go of my dreams.
Yesterday, for the first time, I felt my heart break.
Yesterday, for the first time, I turned my back on my friend.
Yesterday, for the first time, I knew I was done.

Today, for the last time, I felt warm, braided leather in my hands.
Today, for the last time, I ran my stirrups up so they wouldn't bang my mare's sides.
Today, for the last time, I released the buckles on the girth and watched my girl sigh.
Today, for the last time, I slowly dropped the bit so it wouldn't hit her teeth.
Today, for the last time, I gave my mare a cookie to thank her for the ride.
Today, for the last time, I buried my head in her soft, warm neck.
Today, for the last time, I inhaled the sun and the dust in her long winter coat.
Today, for the last time, I closed the gate and trudged to the muddy porch.
Today, for the last time, I tracked hay and horse hair into my house.
Today, for the last time, I pulled off my boots and felt the sting of warm blood returning to my cold toes.

Today, for the first time, I cried after my ride.
Today, for the first time, I felt my hands shake as I set the saddle on its rack.
Today, for the first time, I hugged my young trainer a final goodbye.
Today, for the first time, I waited for the new owner's trailer to arrive.
Today, for the first time, I set my boots in a box to go to the Goodwill.
Today, for the first time, I sighed at the wear on my riding gloves.
Today, for the first time, I had no hay in my hair.
Today, for the first time, I did not hear nickering when I opened my back door.
Today, for the first time, I felt worse leaving the barn that I did when I entered.
Today, for the first time, I had no one to check on before going to bed.

Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't have to buy hay.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I can stay in bed longer.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't see the poop pile grow.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't be able to fly on four legs.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be sorry I listened.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will regret letting her go.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at God.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at myself.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will cry the day away.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be glad to die.

Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will awaken in tears.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will know I was wrong.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will defy all the judgment.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will ignore my old bones.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will return the buyer's check.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will bring my friend home.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will take my boots out of the box.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will be reborn.

For the rest of my life, I will have a horse in my yard.
For the rest of my life, I will ignore the ignorant judging.
For the rest of my life, I will watch the poop pile grow.
For the rest of my life, I will have hay in my hair.
For the rest of my life, I will track mud in my house.
For the rest of my life, I will bury my face in her soft neck.
For the rest of my life, I will let my soul fly.
For the rest of my life, I will never be alone.

Houdini no more

Fixing fence in the snow :( electrical tape, lowered the top strand, keeping an eye out... he's been outside for 2 hours now, but still in the fence. Mingo is picking on him every time he tries to find a way out... keeps him from thinking about escaping too much.

Winter and snow in vermont. Brrrr, it's cold and there is just enough wind blowing to make it a little bit worse. The bird tucked her blanket inside her cage and was shivering under it, so started the wood stove in the living room. GOing to finish plasticing the windows today if the tape will #*^%@&& stick.

Ohy, vey, it's a never ending battle....

Smokey-Houdini Contained....

Ah, the great escape artist, Smokey, is cooling his heels in the barn, under barn arrest. He is NOT staying where he belongs. Which is INSIDE the fence. So, the best thing to keep him safe from the road that runs along one lllooonnnnggg side of the property is to keep him contained where I know he will be safe. In the barn.

Poor Smokey. He keeps sticking his head out the window and hollering to the other horses about how mean his Mom is... I don't have any sympathy for him. Even though the fence is zapping him - he has a couple of small marks on his front legs where he zapped himself getting out - he continues to crawl through the fence.

So, the boys are hanging their heads in the stall window to keep him company and, I swear, laughing at him as they run around the field. Even letting him out for a few minutes while I clean his stall leads to an escape. So, into the other stall during cleaning time. Different four walls, but four walls just the same.

Short of putting up a wooden fence, and we know how well construction is this time of year with the weather, etc, or putting another strand of electric fence up around the whole field, which I probably will need to do, h e is driving me to distraction...

Another day, another great escape...

Ah, Smokey is at it again.... this time, when I let him out, I stayed in the barn where I could see him but he could not see me. And I watched him for about an hour... torture, I know. Sitting in the barn in the warm sun, watching my horses graze on what little grass there is left and the hay I threw out for them... then, it happened. Smokey went over to the corner of the fence, got on his knees and went under the top strand. The bottom strand was broken. Either by him or the deer or moose that cross the pasture in the middle of the night. (One of the main reasons I put my boys in every night.)

So, went out to get the little sunshine... put him in his stall. And fixed fence. And fixed more fence.

Then let the little turkey back out. And zapped him with the fixed fence. Ok, okay, before anyone calls the Constable, I just let him go up to the fence and he zapped himself. But I made sure it was a good one.

SO, after another hour or two, he was still in the fence where he belonged. Crisis averted. For the meantime, at least... so, no little pony running up the road in the middle of the night.

Sleep good, Smokey. And Stay in the FENCE!!!

The Great, Amazing Escape Artist... Houdini? No, SMOKEY!

Smokey, the amazing escape artist, has done it again... He was in for a week while I fixed fence and got the zapper stronger. Came home this afternoon, and he was at the neighbor's house mowing the lawn. Thank God the neighbor is in Maryland until December 2nd. So, he's back in the stall with access to the other horses, but not in the electric fence. Sigh. Back to the drawing board. I'm going out to clean stalls later so will hook him out on a long lead rope. Little bugger. Going to have to figure this one out sooner rather than later. He had been running up the road at night so don't even want to think about letting him out after dark.

Sigh. Nothing better to do with my time than try and corral a little pony who can scoot under the fencing. And his hair is long enough to make the zap seem not so bad. You would think with a 20 acre steer fencer on 2 acres of land that it would encourage him to stay in, but I guess not.

Off to the barn I go - again...

What a Great Weekend!

Equine Affair was WONDERFUL! There was so much to see and so many things to learn. And shopping... was there ever shopping to be done. I wasn't looking for anything and just enjoyed walking aroudn, seeing the clinics and the Versatile Rider Competition. Four days with NO kids, NO animals, NO husband, NO work, NO schedule... it was my four days of vacation!!!

So, after watching a few of the clinicians, watch out Mingo... I have new ways of training and working with the horses.

Am looking foward to next year already....

Equine Affair, here we come....

Getting excited!!! Headed out to Equine Affair tomorrow morning at 7 am. Be back Sunday.

Good thing I got the day off from work due to Veterans Day - Thanks to all the men and women who work and gave so much to make it free for me and everyone else to express themselves and be free.

So, if you don't hear from me for a couple of days, I'll be back, full of information and ideas from a great list of people who know way more about horses than I would ever hope to learn....

If you are going, enjoy! If not, stay tuned....

Lynn :)

'Tis a Sad Day, Indeed...

Hi, all. My friend, Kate, lost one of her most trusted horses in her horse program I have been helping with. Ellie was injured mysteriously about 1 1/2 months ago. Her injuries were healing well, but then she began having neurological issues. Yesterday, Ellie was unable to stand, so Kate, her vet, Susan, and I were with her while the vet helped her on her last journey.

Kate is devastated. This is the horse that all the beginners worked with. The horse that introduced people to the horse partners program I have been working with all summer. Her granddaughter, Paige, is especially close to Ellie and wanted to be with her in the end, but time wise it was not going to happen.

Please send well wishes and prayers or warm, comforting thoughts Kate and Paige's way. While the shock and loss are so fresh, the caring will certaily help them.

Dear Ellie - rest in peace and enjoy your freedom from the complications that affected you. You will be missed and we will never be able to replace you.

Preparing for Winter....

It's here.... leaves are knee high under the maple trees, leaving their naked trees to shudder in the wind and cold. The horses are turning into fuzzy monsters. The chickens are huddled under the lamp at night. The turkeys are getting big - won't be long now before they are the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner.

Trying to wrap up the outside - storing the pool, cleaning out the garden, raking the leaves, setting up winter fences.

Sigh. This time of year is so depressing for me. I have to sit by the morning window to soak in the sun with my coffee to keep the goonies at bay.

The wood stove is cranking and I don't have enough hay in the barn for the whole winter.

Equine Affair is right around the corner (YEAH!!!) and I'm making plans for my winter trip to South Carolina in February.

Hay is ordered and will be delivered. Have two ponies and 3 horses for the winter. Tommy is gaining weight well. Mingo has completely recovered from his trailering incident. Smokey and Abner are chunky little ponies who are on a restriced diet. Leo will be here in the middle of November and will likely stay through April.

Knock on wood, no snow yet. But have had a layer of ice on the stock tanks a few mornings last month.

Sending away for Tommy's testing for HYPP and will report on his status.

