Valley View Ranch Equine Rescue

April 2009

Irina and Shaula's Training Blog

IRISH FIRST RIDER

Irish is a 3 years old Palomino Quarterhorse gelding; he's been to Monty's where he was started with saddle and ground driving, this happened ?? months ago; so yesterday, after some ground work (saddle and long lining driving) I bellied over my sister, my personal assistant; he did good, so we carried on with sitting in the saddle (this time it was me sitting on the saddle and my sister holding him)...he did very good! we just walked him, as first riding day. I can't say that he was relaxed but he was really trying to accept this heavy moving thing on this back! That's was the end of his first rider session! Anyway he didn't buck, rear, or anything! good for me!

But the second day, oh man, he decided that maybe if he would run/ flight as fast as he could, he would probably get rid of this weird thing on his back! But he didn't, luckily! and luckily he didn't buck at all either! Here comes the best part...while travelling left, counterclockwise he had the bad habit to turn the other way (habit that didn't work when working from the ground); so I said to my sister to pay attention when going that direction, but she misunderstood so it just happened! At crazy canter he stopped, spinned 180 degrees and continued canter like crazy the other way! what a shot! I lost both stirrups and I was sure I was gonna fall down! That was a lot of fun (for me) I say now!

Here some pictures!

DIEGO FIRST RIDER

Diego is a 4 years old, Quarter horse cross, he was already started with saddle, but he'd never been ridden before, so after a couple of days of groung driving with long lines, we rode him for the first time; he's the kind of horse that worries about it and gets stiff.

The second day we traveled all the gaits, he was still stiff but he did good! he was more relaxed than the day before! he's such a nice boy!

We are

MOJAVE'S

When she first got here we didn't know if she was broke or not, so we worked her in the round pen to see how she would do; we put the saddle and the bridle on and she was a good girl about it, after that we worked her on the long lines and she was perfect, ready to ride! so got on her in the round pen and after a couple of days of riding her in the round pen, we introduced to her an other horse and rode her in the arena; now we can ride her in the arena by herself and she's a good girl, she goes just fine! she still need training. She loves to run and go fast! She'll be a perfect jumper or barrel horse! Something funny about her? the first day we rode her in the arena she was so scared of her own shadow!

 Well off I went again for another trip to the Nevada Feedlot to pick up another trailer load of lucky horses. These guys and gals were particularly lucky because they were not only going to great places but I had two special people with me on this trip. Shirley Puga their own Equine Angel and Lynn Hummer from Pregnant Mare Rescue in Aptos Ca. went with me on this trip.

 First, Shirley got to my place late in the afternoon and we jumped right into the truck and started out for Aptos to "kidnap" Lynn. We left Aptos with our "captive" about 7 PM and headed over to Nevada. We pulled into Reno sometime after 2 AM and got some sleep then headed over to the feedlot to pick up our lucky guys and gals.

 Without too much trouble we were on our way over the mountains to deliver our precious cargo to waiting loving arms.

  We had a blast on our trip and really go to know Lynn really well.  What a sweet person, she certainly has her heart in the right place. Please search for her website and take a look at her rescue site.

  NOTE; Thank you all for your well wishes and condolences on the loss of our stallion Gallant Jacket. It sure seems empty around here without him.

All of us horse people know that with horses comes joy, happiness, compassion, patience, excitement, contentment and many other great emotions. Then comes the frustration, dissapointment, sorrow, surprise, expectations, sadness and heartbreak.

These things can happen on daily basis and even with one horse. That's what happened on the morning of Jan. 16th.

The joy comes when you wake up and things are going well. I was going to deliver one of the rescued horses to Tranquility Farms in Tehachapi, CA. He had done well in quarantine and was ready for delivery. I was happy that things were going as planned. That's when I got the news that my paint stallion that I have had for many years had gotten out of his pipe corral. I had stopped breeding him when I had seen how many horses were out there to rescue and he was in a solid pipe corral that was in another paddock. He was in the paddock with two other horses and he is very well mannered and was just wondering around. I felt bad for him not being able to be in with other horses but at 15 he just wouldn't adjust well to gelding. I started to get my boots on and catch him when he trotted up behind one of the other horses. That's when the other horse kicked out at him and caught him just above the hock. There wasn't a thing that I could do. It was just a lucky shot on the other horses behalf. There was no real malice, just a harsh warning shot that happened to connect. The wrong place at the wrong time. I saw it and there was no doubt in my mind at that time. Gallant Jacket, Grandson of Gallant Ghost on his sires side and Old Cutter Bill, Poco Pine on the bottom side,  had broken his leg. A complete open fracture just above the hock. No gore , not much blood just bone barely poked thru then dissapeared back into his sleek black leg.

He hobbled off, leg dangling back thru the opening in his pipe pen and stood there waiting for me to come help him. I went out and closed the pen and gave him some food, while I hooked up the horse trailer. He has always been an awesome, quiet easy going stallion and this was no exception. He quietly ate his hay until I had called a vet, and neighbor that has a huge ranch up the road.

He loaded into the trailer with no problem, his pain level was not intolerable yet. I drove VERY slowly and carefully the 4 miles to the ranch and with as much sorrow and heartbreak as we could all stand Jack was euthanized quietly, with the people that really loved him talking to him and petting him.

Gallant Jacket was buried up on a hill that overlooks a pasture with a herd of horses running in it. One of those horses is a little grey filly that is turning two this year.  Her name is Syrah, she is the foal of the first horse that I rescued from the Slaughter Feedlot "Chance" They are at the top of every page of my website.

I just picture Jack standing watch over her from the top of that hill.

This is the first glimpse that I got of the poor guy that had the misfortune of being owned by an older gentleman that had been diagnosed with cancer. The actual misfortune came when this gentleman’s "family" decided to "find" new homes for all of his horses and took them all to an auction in Nevada. They were ALL bought by a kill buyer that was going to ship them to a Mexican Slaughter plant. That was before he couldn't find enough horses to fill his trailer and our contact called Shirley Puga our "equine angel" to see if she could possibly raise the funds to rescue 28 slaughter bound horses. OF COURSE she could. And that set into motion some of the more daunting delivery blogs that you might have read here.

But this is about THIS HORSE.

MONTANA NDA is a registered 11 year old Arabian gelding with some of the best breeding that the Arabian world has to offer. I had worked on many Arabian ranches in the past and recognized his breeding right away. His breeding was the old Varian breeding that I always loved so much. Nice solid, well balanced horses. I WAS HOOKED.

He of course was one of the ones that I brought to our facility and after only 24 hours of being at the ranch, his whole "I am KING" looks and attitude came to the surface. This picture was REALLY taken less than 24 hours after he got to our facility. 

Other than a few bite marks and scuffs, he looked like he came right out of a show ring. He is stunning! Pretty much everyone fell in love with him right away. He is a hugger too. He wants to be with you and put that perfectly chiseled head around you and pull you to his chest. That's your cue to HUG his sweet horse smelling neck. He just sighs and melts.

I started riding him a few days later and found out that he has quite a bit of training too. He was a bit spoiled and liked to "pretend" that he didn't know something, but with a bit of encouragement and soft word he would go right into whatever I asked of him. I figured that since he was an "Arab" that I would have him for quite some time so I had planned on showing him in some local shows in 09. I WAS WRONG.As I always said, It's easy for me to adopt or sell my favorite horses. It just means that I just can't say enough about them and I tend to show them to everyone.

