Missouri is putting up a fight to make sure horse slaughter doesn't happen in their state. Here's a good blog read....
http://rtfitchauthor.com/2014/01/06/missouri-turns-away-from-horse-slaughter/
Monday, January 6, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Brutal
One word describe's tonight's chores....brutal. I'd had the foresight to do half my chores this morning before it got deathly cold. I'm sure glad I did. Mike also pitched in and hauled a few buckets of water to help speed up my chores. I was only out for an hour but I think the temps dropped while I was out. But then again, the sun was setting when I finally got out.
When I came in I checked the weather. It's currently 11 below and the wind chill is 39 below. That's too darn cold. Dude was rude and pushy tonight. He was ready to go in immediately! Everyone was happy to get inside. I threw extra hay and I know they were all ready to go in by the time I finally got out to do chores.
I can't even think about the horses that are stuck outside with no shelter. I'm thinking of those feedlot horses that are having to suffer through this weather. I decided though that instead of complaining about this weather, that I would go through some of the pictures from our trip to the Black Hills. At least this way, I'll see green! I thought maybe you'd enjoy some green pictures too. Aaah for green and lush pastures. Soon...spring will be here soon.
Horse of the Month - Jim
So here's Jim, our featured horse of the month. Jim sometimes gets left out of pictures and the limelight because he's a bit antisocial. But he's a sweet horse and I wanted to feature him first as he's now our oldest resident at age 25 (pretty young in our books).
I'd been looking for a Tennesee Walker for some time for my dad to ride. When I saw the ad for Jim, I thought it would be a perfect match. The ad said Jim was between 18-21 years old and had been a 4H horse. So I thought it was perfect. He was a tad on the smaller side at 14.2hands but had a ton of experience. I'd emailed the lady who owned him and we talked but it took a few months before we could connect for me to come out at meet Jim. I'm afraid I was already set on bringing Jim home when I saw him. He had a lot of get up and go and didn't really respect my commands (but that's changed since that time). The owner mentioned that if we weren't interested in buying Jim, that she would be taking him to an auction in Minnesota. I KNEW that a horse of his age that wasn't a quarter horse, meant a definite death sentence. I debated on just waiting to buy the horse at auction but I figured the money she was asking for him also meant that I was buying the information along with him. So it's a bit of a toss up as to whether you want to consider Jim a rescue or not. But no matter what, he's a Sanctuary horse and will live out his days here.
Jim came to the Sanctuary December 9, 2009. We hauled him home just before a terrible snowstorm that dumped a ton of snow. I didn't put him in the big herd right away knowing that it was getting late and there was a storm coming. He spent a few weeks in that pen until we could dig out the corral panels.
The rest is a bit of a blur to be honest. I've used Jim a few times here and there. He used to be jealous when I would pull someone else to go for a ride. He's since gotten used to the retired life. On occasion I'll pull him out to go for a short ride down the road but he prefers the life of a pasture pet. He's now out of shape so I try not to use him all that much. We have enough younger horses to represent the Sanctuary so I figure I might as well let him enjoy his retirement years.
I don't really know too much more about his past. When we bought him, they were selling him as between the ages of 18 and 21. The coggins that the owner gave to me said 21 so we are going with that age. That now makes Jim 26 years old (if I did my math right).
He likes his grain and is one of the first into the barn every night. The only other horse that will beat him into the barn is Rain. He and Rain don't get along. I think their personalities are too much alike.
Up until this year, Jim has been best friends with Maverick. They weren't quite two peas in a pod but they would typically hang out in the pasture together. Recently though Jim and Maverick must have had a tiff because now Jim hangs out with King during morning and supper feedings. I'm thinking it's more because King moves slower and Jim prefers the slower life rather than the activities of a nine year old who likes to goof around and pick on other horses.
Jim is a bit of a hard keeper as he grows older. But we don't mind. He deserves to retire and enjoy the life of luxury with no worries. Although he's a bit standoffish, if you have treats, he's in your pocket. Jim has the most gorgeous mane and tail. Of all the horses, he has the most luxurious mane and tail, it's so thick and I could see in his younger years how he could have been a show horse.
It's an honor to care for Jim in his final years. Although he is our oldest resident, I have a feeling he'll be with us for many more years to come.
Friday, January 3, 2014
A Worryin'
I’m starting to get nervous about this upcoming winter storm. I’m not prepared. Silly that I should be so worried. I have at least one day to prepare and get everything situated but I’m still nervous. Maybe it’s because I’m worried about getting the flu (I know, I am a worrier), or the fact that I want to make sure that everyone is comfortable and I’m not sure that I will.