Get out your winter long johns and your warm, wooly pajamas and throw some more wood on the fire. It's just starting and it's going to be a long one....

Exercises for Becoming a Better Equestrian....

10. Drop a heavy steel object on your foot. Shout,"get off, get off!"

9. Leap out of a moving vehicle and practice "relaxing into the fall". Roll lithely into a ball and spring to your feet.

8. Learn to grab your checkbook out of your purse and write a $200.00 dollar check without even looking down!

7. Jog long distances carrying a halter and carrot. Go ahead and tell your neighbors what your doing - they might as well know now!

6. Affix a pair of reins to a moving freight train and practice pulling to a halt. Smile as if your having fun.

5. Hone your fibbing skills, "See hon, moving hay bales is FUN!" and "No really, I'm glad your lucky performance and multimillion dollar horse won the blue ribbon. I am just thankful that my hard work and actual ability won me second place."

4. Sprinkle your hair and jacket with hay, completing your outfit as if you had been to the barn.

3. Borrow the US army's slogan; Be All You Can Be - bitten, thrown, kicked, slimed, trampled, frozen, wet...

2. Lie down in a puddle of mud in your most expensive riding cloths and repeat to yourself, "this is a learning experience, this is a learning experience, this is...."

1. The number one exercise to become a better equestrian- Marry money!

The Horse . Com Les Sellnow, October 10, 2001 HYPP

HYPP: Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis
by: Les Sellnow, October 10 2001, Article # 725
http://www.thehorse.com/

They gave the muscular Quarter Horse colt an ambitious name: Impressive. He lived up to the name in such dramatic fashion that it became a household word in Quarter Horse circles - especially among breeders and exhibitors involved in showing halter horses.

Impressive sons and daughters were big, bold, and beautiful with defined musculature. They took the halter show ring by storm, racking up championships from one part of the country to another. Just as quickly, sons and daughters of the great stallion were in demand for breeding programs.

Then, the Impressive ship hit the sand.

A number of owners of Impressive offspring and second- and third-generation descendants of the stallion reported that some of these horses seemed to have acquired a muscle disease. Some would exhibit muscle tremors and with others there was even paralysis.

Enter Sharon Spier, DVM, PhD, an associate professor of the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of California, Davis. Spier led the effort by researchers to find out more about the disease and what caused it. The project began in 1989 and was funded by the American Quarter Horse Association.

The results of that research produced a bombshell for the Quarter Horse industry. Spier and her associates reported that the disease involved was Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis, known industry-wide today by the acronym HYPP.

Merely identifying the disease and the way it functioned, however, was not the bombshell. The bombshell came when it was reported that every single horse found with the disease traced to one stallion--Impressive.

The researcher's report was published in the September 1992 issue of The Quarter Horse Journal, but Impressive was not identified by name. In the months that followed, there were rumors, speculation, and widespread concern within the industry.

The AQHA issued an official statement in the December 1992 issue of the Quarter Horse Journal, but it only fueled the flames. The statement said only that the disease affected a small percentage of the total horses registered by AQHA, and that it appeared to be limited to individuals from one bloodline. It further said that most of the individuals affected were bred for halter competition.

That issue of the magazine had already gone to press when Spier appeared on the program Nov. 30, 1992, at the annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. In answer to a question that followed her presentation on HYPP, she identified Impressive as the only bloodline that carried the mutant gene which causes HYPP.

The issue was now out in the open, and the Quarter Horse industry began to grapple with it. By the time research traced the disease back to him, Impressive had been siring foals for the better part of two decades, and his many descendants, now into the second and third generations, had become the mainstays of numerous breeding programs. Approximately 100,000 horses today carry the name Impressive in their pedigrees.

What is this disease that threatens to overshadow the show ring breeding legacy of such a great horse?

Spier has described it thusly:

"Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis is a muscular disease that affects both horses and humans. It is caused by a hereditary genetic defect that disrupts a protein called a sodium ion channel, a tiny gateway in the membrane of muscle cells. The genetic defect disrupts the channel's normal opening and closing, such that uncontrolled sodium influxes occur. These influxes, in turn, change the voltage current of muscle cells, causing uncontrolled muscle twitching or profound muscle weakness. High levels of potassium in the blood usually are present when the disruptions in the ion channel occur.

"Horses with HYPP can experience unpredictable attacks of paralysis which, in severe cases, can lead to collapse and sudden death. The cause of death usually is cardiac arrest and/or respiratory failure. The disease is characterized by intermittent episodes of muscle tremors manifested by generalized or localized shaking, trembling, and weakness.

"Occasionally, episodes are accompanied by respiratory noises resulting from paralysis of the muscles of the upper airway (larynx and pharynx). In cases of mild attacks, muscle tremors may be so subtle as to be detectable only by an experienced clinician performing EMG testing."
The disease, Spier further reported, was caused by a mutant gene.

"The original genetic defect causing HYPP was a natural mutation that occurred as part of the evolutionary process. The majority of such mutations, which are constantly occurring, are not compatible with survival. However, the genetic mutation causing HYPP produced a functional, yet altered, sodium ion channel. This gene mutation is not a product of inbreeding. The gene mutation causing HYPP inadvertently became widespread when breeders sought to produce horses with heavy musculature."

There is a bit of good news amongst all this. Spier and her associates made history when they were able to identify HYPP with DNA testing. HYPP is the first genetic disease that can be identified by a DNA test, and it is extremely reliable.

The American Quarter Horse Association, which struggled with how best to handle the disease in the early going, has now taken firm and definitive steps aimed at identifying and controlling it.
Following the 1996 AQHA convention in Seattle, Bill Brewer, executive director, announced the new rules set forth by the association's board of directors.

He had this to say:

"Beginning with the 1997 AQHA Official Handbook, HYPP will be listed in rule 205 among conditions commonly considered undesirable traits or genetic defects, such as parrot mouth or cryptorchidism. These conditions do not prevent a horse from being used as breeding stock or from participating in AQHA-approved events, subject to rules of the individual event.
"Beginning with 1998 foals, the rule requires the following notification to be placed on the registration certificates of foals descending from any bloodline determined to carry the HYPP gene: 'This horse has an ancestor known to carry HYPP, designated under AQHA rules as a genetic defect. AQHA recommends testing to confirm presence or absence of this gene.' "
Beginning in 1999, AQHA will test all foals that trace to Impressive for HYPP. The testing will be required prior to the foals being registered.

However, if the parents have tested negative for HYPP, the testing of the offspring might not be required.

Because HYPP is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, it can occur in both males and females and is inherited from generation to generation with equal frequency. It does not get diluted out in succeeding generations.

In four years of testing for genetic mutation between October of 1992 and 1996, more than 27,000 samples were tested for HYPP. Of that group, 63% were normal (NN), 36% were heterozygous for HYPP (NH), and 1% were homozygous (HH).

Being heterozygous means the horse carries one copy of the HYPP gene. Being homozygous means the horse carries two copies of the gene.

Breeding an affected heterozygous horse to a normal horse, says Spier, will result in approximately 50% normal offspring, while 50% will carry the defective gene. Breeding an affected homozygote will result in all offspring carrying the gene mutation, regardless of the status of the other parent.

Normal negative offspring can be safely bred without fear of HYPP being inherited, unless, of course, they are bred to a horse that is positive. Thus, selective breeding of normal, negative horses to others that are also negative could entirely eliminate HYPP.

How can researchers be so sure that only the Impressive bloodline carries the mutant gene? First, they will only say that to date they have not found the troublesome gene in any other bloodline. However, one study pretty much solidified the already existing evidence.

Stored blood samples from 6,000 horses received between January of 1989 and December of 1991 that were on file in conjunction with blood-typing requirements of AQHA were available at the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. All samples were from horses bred and foaled before the availability of a genetic test for HYPP.

Following is the researcher's report:

"We used a computer program to choose, at random, 1,000 samples from the 6,000 available to test for the HYPP gene mutation. The samples were primarily from breeding stallions, but were otherwise not selected for bloodlines. Among the 1,000 samples, 22 were Thoroughbred (16 males and six females) and 978 were from Quarter Horses (882 males and 96 females). The foaling year with the largest number of tested horses was 1983 (109 horses).

"Forty-three horses (42 males and one female) tested positive for a single copy of the HYPP gene. No homozygotes were detected. All of the positive horses were Quarter Horses and all traced to the stallion Impressive as first-, second-, or third-generation descendants...

"The first foaling year with an HYPP-positive horse was 1977. The foaling years with the highest frequency of HYPP positives occurred between 1984 and 1987, for which the average frequency of positives per year over those four years was 10%.

