A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Everybody went to the barn today. Charlie had company galore on this fabulous, sunny day. Mel and Charlie got a ride down the road, just the two of them, looking for all the world like the great partners they are. It was a beautiful sight. He was showing off that gorgeous rocking chair lope when they came back to the yard. Liesl's turn next in the round pen. Charlie thought he could pull a fast one on her by ignoring her requests, but Liesl wasn't falling for it and wouldn't give in. They ended up in a nice trot with Charlie looking good and Liesl looking justifiably satisfied with herself. Eva was up next and with Mel's help, she got a round pen ride. Eva had already paid her dues by helping groom him up. You should see her pick those feet! Only one child left, Morgan, a friend who, along with her mom, had come to spend the day, but wasn't sure riding was going to be for her. Charlie and Mel had the honor of giving Morgan her very first ride. Lots of pictures taken throughout the day and some will likely show up here. Deciding who got the most attention, Charlie or Raider, a brand new golden retriever puppy, was a draw. Eva put her kite up and it just added to the mood of the day. Plus it was fun to watch the horses try and figure out what it was - friend or foe? It was a remarkable day. The kind we wait for all winter. The kind we drink up, soak up, wrap around ourselves and savor.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHARLIE

Happy hay bale to you.

Happy hay bale to you.

Happy hay bale, dear Charlie

Happy hay bale to you.

Charlie is likely celebrating 'cause he's warm and dry under his new rainsheet. Timing is everything.

NEW DUDS AND SIMPLE IS A RELATIVE TERM

First, there's photos of Charlie in his new duds. He looks quite regal in burgandy (tho' it looks kinda orange-ish in the pictures). It's almost as if he knows what it's for - weather is coming and not the dry, warm, sunny kind. Brand new blanket whipping in the 25 mpr wind, and he doesn't even blink, sniff, or look at it funny - just stands there while it's being adjusted, pulled, adjusted, shifted, adjusted, undone, adjusted, redone, adjusted....... Maybe it's cause he knows there's a couple juicy carrots at the end of all such goings on. Take a look via the slide show.

The following statistic is for those who are not horse owners, cause there's no doubt every owner knows that one horse will "produce" between 40 and 50 pounds of manure a day. That's daily! One horse. Each day! Since it's very important to get a manure sample to determine parasite load, it stands to reason, in light of 40/50lbs showing up pretty regularly, that acquisition would be a simple task. Clean a stall & put the horse in - immediate compliance. Have nice clean mats on the floor when the farrier comes - never fails. Walk a horse into any building, for any reason - ta da. Take them out of the pasture, put them in the pasture, walk them around the yard, leave the yard, come back to the yard, tie them to the hitching post, put them in the round pen - Eureka. After all, 40/50 lbs? It's a pretty routine activity, a pretty simple task. Unless, of course, you want a sample, need a sample, have to have a sample, a clean sample that's not been stepped on, touched a herdmate's, slid into a puddle, or otherwise contaminated. It requires that production occur when you are standing at the ready, double thick plastic bag in hand. Owner or not, you can see where this is going. CHARLIE!!! Give it up. There's only one thing left to do, the surest bet of all. Have to hook the truck to the horse trailer, put him (and a couple of his equally non-cooperative herdmates) inside, and wait. Usually takes under 5 minutes. Even less if the trailer has just been cleaned and a lovely thick layer of clean shavings put down. Should have done it 2 weeks ago. Good Grief!

WHOEVER IS DOING THE RAIN DANCE CAN STOP NOW!

It appeared a few weeks ago that our wet, cold spring had taken a bit of a toll on Charlie. His weight was down according to the weight tape. His blanket had come off and gone back on based on the daytime weather/temps, but looks like the night temps were the bigger concern - brrr. Live and learn. His blanket went on and stayed on according to prevailing night temps, his calorie intake was increased. It wasn't a lot, 40+lbs., but interpreted by his caretakers as the beginning of a slippery slope. Discussions were held, adjustments made, and it appears he's back on track. His feed supplier was a big help. Tho' she sells a high fat supplement, it's spendy, and she felt an increase in beet pulp would be effective. Got a bag of Sr. feed just to be sure. He also has a brand new, burgandy rainsheet that actually fits and isn't "tailored" with zip ties. Since he's so easy on his wardrobe, it should last a long time. The vet was out on the 13th for spring shots, etc. The next challenge is keeping his feet clean and healthy and avoiding scratches in this blasted Valley mud. He's sharing a bottle of No Thrush with his buddies - it's a powdered product that is supposed to work on scratches and rain rot as well as thrush. The ads are encouraging (aren't they all) and it really is easy to use - a bonus for sure. So, whoever is doing the rain dance can stop now!!!

