The Golden Carrot Newsletter's Archive
February 2013
TGC Newsletter
First, our newest additions!
I mentioned Fanny in our December Newsletter - read her story here. She came in December 23, 2012. Fanny has settled in quite a bit. She is still always with Star during the day, but quite happy to come back to her stall next to Ronan every night. She’s so cute - she comes in and looks at his butt and says Hello Ronan! Before she goes to eat. Now, that’s been my biggest concern with this mare. She wasn’t eating, even the pellets that came with her, let alone our new feed. So she wasn’t getting the powdered pergolide. So I put her on a doses of prascend, and she was eating even LESS! (That often happens, and you have to cut the dose in half for a week or so). She’s finally started eating, but really, she eats much more grass hay than anything! Weird because the lady who brought her told me Fanny would NEVER eat hay.... They all have their preferences...
Next, CORAZON, a 20 something OTTB ex polo pony mare. Poor Corazon, after racing, and then playing polo for years and helping kids learn to ride, was given to "a good home" that turned out to be a very poor home! The other horses there kept Corazon, who is very gentle and quiet, away from the food. She has a huge lump on her pastern too, which may have caused her to be unable to compete for her fair share of food. At any rate, she suddenly arose on the rescue email circuit as being in dire straits, feet too long to walk her off the mountain she was now living on. A young woman, Cathy, who does rescue on her own, as well as having great contacts in the horse community, felt she recognized the picture, and it turned out to be Corazon. Cathy notified Corazon’s former owner, who went enraged to the location and simply took her mare back. She was able to keep Corazon long enough to get her feet in better shape, and feed her properly for 3 weeks, so Corazon didn’t look too bad on arrival. Please see her page, and consider whether you might be able to sponsor, or part sponsor, this sweet mare.
She looks ok in this picture, but has a long ways to go before she looks as she did in the past. Her whole top line is caved in .....we've started her on a natural supplement specially formulated www.HorseMoms.com for her.
Updates
Smokey continues to do well. He is still devoted to Dion. He’s still got that kinda ‘hang dog’ demeanor, but scampers around well when he wants too, and sometimes stubbornly refuses to go in his house until he’s ‘ready’. I like it when those who come in so beaten down start showing me their spunk!
Sara had a horrible bout with abscesses. She had one that I and the farrier couldn’t figure out (nothing in her hoof even to testers) but by the time the doctor came out, the abscess had burst out above her heel. And it was huge! At that time, the doc and I discussed her being so prone to abscesses, and that she DID keep a little extra hair this last summer, and he had me start her on pergolide as well. And within 3 days, she had THREE MORE huge lumps, ready to break out! Cushings horses have a depressed immune system (i.e., Victor with his inability to lick that skin fungus). I think once she was on meds, Sara’s immune system kicked in and started expelling this junk from her foot! And today, she trotted out for breakfast! YAY.
and then, Victor had an abscess! About 3 weeks after that stifle injury had healed! Dang, dude! But he keeps steaming along....
and then Gio hurt himself! A bad owie on his right rear fetlock turned into cellulitis! Awaiting the second visit from the vet as I type - but I'm feeling he's making good progress. He's SICK of stall rest, even tho the stall he's in is huge. But I can't let our big boy out with the herd when he only has 2 working legs!
Diamond and Lester and Jasper
Our Castaic rescues are doing great. Jasper continues to be devoted to Daisy (over Remy’s irritation). He’s still gimpy, but I think his next set of shoes should make as much difference for him as we’ll be able to achieve. Lester and Diamond are devoted to each other - and now in the main stall line together are much happier. I really can’t wait for warmer weather to see how Lester is looking under his thick hair coat (he was the skinniest).