"Among the 1,000 tested horses, 100 traced by pedigree to the stallion Impressive. All of the N/H (heterozygous) horses were Quarter Horses and all traced to Impressive as first-, second-, or third-generation descendants.

"This information provides substantial evidence to confirm that Impressive is the major, if not only, pedigree source of the HYPP gene in Quarter Horses, as proposed in previous studies...

"The overall frequency of HYPP positive among the Impressive subset was 43%. This frequency is much higher than expected if breeding stock is randomly selected with respect to HYPP from pedigrees tracing to Impressive.

"It is in the range of values expected, for example, from a set of matings in which one parent in every breeding pair was N/H. Since the majority of horses in this sample set that traced to Impressive were second- or third-generation descendants, for which only 50% or 25%, respectively, of breeding pairs could be expected to have one parent positive for the trait, the frequency of HYPP-positive horses is clearly higher than expected.

"From these data, we conclude the HYPP gene is infrequent among registered Quarter Horses, although its occurrence is substantially linked to pedigrees tracing to Impressive."

Unfortunately, horses do not outgrow HYPP. They are affected for life, but it does appear that symptoms might decrease with age. The disease also appears to be associated with periods of stress, such as being hauled, intensive training, dietary changes, illness or disease, general anesthesia, or the beginning of a training program which changes the afflicted horse's normal lifestyle.

Spier and her associates maintain, however, that HYPP in horses can be managed and incidents of mortality significantly reduced by proper diet and the administration of medication. It is their belief that horses afflicted with HYPP, if properly managed, can lead productive, useful lives.

The first step, obviously, is to have the disease properly diagnosed via the highly reliable DNA test. At present five laboratories meet AQHA requirements for conducting the test--University of California, Davis, the Oklahoma Blood Institute, Shelterwood Labs, Mann Equitest Labs, and NWS Agriculture. Contact the AQHA at 806-376-4811 for a request form for a hair collection kit. The AQHA no longer uses blood samples for testing. The test costs $35.

Following are management practices suggested by researchers that will assist in the control of HYPP:

1. Establish a regular feeding and exercise schedule. Avoid fasting and water deprivation. Horses do better if allowed access to a paddock or pasture rather than strict stall confinement. Daily or nightly turnout is helpful.

2. Adult horses do very well on grass or oat hay alone or pasture. If it is necessary to use alfalfa to balance the ration for growing horses, then mix alfalfa with grass hay or oat hay and grain (oats are best) to decrease potassium content of diet. Feed equal amounts of hay and grain two or three times daily. Avoid rapid changes in diet. Provide access to a white salt block or feed loose salt.

3. Administer acetazolamide (Diamox), a diuretic (2 mg/kg orally twice a day). Many halter horse owners continue alfalfa hay as the only roughage, but maintain their horses on this drug for all or most of their lives. (Please note, the researchers caution, thatacetazolamide is a forbidden substance under AQHA and AHSA regulations.)

4. Inform your veterinarian of HYPP condition prior to any general anesthesia, which might precipitate an episode of paralysis. Maintain acetazolamide therapy before and after surgery or anesthesia.

5. Use common sense while hauling. Be sure to stop and water horses frequently (every two hours).

The researchers also have suggestions for dealing with a horse which suffers a mild attack (when the horse is not down, but has muscle tremors). One or more of the following emergency treatments are recommended for mild attacks:

1. Exercise the horse, either by walking or longing. Exercise stimulates adrenaline, which helps replace potassium inside cells. However, one should use caution as the horse could stumble and fall while having muscle tremors.

2. Feed grain (oats, dry corn-oats-barley, or light Karo syrup) for glucose supplement. Feeding carbohydrates supplies glucose, which stimulates the release of insulin and promotes potassium uptake by cells.

3. Administer acetazolamide orally (3 mg/kg). This usually means six to eight tablets if the tablets are 250 mg each. Acetazolamide increases potassium excretion from the kidney and also affects glucose metabolism.

For severe attacks, the immediate procedure is obvious--call the veterinarian.

Another basic question surfaces: Is it dangerous to ride a horse known to carry the HYPP gene? After all, it already has been determined that episodes of weakness or paralysis are unpredictable.

Research on this subject also was carried out at the University of California, Davis. Nine horses, five of which had tested positive as heterozygous carriers of HYPP and four which were negative, completed four exercise trials using a high-speed treadmill at both aerobic and anaerobic intensities. The tests were carried out with and without the use of acetazolamide therapy.

The near-maximal exercise test consisted of a warm-up followed by two minutes of strenuous galloping. The submaximal exercise test consisted of 30 minutes of slow trotting at 60% maximal effort as determined by measurements of heart rate.

The results were upbeat, even though three of the five horses had episodes of muscle tremors during the rest period following exercise.

Here is what the researchers said:

"From this study, we can advise owners of affected horses that the chance of a paralytic episode occurring while the horse is being exercised appears unlikely.

"However, we did observe episodes of muscle tremors in the rest period after exercise. We recommend that only persons experienced with the symptoms handle and ride affected horses, and to use caution if any abnormal clinical signs are observed. Acetazolamide therapy decreased the appearance of clinical signs following exercise in two of the three horses which had episodes of muscle tremors during the rest period."

The researchers have done their part and are continuing to do it. They have identified the disease and have come up with a nearly foolproof test to determine whether a horse carries the mutant gene. They have also established procedures for dealing with afflicted equines so that they can be useful throughout their lives.

The rest is up to the breeders and owners of these afflicted horses. If they carry out sound breeding programs that do not include breeding HYPP carriers, the disease will be eradicated and Impressive-line horses which are free of HYPP can continue to shine and proliferate.

(Lynn here: The bold and italics are mine. It's absolutely unforgiveable that this could be extremely eradicated if it weren't for the $$$$ signs in the eys of the Quarter Horse world. Shame on anyone who is continuing to breed any horses that test h/h or n/h for this genetic mutation. This was first reported years ago. The article above was written in 2001. We need more people to do testing and stop breeding those that have the mutation.)

Tommy is awaiting test results. I took his samples and have shipped them to the lab in California. (Or they will be in first thing tomorrow morning.) Then I will know what to do.

Lost and Found: Local Tracking Dog Saves The Day For Escaped Horse

South Woodstock, Vermont
By Gareth Henderson
Vermont Standard Staff Reporter

A one-year-old tracking dog from South Woodstock, named Shiloh, has been trained for human search and rescue. But Shiloh and his owner, Lalita Karoli, had no idea this dog's skills would help save a horse last weekend.

Odyssey, a 16-year-old black Morgan horse, was missing in the woods for two days and was found on Sunday in Bridgewater, Vermont. He was upright and uninjured except for a bruise on his back and a slight cut on his hind leg.

Owner, Eunice, of Charlotte, Vermont, praised the Green Mountain Horse Association for their help.

"They mounted a very rapid and professional response."

She was also grateful for the search party led by Shiloh last Sunday. The team traversed difficult forested terrain for four hours to find the lost horse.

This dramatic story began during GMHA's fall foliage rides last week. On Friday, at around 11 a.m., Froeliger dismounted her horse, Odyssey, when he became flighty. Froeliger tried to lead him away, but the horse took off across a field. GMHA staff used vehicles and ATV's to search for the animal in remote areas over the next two days.

"A lot of people went out looking on Friday and Saturday," said GMHA Marketing and Horse Trials Manager Molly Hutchings. "We posted fliers in all of the general stores" and in Plymouth, Reading, Bridgewater and Killington.

GMHA also contacted the Vermont Horse Council, which sent out an e-mail to its extensive state network. The South Woodstock Fire Department, Woodstock Police and Bridgewater Rescue were also notified. Odyssey had last been seen entering the woods on Keeling Road.

However, by Saturday night, there were no further sightings. At that point, Ashley Packenham arranged a search party with eight hikers, led by Karoli's tracking dog, Shiloh. Froeliger and her husband, Robert, also joined the search. Packenham and Karoli emphasized that only professionals should undertake such efforts. The search party was essentially experienced hikers and outdoors experts led by a tracker and her trained dog. The stage was set for an intensive search once the party received permission from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the Vermont State Police and landowners Teresa Fullerton, John Connors and Peter Behr. Veterinarians Sandi Silva and Jeff Oney and tracker Harold Hutt were all on stand-by. South Woodstock Fire Chief Chip Kendall supplied radios to GMHA so they could keep in touch with the search party every half-hour.

The search party set out from Keeling Road at about 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Karoli opened up a plastic bag with items carrying Odyssey's scent. All Shiloh needed was a sniff.

