Forever Home Donkey Rescue

Courtney didn't make it out yesterday to trim. She will try to come Sunday. I hope so, I have a rather long list of feet needing to be looked at and/or trimmed. Most of them usually take care of their feet running around on the gravel & sand except for the ones that have been foundered. Right now Buddy Brat has a big hunk of hoof missing & Max the horse has vertical cracks on both front feet. When Courtney comes out, she always works on Chester as much as she can. He can't stand on 3 legs because of the damage to his elbow, so it's rather "hit & miss". Right now the heel on that foot is REALLY high. If she can't get it trimmed, we'll probably have to haul him into the vet next time she comes, so he can be put on the ground. Although he can't put weight on that leg, so the other 3 feet can be worked with, I've tried to work with him, to at least lift that foot, so it could be trimmed. He does pretty good, but he won't hold it up long enough to trim it properly, at least not yet. I've thought about training him to lay down so he could be trimmed, but I'm not sure how to do it. Sure would make it easier on everyone involved if we could figure it out.

Gus is walking much better today. It turned out to be his knee not the fetlock. He's being a big baby about it, I make over him & talk about "Poor Poor Gus got a sore leg", & he lifts that leg, so I can rub it. Since he's been hurt, he's even managed to get John to bring him his carrot down in the wash where he stays at night. When John goes out to let everyone out of their pens at bedtime, Gus starts "woofing" from the wash, & John hand delivers his carrot. Sure doesn't take long to get the humans properly trained I guess..........(G)

Tula, & Chester have figured out a new way to try my patience. Tula has always waited to go into her pen to be fed. She is always the last one in. Chester usually goes in with the others. But since he runs with her most of the time, he's now decided to stay out with her. Recently she was waiting until I carried out the buckets before showing up. But the last few days, both of them have not showed up until the buckets were emptied & the hay was being delivered. So I made a decision that if I emptied their buckets & had gone into Rusty's pen which is next in line, they would have to wait to go into their pens until I brought the "Roach Coach", i.e. the golf cart with hay wagon in tow. The last 2 feedings went that way, they had to cool their heels outside their pens, until I decided to open the gate & let them in. Boy you talk about an unhappy donkey............Tula yelled & screamed, I'm sure obscenities in donkey language because she had to wait until, I a mere human, opened HER gate. Chester just stood there looking confused. Tonight, I had already dumped both of their buckets & was headed to Rusty's pen, probably within 3 or 4 steps of actually touching the gate, when they both showed up...........!!! Grrrrr! I'm sure she doesn't know the new rules.......but it sure seems like she's read my mind. We'll see what tomorrow morning is like.........!!!!!