Thoughts

I’ll admit after the fundraiser on Sunday, I turned into a vegetable. I knew planning a fundraiser was going to be stressful but running one was exhausting BUT SO worth it! I haven’t had any time to sit and go through any of the funds we raised.  I’ve been doing non-horse related activities (dentist, root canal, etc., you know the non-fun things) all of this week. I’m hoping to sit down this weekend and go through everything. I’ll let you know what the end result was. I do know that we’ll be doing the Easter Fundraiser again next year. I had such a great time. Even without advertising like we needed to, the outpouring was fantastic. Of course, most were family and friends and I hate to rely on them so often, but the few off-the-street people made it even more worth it. Actually, watching the kids’ faces light up was what was really worth it. I know I am to focus on the horses, but being a mom has made me realize that we really do need to focus on our young to resolve the issues that we have made for the old.  I want to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication. We couldn’t have done it without you. I promise to post pictures this weekend.

In other news, we are finally getting warm weather. I pulled blankets off everyone this morning. I love having the horses bundled up in blankets to ward off the chill (at least for the hard keepers and “delicate” horses) but being able to pull the blankets off (for more than 30 seconds) is even better. Being all bundled up, never getting to actually “feel” the horse, I sometimes forget that I love running my hands through their shedding coats in the spring. Every year I forget how much I love to run my hands through their coats.

I also came to the realization that I need to spend more time with Rabbit. For whatever reason, she doesn’t like the initial contact but she warms up to being handled quickly. Perhaps if she would have been given the same chance Savanna had, to have her own person, she would have been a different horse. Instead she was kept as a broodmare. So I’m hoping to turn that crabby pants into a loving horse. I so love her sweet and gentle nicker every time I come around the corner to feed. I just wish that the nicker was because she wanted to see me, not because I’m the food lady. But at this point, I’ll take what I can get. She really is a sweet dear.

I think all of the horses are enjoying the warmer weather. No one seems overly crabby these days. I don’t have anyone showing rude behavior and running the hay cart over (as some have in past years). Last night as I was finishing up chores, I stood there listening to Chaos, King, and Dude eating hay. It was the second best sound I had heard all day (the first being the sound of my son’s laughter). I love listening to the robins and seeing the red-winged black birds sitting out in the CRP. Spring is definitely here. Now if we could only get a little bit more moisture so that our pastures come back. My biggest fear is that we will have another drought and we will be forced to drylot the entire herd in the middle of summer (unless we beg the neighbor to let us use his pasture again this year.)

There are two auctions scheduled for April 19^th. One starts at 5pm and the other starts at 6pm. Both are about an hour away from the Sanctuary. I’m torn. Do I go or do I stay home. I can’t bring anyone home but I should go just to remember and to give them a hug and tell them they won’t be forgotten. But if I do decide to go, which one do I go to? Mitchell or Sioux Falls Regional? Both are Open consignment with loose horses to follow. I haven’t been to an auction in months. Do I go in honor of Savanna and Sahara, who we rescued over Easter weekend in April 2011 from the Sioux Falls Regional Sale? Do I go in honor of Bo who we rescued in March 2011 from the Mitchell Sale?  Would anyone be willing to go to one or the other? What are your thoughts?