"I gave him the scent and said, 'Find it,' and he immediately was on the trail and dragging me," Karoli said.

Packenham said it was basically non-stop jogging throughout the morning.

"Literally we jogged through the woods for about four hours, stopping only for a small drink of water."

The distance was about 12 miles, Karoli guessed.

"I had to run a half-marathon in four hours, and so did the whole party."

The wet conditions in the woods made the search more difficult, but Shiloh was able to find tracks. The hikers put surveyor's tape on trees to mark their trail (which they removed later). Shiloh took the search party back and forth over the same terrain several times, since a lost horse often paces in different directions.

Shiloh and the team eventually came to the top of Old Baldy Hill, very close to the Calvin Coolidge State Park. Shiloh still had the scent and was pacing in an area near a steep raving. The party was thinking about following the scent down the slope, when Rick Walker, who hiked these woods as a child, saw two definite horse tracks nearby. There was also a spot where the vegetation was depressed and where Odyssey might have laid down. Shiloh became even more intense, with his whole body skimming the earth. At that point, the search had lasted over three hours, and it was time to tell the back-up tracker, Harold Hutt, that everyone was okay.

"Around noon, part of the party went back, and the five of us went forward to follow the track that Shiloh was indicating," Karoli said.

Shiloh was hot on Odyssey's trail and followed the scent further into the woods. Shiloh paced back and forth for a while and eventually found the horse at about 1 p.m. The impressive animal stood in the dense forest with his saddle hanging under his belly. Odyssey still wore a red bridle over his majestic black coat, though he had shed his reins.

"It was a magnificent creature," Karoli said. "He was standing in the shadows of the forest. His head was at half-staff and he was very tired."

Odyssey's owners Eunice and Robert Froeliger approached their horse that had been stuck in the cold, wet forest for two days.

"(Robert) had tears in his eyes," Karoli recalled.

And then there was the most touching moment in the entire ordeal.

"Shiloh got on his back feet and licked the horse on the mouth," Karoli said.

The search team walked another 30 to 40 minutes to a dirt trail that led to Curtis Hollow Road in Bridgewater. Paul Kendall of the Kedron Valley Stables arranged for Odyssey to be picked up at the intersection of Curtis Hollow Road and Route 4 and brought back to GMHA.

The entire search party that found Odyssey included Shiloh, Lalita Karoli, Claude Victor, Ashley Packenham, Gene Limlaw, Ray Johnson, Rich Walker, Victoria Thrane, Bob Anderson and Eunice and Robert Frolinger. Deborah Donahue, the trails coordinator for GMHA, kept in touch with the search party by radio every half-hour. The Froeligers were also critical to the search, since Eunice knew Odyssey's habits and the places he would venture or avoid.

The party's leader, Shiloh, is a one-year-old Plott hound. These fearless dogs have been used to track bears in the forest. In the southern United States, police have used Plott hounds to track escaped convicts.

Shiloh is currently being trained for human search and rescue. Last weekend's search was his first time tracking a horse. To his credit, Shiloh was not at all distracted by moose tracks on the trail or any possible bear scent he might have picked up. He was on Odyssey's trail for four hours and covered plenty of ground in the 21,000-acre state park.

Shiloh and his owners, Lalita Karoli and Claude Victor, train dogs at Woodstock Pet Care Services and are members of the Vermont Tracking Club.

Woo-hoo! Way to go. Glad to hear good news every once in a while!

Only Horse People....

* Believe in the 11th Commandment: Inside leg to outside rein.
* Know that all topical medications come in either indelible blue or neon yellow.
* Think nothing of eating a sandwich after mucking out stalls.
* Know why a thermometer has a yard of yarn attached to one end of it.
* Are banned from Laundromats.
* Fail to associate whips, chains and leather with sexual deviancy
* Can magically lower their voices five octaves to bellow at a pawing horse.
* Have a language all their own ("If he pops his shoulder, I have to close that hand and keep pushing with my seat in case he sucks back".)
* Will end relationships over their hobby.
* Cluck to their cars to help them up hills.
* Insure their horses for more than their cars.
* Will give you 20 names and reasons for that bump on your horse.
* Know more about their horse's nutrition than their own.
* Have neatsfoot oil stains on the carpet right next to the TV.
* Have a vocabulary that can make a sailor blush.
* Have less wardrobe than their horse.
* Engage in a hobby that is more work than their day job.
* Know that mucking stalls is better then Zoloft any day.

And then there was Water!

Wow. We have been at our house for 8 years yesterday. And I have always dreamed of having water in the barn. When my husband asked me to buy a frost-free hydrant so he could put water in the barn for me, I immediately ran to Home Depot and picked one up.

Only to discover, once we started digging in the cement, that there was water to the barn - and IT WORKED! We just needed to get a new faucet and run the dust out of the hose.

So, tonight when I was cleaning stalls and filling water buckets, guess what??!?!? I didn't have to run the hose from the house to fill the buckets. I got to fill the water from the hose in the barn!!!

Way too cool!

Headed off tomorrow to attend a Animal Cruelty Task Force Training for Large Animals. It's going to be a long day - I have to leave my house at 7 am and won't be home until after 6.

It's the third training I have attended and this one will be good as it specifically deals with the large animal rescue and reporting.

Have a Good Night

HYPP in Quarter Horses - what is it...

Tommy, the rescued quarter horse who was in earlier this week, has Impressive in his blood line. What does this mean? I've done some research on google and the horse.com . It is a genetic abnormality that is passed down . It was traced back to a single Quarter Horse named Impressive. (Personally, I think he looks like a hippo on steroids...)

It's a simple and easy fix. Except for one thing. It would cost people money. All the breeders of Quarter Horses and some Paint Horses would have to do is not breed any horse that is h/h or n/h for one generation. That's it. It is that simple. Only breed n/n horses.

The test isn't very hard. It only cost about $35.00. And it would save many people and animals much heartache.

Tommy is going to be tested. I am gathering the information I need and the hair sample that is necessary, along with the $35.00, to make sure I'm not going to be needing the assistance of a vet further down the road.

Do some research. The things I have read have made me cry. There is also a post on fuglyblog.com where this young man saved and worked and bought this horse, only to find that the horse is slowly deteriorating and will have to be euthanized.

Hmmm. All they would have to do is not breed any h/h or n/h horse for one generation to totally eradicate the disease.

Quit being so damn greedy and care for your horses more than you do your pocket books. Test your horses and don't breed any who are positive in any way. Stop this genetic disease at it's base. Quit your lame excuses of breeding 'just one more' and do what is right for the horse.

Argh....

Looking to Buy a Donkey?

Please think before considering the purchase of a donkey.
1. Don't buy an intact jack to guard or as a pet. Unless you are an experienced breeder, buy a gelding or a jennet.
2. Don't buy just one, these are herd animals and need the companionship of their own kind, preferably the same sex as well.
3. Budget the cost of feed, shots and farrier care. Don't believe that donkeys can be let alone and not cared for. They just don't need as much food as horses.
4. Good quality food, not weeds and throwaway hay, please.
5.Don't use a mini donkey as a guard. Dogs can do great harm to a mini donkey.
6. Budget time to work with the donkeys, there is nothing more miserable than trying to help an injured animal that has not been worked with.
7. Consider the fact that donkeys may live to be 45 years old.
8. No pet is disposable, in my opinion.
I may have forgotten something, but I feel that these are valid points.
Thanks for looking, Mary, mom to 2 rescue donkeys and 2 rescue mules

from an ad on craigslist

Group Riding Etiquette

Horseback Riding: Group Riding Etiquette
September 7, 2009
Learn how to keep you and your horse safe while riding with a group.
By Dennis Brouse

Manners are just as important — maybe even more important — while group riding as they are at the dinner table. There is nothing more aggravating or unsafe than someone who does not follow the rules of etiquette while riding the trails.

Here are the top 10 rules for being a courteous, safe and considerate trail rider:

1. The cardinal rule of group riding: Ride at the ability level of the least experienced rider or horse. If you have a new rider or a young, green horse in your group, do not ride too quickly or take trails that are too challenging for their comfort level and experience.

2. Keep at least one to two horse lengths between you and the horse in front of you. This will allow you to view the trail ahead and prevent your horse from being kicked.

3. If your horse is a known kicker, tie a red ribbon in his tail. This will alert any rider who comes up from behind that your horse may kick; however, never assume that all riders know what the red ribbon means. If an oncoming rider moves too close, let him or her know immediately that your horse may kick.

