I'M REALLY REALLY TIRED OF HEAT AND HUMIDTY

I hate to whine, but I'm really ready for our normal hot dry desert weather.  LOL  I don't really mind it, but it's terrible on the donkey feet.  Falena is still recuperating from her abscess.  Gus probably blew an abscess a couple of days ago.  And Gigi is really sore on her crippled front foot.  Unfortunately when they have an abscess or that's what you think is the problem, you can't give them any bute.  It would slow the process of the abscess opening, which in the long run would make the process last longer.  I've left a couple of messages for Tyler, but he hasn't called me back.  He will when he gets time, he stays pretty busy. 

Gigi isn't the easiest thing to work with, but this morning I decided to try to soak her foot in warm Epsom Salts water.  Got all my toys together and out we went.  I mixed the water in a small bucket, but took an IV bag, planning on putting her in the redneck squeeze, because she has been known to kick like a machine.  

John opened up the squeeze and started trying to get her to go in it, but she didn't want to move much.  She got to where we tie her up when Tyler comes to trim her feet and she stopped, wouldn't go any further.  I gave John the halter and she let him put it on her.  She likes him better than me for some reason.  Tied her there and prepared for a rodeo.  She wasn't much interested in me picking up her foot, but when I did I decided to try putting it in the bucket rather than the IV bag.  Wonders of all wonders she left it in, tried to take it out a couple of times, but for the most part stood very good.  We only did 10 minutes, didn't want to push our luck.  Then she didn't want to take her foot out of the bucket.  Tomorrow we'll try it again, with warmer water and a longer soaking time.  

I'll be racing tonight.  For the first time this year the Hornets will be qualifying.  That means we will run 2 timed laps and our time will be used to line us up for the main event.  After tonight we will only have 2 more point races for end of the year points.  I am in 7th place right now, but within striking distance of 5th place, if I have 3 good races and 6th and 5th place drivers don't.  I'm not wishing them any bad luck, but 5th is better than 7th.........!!!  LOL

They are also going to have a trailer race.  That means they can use any car or truck as a tow vehicle, and any type of trailer.  They paint them all up gaudy, last year they had a full size house trailer.  They aren't allowed to hit the tow vehicle, BUT, the trailer is fair game.  It really makes a mess, when it's over, there are trailer parts strung all around the track.  Needless to say, that's the last race of the night.....!!! 

ANOTHER ABSCESS?

Sure looks like it.  Gigi, the one that has been crippled from birth is not putting any weight on her bad front foot and laying down a lot.  The problem with her is she is really difficult to work with.  I sent Tyler an e-mail, so hopefully he'll get a chance to come out and evaluate.

All this rain and humidity isn't good for feet that are use to being dry.  Falena seems to be doing good, still a little ouchy on the foot Tyler dug on, but moving around and not laying down.  He said he had seen one of these homemade boots stay on for 3 weeks, so I guess we'll keep it on as long as possible.  I put one of the old boots I had for Jenny a couple of years ago.  It's way too big for Falena, Jenny was a mammoth, but it is just a flimsy material, so I wadded it up and did my best to get it as tight as possible.  Put it on yesterday morning and it's still on.  It's just a barrier to keep her from walking on the gorilla tape, so if it comes off, no big deal, except to try and find it.  

The drill now is, if individual donkeys don't eat their hay at night, they don't get out of the pens until noon the next day.  They only get 5 hours out on the 10 acres a day that way.  No one is going over on Burroland at all.  

Yesterday John heard some cows in the area, he took the golf cart down on Cattle Drive and saw where they had walked past the gate.  So he opened the gate and we took a salt block down to put in the gate opening, to encourage them to go thru the gate.  

This morning we heard cows bellowing in 2 different places, one sounded like on our neighbor's property, and the other one sounded like it was on Burroland.  We needed to go over and open the other gate on the east side of Burroland anyway, so off we went.  Sure enough there was a Charolais cow on Burroland, one half grown Angus bull and 3 or 4 of his friends on the neighbor's property and the little bull was yelling at the cow, and she was yelling back.  She couldn't be his momma, so I don't know what was going on, but there was no way for them to get together.  We went ahead and opened the other gate, and right after we went back in the house they shut up.  Not sure if they got together, they sure couldn't go in a direct route, but I guess they figured it out.  