I run a small ad in a local website and that's all that I advertise in. I get alot of response from that website and it refers people to my website. I got a phone call in response to that ad while I was on duty at the Fire Station. I was getting off the next morning and heading back over to the Nevada Feedlot to pick up and deliver another load of rescued horses, then to Las Vegas for a 4 day vacation. The phone call was a very hesitant woman that had seen the ad for adopting the horses and was inquiring about the Arabian that was in the ad. Was he all arabian? yes. Is he sound and healthy? yes. What is his bloodlines? I told her. Is he gentle? yes. Then she hesitated again and asked Is he still available? I said yes and she was very quiet on the other line. She went on to tell me that recently she had had to put her horse to sleep due to a medical problem and that Montana looked just like her horse.

We spoke for a while and I assured her that he was here at the ranch and that he was available and that there was nothing wrong with him. I asked her about her horse and she wept a bit and told me about her two older kids that were both Arabian trainers and that all of her friends had been trying to get her to "find" another horse. We agreed that you just don't go out and find another horse and that in the end your horse finds you. She sounded so sad  but hopeful that maybe, just maybe Montana might just fill that void that her much loved horse had left. I just had that familiar feeling that I was talking to the person that Montana had been sent to me for. I was sad and happy too about the possibility that he would soon have a new home. I then told her that I had a feeling that meeting Montana would make everything alright. She started to cry and wanted to come see him as soon as possible. I told her that we had planned on leaving for Nevada first thing in the morning but we would wait for her and leave whenever she was ready. She said that she could be there by about 9 in the morning and I assured her that we would be there.

Her daughter and her got to the ranch right on time and we went out to see Montana. Now I have spent a lot of time with him and he had become pretty attached to me. Whenever I went into his pen he immediately came to hug me and greet me with a soft rub. It was different that day, he was looking past me, at the other person that had come quietly into his pen with me. She wasn't too sure if he would like her, but he walked right past me and put his head against her and sighed then he wrapped his head and neck around her for that hug that only he can give. She just melted and started hugging and petting and talking to him. He adored her and she adored him back. Montana had started "making everything alright". We then got him out to saddle him so that I could show them how he rides. Usually he wiggles around a lot when I saddle him and I had told them that he probably would do that, but not today. He didn't budge when I saddled him. I took him into the round pen and lunged him a bit. He was a bit wary of a metal gate that was up against the side of the round pen and moved away from it every time he went by that spot. I got on him and started putting him thru his paces. He still shied away from that gate. Her daughter got on him and rode him around the round pen and he still shied away from that gate. Then she asked to ride him and got on. Her daughter and I stood outside of the round pen and watched as Montana walked carefully all around the pen, slowly and NEVER even looked at that gate again. Her daughter and I just looked at each other with tears welling up and I said "Montana is taking care of her". She agreed and we watched as she gained confidence and trust again. After a few minutes of riding she bent down across his neck and hugged him, he turned his head and touched her leg with his soft nose. We unsaddled him, brushed and put him back into his pen. She didn't want to leave his pen but they knew that we had a long trip ahead of us. She said that she was going to talk to her husband about him.(We all knew that there was no way that he would every say no) Then they left to go home to "think" about it.

Now I have been doing this long enough to know when there is a perfect match and that there will never be a more perfect home for a horse so, I left a little packet on the kitchen table before we left for Nevada. I got the phone call about an hour into our trip, that she wanted him and that they wanted to know when we were going to be back so that they could fill out the adoption forms and pick him up. I then told her that we would not be back for about 6 days and then I had to go to work the next day after we got home so it would be another 2 days after that. She sounded so disappointed and sad. I then let her know that I had left her a surprise on our kitchen table and that she needed to open it when she got to the ranch to pick up Montana. It contained the adoption papers (all completed) for Montana for her. I told her then that I totally trusted her to get back over to the ranch as soon as she could, to pick up HER horse. She was elated!!! They got there first thing the next morning to pick him up and she LOVES him with all of her heart. I have gotten updates and Montana has settled into his new home really well.

I always love it when a horse is plucked at the last minute from certain tragic death after he or she had been discarded like yesterdays trash. Sold without any regard to where the horse will end up. Montana NDA meant nothing more to anyone than a few dollars worth of meat when we found him. Now he is the most treasured thing in one person’s life.

That is why I do what I do and why many other horse rescuers do what they do too. Why Shirley Puga (the Fundraiser for these feedlot rescues) looses sleep and worries day and night about every single one of these horses. She has never turned one away even when she was under attack or being undermined by people that have nothing better to do than try to destroy the one person that is working hardest for what "they" say that they support. I will never understand their drive for destruction.

  HAVE YOU EVER LOST TRACK OF TIME? 

  I MEAN REALLY LOST TRACK OF HOURS, MINUTES DAYS?

  WELL THAT'S HOW MY LAST ROAD TRIP DELIVERY WENT. I LEFT MY HOUSE AT ABOUT 10:30 MONDAY MORNING AND "PLANNED" ON GETTING INTO NEVADA EARLY AND LEAVING WITH MY FIRST LOAD OF LUCKY HORSES EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.  WELL AS MOST OF MY BLOG READERS KNOW, MY LIFE NEVER GOES AS PLANNED. 

  I PULLED INTO CARSON CITY NEVADA AT ABOUT 8:00 pm AND TRIED TO CHECK INTO THE HOTEL. FOR THE LONGEST TIME THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE DESK. ABSALUTELY NO ONE. FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES A GUY SHOWED UP AND ASKED IF I HAD BEEN HELPED. I SAID NO AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD FIND THE DESK CLERK. NOW THIS IS A VERY BUSY, LARGE, HOTEL CASINO IN CARSON CITY. I HAVE STAYED THERE MANY TIMES AND THERE ARE USUALLY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE AT THE DESK BUT LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS A GOOD 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE DESK CLERK FINALLY SHOWED UP AND THEY FELT SO BAD THAT THEY PRETTY MUCH COMPED ME MY ROOM. I WAS VERY NICE AND POLITE, BUT TIRED AND IT WAS COLD. I CHECKED INTO MY ROOM AND THE HEATER WAS ON THE BLINK. I SPENT MOST OF THE NIGHT CURLED UP AT THE FOOT OF THE BED WRAPPED UP IN EVERY BIT OF BLANKET THAT I COULD FIND.

 I GOT UP EARLY, THINKING THAT THE PAPERWORK FOR THE HORSES HAD BEEN DONE DAYS AGO AND THAT I COULD LOAD UP AND GET AN EARLY START FOR MY 14 HR TRIP THAT DAY. 

 SO THE PLAN WAS;    LEAVE AT ABOUT 3-4 am LOAD UP AND HEAD DOWN TO LAS VEGAS, GET THERE AT ABOUT 10 OR 11, THEN ON TO GILBERT, AZ GET THERE AT ABOUT 5 OR SO THEN BACK UP TO LAS VEGAS GET THERE AT ABOUT 10 SLEEP FOR A FEW HOURS, LEAVE AT ABOUT 4 DRIVE BACK TO PICK UP THE NEXT LOAD AT ABOUT 11 OR 12 THEN BACK INTO CALIF TO DELIVER THE REST TO THEIR HOMES AND BE BACK HOME BY ABOUT 10 OR 11 WEDS NIGHT. SOUNDS SO NICE EVEN NOW. ALL PACKAGED UP IN A NICE LITTLE MAPQUEST BOW.

