Aww, Nuts!

I'm sure everyone has heard about the bird, but VLC is finally being stripped of the only thing he was actually good at. That's right, the nuts are going! Hooray! Apparently top 5 (out of 6) at a color association with injuries from being unable to not act stupid in a stall. Then again, it'll be surprising if she even shows up for the surgery, seeing as how she doesn't live anywhere near her horses. I'm still trying to figure out how she's going to pay for it since she's a notorious moocher. Then again, we also know it's not from her tax return, either. I guess because it's not on auto bill pay like her blog is (even though we all know that she could do the blog for free, funneling more money for her horses cause according to her 'that's what good owners do.')

Speaking of funneling money, despite getting recommendations for stem cell therapy for VLC's injury she has decided that taking the long route to do it was the way to go. She says that mother nature heals tendons the best, but let's be honest. Tendons and mother nature are not a sure thing. Stem cell therapy has shown to do some amazing things. Too bad it costs money. Since she's too busy applauding herself for coming to a decision we came to months ago to realize a good thing in front of her. After all, she's not making money from the VLC at stud or at shows anymore (another badge she thinks she has) so why bother getting him the best care? I thought we were supposed to retire them to the Hilton for horses.

Better yet, she's reaming on Oregon State auctioning off horses they have. She says to make a big deal like Mustang Makeover. Ummm, enrollment may be up for schools, but the drop out rate is just the same. One horse would eat up our tuition paid for my school. Frankly, the $150 is a lot better than the negative number they'll give. Let's not forget how many people don't pay their school fees. While they cannot be declared under bankruptcy, they are not easy things to pay off. Oh, and the alum donating money? I know of only a few alumni actually donating  anything of value. Oh, doesn't she also know that often donations have stipulations with it? Our school has a major donor, but most goes to the athletic department. Can Oregon say the same? Running programs costs huge sums of money. Labs cost money because of gas use for burners. They can run up to 2+ hours in an undergrad lab. Multiply that between 20+ people and that adds up for one class.

Also, I've neglected to see where auctioning horses is against the law. So what if a KB grabs them? The school wants to sell the horses off, and when the KB buys them, they are his to do whatever he wants with. So what if they grab $150. That would be a gift considering today's horse economy.

Also, how does she know there are students who would want to train these horses? Yes I took a breaking and training class, but that cost ME money, too. Halters, lead ropes, headstalls, bits, lunge lines, etc. All things that were at my expense. Oh, I forgot brushes, hoof picks, etc. Most students don't have cash on the side to spare, and most don't have the time to even do such a thing unless they are great at managing their time. Maybe you didn't go to a real college, Fugs, but those of us who did actually had tons of work to go through each week before we could think about having fun.

You're not budgeting queen, Miss Moocher. So don't go preaching about how wonderful you and your ideas are when you can't even pay for a blog on time each month.

Did anyone see this lovely comment?

"Yes, and my first comment was, well, they NEEDED to be spayed. Except for the Arab, and there is a palomino QH mare that isn’t bad, either.
But most of them – glad they’re out of the gene pool (but want them to have happy homes!) There is a QH mare with a total hammerhead. She reminds me SO much of Clover, my old rescue. She is supposed to be ranch broke but bitchy. My kinda mare. But the inn is full, here."

If they're out of the gene pool, they won't be missed when they go do more purposeful things passed on. Also, why do the ones you deem nice not need to be spayed? So we can breed those now?

Also, full here? HERE?! You don't need another horse you'll never see.

Fall Time Review

So my color post really was becoming much to hard to set up, but I do have a nice site you guys can go to and look over yourself. Horse colors probably aren't as complicated when presented in other ways, but I've never seen somebody do that. So until that happens, you're stuck with this.

In other news, it's fall. The air is cool and crisp, and one nasty little ditty may be lurking about for some horses. It's influenza season, and horse owners should be on the lookout for the common signs and symptoms. "Clinical signs seen with influenza include fever, anorexia, depression, coughing, and some horses appear to have muscle soreness. In the severe cases, horses can develop a generalized vasculitis which appears as swelling of the limbs, inflammation of the heart resulting in a high heart rate and inflammation of the eye with tearing and squinting."

For those of you who vaccinate for this, ensure you assess the potential health risks and susceptibility before doing so. Also consider the varying strains common to your area before you do so as well.

Any of you taking on a rescue case this Fall? Better yet, how many of us potentially will end up with a horse we didn't intend to? Remember the phrase "Killing with kindness?" One study showed that 9 of 45 horses died after being placed with a responsible owner after going through a period of severe malnutrition.
If the horse isn't in the best of conditions, it is highly advised you go talk to a trusted vet to get you on track to begin rehabbing the horse and feeding it properly as it increases in weight and condition. 3-5 months is normal for a horse to return to full and proper condition, so don't be freaking out if it doesn't happen the first month (though it can with some.) I've included 3 different files in source and reference to this post. The one I liked the most for the public is the one from the University of Tennessee. It contain a great list of questions that you should know the answer to when taking a rescue horse to the vet for the first time, as well as when you should be considering euthanasia as an option. It also has great guidelines to follow if you are unable to get the horse checked by the vet in due time. Definitely something I'd print out and have around JIC.

Sorry about the short, very linked, post. It's been chaos here. Hopefully this will give you guys a plethora to talk about in the meantime! I just think this time of year is important to a horse, as winter is coming and it becomes extra important they get the extra groceries they need to maintain weight through the winter. Remember, winter coats are deceiving! Personal preference is a horse to go in a little (LITTLE) overweight than a little underweight if weight is the problem child. If fat is the issue, vegetable oil can work wonders. Just remember to add a little bit at a time, otherwise your horse will get the runs and in a time where they drink less water that is not a good thing! I'd recommend starting out with a 1/4 cup maximum and work your way up to a cup or so. That's my little ditty for the day. Enjoy!



1. Influenza source 

2. Rescue Feeding source

3. Tennessee - Feeding the starved horse

4. Extra nutrition info