Fundraiser May 9th

Hey folks,

Sorry for the long pause in between posts but we are hard at work taking care of babies. However, there are some things that we want to make sure you are aware of.

First, we have a fundraiser coming up May 9. Horsepower for Horses, http://www.horsepowerforhorses.com/, will make their annual spring ride from Columbus to the Corral. Join us around lunch time for sandwiches and a tour of the farm and learn about the operations, the horses and the people that make up Last Chance.

Second, Zack, the quarter pony is now available. Zack is a 14.1, green-broke gelding quarter pony. Call Victoria at 740-594-4336 for more details.

Third, we now have 23 babies! While I do not have pictures of the recent arrivals, I can tell you the last batch brought us several appendix types. Schedule an appointment today to see which foal is right for you!

The Corral has also seen some changes in staff. We recently bid Lauren a found farewell as she moves on to her next adventure in New Hampshire. Good luck Lauren!

I will do my best to keep you all informed through this blog. Being a volunteer, I am not at the farm on a regular basis. However, as I receive updates, so will you.

As always, contact the farm with any questions regarding any of the animals you see on our Web site.

Happy Trails!

Leah

foals, poo, foals.

We still have too many foals here to bring in more. Yikes! Someone needs to adopt these guys... several left after Equine Affaire, but not enough!! Two days ago the little palomino appy left, yesterday the big black and the little solid bay, today the big palomino appy and the 3 month old draft... there are MANY lovely babies here, I know they are plain bay and chestnut, but all of them are very well put together and will be beautiful horses. Don't be deterred by the plain wrapper...

Number 73, the little Arab/Appy, never recovered properly from the virus that whipped through the barn, and we put her to sleep Sunday night. She was too young and she wasn't digesting anything properly - the milk was coming out of her looking the same as it did when it went in. At that point, there was no hope for her recovery. We were all pretty attached to her, but unfortunately, that's just the way it goes sometimes.

The four year old ex-stallion was adopted by our good friend Teresa. She said she didn't really need one... but... what can you do?? He just spoke to her. No other horses have moved around lately... crazy, huh? I just went out and groomed the older ex-stallion... he was actually pretty good. I really wish my leg was better, I would love to work with him. It just drains your confidence to know that you have no quickness at all.

Rain, rain, rain.... everything here is soaking wet or muddy. Rain sucks around here!! You just can't keep everything even reasonably clean. With 6 dogs running in and out all day... it gets pretty messy, LOL!

The day got more interesting when I took a break from the blog writing... Tracy went to empty one of our poop carts and was completely stuck in the mud, and the trailer had broken free! We just picked up a donated horse trailer yesterday, and it uses a two inch ball. It's the only thing on the farm that uses one, so we ALL completely forgot to change it for the poop trailer!!! Tracy made it all the way to the "dump spot" and got it partway dumped before she got stuck in the mud, and when she tried to free herself, she lost the trailer. Rachel and I both piled back in the truck to dig the trailer free and dig the poop out. An interesting outing, to say the least!!!

All the babies are looking pretty good tonight. A few of them are starting to get a little of the poops, but they are at the age for foal scours, so it isn't unexpected. It is funny to see them buddy up with the new crowd. Our big red and white colt that we're keeping for Cleveland, Grande, looks like he just learned how to groom this little bay filly.... but he looks like he's trying to eat her whole neck, he's biting her so hard... but she looks happy!! She is making the itchy face. Silly foals. At least I always have something fun to watch from the office...

I'm off to bed... early night!

lots to catch up on.

This foal has so much love in his heart, he wears it on his forehead!

I am reading back through the old posts and oh my goodness, there is so much I've forgotten to post about.

I forgot to post about Stacy and I's trip to SC to bring Terri more foals. WOW that was interesting. I was supposed to go by myself at 11 am, but the truck wouldn't start, so I had to wait for Stacy. We left in the big Ford at about 4 pm. We delivered the foals to Terri's house around 1230 or 1 am, found the shadiest hotel in Charlotte to crash for the night. Talk about SCARY... there were four Charlotte cops on duty at the Motel 6!!! Oh well... we were only there for a few hours. We were supposed to meet someone for foals in Paris, KY around 1 pm, so we got up at 5 am. Thinking it would be a good idea to check the oil in the truck, we quicly discovered there was NO oil. NONE. 8 quarts in, still didn't register on the dipstick! The truck has a serious oil leak. We bought a case of oil and kept pourin' it in, all the way home. We were supposed to stay on 79 all the way to 68 in Kentucky... I fell asleep for a while, and when I woke up, we were at a gas station. We leave to get back on the highway, and Stacy says, "North, right?" 81N or 81S? WHAAAAT?! I said, "Where the heck is 79??" Yeah, we missed a turn. An hour back. So we were super late. We didn't get to Paris until about 4 pm. GAH!