WELL HERE IS HOW THE HORSE DELIVERY ACTUALLY WENT:

FOUND OUT THAT THE PAPERWORK WASN'T DONE AND WOULDN'T BE DONE UNTILL ABOUT 9:30 AM. WE FINALLY GOT IT DONE AND HORSES LOADED AT ABOUT 11:00 AND ON THE ROAD. PULLED INTO LAS VEGAS AT ABOUT 6 PM TO PICK UP MY NEW BESTEST FRIEND AND PARTNER IN THIS COMEDY OF ERRORS, TERI. SHE WAS MY SAVING GRACE AND THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME SANE THRU THE NEXT 20 HRS OR SO.  SHE JUST KEPT TALKING AND TALKING TO ME HOUR AFTER HOUR AFTER HOUR AFTER HOUR.  DID I MENTION AFTER HOUR. OH YEAH I THINK THAT I DID.

ANYWAY WE HEADED ON DOWN SOUTH TO WHAT I HAD BEEN TOLD WAS ABOUT A 4 HOUR TRIP TO GILBERT, AZ. EITHER WE WERE ABDUCTED BY ALIENS OR ENTERED A TIME WARP SOMEWHERE OVER THE HOOVER DAM BUT I KNOW THAT WE GOT TO OUR DESTINATION AT ABOUT 1:30 AM OR SO. SO THAT MEANS THAT IF WE LEFT LAS VEGAS AT ABOUT 6 PM AND GOT THERE AT ABOUT 11:30 PM, HELP ME IF MY MATH IS BAD, BUT THAT ADDS UP TO  A FEW MORE THAN 4 HRS ON THE ROAD. ACTUALLY MORE LIKE 5 AND A HALF. AND NOW I HAD TO HEAD BACK TO LAS VEGAS WITHOUT STOPPING.

 WHAT AMAZED ME WAS THAT I WAS NOT TIRED AT ALL. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING LIGHT AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVING SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE DESERT. WE HAD ONLY STOPPED TO PUT FUEL INTO THE TRUCK AND PICKED UP A BIT TO EAT AT THE GAS STATIONS. WE GOT BACK INTO LAS VEGAS AT ABOUT 7 AM AND I DROPPED TERI OFF AT HER PLACE AND WAS ON THE ROAD AGAIN ON MY WAY UP TO PICK UP MY NEXT LOAD. I GOT IN AND LOADED THE NEXT LOAD AT ABOUT 1:30 PM AND LEFT RIGHT AWAY. I FIGURED THAT IF I HEADED RIGHT OVER THE PASS THAT I COULD MEET UP WITH MY CONTACT AND SHE COULD TAKE THE FIRST 2 ON UP NORTH FOR ME. I WOULD HAVE TO MEET HER IN STOCKTON BY 3 THOUGH. THAT WAS NOT TOO WELL THOUGHT OUT THOUGH. WHATEVER POSSESSED ME THAT I COULD GET OVER THE PASS IN ONE AND A HALF HOURS. 

 ANYWAY I ENDED UP HAVING TO DRIVE ABOUT 5 HOURS OUT OF MY WAY TO MEET MY FIRST RESCUE DROP (SAFE HAVEN) NORTH OF SACRAMENTO. BY THEN I HAD NOT STOPPED TO EAT OR SLEEP AT ALL FROM TUESDAY MORNING AT ABOUT 6 AND IT WAS ABOUT 7 PM NOW ON WEDS NIGHT AND I HAD TO GET HOME. I HAD TO GO TO WORK THURSDAY.  WE MET AND UNLOADED THE FIRST TWO AND WENT INTO DENNYS AND ATE A QUICK DINNER THEN I WAS ON THE ROAD. I HEADED DOWN TO MERCED FOR MY NEXT DROP (HAY FLAKES) AND IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO FIND HER. IT WAS ABOUT 10 OR 11 NOW. I WAS LOOSING TRACK ON TIME. THEN ON TO MADERA TO A FOSTER FACILITY THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE, I HAD NO CLUE WHERE I WAS OR HOW TO GET THERE.  AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS I GOT EXACT DIRECTIONS AND FOUND THEIR PLACE AND DROPPED OF THE LITTLE PREG MARE. IT WAS ABOUT 1 AM OR SO NOW BUT AT LEAST I AM ON MY WAY HOME NOW. AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT. I GOT SOOO LOST AFTER THAT, I DROVE IN CIRCLES FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR SO LOOKING FOR THE HIGHWAY AND CURSING EVERY ROADSIGN. I GOT TO HWY 99 AND ON MY WAY AGAIN AND CROSSED OVER TO HWY 5 THANKS TO THE INSOMNIA OF SHIRLEY PUGA THAT WAS STILL UP WORKING DILIGENTLY ON ANOTHER GROUP OF HORSES THAT HAD SHOWED UP AT THE FEEDLOT AND SHE WAS BEGINNING THE FUNDRAISING FOR THEM. ALL I CAN SAY IS GOD BLESS HER SWEET INSOMNIAC SOUL. IF NOT FOR HER, I AM SURE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND A BLUBBERING MOUND OF HUMAN FLESH TALKING GIBBERISH IN MY TRUCK SOMEWHERE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE OUT THERE.  SHE GOOGLED AND MAPQUESTED ME RIGHT BACK INTO FAMILIAR TERRITORY AND ON THE ROAD HOME. 

 I PULLED INTO THE RANCH AT ABOUT 6:30 am HAVING NO SLEEP FOR 48 HOURS, UNLOADED THE THREE HORSES THAT WERE GOING INTO QUARANTINE AT MY PLACE, WENT INTO THE HOUSE LAYED ON THE COUCH, SLEPT FOR 2 HOURS THEN GOT UP AND WENT TO WORK. 

DID I MENTION THAT I WORK 48 HR SHIFTS AT A FIRE STATION.

IT WAS A ROUGH TRIP, BUT SURPRISINGLY I NEVER WAS REALLY TIRED. I KNOW THAT IN MY JOB THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OCCASIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO WORK STRAIGHT THRU DAY AND NIGHT AND I GUESS THAT MY BODY JUST FIGURED THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THESE TIMES.

I GOT TO KNOW SOMEONE BETTER THAT I HAD ONLY MET THRU EMAILS. TERI WAS SUCH A COOL PERSON TO TRAVEL WITH. SHE KEPT THE CONVERSATION GOING AND HAD LOTS OF INTERESTING STUFF TO TALK ABOUT. I KNOW THAT SHE READS MY BLOGS AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK HER FOR EVERY MILE THAT SHE WENT WITH ME.

SHE AND I MET A GREAT NEW RESCUE FRIEND. MARLEY FARMS IN GILBERT, AZ.  SHEA WAS AWESOME, HE WAS WAITING FOR US WHEN WE GOT THERE AND WAS FRIENDLY AND HELPFULL EVEN WHEN ONE OF THE HORSES GOT SPOOKED IN THE DARK AND GOT LOOSE. HE JUST GENTLY WALKED UP AND LED HIM TO HIS PEN.  THEY HAVE AN AWESOME PLACE THERE, THEY RESCUE MANY ANIMALS, DOGS, HORSES, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE ALOT OF OTHERS THERE. CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE.

AS ALWAYS SAFE HAVEN WAS FRIENDLY AND GRATEFULL. THEY DO SUCH AMAZING WORK AND MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF SO MANY HORSES.

