HAPPY ST PADDY'S DAY!!!!`

Well I thought that I would write in the color of the day, Happy St Patricks Day to Everyone,

It has been a couple busy days here at the farm. Rob and I decided that we would spend saturday at Can Am and it was a fun day, but saw most of the things that are there every year. Just hate to spend another $15 dollars for the show in the evening, so we left to go home and the car decided to have major problems with its front end.

Will have to look into a new vehicle soon

Well sunday was a normal relax day, my parents came for a visit so I took the time to spend with them and left the barn alone. There were a few that were helping with some stall cleaning, but will have toget done,

Today

Well today was a scramble from start to finish.

JJ had a appointment with the Orthopedic Surgeon today at Kids Ability and now has tovhave xrays of his hips and legs done. They are thinking he might need surgery to straighten his knees, no good!!

So be there for 9:20am and do not get into till 10am , I guess they do not think that we do have appointments also. So get that done rush to the post office to pick up the parcel from a wonderful EMGer that has donated some natural herbs for wonder who suffers from ulcers.

We have him on a gut gard, but I have to syringe it into him 2x daily before each feed and he HATES it!!

So this will be able to be put in his feed, This is great!!!

Then get home for 11 to try and stuff breakfast/lunch into me and here comes Penny Barteaux the Equine Dentist, ready to do some of the kids on the farm.

She is soooo good with them. And have to love the hold the head up system she has and brings to help her do the teeth and helps save the owners shoulders.

We did Sweetie first a boarders horse and dont you just love them when they are dopey!! LOL

She had some rough edges but in general it was just due.

Then Misty, now that is a story, She fears all things VET. She freaked out just to get the sedation. But with a little work we got it into her and then voila she is just a sweet little puppy, she had some major issues in her mouth. The sad thing is that she was done not long ago, and was not done right, she came through it like a real trooper but was so sore that she could not eat her hay, and is getting small amounts of wet food to help keep her tummy full.

Then we did Joey, he does not like it at all but was a good boy through it, with sedation on board he got them all smoothed over and is good to go again.

Next was Feenix one of our boarders young ones. She is losing his baby caps and one came off today and he was a good boy and came through it like a good boy.

The next was Hobo, he had some mahor issues also. a large hook at the back and he also was done less then 6 months ago. So with sedation in hand Penny went to work. We have been having issues trying to get him to gain weight we are hoping that this was the problem and it will help solve it,

I have attached a photo that his sponsor June OBrien came for a visit before she heads off to England for a few weeks. She took the photo of all of us freezing to death in the cold today.

As by this time it was about 2:30 and we were quite cold.

Once done we took the time to go into the house for a nice Hot Chocolate, Penny joined us and we had a great talk and the hard part paid the bill. LOL

And we reschueduled her for 3 weeks from now to do 5 more, tiss the season to get there teeth all done and ready for the summer grass. Yes I said that SUMMER GRASS we are dreaming about that around here.

Well none of the stalls got done again today, so it is going to be a VERY busy day tomorrow and a long one, Tiring that is for sure, But oh well has to be done,but thank goodness once again for pellets that help to make the stalls last longer.

So take care and talk to everyone again soon

See you

Elsa and all the "Kids"

It has been awhile...

Well hello Everyone

It has been awhile since I have written on here, sorry. Have been quite busy and quite tired by the end of the day.

THings have been busy in the barn, warm weather and fun playing with the horses as we have kids helping out on the farm.

