Busy Weekend and A Busy Week Ahead

I want to personally thank everyone that helped us during the SD Horse Fair. We couldn’t have done it without you. I specifically want to thank Frieda and Larry Fossum and the Cowboy Way Church for allowing us to use their booth (and working out the details) for letting us raffle off the horseshoe boot rack and horseshoe cross candleholder. They are a true blessing to not only me but to the Sanctuary! We made about $140 for the raffle. Thank you everyone who entered in to the raffle. Your generosity humbles me.

I don’t have the name in front of me who won the boot rack. We are going to deliver the boot rack tonight or tomorrow night as she lives in Minnesota. I’ll try to post pictures. As much as I love meeting new people who support the Sanctuary, it’s always fun to have a friend win, which is what happened. Longtime family friend, Ike Wengert, won the horseshoe cross candleholder. We will get pictures this weekend also!

After hearing that people are interested in purchasing a horseshoe boot rack, we are considering taking orders. We can either take orders through our Facebook page or through email. Frieda Fossum is also opening a consignment shop in our little town and we’ll possibly sell the boot racks there. Look them up soon, Heartfelt Consignment in Humboldt, South Dakota! It might be a little bit before we start selling horse shoe items. I want to make sure Mike is totally on the mend before he tackles too many projects but if there’s a demand for his work, I know he’ll be anxious to get started. All proceeds for items Mike makes, will go towards the horses!

And for the general goings on at Borderlands, this weekend was crazy! I had hoped life would slow down with an infant by my side but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I found out Tuesday morning that my Grandma passed away Monday night. She was such an amazing woman that believed in our cause. She will be greatly missed. I was able to stay busy during the week, which is exactly what my Grandma would have preferred. No mourning over her passing but rejoicing in her life and discovering new ideas.

Mike and I ran ragged during the week trying to get everything ready for the Horse Fair. Friday afternoon we went to the SD Horse Fair to help set up. Let me tell you, I was totally unprepared. Thank goodness for Frieda taking over and making sure that everything ran smoothly. Friday evening we loaded up horses to practice at the SD Horse Fair. We practiced until 9pm and then tackled the long and tedious job of washing a white horse. Luckily I’d thrown a blanket on Zeke earlier in the week to try and keep most of the mud off of him. He was still super muddy and I didn’t get him completely clean. I gave up when he started to shiver.

Saturday morning we woke early, headed in to the SD Horse Fair and started prepping for our performance with the Cowboy Way Ridin’ Angels. Mike and the Bear hung out in the booth selling raffle tickets while I cleaned up Zeke a little more. We performed at 11:30am. I think the ladies did a wonderful job. Unfortunately, immediately following the performance, Mike, the Bear, and I had to hop in the car, flew home, changed clothes, and headed to Madison for the funeral. We made it just as the service began. Luckily the Bear kept me occupied so I wouldn’t break down. It was a fitting funeral that showed the class that my Grandmother always had. We stayed to talk with family members for just a little while after the service and then hopped in the car to fly back home, change clothes and get back to the SD Horse Fair in time for our evening performance at 6pm. By the time we finally got home Saturday night and I finished up chores, I was exhausted.

I had hoped to get in early to help sell raffle tickets and to listen to Pastor Larry Fossum during his church service but I was too exhausted to even open my eyes. Even the Bear was too tired to do much more than squak once and fall back to sleep.

We finally made it in to the SD Horse Fair mid-morning. This was the first year I didn’t spend a dime at the Horse Fair. I was too busy running from one place to the next to enjoy much of all the events and activities. Luckily I had enough downtime to enjoy the fellowship and comradely of everyone Sunday afternoon. We performed at 4pm on Sunday and then immediately packed up and headed home before the storm was to hit. Luckily others kept watch. I had no idea that there was a storm coming. I have been too busy to know what’s even going on these days.

We made it home about 6:30pm and I headed out to do chores. All the tanks needed to be filled and topped out before the cold front blew in. Unfortunately the snow started to fall about the time I went out to do chores. At least it waited until we made it home. By the time I was done with chores and Mike got the trailer parked and the truck unhooked, we were both beat for the day.

Now that the SD Horse Fair is over, we are even more focused on the upcoming fundraiser this Saturday! Of course Dad pointed out that the fliers that we printed and passed out at the Horse Fair didn’t have the date! DRAT! So hopefully people will ask. There was just too much going on and it slipped my mind when I was making the posters. So please spread the word. My attention this week will be prepping for the fundraiser. I may not post much but we are around if you need to get ahold of us. We have some amazing items up for sale and for the silent auction so please stop on out this Saturday, March 23^rd from 1-4 at the Celebrate United Methodist Church in Brandon, SD!

