Bobby and Tommy Two Tone.

Most mornings Bobby and Tommy Two Tone like to play. Although it can get pretty rough T2T doesn't mind.

I took these pictures the other morning when Bobby didn't want to play. (Her leg is bandaged because for some reason there's a spot she licks raw and I want it to have a chance to heal).

A few kicks to the head didn't get Bobby in the mood to play.


Being a pest couldn't even get Bobby's attention.


So Tommy Two Tone gives up and goes in for a cuddle.








Once the paparazzi left them alone, they had a nice nap.

Poor Echo.

I noticed Echo's bottom lip was hanging down when I went to visit him. When I got closer I noticed he had bloody froth coming out of his mouth! He kept opening his mouth and was acting like something was caught in it. I thought it could be a baby tooth that was coming out and cutting his tongue. His teeth felt OK so I felt under his tongue and that's when I discovered the problem. One side was packed with seeds and bits of food. He'd been trying to get it out but couldn't. That poor boy. I got it all out. At least I hope I did. I'll have to keep checking to make sure he doesn't get an abscess from a seed. If this had happened a few weeks ago I would have had to put him in the chute to get at his mouth and it would have been pretty stressful for both of us.

After I got it out he seemed to be fine and I think he was pretty grateful.

Happy thoughts.

I really love Echo! I'm so lucky to have found a horse so perfect for me. I mean it was just plain luck. I was the only bidder on him in the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) wild horse internet adoption. I had no idea what kind of personality he had. At least when you adopt a horse from the corrals you can see the horses interact with each other.

He's been a bit of a challenge, but it's been so rewarding. It was his sweet disposition that kept me looking for different ways to tame him and not to give up. Yesterday, when Echo and I were walking slowly around the big corral like a couple of old friends, I was thinking about how amazed I was that I pulled this off.

I had low expectations and always thought I'd have to hand him over to a professional to get him halter broke. Now I'm starting to think that anything is possible.

I have been letting him into the big corral and leading him around it. At first I had to drag him by his head to get him moving. Swishing the lead rope at him was out of the question because he'd bolt. Then we progressed to me just having to jiggle the lead rope and make the clicking sounds. Now all I have to do is to start to walk and he is right with me. My buddy.

Yesterday I was able to lead him out of him corral down the alley and into the other corral. It wasn't easy but we did it. I had to drag him through the gate of his corral then he walked down the alley OK but he put his brakes on again going through the gateways.


I had to pull him slowly through step by step. It was a bit funny to say the least, but we did it. After wards he looked so pleased with himself and seemed to see me in different light. I guess he thought conquering the gateways made us a real team. I reached over and stroked his neck and he didn't mind at all.

Snow today. I hate it.

Echo and I did very well today.

Today I was alone on the farm (as far as humans go) and it was such a warm day I thought I'd make the most of the good weather.

I shut the pasture gate and let Echo into Wildairo's corral again. I thought I'd give him another leading lesson. The trouble was he wouldn't move his feet. He would not budge! Then it occurred to me I couldn't get him back into his own corral. I can walk up to him and attach his lead rope, but that's useless if I can't lead him. I tried waving my jacket over my head to push him through the gate and he got (surprise surprise) over excited. He only cantered around a little bit but it was enough to make me worry he could get out of the corral because there are some low spots on the rock wall. Wildairo has never challenged the wall but Wildairo can be led if he got out. I know I tend to worry too much. I called Brad to see when he was coming home and he said he would be home very late because he was a few hundred miles away.

I noticed that Wildairo's bucket still had a lot of alfalfa in it from the night before and Wildairo was nowhere to be seen! Wildairo was finding enough to eat without the help of humans and the thought of Echo escaping with him was pretty scary so I dragged irrigation pipe over to the lower spots on the rock wall and with the help of baling twine, made it look more formidable. Echo just stood and calmly watched me. The chances of Echo getting out were slim to none but like I said, I worry too much.

Echo explored the bigger area. (Cell phone pictures).


He kept going down for a roll. He was really enjoying himself.



I tried leading Echo again but he was being stubborn and wouldn't move. I tried something different; I put all my weight on the rope and just lay into it. It must have really been hurting him and after awhile he stepped towards me and then stopped again. I kept repeating this over and over till he decided the only way to avoid the discomfort from the halter and the lead rope fastener under his chin was to keep following me and not stopping. We had to repeat it when we changed directions.

