August Newsletter
The peepers have been replaced by crickets and the blackflies replaced by horse flies (more like moose flies this year) – the summer is on the backside but the best is yet to come. Its been a year this month since the Texas trio came to Brooksville and changed our lives forever. Amazing how life can change – for these horses and myself – in 365 days.
The peepers have been replaced by crickets and the blackflies replaced by horse flies (more like moose flies this year) – the summer is on the backside but the best is yet to come. Its been a year this month since the Texas trio came to Brooksville and changed our lives forever. Amazing how life can change – for these horses and myself – in 365 days.
Birdie is doing well in her new home. She has had the vet visit to do some acupuncture for her back – hoping it helps to she can be ridden and enjoy life pain free.
Petes arrival has created a lot of interest, support and visitors. Each one that stops seems to have a favorite in the pasture, and each horse has had their turn as the center of attention. Brianna Bires from Channel 5 news came to do a piece on the rescue. That brought a lot of attention our way.
Petes arrival has created a lot of interest, support and visitors. Each one that stops seems to have a favorite in the pasture, and each horse has had their turn as the center of attention. Brianna Bires from Channel 5 news came to do a piece on the rescue. That brought a lot of attention our way.
Our newest volunteers, Willow and Heather, have been a wonderful edition to our barn. They are so confident and learned the routine so easily – what a wonderful feeling to have such good horsepeople to help us. They have already put in hours of hand grazing, brushing, walking, cleaning tack, cleaning the pasture, bringing salt for Tommy, toys for Chester and new halters for Pete. Blossom gets the lovin!
I think Willow may have a favorite
Chester and I are continuing to learn together, working on the line but with the goal of doing liberty when the time comes that we have learned some common language. He is so eager to please and so forgiving of my clumsiness. He already knows how to do all the things im asking him to do, I just have to learn how to ask correctly. We are working a little over poles since when he has a lead on he really has no idea where his feet are. Free in the pasture he moves his feet like a dancer…. Someday he will dance with me Hahahaha. Chester is the most curious horse I have ever met – so curious he got sprayed by a skunk a few weeks ago. It wasn’t bad but he had a very distict odor for a week or so. He has tried very hard to make friends with Pete, they eat side by side but Pete doesn’t put up with any of his shinanigans. He tells him very quickly “Nope, not doing that”
Tommys month hasn’t been all that exciting. The farrier came and saw everyone but … yup, Tommy. He is such a good boy I just cant understand his fear of Andrew. I am getting lessons on keeping his feet trimmed and balanced the best I can, Andrew looks from afar and gives me advice. We got Tommy some new fancy boots that he has lost twice in the field, now he only puts them on at night. I plan on getting him some boots that we can do some riding and walking the trails in and hopefully getting him to a trainer this fall to help chase some of those ghosts away.
There is a saying in the horse world that if a horse can roll completely over they are worth $1000…… just saying
Blossom and her dandelion Girl
Nobody had had a more exciting month then Pete.
August 19
August 25
When Pete first arrived he was in recovery mode, resting, eating, drinking and living. He was improving daily and we had high hopes he would recover quickly. Around the end of the second week ( when refeeding syndrome usually happens), Pete started looking dull, not finishing his food, depressed and just not right. Mary and I were ready for the worst, knowing that if we keep doing what we are doing, at some point we will loose one. We hoped it wouldn’t be Pete. At the end of the third week I was leaving and would not be available even by phone. Mary was in charge and I was crossing my fingers nothing would happen while I was gone. 3 days and I would
be back. She had Heather and Willow to help and they had a schedule of checking in on Pete. On Saturday afternoon, Pete choked. Heather and Willow were here, they quickly called Mary who called the vet. Heather was elbow deep in mucous and refusing to let Pete give up. It worked. With the help of these 3 wonderful people, Pete made a full recovery! He is now on only wet food, and probably will be for the rest of his life but he is once again thriving. He is nickering for his food, waiting by the gait for any attention he can get and starting to work in the ring just a bit. We have found that in Petes 25ish years, he has learned many tricks. No feeling sorry for him and letting him have his way….. no sir ! He has to wait like a gentleman for his food, walk beside us, not barge ahead or lag behind and most importantly, not throw that big head of his around to het his way hahahaha. That only happened a couple of times and he learned he had to keep out of our personal space. He is a good boy, has a heart of gold and probably has been there and done that with most every thing we can throw at him. He was nothing but good with the farrier, his feet are not great but better nutrition and some supplements will hopefully bring the around. He still cant eat hay but that hasn’t seemed to slow his weight gain… he is improving daily and a little muscle on his topline and someone will be getting on soon. I put a bit in his mouth ….no problems. We are waiting on the vet to come evaluate his eye sight, give him some vaccinations and give us a clean bill of health and Pete will be ready to look for his new home.
