Gogo and Andrea (We Love You!)

Many of you found my blog in November when Denali was sick, and we had planned to put her down. The wonderful, courageous, amazing Andrea led the charge of making sure that I would be able to remember Denali after she was gone. Luckily, for some still unknown reason Denali improved. The only thing we figured out is that the shit ton (actual metric unit) of bute I gave her the night before lessened the swelling enough that she regained the feeling/movement that she had lost from being on stall rest and the arthritis took over. It took away the pain, and she felt good.

I'm not going to lie. I feel sick to my stomach that after everything that happened to me, and the support she (and you) showed me that I still got to keep my mare and she might not get to do the same.  I just think life is unfair and this totally sucks.

Gogo's injury isn't improving, and whatever decision that Andrea makes (and it's only hers to make) I want to make sure that she knows that we are all here to support her. She is an amazing human being, and deserves to know that we are her to support her through this time. I am collecting money on behalf of all of us to buy her a gift. (Thank you Aimee, Monica, and Stacey for letting me lead this!) She loves that horse more than anything, and I love her for her friendship and help that she gave me over the past few months.

my Paypal is rehabdenali@yahoo.com whoever donates can help decide what to do to support Andrea.

Andrea and Gogo, we love you!

Good Pony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jaPRZd7gvJc

I sort of think he's an idiot for doing it, and it was a HUGE risk....but still, pretty impressive! What a good, good pony! Hope everyone on the East Coast is doing okay!!

Denali's Master Plan: FAIL

Over the summer, the herd that Denali lives with has changed a bit. The herd bosses Mary and Bailey were adopted, Denali's best friend moved to a training barn, and the other "lead horse" moved to the diet pasture. This left room at the top of the herd for a leader to take over.

Denali took no time in taking over.

I have to say that she is a really good mare. She's fair, she keeps everyone in line, and doesn't try to take everyones food for her own (most the time.) I would have never have guessed that she would be a good leader. Ever.

There are only 4 horses in their pasture right now. Two of them came in with injuries, which left Denali and Sunny alone to enjoy the pond/ multiple acres / and grass on their own. She was loving it. Then Denali decided to get an abscess and go lame, leaving Sunny the loan winner of "Survivor: Pasture Edition."

Denali & Mom Update

Sorry for the long delay in posting. On August 9th there was a tragic fire in our area where 6 horses died and 3 were severely injured. On Thursday August 11th I decided that we (the center I volunteer for) should do a little fund raiser. Our "little" fundraiser quickly involved over $5,000 in donations of services and 130+ people coming.

I got a little busy.

 I slept a few hours, would wake up and work the entire day trying to get things organized for Friday, August 19th. The event was crazy and wild. I don't know what I would have done if Ophie's mom, her boyfriend, and my husband wouldn't have come to help during the event. They take direction and do what I ask. It was a HUGE success and so touching to watch the community come out and help. The news even showed up, I had a slight freak out when the second new crew showed up and I managed to stay out of the camera shots, but it all went well. I'm still going through donations, and two horses are still receiving medical care. One of them is at our barn, and I am IN LOVE with him.

 You can watch the piece on the party at 3:05 at this link.

I will post more on Denali at some point. She looks amazing, is so cute when she sees me, and during the 8 days I planned the party she'd stand at the gate watching the office door (where I sat.) I love this horse. I don't know if I can ever love another horse like I love this horse. Although, she is in heat right now and is being super gross (still clacking) and in love with a 2 year old. I've taken to calling her Mary Kay Letourneau.

I Love This!

Be Back Soon!

Planning what is turning out to be a HUGE event for the horses who survived the fire at the barn up north. We are treating one of them. I will be back at the end of the month. Event is this Friday. I haven't slept since Thursday night for more than a few hours. Sorry.

