Tuesday, June 15, 2021

We are hauling lifesaving water to the animals again.

 

20210608 Decker Tank 146-124 a

6-8-2021 We started putting water in the Apache-Sitgreaves Natl Forest. This is Lynn Pace's truck dumping 1000 gallons.

Not much snowfall this past winter and very little rainfall so far this year is creating another exceptional drought and the need for water to be delivered to the national forest to keep all the animals alive till hopefully the monsoons start. Many people have been hauling water for weeks now and on June 7th we finally got the call from the local forest service office asking if we could help again this year like we did in 2018.

20210608 Decker Tank 146-124 b

Lynn dropping 1000 gallons of water in an earthen tank

Assigned two specific locations to put our troughs and water, we were also asked if we could assist another permittee (you must have a permit from the forest service to leave water troughs or deliver water) because she had to go out of town for an emergency. Lynn Pace, White Mountain Water Hauling started putting water in that earthen tank the 6-8-21.

20210608 Hauling tote donated by Don and Cathy

Don & Cathy donated a 275 gallon water tender

That evening Lary and I picked up a 275 gallon water tender donated by Don and Cathy. Having this in my truck allows us to fill and top of our water troughs placed in the forest as needed and to provide in other location if needed. Huge thanks to both of them.

20210609 Jineane Ford helping fill troughs

Wednesday, June 9th, with troughs loaded on our trailer, Jineane Ford of White Mountain Radio's Z92 morning show and I drove seven miles down a bumpy forest road to drop off and fill our first trough. The fittings I had purchased to attach a hose to the nozzle didn't work so we unhooked the utility trailer, backed up to the trough and let the water flow into the trough, luckily almost all of it made into the trough.

20210610 alex filling troughs hall tank

Alexandria helping me lug troughs and fill with water

Thursday, June 10th, our grand-niece Alex and I made the trip to our second permitted location with more troughs and more water. This location also has an earthen tank so the animals have the choice of our troughs or water in the tank. Temps have been in the high 90's so there is some evaporation in addition to the decline as they drink.

20210609 horses at Hall Tank

Hall Tank - our permitted location has some water but is getting low.

20210612 Lary and Karin filling troughs at Hall tank

Lary & Karin filling troughs.

Early Saturday, June 12th, we got some help from Zeke and Deb who delivered water to this tank and topped off our black trough. Our oblong, metal trough had a slow leak so we loaded up several troughs and replaced the leaky one, dried and resealed it.

This was family day as my 86 year old mother and our sis-in-law rode with Lary and I. We topped the newly placed round trough off and headed to a different location to drop one of our troughs off to a friend, Mike Radford, who is hauling to a nearby tank running low. We left a 400 gallon trough for his use and delivered three other troughs to another permittee so he could place and fill them as he needs giving him an additional 1050 gallons capacity.

20210613 Lynns truck by Kathy Reidhead

Lynn Pace continues to drop water with her large trucks. She has put a total of 20,000 gallons in the earthen tank for Betty (another permittee) and has now started to put 20,000 gallons in Hall Tank over the next 10-14 days (2000 went in today, 18,000 more to be added) and keeping our troughs full. In my report to the forest service today we have put 24,075 gallons of water out since 6-8-21. Huge thanks to Zeke and Deb who put 1100 gallons out for us and will now be back to helping Betty at their permitted location.

Screenshot 20210612 Gray Mtn call for help with water

On Saturday I saw a plea from the Grey Mountain Horse Heroes for additional water to help the herds north of Flagstaff and on Sunday spoke with Beth who has been coordinating both water and hay for the wild horses in that area. Wanting to help we have sent $1000 to their water hauler, Mark at Right Water to make an extra 4000 gallon delivery each of the next four weeks. He has been going out once a week lately and can now increase it to two. To help them have more water capacity we purchased a 700 gallon water trough from Olsen's Grain in Flagstaff at a cost of $435.63, which was taken up to the horses yesterday. Also, to help with the lack of grazing grasses through our Hope's Legacy Emergency Food Fund we purchased $1000 worth of hay for the Gray Mountain horses too.

20210608 Decker Tank 146-124 c

So far in this past week we have invested $4337.63 in the trough, water from water haulers and fuel for our smaller water tenders delivering to our permitted locations. Cost per 1000 gallons is $60. We anticipate the need will last another 4-8 weeks so any donations to help continue to provide water and troughs till the rains come will be much appreciated.

