Happenings Over the Past Four Days

So much going on and so much to tell you but pictures speak more than words. The problem is, the darn camera batteries are dead…again. So much has happened over the past three days. Ok, for some it might not be a lot but for me (who doesn’t do well with change), lots has happened. I’ll leave you in suspense on a few happenings until I can hunt down more batteries.

Thursday Mike took the truck and picked up six round bales of hay. I’m hoping the hay will last until early fall but I doubt it. Having never fed round bales before (up until this summer), I don’t really know how fast the horses will run through their feed. Feeding round bales is definitely an art-form.

Friday was the terrible horse auction. I’ve been to some bad sales but this was terrible. The prices were ridiculous. I was afraid of what it would be like what with it being an evening sale and high temps. I wasn’t wrong in my thoughts. Most of the crowd was gone by 8pm and that left one or two to buy all of the loose horses. My hands were tied. I cried the entire way home.

Saturday we drove to Alvord, Iowa. I’d hoped to get there before the heat really set in. For some odd reason it was cooler in Iowa than it was back at home. We’d step out of the truck and the heat and humidity would knock the wind right out of you. Luckily we were home by 1pm and hid in the house for the rest of the day.

Sunday we had visitors from Ortonville, Minnesota arrive. I didn’t envy them and their two to two and half hour drive but at least their truck was air conditioned. Before the visitors arrived, we scurried out and put an additional strand of wire on the road/CRP pasture. I wanted to pull the two fillies, Sahara and Mayhem off the round bale to save those for the blind horses. I think Queen has been depressed ever since I put her in with Dick and Rabbit. She likes her babies. I wanted to get Queen back into the road/CRP pasture but she’s an escape artist and knew where the weak spot was in the fence. So Mike also fixed the weak spot. There’s still a ton to do with that strand of wire but at least it’ll hold enough to keep Queen in. Now she’s happily enjoying the fillies’ company and I doubt she’ll try to escape now. When we put the fillies in the road/CRP pasture they did lapse around the trees. They didn’t even go into the actual pasture portion until we put Queen in with them. They were just happy to race around the trees chasing each other. I think they were enjoying the change of scenery.

The entire weekend was scorching hot. Ok, not really scorching hot but dripping wet hot. The humidity is making life unbearable. The weatherman is predicting 95 degrees with a 113 heat index. It’s going to be an uncomfortable day for the herd.

I’m worried about Babe. There is shade in her pen but she prefers to hang out in the sun. I believe she has cushings and hasn’t shed out entirely. She was panting standing over the big water tank. She doesn’t like to be hosed down so I took a water bucket and a brush to her. She still wasn’t thrilled with that option either. Tonight I’m running in to buy clippers to shave her. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before. I’m sure after one use the clippers will be shot. I can’t afford to buy a really good clippers. Anyone have a really good set of clippers I could borrow? Hopefully the noise won’t bother her. I figure if I put her in front of a fan in the shade and talk to her the entire time, hopefully she’ll be ok with it.

I am trying to decide if I should call the vet today and see if I can get an appointment for this Friday. I was hoping that Dick could enjoy at least a little bit of cooler weather before we have to say goodbye. But looking at my schedule, this Friday is the best time. I don’t want to do it but he’s going downhill. He can’t actually eat any of the grass. He leaves big wads lying around. Any grain I put into him comes right back out as diarrhea or doesn’t get processed at all and runs right through him. It’s simply a matter of calling but I hate having to say goodbye. I know I’m being selfish. I also want to ensure that the previous owner knows what we are doing so he can say his goodbyes again.

I’m hoping that the weatherman is wrong and the cool down comes faster than expected. From the last time I saw the weather, which was a few days ago, we are supposed to have this oppressive heat until Wed or Thur. But then we’ll have heat and humidity return for the weekend. I hope the humidity disappears soon. I’m starting to worry about the horses. Oh for a plush barn with misters and fans for the horses to relax in. I can always dream right?