After awhile he was leading really good and acting so calm and laid back. Wildairo never relaxes like that. I was really pleased. What I think is so weird is that when I first tried leading Echo he led good and then for some reason he decided not to cooperate anymore.

By the way; when I was tying irrigation pipe to the rock wall (very attractive) I saw Wildairo just the other side of some rocks and he was grazing like there was no tomorrow. He knows it'll be covered in snow soon and is making the most of it.

What a good day it turned out to be.

Leading lessons.

Sunday I locked Wildairo out and opened the gates so Echo could go into his big corral. I gave Echo the opportunity of being led like a big boy, but he wouldn't budge. So he had to be lured down the alley and into the other corral with hay like a naughty cow.

I was interested to see if he'd let me approach him in such a large area. Well, before I could walk up to him, he walked right up to me and I was the other side of the corral, near the building. I was very pleased. No silliness at all!

I was showing Brad what a little stinker he is about leading and Brad thought he'd give it a go. First though Echo had to do his kissing ritual. Brad was a bit nervous about having a horse all over his face but he soon understood Echo is just a kissy face horse.



Echo likes to stand perfectly still with his nose as close to someones face as possible. If only there was a competition or event for only that....

Anyway. Brad tried his hand at Echo leading and discovered what I had, Echo only goes around and around on the same spot. So Brad came up with his own cunning plan. He would go around and around in bigger and bigger circles until Echo wasn't going in circles anymore, (except around the globe I guess).

Around and around they went. Brad mentioned a few times he was getting dizzy. At one point he announced what every loving parent hates to hear, "I really think Echo is incredibly *beep* stupid". I of coarse pointed out all the thing's that put Echo into the really clever category.

The following went on for ages.





Echo really wanted to get to the main event.


Hugs (sorta) and kisses.


If you ever see a horse advertised for sale with the following description;
'Dark bay (eggplant) sturdy 14:2hh BLM mustang. Good kisser'..you'll know it's Echo.



Brad did manage to get Echo leading around the corral, but it was difficult. What really helped was when I walked behind Echo..that seemed to really get him going. I was laughing to myself with visions of someone always walking behind Echo smacking him in the bum with a stick to keep him moving!

It was getting dark and Wildairo was pounding on the gate because his world had been turned upside down. He'd been banished from his own home and because Safeway was out of Bran Muffins, he was muffinless on Bran Muffin Sunday!



Then thing's got exciting. Wildairo pounded on the gate and at the same time Bobby went nuts barking and Echo attempted to launch himself into a low earth orbit. Brad was hanging on to him really well and I was yelling for him not to let him go. Brad was about to control him and I remembered how his breakaway halter is kind of stretchy and I remembered how once Wildairo's halter went in his mouth and how he panicked. So I yelled for Brad to let go. He said that he almost had him and I think he was having a bit of fun. I know I should have kept my mouth shut but in the excitement I decided to go on the side of safety first.

Echo raced back to the safety of his own home. When we got to him he had broke out into an all over sweat. He really scared himself but the good thing about Echo is that he avoids scaring himself so it was a good lesson in keeping his cool.

Cows on the lawn.

Echo is continuing to improve. He even approached me for a kiss when I opened the gate. That is a far cry from not too long ago when he would stand at the far side of the corral snorting at me. I try to spend time with him at least twice a day. We have been also working (hanging out) in the moonlight. He really enjoys company at night now that Wildairo is out and about.

Today I was able to go from one side of him to his other repeatedly without having to go through the nose wrestling and dancing around ritual. I hold onto his nose band and when I'm at his side stroking him if he starts to turn I shout out, "Eyes front soldier"! That makes him behave.

The other morning when it was down to about 10 degrees F (-12 degrees C), Brad got up and announced, "Cows on the lawn". I always enjoy a little cow action first thing. I went out in just my jammies to take these pictures. It wasn't until my camera malfunctioned I realized how cold it was.

Our normally calm cows are different creatures when they are on the lawn. They know they shouldn't be there.





I saw the ring leader mooing out orders and quickly snapped her picture as evidence.


It was about then I realized it was my own dear Dandylyons!