Today Thursday March13 we had a full day of help and work.
Courtney came for the next group of horses, last week doing on some as I had been injured.
So taday it was the group that got missed.
Wendy the owenr of Sweetie came today to help hold her horse and see if we could get her back feet done. Wth a little work and patience we made it through!
Then there was:
STAR- A true little gentleman who is 15.3 and hopefully will be filling out now that he hopefully has stopped growing LOL
WONDER- My special boy that just is a doll to do anything with. Got to love the ones that almost fall asleep when the are getting done.
HOBO- Well what can I say about our older gentleman. AWESOME BOY!!
JOEY: He is a boarders horse, but loved by all of here as if he belonged to us.
PENNYLANE - Our colic girl who is fully back in training with my young apprentice who is doing wonders with her. She is ready to have a saddle on soon and will make a wonderful show pony when she is ready.
TUSCONY - Boarders horse that is a BIG and BEAUTIFUL girl and was a sweetheart to do her feet today. YAH Tuscony
HART - Sweet boy who did not wish to get caught, guess he thought it was time to work, and heaven forbid if he had to do that. LOL
LUCKY - Robs horse, time for her to get back into work and get back into shape for the summer of lessons.

And of course my wonderful sweet and kind, blind
LILLY-BELL - Lilly is just a amazing girl that I keep wondering what holds her here. She is a fighter and has such a wonderful ora about her. Usually she is nervous at the thought of lifting her feet for anything. But she was amazing with Courtney, mind you Courtney is amazing with all our horses and they feel that from her. That is why she is the BEST!!!!

We had some great kids come out and volunteer today, in the time that they were here they cleaned all my stalls and spent time grooming some of our kids. THANK-YOU to Hilary and Mandy for your time. And for Hilary to spend her birthday at our farm says alot for who she is.

We had our meeting today with our Adoption worker and set in motion the paper work to start the adoption of our grandson JJ. Finally!!

We spend the rest of the day just hanging around with the horses and having more fun. Feeding time seems to be the high lite of their day. LOL

So it is off to bed with me and hope to talk again tomorrow.

Today was a nice warm day may they STAY and just get WARMER!!

Well Good Evening

Today was a wonderfully warm day and it was just great to be out in the barn. As we waited for Rob to finish cleaning the court yard with the bob-cat, Ashley her sister Amanda and myself spent some quality time with the horses in their stalls grooming them while they ate their breakfast.

I choose to start with Star whom lately seems to have become frightened of things. With rope halter on and training lead in place, we started our work on thinning his mane and grooming him right down.

After many circles and pressing me into a wall, he began to understand that I was just there to make him feel better. Amanda watched as I worked gently with him and he felt so good that he lowered his head for me to brush his forelock out. After finishing I left it on a good note and finished with a apple wafer.What is wonderful is he is looking for more.
I will let him think on what we did today and go back tomorrow to see if it has sunk in.

Ahsley decided to start with one of our real project horses. Tango our handsome pinto who just refuses to be caught and have a lead placed on him. With alittle work she won him over and progressed to allow her to groom him and comb out his mane.

Tango has a real fear of his ears being touched and by the end of her session with him she was rubbing his ears and walking him around the pen. YAH!!!

Ashley felt like she had accomplished the world. I am teaching her to relay her feelings to Tango, as if to say without words "It is ok, I am here for you." Trust me and all will be alright" and he felt that. Pictures is attached of exactly Ashley felt about joining with Tango. The smile says it all.

Amanda her younger sister decided to work with Licorice who is a real sweet mare, but we are trying to get her to understand that though Amanda is smaller then her, she is alpha mare to Licorice.

And it seemed to work with alittle gentleness and reassurance. Picture attached.

After horses were turned out and stalls cleaned I had my time towork with Odin. I was hoping to take him to the center pen and let him burn off alittle steam, he made the choice that he was to frightened to come out of his stall that he seems to think is his safe zone.
He is wonderful to allow me to trade his halter for a rope halter and training line. We opened his door and I just stood there for about 40 minutes as he made his way out with one foot and then the other and made it all the way to 3 feet out the door.

But that was enought for him and he went back in. We ended it on a good note and treated him with a apple wafer for his efforts.