Loss

It is with great sadness that I write to say that we have lost a long time supporter of not only Borderlands Horse Sanctuary but a supporter and role model for myself. My Grandmother passed away Monday. I am at a loss for words on how to describe such an amazing role model that supported me and my dreams of one day running a horse sanctuary. She was able to see my long-term goal come to fruition and meet my son. I cannot ask for any more.

I will miss her but she will be in my heart forever. She is in my memories, thoughts, and prayers always. Her blood runs through my veins. I have the same drive and passion that she had and willingness to follow my dreams even when the going gets tough. I will miss being able to go to her to seek wisdom and guidance but being the role model that she was, I know that I can look within myself to find the answers that I seek. This is not goodbye. I will see you again some day.

We are also in the final preparations for the SD Horse Fair. I am looking forward to the event although disappointed that there are some who show their true jealousy by us being there. I am excited to show off Mike's work on the boot rack and cross. I will be at the booth on Friday and Sunday if you'd like to stop over and chat. I will also be performing with the Ridin' Angels at 11:30 and 6:30pm on Saturday and again at 4:00pm on Sunday. I'll be riding Zeke. He's hard to miss!

I will be riding this weekend in honor of my Grandmother. Her funeral is this Saturday so I'll be running between the Horse Fair and the funeral. I'm sure to be stressed but I know that I have a strong support group to fall back on. I want to thank everyone for their moral support and willingness to help out in this very hard time for me. I will put my sadness aside and do as my grandmother would have loved, and ride for everyone.

Humbling Thoughts

Today marks our two year anniversary with Bo. It is such an honor and a privilege to be around Bo. He's never once let what happened to him change his personality. I look forward to celebrating more anniversaries with that wonderful boy. I'll try to take pictures of him this week to show him off. He's the first horse I see as I drive up the driveway every day after work. He greets me every morning and every evening. He may have been a rescue but he's turned into my heart horse.

And I saw a video of Savanna. WOW. I'm speechless at the amazing progress her owner has done with her. Savanna's owner has worked so much with Savanna, they are now riding bridleless! She went from not wanting to be handled to riding bridleless. I'll have to find the file and post it. Watching those two made my heart sing. For every horse, there is a person. And for every person there is a horse. It's simply a matter of the right time and the right place. And the willingness to open your heart which is what Britt did for Savanna and in the end Savanna did for Britt. I'm honored to have played a very small part in their journey.

I am truly humbled by the greatness of others both two-legged and four-legged.

Horseshoe Bootrack and Cross

As promised....finally, here are pic of the horseshoe bootrack and the horseshoe candleholder cross that Mike made. These are up for raffle at the SD Horse Fair.  Keeping my fingers crossed that the raffle is a success. 

Flying by the Seat of Our Pants

I really need to start paying attention to the weather. Before this morning, the last I heard was that we were to get a little bit of rain/snow on Sunday but nothing serious. Now the weatherman is saying we are going to start getting rain Friday evening and that we’ll pretty much have rain all day Saturday (and possibly some thunder…woot woot!) and by Sunday the weather will switch over to snow. Greeeaaaat. Now we’ll be dealing with a lovely layer of ice. Just what I don’t need right now! I need to spend tonight (before the rain starts) getting everything buttoned down and ready for yet another storm.

I guess we’ll continue on in our normal fashion of flying by the seat of our pants! I’m starting to really feel stressed about the upcoming horse fair next week and the fundraiser the following week. There’s still so much that needs to be done and I’m nowhere near being ready for everything.

But on the bright side, Mike is home from training. Hopefully I can spend a few hours getting things finalized for the horse fair and fundraiser this weekend. But if we are to have bad weather, I’m going to want to curl up on the couch, snuggle with the Bear, and relax. I don’t see that happening but a girl can dream!

I may try to squeeze in one final fundraiser meeting the Monday before the fundraiser but we’ll see what everyone’s schedule looks like.  All my thoughts are still rattling around in my head so I’m not sure what will actually work and won’t work.

I did get a very surprising voicemail yesterday. I have to call back. Someone wants to donate to our silent auction. Some of our amazing volunteers have already created baskets for the fundraiser but I wasn’t expecting to get a phone call out of the blue from someone I don’t know willing to donate. People’s generosity makes my heart sing. Every time I’m down in the dumps, someone does something to pick me up. I’m so blessed to have such wonderful people in the Sanctuary’s (and my) life!