The next morning I was awoken by whispered moo's coming from below my bedroom window. I let Brad sleep a bit longer and then told him, "Cows on the lawn". He leaped into action. I watched him from the comfort of my bed as he walked in circles around the house below me. The cows were just staying ahead of him and his cow chasing stick. Around and around they went..man and beast. I snuggled for a while longer before I went down to help. Soon as the cows saw 'back up' arrive they walked right back into the meadow. Later we saw a large family of deer on the lawn and watched them as they mangled the electric fence...mystery solved.

I like it when the cow mow down the weeds around my garden, I just wish they wouldn't cover the lawn in cow pancakes.

Echo gets a working over.

Brad was kind enough to take these pictures of me working with Echo today.

Echo is better about his right side, but still had to have a reminder to stand still.


I'm trying to get him used to being touched. He's fighting the urge to bolt.


This is his bad side.


I have to keep tapping his nose band to remind him not to step away from me.







This is what he likes to do.


Notice it's a full nose squashing smacker.


Another thing we like to do is check teeth.


The arrow is pointing to one of his loose teeth. The two the other side are loose as well.


The tooth below the one with the arrow came out. Echo knows I collect his teeth, so being a good little boy he dropped it in his empty feed tub for me to find.

Maybe it's true... maybe his mother really did eat locoweed while she was in foal with him.

I have been busy working with Echo, my special ed student. He's going to get trained but I just have to educate him in his own special and very slow way. It seems like whenever I start to feel he's hopeless the next day he makes a fool of me by being a good little horse.

Over the weekend, with the help of the product cowboy magic, I untangled his lovely mane with my fingers. It turns out he is very scared of the mane brush touching his mane. I brushed my own hair with it, let him sniff it and touched his nose with it. I did manage to gently brush his chest with it as I held on to his nose band telling him "no" when he tried to bolt. We have had two days of 'mane brush training' and have not made progress. He's still scared to death of it.

A few days ago I flipped the lead rope towards him and when it tapped his chest he leaped and grunted like he had be given an electric shock. I had already been touching him with rope and thought we'd progressed far enough that swinging the rope towards him would be OK.

I decided not to introduce scary thing's like ropes and brushes to his body till he was a bit more at ease with me touching him all over. He's fine when ropes and brushes touch his face. He's learned to hold me off with his nose. When I went around his head to his side I held his nose still to stop him from turning away...so being a bright little spark, he did the same thing to me. When I go to his side he hooks my nose in his nose hole to hold me still and away from his side. So we have a 'nose off'. It's a jolly affair though and it's hard to become mad at him. He's telling me he'd rather just kiss and eat treats. I've held on to his nose band and made him stand still while I put both my hands on him at the same time. One on his withers and one on his chest. I haven't managed to get further back yet because when I move a bit he bolts.

Last night I had to resort to singing him songs again. He really relaxes when I sing to him, so I make up little ditties about a magnificent mustang called Echo. Funny thing, Wildairo loves baby talk and really responds.

Speaking of Wildairo; he's so happy that the grass started to grow after the rains. It's the first time he has grazed on fresh green grass for years and he doesn't want to come in very often. I noticed he's not even cleaning all his hay up although he does manage to eat his oats.

It's good to see a horse out in the pasture again.


He doesn't get too far from the corrals. I watch him with the binoculars and I see his head shoot up after every few bites to have a quick look round for the BLM or farriers.

We are getting things ready for Echo in the little horse barn and corrals. We'll have to haul him over there because the idea of leading him over there is a ways off. It's a nice little wooden building. Brad thinks it was built in the 1930's or 40's. He thinks it's very inconvenient and would prefer a modern metal one. I think the wood makes it very cozy and homey. We have to re-roof it and paint it one day soon. I really hope Echo will go inside it.

Another ladies man.

Echo is not the only guy on farm who likes the ladies. I saw this fellow the other morning on the ridge overlooking our house.


He has girls..lots of girls.


Even more from his harem catching up in the meadow.


The message below is to Daisy and Molly from our cat Tommy Two Tone;

Echo gets a new girlfriend.

