The weatherman had been talking about storms and rain for a week now but it took until last night to get any bit of rain. I was actually starting to worry. I can't remember the last time we had any rain. I should have paid more attention to Mayhem. When there's drastic weather changes, she doesn't feel good and she didnt' feel good the night before last. Some days I'm on auto pilot that I don't always pay attention like I should.
We've had 90+ degree weather and lots of wind Sunday and Monday. I'd keep watching the sky waiting for the storms and nothing. I hate storms so I'm always a bit antsy. We were supposed to have storms the week before and with the hot weather I was sure we were going to get a nasty storm. I always get spooked with storms. Guess it comes with age. So Sunday and Monday we'd been dealing with extreme heat. It's not 90 in June usually! Monday night there was a line of thunderstorms that I thought were moving in. I sat out and watched them but we didnt' get anything. When I woke in the morning, they were still where they had been the night before. Odd that it would stall out like that.
On Tuesday the temps fluxuated so drastically it was hard to keep up. It was actually decent out in the morning in the mid 70s and no one was sweltering like before. Mid morning the temps dropped and that should have been an indication that the storms were finally moving but again I was on auto pilot. I left our place in the afternoon and it was mid 70s, I saw 80 just north of the Sanctuary and by the time I reached Madison 30 minutes (30 miles) later, it was 67 and it never got any warmer.
Then the storms rolled in early evening and we got our much needed rain. Of course I didn't get out of Madison in time and had to drive in the rain. I must have missed the majority of the downpour because I saw standing water in fields as we drove home. There wasn't standing water when we drove by in the afternoon. I havent' looked at the numbers yet. With all the tiling going on, I expect our pasture to be flooded again. I'm so mad about that but that's for another post. I have my idea on how to fix at least one of the issues.
The rest of the week isn't supposed to be too hot. It's actually a little chilly at this moment but I'll take it after 90s. I'm too fat for it to be this hot. And it's so hard to keep the horses comfortable when it's 90. We also have August flies rather than June flies. I call them August flies because they are mean and bite and they know the end is near. This time they are here early. They aren't the face flies that swarm the horses's head but they are the ones that go after the legs and bite hard. I dug around and found my shoo fly boots but I don't have enough to go all the way around. I wish I could buy a pair for each horse but at $45 for a set of four, it's not possible when you have 14 horses. I try to buy one or two pairs a year and then at least get the leggings on the fronts so there's a little less stomping going on. Sadly, they wear out faster than I can afford to replace them AND buy enough to get everyone covered. And we didn't have the horse expo this spring so no chance of buying them already. If I remember right our local Fleet Farm might have them but I haven't been in a store since mid March. Mike goes in and does all our shopping while I stay home and watch the kids. It's a struggle since I'm the one who keeps track of what all we need. But a trip in to Fleet Farm might be in order to buy fly leggings for the horses. It would be relief for a few more horses and I could rest a little easier.
We have a working/cleanup day this Sunday and already have a few volunteers willing to come out. We are going to do some vaccinations and deworming and then I'll let them get the grooming brushes out and take care of all the witches knots that seem to be taking hold of the horses' manes lately. I'm sure the horses will love all the attention. Lets hope it's not 90 degrees on Sunday so we can get a few things done.
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Family
Last night I pulled a chair into the driveway to watch the lighting and storm rolling in (it never did). It gave me time to review the day, count my blessings, be thankful for the good that had come that day. It gave me time to reflect and relax. Something I have been needing for awhile. We've had a lot of stress lately and I'm not coping with it very well. Hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel.
I am saddened but I have made the realization that I need to call the vet to make an appointment for Jessie. Her body is giving out and she's told me in her own way that she's ready. Now it's my responsibility to honor her wishes. It's a hard idea to wrap my head around. It's not like she's the first we'll have to say goodbye to, nor will she be the last. But she is family.
If you know me, you know family is the most important thing for me. I wouldn't have said that pre kids but it is true. My kids take priority (don't get me wrong, the horses get taken care of as well), and that is why I feel like I've been slipping a little. But the horses are also family. Each has their own personality, their own likes and dislikes, their own soul that draws me in to their quiet and calmness.
