Saturday, June 19, 2021

THE GREEN MESQUITE BEANS ARE HANGING IN THE TREES AND LOTS OF THEM.....

 Don't think there are as many on the trees as there was last year, but there are plenty.  It is probably going to be another season of the donkeys having to be on confinement, although we have a better idea this year of what to do and will probably start raking beans earlier than we did last year.  We'll just have to see how it goes.  The donkeys are all looking really good, well except for Harley and Ziggy, they are still little butterballs.  Hopefully they will look as good when the mesquite bean season is over. Harley does his best to make up for the food deficit in what we feed him.  He obviously prefers more food, he knows which pens might have leftovers after everyone is let out.  If he doesn't get there first, no problem, he comes in like a little buzz saw and clears everyone out of the pen in a hurry.  No one will stand up to him even the large standard geldings.  

Right now Gigi is having a hard time.  She was probably born crippled from her legs getting wadded up before she was born.  That happens sometimes most of the time after a few days they get straightened out.  Or the people have the vet come out and put a cast or brace on for a week or so.  Her people didn't do that unfortunately.

She has to wear shoes on her front feet to keep her feet from twisting back the way they were before we got her.  

She has a place on the coronet that's damaged and scarred and splits easy.  


I was suspicious this little piece of flesh sticking out was proud flesh.  This morning when I soaked her foot, I'm pretty sure that's what it is. 


I sat with her while she was soaking and she knew I had cookies.  I was willing to give a cookie now and then, but she seemed to think they should come quicker.  She is one of the donkeys that has learned to stick her tongue out to the side to get people's attention and of course the results she wants is to get a cookie.  I don't think I could have fed them as quick as she could grab a cookie and get that tongue out begging for another cookie.  So we did cookies at my speed, not hers much to her disgust.......LOL

The vet is going to come out when he can, but in the meantime, I soaking and as of this morning trying to keep it covered with a diaper and duct tape.  I hope she just has a plain old abscess and not an infection inside her hoof.  Infections are almost impossible to treat below the knee because of naturally poor circulation, years ago we tried with Jenny for months and ultimately lost her.

Gigi isn't real happy to be worked with, but I was surprised this morning when I stuck her foot in an IV bag to soak and she accepted it.  It would have been nice to have a little more cooperation when I was trying to put the diaper and duct tape on, but we did finally manage to get it done.  Don't know if it will still be on when they come in for feeding this afternoon.  She hasn't been roaming around much lately, but John said she is with Rosie and Jasper down by Sha'ba's grave that is way below the house and is laying down.  I had been wondering if she could lay down and get back up, they usually won't lay down unless they know they can get up.  

The donkeys seem to be handling the oppressive heat we are having right now.  They basically eat, go find shade, and stand until the evening feeding.  I think they run around all night taking care of donkey business.  Casper the creative little white mini mule has been watching John, where he feeds the birds that yummy bird seed behind the house.  The bird feeding area is surrounded by 4 corral panels.  Rather than use a chain or something to make sure they stay closed, John has just been pulling the panel he goes in and out of shut.  

Guess where John found Casper this morning?  Inside the corral panels enjoying a snack of bird seed.  He had probably watched John push the panels and figured he could do that too.......!!! Ha!  John has now attached the corral panels together, which will take longer to open, BUT, hopefully will keep Casper out. 


Did you ever wonder what birds and cats do when it is 113+ degrees?  The birds hang around water, drinking and splashing and enjoying the shade on the back porch.  Sunny the cat, is enjoying watching the birds.  A little something for everyone. 

 


2 comments:

ellie k said...

Maybe the treat needs to be something chewy like caramal or taffie so they have to take time to chew it. I guess they would just swallow it whole maybe. We are finially having rain but very hot humid weather.

Tish said...

Wish we could get some rain, haven't had any in over 2 years.