Snow on our mountains

Our San Jacinto mountains got snow midweek last week.  I didn't drive up to the horses yesterday, but I'm heading up there this morning, after I drink my coffee!   :-)

Between storms

We had a storm move in Wednesday night and Thursday here in the desert.  It cleared Friday, but another storm, a larger one, is moving in.  I took this photo off Interstate 10 near Palm Desert.  I didn't hear about the Connecticut shootings until I was on my way home.  NOBODY said anything or even notified us about it during the day.  My heart goes out to the families there...and the innocent victims.

Photos of Idyllwild weekend

I must admit that it WAS nice to go up to Idyllwild again.  It's become our "home away from home".  And, this past weekend, the little town was all lit up for Christmas.  Shops had dangling white lights and the town's Christmas tree, which is HUGE, was all decorated with lights.  It was quite festive and busy up there.  Hubby took some time to relax on the front porch of the cabin we rented.  This was basically a large one-room cabin with a metal fireplace.  Believe me, it kept it nice and toasty inside.  Our son and grandson spent Saturday night with us and our friends Barb and Vince from Pinyon drove over to join us.

The end of an era...

Hubby and I stopped by the ranch Friday afternoon and again today (Sunday) to give the rest of the herd psyllium.  Cathy, the ranch owner, moved Scout down to a small corral across from Quad and Sunni.  It will be easier to make sure SHE isn't eating sand because they also moved down a rubber mat, which is now safely laid beneath her feeder.  She won't have as much room to roam, but I'd rather be safe than sorry and have her up there eating alfalfa off the sand.  No matter WHAT we did, the horses would either toss their alfalfa out of the feeders and eat it on the damn sand or, in Scout's case, she would grab it out of the big rubber tire (which had a rubber mat under it) and fling it onto the sand.  I just can't take the chance of losing another horse to colic.

Cathy saved me part of Cali's mane and I'm going to have it made into one of the memory vases so I'll always have her near me.  I also took a cutting of Beauty's, but I have misplaced it. I'm going to keep looking for it, but I put it in a "safe" place and now I can't remember that "safe" place...

Anyway, there are no horses in that corral any longer.  And, the mare next to them has been sent elsewhere, so those corrals will now sit empty and unused...the end of an era.  I've had two horses in that corral, and, at one time, even three, since the summer of 2007.  Now it stands deserted...I honestly don't think I'll ever put another horse in it.

Cali is gone...RIP sweet one

Sweet Cali is gone.  Apparently she had a rip in her intestines and was going into toxic shock.
Our vet came to check on her this afternoon and he made the decision to do this so that she wouldn't suffer any more.

I am so sorry to tell you this...

Cali was one of my two mustang fillies.  She was from Wyoming and, like Scout, was halter broke at a prison facility.  She was THE SWEETEST little thing you ever saw!  She loved everybody and everybody loved her.  She used to nibble on my hair.  She was in the process of being prepared to ride, as are all of the herd.  She would have been the perfect horse for our grandson to ride...

I'm going to need some time off.  I hope you understand.  This is almost too much to bear.

~~Cheryl Ann~~
If you wish, as a memory to Cali, please make a contribution to the rescue of your choice in her name.  I would greatly appreciate this.

Thank you.

Latest Cali update

I'm communicating with the ranch owner by email, since I was at school all day today...The latest update is that Cali is DOWN and breathing heavily...not good.  She hasn't passed manure or the mineral oil yet.  Our vet is coming soon to look at her again.

All I can think is, "WHY? WHY? WHY?"  Honestly, I just want to scream and cry...

Will keep you posted.

As some of you know, I lost Beauty 3 years ago.  This is just too much.

Cali is colicking BADLY

I got a phone call yesterday about noon from the ranch owner.  Cali was colicking.  BADLY...she immediately called our vet.  Cali is FULL of sand.  He didn't hear ANY gut sounds, her heart rate was very fast, and she was breathing heavily.  Plus, she was dehydrated.  He treated her with mineral oil, gave her some painkillers, and electrolytes.  Now she is in God's hands...

Please send your prayers our way.  She is a wonderful, kind, gentle soul who doesn't deserve this.  I am so upset I've only slept two hours last night...As of 10:00 p.m., she was down in the arena standing.  She isn't down or thrashing, so that's good.  The vet wasn't sure she would survive the night.

I probably won't be online at all this week as I have parent conferences and I was so exhausted over the weekend that I basically didn't get out of my pajamas the whole time.  I did NOT go up to the ranch because  honestly, I would have just been in the way and would have been a pile of tears.

Thank you and I hope to have good news later.  Please do send your prayers.