MUDDY, MUDDIER, MUDDIEST, MOSTEST MUDDIEST!!

It's horsekeeping in the Red River Valley and that means plenty, plenty mud. Charlie and his five herdmates have a build up of old hay around their feeders which sit on concrete slabs. This is a good thing, cause they can get out of the mud. The farrier was out on Friday and all hooves look healthy so far. The trick is to keep them that way 'til things dry up. As for the rest of him, well.......... he's plenty, plenty muddy. Charlie had company last week: Eva, her buddy Sophie, and Melanie. If there was any doubt they'd paid him a visit, his braided mane was proof positive. Then there was all the hair on the ground by the hitching post - yikes. When he starts to shed that fuzzy, winter coat, it looks like an entire new pony is about to spring forth. In addition, he went for a walk this last Saturday. The human herd took the equine herd on a stroll in the sunshine, on the dry road. Bonus! There was dry grass along both sides just right for grabbing an occasional munch. It's been decided to keep Charlie on his winter level rations until he rounds out a bit. It was absolutely necessary to keep his weight up over the winter cause he went into it thinner than expected. Now there's time to build him up to a more acceptable level. Vets are coming in about a week for shots, coggins, etc. Last week's appt was cancelled due to a storm. With any luck, we are done with those. Just need to keep him dry if there is any significant rain - good thing he doesn't mind his blankets.

PRETTY FEET and THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

My apologies for taking so long to update. No excuses other than, "What happened to February?"

Those of you who have checked lately, likely noticed the $00.00 due for the farrier. Charlie's feet have been taken care of by the same farrier for almost 6 years. We think he's a guru, and he keeps Charlie's feet healthy, natural, pretty. The last trim was in February when I told him what was up with Charlie's family and that I'd be paying him out of the Charlie's Change account.

He looked me straight in the eye and said, "You won't be paying me out of any account. I will take care of Charlie until that little girl is well." So, you see, the Company You Keep - and that includes you all - means a lot. Well, maybe not a lot, more like everything.

Charlie is doing great, tho' likely tired of the blanket he's been living in most of the winter. Don't know how he keeps it so pristine, but it hasn't a blemish on it. Hopefully, it'll come off tomorrow and stay off ('cause winter is over, right?). He had a tough late Summer/early Fall, lost weight, very low energy, so getting him safely through winter was a priority. He has maintained his weight! Whew! (Cause winter is over, right?) And his energy level is definately up. He's pushing the baby of the herd around (5 yr. old giant of a Thoroughbred) at feeding time. That's the Charlie we know and love. There are many wonderful Charlie stories, but here's a favorite.....just so you get an idea of how he loves his chow.

Charlie and Apache, buddies for almost 16 years, have been in a few stables during that time.

Some years back, they were in a 24/7 outdoor board setting, and given a feed ration daily. It was a challenge to feed "free" horses, but they managed it pretty well. Except for the day it was

raining and the feed merchant evidently didn't want to stand in it to keep the horses apart while

they ate. I happened to go out that day, at that time, and this is what I found. Charlie was

leisurely eating his ration out of one pan with a hind foot firmly planted in another - - which happened to be Apache's. Apache was trying every bob and weave tactic he knew to get some of that feed, but it was a no go. Whenever he got close, Charlie just twitched an ear in his direction and message received! When Charlie had emptied his pan, he calmly removed his foot from the other, turned, and commenced to eating that as well. Oh, yeah, did I mention that Charlie has also always been known for his smarts.

Eva's Fundraising Benefit