HAY FLAKES WAS A NEW ONE TO ME. A SMALL RESCUE BUT THE HORSES LOOKED HAPPY AND HEALTHY. IT WAS LATE AND I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO GET TO TALK TO THEM MORE.

THEN PREGNANT MARE RESCUE IN APTOS. ONE OF MY FAVORITES. THEY TOOK THE LITTLE BAY PREG MARE. WHAT A SWEETY AND SO CUTE. HER FOSTER KERI LOVES HER HORSES AND LOOKS AFTER THEM ALL LIKE THEY ARE ALL SO SPECIAL. AND THEY ARE. I GOT TO SEE ONE OF THE JONAS. LOOKING ALL GROWN UP. TOO CUTE. CHECK OUT THE PREGNANT MARE RESCUE WEBSITE TOO.

WELL IT'S GETTING LATE HERE AT THE FIRE STATION. THE GUYS HAVE ALL GONE TO BED AND WE GET TO GO HOME IN THE MORNING. I HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO SEE HORSES TOMORROW SO I BETTER GET SOME SLEEP.

NIGHT ALL. DROP ME AN EMAIL FROM MONTANALAND PAWSUP

TRY TO STAY WARM.

  Well the horses that I had to leave in Nevada have finally been delivered to their new homes or Rescues. It was quite the trip but I can finally rest up.

Scott went thru Nevada on Thursday and after droppping by and buying Halters for them all ( We left and forgot to leave the halters) they got them loaded and headed to the ranch.

He left The corrals in Nevada at about noon and after driving thru snow and icy roads pulled into our place at about 9:00 PM and we unloaded the horse into our arena with hay set out for them all.We always have a full water trough in the arena. We use it alot when we come in late. The horses love it because they can relax and lay down in the soft sand. They always go right out and roll.  I don't believe in leaving horses in a trailer overnight, they really need to be able to lay down and move around.

All of the Rescues were asking when they were going to get their horses and we had assured them all that they would be delivered Friday. I would have usually let them rest another day or so if I had my choice but we were so far behind schedule due to my accident a week ago. I am still having trouble breathing and just had tests Thursady and hadn't gotten results back when I had to leave for an all day haul.  It's about 9 hours to the last drop so I let them rest ( and me too) untill about 10:00AM and started loading them up. I felt terrible asking them to all load back into a trailer the next morning after they got here.

My first stop was in San Luis Obispo. It's about an hour from here but after you drive out to the Rescue site I was about an hour and a half into my trip. Then of course you have to wait for someone to help you and show you where they want you to put them. After checking on my precious cargo I was back on the road at about 12:30 and on my way to my next stop in Santa Ynez.

My next stop was in Santa Ynez and what a sweet person she is. I will call her K. I got there and she was getting the 3 yr old Leopard Appy colt. We opened the trailer and he walked to the back on the trailer and that's when he decided that he WAS NOT getting out. He had gone from a very brave somewhat cocky three yr old to a totaly helpless little sissy la la that couldn't take the huge 10 inch step off the back on the trailer.  We tried almost every trick that I could come up with. He was just not sure why it was so imperative that he get out. He probably figured that he would just have to get back in anyway. One of the last tricks that I though of was to unload the yearling filly that had traveled from Nevada with him. My plan was to unload her and the he would follow her off. Well, they both stood at the end of the trailer for a while and finally the brave little filly stepped off of the trailer with out him. I had K.  walk the filly to some nearby grass to try to  bait the colt to get out. When she got to the grass, the filly laid down in the grass. I was still working on getting the colt out and I was watching the filly on the grass. I noticed that she was not wanting to get up. I was getting worried now and really felt a bit of urgency to get the colt out and get over and check out the filly. I had the K. get her up and noticed that she was shivering. About then the colt walked right out and it was almost like he just wanted us to know that something wasn't right with her. I absalutely know that if he had just walked right out and if I had gone on to my next stop ( about 3 hrs more) that she would not have made it. She is small and I would have not felt her go down in the trailer. We were really lucky that the colt didn't get right out and that we caught the colic right away. The poor little girl had just HAD ENOUGH. She was stressed and had probably not drank enough water thru the night so she just started getting colicky. We put the colt in his pen and started walking her, she did pass manure right away and it looked normal, Her belly sounds were pretty normal and when you pinched her skin on her neck it didn't peak so she there wasn't signs of any advanced issues. Her  gums looked good and the Capilary refill was well within safe limits. Her breathing was faster than it sould have been and her heartbeat was slightly elevated but not at a dangerous level either. She was tired and stressed and like I said before SHE HAD ENOUGH.  I immediately called the coordinator and let her know that K. had offered to keep the filly here and have the vet look at her. I informed her that there was no way that I could haul this poor little filly one more mile. I asked her to contact the rescue that she was supposed to go to and the other foster that I was not going to be able to bring her on to their facility.  After walking abit and drinking some water she seemed to settle down some. I spoke to the other Foster and informed her that this filly was going to be staying here untill she can be safely moved on down to her facility. We got the filly settled in with the colt and I told K. to keep an  eye on her and if anything goes wrong to call the vet immediately. We gave the three other horses in the trailer some carrots and offered them water. They didn't want any water but ate the carrots.  Then I was on my way again 3 hrs late but with peace of mind that the filly was in good hands and looking better.

My next stop was to pick up the coordinator in Temecula. I was really hurting by now and really needed the help navigating the last two stops. We grabbed a bite to eat (my first all day) and went to the next place. I was so far behind and all I wanted to do was get the horses to their homes so that they could get out and relax at their own homes. My last drop off could not be made during the weekend, due to a prior commitment of the rescue. They could not get the horse after Friday so even if I had wanted to unload them somewhere, they would have had to stay there untill Monday. So off we were to Anza. We had one horse to drop off there and those dirt roads were like sending shards of glass thru my chest. Thankfully the Rescue owner was out there to meet us and unloaded quickly and we were on our way to the next and thank God, the last.  I appriciate SOOO much that she was outside waiting for us. It was such a relief. Such a nice lady too. I had spoken to her quite a few times prior to the drop off and she is so dedicated to the rescues.

Our last drop was at 2:00 in the morning. Thank God again that the Rescue owner was waiting outside with a flashlight to signal us in. The last two were finally off and into their pens. I felt so much relief for them. The rescue owned here is such a nice lady. She showed us all of her other horses and we talked for a bit. Then we headed the last few hours to the coordinators house to sleep. We pulled in there at about 5:15.  What a day, I was never so happy to stretch out and relieve the pain in my chest.

 I hate every minute that a horse has to be in a trailer. I have ridden in a trailer and it is exausting. At least they had alot of standing time while we were working with the sweet little filly. The moving trailer is like being on a treadmill, consantly balancing and bracing. 

I called to check on the filly and found out that she had collicked later that evening, but she pulled out of it and is OK.

I would like to thank all of the Rescues and Fosters for being so thoughtfull and understanding.

Getting smashed in Nevada might sound like fun, but in my opinion it leaves ALOT to be desired.

First IF I drink it would probably sound like a bit of a wild time but I don't.

In my world getting smashed takes on a whole new meaning. They both end up the same way, me getting sick in a Casino/hotel parking lot and rehabing in a hotel room for a few days with a wicked headache.