When I look at the herd, we've had most for many years. Jessie and Diavlo are the newest and it's hard for me to fathom that they've only been here for eight months. It feels like they've been with us for years. But I have said countless times, it's about quality not quantity when you spend time at Borderlands.
But it's not just the horses that become family. Each of the horses that comes to Borderlands had a past prior to coming here and calling Borderlands "home" for their final time on this earth. Sometimes we are fortunate to know the previous owners and we do our best to keep them in the loop of general activities and health. Others have come to Borderlands without any care from their previous owners. Those owners that we stay in contact with while the horse is in our care becomes family. They are a part of the horse's life and now a part of our lives so that makes them a part of our family.
It's also true of volunteers and those that help with the horses like our farrier. Our previous farrier (before he retired) would come whenever we asked. We became instant friends. We now go months without talking to each other but the minute we get a phone call or a text with questions or needing help, we are there. It's what family does. In fact, our previous farrier became godfather to all three of our kids. Because once you are around us and Borderlands for any amount of time, you become family. I consider our current farrier the same way. Even our vet is like family where I know that I can contact them with any questions (professional and personal) and they will answer. And if we need anything or they need anything, we'll be there.
So if you're considering becoming involved with Borderlands, just know, you'll become family if you stick around us for any length of time. We might be the crazy black sheep part of the family, but we are family and we'll be here for you.
Friday, June 5, 2020
10 Years
Hard for me to realize that 10 years ago today, my Dad on Chaos and me on Zeke rode up to the little white church on my wedding day.
I've had so many ups and downs in this past ten years. So many horses have come and gone in the past ten years. Luckily we haven't had to say goodbye to either Zeke and Chaos and God willing, we will have both for many years to come.
Here's a few pics from 10 years ago on this very day.
Thursday, June 4, 2020
Happy Herd
It's very relaxing to watch the herd wander out to the big pasture every morning. In the beginning they would rush out full gallop, hit the pasture and keep on running. This morning, they've decided to take a slower approach to the morning by wandering slowly to the pasture. I don't think everyone wanted to go at that pace but if the boss says walk, then the herd walks. I think without having Rain instigate (even though he's not the boss), then the rest of the herd just wanders out.
After a week on pasture, they are looking fantastic. Almost everyone's shaggy winter coats are gone and we are now with sleek beautiful horses. I've been keeping a close eye on Jim. Every March he starts to lose weight and it's not until pasture time that he starts to pick up weight. After one week, he's already putting on some weight (unless I'm looking through rose colored glasses again).
I can sigh a bit of relief when I see the herd and realize they are happy and healthy. Sleek coats, clear eyes, happy minds. It's all wrapped up into happy horses, which makes me feel like I'm doing something right. But then I look at Jessie and I question everything again.
I still have the mares, Diavlo, and ponies on the lawn pasture. I'm going to move corral panels around today or tomorrow and get them eating down the lawn in a different part. I realize the lawn may not have as good a pasture as a pasture. We will see how she progresses through June. If at the end of June, she's not picked up weight, we will have to make arrangements. I have more to say about it but will weight. It's more me questioning my abilities as a caretaker than anything.
We are out of the 90s for the rest of the week but still dealing with upper 80s for temps. It's a bit much for this time of year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this doesnt' turn into a drought. We were supposed to get storms the last two days and got only a sprinkle, not even enough to wet the ground.
I guess we'll get rain about the time I need to work on a project that cant' have rain. We have about eight ongoing projects at the Sanctuary right now. It's all improvements to make the place better and easier to use as we get older. Some are improvements we should have done years ago and others are improvements that need to be done that cropped up (because there's always something when you live on an acreage). Here's to us getting all of our projects done this summer!
After a week on pasture, they are looking fantastic. Almost everyone's shaggy winter coats are gone and we are now with sleek beautiful horses. I've been keeping a close eye on Jim. Every March he starts to lose weight and it's not until pasture time that he starts to pick up weight. After one week, he's already putting on some weight (unless I'm looking through rose colored glasses again).
