Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday: Doesn't matter how long ago it was, looking at lush green pastures never gets old (especially in mid winter).

What Do You Want?

I know I've asked the question before but I'm going to pose the question again.


Is there something that you fellow readers would like to see more of with or at the Sanctuary? I know the blog is b.o.r.i.n.g. without pictures so I'll try harder this year to post pictures and not pictures from years ago!


But I'm curious to see what would intrigue you to visit the blog or our Facebook page more or would get you talking to your fellow friends about us. I'm not great at marketing so I could use all the help I could get. I would love to hear your suggestions.


I have a few ideas up my sleeve but not sure I can follow through with them unless I can get a team of volunteers to help me (you don't even have to be in the Sioux Falls area (or even anywhere remotely close to South Dakota) to help with some of my ideas!!!)


So, can I ask a favor and ask....what do you want to see at the Sanctuary? What are ways we can improve to get you more interested in what we do? Please leave a comment on this blog, or on our Facebook page...or you can email us at borderlandshorsesanctuary@yahoo.com.


Thanks for all your help in helping me make the Sanctuary better for everyone!

Wishlist Wednesday

Going to try a new thing....Wishlist Wednesday!


Bo (and Junior) wish for a bag of senior feed (or a lot of bags of senior feed). They go through a bag or more a month to keep their weight up, especially during the harsh winter months of South Dakota.


The following is Bo not long after we brought him home from auction and were nursing him back from near starvation. He has been an amazing horse and never let his ordeal make him bitter.

And with a lot of grain and a lot of loving, Junior is looking fantastic too (no picture because they are all on my phone...sigh).

Days are Getting Longer!

I was running late for the paying job this morning but today was the first time in a long time that I had the opportunity to watch the skies change from black to pink. The days are getting longer!!!!!!!!!


I hadn't realized it until today because we've had clouds for I don't remember how long and before that we only had a few hours of light and being at the paying job during those daylight hours, it's hard to know the days are getting longer. Just the thought brightens my day!


Even last night when I went out to do chores before 6pm, it was still a little light out. Of course I went out and hustled to get my chores done because I thought we had to put in round bales. Nope. We have to do that tonight instead. It's a pain because we have to juggle who will watch the kids but tonight my parents are down so hopefully between the four of us, we can get the bales in, chores done, and kids taken care of before the skies turn pitch black. We'll see. I'm not holding my breath.


But the weather is getting better as well. We are supposed to be in the 40s at one point this week. I'm not holding my breath but on the off chance that the weather DOES get better, I need to remember to pull Rain's blanket. There's so much to do and so little time.


I need to figure out how to utilize my time better...although being a mom to two very small children and caring for 16 horses, two dogs, and a cat (and a husband), I'm not sure how to utilize my time any better. Suggestions?

Odd Friendships

So the other day while I was filling and hauling umpteen buckets of water to the mares and Junior, I noticed something very odd.


I'd fed our one remaining barn cat, Stocky. He was happily eating his cat food when out popped a mouse. It was an odd looking mouse but whatever. He scurried out but not in the normal mouse scurrying way. I thought it a bit odd and a bit brazen for a mouse to be out with a cat in the area. I didn't want to move because I thought Stocky might see him and go after him. Nope.


So while I was waiting for more buckets to fill and Stocky was still eating, out popped the  mouse. I was able to move over far enough to pull Stocky down near the mouse, but the mouse scurried away and Stocky just sat there looking indignant. Instead of hunting the mouse, he wandered off to act insulted.


While I stood there waiting for more water to fill, I watched that damned mouse scurry back out and steal a piece of cat food. Seriously?!!? Now I'm starting to think that Stocky is SHARING his cat food with the mouse rather than being a good barn cat and killing the mice.


Luckily all the grain is in steel barrels so I don't have to worry about mice getting in. I DO  need to worry about the horses' blankets. I have two steel barrels for blankets and I thought for some reason that they were full and that's why they were taking up space in the barn. I looked in them while waiting for water buckets to fill (are you seeing a trend?) and realized they were EMPTY! I was so mad at myself. Here I have TWO barrels taking up precious space in my barn and they weren't even being used for what they were intended.  I did move all of my blankets from the garage into the tack room and I KNOW there are mice in there. So I need to do some serious organizing and at the very least get those blankets packed safely away from mice.


But I digress. So, I came to the realization (while waiting for yet more water), that I think Stocky and this mouse (or whatever it was because it didn't act or look exactly like a mouse) are probably friends. Why else would this mouse steal food right under Stocky's nose? It was pretty brazen and yet he did it anyway. So maybe that's why Stocky acted so disinterested. Maybe they really are friends and I just caught a glimpse of their interactions while I'm not around.


Well, the Sanctuary DOES have some odd friendships. I guess Stocky and this mouse are yet another odd combination of friendships.

Surviving

We've been busy at the Sanctuary but it doesn't seem like there's much to report. Just the same old same old drudgery that happens during the winter months. Throw hay, put in round bales, fight hay nets, grain hard keepers, haul water, haul more water, and haul even more water.


We had a super cold snap this weekend but everyone seemed to have come out of it just fine. We were actually out of town overnight during the super cold night. I would have preferred to be home but alas, that wasn't the case.  No one seemed the worse for wear.