With the 2 gates open they can wander in on one side and wander out on the other.  Hopefully eating beans as they mosey along, at least that's what we hope happens. 

EASY NIGHT OF FEEDING TONIGHT

Unfortunately we had a real gulley washer right at feeding time.  High winds and rain going every direction and of course the mandatory wash run.

It was really nasty for about 1/2 an hour or so, and of course the donkeys were all hunkered down for the duration.  We all went out looking for them and a more uncooperative bunch I've never seen.  So I told John and Doug we wouldn't be feeding tonight.  Most of them haven't been interested in hay or mush for quite sometime anyway, so it seemed rather silly to kill ourselves rounding or trying to round them up, just to have them stand in the pens and ignore their lovingly prepared dinner.  I am hoping in the morning they will have a change of heart and maybe appreciate being fed.  They aren't going on Burroland now, so they don't have access to as many beans, although the wind blew down some more.

Tyler came last evening figured out where the abscess probably was and started cutting away at the bottom/side of Falena's hoof.  Sure enough, he found it and it didn't pop, but did start oozing.  He had his helper Jake, make up a poultice, wrapped it in Gorilla tape and went on his way.  He was here and gone in about 15 minutes, must be nice to know what you are doing.  He said he'd be back in a few days to reset her shoe, she's starting to turn that rear foot backwards again.  On a scale of 1-10 yesterday being a 10, this morning she was probably about a 5 and tonight a 1, just a little hitch in her git-a-long, so hopefully we won't have anymore of those.  Not instant relief like when they pop, I guess.  

A friend lost her cat and asked if we wanted her cat tree.  When John and I got home this afternoon Doug had delivered it and it was in the great room..........with a cat in it.  I guess Nigel decided it was his, he's been in it and as far as I know, no one else has had a chance.  It's a nice one, so many are rather flimsy, probably made for kittens.  But this one is pretty sturdy.  

ABSCESS ANYONE?

Given an option I wouldn't opt for one either, but it looks like Falena has one.  Yesterday morning John and Doug came in and said she was laying down and of course the first thought is laminitis, because of all the mesquite beans.  I checked her, no heat in the front feet, didn't mind having her leg or foot messed with, but I went ahead and put her feet in some ice water, which she didn't seem to mind.  But she was really lame and as the day wore on I could tell the right side was what was bothering her.  

I've been lucky over the years to only have a couple of abscesses and they popped by themselves.  She's been laying down most of the time, and by this morning my latest  guess is an abscess.  When she does stand, she has no weight on that foot at all and holds it out in front with the toe pointing.  

Dr. Lindsey sent me an e-mail to let me know she hadn't heard back from Boaz's biopsy and of course when I answered her, I had to tell her about Falena.  The problem with an abscess is it's not that easy to treat.  Especially if you can't find a soft spot or heat.  It's in that hoof somewhere, but no way to know where.  

Dr. Lindsey e-mailed back to soak her in warm water with Epsom salts, so I did.  I also got in touch with Tyler, since he has worked on her feet for years.  She's the one that has to have a shoe on one of her hind feet if it starts to turn backwards.  He said Epsom salts and he will try to come out after he gets home tonight.  So I've done all I can for now.  Hopefully if he does get out, he'll be able to find it.  The thing about an abscess is, they are extremely painful, and as soon as the abscess opens either on it own, or if you are lucky enough to find it and open it, they are instantly sound.  Keep you fingers crossed.

Since we had the laminitis scare at first we have decided that Burroland is officially closed for the season, which will probably not be until the end of September.  They will have to get by on the 10 acres, which hopefully they will have cleaned up sooner rather than later.  They are really unhappy right now.  They know the drill, and they know that gate is suppose to be open.  They also know we are somehow involved, so every time they see us outside, they yell at us.  

I just hope by the time the last bean falls off the tree, that the old beans laying on the ground have lost their luster as a food source.  Time will tell, I guess.

MULES ARE DELIVERED

REBA AND RUSTY IN THE DRY LOT

            

These two are so "been there, done that", loading and hauling was no big deal.  Got to Kris' place in early afternoon and Ruthie started yelling when she saw the trailer.