It was feeding time and all the stalls ready with hay and warm water it was turn in time, I think the horses are confused at the time change as much as I am. Not that I am complaining!! I am not... :)

When I was ready to go out to feed the outside horses I was informed that they were alaying around and just soaking up the warm sun, so I snuck up into the mow and took pictures of Feenix, Lucky, Hart taking a nice snooze.

What a cute bunch they make.

Well it is off to bed for me, another long day tomorrow.

Take care and talk again tomorrow

And June glad you like the blogs, and happy they make you feel like you are at the farm even though you are miles away. Hope to see you soon.

Ok So I am going NUTS!!

MARCH 8/08

Well if any of you are feeling the way that I am you are lacking SUMMER SUN!!!!!!!

This snow is just to much and the storm of the century hit yesterday.

I have never dreaded going outside as I did yesterday.

Here is a photo of me feeding the young boys, there shelter is right beside the house, picture taken by rob from the patio door.

As you can see the snow is blowing so hard that you cannot see the otherside of the pasture and usually you can see the neighbours house no problem.

It felt like razor blades hitting your face, it hurt!!
The horses were not happy campers, stuck in the barn and not really realizing what was going on outside there warm little stalls.

The outside horses were another story, I worried about them all day, at pionts of the day we could not see them. Ad then they would come into view.
Later when the storm got worse, we noticed Hart and Lucky were being pressed out of the shelter. So down I go, not sure where I am going to put them.
But like usual we always figure things out.

Hart was more then happy to come into the barn and Lucky followed suit not long after. But it was a day to spend with the horses. Days like that give you the opportunity to just be with them and groom them. It lets you talk and join with the horses. Gives you meaning of what life is really all about.

MARCH 9/08

Well today is the Day After the storm of the century. Just kidding but still the same it sure felt like it. :(

We woke up to snow and more snow and drifts and snow as deep as my simple little waist. Rob had to go out and clean it all up , just in case we had to get the car out.

Boarders would want to come out and see their kids and there was no way that they were going to get in our driveway with the snow. But the biggest problem was the snow that was at the barn door. There was no way to turn out horses today, by the time the snow was cleared it was to late.

So another day in. But they were ok, and tomorrow is a new day. My concern is that none of them go out and get silly and hurt them selves. So I think that I will turn out just a few at a time to make sure that no one gets hurt. Better safe then sorry.

Well goodnight everyone and look forward to telling you what kind of a day the kids have tomorrow when they hit the snow drifts in the pastures.

I am sure it is going to be quite cute. Will have to remember my camera to make sure that I get good shots.

See you tomorrow

If it SNOWS once more I am going to go NUTS!!

Well this snow if driving me crazy. I am hoping that I am not the only one. I feel like I am eating, dreaming, sleeping SNOW!!
Well tuesday night the storm it once again and we had put momma Peek-a-boo back with the herd, out for the night check I had a feeling that she was not going to be allowed to come into the shelter by the other mares, to soon for them to say Ok.

So out I go to see and sure enough there she is trying to get out of the wind and snow, so out I go the rescuer to save our little girl from becoming a snowball.
Treking through the wind and snow to the far gate to get her out and what do all the other ponies do, they come out and see what is happening. No problem with that but Peek-a-boo keeps running away from them and ultimately me to. Up and down and sure enough I hit a patch of snow that underneath lies ICE!!

WEEEEE down I go, trying to save my sorry butt, to no avail. Rench my shoulder out, got Pee-a-boo but limped back to the barn. Thank goodness she wanted into the barn as much as I did at that point.
She literally helped me up the hill to the barn by letting me hold her mane, could not see a thing for that darn snow.
Miniatures have that special little step, and hers was more then happy to jog her way to the barn and back inside to safety.
Back in her stall, snowy but happy I proceeded to go back out to check on everyone else, all fine and settled into their shelters.

But here I was aching from falling and they just did not seem to notice. Oh well!!
WEDNESDAY
Woke up very stiff and sore today, cannot seem to move my right shoulder that well. That will teach me. Ya Right!!

