General Upkeep

Life has been fairly quiet this week at the Sanctuary (knock on wood). No major illnesses, no hoof  injuries, no broken water lines. It's a good thing.


I keep checking the automatic waterer to make sure no one has destroyed it. I'm back down to three pens instead of five to care for horses. The big herd of now 11 horses, the mares with junior, and the ponies. It's pretty easy these days what with using round bales.


We had to put a round bale in last night for the mares. I probably should have put it in the day before but figured I'd make them eat up the last of the hay first. Rabbit and Junior powered through their grain. Normally Junior takes forever. I short changed him on a scoop of sweet feed because I needed to get in for the night and didn't want to have to go back out at 11pm. But he somehow powered through his grain and weight supplements quicker than I thought. Junior is looking AMAZING. He has always been a hard keeper and showed it. But I took his blanket off the other day to check things out and because it was nice out. Junior actually had a round butt! It's the first time ever I've seen a round butt on him. I was flabbergasted...and tickled pink! So my grain ratio and supplements are paying off.


Bo has also gained weight. He was on the thinner side going into winter but with his daily grain and weight booster, along with his blanket to keep him warm from the South Dakota winds, wind chills, and freezing rain/drizzle and snow, he's surprisingly put on weight. So I'm pleased with their progress.


Everyone is looking good these days. It makes me happy.


I've been checking Chaos's foot to see how its' going. I can't imagine him stepping on a nail and not having any ramifications. But there aren't any. I keep checking for heat or him getting an abscess but nothing. Dont' get me wrong, I'm not complaining but usually a situation  like that, where a horse steps on a nail, is either months of stall rest or possibly death. And he cheated both. After two weeks of stall rest and pen rest, Chaos couldn't handle any more. He's back with his main herd because he kept breaking down gates and fences. I figured after 11-12 days with gauze, vet wrap, and a boot, that he could go back and the hole should be mostly healed, not completely but enough to not cause major trauma or require me fighting him to put vet wrap and/or a boot on him. But I check every night for heat, swelling, or the possibility of an abscess. So far, nothing. Lets hope it stays that way.


We need to pick up a couple loads of hay. We brought home two loads (22 bales) back in October/November but it's time to pick up another couple of loads. I haven't paid for them yet, still waiting for a price but it wont' be a price gouge like last time. But still, it's a struggle to come up with the cash when there's no funds coming in, except for my meager paycheck that has to cover horses, daycare, utilities, gas for the car so I can go to work, and any other oddities that come about.


I need to start preparing for our upcoming fundraiser but I'm struggling on a location. We'll see if I get very far for the rest of the week. I'm guessing not. The venue might end up being the Sanctuary but I had hoped to get more publicity. We'll see. I'm no good at marking or PR work. I'm good at the grunt work and the daydreaming ideas. Anyone interested in helping? In any aspect of the Sanctuary? Don't even have to be local to help. Mainly, I need someone online to help push our events and advertise. Any takers?