This was later when Kris put some hay in the mangers so Reba and Rusty would know this is a good place.  Ruthie after the initial nose thru the fence and a squeal or two, was more interested in what Kris put in the manger.  

 Rusty is really interested in the grass around the edge.  Wait till he gets out on 20 acres of the stuff...!!

Rusty and Reba in their stall

Ruthie and Reba in the barn

I'm sure they will all get along just fine once they are out together.  Hopefully Ruthie will get over missing her mustang friend quickly.

This morning Falena, one of the girls that just returned from foster care a few weeks ago, came in limping and laying down.  I checked her feet and they weren't that warm, but she sure is acting like she is foundering.  I gave her some bute and we soaked her feet in IV bags of ice water.  I HATE MESQUITE BEANS......!!!!  And this year we have so many of them.  There aren't enough range cattle in the area to clean Burroland if John opens the gates, but we can't let the donkeys go over there I'm afraid.  It's like playing Russian Roulette, will they or won't they eat enough beans to cause laminitis?  I'm afraid if we continue to let them over there, they will.  So.........Burroland will be closed and most of them will only have access to the 10 acres, which isn't exactly lacking in mesquite beans either.  Noticed I said most..........some of them are already overweight, or have been foundered in the past, or in the case of Falena, might be a good candidate for foundering now.  Those will not be allowed out of the pens for however long it takes to get control of the mesquite problem.  They might all end up in the pens, and we'll be out on the 10 acres with a rake and wagon, raking up beans....which doesn't sound like much fun at all............!!

The donkeys usually aren't interested in the beans once they fall on the ground and lay for awhile.  The beans start turning dark and usually get worm holes in them.  I am really hoping that once we let them over there, if there are old dark wormy beans laying around, they won't bother them.  

We'll probably ice Falena's feet again this evening, hopefully we caught it early.

Penny seems to be back to normal, after her couple of days of acting sick.  

WHO WOULD EVER THINK THIS WOULD HAPPEN.....!!

I got a phone call a couple of days ago from a woman that had to put her horse down the night before and the molly mule they had gotten as a companion for him a few years ago, when they had to put their other horse down, was very upset.  In fact her husband was sitting out in the pen with the mule, so she wouldn't be alone.  We talked for awhile and she sounded like my kind of person.  I told her we don't send donkeys out as companions, and actually donkeys and mules don't naturally bond.  In all the years we've had both, the closest they have come is Reba will sometimes go with the jenny herd for an hour or so.  Other than that, they could be on different planets.  

I half way seriously threw out the fact that I have 2 old mules, but they would have to stay together.  She said no problem, she came out yesterday and  I was even more impressed than I was on the phone.  So Kris is going to foster Rusty and Reba and we will be delivering them today, so her husband can get some rest.  She has 20 acres of grassland and also has a dry lot if the mesquite beans become a problem.  I hope it works out, she wondered if they might team up against Ruthie her mule.  I doubt it, the females usually bond and Rusty thinks of himself as a "lady's man", so it shouldn't be a problem.  Glad he's over whatever was wrong with him the other day.

So wish us luck on this new adventure.  I think it will be a wonderful home, she even has a 4 stall barn.

Of course that isn't the only thing going on.  Yesterday morning I noticed Anubis the dog was having trouble urinating.  She has spaying incontinence and is on medication to help keep her from dribbling.  I was afraid it was working too well and she couldn't go.  Called Adobe Vet Clinic in Tucson and they said bring her in.  I can't keep up with when the local vet is available or not, so am starting to just bypass her altogether.  We've had Anubis at Adobe a couple of times before.  Without an MRI it's hard to tell.  She is very wobbly, and the SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) is she is having strokes or has a tumor probably at the base of her brain.  The vet seemed to think the problem urinating is caused from the Predizone she is on right now.  She's only got 3 more doses, so hopefully she'll be as well as can be expected after that for awhile.  She is also drinking massive amounts of water which hopefully is because of the Predizone and not kidney problems.

