Getting the little jenny is moving along, they want to bring her down here Wed or Thur.  I just got a message from someone else that the jenny has been seen by a vet & it was recommended that she be euthanized.  I'm sure by now most people know my opinion about euthanasia unless there is absolutely no option left.  

I know that vets a  lot of times are quick to recommend euthanasia as a quick easy fix to the problem when time & on going effort could make a lot of difference.   Unless there are x-rays there is no way of really knowing what the inside of her feet look like.  I am waiting to hear back from people that supposedly know the vet, so we'll see what I can find out.  

Boaz has once again, shown his affinity for going on a walk-a-bout.  Wasn't here at feeding time, so John headed one way & I headed the other.  I left the gate open when I went out with the golf cart, just in case, everyone else were in their pens.  I went up the road quite a ways, headed back & who did I see doing a "burn-out" turn into the driveway...........????  At least he knows where he belongs, he just has wanderlust.......!!! 

John walked the complete fence line of the 30 acres & didn't find any hoof prints inside the fence, but did find a bunch of them outside the place where he got out last time, & John fixed it.  It's in a bad spot because it's right at the edge of the 15 foot high bank of the big wash, impossible to put up a post that will be sturdy enough to discourage a determined donkey I guess.  John did a quick fix & so far Boaz is staying home.  John says the permanent fix will take most of the day, & he hasn't had time yet. 

This morning John noticed a tiny little pile of diarrhea in Aaron's pen........hmmmm....!   Not unusual for 5-7 day old foals to have diarrhea while their system adjusts to being on their own, rather than relying on momma's body to take care of him.  They also eat momma's poo to get the probiotics into their gut, which we caught him doing yesterday.  Time for Pepto Bismol or Keopectate.  I had to get in touch with Kathy at Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Colorado to find out how much to give him.  

When Georgette & I went up to Longhopes in Aug, they had a little 5 day old foal, with diarrhea & she got Pepto Bismol, so I figured Kathy would know, & she did.   So now John & I will be on poo patrol for a day or so.  This is why we are never bored........!!!! 

Wish I had a camera tonight when I went out to do chores.  Aaron discovered rearing & kicking out to the side as you run past something.  Ruthie was laying down & he attempted to jump over her.  Didn't go too well, he hung up & then had to try to figure out how to get all 4 legs on the same side of Mom.  A lot of squirming & wiggling & a very mellow Mom & he was off running again.  

Ruthie has finally come off of "guard" duty, or at least she isn't quite as on guard as she was.  Even came over to me to be petted tonight.  While I was petting her I felt a nudge, turned around & there was a cute little face wanting to participate. I kept scratching on Ruthie & reached back with the other hand & scratched his back & neck.  I think I have a friend for life, he seemed to think it was great.  

He's 4 days old & the difference between him & Tucker is amazing.  They were both born on a Tuesday, & Sunday morning John was hauling Tucker & Mocha into 24 hour care in Tucson.  He stopped on the way one time, because he thought Tucker had died he was so still.  This time is a much more fun experience, so far. 

Aaron is twice as big as Tucker was, John picked him up this afternoon to move him out of Daisy's pen, he was laying down & didn't see a reason to get up.  I asked John if he carried him all the way to his pen.  He said no, he's heavier than he looks.  He actually looks pretty sturdy. 

Heard from Julie, she said to use the pictures however I wanted to so here goes:

This is a sample of what Ruthie had to put up with the first couple of days, lots of eyes wanting a baby of their own I guess

Who wouldn't want one of these for their very own

 

Finally got those long legs operating effectively

Momma loves her little man..!!!!

Ruthie has been very good at letting the other donkeys & Rusty the mule, know that their admiration isn't appreciated.  Poor Daisy shares a fence at feeding time & isn't allowed on that side of the pen without being met by a huffy kicking momma.....!!!  Last night John didn't get the gate closed in time, the baby went in, momma went in with a vengeance & Daisy tried to chase the baby.  Not sure  if Daisy was trying to steal the baby or thought he was the problem.  Either way, John hustled around & got everyone where they needed to be before someone got hurt.  