So here's my way of "getting Smashed" in Nevada.  I talk about helping others when you can and I still stand by that even now. I was on another rescue pick up trip in Nevada and saw an older guy trying to catch a big Thorobred mare. She was obviously going to run him over before he could get a rope on her. He had tried to walk up to her to get a halter on her and she was not going to cooperate so he got a rope to catch her with. After a throw or two you could see that she was about to run him over so I offered to help. I really didn't want to see that big mare hurt him. 

After one throw and miss I gathered the rope up again and this time I aimed carefully and tossed the rope.  This time the mare decided that I was the enemy and turned towards me and ran directly at me. She hit me before i could turn away and step out of her way. That's when the "getting smashed" occured. She decided that if stepping on me once was that much fun that doing it many times would be alot more fun. I actually don't remember much after the inicial charge, just waking up on the ground trying to breathe. After figuring out that most of my body parts were functional I asked people around me to get me out of the pen with the crazy mare in it. They got me half into my truck before I passed out again. They tried for 2-3 minutes to wake me up and when they did I was so dissapointed that the nice dream that I was having was not the reality. I was scared when I realized that I was having a really hard time staying awake, and that I was really hurt. I was far from home in a town that I really didn't know much about their Hospital and it looked like I was going to spend some time there. I asked the people there to take me to the Hospital. I laid in the back seat of my truck (much smoother than an ambulance) and was taken to what has to be the best Hospital Ever.

When we got there It was all still a blurr. I remember bits and peices. I know that I was taken imediatly in for Cat scan and Xrays. IVs were put in and there was some really good pain meds.  The CAT scan showed that even though some people doubt it I DO have a brain. A little jostled about, but it was still pretty much in the right place. Also all of the hoofmarks and pains were just giong to be just that. I WAS LUCKY.  No major breaks just some deep bruising, severely painfull ribs and a wicked headache. Mild concussion and al I need is alot of rest.  

Not so easy to rest in a strange town when every movement feels like a body part is going to fall off or you are going to puke your guts out.  The Nurses and Doctors were the most awesome that I have ever dealt with, and I have dealt with alot in my 22 years as a EMT. What caring people. When I was released, one of the nurses stayed to make sure that i was OK.  She got me a hotel voucher, made arrangements for my truck and trailer to remain parked in the Hospital parking lot, wheeled me out in a wheelchair to her own car, drove me to the Hotel,(that's where the puking in Casino/Hotel parking lot came in)  she checked me in and made sure that I had what I needed in my room. She left her home and cell number with Darcy (She had been with me) told her what signs to look for and said to call her if we needed anything.

Darcy took care of me for the next two days while I recouped in the hotel room. She brought me food and made sure that I had alot of fluids. The nausea pretty much left the next day and most of my pain started to subside by the third day. We dropped the trailer near where we needed to pick up the rescued horses and headed back home that morning. Scott is driving back from Montana the next week and he is going to pick up the trailer and the horses and haul them back with him. 

This is the 6th day now and even though my chest still feels like the mare is standing on it and I am really bruised and sore, I am glad that big cranky thorobred mare got me instead of that older guy (I found out he is 95). I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had stood by and watched him killed by her. 

So my experience of GETTING SMASHED in Nevada wasn't quite what I would have wished for.  It could have been worse.

I have good friends that offered to drive over and help me back home, haul the horses back for me, fly over to drive us back, called me from all over the Country to check on me, take care of the home herd ( I took them up on that) and basically take care of everything so that I can recouperate completely.  I met good friends that took time out of their day to get me cared for, watched out for me, cared for me at the Hospital (Darcy, Nurses,Doctors, Lab guys and even the Check in lady) worried about me, made sure that I was safe, and went out of their way to be kind to a stranger.   For these things I am so thankfull!  Sometimes it takes a bit of a tragedy to realize just how blessed that you really are.

Thank you

Darcy, Josh, John and Tiffany A., John and Dawn G., Robbie and Clayton, Shelly and kids, Shirley, Dixie, Tawnya, the Drs and Nurses and so many others that called,texted and emailed to see how I was and how I'm doing.

Thanks for your get well thoughts and try to keep warm out there in Montanaland at PawsUp resort ranch.

Scott will be back soon, I am sure that you all will miss him there.

Take Care

  WELL IT HAS BEEN AN EVENTFULL WEEK. AFTER WORK I LEFT TO GO PICK UP THE COLTS AND FILLYS FROM MONTY ROBERTS RANCH. THEY ALL LOOKED SO GROWN UP. IT IS AMAZING HOW MUCH THEY CHANGE WHEN THEY ARE STARTED UNDER SADDLE. WHEN I GOT THERE I WAS ASKED IF I COULD LEAVE 4 OF THEM FOR AN ADVANCED TRAINING CLASS THAT WAS STARTING IN ANOTHER WEEK. THEY WANTED THEIR STAR STUDENTS TO STAY. THAT WOULD BE SCOOP, IRISH, SKEETO AND OF COURSE PONCHO. PONCHO IS SUCH AN AWESOME SWEET TANK OF A COLT. HE IS DOING JUST AMAZING AND WILL BE  A GREAT JUNIOR RODEO HORSE FOR MY HORSE SHOERS SON TRAY.

  I HAVE HAD THREE VOLUNTEERS HERE SINCE SAT MORNING HELPING ME AT THE RANCH. IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT PEOPLE WILL PUT THEIR OWN BUSY LIVES ON HOLD TO HELP US GET SOME PROJECTS DONE. THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE WE ARE GETTING ANYTHING BIG DONE, BUT WITH 4 SETS OF HANDS DOING WHAT ONE SET DOES ALOT GETS DONE. WE DID HAVE OUR SHARE OF FUN THOUGH. WE HAD A BEAUTY CONTEST.

YOU CAN SEE THE WINNER, THAT WOULD BE DANIELLE THE HOOCHIE GOAT SHAKING HER MONEY MAKER.

THEN WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH OUR RESIDENT ALPHA MALE BRATTY CAT HERE AT VALLEY VIEW RANCH. HE WASN'T PLAYING NICE WITH THE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE RANCH (NEW RANCH KITTENS). HE WAS BEING MEAN TO THEM, SO HE WAS LOCKED UP INTO THE HEN HOUSE WITH OUR TWO HENS. WE COULD TELLTHAT HE FELT OUT OF PLACE AND THAT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDING HIM IN THEIR CHICKEN GAMES SO WE FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO HELP HIM FEEL MORE LIKE HE FIT IN.  WE ARE HELPFULL HERE AT VALLEY VIEW RANCH, THAT'S HOW WE ROLL!!!  RIGHT AWAY WE COULD TELL THAT HE WAS GETTING IN TOUCH WITH HIS "FOUL" SIDE.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I THINK THAT HE IS STARTING TO EVEN LOOK LIKE A CHICKEN. HE SEEMS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO TRY TO FIT IN WITH HIS NEW ROOMIES.

WELL HE SURE SEEMS AT HOME IN THERE.

NOW YOU CAN SEE WHAT 5 SILLY GIRLS DO WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE PARTYING AT THE RANCH. CLEAN SOME HORSE PENS, BRUSH OUT MANES AND TAILS, RIDE A FEW HORSES AND DRESS UP THE FARM ANIMALS FOR OUR OWN ENTERTAINMENT. MAYBE IT'S JUST TO CLOSE TO HALLOWEEN AND IT'S TO FAR TO GO TRICK OR TREATING.