So we get home from that, just in time to feed and find Penny laying down...............again.  She has been laying down more than normal the last 3 or 4 days and getting less and less interested in eating or treats.  Wouldn't even take an animal cracker, which is her absolute favorite.  She will usually run John down for a cracker.  I have thought that her lack of interest in eating is because she is filling up with grass and mesquite beans, which her poo looked like.  Of course it's after hours going into a week-end, typical timing for an emergency.  

At bedtime when John went out to let everyone out, she was still laying down in the same place, but got up when she thought the gate was going to be open.  WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO........!!!  I really hate to be in charge of these guys, and not know more than I do.  I keep telling myself that even though vets go to school and have a lot of experience, even with them it's somewhat of a guessing game sometimes.  I finally decided to try to put some Kayo syrup down her in case she wasn't eating and might be going into hyperlipidemia, even if she isn't fat.  John got her in the redneck squeeze and she wasn't having any of that syrup, or anything else I might want to put in her mouth.  John thought her mouth smelled bad.  Of course I couldn't get my fingers in her mouth anymore than I could get the syringe of syrup  She is really adamant about not having her face and mouth touched.  She's had a broken jaw, which probably has something to do with it.  I thought the smell on John's hand smelled like rotten food caught in her teeth, rather than infection or something like that.

Well since I couldn't get the syrup down her I thought I'd give her a shot of banamine, just for S and G's, she didn't mind that..........!!!!  GRRRR........!!!  Of course I worried most of the night about her.  When I went out this morning I saw her following right in John's hip pocket on their way to her pen.  She hasn't laid down and was eating her breakfast, so I assume she's feeling better.  I'm still not sure it wasn't mesquite beans.  We left quite a few of the fatties in the pens yesterday and she stayed in with Coquette, so didn't have access to beans for the day.  Who knows, I know I sure don't.............LOL

The Adobe Vet Clinic is right up the road from where Ruger and Wister are staying, so of course we drove by.  They were out eating grass and looked good, so I guess everything is OK.  I haven't heard from Sarah in a couple of weeks. 

GREAT VET CLINIC

Rusty was not improving as the day wore on, so I called the local vet clinic and she was out of town for the next few days.  With a 36 year old mule and temperatures above 100, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to wait and watch too long, if nothing else dehydration becomes a factor.  I had heard thru the grapevine about a fairly new mobile vet clinic in Tucson, ran by 2 recent graduates.  I went on their web-sit, didn't see Benson area listed, but figured, what the heck.  Called, talked to one of the vets, told her what was happening and she said she could come right out......... I told her I also had 2 others with skin problems for her to look at.......she said fine.  

John had just let the herd over on Burroland, Rusty wasn't a problem, he was laying down in the shade over here.  But the other two weren't on this side of course.  Usually a lot of them "help" John open the gate, so they don't miss anytime eating beans........LOL  So John and I went over to find them.  Finding them wasn't much of a problem, they were all under trees that were dropping the most beans.  Getting them to move in the direction of the pens..........that was a problem.  No cooperation at all.  Actually John had went over first by himself and quickly decided one person couldn't do it.  It wasn't easy for 2 either, especially Rosie, who's answer to being headed in a direction she didn't want to go is to explode in a high speed run, the opposite direction.  Boaz pretty much gave up when he saw both of us and we got him penned.  Rosie dragged the game out as she "raced" all over the place at mid afternoon in the hot blazing sun.......!!!  You can tell when they give up, which she finally did.  I looked up from closing her gate and the vet truck was just coming in.  Whew!  

Rusty actually got up and walked to his pen, which made it a lot easier.  She checked him over, all his vitals were good, so he got tubed with mineral oil, electrolytes and a shot of banamine, which is what he's gotten the 3 or 4 other times he's done this.  This morning he seems to be just fine, and is eating his breakfast.......  I know at his age, anything could happen, and if it happens again we'll probably have a complete blood workup, to see if his "innerds" are up to par.  

I had already told her that Boaz would have to have a happy shot, because if he isn't happy with what you are doing, he isn't above letting you know it.  He has a wonderful personality but has a lot of survival attitude if he thinks it's necessary.  So we headed for Rosie, who is easy if she knows she doesn't have a choice, like being in a pen, tied up...........LOL  Dr. Lindsey agreed, with my diagnosis, over reaction to bug bites and/or possible neck worms.  She recommended giving her a steroid shot.  Years ago a vet tried that on Cisco, but he's such a mess, I didn't really notice a difference.  Hopefully it will work for her.  