Can't keep calling him baby, although I could call him Habibi, which is Arabic for baby.  But his name will be Aaron.  We had a family out here to see the donkeys a couple of months ago, & one of the men was having a birthday.  His Mother asked if we would name the baby after him.  I asked what if it was a girl, but of course there is the Irish spelling of Erin, so everything was covered.  

This morning he was acting a little funny with his mouth.  I would imagine he is cutting his first 2 teeth, they show up within a few days of them being born. 

This is a link to a story about the sanctuary, where Diega was before one of the board members took her to Phoenix.  I hope they can make some changes that are long overdue, & make sure the first & foremost goal, is to make sure the animals are well taken care of.  It looks like there are 145 animals on a 7 acre property.

I was up there a few years ago, when there were actually more animals & was really surprised that they didn't look crowded.  I figured they would be standing nose to tail, waiting for someone to move a few steps, so they could move.  But they actually had more room than I expected.  I know some of the animals were kept in barns, which I didn't see.  Don't know if they ever were outside or not.  Some of the horses were in small individual pens, I was told they went out in an area that looked to be about 1/2 acre, but I don't know how often. 

I just hope this is a good thing for the animals.

Julie & Joe stopped by the day after the baby was born & Julie took some great pictures.  I'm waiting to hear back from her, so I can put them on the blog, I'm sure she won't mind, but wanted to ask her first.

Ruthie is really protective & we still haven't got our hands on him.  I thought after a couple of days she would be more receptive, but so far she doesn't see a need for us to be part of their little family, so I guess we'll have to get pro-active.  He's definitely livelier than Tucker was, during the day they get the 6 pens on the west side & he takes full advantage of being able to run from one end to the other.  

Looks like there's another little girl in the pipeline that might be coming out to stay with us.  Right now she's up in Phoenix with some nasty, nasty feet.  Her name is Diega & she's only 2  1/2 years old.  Not sure when it will all happen, but soon.  

This is front feet, don't know how they could get that bad in 2 1/2 years.  She also has a lot of proud flesh on the wrapped leg. 

We also might be getting another mule for Rusty.  He doesn't care for the donkeys at all, so is by himself now with Jack gone.  There is a large rescue in northern Arizona that is going thru some big long overdue changes & one of them is downsizing.  This is where the jenny is coming from & when we were e-mailing back & forth, I told them they might as well throw in a mule for Rusty.  Wonder what it will be......???

R.I.P. JENNY BIG GIRL

The vet just left, & John is digging.  Unfortunately he's getting very experienced at getting the hole just the right size.

The vet drew blood on Buddy Brat & Cisco & we decided to take both of them into the clinic, to have Buddy's sarcoid taken off his sheath.  The clinic has a new freezing machine that Dr. Megan said would be perfect for Buddy's little match head size growth, but they don't take it into the field.  And in order to get an endoscope done on Cisco, we have to go to the office, so we'll just take them both at the same time.  She agreed that a lot of the swallowing problems Cisco is having could definitely be caused by being used as a roping donkey.  And the endoscope might not even show anything even if they manage to get it down his throat, which might not happen.  

Then it was on to Jenny for evaluation.  I unwrapped her foot, & on examination, Dr. Megan said she could feel swelling clear up above the coronet, & that we had lost some of the hoof integrity on either side of the abscess area.  There was very little doubt that the foot was not going to get better.  I was surprised the material that I thought might be cartilage that was sticking out of her foot, was just more proud flesh.  She said proud flesh on lower legs & feet, can behave in lots of weird ways.  

Jenny was the first one that I couldn't stay with, we had just too much time & effort together, & she was still healthy & happy, just couldn't walk very good.  John stayed with her & said he was petting & talking to her when she went down.   She was going to be euthanized if we hadn't taken her 5 1/2 years ago, & she had over 4 years of relatively good life, so I guess I will have to be satisfied with that.  

Good-bye my big girl.....!!

WE GOT A CHRISTMAS BABY, AFTER ALL......!!!

When John went out around 9pm last night to let everyone out, he saw a new little guy in Ruthie's pen, on the ground & still wet.  

This was this morning just about dawn

Right before John went out last night the donkeys were braying.  As soon as they got out of their pens they surrounded the pen, gawking.  This morning they were still gawking, when they came in from Burroland.

