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!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
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!
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....
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....
Saturday, May 2, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, May 1, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Ahh, to be content in life...
Spring is here. Snow is gone. Bugs showed up :( I love my life.
I love nothing more in a warm day than to go in the field and stick my nose into a warm horse neck and breath. Have the horse hug me with his head to his chest. To sigh and make horse noises as I brush the winter's worth of extra hair off. This is all I need. The reason why I hammer out 20 gallon ice chunks in the middle of winter. Why I wade through snow up to my knees in the pasture. My boys. Sigh. Life is so good.
According to the thermometer on the sunny side of the house it's 90 degrees. On the shady side of the house it's 76 degrees. I'm sitting in front of a fan, sweat rolling down my face, neck and back. I should be outside setting up the pool. Cleaning the barn. Doing many other house and horse chores, and, instead, I'm dying. Having a hot flash. Ohy, vey.
So, sitting in the cool living room, listening to the great swine flu epidemic on msnbc, I'm typing on the computer, drinking some cool ice tea, trying to calm my inner thermometer down. I'm going to tell you about the person, the time in my life, where I became so enamored, fell in love with, opened my passion for horses.
I was young - to the best of my memory, I was between 10 and 12. My cousin, Kxx, who wintered Aspey here with me, lived just down the road, across the river from me. She had two horses. A black mare and a wonderful chestnut gelding named Kye. I loved that gelding. He was so wonderful. I could go out in the pasture, climb on his back, lay on my back and stare up at the sky (for hours it seemed) and he would just quietly graze along and let me lay on his back. I learned to ride on that horse. I won my first ribbons (my only ribbons) on that wonderful gelding. I watched Kxx win jumping contests, bareback, on that gelding.
One day, we were told, in a group I had joined, to close our eyes and search our memories for a time when we felt most loved, most secure and remember that memory. This is my memory....
I was on Kye's back, with Kxx, and we were riding bareback. We were just going for a ride. I was sitting on Kye's warm back, my back against Kxx's stomach, her legs behind mine. I had my hands in his mane, Kxx had the reins. We were cantering along the lawn and then, on the spur of the moment, with both of us urging him on, we flew across the gulch between the lawn and the pasture.
I can close my eyes and still feel, still remember the warmth of the horse, my cousin. I can remember the strength between my legs as the horse bunched himself and launched over the gap. I can still feel the wind on my face, the smell of a warm summer day, my cousins arms around me and the calm, power and strength of Kye.
I hear the hoof beats, the quiet of soaring through the air, the feeling of flying. The thrill, the graceful flight. I remember when we landed and galloped on, both of us laughing, Kye tossing his head, bounding across the pasture.
Ever since that day, that moment, I made myself a promise that I would find a horse like him and he would be mine, all mine. Heart, body and soul.
I have lived that dream. First with Shiloh. Then with my beloved Aba. Now with Buddy. Beginning my love with Elias. Always, Smokey. Abner is coming back around. My boys. My freedom, my wings. The power to walk for hours with a body and condition that limits me. Unconditional love, complete trust, soul companions.
I guess that is why it bothers me so much when people just assume that animals are dumb, they have no soul, they have no feelings. These 'stupid, dumb' animals have more empathy, compassion and love than most people I know. Even abused, these animals trust. Love.
Look in the eyes of a horse, listen to him settle in for the night, in a stall with water, hay, grain and clean shavings. Hear the contentment, hear the trust. Feel the gentle giants and listen to their hearts.
I am truly blessed to share my life with these simple, complex, graceful beings.
I love nothing more in a warm day than to go in the field and stick my nose into a warm horse neck and breath. Have the horse hug me with his head to his chest. To sigh and make horse noises as I brush the winter's worth of extra hair off. This is all I need. The reason why I hammer out 20 gallon ice chunks in the middle of winter. Why I wade through snow up to my knees in the pasture. My boys. Sigh. Life is so good.
According to the thermometer on the sunny side of the house it's 90 degrees. On the shady side of the house it's 76 degrees. I'm sitting in front of a fan, sweat rolling down my face, neck and back. I should be outside setting up the pool. Cleaning the barn. Doing many other house and horse chores, and, instead, I'm dying. Having a hot flash. Ohy, vey.
So, sitting in the cool living room, listening to the great swine flu epidemic on msnbc, I'm typing on the computer, drinking some cool ice tea, trying to calm my inner thermometer down. I'm going to tell you about the person, the time in my life, where I became so enamored, fell in love with, opened my passion for horses.
I was young - to the best of my memory, I was between 10 and 12. My cousin, Kxx, who wintered Aspey here with me, lived just down the road, across the river from me. She had two horses. A black mare and a wonderful chestnut gelding named Kye. I loved that gelding. He was so wonderful. I could go out in the pasture, climb on his back, lay on my back and stare up at the sky (for hours it seemed) and he would just quietly graze along and let me lay on his back. I learned to ride on that horse. I won my first ribbons (my only ribbons) on that wonderful gelding. I watched Kxx win jumping contests, bareback, on that gelding.
One day, we were told, in a group I had joined, to close our eyes and search our memories for a time when we felt most loved, most secure and remember that memory. This is my memory....
I was on Kye's back, with Kxx, and we were riding bareback. We were just going for a ride. I was sitting on Kye's warm back, my back against Kxx's stomach, her legs behind mine. I had my hands in his mane, Kxx had the reins. We were cantering along the lawn and then, on the spur of the moment, with both of us urging him on, we flew across the gulch between the lawn and the pasture.
I can close my eyes and still feel, still remember the warmth of the horse, my cousin. I can remember the strength between my legs as the horse bunched himself and launched over the gap. I can still feel the wind on my face, the smell of a warm summer day, my cousins arms around me and the calm, power and strength of Kye.
I hear the hoof beats, the quiet of soaring through the air, the feeling of flying. The thrill, the graceful flight. I remember when we landed and galloped on, both of us laughing, Kye tossing his head, bounding across the pasture.
Ever since that day, that moment, I made myself a promise that I would find a horse like him and he would be mine, all mine. Heart, body and soul.
I have lived that dream. First with Shiloh. Then with my beloved Aba. Now with Buddy. Beginning my love with Elias. Always, Smokey. Abner is coming back around. My boys. My freedom, my wings. The power to walk for hours with a body and condition that limits me. Unconditional love, complete trust, soul companions.
I guess that is why it bothers me so much when people just assume that animals are dumb, they have no soul, they have no feelings. These 'stupid, dumb' animals have more empathy, compassion and love than most people I know. Even abused, these animals trust. Love.
Look in the eyes of a horse, listen to him settle in for the night, in a stall with water, hay, grain and clean shavings. Hear the contentment, hear the trust. Feel the gentle giants and listen to their hearts.
I am truly blessed to share my life with these simple, complex, graceful beings.
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