I can sigh a bit of relief when I see the herd and realize they are happy and healthy. Sleek coats, clear eyes, happy minds. It's all wrapped up into happy horses, which makes me feel like I'm doing something right. But then I look at Jessie and I question everything again.
I still have the mares, Diavlo, and ponies on the lawn pasture. I'm going to move corral panels around today or tomorrow and get them eating down the lawn in a different part. I realize the lawn may not have as good a pasture as a pasture. We will see how she progresses through June. If at the end of June, she's not picked up weight, we will have to make arrangements. I have more to say about it but will weight. It's more me questioning my abilities as a caretaker than anything.
We are out of the 90s for the rest of the week but still dealing with upper 80s for temps. It's a bit much for this time of year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this doesnt' turn into a drought. We were supposed to get storms the last two days and got only a sprinkle, not even enough to wet the ground.
I guess we'll get rain about the time I need to work on a project that cant' have rain. We have about eight ongoing projects at the Sanctuary right now. It's all improvements to make the place better and easier to use as we get older. Some are improvements we should have done years ago and others are improvements that need to be done that cropped up (because there's always something when you live on an acreage). Here's to us getting all of our projects done this summer!
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Jessie Update
I had hoped we could hold off making a decision about Jessie until this fall. I don't think that's going to be the case. She'd been holding weight ok all winter and then in March, she started dropping weight. I thought maybe it was just me trying to not look through rose colored glasses.
At the end of May we took a much needed mental and emotional break from reality and when we returned I knew I wasn't looking through rose colored glasses. Jessie looks terrible. I haven't been around her mentally to really make the connection that her time on earth is nearing its end. She's not told me she's ready until I put her into the pasture. Diavlo was pushing her around and I could tell that she's not got the spark like she used to.
I want to wait and see if the grass is what she needs but I don't think so. Looking at her, she looks terrible. I don't even need to compare her to anyone else. She's lost so much weight over the last month that I'm ashamed I've let her go so far. I know weight loss can be sudden but I questioned it a month ago and thought maybe I was just over reacting. I was not.
I've tried changing up her grain and/or adding more and none of that helps. We'll see what pasture does for her but we may be looking at saying goodbye much sooner than I had expected.
It's not like this day wasn't coming. With our vet telling us she had five loose teeth along with some missing, that when she did lose those teeth, we'd probably have to say goodbye. I guess I'd hoped that I wouldn't have to make this decision until fall when it's easier knowing winter will be here.
I plan on giving her a bit more time to see if the pasture does help but I'm not holding my breath. She's already told me she's tired. I feel like I've done her an injustice. The saying "out of the frying pan, into the fire" keeps coming to mind. Have I done all I can do for her? Would she (and the rest of her herd) been better off with someone else? As it is with the four we were asked to take in last fall, one refused to load and only through the grace of the horse gods was someone able to rehome her that was nearer and who she liked. Ransom we lost within a month of coming to the Sanctuary (again the saying out of the frying pan, into the fire comes to mind), and now Jessie. I feel like I've not only let each individual horse down, but also the owner, and his family.
The problem is going to be with Diavlo. We found out that rather than mother/son, it's sister/brother. No matter the case, Diavlo is so attached to Jessie, I don't know what to do. He hates being away from her. He goes ballistic. If I have decent fencing, he'll pace the fence until she's in eye sight and then he'll stand there and watch her like a hawk. Luckily he's not a fence pusher but he questions the fencing if he's separated.
So what do I do? He's still very much an able bodied horse so there's no thought of saying goodbye to him when we say goodbye to Jessie. That option isn't on the table.
But do we take Diavlo with and let him know that she's gone? Let him see that she's gone and let him mourn? Do we load up Jessie and leave Diavlo home to pace the fence and always wonder? He's going to spiral into a depression no matter what.