Then on to Boaz.  Since she was going to be looking at sores on his sheath, the happy shot was definitely necessary.  Even then, he let loose with a couple of cheap shots.  The vet was raised on a ranch in Nevada and said the wild donkeys and mustangs use to come down on their ranch all the time and she has worked a lot with donkeys...........YEA.......!!!  She was surprised at how thick his hide was though.  I think that happens when these jacks are gelded later in life.  I think they must build up a tough hide to hopefully survive the horrible nasty fighting these guys go thru for the right to breed, in the wild.  Boaz isn't a BLM burro, but he's been thru a lot at sometime in his life, lots of scars and a real aggressive attitude if he thinks it's necessary.  I think he might have been part of a roping string of young jacks on a ranch, the cowboys used for roping practice at one time.  

She took a biopsy and if it is cancer, she will come back and freeze all the spots.  

I was pleasantly surprised with the bill.  I don't think it cost much if anymore than if I had the local vet come out for a farm call for 3 donkeys.  And she was very good, seemed to know her stuff.  Anyone that can hit the vein on a thick skinned ex-jack on the first stab must be good............LOL 

ON WATCH

When they get 36 years old, it becomes "watch and worry".  This morning when John and Doug went out to attempt to entice reluctant equine to their pens to have breakfast, Rusty wasn't interested in a cookie and found a shady place to lay down in one of the pens. Not taking a cookie is always a sign that something isn't right.  

Checked him for gut sounds and the ones he had were very quiet.  So I came in and got my "go to" colic fix. Rusty is always fun to medicate, it has to be official (halter and lead) and even then he throws his head and acts like you are trying to cram acid down his throat.  We got most of it down him and when I came in to clean the sticky stuff off my hands and change clothes, John said he poo'ed and also pooted, which is a good thing.  But when it's all said and done I don't think that's the only problem.  His vitals are fairly normal, although he is breathing a little heavy.  I did notice his gums are not very pink, which could mean he's not getting as much oxygen as he should, as in, possible heart condition.

He wanted out of his pen, and when we let him out he found a shady spot and laid down.  We took him a bucket of water.  It's been so hot lately, dehydration can become a problem real quick.  John took the bucket over close to him, he jumped up and walked off, didn't even look at the water.  Just now John came in and said he had come up behind the hay barn, yelling for Reba.

My WAG (Wild Ass Guess) is mild colic at age 36 and a possible on going heart age related problem we don't know about.  I guess I will be monitoring his gums to see if there is any change.  John was going to check Reba's gums to see what they looked like, but she's as bad if not worse than Rusty about being cooperative.  Dehydration is my big worry.

Courtney came yesterday to work on Gus.  Right now a lot of the donkeys are having feet problems, too much rain and too much humidity.  For those that have lousy feet anyway, it gets real dicey.  He lost one of his epoxy "soles" and started slowing down.  She tried something different this time.  Besides the epoxy on both front feet, she also wrapped his feet in a mesh web that looked a lot like my casts when I abused my thumb, wrist and hand.  She dumped a roll of the stuff in a bucket of water and wrapped  both front feet with the wet wrap.  When it dried she could shape it if needed with her rotary sander, it is really hard.  Hopefully it will give his feet some support, because the bottom 1/3 of his hoof certainly isn't.

Tyler had been here a few days earlier to work on the uncooperative ones, like Gigi, and Penny.  Both of those girls have nasty feet.  Both of them were probably crippled from birth and haven't been handled much, if at all.  Needless to say they can be nasty, although Gigi is improving with the passage of time.  She hasn't tried to kick Tyler recently.  The last time he did Penny she missed his head by about an inch.  Tyler always has a helper with him, Courtney works by herself, so Tyler gets the fun ones.  He really didn't think we could save Gigi, and is quite impressed with how much she has improved.  She will always have to be trimmed regularly and she will always be crippled, but she gets around just fine. 

