New Arrivals Today - Flower and Dragon

After spending almost two years with the Schooling family in Escondido, these two have found their way up to Ramona where they have a nice big pasture to run and play in. Both were bottle fed babies and have brough lots of joy to the kids who would come to Catherine's horse camp.

Catherine told me that the kids had as much fun with the goats as they did learing to ride the horses. Even though these guys have horns, they are used to being around children and I haven't seen them use their horns for anything but scratching their backs.

While I was taking pictures Dragon was very curious about the camera and got close to check it out. Made for a really nice picture. Dragon and Flower (both boys) enjoy watching the horses in the pasture and the horses are very curious about them.

Evening feeding time and I got the chance to take a picture while the sun was setting. While Flower in interested in what I am doing, Dragon loves watching all the horses.

We haven't introduced them to George, Gracie and Griffin yet. We will let them settle in a little more before the get to meet the rest of the goats.

Mustang Truth - The Anniversary

This will be a short and sweet entry. I just want to give everyone a link to Vicki's post about the Anniversary of the Three Strikes Ranch debacle:

http://mustangtruth.blogspot.com/2010/04/anniversary.html?showComment=1272087532156#c5423774854446090113


Please click and read!

For Jamie

Those of you who have been following the blog will remember that I posted a picture of Prince Wm nursing from Bella who is not him mom. Bella has not had a foal for at least three years maybe longer. So the sight of that happening was a shocker for all of us.




It certainly showed us even though Prince Wm has been away from his mother for about five months (they sold her when he was one month old) he still isn't over his desire to nurse and be close to a mother figure. Bella has alway been good with the young horses that have been here - especially Dr. Bill.



I wanted to post these two pictures of Bella and Prince Wm because I thought they both spoke volumes. They do almost look like mother and son.






Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Military Family need home for horse NOW!

Taylor came to GentledMustangs several years ago and was adopted by a military family that has loved and taken great care of her. Now they need to rehome her ASAP as their circumstances have change and they are not longer able to afford the board. This has been a VERY difficult decision and this horse is worth much more than they are asking.


Taylor is a 7 yr old, IBHA registered Quarter Cross - Approved Home - $1500

Great on train, some western pleasure, English and started in jumping - she shows alot of potential. Extremely willing and loves a job. She is an awesome horses but needs someone who can ride/work her consistently or property to run on versus being boarded in a stall because she is very high energy (GREAT barrles prospect). Not recommended for children or beginner riders.

Healthy, up to date on vaccines and de-worming. Has mild fly allergies and needs a fly mask in the summer. Good around dobs and getting pretty relaxed around other horses - was previously pastured with other horses with no problems.

Taylor has had thousands of dollars and many hours of traing by myself and on-site trainers.

We are selling her because I don't have enough time for her now and the cost of boarding. She has been in our family for a couple years and is being ridden/worked at least 5 days a week.

$1500 FIRM for horse, tack and any supplies in my tack room. May consider selling tack separate.

Contact Sarah at 760-547-3406 or shardyma@yahoo.com

Still Needing to Be A Baby!

For those of you who have read about Prince William, you know that he was cruelly weaned from his mother when the owners sold her when he was only one month old. One month - I can't imagine. Left to fend for himself with other horses then stuck on a trailer and shipped from Missouri to California at just a few months old, then tossed out with other horses to once again fend for himself.

Not only was this bad for his health because he lacked his mothers milk and wasn't old enough to fight for his food with tossed in with other horses, but he never got the nurturing that a mom gives their babies and a baby he was at just one month. That is why what I saw today was as shocking as it was touching.

We recently brought Bella back from training with Dee Howe and learned that she has disabilities that will make it hard for her to carry a rider. Dee and her husband just fell in love with Bella while she was there because she has such a gentle nature. Dee said if she was bred she would probably throw a foal as honest and sweet as her. Well we aren't in the breeding business so as much as I have always wanted to breed Bella, we never have. She was a broodmare before she was rescued by us. That is why what I saw today was as shocking as it was touching.

Trying Weekend - But it's over!

This has been both a long week and a long weekend. A side of the normal daily living routine, we had so many additional things that brought challenges and some stress that really did reminded us "that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger". So let's recap the week.