4. If you are the leader of the group, be watchful for trail hazards and relay them to those following you. Be specific when describing the hazard, such as: “Deep hole on the left side of the trail; stay to the right,” or “Watch out, there’s a low hanging limb ahead. Duck!”

5. Since many trails are designated as multi-use and are also enjoyed by those who hike, bike or ride ATVs, it is important to understand who yields to whom. As a general rule, all users should yield to horses. Be prepared for any reaction your horse may have to others. Always speak to those you meet with a simple “hello, there” or “good morning/afternoon” with the hope that they will return the greeting and your horse will recognize them as human and not be particularly alarmed by their backpacks, bicycles, etc! It is not discourteous to ask those you encounter to yield; however, it may be in everyone’s best interest if you move off of the trail to allow them to pass if they choose not to

6. When encountering others on a hill, the uphill group has the right of way and those going downhill should yield. Do not begin your descent if you see a group coming up. If you are already on the trail, safely move your horse off the trail with his hindquarters away from approaching traffic.

7. Always yield to oncoming groups that include children riders. Move off the trail and angle the hindquarters of your horse away from the trail.

8. When watering horses from a creek or other watering source, take turns and do not ride off until every horse has had an opportunity to drink. A thirsty horse will not drink if he is left behind.

9. If someone needs to dismount during the ride, everyone should stop and wait for the rider to remount before resuming the ride.

10. Be environmentally friendly. Carry out what you carry in. Do not ride off trail or cut across switchbacks unless it’s approved.

http://americashorsedaily.com/group-riding-etiquette/#more-8894

Then, I'll add another-

11. *One MAJOR courtesy that isn't covered is NEVER trot, canter OR gallop up behind or away from other horses. A horse running towards or away from them tells them there is danger and they may react accordingly!*





*As a side note, there are people I have ridden with in the last 12 years that I will NEVER ride with again. There are only three or four people I will ride my green-broke 7 year old paint morgan gelding with. Riding a green broke horse is never, ever a place to be worried about who you are riding with and what they might do.*

How to Rehabilitate a Emaciated Horse

Remember the skinny horse we bought to rescue in May?

Well, here is what a few groceries and some good wormer will do in just 6 weeks. This was the middle of June....

Now, almost to the end of September .... this picture was taken this morning in the field at my house.


He still has a little way to go to be at the optimum weight. I'm going to hold off until spring to ride him. It's hard to put weight on a horse in winter, but he will be in the barn at night and have plenty of food and tlc.

So, some tips I have learned and read for feeding an emaciated horse.

1. If you don't know what you are doing, and you don't have someone who is experienced with this type of horse, please find someone who is and can help you. You can literally kill the horse with kindness and inexperience.

2. Go slow. Too much food will kill them. Literally.

3. Use the most easy wormer. Panacur is what we used. Follow the instructions of your vet. Killing too many worms off at once will colic them and kill them. You need to rotate your wormer and use a couple of different ones. Start slowly and build up to a regular routine as your 'normal' horses.

4. Be careful. A starved horse sometimes, usually has issues around food. They are aggressive because they want to get at the food and don't want to play nice. A flake of hay every 4 or 5 hours. I build up to ALWAYS have hay in front of them.

5. I grain two or three times a day - literally a cup at a time. Talk to your feed store employees and your vet to be sure you are giving them the proper feed for their age and their dietary needs.

6. This is draining. Financially, emotionally, physically. It takes not only tlc, food, wormer - but the vet, the farrier, the equine chiropractic, floating the teeth, the re-training. Depending on how degraded the body condition, the foot care, the teeth, the emotional well-being of the horse. It's a thankless job with tons of hours, money and tears. That is made all worth while with a single nuzzle and grateful nicker.

7. Age plays a big difference in the recovery and rehabilitation. Sometimes you do everything you can to ease the pain, fix the issues that can be fixed, only to have to make the hardest decision. Is it better for the horse to gently, peacefully end their suffering and pain - even thought it's going to financially and emotionally train wreck you? If you don't think you can make that decision, then, please, don't rescue a horse. Or any animal. Sometimes we can't fix them. Sometimes everything isn't enough.

Hmmm. I'm sure I've forgotten something. I usually do. I probably will read another account of a rescue and think, ah-ha... that's what I spaced.

But it's a good start. It's what I do - when I can afford to do it. Mostly with great results! This gelding is 12 years old and is recovering nicely. That makes some of the harder ones a little easier to accept. As much as we try to make every outcome a success, some of them are just not meant to be.

So, the good and the bad. However, I can't put into words the look of gratitude in the horses' eye. The feel of the whisper soft lips on your cheek. The contented sigh of a warm, fed, safe horse in his stall for the night.

I love my horses. :)

Summer is Over?

Between the rain and the cool temperatures, we had about a week of warm summer weather. I was noticing the other day that there are already leaves changing to red and yellow on the trees. I really don't like this time of year. It's depressing to see everything dying and stop growing. And you know what is just around the corner. Snow and cold. Bleck.

Remember the emaciated gelding and mare I helped my cousin rescue earlier this year? Well, she is putting him up for sale, and, with my husbands blessing, I'm gong to pick him up on Saturday. So, I will be posting pictures as soon as he is here and settled in. I'm sure he will be getting nice and chunky - like all the others in my pasture.

It's that time of year. People are starting to dump horses left and right. Too many to count. Don't have hay in the barn, don't have money to feed them. Don't have time to take care of them now the kids are back in school. Too many excuses. Too many slackers out there that aren't taking their responsibilities seriously.

If you have horses, please commit to them for their life. Let them kn ow that they have a place to live until it's time to make the hard decision to put them down in peace and comfort.

If you know of a horse in need, please visit www.missyshopeerr.freehostia.com/ and list it with her. There are horses on the site from all over the country that are in need of homes. Scroll down the home page and they are listed (by state) on the pages. Too many pages.

Local rescues and humane society's also need help. If you can't have a horse and would like to help one out, I know that NONE of them would turn away a donation.

More pictures and updates soon! :)

Hay, hay, hay!

It's been such a wonderful, sunny week. Been riding twice this week already, with rides planned Thursday and Saturday! Mingo is doing great. His face is mostly healed.

My friends horse was injured in an accident in the pasture and we don't know how it happened. Severely injured. And we can't find out what she was injured on. She is mostly past the serious stage part in her healing, but she has a long way to go before she is completely healed. She's a fighter and she is in great health. My friend is cleaning, soaking and packing/wrapping the wound twice a day. The meds are just tablets now, no more shots of antibiotics.

So, pray for her healing and continued path to getting better. She's a great asset to the program my friend does and one of the most used horses.

Enjoy your week and hope you all get out to enjoy the sunshine:)

When the turkeys are on the barn roof....

Was sitting in my living room, check on my email. And cars were stopping on the road, pointing and looking. Oops - are the horses out again? Rushed out side to see what was going on. A few more cars slowed down. Couldn't figure out what they were looking for.

Then my daughter pointed at the roof of the barn. The darn turkeys were on the ridge of the roof, sliding down the sides and then flying back up to sit on the top. Think it might have been too hot for their feet up there and they were going up and down.

They are such idiots.

As soon as I figure out how to download all the pictures from my camera on this new computer, I will have pictures of the girls. And boys. And horses.

It's never dull around here.

:)

I'm Back..

Well, guess I really have fallen behind. Things have been so hectic and stressful over the past month and a half that I don't quite know where to start.

My computer died. Thank you, my teenagers. Can you spell password protection? The truck broke down. Was fixed. Working at the Horse Partners Vt barn. Had to pick up a rescue horse in mid-Vermont for a rescue in Connecticut. I housed her at the barn where the mom I adopted used to live before she moved to South Carolina. No more mares at my barn. (Now doing chores and working at three barns for 1 1/2 weeks.) Working on re-homing Elias. Trying to make ethical and emotional decisions about Buddy. Adopted out one of the dogs, Mia. Mia decided she didn't want to leave, so escaped from their house and spent 6 days on the run. We drove over an hour, one way, two nights in a row to walk the woods, roads and back yard, setting up a crate with our dog blankets in it trying to entice her in. Set up a tent and planned on spending the night in it to get her. It worked. She's back home and staying.

Oh, yeah - and I still live with three teenagers. One who left for college last Friday. One who is a Senior in high school this year. And a sophomore who hasn't taken driver's ed yet. And a mostly understanding and supportive husband. I love him, just celebrated 20 years of marriage together, but he is still a full blooded american male. Sigh. You all get the picture.

We came to a decision about Buddy after many conversations with trusted horse people in my life and a long evaluation with the vet and Elias was adopted out on a trail basis. Buddy was gently laid to rest on the farm. Just after, a bald eagle and an immature bald eagle were flying over the pasture (we had never seen these around the farm before.) Elias is in a good place where he will be safe and happy.

