PONY!

[SandyG]

We are all home and back at full strength again. Liz-Beth is robust and PONY! is checking every inch of the hay piles to see what he may have missed. The "little herd" of Big Lanna, Alexius, and Helen followed Liz-Beth like puppies. I'm seeing that Liz-Beth is more of a leader than just a member. Helen seems to take comfort in her presence. Interesting.

PONY! found his Faith and her withers relaxed for the first time this week. They both meandered out to the hay and Faith is eating once again. Love at its most purest of forms in those two.

[SandyG]

I'm going to drop the trailer, wait until the morning rush traffic has passed in The Cities, and then bring Liz-Beth and PONY! in out of this wind. The temps will continue to fall today so rather than wait until they are cold, I'll get them there so I can focus on the remaining herd here. Many blankets to get on, liners under blankets, and generally get set for the cold.

Beet pulp to get inside, buckets set up for soaking, and the timer set so I feed our Big Handsome every two hours starting tonight. I'm on the couch (that's already set up from last week!) and so the cats seem excited! They can feel the cold air in the house and I think they know they'll have me for a pillow for a while! Remember People, I am NOT a cat person! Hah!!!

Be careful today and tonight. Stay home if you possibly can. The mush is now ice and NOWHERE is it safe walking!!!

[SandyG]

Liz-Beth loaded on the first try this morning. Into the trailer and then PONY! and I followed with the second trip - all was good! We traveled in right after the morning rush had completed and I called ahead so they knew we were on the road. Their stalls were ready and the entire process took just under 4 hours.

I am so relieved that those two are safe! Hopefully, I'll bring them home Saturday afternoon and this will be the final "slumber party" for these two this winter! YEAH!!!!

[SandyG]

I've just spent the time I have while the horses are eating to evaluate the weather. Talk about trying to catch a fish with my bare hands!!! Get the picture?

It appears as though the lows will be in the low single digits tomorrow night with the highs on Sat and Sun not even making 20 degrees. Add to that the SW winds, and I've decided to leave Liz-Beth and PONY! where they are for Saturday.

I will re-evaluate for Sunday and I suspect I will bring them home then, but Saturday is just too iffy. This crystal ball stuff is just that - crystal ball stuff! Hindsight is ALWAYS so much better, isn't it?

[SandyG]

Colleen C. and I went into St. Paul and retrieved our kids yesterday afternoon. Also took the time to have a good conversation with Dr. Draper and we constructed a winter plan for Clyde Mare's maintenance. It will cost us about $300 for every 3 week period, but it will allow us to maintain her leg without the proper facilities here at THE FARM.

And then I caught Dr. Ernst in the hallway just after he landed (literally!) from time in Chile with his family. He and I will schedule RockMan in for surgery when he has had time to review the Hollie/Helen/Alexius records to see how we have done it in the past.

Big things happening.

Our Liz-Beth was glad to be home and beelined for Lanna. The two of them smelled and then set about grooming each other. It was clear that both of them were very happy to be reunited.

This morning I was out early to see how she was doing and she was snoring in the hay. No sign of struggling. She was totally relaxed and very comfortable. I left her there and will go ack out in 30 minutes to see if she is ready for breakfast. It appeared that she stood most of the night and had just let herself rest those legs. And her legs must be weary. She did not seem in trouble in the least. Lanna is standing guard. So I'm letting her rest before I ask her to get upright.

Good to have them both home. PONY! has made Alexius a happy woman! Faith seems indifferent to him. HAH!!!

[SandyG]

Pitched the hay from around her legs and general area -

Haltered her and got the rocking ropes set -

Rocked about 4 times and she was up!!!

It is a good day at Refuge Farms.

[SandyG]

PONY! is struggling -

This morning I was outside with them from 7:30 until almost 9am removing blankets, filling tanks, and just enjoying a decent morning with them. I noticed that PONY! was resting in the hay most of that time. My thought was that he was enjoying the sunshine. Once, I noticed he got up and then moved and was down again.

Gone all afternoon, he came in tonight for supper but after standing for almost an hour, he had eaten only half of his feed. That is THE sign that PONY! is in trouble.

I blanketed him, gave him a dose of banimine and turned him loose. He went out of the barn and was down. So we walked the pastures for the last 45 minutes. He has pooped and is resting in the hay again but now he is eating the hay around him.

He doesn't seem to be in pain but he also doesn't seem to be comfortable, either. I'll watch him throughout the night.

I fear there is something in that beautiful belly of his that is growing . . . . .

[boboandbridget]

Poor Pony! Call me if you need help!!!

[SandyG]

I'm about to head out and I would say PONY! is okay - not good, but okay.

He seems sore, which I would be, too. So he has more meds in him (OH! How he HATES that!) and he has a blanket on against the wind. He is up and down. We walked twice in the night and each time we produced air and PONY! pooped once.

His gums are pink and his refill is good. He is not panting and he is not pawing. He just had a "short night" as my Mother would say. I expect he will sleep today.

[SandyG]

Signs that we are ALL tired of the cold and the NW winds . . . .

PONY! has been showing signs of discomfort for 2 days now. Walking and banimine doses every 12 hours seems to be keeping him going (literally) but something is amiss. This morning he is uncomfortable but was willing to walk with me again and showed disdain at the administration of his meds. When he stops fighting the meds is when he is telling me to quit.

Liz-Beth required assistance for the second morning to right herself. I pitch the hay, halter her, and then we rock. A few more rocks this morning than yesterday morning but she gets the momentum going and then uses every available muscle in her body to rise. It is a sight to watch this mare overcome gravity to get up on her legs. She, too, is on banimine and her usual dosage of bute. What a strong character she has. I am in awe and admire her so.

Cold weather coming and so I'll move hay this evening. We'll see how bad the winds are as to whether I close the big barn doors. . . . which includes an hour of picking ice and hardened snow before evern attempting to slide those doors! I do not like sliding doors!!!!

[cc459]

How helpless you must feel with PONY's struggles. When we picked him up from U of M he was bright eyed and bushy tailed. I hate it that he struggles with something unknown. Maybe, like me, he just can't stand this crappy Wisconsin weather any longer. Is barn night Wednesday or Saturday this week?

[SandyG]

I think every single one of them is ready for spring! They need a bath and a snooze in the warm sunshine!

PONY! ate his supper tonight which is a great sign! Liz-Beth is under stress but accepted her dose of banimine this evening with grace.

Barn Nights will be on Wednesdays from 6pm to 8pm and Barn Mornings will be on Saturdays from 10am to 12noon. Between the two nights, we should be able to stay decently close to a clean barn. That is my hope!!

This week, however, we are still just on the Barn Night routine. Barn Mornings won't begin until the weather improves - probably early March. Stay tuned! ;D