Sunday was Brad's birthday and his mother, Claudine, his sister Jadine, bro-in-law Dan and their dog children, Molly and Daisy, came over for a visit. Tommy Two Tone was kind enough to entertain Molly and Daisy by letting them chase him around the house. T2T can really run fast. Really fast.

Molly entertained us by showing how clever she was at helping herself to pizza from the kitchen counter. Keep in mind our house is animal friendly..in other words, there's nothing a dog or cat can do that hasn't been done before here. Our dogs, Bobby and Montie, took their guests for a spot of rabbit chasing. They even flushed out and gave chase to a Jack rabbit. It's only the second one I have seen in 25 years. There use to be thousands of them around here. So a fun time was had by all the pets.

I was pleased that Echo and Wildairo didn't go berserk like they normally do when they see people. It was Bran Muffin Sunday, so Wildairo got his Muffin. When I opened the gate for him to go out and play he wanted to stick around hoping to get another muffin.

Echo was a bit of a flirt. It turns out he really likes girls. I'm guessing that all the BLM people that worked him over were males. Echo was a bit shy at first.


Really shy.


My camera battery's went dead here. But Brad took this picture with his cell phone.


What Echo really wanted was a kiss and he got many.

He really likes girls because they smell nice, have soft voices and their hair comes in entertaining colors and styles.

Echo didn't seem to mind new people at all. Wildairo did very well too. (Brad told me when he was moving hay about he was wearing chaps like the farrier wears and Wildairo went nuts).

Monday I had a really successful day with the horses. Wildairo kept showing up with big weeds in his mane. He must have found a weedy spot to roll in. I had to hold his halter to untangle them and he leaped up the first time. Both front feet off the ground. I never let go and gave his halter a jerk and yelled "NO". He looked at me and calmed right down. It was like he said, (Cockney accent here) "Alright then. 'ow about a quick kiss"? He's such a big dope with me. He'll have an all out fight with the farrier but will let little short me boss him about.

Echo really has turned the corner. Wow! When I can get my lips unglued from his face long enough we really make progress. He wasn't letting me anywhere near his left side before. Monday I stopped that nonsense. Every time I tried to go to his left side he'd turn away to protect it, because every one knows that's the yummy side of the horse..lol. I just held his nose and wouldn't let him turn. It's easy now he's no longer the explosive Echo. I can stand by both sides now and touch his back! I can only reach so far back though because the latest little Echo rule is that I have to have one hand on his halter. I can't use a rope. Hand only on halter while touching his back. Oh, and only one hand at a time can touch his back. Also he has a rule that prohibits me from touching his freeze brand. I'll let him keep those rules in place a few days then I'll pop a apple chunk in his mouth and send those rules off to the same place his wild horse card went.

More training.

Echo and I have made huge progress as far as catching him goes. Even on his worst days I can get him to face me then allow me to approach and clip his lead rope on. We have such a long way to go though. To get him ready for halter breaking I am working at getting him use to having a rope dangled about his head. (I put his breakaway halter on in the chute weeks ago). I have to go slow because he was very flighty and not to long ago my hair blowing would make him bolt.

He's not on the lead rope in these cell phone pictures. I had to rub the rope on my face and sniff it before he believed it wasn't a snake.





Echo is not head shy but is very frightened of anything touching his body. When the rope gently touched his body he was very nervous and ready to bolt. This is something we have to work on.


We are moving the cattle about to different areas to graze before they are put in the feedlot area for winter feeding. Dandylyons follows us then the other all tag along as well.


Wildairo may loose access to the pasture because I'm afraid he'll chase the cattle through a fence.

The Horse Shouter.

Monday I had a bit of a step back with Echo, but it turned out more than OK.

I didn't work with him for two days because it was so cold and when I walked into his corral on Monday the old Echo was back. I saw that wild look in his eyes right away and I think the high headed snorting may have given it away as well. I reached for him and as soon as my hand touched one of his whiskers, which were on high alert, he bolted. I was mad! Very mad. I decided I'd had enough of it and was going to put a stop to his shenanigans once and for all. So I did.

