Kate is much better!

 Kate has been resting since her ordeal on 1/20.  Today, it was warmer than it's been in a several weeks, so we put the horses out.  We don't put them out when it's down in the teens and below zero, so none of them had been out for a while.  They all had a good time.  And Kate got around really well.  It's a relief to see her with a normal gait!

If you look above Kate's right eye (left side of picture) you can see her abrasion is healing over.  It scabs and then peals, but each time fills in more.  Hopefully, when it's all done healing, you won't even be able to see a mark!

This is Kate enjoying mobility!

This is Kate in the front and Classy in the back.  Kate didn't frolic as much as the others but I still think she enjoyed the "warm" weather!

This is me and Kate!  She's very lovey and likes having her nose scratched.

This is Jesse and Classy.  She was all fired up and ready to get outside today!  She's just a beautiful animal.  I have found it impossible to get great pictures of solid black horses.  The photos just don't do them justice.  To really appreciate them, you have to see them in person!

Here is the gang strolling through the snow with Jesse!  Mac was more interested in eating hay than walking in the snow.

But one thing Mac always does in the pasture . . .   No matter the weather, no matter how much mud there might be . . .  He always has to roll!

And here is Orlando.  He has one of Mac's blankets on (which is a little small) because he tore the clasp on his blanket and I haven't gotten it repaired yet.  He is a beautiful horse even in an old blanket!

Kate is improving . . .

Last night, I was so worried about Kate.  Jesse and I worked in the barn from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. last night.  While we were up there, Kate held her head low and wasn't very perky.  Her eye wasn't much better.  She looked tough.  She ate well and did interact with us, which we thought was a good sign.  This morning when Jesse went up to do chores, she was lying down and was able to get up - although not very gracefully.  But this too seemed like a good sign.

Later in the morning, I went up to the barn and Kate looked much better.  The area over her eye was less swollen and looked less angry.  She was moving much better.  She still has a ways to go, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic that she's going to be okay in the end.  Again, I can't begin to share how thankful we are.

Kate's Bad Night

 This morning we found Miss Kate with her feet stuck between the bottom and next-to-the bottom bars of the gates between her stall and Classy's.  It looked like she had been there quite a while from the signs of struggle.  Jesse cut the gates with a Sawz-all to free her feet.  But she couldn't get up.  Her back legs were straight out like boards.  She couldn't stand up at all.  Jesse left to go get our wonderful neighbor, Ben, to help us.  I stayed by Kate's side, talking to her and rubbing her neck.  It was the longest 5 minutes . . .  With Ben's help, we were able to get her up by using ropes looped around the 6x6 posts in the barn.  Our good friend and mentor, Jim, talked us through this (he was bucked from a horse a few weeks ago and wasn't up to helping physically).  I don't know what we'd do without him.  He's always there for us when we need his advice.  Many thanks to Ben and Jim!

Kate and Classy lay down every night.  They swing their back legs to get momentum to get back up.  We think that Kate was laying down, and her feet got stuck when she swung them to get up. 


Above Kate's eye was rubbed raw against the floor from her struggles.  Her eye is nearly swelled shut.  She has several cuts on her face, we are not sure from what . . .  And her back legs are very stiff.  But it looks like she'll be okay when her eye heals and her pulled leg muscles get better.

This is a picture of the old gates between the stalls.  You can see the space between the bottom two rails isn't very big . . .



This is a picture of the new gates that we bought today.  The bars are much futher apart so they can get their feet out if this should ever happen again.  And we bought a baby monitor to so we can hear what is going on in the barn.  I am certain that the sounds of struggle would have awakened me over a baby monitor.  We bought a Sony monitor that is so clear we can hear them chewing hay! 

Believe me . . .  We know how lucky we were today.  We could have lost our dear Kate.  Horses that are down and struggling often colic or twist their intestines and die.  She could have broken her legs . . .  We are so very thankful this turned out as well as it did. 

Ashley's Hat

On Sunday, we were all gathered at my mom's for my sister's birthday.  I was knitting and my niece, Ashley, asked me what I was working on.  I showed her that I was making a hat.  She really liked it.  So I copied the pattern for her and helped her with some knitting questions she had.  She taught herself to knit and just needed a couple hints.  Today - 2 days later - she sent me a pic of her finished hat! 

Great job, Ashley!

1st 4-H Meeting of the Year

Tonight was the first 4-H meeting of the year.  The project leaders announced their projects for the year and the kids sign up for the ones they want to do.  I'm leading photography and crochet this year.  And then we had elections for officers.  Jordana was elected Secretary!  Jacob was nominated for President, but he didn't get elected to his relief!  Then we had our annual gift exchange.  We don't meet in December and always wait until our January meeting to hold this.  The kids all stand in a circle (and it is a big circle) and one of the leaders reads a story with a lot of "rights" and "lefts" - every time the right or left is spoken, you pass the gift one person in that direction.  It's a lot of fun!  Jacob actually ended up with Jordana's gift (a flashlight).  And Jordana got a nice bath gel gift set, which was perfect for her!  We'll be busy the next few months till we get all the projects done, but it's a good kind of busy!