Brego knew that Ivan died on the place and he spiraled into a depression. Zeke knew that Bo left but didn't go into a depression (or at least not a severe one). But with Diavlo being SO connected to Jessie (even more so than Ivan and Brego who were together all the time), I'm not sure what to do. Diavlo seems like he can't function without Jessie in his sites.
I don't know what to do. But no matter what, we'll have to get everything lined up pretty soon. If the heat continues, I know it's not fair to keep her going. I want her to have a belly full of grass, a mouth full of grain, and sunshine on her back when she goes. But I hadn't prepared myself for making the phone call so soon. It'll be this month, but I'm not sure when this month and how to handle Diavlo after that.
My already somewhat precarious emotional and mental state is fragile right now and making this tough decision is going to really stress me out.
At the end of May we took a much needed mental and emotional break from reality and when we returned I knew I wasn't looking through rose colored glasses. Jessie looks terrible. I haven't been around her mentally to really make the connection that her time on earth is nearing its end. She's not told me she's ready until I put her into the pasture. Diavlo was pushing her around and I could tell that she's not got the spark like she used to.
I want to wait and see if the grass is what she needs but I don't think so. Looking at her, she looks terrible. I don't even need to compare her to anyone else. She's lost so much weight over the last month that I'm ashamed I've let her go so far. I know weight loss can be sudden but I questioned it a month ago and thought maybe I was just over reacting. I was not.
I've tried changing up her grain and/or adding more and none of that helps. We'll see what pasture does for her but we may be looking at saying goodbye much sooner than I had expected.
It's not like this day wasn't coming. With our vet telling us she had five loose teeth along with some missing, that when she did lose those teeth, we'd probably have to say goodbye. I guess I'd hoped that I wouldn't have to make this decision until fall when it's easier knowing winter will be here.
I plan on giving her a bit more time to see if the pasture does help but I'm not holding my breath. She's already told me she's tired. I feel like I've done her an injustice. The saying "out of the frying pan, into the fire" keeps coming to mind. Have I done all I can do for her? Would she (and the rest of her herd) been better off with someone else? As it is with the four we were asked to take in last fall, one refused to load and only through the grace of the horse gods was someone able to rehome her that was nearer and who she liked. Ransom we lost within a month of coming to the Sanctuary (again the saying out of the frying pan, into the fire comes to mind), and now Jessie. I feel like I've not only let each individual horse down, but also the owner, and his family.
The problem is going to be with Diavlo. We found out that rather than mother/son, it's sister/brother. No matter the case, Diavlo is so attached to Jessie, I don't know what to do. He hates being away from her. He goes ballistic. If I have decent fencing, he'll pace the fence until she's in eye sight and then he'll stand there and watch her like a hawk. Luckily he's not a fence pusher but he questions the fencing if he's separated.
So what do I do? He's still very much an able bodied horse so there's no thought of saying goodbye to him when we say goodbye to Jessie. That option isn't on the table.
But do we take Diavlo with and let him know that she's gone? Let him see that she's gone and let him mourn? Do we load up Jessie and leave Diavlo home to pace the fence and always wonder? He's going to spiral into a depression no matter what.
Brego knew that Ivan died on the place and he spiraled into a depression. Zeke knew that Bo left but didn't go into a depression (or at least not a severe one). But with Diavlo being SO connected to Jessie (even more so than Ivan and Brego who were together all the time), I'm not sure what to do. Diavlo seems like he can't function without Jessie in his sites.
I don't know what to do. But no matter what, we'll have to get everything lined up pretty soon. If the heat continues, I know it's not fair to keep her going. I want her to have a belly full of grass, a mouth full of grain, and sunshine on her back when she goes. But I hadn't prepared myself for making the phone call so soon. It'll be this month, but I'm not sure when this month and how to handle Diavlo after that.
My already somewhat precarious emotional and mental state is fragile right now and making this tough decision is going to really stress me out.
Another Hot One
We had another scorcher of a day yesterday. No one is ready for 90+ degree weather. I was worried about Skippy and Jessie because they haven't yet shed out their winter coats. They have varying degrees of winter coats and I was hoping we'd gradually get to warmer weather instead of an instant change. I always worry about drastic weather changes because it can cause colic and if not colic, it can cause stress on a horse. With some being older and not in the best of health, I worry that any major weather change will cause severe problems.