It took a lot shouting, but it wasn't random shouting because I had a cunning plan. I kept approaching him. (Keep in mind it's dark and the corral is full of thick dust that he's kicking up). Soon as he started to turn his head, I said, "No". Then he turned his full body sideways to me, I yelled, "NO"! When I was faced with his tail end... I attacked. I was stoked. I was mad. I was pissed off. I threw my arms both up and went' PSST' really loud. He'd take off around the corral. And so we continued for awhile. Every time he spun to face me I'd approach again, he'd start to turn away and I'd tell him "no" and reach for him, then he'd turn sideways and I would yell very loud, "NO", then he'd show me his bum and I'd go after him with a loud "PSST". In the dark and dust it was hard to tell how close I was to him and I'm glad he's not a kicker because I was in the danger zone more than once. Well, this went on for awhile till he got pretty scared and ended up begging to be kissy friends again. I knew he was mine when he lowered his head and covered me with warm horse breath when I approached. I didn't touch his halter but gave him a little kiss on his eyelid and walked away. When I was sure he wasn't going to bolt I took his halter and moved him about. I let him go and repeated it a few times. If he started to look away I told him 'no' and he face me and let me touch him. I was every so pleased and boy was it exciting.

When I went in his corral Tuesday he leaped away and I threw my arms up and went 'PSST" really loud. To my amazement he turned around quick and came to me. WOW! I didn't quiet expect him to learn that quick. He's awesome.

Today, Wednesday, I walked into the corral and went right up to him. I had Brad approach him in the corral and he stood still because he knows the meaning of 'no' now. He let Brad touch him and after awhile wanted to interact with Brad by fiddling with his jacket.

I can touch his right side but he's very nervous about his left side. I ran my hand down his right leg to his hoof. He was pretty scared but he stood there. I didn't even try his left leg because he's still a bit touchy on the left side of his face. He's a lovely horse. Very intelligent and sweet. Sometimes you just have to forget about whispering and shout at them I guess.

Echo becomes the Leading Man.

During our leading lesson something must have clicked in Echo's little horse brain. Maybe it was that he finally understands what his job is. All along I think he was worried he was dinner. He also doesn't like to scare himself and always seems to learn from his mistakes. He was letting his breath out in big sighs and really relaxing.

Wildairo, who came in from the pasture to watch the whole thing, called him a Dope on a rope!


During Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays lessons he was following behind me like a little pack pony. We were working in the little pen where he feels safe. He was so responsive that I was glowing and thinking I've never handled a horse like him. Then we tried leading in the big corral and he was a real sweetie, following behind as we walked around and around. This was because we were training by moonlight and he's much calmer at night. I think it's because he is not so horrified of seeing a human right next to him. In the daylight he's a bit different.

Yesterday we had out first daylight training in the big corral since he acted stupid.


After awhile he decided he wasn't so keen about following me about and planted his feet. I have to keep unbalancing him to get a few more strides out of him. I'll have to make things more interesting for him.

He would rather stand there and get kisses.



Brad showed up to feed him and he stood still without acting silly. The bald spot on the side of Echo's face is where he sticks his head under the fence to eat spilled hay.


Echo's not tied. I just put the rope through the fence.


Notice he doesn't bite the apple. I've trained him not to bite into anything I'm holding. I break bits of carrot for him and give him chunks of apple that I bite off.



We are working on standing still when I approach him. He starts to take off and I have to tempt him with a apple. Soon as he faces me and my fingers touch his face he considers himself caught now. This is HUGE for Echo.

Dandylyons's search.

Monday the cattle were sorted and the calves sold. In the ruckus Dandylyons, uncharacteristically made a break for it. Brad let her go. I knew who she was looking for and it was heart wrenching. She doesn't understand. She went to all his favorite places.





She thought she wait here at the bottom of the bluff.


Bobby thought she'd wait as well because she doesn't understand either.


Dandylyons didn't like the idea of hanging out with a dog and let Bobby know.


Bobby thought it could be a good game but Dandylyons wasn't in the mood to play.


Although I raised Dandylyons from birth, she doesn't eat treats but loves back rubs. I gave her some water and a back rub.


Brad took our picture under Foxsun's apple tree. I love Dandylyons and she knows it.


On a brighter note; we kept this lovely heifer calf called Sparkle.


And Wildairo is a handsome devil!


But the big news is Echo has decided to turn in his WILD HORSE CARD!

Dandylyons saved the day.

Sunday it was very windy here which made the dust blow. Leaves and small branches blew off the trees and made a mess.