The mares and Junior are definitely drinking water. I let it run down because there was so much going on that I didn't have time to haul water every night. I won't let that happen again. I hauled 16 buckets of water to the tank. I don't fill the buckets completely full because I can't carry 5 gallon pails of water without spilling water all over me and thus freezing in to my coveralls. So I'm sure it was more like 4.5 gallons or so. But the tank was pretty darn empty by the time I finally got to filling it. Luckily the tank is just around the corner instead of way the heck back in the back 40 like it used to be. So prefer keeping the horses closer to the barn. Life is so much easier.


We put in round bales last night. Of course, I'm out after dark putting on hay nets. There's usually curse words but oh well. I guess that's just the nature of the beast until I can come up with a better plan for keeping the hay nets on (and Mike gets better about putting the round bales in the feeders).


Rabbit is lame again. She's as lame as before so I have no idea what's going on. I wasn't able to grain her to give her the meds she needs but I'm trying to keep up with it as best I can. I think the meds are helping but I don't think it's the ultimate fix. I did give her a massage the other night and she seemed to really relax and enjoy it. Now with the colder weather, I'm sure she's hurting once again.


I've been a little bit under the weather the last few weeks so I'm dragging as of late. Too much to do and so little time to try and get everything accomplished. The longer nights and short days don't really help matters. Of course, not getting any sleep doesn't help  matters. Last night I was able to get four hours of sleep. Yay me. Except that it wasn't four hours continuous. Yup, the amount of sleep I got was the amount some people get during a nap. I guess that's just the nature of the beast (what with having an infant in the house). But the joys of seeing every hour of the day is getting old quickly.


There's a lot I'd like to do but my energy level for the Sanctuary is pretty minimal at the moment. I'm still trying to adjust to a baby in the house, working full time (and being away from home for 11 hours a day), and still making sure that everyone is happy and healthy at the Sanctuary during the long months of winter. I was hoping to do some fun stuff to get people interested in the Sanctuary but that's going to fall through the cracks like I had feared.


The weather is supposed to be better later this week so I'm hoping that I can do a little bit of cleaning and organizing while I'm out waiting for the hard keepers to finish eating. I need to get organized this year. The place is mass chaos at the moment and as much as I thrive on it some times, I'm not right at the moment.


So I'll keep plugging along and hoping for the best until winter subsides and life gets easier again. If I don't post much, we are here, just trying to survive.

WA Feedlot Horses

I wasn't going to list these horses but I just can't help it. They deserve so much better than the fate they are being handed. These are all from the Washington feedlot and the only thing we can do is share their story and their pictures. I'd love to take in these deserving horses but we are turning them away as it is. If wishes were horses.


http://auctionhorses.org/horses.asp?Page=kphorses

Valerina - 11yr Gray Arabian Mare - $400 Valerina is said to be in foal by her previous owner. She is easy to handle, loves attention, and followed me around wanting to be friends. She looks to be in okay condition but could use some good nutrition. I don't know if she is broke to ride but she is at least halter broke and quite cute. I would guess her to be approx 14'1hh and approx 11 years old.  AVAILABLE!  Location: Sunnyside, WA  Contact: Sabrina 206-250-5115 Deadline 1/14/16

Villager - 20yr Chestnut Gelding - $500 Villager is a very sweet and easy going gelding who aims to please. He appears to be a been there done that gelding who is said to be 20 years old, and confirmed by looking at his teeth. He is easy to handle, tolerates weight, and does what is asked of him. I don't have any history on him besides an age from the previous owner, but I would be very surprised if he was not broke. Villager stands approx 15'2hh and has been gaining weight at the lot. He has a very cute slight dish to his face and a brightens up when given attention.  AVAILABLE!  Location: Sunnyside, WA  Contact: Sabrina 206-250-5115 Deadline 1/14/16

Visa Vi - 17yr Bay Roan Blanket Nez Perce Mare - $500 Visa Vi is a beautiful stoutly built mare who was most likely used as broodmare. She has a medium build I am guessing she stands approx 14'2hh. She was easy to handle and looks to be in overall good condition with no issues that I could find. Her hooves looked good from what I could see, and pictures do not do her justice. This is a nice mare with a very soft expression and a kind eye.  AVAILABLE!  Location: Sunnyside, WA  Contact: Sabrina 206-250-5115 Deadline 1/14/16

Vienne - 28yr Bay Blanket Appaloosa Mare - $400 Vienne is a senior foundation Appaloosa mare who has been previously used as a broodmare for Nez Perce horses. She is easy to handle, loving, and gentle on the ground. She is living history and this grand old mare deserves a retirement. Her hooves are in good condition and I saw no issues with her eyes, or signs of uveitis. She is gaining weight at the lot but really needs a soft place to land soon as she cannot compete with the new younger horses.  AVAILABLE!  Location: Sunnyside, WA  Contact: Sabrina 206-250-5115 Deadline 1/14/16

Vianka - 30yr Leopard Appaloosa Mare - $450 This senior mare should be as foundation as Appaloosas come. She is friendly, easy to handle, and looks to be in decent condition for her age. I don't have an exact age, but was told she is one of the seniors around 30 years old. She has been used as a broodmare to produce Nez Perce horses. Her hooves are in good condition and she is gaining weight at the lot. Her eyes appear to be good and besides age and needing some weight, I couldn't find any issues. She's a nice mare and a piece of living history. She is sold as grade, but I'm happy to share what history I know with her new purchaser.  AVAILABLE!  Location: Sunnyside, WA  Contact: Sabrina 206-250-5115 Deadline 1/14/16