Howdy y’all,
It was a regular day for the sanctuary (no crisis yet) and I was busy cleanin’ a snake cage, when the back pack of dogs, began to bark. I listened, but all i heard was a bangin’ outside. Which happens now and then with Breeze, an ex-race horse. If he’s bored, that’s what he does, bang at his stall wall. By then it had started to sprinkle outside. The monsoons were here finally. But then the front pack (house in and out dogs) also joined in and was barkin’. They don’t usually do that unless it’s somethin’ that I should know about. I heard the gate bell then and looked out the window. Was this a mirage?
There was a beautiful palomino at the gate. First bangin’ with her front hoof on the gate, which is metal. Then she would nose the gate bell and make it ring. I couldn’t believe it at first and waited to see it happen again and it did. By this time it had really started to rain good. I saw that the palomino had a halter on, so just grab one of the dog leashes, that I keep by the door and went to the gate. I expected the horse to bolt and run away, but instead just nodded at me.
I unlocked and opened the gate and put the leash snap on the halter. It was a mare, so I walked her in. She didn’t give me any resistance was anxious to get in. I led her to the only pen that I had left and she went right in. She acted like she was home. Now it’s pourin’ rain and I’m wet. After checkin’ her for signs or injuries, I estimate her to be around 7 years old. I went back out and brought in a flake of hay. She was so hungry that I almost didn’t have time to put it in the feeder. She was lean, but I wouldn’t’ call her skinny. I went back out and got the hose and filled the empty 25 gallon water bucket that we keep in there and filled it. She couldn’t make up her mind which she wanted first and would go back and forth between the two. By the time I got back inside, I was drippin’ and soggy. I had an idea where she had came from and knew the owner to be neglectful to the point of abuse. When tryin’ to contact him, I found out that he had moved and abandoned her. I kept her fed and watered. She would shy away, when I was in her pen, except when I brought hay. When I put a fly mask on her, I notice a fairly fresh scar, where part of her lower eye lid and been cut. She was very hand shy too, and her hooves were very long.
We’ve had her over a month now. She’s put on weight, had her hooves trimmed, wormed and is no longer hand shy, but still is atad distant when in her pen. She finally takes pieces of carrot or apple from our hand, but it took a month before she would trust us enough and wasn’t afraid on our hands. I think that it also helped her, havin’ her across, from Sadie’s and Reyna’s corrals. She saw us handlin’ them without bein’ hurt. She is beautiful and rideable and has no special needs, outside of her leeriness about people. She has some idiosyncrasies still to deal with and we did find out that she’s been thru 3 owners that we know about. So she will become part of the sanctuary that she wanted to be.
Between friends on Facebook and other sites, we picked a list of names (we don’t humanize animals, so no human names). Dave took the list out there, she was on the other side of the pen, where the goats are. He began callin’ out first one name then another, waitin’ for a response. It’s always best to let the animal choose and not to name it somethin’ that ya wouldn’t want it to become (like devil, mischief, etc.) She finally responded to Honey Nugget. Honey Nugget was a combination of the names on the list, that a dear friend suggested. It fits her too. She’s gold, like honey or a gold nugget. She even came towards the gate where Dave was standin’ when he called it a second time. So Honey Nugget it is and she’s here to stay. After more trainin’ on manners and trust, I’ll see how she does on ridin’ bareback,without a bridle, in the turn out area.
By the way, when Sadie is out in the turn out area, she’ll eventually go over and stand by Honey’s pen. Dave put them both out in the turn out. They ignored each other for the most part. But Sadie had no problem with Honey goin’ into her pen and munchin’ on her hay. Donkeys get a very low sugar hay, not like the horses. The horses get a blend of Bermuda and Alfalfa hay. We also give them a feedin’ of hay pellets in the mornin’, with apple cider vinegar, to discourage flies. They sweat the vinegar thru their hide and flies don’t like it. At evenin’ feedin’, again they get a small meal of hay pellets, with vitamins and other supplements, dependin’ on the horse’s, age and condition.
I have been studyin’ EFT (Tapping) and it really works. Now, I’m studyin’ and learnin’ to use it on the animals. Also I’am studyin’ about Reiki for people and animals. Just beginin’, but I know that EFT works, because I use it daily.
We took in a 1 1/2 year old female (jenny) donkey. Her name is Sadie, cause she was born on Sadie Hawkins Day (Nov. 9, 2010). She came wild, from a herd of donkeys and had been with her mother til now. She doesn’t trust yet. The first day here, she was in shock, from bein’ manhandled into a trailer and brought here. But she’s beautiful and I have great hopes that she will tame down and trust. Her hooves are trimmed now and we are workin’ on her trust, with lots of goodies (carrots, apples, etc). She has her own corral and stall, but is right next to a 38 year old blind pony, and a 22 year old Paso Fino mare with a fractured pelvis (healed).
We lost 10 of our rescued special needs animals in 2011, but they lived long and had a good life with us. So far, in 2012, we’ve lost 6 animals. All have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
This is fantastic. I read the book in audio, by Brian Tracy. It’s for all us procrastinators, lol.
There’s an old saying that says… “If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day!” Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, whether you want to or not.
via Eat That Frog! Movie.
I’m 68 years old, a retired RN, a Nam vet, disabled and lots of health issues. My passion is rescuin’ animals that have been abused, neglected, abandoned or are to be euthanized. I run a 501(c)3 non-profit no-kill animal sanctuary for the special needs and elderly animals. We are their last home before crossin’ the rainbow bridge and try to make their stay full of love and comfort. We take in animals that were pets, farm and exotics. I don’t believe that animals are throw away, just because they aren’t perfect or can’t be a profit. I believe they are sentient beings. I enjoy learnin’, watchin’ TV, writin’ stories, doin’ counted cross stitch, cookin’. I’m takin’ lessons in cookin’ from Rouxbe.com, photography, etc. from Hp learnin’ center. The computer and bein’ online, is like my own private library and I’m constantly researchin’ somethin’. I have been a recluse since comin’ back from Nam. I live in the desert and haven’t been to town, except to the doctor, in 28 years. I’ve been married for 30 years to a wonderful man, who supports my passion and is my caretaker too. I would love to make contact with others that share my passsion for animals, learnin’ and creatin’. luv, Cougar
snakesncritters 