110* DEGREES THIS WEEK-END...!!

PANCHO AND I THINK SELENA.....DOUG NEEDS TO UPDATE HIS CAMERA DATE....lol

I sure am glad I'm not racing this week-end, it is suppose to be a scorcher....!!!  They say (which I always take with a grain of salt) that our El Nino this year will be very strong for the first time in 10 years or more.  If so it should be a good year for lots of rain.  

When I race I have to sit in staging before my race for as long as it takes for the race before mine to get finished.  When it's hot it is really hot in the car, with a fire suit and helmet on, even if the race ahead of mine is efficient.  Our good friend Larry will be racing, hopefully once the sun goes down it will cool off quick.  If it's humid it won't.......!!!

The donkeys are all doing pretty good, I can't get over how little doctoring I'm having to do, so far this year.  I only have about 5 that I have to doctor every day, and even then, no bloody sores and bandages like in the past.  Just places I have to keep covered with thuja zinc oxide.  I finished the 3 treatment, 2 weeks apart on the three I suspect might have neck worms.  Rosie is the worst one, she has 4 places on her belly that have to be doctored all summer every year.  I'm sorry to say her belly is still icky, but I don't think it's as bad as it has been in the past, so maybe the extra worming is helping.  

I finally broke down and bought cordless clippers.  So many times I run across mats or something that needs to be trimmed and it's not worth dragging out the "industrial" strength massive heavy duty clippers.  I usually just grab a pair of scissors and whack away.  On the long haired ones, like BlackJack he ends up looking rather moth eaten.  I've put it off, most clippers are for dogs or if they advertise for horses, they say for bridal paths, whiskers and fetlocks.  In other words probably not up to getting thru, sweaty matted donkey hair.  I went on e-bay and picked out 5 or 6 for John to read about and decide which one to try.  Of course he picked the most expensive one.  I don't know if he actually read up on each one, or just figured the more it costs the better it will work.  LOL  Anyway when the clippers get here, my first victim will be BJ.  The little bit of Poitou background he has makes his hair long and very fine, so of course it mats easily, especially in his armpits.  I really hate to go under there, with a pair of scissors, it's too easy to gather up skin.  He's really very good to work with and even forgives easily as long as there are cookies to be had, but I hate to hurt them if it isn't necessary.  

Salena and Falena have settled in really well.  It was almost like they remembered the routine.  Unfortunately right now we have no routine.  The beans are going into full ripen and fall mode and getting them to come in and eat hay and mush is a battle.  They are only getting about 3 or 4 hours access to Burroland each day, which they seem to think is unacceptable.  They get out about 1-2pm and are expected to show up for feeding around 5pm.  NOT HAPPENING..............!!!  John has to go over there 4 or 5 times and find a few at a time.  I've tried to show him how to do it effectively.......LOL  I go over with a riding crop, find Tula, start swinging the crop, jumping around like a mad woman, screaming at the top of my lungs.  She and all the ones with her, know it's time to go to the pens, and they take off at a rapid rate.  Along the way the others usually catch up, so I end up with the whole herd, running like their lives depend on it.  It's up to John and Doug to get them in the pens, because I've usually shot my wad on finding Tula and doing my "I'm going to kill you" dance, and end up slowly following them.  If I have to go find them, they better get moving.  John will find them and tell them to go.  So they go, but at their chosen speed.........maybe.  If we have to get involved in making them do, what they know they should do, from my point of view, it shouldn't be on their terms, they need to "fear" for their lives...........LOL

Doldrums of summer I guess

 WHAT A NEAT PICTURE!

This last week has been a blur.  Haven't accomplished a darn thing, but the days have been busy.  The big change is, the mesquite beans are now ripening, much to the pleasure of the donkeys and mules.  They are not the least bit in interested in coming in to be stuck in a pen and fed hay while the beans are out there calling them.  