I’m running through the list in my head of who doesn’t have blankets and who can go into temporary blankets that will help ward off the cold but may not fit perfectly. At this point, as long as they stay dry and warm, if a blanket doesn’t fit perfectly, they’ll be fine.
I can’t get over the thought that Monday is a high of 13 below. I thought Sunday’s high of seven below was bad until I saw Monday’s prediction. I guess I’m also a bit worried about later today. We are supposed to be up to almost 30 degrees but the wind is so bitter that although it may melt the snow, it’s going to cause even more problems.
I think the Farmer’s Almanac was right. They said normal amounts of snow but a lot colder. Wish they weren’t right this time. I’m going to have to go out Saturday and get everything ready for the next three days of bitter cold. I am NOT going to want to be out in that nasty weather. If I had any hay in Madison, I’d probably haul a couple up there for Mom and Dad since their barn is a little bit easier to manage than ours. Oh what I would give for a 20 stall barn where all I have to do is open the big doors and the herd can walk into whichever stall they want instead of having to fight gates, and chains and corral panels to make sure everyone has a place to stay for the night. I guess for now I can always dream of a big barn and keep plugging along working towards that goal.
I am so wrapped up worrying about our Sanctuary horses that I don’t have the heart to worry about those stuck out in pastures and in the feedlots waiting for their fate. What I would give to offer one or two a home so that they could have a dry, and cozy stall and be snug in a blanket. Now I’m really kicking myself for not ponying up the money and buying those blankets on closeout at the local tack shop. Teach me to be a penny pincher. I may dig through my tubs of ruined blankets and see if I can’t do some quick hand stitching to make a few last through this next arctic cold snap. Let’s hope that this is the only cold snap we’ll have the rest of this winter!
First Massive Storm of 2014
Holy cats we are in for some cold weather in the near future. (Lets just hope that the flu doesn't hit me like it has the rest of the family).
Here's the forecast (a high of 13 below is simply wrong in my books). I am going to be one exhuasted lady after this next storm passes.....
This Afternoon Patchy blowing snow before 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Yeah, I am ready for winter to be done!
Here's the forecast (a high of 13 below is simply wrong in my books). I am going to be one exhuasted lady after this next storm passes.....
This Afternoon Patchy blowing snow before 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Tonight A slight chance of rain, freezing rain, and sleet before 1am, then a slight chance of snow between 1am and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Blustery, with a south southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest 20 to 25 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Saturday Patchy blowing snow before noon. Partly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 7 by 9am. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around -9. Wind chill values as low as -21. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
- Sunday Scattered snow showers before noon, then a chance for flurries. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near -7. Blustery, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
- Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around -21. Blustery.
- Monday Partly sunny and cold, with a high near -13. Blustery.
- Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around -19.
- Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 2.
- Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around -4.
- Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 17.
- Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6.
- Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 22
Yeah, I am ready for winter to be done!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
2013 - A Year In Review
It's a bit hard for me to write a year in review without joining both Sanctuary life and my personal life. The two were such opposites it's hard to fathom.
For the Sanctuary, 2013 was absolutely amazing. We held our first fundraisers ever and we did such a huge success I am so motivated to see what 2014's fundraiser's will do. We were blessed with the opportunity to raffle off some horseshoe art at the Cowoby Way Church booth during the SD Horse Fair. We also had our first annual Easter Fundraiser. I learned a lot from that fundraiser and will hopefully make each subsequent year better! We also held a playday in October that was great. I learned a few things so hopefully the next playday we have will be better. Considering I'd never been to a playday before, I learned a LOT. So hopefully those that attended will forgive my mistakes and attend this year's playday!
With all our health scares, I learned that we have some AMAZING supporters. It's hard to find people willing to go out during the coldest night of the year and do chores while we were stuck in the hospital. But we did. I swear we have guardian angels watching over us. I consider those volunteers my guardian angels because no matter what, they said yes to any of my requests while I wasn't able to get to the horses. And never once did they complain about going out in subzero temps in the middle of the night. Then we had guardian angels willing to step up while we were in the hospital again to push in round bales because the pasture wasn't ready yet for horses. Without a word of complaint, people volunteered to help us out. With all our ordeals, I learned that we have so many people we can rely on. It restores my faith in humanity and humbles me to think of the generosity of people.
We were able to reseed our pasture thanks to Mike and L. Hopefully the pasture will come back this coming year and we won't have to deal with any droughts or flooding. I'm always amazed at how people are willing to step up and help people out. We may call ourselves a Sanctuary, but in truth, we are just two people trying to make the lives of a few horses better and more comfortable until their final day on this earth.