Everyone survived the storm and were quite happy to see mom coming with the morning feed. It really sucks to drag a big tobogan when you can hardly move. UGH!

But with everyone fed and happy I retreated to the house for morning Java. And back out to pick out stalls, got one done and that was enough.
So today they will have to wait. Thank goodness for cleaning them really well yesterday and bedding them down well.

They had a peaceful day in there stalls waiting for the storm to settle.

THURSDAY March 6

Well today is a busy day, Courtney the blacksmith is out to do the horses. So it means up earlier and get them fed and out as soon a possible. Well that did not all fall into place the way I had hoped.
Still so sore with the shoulder I moved slower then usual, I think more like a turtle...........

Boarders came and held there horses, and thank goodness for one of my best friends and boarder Kym who held my horses so that with my luck I would have one of my kids feel like being silly and janking my shoulder even worse.
But of course they were all good. Booked her back in for next thursday to make up for the ones we missed, so that I will be good and ready to hold them being I should be all healed/

Thank goodness for Rob, he is all his wonderfulness came and did the stalls with me today and they all got done in good time.

Gunner one of our horses is sooo funny. Stood like a real gentleman for his feet and then almost ran over Kym on his turnout to the yard. Running like he was 2 though add a 8 to the 2 to make him 28 and his little girlfriend Katie who is 25 following close in behind.
They were so cute, bucking and kicking and just plainly having a blast.
Teak the " Healing Horse" I call him, so soft and kind and gentle, could almost just take any problems you have away with just his sweet personality. Stood like a real gentleman and felt wonderful having new feet I think to.

Blue our new pleasure driving girl had her feet done also. Removed the back shoes she had on, just not wanting to have anyone injured with the kick of her feet. Safety for all concerned.
She has settled in pretty well. Hangs out with Tango, Licorice, Nikki and Gidget. The group of them sure a funny bunch sometimes.

FRIDAY March 7th

Well it is time to hanker down for the storm, did the usual cleaning of the stalls and filled them up with extra shavings just incase it is a stay in day tomorrow.

Turn out as usual sometimes it is hard to figure them out, their herd dynamics are amazing. One will protect another and then turn around and bite the other, I sometimes just like to watch how they interact with each other.
Here we have certian groups that go out together and if they were to mix I know that it would not be a good thing.

We have Teak, Sweetie, Katie, Gunner. Now in the barn Gunner and Katie are inseparable, but yet when turned out they seem to fight. Not sure if it is just a love hate relationship. And Katie who picks on Sweetie and Teak, hates it if they are out of her sight.
Go figure the dynamics...

Well I just came in from the night check. It is such a wonderful thing to know that everyone is safe and happy, and comfy out of the winter weather.
The pony girls are all lined up in the shelter sleeping. The 2 outside groups are enjoying the new temporary walls that dad hung today to make sure they are more comfortable from the winter winds.

Now it is time for me to get some sleep.
Goodnight folks and stay warm

Felt Almost Like Spring Was Here ? Not!!

Well today was a very beautiful day other then I felt like Dorthy in the Kansas. Horses were not sure what to do, first it is snow then ice and now water-water-water.

Spent the first part of the morning doing the scheduled worming of the farm kids. Inside horses today and the ousides get done Wednesday.
What I find so amusing is that though they get this every 3 months it is like they have never had it, once again my 100 pounds gets taken off the ground with a few of my darlings. Got to love it, and the expression on there lips after. What really is not fun is when the spit it out and I am below and silly me gets to wear a portion of it. Wipe it off and get it back into their mouths. Well their feeling of being just pissy with me went away quick when the realized that their grain nice and warm was ready for them.

Pretty soon I think I will have to be like Noah and build a Ark till the spring dry hits. This thaw is not going to be fun that is for sure.

Blue our new standardbred has settled well and loves her grain, I think she thinks that she has hit heaven. Thought about it at first yesterday and now knickers for it today. I guess nice warm grains that smell like apple pie would almost make me think of eating it... Well maybe not!

