This 'n That

[tracy1]

Wow, all this makes me so sad . . . stories of critters separated who want to be together, thrust into the herd when they want to be apart, unable to be with the one they want; I can so relate this microcosm to the larger world. It's like we're each on our own continuum, passing through the lives of others at a different beat and pace. Makes me wonder how any marriage, or any other relationship, can endure.

Sandy, you're priceless . . . "Wisconsin winters are good because they aren't as awful as someplace else" . . .that's like saying Hurricane Katrina wasn't so bad because not as many people died as in Haiti.

It really is quite mild out there. . . almost fun . . aside from plunging through knee-deep drifts to get to the barn this morning, dragging 20 feet of hose I thawed out overnight in my kitchen . . . and falling in the corridor at work since I was wearing treads on my boots so I wouldn't fall on the ice outside . . . I'd almost agree. Tonight's supposed to have a wind chill of 13 below . . let's see if Sandy the horse wants to get into her shelter . . .

[SandyG]

I am all smiles. Someone saw me coming down the driveway and met me at the gates to the corral. Ears up, eyes bright, head up, and "I'm hungry!" written all over her face.

Upon entering the corral with the two buckets of feed, Judy put her nose in her bucket and started her supper a tad bit early. Instead of my usual response of pulling away, I let her get a good mouthful and then she followed me up to the shelter. She was, indeed, hungry!

About 3 or 3 1/2 quarts was her limit. So now I have an idea - why don't I feed her small amounts at 3 hours intervals throughtout the day and see if that will ultimately get more feed into her tummy? I'll try it tomorrow since the agenda for tomorrow is to plow, plow, and then do a bit of plowing before we move round bales.

I'll keep you posted. Funny, how such a little thing like being hungry can bring such a huge smile . . . .

[SandyG]

I've just now posted a blog for you to read.

[tracy1]

Oh, Sandy, I'm so sorry. I know how you fought to save that horse, how you loved her, cared for her, worried about her. You did everything possible. Sometimes no matter how we love and care, it's just not enough. I'm crying as I write this remembering Ruby, my sweet dog, who died just under three weeks ago with a similar situation - something in the gut we couldn't find and cure that wouldn't let her eat. Periods of heroic hunger, as you found with Judy, but an underlying problem nonetheless.

She's free of whatever that is, now, that kept gnawing at her. Rejoice for your time with her.

[SandyG]

Ohhhhhh …. sad.

So there was more going on there than just teeth … and companionship for only Sandy …

Well, two things I’m absolutely sure of – (1) because she ended up at Refuge Farms for the remaining months of her life, she had more human attention, more social interaction with other horses, more warmth, more safety, more shelter … just more. Which mean’s she would have surely passed long before this if she had not been at Refuge Farms.

And (2) if the twins had not been at Refuge Farms when Judy crossed, Sandy would have been alone and this would have been even more traumatic for her. This way, she is healthy, she has friends (Josephina!), and she is not alone. She is in the best place she can be … Refuge Farms.

Colleen B.

[SandyG]

I can't speak for any of you, but I need some time getting dirty in the barns. It will help to heal the heart to care for those who still live in these barns.

So, I will be cleaning barns on Saturday, February 13th, from 12noon to 2pm. Then I will deworm Sandy, brush her a bit, and then spend some time handling Appaloosa Mare. She needs to get used to being touched if a baby is truly on the way.

You are all invited. Dress in layers. I'll bring the skid loader into the barn so we'll just need to fill the bucket. And catch up with each other. Hot chocolate in this cat-hair house at 2pm.

[tracy1]

If it's as warm as today you'll need lemon aid, not hot cocoa - what a gorgeous day! I took a break from grading papers to walk a couple miles, and took my reading out on the front steps where I spent two hours reading and found one of those wooly crawly things out and about.

[SandyG]

Professor - What is the name of the magazine that you solicited for Refuge Farms? A woman's magazine published out of River Falls, I believe.

You wrote the article and forwarded it on to me (thank you for that!). I added a few things and a picture, even though they said they had no room for pictures.

Well, the article on Refuge Farms is in their February issue. Complete with a picture . And people are calling. A woman is driving all the way down from New Auburn tomorrow to meet us and The Herd.

Thanks, Tracy. I'll be darned if I can remember the name of the publication, though!