So, there are only two ponies at the barn. What a difference a few months make. We went from 4 horses and two ponies to just Smokey and Abner. The pony boys. The fields got a break, I got a break and things were very quiet.

So, I have worked out a deal on a new horse. Had many, many horses offered to me. Still getting emails on a weekly basis of people offering me their horse that they can't keep any more. Sigh. I'm having just as hard a time as everyone else to guarantee that there will be hay in the barn come spring so I can feed my horses. Just like everyone else. Mostly older teens, early 20's. Decided after putting to rest 4 horses in the last 5 years that I wanted a horse that was going to be around for quite a while.

After much searching and much consideration, I found one. I worked with him for a good month at the farm he was at before making a decision to take him. He is a 7 year old 7/8 Lippitt Morgan, 1/8 pinto gelding. I am in the process of purchasing him from the owner/breeder who owned/bred his grandparents. It's a wonderful line. His father is still in breeding condition at 30 and lives next door to his previous barn. (He is owned by the sister & husband of Kate at http://www.horsepartnersvt.blogspot.com/ .

So, my new boy came home. His registered name is Spark of Royalty. I named him Mingo. The name came from a search I did online. He's a pinto morgan. I wanted a unique name for him. Mingo means beloved in a native american language. I don't remember which one right now. And, supposedly, Mingo was Daniel Boone's best friend who helped him in his adventures and is supposedly a good name for a trail horse as it is someone who is good on the trails and surefooted.

So, in the process of trailering to the Horse Partners Program 6 miles from my house, the unthinkable happened. Everything is ok. At the time it wasn't, but he is fine now. It was 8:30 am on Monday morning and we were headed to a week long camp at Kate's. We pulled out of the drive way and went down the road. And got stopped at road construction. Next to the shooting range. Where there was a man and two children shooting a shotgun. Mingo did fine through the first two shots, but at the third shot, all hell broke loose. The truck was shaking, the trailer was rocking. My daughter MJ was with me. We both ran back to the horse trailer that was, literally, rocking on it's wheels. I was expecting bad, but was totally shocked by the picture that awaited me when I opened the side door of the trailer.

Mingo had broken his halter. Thank god it was a breakaway halter. Don't even want to go there. Mingo was over the chest bar, hanging by his back legs, the rest of the body in the fore compartment with his head on the floor. And it seemed there was blood everywhere. The window on the front was broken out. His eyes were almost all white and he was shaking all over.

Now take a deep breath. That is what I did. Went into survival mode. Sucked it up and dealt with what I had to do. My MJ started shaking and said, "Mom, what do we do?" I looked at her and said "Just do what I tell you and we will deal with everything else later." She then looked over her shoulder and yelled at the guy at the range to stop shooting. And then turned to help me.

In talking with the kids at the barn last week, and in trailering to a horse show with Kate, and having packed for trailering and emergencies, I had packed an emergency halter, which came in very handy. After getting my hands on Mingo and soothing him with my voice and hands, somehow, MJ got the halter on Mingo. By this time, other people in the line of cars and trucks had come up to see what they could do to help. I told everyone to stay out of the trailer as I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. I don't know how - in talking with MJ and others, we still don't know how he did it - Mingo managed to calm himself with me there talking to him, working with him, and got him to the point where he was eventually standing in the trailer with his front ankles over the chest bar.

He was breathing heavy, blood running from many wounds on his head and from his leg. He was still scared but in control. I had MJ wait by his head, still talking to him, as I got the ramp down on the back of the trailer and went in the trailer with him. I had MJ get out and talked to him and encouraged him and he reared up and got his legs off the chest bar. He then backed out of the trailer, with me beside him, onto the road (that was shut down with cars being blocked by us and the trailer with cars parked in every direction).

Mingo was snorting, blowing and was still very upset, but under control. As we were only a little over a 1/2 mile from the house, I walked him along the road, on a path along the shoulder, and walked home. There was blood all over the horse, blood all over me. MJ was standing in the middle of the road, with broken glass and a truck she couldn't drive (it's a standard) and me leading home a horse we thought was going to need an emergency visit from the vet for stitches. I can just imagine what all the other people in their cars in that line we were passing were thinking. We must have looked frightful. Something out of a horror movie.

I got Mingo home, called the vet, and went inside to wash up to make sure I wasn't bleeding from anywhere and loose my mind. I was hyperventilating, sobbing, beside myself. Then MJ called and wanted to know what to do with the truck. I told her to pull it off the side of the road, lock it and come home. She still had to go to help out at camp - where we had been heading for the week with Mingo. She came home and got her truck and left.

I was still waiting for the vet. And waiting. It always seems like forever in an emergency - whether it be for the kids or the animals - when you are waiting for the doctor to call you back. It seems as my vet and his wife had their new baby and the vet on call was over 2 hours away on another emergency. Finally, Roger called me and said he would come up as the other vet was still busy and we only had a small window of time to do stitches.

In the meantime, I had taken cold water, betadine and some soft washcloths to get most of the blood and wounds cleaned up. He wasn't a pretty picture. I was almost sick to my stomach. There were a few deep gouges that I knew wouldn't be able to be stitched as there was nothing left to stitch to. So, on with goops of bag balm. I love that stuff. It keeps bugs off the wound and it doesn't promote proud flesh and it's not harmful if they somehow ingest it. I fed him a little grain with some bute in it to help with the swelling and pain that I knew were well on the way and sat down and cried. And apologised to my new boy. And tried to figure out what went wrong.

He had a deep scrape on his nose, on the bridge of his face, over his right eye, between his eyes, in his forelock area and two on his poll. He also had a deep scrape on his leg that ended where his chestnut had been ripped off. However, that was nothing compared to the very deep v-shaped large cut over his left eye. I left that wound alone as I knew if it needed stitching, they wouldn't want me gooping it all up with bag balm. I did clean it up and cleaned up the blood the best I could, but it was painful so I didn't mess with it much. Figured it could be done better with some pain meds on board.

Ashley drove me up the road to pick up the truck and trailer, parked by the side of the road and partially blocking the road. I drove down the shoulder, and did a big circle around the flag guy standing in the road and drove home, shaking all the way.

So, the vet comes. Says that everything I did looked good and asked if I wanted the good news or the bad news. I cried and told Roger, "I can't handle any more bad news." He just smiled at me and told me the farm call would cost more than the antibiotics I needed to purchase. He didn't want to stitch it - he wanted to leave it alone and let it heal on it's own as it was too close to the bones in the eye and it was cut in such a way that it would drain down his face.

So, I put some bag balm on his eye, put a fly mask on, and kept him in his stall that first day, with the pony boys in the barn with him to keep him company.

Now, almost 2 1/2 weeks later, there is little evidence that he had such a tragic accident. His most damaging wound over his eye has a little bit of healing left to do. Most of the others have almost totally healed and are starting to grow a little hair back.

And we have trailered twice since then. Thursday the same week in the same trailer, but a different route. And Sunday that week. And he walked right on the trailer with me both times. Not any hesitation. Total trust that I would take care of him.

So, sometimes even when you do everything right, when you do everything in your power to make sure things will be ok, things can still go wrong. Horribly and in a heart-beat. And then they can go right again.

A quote from the movie the Whale Rider, my friend told me... Sometimes it's nobodys fault. Sometimes things just happen.

What a kind friend with kind words.

Playing Catch Up...

Chores, chores, chores. Rain and mud and overgrown pastures. Way too many rain days and not enough daylight to get things done.

The horses are doing fine. The teenagers are, well, teenagers. The husband is still here after 20 years. I'm trying to figure out all the logistics of horses.

The good news is that it's July and the sun is shining and the weather forecast looks good for the next few days. Hopefully hay season isn't a bust and the economy will begin to pick up more.

Just in case you are in the area and want something to do next weekend, check out this new blog site. They were featured in the Message for the Week and the Eagle Times over the last two weeks... This is a barn I volunteer at and they are doing wonderful things.

www.horsepartnersvt.blogspot.com

Kate Adams is a wonderful lady with a great mission and a great program. It's not like I don't have enough to do without volunteering at another barn, but after seeing what her mission is and what she is doing, I'm sold. I like being around Kate and working with her and her horses. And the kids love the program. It's a wonderful thing. Stop by and visit and see for yourself!

:)

Growing Webbed Feet!

I'm slogging through the ankle deep mud, trying to keep shoes on my guys, and hoping that the sky is going to clear up any day not. Not - according to the weather forecast. The chickens need to be ducks in this weather.