While the pictures here are of horses, we know that deer, antelope, elk, birds, small cats and other wildlife have also been drinking the water. Your support to help provide water for ALL the animals is needed and so very much appreciated. To make a tax deductible donation just click our Donate Now! button and scroll down our donation page to use PayPal, Debit/Credit cards, Venmo and there are instructions for sending checks.

Together we can keep the lifesaving water flowing and help prevent dehydration or worse yet death as we have seen in past years. We thank you in advance for your support and sharing this need with your friends.

Let's do this!!!!!!

Christine and everyone at EqWBR

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Quite the character - Ned.

 

20200703 Ned arrival

Ned's arrival 7-3-2020

Some of our beloveds are with us for many, many years and some for what seems like too short of a time. How ever long they are with us they are loved. Ned came to the rescue July 3, 2020, at the request of Nature Jeffries, many months after his owner passed away. He had been loved by all at Nature's boarding facility for many years and being quite the character even at his 30 years of age he just needed a soft landing to live out his day.

20210528 Ned on Scale 809 lbs

Ned's bi-weekly weigh in

Arthritic on arrival and a little on the slender side, we started him on Previcox to help with any pain. We did his dentistry to find he had few molar teeth left to chew with (not unusual at age 30) so we transitioned him to a senior feed diet and he gained almost 50 pounds while here. Trimming his feet was a little tough because he was weak on his hind end so we were patient to not cause any stress.

Ned was blanketed from the rain and snow and in the bad weather remained in an interior stall of the barn, warm and dry. Anything we could do to keep him comfortable.

20210217 Ned s birthday

Happy 31st birthday Ned!

On February 17, 2021, Ned turned 31 years old and we celebrated with special treats. You can tell from this picture he had nicely put on weight.

We added in several supplements donated by Absorbine Company to help with pain, his feet and his overall health.

He loved his senior feed for breakfast and dinner and would sing to anyone in the barn while waiting for the food to be put in his feeder.

Like I said, he was quite the character.

20210227 Ned and Willow running

2-27-21 Ned and Willow

Ten days after his birthday he was frolicking around the pasture feeling his Wheaties and took a tumble. We did not see what happened even though we were standing there in the pasture watching all the horses, but saw he was down and immediately rendered help. He scraped up his face and pulled many muscles when he fell on the ground. The vet said it was mostly soft tissue swelling, superficial scrapes and that he would be sore while he healed.

20210301 Ned and Kelli bodywork

We adjusted his pain management. Kelli from Animal Krackers came out immediately and we designed some body work that would help his muscles loosen up and heal and our volunteers all learned out to apply liniment in the various places needed. Ned was started on Summit Joint Performance which Kelli donated on his behalf.

Slowly Ned started to recover and was back to singing at meal time, roaming around the pasture and seemingly back to normal.

20200825 Ned Jumping

Ned by Leslie Brucker taken August 2020

Sadly, last week he quickly declined. Ned no longer sang at meal time, took a long time to eat and just did not seem engaged at all. His hind end was dog-tracking so we felt that maybe he laid down and struggled to get back up, hurting himself while doing so. He would stand off by himself and lean up against a wall to sleep. All the signs were there that he was in great pain. On 5-28-21, Dr. Guss came out, confirmed our suspicions and we made the heartbreaking decision to let him go. I told him Poco, Dreamer, Autumn were waiting for him and there would be no pain in heaven.

He is now Running In Paradise (RIP) pain free and happy to be with his old friends.

Forever beloved in our hearts sign

NED

20210531 Ned Sign made by Stevie McAdams

Said goodbye, turned around
And you were gone, gone, gone
Faded into the setting sun
Slipped away
But I won't cry
'Cause I know I'll never be lonely
For you are the stars to me
You are the light I follow

I can hear those echoes in the wind at night
Calling me back in time
Back to you
In a place far away
Where the water meets the sky
The thought of it makes me smile
You are my tomorrow

Sometimes I feel my heart is breaking
But I stay strong and I hold on 'cause I know
I will see you again,
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me
'Till I see you again-
"See You Again" by
Carrie Underwood

Thank you to our volunteer Stevie McAdams for this beautiful horse-shoe sign in his memory.

Ned you are so very loved!

Registered name: Contenders Nieto
2-17-90 to 5-28-21

Thank you to all who have supported, cared and loved him.

Christine and everyone at EqWBR