I still need to post pictures of the boot rack and the cross but by the time I get home, get chores done, and make sure the Bear is settled for the night, I’m asleep on my feet. Hopefully this weekend I can post some pictures. The boot rack and cross will be up for raffle at the SD Horse Fair next weekend. Let me just say, the pictures don’t do them justice! Mike did an amazing job. Sort of wish he’d make me one!! The tickets will be one for $3 two for $5 and you’ll have your choice Friday and Saturday for which one you want to bid on. We will raffle off the boot rack Saturday and the cross will be raffled off on Sunday. I’m so excited to show them off!! If you can’t make the Horse Fair but want to get in on the raffle, please let me know and we can make some arrangements. All proceeds will go directly to the horses!

Random Thoughts

I haven't been able to do much with the herd this week while Mike is away at training. I'm sure others can juggle caring for an infant and horses better than myself but it is what it is.

I think the neighbor's horse is going to foal soon. I put her in every night in hope that she'll foal out during the night or wee hours of the morning. So far, nothing. But the past two mornings she's balked at going out to her pen for the day. So I have a feeling her time is very near. She's already gone past her due date that the vet gave her. I'm anxious to meet the new foal. I'm figuring that the mare will foal sometime within this week or next simply because I have so much to do and can't stay home to "supervise". I pretty much have something going on every evening starting tonight until after the horse fair and then I'll be swamped with final preparations for the fundraiser the following weekend.  Nothing like doing everything all at the same time.

There's already talk of drought and we aren't even to the growing season yet. I'm worried too. I haven't paid for all of this year's hay yet and I would love to not use it all up. Every last penny and every last sliver of hay counts these days.

I was surfing the web the other day and came upon a free horse. I felt bad because she met all of our criteria for coming in to the sanctuary. Unfortunately we are full unless we can get a few horses sponsored. But what made me really mad was that the ad mentioned that they needed to cut down on their numbers but if someone wouldn't take her, that they would breed her. She's a 23 year old mare who's been popping out babies all her life. This same owner had other broodmares for sale and mentioned also that they wanted to cut down on their numbers but if she didn't sell, they would breed her. How do you cut down on numbers when you breed? It just boggles my mind. I would love for someone to explain that theory to me.

Prep Work

I’d like to say that I don’t know where February went but I do. The hospital. I think Mike is finally on a very slow mend. I want to thank everyone for the prayers, good thoughts, and well wishes for his safety and quick recovery. I don’t know what I would do without him.

Because I’ve been so focused on Mike’s health, I haven’t had much time to think about our very fast approaching fundraiser. Luckily others have been working their magic to come up with baskets and to think about some of the logistics.  We already have seven baskets to bid on. I haven’t seen them all but they range from kid based to adult based baskets. And let me tell you, the thought put into these baskets is amazing. I know it’s a fundraiser specifically for the sanctuary, but I really want to bid on some of them myself, they are just that awesome!

We are still working out some of the details but we will have an Easter Egg hunt (and it will be divided up so that the little kids will hunt in one area, while bigger kids hunt in a different area). I’m all about everyone having a good time. We’ll also have a coloring station (more details to come there), and kids will get to meet the Easter bunny and get their picture taken! For the adults, we’ll have a silent auction for the Easter baskets, along with other items for sale. Mike has a few horse shoe items up for sale. We’ll also have a bake sale going on. How can you have Easter without having sweets?!?! There’s still much to be decided but the basics are done. I need to find time to come up with posters, etc. but hopefully it’ll all fall into place quickly.

We spent last night pushing in round bales. It’s been awhile since we’ve touched the round bales. Unfortunately, we had two round bales break open thanks to the constant thawing and freezing. Hopefully we can get our neighbor friend to come over and push those bales into the big herd next weekend. Mike is gone all this week for his paying job. Having an infant at home doesn’t really give me any time to spend outside, especially with our cold temps and the ground covered in ice. So we decided to keep back some round bales for the big herd so that I wouldn’t have to spend hours outside when I need to be in taking care of the Bear. Unfortunately, we didn’t start pushing in the bales until the sun was setting. By the time we were finished, everyone was exhausted. Mom and Dad came down to help  (Mom watched the Bear) and Dad helped with the bales and filled water tanks while I haltered everyone up and got gates open. Oh what I would give for a tractor that could lift a round bale (even if it was only a few feet off the ground) instead of having to push and pull the bales in with the plow truck. What should take us only about a half an hour, takes us two hours to accomplish. We simply don’t have the tools we need for the work we do.

Next week I am swamped with final preparations for the SD Horse Fair. We will be raffling off the horse shoe boot rack and the horse shoe cross at the Horse Fair. I’ll also be promoting the fundraiser the next weekend.  I’m excited yet nervous for all of our events set for the sanctuary. I want everything to be a success.

Hopefully I’ll have more time to blog this week and get more details figured out for the upcoming fundraiser. Keep an eye to the blog and hopefully I’ll be able to get a few pictures posted of some of the baskets and items up for sale for the fundraiser (and the items up for raffle at the horse fair!)