3 For 3

 This morning the mares weren't let out until 7:00 am. Madiera's colt was bouncy today. He is 6 days old and just didn't seem to be able to keep all 4 hooves on the ground. 

Just Diane, Joan and I walked as Ruth left early to go to garage sales in Goodfield with Rebekah. Diane came dressed for Jim Funk's funeral as she is in charge of the meal. We all quit after one round. I needed to make a quick trip to Sam's club as I want to serve grilled parmesan chicken kabobs with peppers and onions on Sunday and had no chicken. Fresh chicken breasts were about $3.00 a pound but I could by a 10 pound bag of frozen for $2.40 a pound so bought the frozen. I also bought ingredients to make a lunch tray.

This was chicken salad croissants with a side of peppers and fruit enough for around 8 hungry people. The fruit was strawberries, cherries and grapes. For the dessert a key lime pie and crumb cake bars were added to fill out the lunch. That was loaded in the truck in an insulated container with ice and delivered at 11:30 am.  Mark and Mackenson had been busy finishing taking down all the trees along side of the garage and had a big pile for the dumpster.

They helped take the 2 horse trailer off the truck and attach the stock trailer.

Mike and Hunter arrived at 10:45 am to help load the 3 mares going to the vet clinic. Lea and Rosalie were put in the front of the stock trailer while Blueberry was put by herself in the back. 

I arrived right on time but Dr. Hoerr was busy with another client so ended up needing to wait for an hour. The horses were just left in the stock trailer.  I heard bleating and in the fenced back yard were all the lambs I saw being born when I was at the clinic. 

They are growing well and all seemed very friendly.

While waiting I brought Rosalie out the side door and tied her to that side of the trailer. When it was my turn I brought Lea out and lead her to the clinic door but she refused to go in until Chris came out to help. We really need to work on this mare's manners. Of course it didn't help that Dr. Hoerr had been doing autopsies on 3 dead chickens by that door. A farmer in the area asked for this as a lot of his flock was dying. 

Dr. Hoerr pointed out the problem. The intestines had lots of little areas of bleeding and I think he said it was caused by Coccidiosis a parasitic disease of the intestinal tract of chickens caused by the coccidian protozoa and is spread from bird to bird by contact with infected feces. Good to know in case we ever get chickens again.  Getting back to Lea I was THRILLED to see she is still pregnant from when we bred her last fall to Evan. Lea is just over 6 months along and is due Oct 25th. 

She is just such a big mare she hides her pregnancy well. As Dr. Hoerr moved the ultrasound wand we could see different parts of the foal.

Lea was taken to the trailer and tied where Rosalie had been waiting patiently. Rosalie was much better at leading in even though those chickens were still at the doorway.

Dr. Hoerr declared her pregnant very quickly.

Rosalie was also bred to Evan and is due April 10th, 2025. I snapped the picture below of Lea standing tied at the trailer while Rosalie was having her ultrasound.

Rosalie was just put in the side door of the trailer and tied so Blueberry could come out the back. As long as Lea could see Rosalie or Blueberry she was fine to stand quietly.

Blueberry is such a tall long mare she barely fit in the stocks. It didn't help that she put her head off to the side then then scrunched up.

Blueberry was also declared pregnant. We had 3 out of 3!

Blueberry was bred to Valiant and is due April 15th, 2025. Since all 3 are pregnant instead of taking them back to Hanna City I drove out to Middle Grove, a 50 mile one way trip. Mike and Hunter were there working. They had Titus haltered and ready to be loaded. They helped get the 3 mares out of the trailer. Below are a few pictures.

Above is Rosalie heading to the round pen ready to greet Valerie her full sister who was in the round pen. Mike had her haltered so Titus would load easier. Below is Lea heading over to the herd.

Below are Jury and Sangria. Jury sticks with Sangria like a burr to a saddle pad. 

Jury was bred to Valiant and is not due until July 16th. Below Thalia found her mother Lea.

Below are 4 of Mike's Thoroughbred mares, 3 clumped together (the bay mares) then off to the right is Tatiana who was bred to Valiant and is due March 14th, 2025. Behind her is Blueberry. To the very left is Thalia trying to keep up with her mom Lea.

Mike led Valerie into the trailer, tied her then came back to help us with Titus. I held the back door open then when Titus wouldn't step in I got a lead rope, Mike took one end, I took the other and we didn't have to do much more than put it behind him when Titus stepped in with Hunter. After Hunter tied up Titus, Valerie was led out the side door. Both Valerie and Tessa came and stood next to that side door to keep Titus company.

Below are Valerie and Tessa. They were asked to move off before I drove away.

On the way home I had to stop for gas, $110.00 worth of gas for the truck.

Hard to conserve cash when the truck needs gas but we can't run this business without the truck.

Once home Titus was left in the trailer while Mark helped move a bale in the short shelter. Berlica had been here mowing paddocks under Mark's supervision. Mark moved the bale while I unloaded Titus.

About then the apartment guests came back so I explained that this new horse was a young stallion and the kids needed to be careful around him. They have 5 boys from age 4 to 14 and wanted to play on the hay bales. I told them when they got tired of that they could go play in the gym. It was almost 4:00 pm and I had not had anything to eat or drink since breakfast. I made two chicken salad sandwiches and served those with chips and cherries and 2 pieces of left over crumb cake. Mark told me Taunya was here with the kids swimming but by the time we ate and I got over to mom's to see them they had already left for home. I sat down to read but only read a few chapters then fell asleep waking with just enough time to write this and then head to bed.