We did discover that Diavlo is a water horse. He loves to dunk his head and splash the water out of the tank. I know in his previous home, he had an auto water but where he's at now, we have to fill a 100 gallon tank. I'm hoping this summer we can put in the lines and add an auto water to one of the pastures near the barn where they winter. We've changed the setup of how we do winter chores and I'm finally hitting the point where I need to make life easier when it comes to chores. Hauling 20 gallons of water every night in sub zero temps isn't for me any more. But it's added costs and I'm not sure where we will find the funds for it.
We've not had any fundraisers and with covid, aren't planning on any. All of the activities and programs we were going to start are on hold. Some of it is due to covid and come of it is due to some stresses we are dealing with. I can only take so much emotional and mental turmoil and I've been at a breaking point for some time. I'm not looking for sympathy, simply trying to explain why it felt like we were finally making traction and getting somewhere and now are at a complete standstill again.
If someone is interested in helping out, I'd love to hand over what we were going to do and see if someone else can run with it. I know they will do a better job than I can.
Luckily we aren't supposed to be dealing with as extreme heat today. This week and next is supposed to be in the mid to upper 80s. Still too hot for this time of year but at the very least we can start looking at getting some winter stuff cleaned up (thinking blankets). We'll see how much time I have to get stuff done.
I need to start making lists to actually get stuff done. I've been dropping balls left and right and can't seem to juggle the new "normal" that we have right now. So if anyone wants to help, I'd love to hear from you. You don't even have to be local to help! Most of what I need help with I need online so you can be from anywhere helping out our senior horses. With your help, we may just be able to open our doors to another deserving senior!
We did discover that Diavlo is a water horse. He loves to dunk his head and splash the water out of the tank. I know in his previous home, he had an auto water but where he's at now, we have to fill a 100 gallon tank. I'm hoping this summer we can put in the lines and add an auto water to one of the pastures near the barn where they winter. We've changed the setup of how we do winter chores and I'm finally hitting the point where I need to make life easier when it comes to chores. Hauling 20 gallons of water every night in sub zero temps isn't for me any more. But it's added costs and I'm not sure where we will find the funds for it.
We've not had any fundraisers and with covid, aren't planning on any. All of the activities and programs we were going to start are on hold. Some of it is due to covid and come of it is due to some stresses we are dealing with. I can only take so much emotional and mental turmoil and I've been at a breaking point for some time. I'm not looking for sympathy, simply trying to explain why it felt like we were finally making traction and getting somewhere and now are at a complete standstill again.
If someone is interested in helping out, I'd love to hand over what we were going to do and see if someone else can run with it. I know they will do a better job than I can.
Luckily we aren't supposed to be dealing with as extreme heat today. This week and next is supposed to be in the mid to upper 80s. Still too hot for this time of year but at the very least we can start looking at getting some winter stuff cleaned up (thinking blankets). We'll see how much time I have to get stuff done.
I need to start making lists to actually get stuff done. I've been dropping balls left and right and can't seem to juggle the new "normal" that we have right now. So if anyone wants to help, I'd love to hear from you. You don't even have to be local to help! Most of what I need help with I need online so you can be from anywhere helping out our senior horses. With your help, we may just be able to open our doors to another deserving senior!
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
It's Defnitely Summer
The first day of June rolled in like it was summer. Hot and humid! At one point, I saw 99 degrees. That's a bit of a switch when just the week before we were wearing winter coats (of course that was out in the Black Hills for a much needed vacation and break from reality). But it's a hard switch even going from 70s to 90s in just a day.
I noticed Skippy and Farley (the dog) were both having issues with the heat yesterday. We have another day of heat on the books and they are talking storms for this afternoon. I moved corral panels around so that we could get the mares, Diavlo, and the ponies out onto the lawn to graze it down and to adjust to pasture life.