We have reinstated the hated policy of not being allowed free access to Burroland.  The first day was horrible.  When they went out of the pens in the morning, Burroland was closed.  They all stood over there most of the day, impatiently waiting.  John let them out about 2 hours before supper round-up.  As you can imagine when it came time to go in the pens for supper, there was a rebellion.........no one was interested in what we had to offer.  I think it took over an hour to get everyone rounded up and where they belonged...............and they didn't look happy...........LOL  

Yesterday was day 2 and John opened the gate a couple of hours earlier, and they didn't figure it out until about 1/2 hour before round-up.............SIGH......!!!  A repeat of the day before.  It will take a few days to reprogram them to being on the 10 acres most of the time with only a few hours in Burroland.  Unfortunately we will have to do this for the next couple of months probably.  I've already upped their magnesium oxide to help with their weight gain........hopefully.....!!

SOMETIMES LIFE IS A ROLLER COASTER

SOME POITOU IN THIS FAMILY

Last week a woman got in touch with me, wanting a guardian donkey for her 4 goats.  I gave her my usual spiel, that we don't adopt out a single donkey unless there is already a donkey in the family.  When I can't help I usually try to give them a couple of suggestions, look on Craigslist and put an ad up at their feed store, are my 2 favorite.  

I got an e-mail this morning, she went on Craigslist and found a jenny that has been a goat guardian about a mile from where she lives.  I was so excited to find such a good fit for a donkey that needed a home....!!!  YIPPEE....!!

This afternoon the phone rang and the man on the other end wants to find a home for a donkey his wife got from the BLM 13 years ago.  They are moving at the end of the month and can't take him with them.  He is an intact jack.  The man said he would have him gelded if it got him a good home.  Most vets will not geld this time of year because of the flies and the heat.  He should have been gelded years ago.  The man said he's gentle and gets along with other animals including mules.  I guess that means he's never acted like a jack can act.  SIGH!  We are still over full and I have no answer for him, although I took his name and phone number, just in case.  I did go on Craigslist to see what I might find and did find a ad wanting a jack, about 350 miles from here.  Not exactly an answer and why do they want a jack?  For breeding?  Doesn't sound like he's ever bred, the man said he's never shown any interest in his molly mules.  Not unusual for a jack to not breed mares or mollys unless he was raised with them.  But if he's never been around jennies, he couldn't be advertised as a breeding jack. 

So today has been one step forward and another step back in the rescue business here. 

MONSOON CONTINUES

This is a picture of a grumpy mule named Reba.  The wadded up mess behind her use to be her "temporary" shelter that had been up for a year or so.  A couple of days ago we had a lot of wind, lightening, thunder and rain going sideways right at evening chore time.  This was the result, actually a couple of the other shelters didn't fare much better, but at least they are standing on their own, and John could fix them.  He's already figured out how to put in another wooden shelter in the mule pen.  There is already one shelter in their pen, but it isn't big enough for 2 mules.  We also got 2.5 inches of rain, in about 1/2 an hour.  It's much nicer when the rain is a little less pounding, most of it runs off, when it's that hard.  

I raced again last night.  We only race about once a month, I almost forget what I'm suppose to do between races..........LOL  I finished 5th again.....!!  That's about the best I'm going to do with my car and the competition.  Brought it home in one piece, but it sure looks weird to look out in the driveway Sunday morning and see a clean car sitting on the trailer.  

Amy and Doug fed the donkeys and Doug let them out at bedtime, so we didn't have to when we got home.  It's really nice to have them taken care of, so we don't have to at 1:30 in the morning.   At this track we have to be there before 3:30 in the afternoon, so I guess we'd just double feed them in the morning and leave them in the pens until we got home after midnight.  This is much nicer for them and for us.  At the dirt track we didn't have to be there until 5:30, so we just had to feed them a hour or so early.  Of course they had to stay in the pens until we got home, they would start yelling when I got out to open the gate..........!!! 

Everybody is doing real good right now.  Heard from Ruthie's foster Mom and she is doing just fine.  They have a lot of desert grass on their property, which cuts down on the hay they have to feed.  Hank the horse is still smitten with her, Diane says whenever they are standing in the barn, Hank likes to hang his head over the divider and lay his head on Ruthie's back and she just stands there.  He's never done that with Marci, her other donkey.  Ruthie and Marcy have finally gotten use to each other and bonded, after a pretty rocky start.  Ruthie is a take charge type of gal and her moving into Marcy's space was a little rough, but Diane said they get along fine now.