We have 300 bales of hay in our loft, 200 bales in the Lymburner barn up the road and I hope to get 100 bales of second cut when its time. I would like to be prepared for whatever might fill our stalls this winter and if they are thin… second cut would be great to have on hand. If you would like to help with the purchase of the last 100 bales, please see our website.
We are now the lucky owners of a trailer, donated by Annie Smith in memory of Rebel…. The trailer is at the shop getting a once over before we use it…. We cant thank Annie enough !
We have has several people donate grain … what a wonderful surprise to come home and find a bag sitting in the barn…. It warms my heart that people care so much about these horses.
We are preparing for our clinic with Ron Johnson on Sept. 28th. We will be having a tack / horse equipment sale along with demonstrations and sessions throughout the day with Ron. Please mark your calenders and come by to visit, check out our “horse stuff” and watch Ron do his thing. If you have questions or would like to donate any “horse stuff”, call, message or send a smoke signal and I will get back to you.
HAVE A GREAT END OF SUMMER !
be back. She had Heather and Willow to help and they had a schedule of checking in on Pete. On Saturday afternoon, Pete choked. Heather and Willow were here, they quickly called Mary who called the vet. Heather was elbow deep in mucous and refusing to let Pete give up. It worked. With the help of these 3 wonderful people, Pete made a full recovery! He is now on only wet food, and probably will be for the rest of his life but he is once again thriving. He is nickering for his food, waiting by the gait for any attention he can get and starting to work in the ring just a bit. We have found that in Petes 25ish years, he has learned many tricks. No feeling sorry for him and letting him have his way….. no sir ! He has to wait like a gentleman for his food, walk beside us, not barge ahead or lag behind and most importantly, not throw that big head of his around to het his way hahahaha. That only happened a couple of times and he learned he had to keep out of our personal space. He is a good boy, has a heart of gold and probably has been there and done that with most every thing we can throw at him. He was nothing but good with the farrier, his feet are not great but better nutrition and some supplements will hopefully bring the around. He still cant eat hay but that hasn’t seemed to slow his weight gain… he is improving daily and a little muscle on his topline and someone will be getting on soon. I put a bit in his mouth ….no problems. We are waiting on the vet to come evaluate his eye sight, give him some vaccinations and give us a clean bill of health and Pete will be ready to look for his new home.
We have 300 bales of hay in our loft, 200 bales in the Lymburner barn up the road and I hope to get 100 bales of second cut when its time. I would like to be prepared for whatever might fill our stalls this winter and if they are thin… second cut would be great to have on hand. If you would like to help with the purchase of the last 100 bales, please see our website.
We are now the lucky owners of a trailer, donated by Annie Smith in memory of Rebel…. The trailer is at the shop getting a once over before we use it…. We cant thank Annie enough !
We have has several people donate grain … what a wonderful surprise to come home and find a bag sitting in the barn…. It warms my heart that people care so much about these horses.
We are preparing for our clinic with Ron Johnson on Sept. 28th. We will be having a tack / horse equipment sale along with demonstrations and sessions throughout the day with Ron. Please mark your calenders and come by to visit, check out our “horse stuff” and watch Ron do his thing. If you have questions or would like to donate any “horse stuff”, call, message or send a smoke signal and I will get back to you.
HAVE A GREAT END OF SUMMER !
See our latest video – click on the link above