SO, pending warmer weather and sunshine, I'll have more to tell you, other than just trying to keep ahead of chores and water overload and not enjoying the outside :(

Remember the Skinny Quarter Horse?

Remember the skinny quarter horse that we picked up - along with the black mare - earlier this spring? Well, after a couple of doses of worming medicine and his feet being trimmed, along with LOTS of groceries and some TLC grooming, here he is just two weeks ago... isn't it amazing that just FEEDING a horse will help it look lots better? He's going to be a great horse for the grandma and grandkids to ride - so we have been told. We're going to let grandma find out, in a few months, after he has gained a little more weight - he still has a ways to go.
The black mare was NOT pregnant - just loaded with worms and I'm supposed to go visit her in the next week or two, so will show you updated pictures.

Doesn't he look great? And the Police did go to their residence and all the other horses are out of there. Don't quite know all the details, but according to friends and neighbors, they were supposively 'bankrupting' the owners with their feed bills. Hmmm... seems like they were finally getting the feedings they needed and deserved!

Friday, Friday, Thank God It's Friday!

Well, long time, no see. The chickens are getting big, as well as the turkeys - my nephew is no longer worried about what everyone is going to eat (another story!) and the kids and horses are still alive. The husband and I just celebrated 20 years of marriage and I have my jobs, but a few less teeth. (I had two teeth pulled Wednesday and have been quite out of the normal routine).

Hoping to catch up this weekend and have some pictures to show you, along with a few more tales to tell.

Hope everyone has wonderful plans for this weekend...

:)

Waiting for Dull and Routine

Sigh. The funeral is over. A new washing machine was brought in. The teenagers are still being teenagers. Ohy, vey. The garden is almost planted. The chickens and turkeys are growing. The pool was set up and is filling with water. I'm waiting for dull and routine. School is almost over. The new ride broken down. The world continues to turn. The sun is still shining.

Summer is almost here. :)

Thou Shalt Not Whine - NOT

Ok, first for a short whine fest. Yeah, yeah, I know - Mom's 11th commandment is thou shalt not whine. Ok. Works for the kids, but what if you're the Mom that made the rule? Guess that means I can bend it a little.

The washer died. The freezer went kaput. The dryer is gimping on it's last leg. My father's funeral is Saturday. The teenage girls are stretching their boundaries and giving us more gray hairs. It rained almost all last week. The garage couldn't fix the truck because it wouldn't NOT start for them. We asked the oldest daughter to spread her wings and fly. I went for a ride on Elias and found that we aren't matched and now I'm trying to rehome him. I'm waking up with me teeth hurting because I'm grinding them so hard. (The tooth I broke in half last October is killing me... ) I woke up with a huge cold sore on my bottom and top lip this morning. I'm stressed to the max.

Ok. Sigh. Done.

Anyways, we are getting a new fridge, calling in the repair man for the washer and my husband is trying out a new ride as his is finally falling apart.

The ride with Elias wasn't a total wreck, but just really made clear to me that his idea of a ride and my idea of a ride aren't even on the same planet, maybe not even in the same universe.

The mare left on Sunday. It was a sadness and a blessing. She will be missed. But she is going to a wonderful farm in Maine where she will become part of a regular schedule and be ridden and used by a lady who loves her.

Elias is missing his mare. His first reason for not wanting to leave the barn. He is barn sour, to a small degree. He did go, without too much of a fuss, but really, really wanted to get back. My friend Lxxx went out with me on her mare, and we went around the back pasture a few times. He was doing well, but feeling VERY good and wanted to GO! So we walked around out back and he started getting a little antsy about going back to the barn. When I put on the brakes, he was trying to convince me that he wanted to GO! So we turned around to go back around the woods. Then he wanted to trot. After a couple of paces, he tried slipping into a canter. When I pulled him back to a walk, he got a little light in the front end and my heart really started thumping. I put him on a tight left rein and turned him in a circle, with his head almost to my knee. He only turned once before he stopped and looked at me, questioning, "Why can't we GO!!!?" I got off. My knees were shaking. He is 16.3 hands. HE is TALL.

So, to let him know that he couldn't act up and get his way, I led him down the hill into the gravel pit, walked around down there a little bit (where we were going to RIDE) and then had him walk up the hill behind me. He had his best ground manners on. He walked the whole way with his nose on my shoulder and didn't crowd me or push me or do circles around me.

I was upset and I was crying. I just wanted a horse that would go out for a quiet walk. He needs a job. When I turned him back out in the pasture, he was cantering around in circles and figure 8's and had a wonderful head set and a perfect extended, floating trot. He needs a job. He wants to work every day. He wants to go, and go, and go.

So, if you know anyone who is looking for a work partner, he is sane, sound and can do lessons, flat work and jumping. He has shoes on all 4 and I have his papers. (And yes, I talked to Cxxxxxxxx, his old mom, who told me she was unable to take him back and I could place him in a good home.) :( Sigh. He is a gentle giant. A true, sweet soul.

So, when we got back to the house, since we had only rode for about 15 minutes, I rode up with Lxxx to her house and rode Mr. Reliable. Mr. Old Steady Eddy who is almost (may be) 30. The quarter horse gelding that I love. That I should have taken instead of Elias. Live and learn. We went for a wonderful 2 hour trail ride, walking along paths in the woods, next to the stream, through the field (with a few cantering steps thrown in for good measure) and then back home. It was a wonderful confidence builder.

NOPE! Please don't email or call. I am NOT looking for a horse. I still have Buddy and the ponies. Elias isn't gone yet. And I'm going to be very, very, very picky about what I take next. Maybe I won't take another until Buddy is gone.

Going to bed as the day tomorrow is going to be long and I need to catch up on some sleep I have been missing. Maybe this weekend I'll get in another ride on Buddy. He seems to be doing better and not lame or limping in the morning. Think old age is catching up to him, too. He's 29 this spring....

oh, where, oh, where does all the time go???

Time is such a fleeting commodity. I have my day all planned out, then someone throws in a money wrench and I'm set back hours, if not days, in my quest to get the things done that I need to do.

I'm on the hopes that as soon as school gets out the sports schedules will slow down and some of the chores that I need to do are going to be delegated to my teenage daughters.

The washer died. The freezer kicked the bucket. The dryer is acting up. The mare was picked up this weekend :) and the baby chicks are making a huge mess every day. It's surprising how much work 8 tiny beings can create!

So, I did go for a ride this weekend. It didn't start off so well, but finished great. I'll write more later today if I can find the time before I fall asleep in front of the computer. Sigh. Just not enough energy.

I also started mowing my mother's 1 square acre lawn. My father used to do it, but since he has passed away, she needed someone else. It's 16, 682 steps (according to the pedometer) and I do it in two days, a couple of hours each time.

So, today is my day off - except for the usual chores and picking up the girls and meeting a friend of mine for a late lunch. Groan. All I want to do is go back to bed.

Oh, well. Onward and forward. Keeping one foot moving in front of the other.

Featured Rescue.. one I help support

New England Equine Rescues, a 501(c)3 non-profit equine crisis intervention organization, founded in 2005, is dedicated to helping ALL horses. NEER is always in need of good adoptive homes, foster homes, volunteers, transport, advice, referrals and as much support as we can get to help STOP the abuse, neglect and slaughter of horses. NEER is 100% volunteer - nobody is paid.

Please visit www.newenglandequinerescues.com to see the horses that are most in need of help! Titan, Denarius, Chino & Gus (just to name a few!)

We are also located on www.petfinder.com (02874 zip code).

Don't have room for a horse? Would love to help, but don't know how? There are many ways to help - and all donations are tax deductible! Visit www.newenglandequinerescues.com/waystohelp.htm to see how you CAN help the horses!

Covering Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Rain, Rain, Rain, and more, yep, Rain

It's raining.... again :( So, what do horse people do when it rain? Go tack shop hopping.

Went to Bradford and my friend got a great deal on a saddle. Gasp. More than my house payment. Good for her - she's been looking for a long time and found one 1/2 off!

I just bought wormer. :) The boys will be so, so happy.

Then to Kellyville to exchange a girth that was a little bit too short.

My flea bitten gray is now brown. Mud baths seem to work so well on him. He's out running around with the ponies. Kicking up his heels. I left them in yesterday, but they wanted OUT today.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Again. Sigh.

Then Smokey is going to the Library to meet all the kids on Saturday.

I'm looking forward to school being over and my teeth being pulled. Then I can ride all summer.

Stay dry - no webbed feet!

Daylight is Wasting...

It seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to get the chores done and then have time to sit at the computer at night after supper and doing all the chores. I seem to be falling asleep as soon as dinner is done.

Chickens are in - I will post pictures :)

Building the chicken coop. Running around after the horses. Doing extra animal sitting jobs.

Will write more later today :)

What a Busy Week!

Wow. Sorry. Can't believe it has been four days since I posted. I've been running around like crazy. Sunday, we worked around the farm until, exhausted, I dropped into bed. The weekend caught up with me on Monday, and I did a few things around napping most of the day. Tuesday and Wednesday I worked all day and today I am hanging around the house. The freezer died on Tuesday :( So today I am cooking a turkey :) I'm working on cleaning out the cellar-way to make room for the things that go there from the porch. The porch needs to be cleaned off because the chickie-babies come tomorrow. I don't have to work tomorrow because I put my hours in on Wednesday. I have also been cleaning out half the pole barn from the winter storage to build a chicken coop. And, of course, I bought the wrong chicken wire. I need 5 foot - sigh - I bought 3 foot. Another chore :(

The girls are still doing softball. We are trying to get wood cut and split and stacked to dry for winter. Trying to get the lawn mowed. Trying to fix fences to put the horses out in the big pasture now that some grass has grown. Too many chores, too much to do in spring.

And this weekend, we are having someone come with equipment to help us move composted manure to where the garden is going to be and having that rototilled. Then I will have to hire my nephews to 'harvest' the rocks that will be sure to come to the surface. Then plant the garden.

Ok, now I'm tired enough from just thinking about it to go back to take another nap.

Oh, and we need to set up the pool. Sigh. The chores never end. And that is all on top of the normal, regular chores that need to be done every day. Feed the horses. Hay the horses. Grain the horses. Water the horses. Grain the chickens. Water the chickens. Feed the barn cat. Clean the stalls. Clean the water tanks. Feed the dogs. Water the dogs. Feed the cats. Water the cats. Feed the birds. Water the birds. Clean the cages. Pick up the girls from softball. Watch the softball games. Go to work. Go to work. Do your chores. Eat. Sleep. Clean the house....... ok, you get the picture... Sigh. No wonder I want to take a nap :)

On the other hand, the skinny gelding is doing well. He is enjoying some brushing and treats and his coat is already starting to get shiny. He's still got a long way to go, but he is doing well!

Ok, enough of a coffee break. Need to finish checking my email real quick - delete, delete, read, delete, delete, read, etc.

Hope you had a great week!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope everyone had a wonderful day. My husband and daughters took me out to a local restaurant and we had the buffet. It was wonderful, as usual.

My biggest gift today was all the daughters were gone and just my husband and I worked around the farm. We got some strapping and chicken wire so I can make my chicken house. I got all the fences moved around and reset after winter. We got all the sumac cut down. We cleaned the area for the pool to be set up. I got the door off the run in shed.

Tomorrow, after the cordless drill is charged and since I found my big stapler, I can put the new chicken area together.

I'm going to clean the clutter off the front porch so the baby chickens can stay out there until they are feathered out so I can breathe.

I'm going riding tomorrow! One way or another.

Hope everyone had a great day :)

On a Mission!

Well, first things first. The horses are all well. My boys are totally not interested in the mare now that she is not in heat. Don't worry. She will be again, soon. Sigh.

The two horses on the previous post are doing well. Enjoying the groceries in front of them. The warm sunshine. The grass under their feet. Dry ground. All these things were in short supply where they were. Not now!!!!

I did call the local police department. Seems as I wasn't the only one who had concerns for the horses welfare. Called the local Humane Officers to report it, too. Sorry. Don't want me to call on you? FEED YOUR HORSES. Kinda simple, really.

You want to see my horses? Drive right on by. I literally live on the main road. There is no place in my fields that you can't see my horses from the road. Come on in to visit. I'll introduce you to everyone. Would I like to live out at the end of a dirt road and have the road end in my drive like my friends house that I ride at? You betcha. Hate living in a fish bowl.

So, anyways, since it's calling for rain in the morning, we are headed on a mission! Lxxx's mare seems to have shifted weight. Not really gained any, not really lost any - just her saddle doesn't fit any more. And, surprise, surprise, she seems to be a hard fit. That is what I'm finding out, also, with my wonderful thoroughbred. The saddle that fit last week doesn't quite fit this week. Sigh. Good thing I have 4 saddles.

So, we are doing a road trip! Saddle shopping. Get to sit my butt in a bunch of saddles and ooohhh and aaaaahhhh and then gasp at the prices. Good thing I buy mine on sale and when I can find them. Hopefully, we will be able to find a saddle for her mare.

So, out to the barn to tuck everyone in for the night. Don't know where the roosters are roosting. Haven't been able to find them for the last couple of nights, but they are out first thing, crowing up a storm!

I'll get more pictures and updates on the remaining 5 as I can... The two are doing well and I'll go take pictures in about a month to show you what a tube of wormer and a few bales of hay can do.... and who knows, maybe baby pictures, too!

9 year old unregistered pregnant quarter horse

This is the mare that we think is pregnant. She isn't in quite as bad of shape as the gelding. And it doesn't show up as well because she is black. She is skinny. You can feel every rib. There are angles where there should be curves.

People - this doesn't happen overnight. AND it won't be fixed overnight. If your horses look like this, they need HELP!

12 Year Old Registered Quarter Horse

These are very graphic pictures. I'm sorry for this, but this is the reality for some horses these days. These are two of the lucky ones.


He's doing well. Delivered him North on Sunday. The update today is his eyes are bright and he is enjoying his fill of hay and company in the sun and grass. He must think he died and went to heaven. This guy had such a worried look in his eyes when we first picked him up. He isn't worried anymore! I promise I will keep you updated and show some pictures of how he has recovered in the next few months....

Two down, Five to go....

Ok. I just got home. I left this morning at 8 am to drive one of the horses to a location where they could rehabilitate the possibly pregnant mare. Groan. Don't even get me started.

They have another rescue that needs tlc, so the two of the mares can be in together.

The gelding went north to a quarantine location.

I'm in the process of verifying the town the remaining 5 horses are in so we can get them the help they need and deserve.

IF you have the facilities to quarantine AND the know how and finances to bring back a neglected horse, please email me and let me know. They are located in mid-Vermont. I can't guarantee anyone anything, just want to make available to the officers names of people that may be able to help. (HINT: If you can't feed your own animals and the Vet won't give you a good reference, please don't email. Take care of YOUR OWN horses FIRST!)

There are 2 geldings, 2 mares, and a stud. We took the two worst ones. But the others aren't far behind.

I'm holding off on the photo's for 2 reasons. One - I'm too tired to drive back to work with my camera that my daughter borrowed today. Two - if they need the pictures, I want to be sure they have them first.

Ok - off to bed. Too many early mornings, too many miles in the last two days... I'll keep you updated.

Not as bad as I thought ... It's much, much worse.

Well, we have the gelding, and a mare. It's bad. I have pictures, but my computer won't read the camera. I will have to stop by work tomorrow on my way home to download them. It was so bad that instead of heading north to the final destination (no, NEVER slaughter, the home of the person that bought the horses :) we went to the vets instead. Had them evaluated. Made a couple of inquiries tonight to make sure we called the right animal control agency. I will give a formal statement this weekend.

These poor, poor horses. And there are still some there. Hopefully, when we call animal control and show them the pictures and they talk to the vet, they will go up and do something for the ones we couldn't get out.

So, I can't give out too much information as it's still in the beginning stages. But I promise I will keep everyone posted and post the pictures as soon as I get back this weekend.

Hay, Hay, Hay

Ohy, vey. Hay is a scarce commodity these days. Yes, the mare is still here. The pony is still here. Jxx was here this morning to put shoes on Elias and front shoes on Buddy. His stifles are way too stiff to put shoes on his back feet, but at least we got them on the front.

I groomed everyone and sprayed with fly spray before I put them out to pasture. Then to get hay! I got 96 bales in the stock trailer. I didn't load it right - usually we get over 100.

SO, tomorrow morning we are off to do a rescue. I'm told it's quite bad, and I don't doubt the experience of the friend I am going with, just hope that she's wrong. Know she isn't, but am hoping, anyways...

So, after we get him home, I will post pictures and keep you updated on his progress. He's a gelding, a little over 15 hands and quite underweight.

Tonight a wake, unload the trailer, funeral tomorrow, then the gelding - argh. People suck. We need duct tape - to keep our mouth's shut long enough to get him out of there. I will try to collect enough evidence to hand a case over to the local law enforcement, but at least he will have a chance at surviving.