[tracy1]

You're welcome. It's Queen of the Castle magazine . . . based in Chippewa Falls. You can pick it up free in Menomonie at the public library among other places. Here's the web site, you can read it online, Refuge Farms is on pg. 24, you need to click the middle button at the bottom to get that 'far' in the pages:

www.queenofthecastlemagazine.com/current-issue/

[SandyG]

What a grand time we had on Saturday! The sunshine was brilliant - so bright that when you walked into the barn you had to stand to let your eyes adjust. Horses laying in the sun....snoozing....almost hot to the touch. A great place to put your hands to warm up.

We got the skid loader into the Helen Keller barn and made quick business of cleaning that side up! Works slick as can be! As long as I leave the building standing . .

Pam and Colleen went out and cleaned up the corral shelter, too. Thank you very much. We topped off all of the stock tanks, changed a tank heater around, and removed the tank I had in the barn for Judy, bless her little heart.

Our guests arrived and we all spent time in the pastures with the gentle ones. Like Colleen said, Handsome and Laddee are like book ends. They even stand together now.

Then it was into the house for hot chocolate and a sweet treat and cat stories! We all have had experiences that caused us to laugh.

Thank you, Ladies. Pure medicine for this old, aching heart. Thank you for being here, for helping, and for listening. I owe you.

[SandyG]

Somewhere along the line I thought I heard 1" to 2" of snow...not 4" in the driveway and drifts up over my knees!!! I can't believe it, but I need to plow again!! Oh, can you just imagine the spring thaw?

Sandy continues to attach herself to Josephina in almost a panic mode. I can understand....she just needs a friend. Lanna is the odd girl out - if only she could see how little the other ones are in comparison to her! She would just stand her ground once and it would all be over! But the good side of all of this, is it keeps everyone moving!

Elizabeth and Miss April are the new best buds, and I am overjoyed to see that. Neither one can move very well on this ice packed ground but last night I hung around the barns long enough to see them grooming each other. I am so relieved. Elizabeth needed a new pal. And Miss April has really been a bit isolated since Addie-Girl left. So, given time, they do find each other. I am so very happy about that!

Laddee continues to eat her way through winter. She is struggling a bit more when she eats to get her air, but that isn't stopping her! She is still the most amazing creature to me! I just love the heck out of her! If hugs and kisses were dollars, we'd be rolling in bills! Hey, wait a minute....I am rolling bills.... but none of them are green......

[Shar]

Okay... just had to brag a little like a good mom about my sweet little boy... he is now just over 6 months old and leads beautifully, goes for walks along the road, goes up stairs into the barn (trailer training without the trailer), lets me file his feet and picks them up beautifully, starting to lunge but doesn't think the whip is anything to move away from (lol, I will take that anyday over a horse deathly afraid of every noise), walks over tarps and lets us put it over his back as well as wears a saddle proudly just like a big horse (he prances when you put it on him like he is the king of the world)...

I am so thankful that we ended up with him- his mom came from a herd of 19 horses whose owner has a huge heart and rescued many of them from auctions and the like, but not enough time to spend with them all... the mare wasn't supposed to be pregnant, but looking at her, I knew she either had a serious case of worms.... or a big worm who turned out to be "Mytalisha's Titan"- The pride of the barn and my one and only child!

My only wish for this next year is that we can find homes for all those babies from the breeding farm as well as the mares who are pregnant with the next line of untouched babies... AND THAT THE NEXT LINE DOESN'T COME WHILE THEY ARE AT THE BARN FOR TRAINING AND SELLING!! Or we may have a whole lot of "pride's of Mytalisha's Dream" because once the babies are born there... it will be hard to let them go!

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[SandyG]

Oh, how proud Titan is! He is standing as tall as his little six month old body can possibly be! What a keeper! Now there is a horse that will do his best to please you!

Bravo! What a heartwarming picture to see tonight, Shar. Thank you for sharing. And what a gift he is, eh?

[SandyG]

Blankets are hanging on the stall gates, horses are standing and sleeping in the sun....tummies are full, coats are brushed, and the sun is warming them nicely.....aaaahhhhh, life is good.

Mornings like this make the blizzards and the freezing cold doable. Mornings where we all relax because we have a break in the severe winter weather.

Even Little Man fell asleep waiting for me this morning. He was sitting on the black mat by the door, out of the wind, in the full sun, and there he goes!!!! Sound asleep......

[SandyG]

How cool is this?

I'm out on the stepstool (which is HUGE for me!!!) and I'm hanging a newly filled birdfeeder. I feel something on the big furry winter hat I have on. Just stand there....Pretty soon it leaves my head and jumps to the birdfeeder to eat.

How cool is that? Instead of bats in the belfry I hat birds on my head!