On Thursday morning we took Chance over to Dr. Matt to have her hernia repair surgery. It took most of the day, but it went well and she went through the surgery without and problems and her recovery to date has been very good - along with her mood.

Thursday night the top/bottom of the hot water heater blew, spewing water throughout much of the first floor of the house and damaging sheetrock, carpet, padding and making an overall mess. The fans have been blowing the carpet dry along with the sheetrock and cabinetry while the dehumidifer has been sucking the moist air out of the totally closed up hot. It has been hot, noisy, smelly, did I mention hot, and a damned mess. But the fans are quiet tonight, we can open the windows and let fresh air in and hopefully in the next day or two they will come clean everything up. But the peace and quiet for right now is joyous!

Saturday we woke to Prince Wm having a swollen left hind fetlock and feared he had broken it or one of his pasterns and prayed we didn't have to put him down. Our prayers were answered when Dr. Corine Selders of Ceder Creek Equine here in Ramona, came out and gave him a thorough exam and full set of x-rays and didn't find any fractures. Dr. Dawn Fletcher of Medicine Hat Animal Chiropractic came out today and looked at him and is relieved there is no fracture and says pulled ligament or tendon (as did Dr. Selders) and it will just take him a while to heal up. The cold water baths and anti-inflammatories have been working because the swelling has gone down a little bit and he is not as sensative to the touch today.

Because the house was hot and noisy this afternoon we were forced outside. We pulled our lawnchairs into the front yard and I grabbed P Wm on a lead line and we put Chance on a lead line and let them both eat the wonderful grass in the front yard while we watched the sun starting to set and enjoying a nice cool drink. Peace and quiet, our horses recovering and content at our sides. The dogs laying around and loving the fact they get to be out in front of the house which is a rare occurance.

Did I mention the wonderful time I had brushing out both Chance and Dr. Bill and giving them each some special love and attention. They both looked so clean and relaxed and you would never know that they each had pain earlier this week and are both recovering from something that required a vet visit.

Life is good! And the house is quiet..... good night and God bless!

Prince William has an Emergency Vet Visit today!

We woke up this morning to the hum and buzz of all the fans blowing the moisture out of the carpet and the humongous dehumidifier that is pulling the moisture out of the air. All this because the water heater blew late Thursday night so our house is in temporary shambles. They replaced the hot water heater and this morning - no hot water.

Anyone who has gone through this or any other large water damage issue knows just how bad it smells. All the more reason to head right out to the horses. First one to check on is Chance, who had her hernia surgery on Thursday and is stalled with Prince William so she doesn't go stir crazy thinking she has been left by herself while the rest of the horses are enjoying the pasture.

Chance is doing well. Her incision site is a little swollen, but that is to be expected. There is no drainage and she seems to be in good spirits. P Wms spirits are good too because he loves being with his big sister - she shares her feed with him :) . But he is limping - not good!

Doesn't take but a glance to see what's wrong. His left hind fetlock is swollen twice it's size and his hoof looks unusually pigeon toed. He is putting weight on it but not much and only on the outer toe area. As a gaited Paso Fino his legs have a little turn in his walk, much like a TWH, so his gait is the same, he's just carrying his foot wrong.



His temp, pulse and respiration are normal and he's eating which are all good signs. The fetlock is not hot or mushy, but to us something is twisted badly or perhaps even fractured. No visable signs of injury, no cuts, scratches, blood - nothing. Two weeks ago we had to call the vet out for Jet on a Sunday morning, now here we are again calling her on the weekend. At least it's Saturday so she won't miss going to church with her girls again for us.




After a thorough exam and series of radiographs we find out that there are no apparent fractures which gives us a chance to take a deep breath and thank the Lord that he doesn't need to be hospitalized. He will definitely needs time to heal without putting a lot of pressure or extreme movement of the area.

We set up a smaller pipe corral for him sharing a panel with Chance so they continue their companionship and sharing their food. Hosing it twice a day with cold water for 15 minutes and then putting a good wrap on it to help give support to the area. Top it off with some anti-inflammatory medicine and a little pain relieve - but not too much because we don't want him thinking his ankle area is fine and putting stress on it - and some supplements to give his body a little boost with healing.

We will take a few more radiographs after the swelling goes down, probably on Monday. So in the meantime he and Chance will be getting a lot of TLC - everyone's prayers will help too.