As you all know we have called the little guy Odin, he did amazing today in his learning new things. He is just in the middle of pony size and horse size rope halters, so had to go with the horse size.
After a few times of giving pressure to ask him to move forward he learned with in the 3rd time. I knew he had lots of wisdon in him. He now hangs his head over the stall door to great me in the morning, loves having me in his stall picking it out. He is very interested in the poop picking fork. Go figure :)

Teak our dear TB decided to get real playful today and open a good rip in poor Gunners turnout blanket. They like to give mom more work. They were just having fun with each other.

Ashley took our sweetie Katie to the round pen today to get her used to being away from her best buddy Gunner and prepare her for riding lessons this summer. It did not go so well, but after sometime she settled and they groomed her and brought her back to her buddy.


My own personal horse Angel-Bear winner of Equine Essentials "Heel It" Logo is just a sweet and comical girl. Does alot of talking and looks to see what I am doing in the barn all the time.
I think she feels that she is missing out on something wonderful, if she really wants to help.
She could teach all the others to not poop so much in their stalls each night.

Penny our little pony that went through colic not long ago and is all better and back into training, did great on all her flexing and yeilding. She is going to make a wonderful show pony for some child one day.

Peek-a-boo went back to the herd today. She has spent almost nine months away, 3 months before the birth of her daughter and 6 months till weaning just 3 weeks ago. We are missing Brooke her daughter. But she is in good hands in her foster home with AMULETT for weaning. You know the saying "Out of sight- Out of mind" it was to hard to have Brooke on the farm and have a proper seperation.

So we await her return, when she will then be placed up for adoption and hopefully find the Forever Family that she sooo deserves.

Check her out here at her foster home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJCZc1VZ4dw

One thing I did notice is that the clock for the blog is WAY off. It is 12:44am right now and I am off to sleep, morning comes early!!
Goodnight!!

Sometimes you Wonder??

Well Saturday March 1 was a long day, it just seemed like things were taking to long to get done. Though the horses would never have known that Mom was tired today. Got all the stalls done and bedded them down for the night.

Our new little boy who we have now named "Odin" the mythical god of Wisdom, Poetry and majic. I think that he will fulfill all these in his life.

He shows much Wisdom in wanting to learn daily from us and Poetry is in his motion that will grow as he grows and he has this Majic about him. He draws you to him,not sure what it is that draws you in but he is very magical.

We were also honoured to be given a wonderful Standardbred named "BlueAirFusion" Blue for short. We have been wanting for about 2 years to have a horse to drive in a buggy and hopefully a sleigh in the winter.

Though now we have the horse and the harness, but no buggy or sleigh. They will come in time.

She is a real sweetie, they would say Blue or Momma to her. She has been placed next to Odin, and they have seem to hit it off together.

Photo of Blue is attached here. She is a very pretty girl, and is broke to drive and is road safe and we also have been told that they rode her in just a halter and lead rope through their town.
We do not plan to ride her at this time, but in the future it might be something we would like to do.

Odin will be placed up for adoption soon and hopefully he will find a wonderful family to bring him up and give him a wonderful future as a riding horse. He has soo much possibility do to just about anything.
He has learned to trust more, compared to what he was doing the day he came. He LOVES to be rubbed and what better way to get to his mind then through lots of love and attention. He is starting to understand carrots :)))
He loves them and he loves having warm water in his pail. I wish we could have known more about his beginnings, but the condition of him, with a burr filled tail and unmaintained hooves and just plain un handled really says that what I would find out would not really matter much.

We worked on moving his feet today, he does not understand the concept of leadig, but is starting to understand the concept of pressure.
I am sure that with time he will be a wonderful gentleman to lead.

Well it is coming on 9:30pm and will soon be time to go and do night check.
Want to have that warm coffee in before it is time to go back into the cold.

Goodnight and hope all had a wonderful weekend