Ponies and More

As usual, I've just about forgotten to update my blog. Blah. I keep trying to stay on top of it but it just seems to slip through my mind from time to time.

Saturday we went and picked up my ponies! A seven year old Welsh mare and her yearling Welsh/Shetland filly. I was told the mare was well broke, and the filly was thrown in free after I'd agreed to take in the mare.

Well when we get there, we find the filly lassoed and tied to a tree while they struggle with her. She'd never even had a halter on before. Joy. Our trailer shows up along with a new friend of mine who is doing us the favor of hauling, and we watch them fuss with this poor yearling before stepping in finally. We got mama pony loaded fairly easily, but the yearling was a nightmare. Finally we put Steven, my very big and strong husband, at the end of the lead rope and drug her into the trailer. Poor girl.

They made it back safely, though I wasn't too amused by the project in front of me. Not that I really minded.

Wasn't too pleased when the mare turned out to be NOT well broke, or at least spoiled. She refused to move forward and if you put pressure on her, bucks and rears. She unseated me the first time but not the second time. So we're going back to square one. She had an attitude adjustment session the other day on the lunge line and it went well. Today she moved out really nicely for me. I think she just needs time.

Yearling filly is coming along really great, she is even leading without balking most of the time. But both are a bit buddy sour. They need to be separated, and will be soon. My good friend and neighbor fell in love with the yearling and is trading me three very nice does for her. So it works out well.

On other news, we lost our Great Pyrenees, Rogue. She came down with Parvo Virus and it destroyed her at a shocking rate. Despite me staying up all night forcing fluids into her every way possible, she gave up while I was on the phone with the vet trying to get in. It was a devastating blow to the entire family.
Parvo is not a joke. Even vaccinated puppies sometimes catch it. It can be spread simply by walking through where an infected dog has defecated, and then carrying it home on your shoes. There is no cure for it, and it kills your puppy by destroying the intestinal wall and track, dehydrating the dog until it dies. Symptoms include lethargy, lack of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, elevated temperature, and a very unique smell. 80% of puppies who contract Parvo die.

The virus cannot be killed by normal cleaners. I bleached down everywhere Rogue had been recently, though I could not bleach the goat pen. Which now means no dogs can be inside of it for at least six months, as the virus can live in the soil that long.

I must have caught her symptoms too late...and for that I will eternally be sorry.
On that note I will end this posting. I pray that next time it will be not so depressing.

Seven

We are extremely pleased with our new Nubian, Seven. She is absolutely the kindest little soul to ever walk this earth.

She's taken quite a liking to Rogue, the new LGD puppy. They get along great and have been seen sleeping together even.

We are really looking forward to producing some Mini-Nubians with Seven.

Rogue is turning out really great. Twice now, she's given an "alarm bark" after which I go and check up on it, making a great show of looking for the disturbance and telling her that she is a good girl for letting me know something is out there. So far, she doesn't appear to be a boredom barker, thank goodness. I do want to encourage her sounding off when she hears or sees something that might be a threat, and I think we're well on the road to that.

The extended pen is well on its way as well. Just a bit longer and I think we'll be able to haul everyone in together and get it up. I'm quite likely going to extend on side to run all the way across the back of the house. This means there will be goats right at my back door, but there's always a way around that! I'm thinking at first I can get set up a gated area to keep them away from the back door, and then later on, we can add a back porch. Won't that be nice! I can even put my milkstand on it and have an overhang, so I can milk in poor weather.

I am making a trip out of town for the first time in a long time. And it will be a trip without Steven. I know, astonishing!

I am going with my friend and neighbor to visit another friend, up in north Texas. She runs the River Bottom Ranch, and my beautiful little buckling is waiting for me. I can't wait to go, and see her, and all of her goats. We're even going to go riding, so very exciting. I haven't been horse back riding in some seven or eight years, which is sad because I used to work quite a bit with horses.

I may not be updating until I'm back from the trip, so be sure to check in after the weekend!

The Usual

Sorry its been a while. I was feeling really down after losing the bottle baby.

Things have been their usual around here. The daily in and out routine that I enjoy so much.

My brother has gone to work with husband, which is really great! They want him to cut his hair though, which he isn't happy about. But he'll do it, because you know, hair grows back but jobs right now are pretty hard to get. I'm hoping it all works out and he can start saving some money and get a hold on life.

We brought home Seven today. A Nubian. Yes, I said a floppy eared, loud mouthed, roman nosed Nubian! She is a junior and is just the sweetest thing ever. We fell in love with her some time back and when she came up for sale we couldn't resist. So she came home with us today.

We also went grocery shopping today. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Albertson's! We got a ton of food and saved over sixty dollars. It's the best. I love their sales on meats.

Rogue is doing really great in the goat pen. The other night she was barking at something. No idea what! But she was dead serious barking at whatever it was, telling it this was HER territory and that she was in charge around here. Super cute and great.

Not much else to talk about today, really. Check back soon for more.

Rogue

Still keeping an eye on the situation with the mortgage company. They get one week before I call and "inquire" about it again.

We brought home our LGD! We've named her Rogue, and she is a right clever little thing. She already has a solid foundation on recall, and I've worked with her a little each day.

She has already graduated to spending a lot of time IN the goat pen. Yes, in with the evil head honchos, Rudy and Hope. They were not pleased of course, but amazing what a few squirts of water in the face will teach a goat.

Sure enough, they started ignoring her, and the youngsters of course could care less. They'll eat right next to Rogue.

So that's working out really well. I am really pleased with her.

America and Isis are nearly back to their old selves. I keep a hawk eye watch on them and make sure everything is going alright. The only conclusion I and others could come to was that the weather changes were upsetting their systems. I pray that their problems are coming to an end.

A very good friend and breeder of mine is selling out her herd now. I am extremely sad for her, and hope that things get better. She offered me first pick, and I decided to take a very beautiful yearling Nubian she has. We fell in love with this girl on a visit to her house, and I couldn't pass her up.

Sure, its a large breed, but she is disbudded and very gentle. I look forward to seeing out it works out.

I am looking forward to making a trip up north soon, to another breeder's home. The breeder of Romeo no less! She's invited me and my neighbor friend and goat breeder to come up and spend a couple of days. She has a beautiful ranch and I am really excited to go.

I haven't been on a trip separate from Steven in a very long time, if ever. I seriously don't remember ever being apart from him for recreational purposes. But I imagine he'll live, don't you?

I'll have to show my brother how to milk poor Hope though! I think he can manage it.

Speaking of my brother, he has an interview at Steven's work, yipee! Fingers crossed all goes well.

On a final note, I'm fairly certain I felt kids moving in Rudy today. Looks like April showers bring May kids.