Progress

Before:

 

 

Seven weeks later:

 

 

Muse has come a long, long way in 7 weeks.  She is no longer wormy and thin.  She’s regained all the weight she desperately needed and has started to grow again.  The first two pictures were taken after a bath, groom, and clip session on Feb. 4, 2012, the morning after her “rescue”.  I still cannot believe I had to involve a lawyer to receive the horse I was under contract to pay for.

The last two pics are from today, March 24, 2012.  She’s dirty because she’s been out playing.  Much different than being dirty from neglect.

I’m happy to report that her biting issues are resolving.  She’s re-learning how to lead and learning to stand for grooming.

Muse will not be staying black.  It’s been reported that she is graying as she sheds her winter coat.  That’s alright!  She’ll look great even if she turns purple!

It’s also reported that she loves to cut the pony as though he is a cow at her current training facility.  I suppose we’ll have to go play with cows to give her a break from dressage training when she’s older.  🙂

Muse will be staying out West a while longer, we’ve decided, until she’s fully over her biting issues and her remedial education is caught up.  We look forward to moving her home by this fall.

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Questions for my Horse Friends

Do you use Triple Crown feeds?  If so or have in the past, please tell me of your experiences.  Do/did your horse(s) consume more salt while on them?  Did it take more feed to keep their weight steady?  If you have switched off, to what feed and why?  If you don’t feed Triple Crown feeds, what is it you are currently feeding whom, how much, and do you like it?  Why or why not?

Thank you!

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Farm Happenings

All ponies boarded out here in Georgia are home!  This occurred on Saturday, when Casey and Molly arrived from Molly’s previous owner’s place.  The moment Casey stepped off the trailer and I took his lead, the last bit of stress and anxiety in my body left.  My life is complete with him home, where I can see him every time I look out the window and can touch him often.

With the arrival of the ponies, my point about the builder’s paddock being too small for 4 horses really came home.  Bad Pants and I spent several hours on Sunday and Monday expanding it, so now they have the better part of 2 acres to move about on.  I am happier and they are happier.

Now that there is more space, the horses seem to be working out the last of their herd dynamic issues and have joined up into a lovely little band.  Peace reigns within the herd.  No drama.  Just happy, munching horses!

I’ve found decent hay for a reasonable price really close to us.  In addition, we met a local farmer who will disc the cleared area for us when we’re ready, and who can give us basic advise while we learn about farming in a climate still fairly new to us.

I’ve stacked a lot of hay in the cottage and started some general cleaning of it.  In the next few weeks I’ll get a sheet of plywood so Bad Pants can re-side the open side where the cottage caught on fire.  While we have plans to move the cottage later, I might as well make it function for my needs now, right?  Right!  That starts with bird proofing it asap.

Next up, we will begin to prepare for the arrival of a flock of chicks at the end of the month!  The peeps will live in the garage where I can monitor them closely for the first few weFeeks.  No pets, pests, or critters will be able to harm them there.  And, I should be able to hear any distress peeps that come out of them in the middle of the night as the master is right above.

February will see me starting cool crop seeds indoors and really prepping the garden.  If it stays mild as it has been, I will likely take the chance to start the garden earlier than our zone would suggest, but will have row covers on hand if necessary.

Later in the spring we will be adding guineas, turkeys and goats to our farm.  I want guineas because they’re great at eating ticks and garden bugs while leaving the produce alone.  And, well, turkeys are just awesome in general.  I’m hoping we’ll be adding at least two dwarf goats (breed undetermined at this time) to our farm with hopes of producing some of our own dairy later on.  I’ll have to see what comes available when we’re closer to ready.

That’s about it for now.  What are your plans for the coming spring?

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War Hero

What an impressive, brave little mare!  And to think, I spent three years at Camp Pendleton and never heard her story!

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Sugar: Day 29

Did they leave anything behind for me?

As you can see, there’s clearly nothing wrong with Sugar that simple FEEDING could have prevented.  She’s really starting to feel good now too.  Good enough that she’s starting to be a little pushy when it comes to love, feeding and going for a walk somewhere.

I’m going to de-worm her one more time as I’m still grossed out by the heavy load she was carrying.  I want to make sure they’re all cleared out and she’s absorbing the most nutrients possible.

Should I roll here?

Ahh! That's the spot!

Up I go!

That felt good!

Not only can Sugar get up and down on her own, as you can see from the photos, but she’s quite happy to trot around a bit when on turn out.

My farrier checked her out and thought she might be a little Morgan, given her bone structure.   Thinking about it a little, I think I agree.  Whatever she is, she’s a cutie!

Additionally, as of this past weekend, Sugar officially became ours.  Bad Pants made it official, she’s going to stay with us and no one else will have any say over her again.  I won’t have to stress about what sort of home she may end up in, as she’s here to stay!

 

*I should also say that Sugar has no back teeth on her right side.  No idea why, they’re just not there.

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