Weekend on the Ranch

Sat: My weekend started with a mare foaling out in a foggy, windy, rainy, cold 38* pasture at 6 a.m. Got the mare into a closer trap, baby was wet and very cold so I had the towels and iodine in the car along with a foal blanket, then noticed the mare was shivering and wet too. I decided I needed to get the trailer and load the two up for some drier, warmer accommodations since the weather report was rain all weekend long. Wrestled the mare, foal and somehow managed to hold the trailer door open despite the wind blowing it closed, and lift the foal into the trailer. Mom followed along and seemed to be glad to be out of the wind. Drove the two to the barn, made a big stall and I was happy they were warm. Mack's first foal is a line back dun filly. Woo Hoo!

Sun: I had to brand and worm the colts. I did a couple of them when they were gelded but had to finish the rest. That meant roping and choking a couple of them. Twitched em, wormed em, clipped em and branded em. Moved a couple of larger yearlings into a bigger pen.

Mon: The new filly foal had bloody Hershey squirts and seemed listless so I called the vet to be sure the little thing was not trying to get sick on me. Blood drawn, vitamin shot and long acting antibiotics (and a $350 vet bill) and washed her poopy bottom with Murphy's Oil Soap. Her baby butt was chapped!

The 3 yr old blue roan stud didn't like his new neighbors in the larger pen and chased one over the fence, busting the top two boards. Fixed fence most of the afternoon...

Doctored the yearling blue roan colt's hind foot. Somehow he got a good size chunk torn out of it.

Need to ride but haven't found the time yet.. Life on the ranch is never dull..