WTF

Thanks

Thank you for the e-mails and comments. All is fine, a bit crazy, but fine. Lots to catch up on, but no real time to sit down and do that. I guess that is the summer for you. There was a horrible barn fire near me today. Denali's vet got called out. 5 horses died in the blaze, a 6th one was put down. It's a sad day in the horse community. This was a BEAUTIFUL facility. Immaculately kept. They are investigating. Heartbreaking and every horse owner/lover's nightmare.

Oh my.

Wow. I really suck at writing this blog in the summer hu?

My husband had surgery last week. It went well, and he is now in a walking cast. I spent last week hanging out with him so he wouldn't be by himself. He SAID he'd be fine, and I'm sure he would be. I hate being home alone.

Saturday we had another work party at the center. I am now "officially" in charge of facebook and e-mail. I LOVE my "job" and really enjoy talking to everyone about the NWESC. We cleaned out manure from the one pasture. My husband's truck became a wheelbarrow and we filled it up (and over.) It was a ton of work, but productive. One woman has a Belgian/Warmblood mare in her pasture who is sound and sane and needs a job. She had mentioned to me switching horses with her.

Denali was funny. Before the work party started I needed to move the herd from their pasture into another pasture. I opened the gate, and everyone went running into the other pasture. Everyone but Denali. I yelled for her, and she looked up at me, ad went back to grazing (the other pasture is really green and flat and she LOVES it.) I was confused but yelled for her again (she was about two football fields away.)

Nothing.

So I walk the ENTIRE WAY over there and give Denali her personal invitation. Sometimes I think she hates when I treat her like "all the horses." She followed me over to the other field and then went to it eating grass.

After the work party I opened the gate and the whole herd took off running into their clean pasture. Denali started to run, but turned and came running at me (which scared the shit out of me.) Then she stopped, walked up to me, put (not making this shit up) her head on my shoulder and pulled me towards her, then sighed. It was so cool. It makes me so freaking sad that I don't have my "own" horse to ride, but I could never NOT own Denali. She is part of me, and every time I think about finding her a new home, something happens that tells me that I can't. It's weird and has happened a lot.

After finishing unloading my truck of crap I moved the rest of the horses around and the arena was empty. I decided to take the moment to actually work my horse. It's been a long time. I wanted to see what her thoughts where of me getting on her. The last time, as you may remember, she bucked me off in .3 seconds.

I took Denali (who was not as thrilled to see me when I had a halter, I got squinty eyes) into the round pen and warmed her up. She is still super lame on the left at the trot. Makes me sad, but she's happy. Then I decided to get the mounting block out. I put her on a long rope and got up on the block. She USE to remember how to come up and stand at the block. I stood on the block and moved her around me. She did "okay" and then after a while I decided that I probably wasn't asking her so she understood. I got off, moved the block, and stood back up. I figured that if she moved off the she would know what I was asking and I could correct her.

She was so good. She stood so still and I touched her all over, pressed on her back, and played around with her, stretching her neck and such. She is so stiff. Poor girl, sucky owner. I would have leaned over her, but didn't have a helmet and WE ALL KNOW that of anyone, I would be the one to fall off and get kicked in the head.
When I got off there was SO Much licking and chewing, and I decided to stop there. We took a walk to the grain room (her favorite room) to get some carrots and then I took her back up to her boyfriend who spent the 45 minutes we were gone screaming for her. She was less than excited to see him.

Today I went out the the Giant Warmblood Barn. There is a new sale horse in the barn. He was a 6 figure imported Hunter and at 15 they are selling him to a home that plans on keeping him through retirement.He's learning dressage in the meantime. I got to watch him be ridden. Can I say HOLY SHIT! Sigh. He is amazing. He is so solid and he knows EVERYTHING. I wish I had $40,000 laying around. He is what I want (doesn't need to know as much) but he is just solid, been there, done EVERYTHING.

Don't know how much I will be around this week. I'm sponsoring the Champion Rescue Horse at the S.A.F.E. show this weekend. I am taking my tail bag business on the road and I'm also running a Duck Pond for the rescue. Busy week of organizing. It should be a fun weekend. Ophie's mom and pretend dad are going to be there too and we are camping out.