I would love to thank everyone by name for all their support with the Sanctuary but I'm afraid I may accidentally leave someone out (not on purpose). There's been so many people that have helped us this past year it is quite humbling. We arent' doing anything extraordinary. I do believe those willing to help us out in our dreams and goals with the Sanctuary are the ones that are extraordinary.
We did have a few sad times at the Sanctuary with the loss of our biggest supporter, my grandmother, Shyrlee Roling. This place is just not the same without her moral support and encouragement. Such a wise woman that I can only hope that I can be half as wise. We also lost Babe, our beloved blind Appaloosa mare. She taught us so much about patience and dealing with what is handed to us in life. Of all the horses, I believe she has taught me the most (in multiple areas of life in general even!)
2013 was a whirlwind of excitement for the Sanctuary and I can only hope that 2014 will be an even better year. I'm hoping that with 2014 being the Year of the Horse, that more positives will come.
On a personal level, this year was a living nightmare. Mike and I were talking the other night and I think we are both still in denial or shock over this past year. I can say the words but I don't think they have or ever will sink in, that I almost lost both Mike and Garrett in 2013. With Mike's heart scare and subsequent heart surgery, I am more leary of our health as we grow older. Growing older you realize that you are not invincible but this year was a true wakeup call for me. I stall cannot get over almost losing our son to menincole meningitis. To realize how close we were to losing him is unthinkable. I cannot put into words or even clear thoughts what would have happened had the outcome been different. I thank my lucky stars every day that Garrett came out of that scare with no lasting affects and that he's a happy and healthy little boy (although he seems to be getting the flu a lot more this winter). Knowing how close I was to losing both of them leaves me dumbfounded.
I am absolutely grateful that they both recovered without any lasting affects. The only affects we had from the ordeals was in our pocketbooks. We've been feeling the pressure of the hospital bills ever since Garrett was born (with his stay in the NICU and my emergency surgery and third trip into the ER). I had hoped that we would be able to take in an old horse this past year but with all the hospital bills, we'll be lucky to bring in another horse in a year or two instead. The Sanctuary is run completely off my paycheck (and don't get excited, I don't make a lot in the paying job. We simply sacrifice in other areas). The fundraisers this past year have really helped and I am eternally grateful to all those that have donated and helped out to make the Sanctuary what it is today. I hate having to turn horses away and the funds people donated have helped ease the pressures of caring for the current herd. But it would be so much nicer if we had more funds coming in. I hate to say no.
I am hoping that with this being a new year, we will be able to restore our health and have no more trips to the ER, that we will be able to enjoy our health (and the horses' health), and have a great 2014. I am excited to see 2014 in front of us. There are so many opportunities I can hardly wait to get started on them all. I have never in my life been more excited to see a year behind me than this past year.
So here's to the Year of the Horse. And for all those that have helped us this past year, even if it's simply giving moral support (which I despeartely need...always), thank you. The horses may be the reason why we do what we do, but we couldn't continue without your support. Your support and generosity humbles me.
Goodbye 2013, HELLO 2014!!!!
For the Sanctuary, 2013 was absolutely amazing. We held our first fundraisers ever and we did such a huge success I am so motivated to see what 2014's fundraiser's will do. We were blessed with the opportunity to raffle off some horseshoe art at the Cowoby Way Church booth during the SD Horse Fair. We also had our first annual Easter Fundraiser. I learned a lot from that fundraiser and will hopefully make each subsequent year better! We also held a playday in October that was great. I learned a few things so hopefully the next playday we have will be better. Considering I'd never been to a playday before, I learned a LOT. So hopefully those that attended will forgive my mistakes and attend this year's playday!
With all our health scares, I learned that we have some AMAZING supporters. It's hard to find people willing to go out during the coldest night of the year and do chores while we were stuck in the hospital. But we did. I swear we have guardian angels watching over us. I consider those volunteers my guardian angels because no matter what, they said yes to any of my requests while I wasn't able to get to the horses. And never once did they complain about going out in subzero temps in the middle of the night. Then we had guardian angels willing to step up while we were in the hospital again to push in round bales because the pasture wasn't ready yet for horses. Without a word of complaint, people volunteered to help us out. With all our ordeals, I learned that we have so many people we can rely on. It restores my faith in humanity and humbles me to think of the generosity of people.
We were able to reseed our pasture thanks to Mike and L. Hopefully the pasture will come back this coming year and we won't have to deal with any droughts or flooding. I'm always amazed at how people are willing to step up and help people out. We may call ourselves a Sanctuary, but in truth, we are just two people trying to make the lives of a few horses better and more comfortable until their final day on this earth.
