Happy May Day!  Happy Spring!

After the 29 degrees we had two nights ago, it is refreshing to be getting back into warmer weather.  It is so hard to come inside when the daylight hours are so long, isn't it?

The Dynamic Trio: Taleen, Linda and Elizabeth traveled from Washington State to adopt Man Maid and Chocolate Choo Choo!

Yesterday I took Mayatuk in for his updated vaccinations and blood tests for Heartworm and Lyme's.  Lo and behold... he tested positive for Lyme's so $260 later I was walking out the door of my vet clinic feeling a little more oppressed in my pocketbook!  Add to that the fact that two days ago I was bringing Star in for his morning feed when I saw a kitty lying in the paddock with horses surrounding her.  I wondered why this silly kitty didn't get out of the way of the crushing hooves, but noticed she couldn't move and was disoriented.  Okay, panic attack - I shot out the barn door and scooped up Mayfly (yes that is a weird name) and away I went to the vet.  Turns out May has an upper respiratory infection that had progressed and caused extreme dizziness and disorientation - thus, the "bobble-head" look.  Poor May!  Antibiotics in hand, I realized that the $100 was worth it if it made her better.  So, this week the vet office made out like a bandit - and I have to get a night job to pay the bill! Of course I am joking - there is no amount of money I won't spend to help my pets stay healthy or keep them alive if something happens!

As if this wasn't enough, Tuesday as I was throwing kisses at my horses I noticed Fargo, our Paint, standing with a foot propped up.  He sustained some type of trauma to his front leg, and is now laid up in the barn, pumped up on penicillin, DMSO, and bute.  He is still not feeling that well and spend a lot of time lying down, but he can walk on the leg so we are hoping it is not a hairline fracture at this point.  If he doesn't get better in the next couple of days we are off to Town and Country for x-rays.  Sigh.....

I want to thank Adrienne de Master and her daughters for their commitment to be at the Minnesota Horse Expo two weekends ago.  Adrienne works for a living (as we all do) and made more than her share of trips back and forth from Trempealeau to the Twin Cities to set up, get horses settled, and work in between.  The demonstrations went well and we are grateful for Victory Buck (Jimmy Eaton) and Broderick (Ken and Ginny Crawford of Indiana) as representatives of the Standardbred breed.  Adrienne deserves a big hug for her countless hours at the table.  I also want to thank Sherril G. and Adrienne's friend and Caryn Everson for being there.  Also Linda Bair who drove down on Friday to help set up.  Was there anyone else I forgot to thank?  We just can't tell you how important it is to be represented at these horse expos, and the volunteers who commit to coordinating each one is valued more than words can say.

I was feeling a bit philosophical and for lack of any real crises going on (Haiaku laid down on Saturday and didn't get up for 15 hours so that was a crisis but thanks to Craid and Jordan and Torre he did stand and has been up ever since), I had a chance to read the Animal People publication that comes to me.  There was an obituary honoring the late pope, and I want to give you a few quotes from his obituary: "In 1990, the pope proclaimed that 'the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren.'  He went on to say that all animals are 'fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect'. In 1994, a new catechism stated in passages 2415-2418 that 'animals are God's creatures.  He surrounds them with His providential care.  By their mere existence they bless Him and give Him glory.  Thus, men owe them kindness'. I thought these were noteworthy quotes, and even inspiring. 

I think that life is so fragile and something to be held as a precious gift, and as I know so many people going through so many struggles right now (losing children to accidents, learning of cancer, physical and emotional struggles, divorce) it is easy to become heavy-hearted.  It is so difficult to be thankful during the hard times.  When I am feeling especially low, the best thing for me is to get outside with the animals.  I bury myself in my donkey, Tilly, and she accepts my face in her neck readily and is quite consoling.  I hug the horses I have had the honor of having in my life for 18 years now, and words cannot express how absolutely blessed I have been to have had them in my life, happy and healthy for that long.  How many horses REALLy have the same owner for 20 years?  Not many, sadly to report.

I also want to say to anyone thinking of adopting a horse that perhaps I have failed to really drive home the focus of our program and our mission, which is to find families to adopt a horse FOR A LIFETIME.  This does not mean, "when it becomes inconvenient" or "when the kids lose interest" or "when I want a different breed".  Although I can understand that all these things occur, if we can approach the adoption process as a permanent decision that means "forever" we can ask ourselves if we are capable of making this commitment before a horse ever comes to our farm or our boarding facility.  This would help prevent the horse from making unneeded transitions too.  Still, there are those times when tragedy strikes and a horse must be returned or moved to a recommended family.  This is acceptable and totally understandable.  If you are thinking of adopting a horse, please keep the word "forever" in mind.  This will prevent horses from becoming yo-yo's.  Thanks for listening to me!

Until next week,

Susan

Read past farm updates