Now, sometimes I think I don't mention some horses enough. Please always feel free to ask about anyone you're interested in. But with 43, this newsletter could get PRETTY LONG! And horses who have joined a sub-herd (Daisy, Remy, Jasper, Star, Medina and now Fanny; Pepe, Keller, Song; Brave, Hershey, Spencer for example) or horses who have paired up (Prophet and Topper; Jeeps and Queenie; Sarge and Cassidy for instance) just seem to go along, happy as pigs in mud (which these days, they sorta resemble!) I don't mention them, because .... nothing's happening! If you have a Facebook account, be sure to join our group and "like" our Page, and then share our posts like crazy, to get the horses the exposure they need, and stay up to date on the day to day stuff.
Crazy weather making lots of work
We had a cold snap the likes of which I’ve never experienced. While Northern and East Coast people can laugh at us, Southern Californians are not exposed to the kind of weather they see regularly - when temps went below 10 degrees, all of my pipes froze and I couldn’t even make coffee that first morning! Toilets didn’t work; couldn’t wash dishes or get a drink, wash clothing - dang. Luckily, I was able to keep water barrels filled for the horses (less exposure above ground for those pipes) After that, a lot of rain turned the place into a quagmire. So have been cleaning when I can, doing very little with LOTS of effort.
Right now, it’s snowing. Yes, and yesterday at this time, it was 76 degrees. For crying out loud....
I did get some help for a couple of weeks from a local guy who did great work. YES I would have him back, but he has another job that takes precedence. When he can, he’ll come help again .... And some good news is that the EzGo is now back, and I’ve been using it. I still feel it’s a little weak, but I can get it started and use it.
I was also contacted by a local kids ranch, Pathfinders, who had thought they might "trade" some of their more worn out horses for younger more capable horses. After I cleared up what our mission was, I was able to connect them with Courtney at Under the Angel’s Wings Rescue, who just at this time is looking for adoptive homes or fosters for some horses who are rideable. I hope that works out. In addition, some calls I got were for rideable horses, and so I passed them on to Shari as well. Hopefully, that will work out for everyone.
Need continues
So that last item tells you the need is still huge. I get calls and emails every week; and every rescue I work with is the same, full to the max, and getting begging calls and emails every day. We’re working hard, but cannot do this work without your help. Right now, I’m trying to network these horses, on our Horses Need Homes page, and decide if we can take one in to fill our last stall. In addition to those horses, a 22+ year old OTTB named Sky is looking for a home (another abandoned one), pictures coming soon; and the Pathfinders Ranch may ask me to take an older, more worn out horse if they can find suitable replacements.
Tshirts/caps
Katja did some research and some design work, and we’ve now got Tshirts and ballcaps to offer. I think they’re beautiful! We will have them 2/20/13 - if you're interested, one can be yours for a minimum donation:
Yes, that's my Bruhad. He and Bobby Sox were my inspiration for the Golden Carrot, so he's the one. We have two large Tshirts in this pale gray, and others in white. We're asking a minimum donation of $15 for a Tshirt.
We have two choices for the ballcaps:
and
We're asking a minimum donation of $15 for a hat.
Katja also did a ladies T, and she put printing on front and back, and that's a $20 item. Let me know if you want to see what that looks like (T shirt is just a little more form fitting with smaller sleeves).
Let me know if you want anything - we'll be getting these things in on the 22nd.
Finally, we’re thinking of having another Open House/Yardsale/BBQ sometime around Late May or afterwards. I didn’t have much of a turnout the first year we did this, as I had it on Father's Day weekend, so I thought maybe folks could tell me if they already have plans on certain weekends. And I could try to schedule AROUND that? If you’d be interested in coming, and have any weekend you’re already booked for, or any weekend you’d like to come, could you shoot me an email?
So, I've refilled the stalls emptied in the last few months except one. I have had enormous expenses for medical problems. I got the EzGo working, and have expended a fair amount on labor getting some stalls and fences repaired. We, like Victor, keep steaming along! Can you help us, help the horses? Donations are needed, in any amount. I know tax refunds are coming in ... can you share a little with the old folks at the Golden Carrot?