GOTTA GET SOME SLEEP

GOOD NIGHT TO ALL IN MONTANALAND AND THE PAWSUP RESORT

SEE YA SOON 

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MAYBE THEY NEED TO DO THE REMIX OF THAT SONG RIGHT ABOUT NOW. I KNOW THAT THINGS SEEM TOUGH BUT IN MY WORLD THINGS COULD BE TOUGHER.

WE SEE THE WORST OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO AND BY HUMANS. IT CHANGES THE WAY I LOOK AT THE WORLD AROUND ME. I KNOW THAT I GET DOWN SOMETIMES AND THAT I START LETTING THE MONEY STUFF DRAG ME INTO A BIG HUGE FUNK, BUT.    I THINK OF THE FAMILIES THAT I HAVE WITNESSED TORN APART DUE TO TRAGEDY AND LOSS IN MY 22 CAREER AS A FIREFIGHTER/POLICE OFFICER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE CHARMED.  

 HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE MY WHOLE FAMILY ALIVE AND HEALTHY. 7 OF US KIDS AND ALL GRANDKIDS AND EVEN A FEW GREATGRANDKIDS ALL STILL HERE AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL EVEN BE ANOTHER GENERATION BEFORE THE FIRST PASSES. 

 I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS HUGE FAMILY OF MINE HASN'T HAD IT'S SHARE OF TOUGH TIMES AND HEARTACHES. WE ALL HAVE. PEOPLE SAY THAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN TOUCHED MY MANY THINGS. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT IS TRUE, OUR OWN FATHER WAS A VERY BAD PERSON, HE LEFT THE FAMILY WHEN I WAS A BABY AND THAT WAS A GOOD THING. HE SPENT ALOT OF TIME "DOING TIME". WE HAD AN ABUSIVE STEPFATHER FOR A FEW YEARS, THEN MY MOTHER RAISED US BY HERSELF.

THERE IS SO MUCH IN MY LIFE THAT HAS MOLDED ME INTO THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY. IF I SAID THAT I REGRETTED ANY OF IT, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT I DON'T LIKE WHO I AM AND THAT WOULD NOT BE TRUE. I HAVE CHOSEN THE PATHS THAT I HAVE TAKEN IN MY LIFE, BUT THE NUDGES HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY MY PAST AND THE GHOSTS THAT WHISPER POSSIBLE RESULTS OF EACH DECISION.

I WAS THE SOMEWHAT MIDDLE CHILD, THE CARETAKER AND THE ONE THAT SETTLES THE DISPUTES. OF COURSE BECAUSE I WAS A BIT YOUNGER THAN THE MIDDLE, I USUALLY CAUSED THE DISPUTES TO START WITH. 3 BROTHERS AND 3 SISTERS AND ME.

I GUESS MAYBE IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE HOW I CAN JUGGLE CARING FOR 40+ RESCUE HORSES, A FULL TIME JOB AND TRYING TO BE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOO. MY LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CHAOTIC AND I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.

SOMEONE ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU MAKE SO MUCH WORK FOR YOURSELF".  I HAD HORSES TO FEED AND PENS TO CLEAN AND I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT NOT FEELING GOOD. I WAS SORE AND FEVERISH FROM A SPIDER BITE THAT I HAD GOTTEN A WHILE AGO. I HAD TO THINK ABOUT THAT ONE FOR A BIT. I WASN'T SURE HOW TO ANSWER IT. THE TRUTH IS, IT IS WHAT MAKES ME, ME.

I AM NOT A VERY MUSHY PERSON, BUT WATCHING THE HORSES PLAY AND RUN IN THE PASTURES IN THE EVENING, MAKES ME TEAR UP. WATCHING THE HORSES HAPPILY MUNCHING THE HAY AT FEEDING TIME MAKES EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD RIGHT THEN AT THAT MOMENT, PERFECT . RIDING A HORSE THAT WAS AFRAID OF EVERYTHING AND TRUSTS YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME AND CROSSES THE CREEK IS JOYFULL. THE FIRST TIME THAT A COLT LETS YOU PICK UP HIS FEET AND JUST SIGHS, ACCOMPLISHMENT. HAVING A HORSE COME TO YOU IN THE PASTURE AND PUT IT'S HEAD OVER YOUR SHOULDER SO THAT YOU CAN HUG IT'S NECK, PURE COMFORT.

 I FEEL SORRY FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN'T FEEL THESE THINGS. I CAN'T DISCRIBE HOW THOSE THINGS FEEL TO SOMEONE, ESPECIALLY ANYONE THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND "WHY I MAKE SO MUCH WORK FOR MYSELF".

 WELL GOODNIGHT IN MONTANALAND, I HEAR IT'S PRETTY QUIET THERE RIGHT NOW. SEE YA SOON

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 FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT COME FROM OR LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN, THESE THINGS DON'T REALLY SUPRISE YOU BUT YOU BIG CITY FOLKS MIGHT LEARN A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT US SMALL TOWN FOLKS.

ON MY WAY TO WORK THE OTHER DAY (RUNNING LATE AS USUAL, BECAUSE I HAD 40+ HORSES TO FEED BEFORE I LEAVE FOR WORK) I SPOTTED TWO VEHICLES ON THE SIDE OF THE MAIN HIGHWAY 101. NOW THIS HIGHWAY IS ONE OF THE MAIN HIGHWAYS THAT RUN COMPLETELY NORTH/SOUTH THRU CALIFORNIA AND IT IS VERY BUSY IN THE MORNING. I NOTICED 6 OR 7 OBVIOUSLY HISPANIC INDIVIDUALS LOOKING PRETTY DISTRAUGHT 2 WERE FEMALE.  NOW, KNOWING THAT THIS IS A MAIN HIGHWAY AND ALOT OF TRAFFIC COMING AND GOING. NOT ONE PERSON EVEN TAPPED THEIR BRAKES OR SLOWED DOWN TO SEE IF THEY NEEDED ANY HELP.  WELL NOT TILL I GOT THERE. I PULLED OVER AND AFTER MUCH BROKEN SPANISH AND BROKEN ENGLISH AND SIGN LANGUAGE THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD HAD A BLOWOUT AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A JACK TO CHANGE THEIR TIRE. THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY TO WORK TOO AND WERE AFRAID THAT THEY WOULD BE FIRED IF THEY DIDN'T GET THERE SOON.  I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD GO TO MY WORK AND GET THE JACK AND COME RIGHT BACK TO HELP THEM. ( I WAS ONLY ABOUT THREE MILES FROM WORK)  I PULLED AWAY AND IN ABOUT ONE MINUTE I GOT A CALL FROM A FRIEND THAT PASSED ME  GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY ON THE HIGHWAY, JUST SAYING HI. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD A JACK IN HIS TRUCK AND HE SAID SURE. I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE PEOPLE WITH THE BLOWOUT ABOUT A MILE OR SO UP THE ROAD FROM HIM. HE SAID NO PROBLEM, HE WOULD ME MORE THAN HAPPY TO STOP AND HELP THEM. JUST ABOUT THEN HE GOT TO THEIR LOCATION AND LET ME KNOW THAT ANOTHER PERSON THAT WE BOTH KNEW REALLY WELL HAD ALREADY STOPPED AND WAS HELPING THEM. HE STOPPED ANYWAY TO SEE IF HE COULD DO ANYTHING MORE.