I honestly dont' want to put Jessie out on the pasture near the road. She's lost so much weight. I feel like I've done her an injustice. That saying "Out of the frying pan, into the fire" keeps coming to mind. I realize she couldn't stay at her previous home but I'm not sure that I did her any good. She has 24x7 access to hay and gets grained nightly and yet the pounds keep falling off of her. I keep racking my brain to figure out what I'm doing wrong. For some reason I feel like I've failed her and am doing something wrong. I realize that at 26-ish and with either five loose or missing teeth, that she's having a hard time eating and that's the cause. I could pump her full of grain but she decides when she's done. I've never really had a self regulating horse before. The other day I grained her and she didn't eat it all. She's gotten much slower when she's wandering the pasture. Oh she still insists on pacing the fence line if she doesn't like the situation. I moved her over to the pony pen so she could eat that bale of hay. It didn't work out (much to her delight). Now she's back to where she wants to be. She's very opinionated on what she does and does not like. At least it's easy to know and fix But I still can't figure out what to do. She's now on the lawn pasture and grazing 24x7. If she doesn't pick up any weight in the next few weeks, we are going to have to make a decision.
I'm not sure what we'll end up doing with Diavlo. He's going to be devastated. He's already so protective of her it drives me nuts. Even now while out on pasture, if I'm standing there and she comes up, Diavlo pushes his way in so that he is in between me and Jessie. It has nothing to do with me. It's Diavlo being protective (to the point of driving both me and Jessie crazy). Mayhem tags along for the ride. The ponies stay far away from Diavlo. He hates them but I dont' have much choice right now in where the mares and ponies go so they have to be together at least for the time being. It'll change in another week when I need to move them to a different location on the lawn. Diavlo is going to be devastated when we lose Jessie
The big herd is finally out to pasture. We were supposed to have fence guys come to redo the pasture fence and the drylot and I'm still waiting. I think it's just a phone call but now I don't want them trampling what little precious grass we do have. If the summer is going to be as hot as it is now, I want to conserve as much grass as possible. Having gone through a drought eight years ago, I don't want to go through that again. Our neighbors aren't the same as we had eight years ago who let us use their pasture (and they put a for sale sign out so we'll have new neighbors again). But hopefully we can get on the books for getting refencing done this fall when the grass isn't as lush and we'll be supplementing with hay. Although having my corral panels back would be nice
The herd is happy to be out in grass but they are already making their normal routine of standing in the run in shed off the barn. We finally got it cleaned out and now they are making a huge mess. I need to remember to start being better about clean up duty but life has been pretty busy lately.
We went on a much needed vacation over Memorial Weekend. It was the first time my entire family has been together since January. We normally get together every few weeks. We've been dealing with some extra family stuff and that's added a lot more stress than I had realized. Ever since we found out, it's been at least every other night of crying myself to sleep so the break where we can all be together was a definite must. I needed a break mentally and emotionally. What's that saying, you're no good if you dont' take care of yourself? Well, I know I'm more than a little stressed and needed to get away. I don't know what this summer will bring. With the added stress and then add on covid, I'm pretty well done in. We had plans to start moving forward on some projects, but we are putting those on pause for a little longer. Juggling work from home, kids all day (not at daycare), and the horses doesnt' leave me time to look into really getting our programs going like I wanted. We will have to simply see how things progress through the summer. For now, it's a pause on the activities and not a completely stop. It's not like I haven't had to pause on these programs before. It's all stuff up in my head that I'd love to get going but for now, we'll just have to hold off or start much smaller than I had hoped. I'm more than a little sad to put a pause on them. We were making leaps and bounds on some and I was so excited but, it is what it is.
We will simply stick closer to home and work on a bunch of home/sanctuary improvements that need to be done and I've been putting off. It's not that I've wanted to put them off but when you aren't home, you can't work on them. So hopefully now that we are home all the time, we can start working on these projects.
I noticed Skippy and Farley (the dog) were both having issues with the heat yesterday. We have another day of heat on the books and they are talking storms for this afternoon. I moved corral panels around so that we could get the mares, Diavlo, and the ponies out onto the lawn to graze it down and to adjust to pasture life.
