Please Pray

Sorry for not posting. We have been in the hospital since Saturday morning. Our son contracted meningitis. We will post more when they let us out of the hospital. Please pray for us.

Escape

It's definitely summertime. We had loose horses. Well, ok so maybe it doesn't feel like summer and I was really asking a lot of the horses but still. I debated on putting the horses out on the lawn because there's really nothing left for them to eat. But I figured they  might like the change of scenery. They sure did! They took down my "courtesy fence" and joined Rabbit in the taller grass.

Of course the "courtesy fence" was one strand of electric with no electricity on it. I figured it would happen so no shocker there. My biggest worry was that I had Rabbit on the other side. I don't know if I've ever had Rabbit in with the boys. I know Mayhem decided to join them once or twice but never Rabbit. She seemed pretty content. Maybe the molesters are no longer interested in mares! I guess I'm a bit sexist. I keep the geldings in one herd and the mares in another. But maybe there is hope that the geldings and mares can coexist with no hanky panky (ahem King).

When I went to pull the horses out of the tall grass they decided to get all riled up. I think they all knew. So instead of being good horses, they grouped together and stampeded towards the smaller pen and straight towards the gate we just fixed. I have no idea what possessed them to go that direction other than they thought the electric fence they took down was up and charged. I was able to catch Rabbit and put her back and then catch Ivan in hopes that everyone else would follow. Nope. I put Ivan in the small pen in between the barn and the loading shoot and went back for the next one. Of course, silly me decided I wouldn't put halters on the horses thinking that they've been doing so well lately. That'll teach me. Any time I put them out on temporary fencing with just electric, I tend to put halters on.

When I walked back to get the next horse, Zeke was at least good enough to fly past me. That in turn sent the rest of the herd flying past me (except Bo). Nothing like having a herd of horses fly past you at a full out gallop. I luckily avoided getting any mud flung into my face. I thought Bo would follow in hot pursuit but he didn't. Once the big herd was in the drylot, I locked them in and let Bo wander. What harm would there be leaving Bo out (absolutely none the entire time). While I finished up chores, Bo munched on grass and kept me company  (sort of).

I have to pull down the temporary fence and put it up in a different area. The problem is, where I want to put them is smaller (just north of the barn). So I will only be able to put the thinner ones on grass. I am hesitant to put anyone on that part of the lawn because I want to save it for the ponies later this summer but I guess I'll just let it go to the thin ones and pray that the other grass comes back later. My other choice is to fence in by the driveway and road. But if we do that, I'm going to go all out and put up the serious fencing and serious grounding. I don't want any loose horses running down the road.

I'm going to pray that we don't have any more outings and that last nights escapade was the only one for the summer.

Remembering Three Years Ago

I am always amazed at how quickly time goes. Three years ago today, I married my best friend. Over the past few years we've dealt with so many weird situations (maybe they are normal but to me they aren't). We've stood together through the good times when we've said hello to new members of the Sanctuary (both two legged and four legged). We've enjoyed the sun shining on our backs as we work and enjoyed each other's company. We've also stood together through the bad times when we've had to say goodbye (and weeped over) family members both two legged and four legged. We've stressed over the hay crisis and the drought crisis. We've dealt with health issues that have rendered us incapable of doing our  normal tasks. But through it all (both the good and the bad), our bond has only grown stronger. I can truly say that I am a very lucky woman. Throughout today, I will remember those special moments that occured on this day three years ago. I will leave you with a few pictures of some of those wonderful moments.

 Farmer tan and all (and proud of it!)

 It was harder getting on the carousel horse than the real horse! It was a requirement to have horses involved (be it the real or fake kind!)

 The only horse I'll ever get Mike on. That's right, we run a horse sanctuary and he doesn't ride.

 Precariously sitting sidesaddle on a carousel horse. Much more difficult than astride Zeke.

 My amazing Zeke. No wedding dress is complete without cowboy boots! The saddle pad was hand spun by my amazing grandmother and woven by my amazing mother.

 Overlooking Lake Herman

 Gots me some att-i-tude!

 One of my all time favorites! Out on the trap shoot field just before a storm blew through.

 Love the flowers. If you look close, you'll also see the rosary that my mother wove into the bouquet; it's a family heirloom (I can't remember who they belonged to though).

One of my all time favorites!

Pasture

Last night was yet another night of not doing much with the horses. Everyone was disgruntled with me because I wouldn't let them out onto the lawn. There's really nothing left for grass and we had to haul horses into town for Rodeo Bible Camp (not our horses). I didn't want to come home and find the herd scattered to the four corners of the county while we were away. I think I may pull down the temporary fence and put it up somewhere else. It'll be for a smaller area but I'll pull out those that have been dropping weight. I have about four that always drop weight starting in March. They NEED to be on pasture.

I want to avoid using some of the lawn so that I can put the ponies on it and get the mares acclimiated to the grass before putting them out on pasture too. There's always so much to do and so little time to get it all done.

Tonight our drill team has a performance at the Rodeo Bible Camp so there goes my shot of moving the temporary fencing. Maybe Thursday I'll be able to move the fence around. Fingers crossed that it stops raining long enough for me to move fencing around. I'd rather not be soaked up to my knees while moving that darn temporary fence. I am debating on which part of the lawn to put the hard keepers. There's two spots but one I have never grazed before and I'm hestitant to use because it's so close to the road. It really shouldn't matter becaues it's farther from the road than they ever were last summer at the neighbor's. I guess we'll just see what kind of mood strikes me later this week and how much time I have.

It hasn't even been a month since we reseeded the pasture but I am getting A.N.X.I.O.U.S. to put the horses out on grass! I want to see fat, sleek horses enjoying lush grass. I haven't even gone out to look at he pasture for fear of tearing it up. I'm doing the whole out of sight, out of mind (but not really). Now if we could get some decent sun (along with the necessary light showers), I expect the grass will grow.

I was reading on another blog about someone buying their hay already. I did see someone yesterday on my drive to work with their first cutting down. I was a little surprised (and a little jealous). But as the blog post mentioned, they are down in the New Mexico area and are already into a hay crisis because hay is being shipped overseas. Again, it's all hearsay so I have no facts to back it up. But I'll be curious to see what hay prices will be like this year, especially after last year's drought and the year before when all the hay was headed down south. I guess all I can do is wait and see. What I would give to buy the land around us and use that as hay ground instead of having to be at the mercy of the hay dealers. I am praying for rain and decent weather for haying season.  After the past two years, I think everyone needs a break.

Slaughter in Iowa?!

I don't know if it's true because I haven't done my research but please read the following and do your own ressearch.

http://rtfitchauthor.com/2013/06/04/iowa-pro-horse-comments-needed/
 It looks as though people are looking at opening a horse slaughter plant in Sigourney, Iowa. The thought turns my stomach. Iowa isn't that far away from the Sanctuary. Although Sigourney is a bit of a drive from the Sanctuary, it's still too close for comfort.

Busy Bee

Quiet night at the Sanctuary. We have a drill team performance Tuesday so all my focus is there. I'm hoping to move some temporary fence later this week and move some of the thinner horses on to better grass until we can finally use our pasture. Not having a pasture makes life difficult.

Not sure if I'll post much more this week. But we are around. 

Summer Storm

The other night we had scattered showers. We missed the major downpours but was able to watch the storm blow through from the end of the driveway. I'll leave you with just a few of the pictures I took.