IT MAKES ME FEEL GREAT THAT I AM IN THE COMPANY OF PEOPLE THAT DO THINGS SO SELFLESSLY. WHAT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE THREE OF US WOULD BE CROSSING PATHS AT THE SAME SPOT ON THE SAME HIGHWAY AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME WHEN THESE PEOPLE NEEDED US. IT WAS A SMALL THING THAT THEY NEEDED BUT IT LEFT A BIG IMPACT ON ME. IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL OUT THERE WILLING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE. I MIGHT MENTION THAT ALL THREE OF US ARE FROM THREE DIFFERENT SMALL TOWNS.

I GUESS THAT SOMEONE THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED A BIT OF A HUMANITY BOOST. SOMEONE WAS RIGHT!!

MY TRIP TO MONTY'S

  I got a really late start on Monday to Monty's. Actually I left at about 8 PM and I was supposed to be there by 6 to meet Shirley (my friend) and a few other people that have rescues. I was held up with the horse chiropractor/horse communicator. Yes you heard right, she talks to horses. I won't go into what she said that my horse told her, but that mare is a damn liar. I tried to warn her not to believe anything that she tells her, but no. She just goes on and on about how she is misunderstood and how I just don't treat her like the princess that she is. Wow what an ungratefull horse. She told her that she is upset about the fact that I am trying to "get rid" of her.  Well I won't bore you with the I said/ mare said argument, lets just say that if she doesn't try to buck me off later today when I get on her, she may get that sweet feed that she asked for.

Anyway, back to Monty's. By the time I got to Buelton to meet everyone. They were done with dinner and a few of them were somewhat buzzed. Funny is not the word, it is much bigger than that. EVERYTHING made them laugh. They are a funny group of indviduals anyway, but add alcahol and wow. We closed down the place at 11PM and everyone went home. Shirley and I stayed in Buelton to go to Monty's the next day. 

We got up early and headed over to see my guys.  We got the lowdown on who was being good and who was being bad. I was very suprised by the brattiest one. It was Skeeto, Scotts two yr old colt. He was born here and has been the sweetest guy on the ranch since he was born. I was told that he was a buckin jose'.  He proved it a bit later when they put the saddle on him in the round pen. He bucked like a seasoned saddle bronc. I do have to say, they are doing a great job with my youngsters though and I am really thinkfull to have that facility available. It was great fun to see my guys and the students having such fun. It sure seemed like all of the horses had grown so much in the week and a half since they had been there.

Poncho was awesome and very helpfull with everything.

Dash was wonderfull, she is sensitive, and REALLY smart.

Irish looked so grown up now and he is ready for a new home.

Isn't this the cutest little potlicker you ever saw? This is Patrone, he's my baby. I heard that he was quite a brat too. Only a yearling, just working lightly, no rider.

We ran out of daylight and time so we had to get home that day.I hope that I can get down there for another day before they are out of school. It is such fun to see them working and the people at Monty Roberts facility at Flags is Up Farm are the nicest people. I love visiting them. I hope to have some of the students come to our place to cntinue working with a few of the horses when they are done with their school there.

Well that's all I have time for today. I have alot to do outside and not alot of time to do it.

You'all have a great day and try to help someone that needs you help today. Even if it seems insignificant it may change someones life someday.

Take care in Montanaland and at the Paws Up Resort/Ranch

143  ps. i looked evil in the eye and won.  LOL

I WAS THINKING TODAY ABOUT THINGS IN GENERAL. MOSTLY THE GOVERNMENT HELPING THOSE MASSIVE COMPANIES WITH BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF OUR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS.

I CAME UP WITH A PLAN OF MY OWN.   I FIGURED THAT IF EVERYONE THAT READS THIS BLOG, SENDS A LINK TO MY WEBSITE AND ASKS THEIR EMAIL CONTACTS TO DONATE BY PAYPAL OR SNAIL MAIL TO HELP FEED THESE RESCUED HORSES, OUR HAY BILL COULD BE PAID OFF IN A MONTH OR SO.     THEN PASS IT ON.    WITH SUCH A HUGE NETWORK OUT THERE IF EVERYONE PASSED IT ON THERE WOULD EVEN BE ENOUGH TO HELP OTHER RESCUES.

NO ONE CAN DO THIS ALONE.

SEND FUNDS TO PAYPAL ACCOUNT        ODGE60@EXCITE.COM">DODGE60@EXCITE.COM

      OR MAIL TO     VALLEY VIEW RANCH EQUINE RESCUE

                                    57025 JOLON RD

                                   KING CITY, CALIF. 93930

THANK YOU

THE HORSES THANK YOU

GOODNIGHT ALL AT THE PAWS UP RESORT/RANCH IN MONTANALAND

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Like this color of font. The color title says "chocolate Brown" now I KNOW CHOCOLATE! and this is not even close. You see, it's not just me. Everything is just a bit "OFF".  Nothing seems to line up right now. I guess that if I am wrong feel free to ad a comment and let me know but this week was proof positive that somethings just not right. I just can't put my finger on it yet.

Anyway, I had big plans to go see my guys that are at Monty Roberts being educated on the finer points of being a horse on last wednesday. That didn't happen. I also had plans to get my generator fixed in the trailer. That didn't happen either. I had plans to show some horses to a prospective adopter on Tuesday afternoon. Guess what, that fell thru too. It seemed that everything that I had planned to do on my days off fell apart for one reason or another. I won't bore you with the details.

I have found out that in the horse rescue or any other business, whining gets you absalutely NOWHERE!. So I have rescheduled my trip to see my horses for Tues, tore the damn starter out of the trailer generator myself, (what a pain) rescheduled meetings with prospective adopters for later next week, took my computer in to be repaired, sent my incompetent ranchhand to live with her aunt in Southern Calif, and am going to start all over again.

OK so I do get to whine just a little though. I had to cancel my trip to see my horses because one of my newborn baby goats had not been getting enough milk while I was at work. Her mom was letting 3 other babies nurse too and they weren't letting her nurse enough so she was starving. I spent my first two days and nights off sitting and laying by the baby goat coaxing her to drink from the bottle and milking the other nanny goats to feed her. She got electrolites and alot of milk but her organs had began to shut down and we couldn't save her. I guess that explains why the ranchhand went to live with her Aunt. She was supposed to be caring for them and making sure that they were OK. I take the responsibility of caring for a living creature extremely serious. Every life is precious and carelessness is unexcusable. If you have an animal in an enclosure you are totally and completely responsible for that animal, no exception. We are all very upset and sad about the loss of the baby goat. Her name was Mary Margaret. It's a long explanation of how she got that name. The little Black Goat.

I guess that todays blog isn't to upbeat. I hope to have better news for you in the next one. Maybe it's just that "OFF" kilter thing. Let me know if you are feeling the same.

Good night ya'all at the Paws Up Resort/Ranch in Montanaland try to stay warm.

It was 102 here today and another fire broke out about an hour ago a few miles from our Ranch. I'll let you know.

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NOTE TO SELF (THINK IT THRU BEFORE OPENING YOUR MOUTH AND SAYING "SURE NO PROBLEM I CAN DO THAT FOR YOU")

I know that I probably won't do it but it will make Scott smile to hear it. Me say "no I can't help you" ha thats a laugh.

It was a long ten days off and now I am back here at the Fire Station again. Maybe I can get some rest, after I wash my truck and trailer. It was a dusty dirty mess after the Carmel Valley Ranchers Days Rodeo yesterday. I took Skeeter and Bo and Darcy took her beloved Blondy and Jolon. Of course I didn't want anything to be too easy so I rode Skeeter in EVERYTHING. Ranch Trail, Team Sorting, Poles and twice in the Ranch Penning with juniors.