I honestly dont' want to put Jessie out on the pasture near the road. She's lost so much weight. I feel like I've done her an injustice. That saying "Out of the frying pan, into the fire" keeps coming to mind. I realize she couldn't stay at her previous home but I'm not sure that I did her any good. She has 24x7 access to hay and gets grained nightly and yet the pounds keep falling off of her. I keep racking my brain to figure out what I'm doing wrong. For some reason I feel like I've failed her and am doing something wrong. I realize that at 26-ish and with either five loose or missing teeth, that she's having a hard time eating and that's the cause. I could pump her full of grain but she decides when she's done. I've never really had a self regulating horse before. The other day I grained her and she didn't eat it all. She's gotten much slower when she's wandering the pasture. Oh she still insists on pacing the fence line if she doesn't like the situation. I moved her over to the pony pen so she could eat that bale of hay. It didn't work out (much to her delight). Now she's back to where she wants to be. She's very opinionated on what she does and does not like. At least it's easy to know and fix But I still can't figure out what to do. She's now on the lawn pasture and grazing 24x7. If she doesn't pick up any weight in the next few weeks, we are going to have to make a decision.
I'm not sure what we'll end up doing with Diavlo. He's going to be devastated. He's already so protective of her it drives me nuts. Even now while out on pasture, if I'm standing there and she comes up, Diavlo pushes his way in so that he is in between me and Jessie. It has nothing to do with me. It's Diavlo being protective (to the point of driving both me and Jessie crazy). Mayhem tags along for the ride. The ponies stay far away from Diavlo. He hates them but I dont' have much choice right now in where the mares and ponies go so they have to be together at least for the time being. It'll change in another week when I need to move them to a different location on the lawn. Diavlo is going to be devastated when we lose Jessie
The big herd is finally out to pasture. We were supposed to have fence guys come to redo the pasture fence and the drylot and I'm still waiting. I think it's just a phone call but now I don't want them trampling what little precious grass we do have. If the summer is going to be as hot as it is now, I want to conserve as much grass as possible. Having gone through a drought eight years ago, I don't want to go through that again. Our neighbors aren't the same as we had eight years ago who let us use their pasture (and they put a for sale sign out so we'll have new neighbors again). But hopefully we can get on the books for getting refencing done this fall when the grass isn't as lush and we'll be supplementing with hay. Although having my corral panels back would be nice
The herd is happy to be out in grass but they are already making their normal routine of standing in the run in shed off the barn. We finally got it cleaned out and now they are making a huge mess. I need to remember to start being better about clean up duty but life has been pretty busy lately.
We went on a much needed vacation over Memorial Weekend. It was the first time my entire family has been together since January. We normally get together every few weeks. We've been dealing with some extra family stuff and that's added a lot more stress than I had realized. Ever since we found out, it's been at least every other night of crying myself to sleep so the break where we can all be together was a definite must. I needed a break mentally and emotionally. What's that saying, you're no good if you dont' take care of yourself? Well, I know I'm more than a little stressed and needed to get away. I don't know what this summer will bring. With the added stress and then add on covid, I'm pretty well done in. We had plans to start moving forward on some projects, but we are putting those on pause for a little longer. Juggling work from home, kids all day (not at daycare), and the horses doesnt' leave me time to look into really getting our programs going like I wanted. We will have to simply see how things progress through the summer. For now, it's a pause on the activities and not a completely stop. It's not like I haven't had to pause on these programs before. It's all stuff up in my head that I'd love to get going but for now, we'll just have to hold off or start much smaller than I had hoped. I'm more than a little sad to put a pause on them. We were making leaps and bounds on some and I was so excited but, it is what it is.
We will simply stick closer to home and work on a bunch of home/sanctuary improvements that need to be done and I've been putting off. It's not that I've wanted to put them off but when you aren't home, you can't work on them. So hopefully now that we are home all the time, we can start working on these projects.
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