This was the first time he laid down, finally ran out of gas I guess.  Looks like a little boy, from the little glance under the tail, Ruthie "allowed" me to look.  Had to be quick, she is very good at going between anything she thinks doesn't need to be close to her little one.  Looks like he will be about the color of his older brother, Ruger, a light tan.  

We are waiting for the vet to show up to see Cisco about not being able to eat hay without quidding, Buddy has a sarcoid on his sheath & of course Jenny.  When I saw the baby last night I thought of the old saying about, a door not closing without another door opening, or however it goes.  I hope this little guy has a better life than Jenny's has been.  She's never given up, which really makes this hard to face.  

Merry Christmas to everyone & their "fur" babies........!!!

John has got a new project to keep him busy.  When my Mother moved out here with us this summer her very nice Lincoln town car came with her.  Because the donkeys love to inspect & dismantle just about anything we decided it should be in the garage unless it's going someplace.  

I noticed the other day, the pillow in the back seat, had a couple of small holes in it & the missing pieces were laying on the seat........Hmmmmmmm.......!!!!  

A couple of days ago John was going to unload some apple treats from the trunk, & not only found a hole in the bag, but found mice poo too.  Grrrrr....!!!  Finally found the small live trap used when the feed room got inundated with the little monsters awhile back.  

So far his count is 3, 1 little girl, & 2 boys.  When I say little I'm not kidding, these are tiny tiny little mice. They are only about 2 inches long, John is trying to figure out how they are getting in the car.  As small as they are it certainly wouldn't take much of an opening for them to have free access.

He is hauling them over to the chicken pen.  We figure they are probably beating him back to the garage.  That's what happened when they were using a tree limb to get in the air conditioning opening in the feed room.  In fact one time John was walking back to this side of the wash, & a mouse, (we figure it was the one he had just released in the chicken pen) ran across his boot, headed back to the feed room.

At least they aren't pack rats, thank goodness.  They can completely destroy the wiring in a car, no one can figure out what the fascination for the wiring is, but that is what they usually chew up.  Even people living in town have trouble with pack rats. 

This was Jenny big girl this morning while her foot was soaking.  Ears up & willing to chase me down for a treat.  It is so difficult to think that unless we can figure out something to help her, Wednesday will probably be her last day.  She is in excellent health, only 12 years old & still goes out with the others.  But she just has one good foot left & unless there is a light at the end of the tunnel for her, I see no reason to continue to torture her.  She does not enjoy being soaked & wrapped & all that goes with it, even with treats in the offering.  If this is going to be her life, I think it might be time to let her go.  There isn't a more stubborn person on the planet than I am, when it comes to my animals, & I'm am more than willing to fight the good fight.  But not at the cost of her not having quality life.

Ruthie is still hanging onto her little one.  

I'm not sure how it is positioned, this morning she had more bulging on the right side.  Lysa thought she saw it moving, but I didn't see it.



Right now Boaz's knee is acting like it might actually heal over.  We've been working on it almost a year.

 January 2012

 1st debridement

 2nd debridement

 

December 2012

I don't know if it will actually completely heal, but it is certainly headed in the right direction.  It will always be a scar, hopefully with enough elasticity to not crack open because of being on the knee.  It doesn't seem to bother him at all, certainly doesn't slow him down.  Most donkeys prefer to "mozy" along, Boaz doesn't mind running with or without a reason. 

I'm afraid we're coming down to decision time with Jenny.  This is not all proud flesh as I thought.  Some of it seems to be cartilage.  I don't think cartilage outside the hoof wall is going to work, especially when the coronary band is as fragile as hers is. 

I got on the internet & at first thought it might be lateral cartilage, but that's suppose to be behind the coffin bone.   Of course no more coffin bone than she has left, maybe it has shifted to the front, who knows, I certainly don't.  I do know that it is one messed up foot.  The material isn't bone, I do recognize it as cartilage, like the cartilage at the end of a rack of ribs. 

The vet is suppose to be here next Wednesday to take x-rays.  The last ones taken in October I think, looked about like the ones taken in the spring, no shifting. 

She is still willing, no make that insisting to go out with the other donkeys & roam all over the place, so she has quality of life, but at what cost?  I don't mind taking care of her as long as the ears are up & the eyes are shiny, but I really would like to see something that would help me think there will be better times for her in the future. 