I started with a false sense of confidence when my boy Skeeter went right in and trotted right thru the cones, I dallied up to the log drag and he did it at a trot like an old ranch horse. We returned the rope and log to it's place and went into a semi lope to the lope over poles and he never even hesitated, we stopped and started backing thru the next obstacle and then his reverse got jammed up, I decided that forward would work OK and went on to the wooden bridge. He walked right across like a trooper and loped over with the utmost of confidence to where the duster/jacket hung on the fence. He sidepassed over to it, I reached out and grabbed it and ****   that's where it seemed to come undone. I guess that I had never been exposed to the rare, never seen by human eyes, viscious, blood thirsty, horse eating duster/jacket.   BUT Skeeter had.  He must have known better than me how brutal and sneaky that they can be. To me (and I am sure every other human there) it appeared to be a normal overcoat,rainwear,duster. But to Skeeter it was going to rip his throat out.  Now I have  to say, Skeeter has begun to put alot of trust in me lately, but that was pushing it a bit right then. He would face 2,000 lb bulls and 150 ft cliffs, deep boggs at the lake, and almost anything else but it took ALOT of convincing to get that spun up, freaked out horse to take even one forward step towards that menacing duster. We spent pretty much the rest of our time and probably some of the other contestants time having the "uncomfortable away from duster, more comfortable close to duster" discussion. I was finally able to touch the duster while mounted on the "convinced he was going to die" horse and we finished our patern and left the arena.

Now I have to say that even though he came , should I say "unfocused" towards the end of our event. He really did impress me with what he did accomplish before that happened. I will give him credit for all of that. He was outstanding in the poles, Our team in the Sorting was a last minute thrown together team and we didn't do to well, the Ranch Penning was a blast and he was a cow eating, cuttinghorse in that event. He does love to work a cow. The event is an adult with a junior. I rode with Tray Anthony (my shoers 9 yr old son) He is the Carmel Valley Star! ! He did really well and we worked our steer thru different obstacles for points for 3 minutes and when they call 30 seconds you have to take your steer out of the arena. We got 5th in that event. Then I rode with Darcy (the girl that has riden at my place for 5 years) she's 18 now and quite a cowgirl. In this age group the adult is not allowed to talk,gesture or give any direction at all to the junior. Only the junior is allowed to talk at all. Darcy and i have been riding together for so long it was totally silent it the arena thru the whole event and we placed 5th also.

Bo pretty much stayed tied up to the trailer all day throwing a fit. If he had stopped throwing a tantrum he would have been allowed to come watch at least. He basically went for patience training. He needs more of that and will be going along to alot of events from now on. I think that he has some seperation anxiety. I would think that being actually tied to the trailer, he would figure out that we can't actually LEAVE without him.

So, back to my original thought about not thinking things thru before offering to do things.

I mentioned in my prior blog that I was hauling some of my horses to Monty Roberts for a starting clinic last week. I was asked by another rescue if I could pick up another horse about 70 miles South of there and bring it up to Montys too. OF COURSE I CAN DO THAT FOR YOU. Now mind you, I have 7 at my place to put in my trailer (6 horse) two more that I am supposed to pick up on the way, drop them all off then pick three others and deliver them and NOW I am going further down state for one more.  So here is how my day went.

Got up at 6, finally got 6 loaded in my trailer by 9, Darcy was there helping me, Trays Mom Tiffany came with her trailer to haul the others and we loaded the other one at my house and left at 930. We got to our next stop at 1030. Unloaded the screaming banshee out of Tiffanys trailer had a discussion about manners and shoved him into the back of the 6 horse- now 7 horse trailer. Loaded another horse into Tiffanys trailer, Darcy rode with her and the owner of the other horse rode with me. I was told that, that mare doesn't play well with others and it wouldn't be a good idea to put another horse in with her. I called out next stop and informed them that they would be hauling their own horse to Montys. We got to Montys at about 2:00, unloaded everyone and went to a quick lunch, picked up another helper (Brian) and went to our next stop. There we had an untouched 15.2   1400 lb  2 1/2 yr old mustang colt and 4 others to pick up. This was the most beautifull "mustang" that I have ever seen and has permanently changed my perception of mustangs. It took about 20 minutes to load him (really smart too) he was in about 1/2 acre pasture. We quickly loaded the others and were on our way back to Montys. They all unloaded like a dream and I should know better than to get too confident about these things. Tiffany and the mares owner went back home and Brian, Darcy and I went on down south to pick up the last one for the day. THE FAVOR. We got there with about 30 minutes of daylight left and it looked like it was not going to be too difficult.

THE PLAN:   Take all but the horse(untouched mustang) and another (gentled mustang) out of the 100X90 ft pen. Open a corner of the pipe corral and back the trailer up to the opening making a sort of shute into the trailer. Take the gentled mustang to the opening and "bait" the ungentled mustang into the basic vicinity of the open end of the trailer. Urge the ungentled mustang into the trailer, with or without the gentled mustang. Close the trailer door seperate them inside the trailer, let the gentled mustang out and go on our merry way back to the Land of Monty Roberts. Then the story should end they all lived happily ever after. It was a fairy tale after all wasnt it?

THE REALITY: The untouched mustang could care less about the gentled mustang.(I think he considered him a traitor of sorts) He wanted nothing to do with him. The "gentled" mustang was actually extremely illmanored and stepped on, ran over, rope burned, mauled and generally caused mayhem to the handlers. No way concievable to back up to a corner to that pen so only one spot to go to and that was the side, no shute to work with either. Our plan was quickly falling apart and it was getting dark.  The trailer backed up to the pen with panels opened to it in the darkening evening, looked alot like the jaws of a prehistoric predator and he was having no part of it. 

Now it was DARK, we are cold tired and getting pretty darned cranky. I have asked two of my "friends" to help me with this little favor and I am feeling bad about roping them in on it. We even have another girl Janice who only came to feed her horse,  out there helping us. She was an absalute trooper and we really couldn't have done it without her. If you are reading this, please add a comment, I would love to hear from you. Thank you so much for you unending help. Oh and sorry for laughing when you slipped in the muddy horse pee and fell on your face. Really.

I am not going to go into to too much detail about the tactics that we actually used to get him loaded. We did use a different bait horse, (one he actually liked) modified the shute to the trailer opening, applied adequate lighting to the open trailer, applied the "uncomfortable away from the trailer, more comfortable closer to the trailer training method", and convinced him that WE WERE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!!  He finally hoped right in, kicked the trailer a few times and hauled like a champ all the way to Montys.   We got there at about midnight to unload and headed home. We pulled in at 3:30 AM       HOME AT LAST.  I don't think that I am going to be able to convince Darcy to go on any short horse hauls anymore.

Scott came home for 4 days during my ten days off. It was a whirlwind of visiting people and doing stuff. Running from one persons place to anothers to make sure that we saw everyone. Not too much time for us to relax, but he'll be back for his sons wedding on Oct 11th.

 WOW only a year ago he was at Carmel Valley Ranchers Days yelling at someone "Away,Away"(inside joke) and now he is getting married and they are expecting a baby. Our little Sean has sure grown up.

Well I better get some rest, everyone else has turned in for the night here at the Fire Station. 

I will try to add a bit tomorrow when I get a chance. Goodnight all in Montanaland and the Paws Up Ranch/Resort

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