May 23, 2025
Where does the time go?? It can’t be my age!! At this time of the year there is so much to do and it doesn’t seem to be happening. We still have to repair the pasture fences. I am still hoping the professionals will come to replace the front fence and gate on that field. Tbars are just not getting the job done. I would just like a nice entrance to the field. Weather has a lot to do with the holdup. I was just checking the journal and this time 3 years in a row, we had the same cold, frost threatening, windy days. I put out my plants for hardening, they have been covered the last 3 nights. I guess I should have checked the journal last week. I will have to hope that I have flowers for all my pots around the property. I should have known, Too soon I grow old, too late I get smart.
At the Sanctuary, there is so much to do, which is normal when you have animals and people every day. It makes the day when folks come to help. I am just not able to pull, push, lift and shove anything more than 10 pounds these days. It is annoying, but that is the way things are. I am relegated to observing and directing, it is a tough job when you are a doer.
The flies are out and about. They are such a bother to the herd. The one hot day it would have been a prudent thing to keep the herd in for the day. You cannot do that with coughing horses though. The best we can do is wipe chests and butts with a soothing wash. It has to be seaweed for now. I ran out of dried Plantain and the plant is taking its time growing. It usually arrives with the Dandelions, not so this year. The earth is telling us something, and it isn’t really that positive. These cold windy days make it hard to believe that there is to be a hot dry summer. More bugs, ugh! On the bright side, herd members have improving health due to constant care. Oliver is not coughing as much, because the wind takes his breath away. Chairo’s eyes are doing much better since the tear ducts were flushed. But we do a regular wash with Eye Bright tea, which helps a lot. With her googly eyes she will be wearing a fly mask this summer. That of course is another challenge, we have a regular fly mask hunt, she does not like any of the models we have to offer. There is a new model every year that does not seem to work with a horse that is intent on removing said masks. What do I know, maybe she likes those face flies? Venka’s back is improving since we separated her from the big fella. Beau would wrap his neck around her an put his knee on her swayed back, putting her down on her knees. She is 44 inches high (11 hands) and he is 70 inches high (17.2 hands). This is not good, Venka does not flee from the attention, silly girl. It has taken a good month of isolation and massage to give her some relief and get her walking a little better. She needs a strong back to pull us in the cart this summer. Prince is showing his age. He is 19 this year, he came to the Sanctuary when he was 5. He is a handy pony to have about, but his back has bird bath quality. It will be good to get the herd onto summer pasture hills. The hills do so much to help strengthen old muscles and ligaments. Grow grass grow!! The land is greening, the grass has to be a lot longer for fat ponies and horses that are prone to feet problems when they graze on the short grass. The short grass has way too many sugars. There is a lot of research being done regarding this problem. But it is always the same advice, restrict grazing, restrict food. It is very difficult to manage when there is 125 feet of gut to keep filled to prevent ulcers or colic.
We are still looking for that special post secondary student to fill the SKILLS student grant. I had lovely applicants but it took so long for the grants to come through they had to find other employment. What is your interests? We do forestry, agriculture, horses, youth, and tourism. This is a great place to practise your special skills.
Love and hugs from Yogi and the herd.