The hoof re-section is just about completely grown out, & if she hadn't popped an abscess above it, she would be on her way to being just one of the gang.  But the abscess started months of getting worse, developing into chronic infection that is probably in the coffin bone again. 

BREAK-IN

Well, John can't remember if he didn't latch the hay barn gate or not.  But the barn ended up with as many donkeys & of course Rusty the mule,  in it as could fit around the stacked bales of hay.  Well except for BlackJack blocking everyone else from getting to the bale of alfalfa we feed the chickens.  John put it between the hay & the side of the barn, & there was only room for the "early bird", especially if he stands cross ways. 

Only about half of them would fit inside, so the rest were milling around outside waiting for their turn.  John ruined that, when he saw what was going on.  They all scattered when they realized they had been caught, except for BlackJack, he wasn't leaving the alfalfa without a fight.  He's a bluffer, so as soon as he figured out that John meant it, he left with as much dignity as he could muster.  

Now John is clipping the gate again, although he thinks he probably left it unchained.  Usually we don't bother unless we have a precocious gate opener on the property.  Thelma was the last one, & she could open all types including the gate to the house. 

God obviously has a sense of humor.  Over the last couple of days it has rained, tried to rain, threatened to rain, & the sun has shone.  Want to take bets when it rains?  If you're first guess is at chore time, BINGO.......!!!  Oh! it hasn't been a downpour, just enough drizzle to be irritating.  I'm not complaining, we need 4 inches of rain to reach our pathetic average of 11 inches a year.  But drizzles "ain't" going to make it happen.  My choice would be a steady downpour thru-out the night.  A couple of nights like that would really make the spring flowers happy. 

We finally put away the fly masks for the season, at least I hope we won't need them again.  They were pretty rough on them this year, the more boys we have, the more replacement fly masks we need.  There are still 2 or 3 out there somewhere, that John couldn't find.  I'll go ahead & get in touch with Renee at Colorful Equine even though it's winter.  I'm sure she stays busy once the flies show up in the spring.

Couldn't get the vet out here until the day after Christmas, so Jenny & I are back to soaking & working on proud flesh & popping antibiotics.  Don't know that the vet will have any better ideas, but we'll see.

When the vet comes out I'm going to run an idea past her & see what she thinks.  Cisco was at a roping school, & was loaned out to the students to take home & practice on, until he mentally shut down & would no longer react to anything around him.

He has never brayed, when he tries there isn't much noise unlike most of the others.  I am wondering if his throat was damaged, from being roped?  I'm sure they weren't real careful to make sure he didn't get injured.  We've had him about 12 years, he's about 20 years old & my thought is, he could have scar tissue that is changing size, shape, etc.  I don't know if that's possible, but I'm going to ask. 

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN

I'm always amazed when the weatherman gets it right.  They said rain & we actually got 3/4 of an inch of rain overnight. 

Needed the rain, BUT, the vet was suppose to come out this morning to check Jenny, pull blood on Cisco & Rusty, & probably removed a growth from Buddy Brat's sheath.  They called & cancelled, can't use x-ray, etc when it's raining.  Besides wet donkeys aren't going to be the most pleasant patients. If there is anything a donkey hates worse than being wet, it's being touched when they are wet.  Really puts them in a cranky mood........!!!   

Cisco actually choked yesterday morning on a piece of carrot.  I sure hope we can find out what is wrong with him.  So for now, he will be getting animal crackers as a treat, rather than carrots.  

Also have a problem with the ACTH test for Cushings for Rusty.  It seems right now they are not manufacturing the testing material according to the vet.  It can be compounded, but of course compounded medicine is usually more expensive.  She suggested trying Rusty on a low dosage of pergolide & see if it helps with his exuberant hair growth. 

Both Pepper & Daisy are on 3mg of pergolide a day, which I get in 1.5 capsules.  Too high a dosage to start out on, so she was going to figure out a good starting dosage & let me know.  

We talked about the fact that Jenny seems to be walking a little more comfortable & the drainage from the foot is almost gone.  I haven't put a sugar/dyne poultice on for over a week, & am only soaking her foot twice a week in epsom salts & betadyne.  She thinks it might be time to see how much proud flesh we can get off & use a pressure bandage.  She was also pleased that the hoof wall growing in at the coronary band looks to be good growth.  She said because of where the proud flesh is, the new hoof growth will basically push the proud flesh off the foot as it grows.   Not sure I want to see that.  