I also forgot to tell you what happened to Ruffie. When we took Ruffie to Pete's, he said that his suspensories were too deteriorated for him to be very useable in the future. His best option would be euthanasia. It is so incredibly difficult to find homes for "pasture only" horses, and they have no guarantee for a future. If someone does have room for a companion horse, but they begin to run out of money, the first horse to go will be the one that's unrideable. For this reason, we typically euthanize horses that will not be rideable. Well, I got a little suckered into this situation... of course it was entirely my own fault. Seeing as I was the one who picked Ruffie up, talked to his trainer, rode him for the first time... I was more attached than was wise. And I took him home. Yup, Ruffie's living the high life in Columbus. He will be boarded with a friend of mine when I move, and we're going to see if some rehab can't get him reasonably sound. It is a very stupid financial commitment on my part, but I can't help it. I got too involved. Not smart!!! But I love the guy.

Equine Affaire went very well!! More than the money and the adoptions, it is spreading the word that it the most beneficial to us at Equine Affaire. Since the event, people have been contacting us left and right about adopting. Yeah! That's what we need. Today, two foals went to Vermont, four went to Massachussetts, and one went to Conneticut. We're spreading our little tendrils wherever we can, looking for adoptions! Oreo got adopted at Equine Affaire, to someone with a 2 year old nurse mare foal. Chop and Jack both also went to Equine Affaire, but they haven't been adopted yet, although there's been a lot of interest.

Zen and Norell are currently hanging out at the in-town farm. Still no interest in Norell - I'm surprised. She's such a lovely Thoroughbred. Zach was adopted by Leah, who just purchased her first house and is getting her fencing ready. Scout was returned from his adoptive home, and Tracy, our barn manager and his original owner, is now able to keep him. (Yeah!) We have a little two year old pintaloosa nurse mare foal here that Rachel is taking. It's apparently the month for LCC staff to adopt LCC horses! Ha, ha.

Mikey was euthanized last week. It seems that he had a broken and/or dislocated tailbone, something that no one had noticed. He had some manure in his tail, but we all thought he had diahhrea. He was living at the in-town farm with Chop, so we didn't realize he was unable to lift his tail. He had no feeling within three inches of the tail head, and his tail was basically only still there because of the skin. Victoria has dealt with this problem before, and typically without amputation, the tail becomes necrotic. With amputation, he becomes a very special needs horse... the entire tail would have had to come off, which is basically spinal surgery! It is expensive and risky, and he would have needed extreme bug protection as a result. So, the decision was made to euthanize him. These decisions suck, but we have to do what is best for the horse in the long run.

The Morgan stallion, the older one, is a handful. I mean, a real handful. He needs an extremely confident and experienced owner. He is so hormonal! Typically about 15 days after castration the testosterone starts to run out, so he still has a little while. The younger stallion is a big sweetheart. He is scared, but not at all aggressive, unless the Morgan comes at him.

For those of you following the little black Percheron filly, she "noodled out" on Sunday after Equine Affaire. Victoria thinks she was at least 4 weeks premature. She just was not designed for life outside the womb. We gave her IV fluids 24 hours a day, tubed her several times a day... she just didn't make it. We also lost 79, the little black and white colt, yesterday. A vicious virus ripped through the barn in the last two days, and honestly, we thought most of them were going to bite the dust. Severe diahhrea followed by colicing. The black and white colt was one of the first to get sick, so we sent him and the bay filly to the vet. All of the foals here pulled through... after a TON of time and work was put into them. Two nights ago, we gave babies IV fluids for about 5 hours. It was exhausting. BUT they all pulled through. The last of it is just clearing up today... keep your fingers crossed that the new load doesn't get the same thing.

The new load of babies will arrive around one this afternoon. Keep an eye if you're thinking of adopting! There are still several beautiful foals left around here, and they are looking for homes.

If my leg ever gets better, I *might* get to ride sometime before I leave for NH... GRR! I'm sick of being crippled. Now I understand why Victoria gets so frustrated when her foot is bothering her... it's obnoxious!

Happy Easter everyone...

I will have a proper post later, but just wanted to get the word out that there is a trailer load of babies headed to New York, between Buffalo and Rochester. The driver is happy to bring along any foals that could be adopted, and they can be picked up at her place this weekend. If you are interested, contact us by phone TONIGHT. You choose your foal here, send money, the foal will be taken to the New York area. Thanks!

Equine Affaire, here we come!

Okay, I am so silly... it is impossible for me to keep up with this with all kinds of other stuff going on here... I'm sorry!

The stallions have both been gelded. One is a seven year old registered Morgan, he's a cool guy, but opinionated. The other is a four year old Morgan x Saddlebred, and he is just scared, but super sweet. Neither of them have been handled at ALL.... they had ropes hanging from their halters so we could catch them! Both guys are going to need a lot of work, but they'll be nice horses in no time.

We are headed to Equine Affaire today. For those of you who were interested in an Equine Affaire foal, we aren't really very sure who is going. It's going to depend on who has the poops and who's alright. Whoever is healthy is going, and once they are adopted, we'll bring more up. You can always call the farm and ask for my cell if you have questions about who's there, I will have it on me all through Equine Affaire. (The farm's number is 740 594 4336.)

See you Sunday!! Hope everyone stops by this weekend!!