I would love to thank everyone by name for all their support with the Sanctuary but I'm afraid I may accidentally leave someone out (not on purpose). There's been so many people that have helped us this past year it is quite humbling. We arent' doing anything extraordinary. I do believe those willing to help us out in our dreams and goals with the Sanctuary are the ones that are extraordinary.
We did have a few sad times at the Sanctuary with the loss of our biggest supporter, my grandmother, Shyrlee Roling. This place is just not the same without her moral support and encouragement. Such a wise woman that I can only hope that I can be half as wise. We also lost Babe, our beloved blind Appaloosa mare. She taught us so much about patience and dealing with what is handed to us in life. Of all the horses, I believe she has taught me the most (in multiple areas of life in general even!)
2013 was a whirlwind of excitement for the Sanctuary and I can only hope that 2014 will be an even better year. I'm hoping that with 2014 being the Year of the Horse, that more positives will come.
On a personal level, this year was a living nightmare. Mike and I were talking the other night and I think we are both still in denial or shock over this past year. I can say the words but I don't think they have or ever will sink in, that I almost lost both Mike and Garrett in 2013. With Mike's heart scare and subsequent heart surgery, I am more leary of our health as we grow older. Growing older you realize that you are not invincible but this year was a true wakeup call for me. I stall cannot get over almost losing our son to menincole meningitis. To realize how close we were to losing him is unthinkable. I cannot put into words or even clear thoughts what would have happened had the outcome been different. I thank my lucky stars every day that Garrett came out of that scare with no lasting affects and that he's a happy and healthy little boy (although he seems to be getting the flu a lot more this winter). Knowing how close I was to losing both of them leaves me dumbfounded.
I am absolutely grateful that they both recovered without any lasting affects. The only affects we had from the ordeals was in our pocketbooks. We've been feeling the pressure of the hospital bills ever since Garrett was born (with his stay in the NICU and my emergency surgery and third trip into the ER). I had hoped that we would be able to take in an old horse this past year but with all the hospital bills, we'll be lucky to bring in another horse in a year or two instead. The Sanctuary is run completely off my paycheck (and don't get excited, I don't make a lot in the paying job. We simply sacrifice in other areas). The fundraisers this past year have really helped and I am eternally grateful to all those that have donated and helped out to make the Sanctuary what it is today. I hate having to turn horses away and the funds people donated have helped ease the pressures of caring for the current herd. But it would be so much nicer if we had more funds coming in. I hate to say no.
I am hoping that with this being a new year, we will be able to restore our health and have no more trips to the ER, that we will be able to enjoy our health (and the horses' health), and have a great 2014. I am excited to see 2014 in front of us. There are so many opportunities I can hardly wait to get started on them all. I have never in my life been more excited to see a year behind me than this past year.
So here's to the Year of the Horse. And for all those that have helped us this past year, even if it's simply giving moral support (which I despeartely need...always), thank you. The horses may be the reason why we do what we do, but we couldn't continue without your support. Your support and generosity humbles me.
Goodbye 2013, HELLO 2014!!!!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Catching Up
It's been a bit of an interesting start to the year. Actually, interesting isn't the word I'd use. More like stressful. When I went out to do chores New Years Eve, I wasn't expecting to put horses in but Rabbit and Rain were shivering so that changed that idea. So into the barn everyone went. The wind was terrible so I was fine with getting them into the barn as fast as I could.
I hadn't expected to see the new year roll in but we did. Our son got the flu and we spent the night up with him. So, not the exciting New Years party that everyone was expecting but at least we were surrounded by family.
When we got home, I let the horses out and got the stalls ready for tonight. The weatherman was saying that the temps would be -17 for the low tonight so everyone had to go in. The high tomorrow is -2 so it's going to be a rough morning. I cant' remember what the low is for Thursday night but I know it's below zero.
The problem is, the weather is supposed to warm up for the weekend and then we'll get another arctic cold front come through and we'll be super cold Monday into Tuesday. So far it's supposed to be the coldest weather so far this winter. Not something I'm looking forward to AT ALL.
I missed out doing a cheat sheet last year with all the commotion of hospital stays and all that. So hopefully I can do a cheat sheet of everyone in the Sanctuary along with pictures. I also want to feature a horse a month so you get to know each of the horses a bit more. I'll probably try and do another write up to sum up 2013. For the Sanctuary, it was amazing and fun. Personally, scary as H. E. double hockey sticks! But I'll probably ramble about that later. Hopefully this year I'll be able to post a little bit more than 2013. We'll see.
Here's to hoping that the Year of the Horse is a good one for the Sanctuary!
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