Ruthie is still bagging up, as they say, but no other changes.  I keep remembering with Mocha, that she didn't even look pregnant, but Tucker showed up anyway.  Ruthie usually hangs around the house & pen area, but this morning when John went out, she wasn't to be seen.  He took off frantically to find her.  She was down below the house vacuuming up mesquite leaves that blew off in the horrible wind that accompanied the rain last night. 

I HATE proud flesh........!!!

 I hope you don't expect this narrative to be very technical, because I don't do technical, I do much better breaking it down to what I understand, which is as simple as possible.......!!

This is what Jenny's foot looked like this morning after I worked a little with scissors & a rag.  I hope the 3 bones in her foot stay inside until the hoof wall has time to grow down.  They are suppose to be sitting one on top of the other, with the triangle shaped coffin bone on the bottom.  Because of chronic laminitis the velcro that is suppose to suspend the bones inside the foot no longer attaches to the hoof or if it does I'm sure it is hit & miss.  Perhaps in a few areas, but nothing like it's suppose to be.  

When they did the hoof resection in April, they removed about half or a little more of the coffin bone to get rid of the massive infection, & did a  regional perfusion of antibiotics.  Since late this summer we have been fighting an abscess & whatever accompanies it.

She goes out with the other donkeys & although she walks pretty "easy" on that foot, as in almost 3 legged lame,  she goes over to Burroland & seems to do wherever she wants.  The vet doesn't want to take off the proud flesh because she afraid the hoof might collapse.  My theory is, with the proud flesh taking up so much room, how can the hoof wall grow in?   It is drier than it was, & there is actually some good looking hoof wall growing in from the coronary band.

But I've wondered for quite awhile, what happens if behind the proud flesh the bones are jumbled & no longer in line because there is nothing to hold them?  From the info I get, no one really knows...........!!!  Or if they do they aren't sharing with me..........!!!! Sigh!  Maybe I'll find out something when the vet is here Friday.

This is Boaz's knee with it's usual covering of dirt.  I think of dirt as another type of scab, because if you put anything on it that is wet and/or sticky, this is what it ends up looking like.  We have managed to eradicate the proud flesh, BUT, the area is large enough that getting it to completely heal is a challenge.  There is no good tissue only scar tissue, which hopefully will eventually fill in.

Boaz didn't think much of me looking at his knee, & the camera making "funny" noises.  He is such a neat donkey & would make someone a wonderful companion.  I hope if I can get his knee to where it doesn't take daily care, someone will look past his scars & see what a rough diamond he is.

Ruthie was even more suspicious than Boaz, at the camera sounds.  She wouldn't stand still at all to let me take time to try to get a picture of her growing belly.  It's suppose to get colder here in the next few days, & I've been telling her to not have that baby now, to wait until it warms up a little.  John is still "groping" her every morning & there have been some changes in the last few days.  Her "floppies" aren't as floppy as they were, although they aren't full.  She's had about as much experience at having a baby as I have, so I will rely on her to do what she needs to do.  I just hope the little guy doesn't come into a world of 15 degrees, like we've had a couple of mornings this week. 

Five Generations

Good grief, we need to get together & take a better picture before Hunter gets grown.  Cut off part of Mother & JR is looking down at Hunter, & his hat hides his face.  There's my "little" boy Rod, that weighed 4# 1 1/2oz when he was born, he's grown a little over the years........!!!! I just got this off his Facebook page.  I also got this picture of a "real" race car.  

This is a 1977 Oldsmobile from years gone by.  I actually drove this car out here one time.  One of the pleasures of living out in the boonies, you can have a lot of fun & not get caught.....!!!! LOL

Rod's Facebook Page:    If you would like to see some of the other race cars.  The black & white car is our grandson JR's.  I need to send Rod a picture of our first car from 1969.  It was a 1957 Chevy that got rather badly abused, couldn't even recognize it by the end of the season it was on it's top more than the wheels, I think.....!!!! 

All the donkeys are doing pretty good right now.  Rusty has settled down to being the only mule, although I know he would like a buddy.  I'm still holding off on getting in touch with some of the other rescues to see if they have a likely candidate.  I'm sure there is one out there that really could use a new home.  

Jenny is not putting much weight on her bad foot, but it does seem to be drier & the proud flesh isn't getting any worse.  Courtney is suppose to come out Wed to trim & the vet is coming out Friday to evaluate.  I wish she would cut the proud flesh off, if nothing else it's interfering with soaking & anything else I might want to do & is in the way of any new hoof growth. 

CHEYENNE MET HER MATCH TODAY......!!!

Well, well, well, I guess I'll have to change my little story about how Cheyenne can back up any animal on the property & does, if there is food involved.  She becomes a little kicking machine, until the chosen one, backs up & finds something else to do.  She's always gotten away with it, even with the mules & Max the horse. 

This morning when John was letting everyone out, Cheyenne ran in Daisy's pen looking for morsels of hay, like Daisy was going to leave anything, but I guess there is always a chance.  Boaz wandered in to see what she was doing & she proceeded to double barrel kick him with her tiny little hooves.  John said he backed up a few feet, just stood there, looking at her for a few seconds.  Made up his mind, walked over picked her up by her neck & shook her.  John said her back feet were still on the ground, & when he yelled at Boaz he dropped her.  Poor little thing, she isn't use to being so mistreated.  John checked her over & gave her a treat, but I have an idea she'll be a little more careful with Boaz in the future.  He obviously doesn't put up with her nonsense....!!! 

YIKES.........I'm really getting behind.  This time of year is when I do a newsletter for Christmas.  I know, a lot of people HATE newsletters at Christmas, but that's the best I can do.  Besides I don't talk about who is at the top of their class, or has a new job  that pays twice what the old one did.  Like that's going to happen in our economy right now.....!!!  Or talk about people that unless you know them, really doesn't make a lot of sense.  I look at John he looks at me, & we ask, "who are they talking about"?  Anyway I talk about the animals & what they did this year it's usually more interesting than than what people do anyway.  So far I haven't gotten started.  But I have good intentions & nothing planned tomorrow, sooooooo.......!!!!!

The vet is coming out next Friday to test Rusty the mule for Cushings.  He is getting hairy & I don't remember him doing that before.  I have all my information printed out to back up my request for an ACTH test rather than the Dex test for Cushings.  Some vets are coming around to the idea of one blood draw & no threat of laminitis & using the ACTH test.  But it is vital that it be handled properly.  The last one I had done, had to be done over...........the lab didn't do it right.........!!!!!   Hmmmmm........as I recall we had a discussion over why in the world I wanted that rather than the gold standard Dex test..........!!!

While she's out, I'll have her draw a CBC on Cisco.  He's just not right.  We had his teeth done, but he still eats like he's got something going on.  We were going to haul him in for an endoscope, but since the vet was coming out for other animals, decided to get a CBC & see if it tells us anything, then we can do the endoscope later.  Buddy Brat has a small sarcoid on his sheath. I've been putting Equaide on it & it is holding it's own or getting smaller, but won't hurt to have it looked at.

And last but certainly not least is Jenny big girl needs to be re-evaluated for her foot.  We're still soaking, & poulticing, & fighting proud flesh.  I don't think it's any worse, but have no clue if it is getting better.  The proud flesh drives me crazy, which is actually a pretty short drive..........but the vet says we can always take care of it later, we need to try to take care of the oozing.  I don't see how the hoof wall can grow correctly, if it's got this blob of "stuff" in the way.  It does look like we are getting some hoof growth at the coronet, but below that what happens, when the growth reaches the proud flesh? 

So if I don't update for a few days, don't be surprised.  Patti left me with a "dummy" blog to play with.  I got into it a couple of nights ago, & I think it will be easier to set up another dummy blog than to try to straighten that one out.  It's amazing how much damage one person that doesn't know what they are doing, can do........!!!!!!  LOL

Just got a call from Mocha & Tucker's Mom.  You might recall that they also took in Missy the Great Dane someone dumped in our area.

It seems that during the night Missy knocked down the fence & attacked Tucker.  He's OK, but has a gash on his side, his ears have been chewed & he has some bites on his hind quarters, poor little guy.  She also killed the ducks & geese.  Missy's been there for a couple of months & none of us have any idea what happened to set her off.  Like January said we don't know her history, so we'll never know, but obviously she shouldn't be around other species, don't know about dogs.  January said she got into a fight with one of their other dogs, over food, but that's different.

She's already checked with a Great Dane rescue in El Paso & they will take Missy.   I feel terrible about this happening since I was responsible for putting Missy into that home.  As they say, no good deed goes unpunished, & in this case the ducks, geese, & poor little Tucker pay the price. 

This afternoon we  picked up Ellyn & Dick in Sonoita & headed out to do the home study for Pancho & Ruger "ie" Lefty. 

It's almost perfect burro country, about 3 acres of hilly rocky ground with a nosy Arab mare & 3 dogs.  So we headed to the other side of Sonoita to pick up the boys from their foster home.  Sonoita is basically an intersection out in the middle of grasslands, so going from one side to the other isn't very far.  In fact as a crow flies they are probably less than 2 miles from where they were.

Their foster mom has changed her days at work, & actually was home today.  Probably a good thing, since Pancho had a different type of day planned I guess.  Dick & Ellyn even got to tug & pull as we tried to get Pancho in the trailer.  For a little guy, he certainly was determined, but so were we.  Ruger was just a goofy little guy, pretty much ready to "go along to get along".  

We got them in their pen, & they got busy exploring the new territory, basically ignoring people, dogs & the silly mare.  She's a beautiful Arab mare, very friendly, loves people............BUT.........once the donkeys hit the ground, she totally focused on them, almost ran me down.  I tried twirling a rope to back her up, & obviously she had never had that rather "rustic" training method used on her, since it didn't even faze her........!!!  So I made sure I was close to a bush or tree, just in case, she came flying thru again.  

The dogs went out in the pen with the donkeys & everyone seemed to get along just fine, & before we left the mare & the donks had touched noses thru the fence, so I think they'll fit right in. 

Ruthie, John & the neighbor's dog Boofer entertaining visitors at the Open House this week-end

The weather was great, we didn't have as many people as we have had in other years, but everyone seemed to have a good time,  & the donkeys got lots of attention.  One man brought his own apples, which were a huge hit with the "fur" kids.  Jenny got to the point where she wouldn't take timothy pellets, if that's all they had to offer.  When the man brought out the apple, she had no problem taking that.........!!!! 

I want to thank, Linda, Georgette, Ian, Patti & Mae for all their help.  Couldn't have done it without you guys.  Besides we don't ever see enough of ya'll, it makes a good time to visit in between people coming to see the donkeys.  

Ruthie started yelling as soon as she saw people & Boaz learned to trot from one side of his pen to the other, as the people moved along.  Most of the people were more than willing to give him more treats or pet him, which he figured out real quick.  

One woman came that was here a couple of years ago, & got Tula to take a treat from her hand.  I think over the years Tula has done that 3 times, always from a woman.  But she wouldn't do it this time.  

I got a big surprise, when I looked up & saw a friend from Missouri, Ellyn & her husband Dick.  Ellyn was our bridesmaid when we got married 51 years ago......!!!  They've been out here before, but we didn't know they were coming this year.  They've gone on quite a few adventures with us, picking up donkeys or hay or whatever else we're doing.  They are more than willing to jump into the fray, so to speak.  Tomorrow they are going to go with us to do a home study for Pancho & Ruger.  If the home checks out, which I think it will we'll go pick up the boys & haul them to their new home, which is pretty close to where they are being fostered.  The people are horse people so they know what shelter & fences means,  I'm sure there won't be any problems.   

You might notice the blog looks a little different...............FINALLY.........!!  I have been ready to do some changes with the blog for a LONG time, but didn't know how to do it & was afraid to mess up what I already had.  After we got thru with the Open House, got the animals fed, & had something to eat ourselves, Patti, worked on my blog to bring it into the 21st century, so to speak.  I doubt that it will ever be "nifty neato", but it looks a lot more interesting now, & she showed me some things I can do to make it better.  

Everyone was glad to get out of their pens tonight, but I would imagine tomorrow they will be expecting more Open House with people.  It doesn't take them long to settle into a new routine, especially if food is involved, but I'm sure when the gates open, they'll be more than happy to head out for a day of munching on the mesquite trees.