Here's Dandylyons all by herself.


As I took the above picture, Tommy Two Tone ran outside and started chasing leaves and things as they blew across the lawn.


He was very difficult to catch. Soon as I'd bend down to pick him up he'd scoot off. Bobby had to help me catch him by working him towards me through the shrubbery.

We had to bring the cattle in because the calves were to be sold on Monday.


I rode herd in the jeep. A steer made a break for it and I headed him off but as I spun the jeep around the blowing dirt came in one window and out the other. The jeep was just full of dirty dirt. Dandylyons started to wander towards the horse pasture and I think she was looking for Foxsun. I drove up to her and pointed towards the corrals and told her, "Go on Dandylyons" and she turned and went into the corrals. The herd, who had been stampeding around in every direction in the dust storm, followed her. Thank goodness for Dandylyons.

Walking with Wildairo.

I was feeling very down yesterday afternoon. The best thing to cheer me up has always been horses. The sun had set behind the bluff and so it was a bit dark. Wildairo was out hanging about and I asked him if he wanted to go for a stroll.

He's pretty nervous of getting too far from the corrals but he tagged along for awhile.


When we got too far for his comfort he got a bit nervous.


He tried to turn me towards home.


I wouldn't turn because I'm a human and not some stupid little filly he can boss about.

So he ran away. Towards the safety of home.


But he couldn't help himself he had to keep coming back.


We found an old piece of ancient farm equipment and I gave it a good kick.


After awhile we walked too far and Wildairo galloped for home. I could hear his thundering hoof beats fade into the distance. By then I was all cheered up and as happy as a lark.


But then I got even happier!

I went to say hello to Echo. I opened his gate and he trotted out down the alley..into the little pen, and stood in the 'willing horse' position. I thought 'what the heck' and closed the wing gate on him to trap him. I had to push him over a bit with the gate and he didn't freak at all. I locked the gate closed! I had him all trapped by myself and it's what he wanted. Wow, the little guy is helping dopey me train him. He knows he's too scared in the big corral and can't control himself. He knows he feels secure in the squeeze chute! I put his lead rope on. Touched him all over. I twirled the lead rope getting closer to him but not touching him. He was really calm. Brad came along so I had him mess about with him as much as possible. Then I opened the gate and stood with Echo in the little pen. I threw the lead rope up and he stood calm. I had Brad keep walking away and towards him. Echo watched him like a hawk but controlled himself because he was in the little pen and felt safe.

So I guess we'll keep working Echo slowly in the little pen. I forgot how slow you have to go with Echo.

An outlaw Mustang.

Thanks everybody so much for your kind words and thoughts. Loosing and missing Foxsun is a great deal harder than I ever thought it would be. I want you to know it was such a comfort to know there are people who understand and care. I miss him so much. He was like a reliable friend you could always count on, never in a bad mood and always ready to help out or cheer you up.

To get myself out of the doldrums I did some mustang wrangling.

Echo went quietly into his little mustang trap to get his halter on.


Then I did something I'd never done before. I opened the gate of his squeeze chute and stood with my mustang secured to the end of my lead rope. Then right there in that little pen we had our first leading lesson and he was a champ. We had been doing a lot of practice without a halter so he was ready. After we done quiet a bit of walking about and changing direction I led him into the alley to go into the big corral. Well he came along really nice till he saw Brad standing at the end of the alley and he bolted. Zipped right off into the big corral where he went nuts. The most entertaining part was when he thought he had a snake chasing him and kept running backwards staring at the green lead rope which was attached to his halter.

I went and got him and led him around in the big corral. He followed very nicely.


We stopped for kisses and cuddles.


And words of reassurance.


But I'm afraid I have a bit of a problem with him. Even though Brad has been feeding him twice a day for over a year and has been very nice to him, he's scared to death to go near the part of the corral where Brad is standing. When I say scared I mean really scared. He bolts and I cannot hold him. I got a little rope burn and had to put gloves on. He's been coming up to us to eat carrots that Brad gives him but he will not take his eyes off him. I thought it would be better when he had a halter and lead rope on but he's worse.

Brad never managed to get a picture of him exploding so I recreated one.


(I made myself a good bit thinner but kept my trademark scruffy hair, lol). I cannot hang on to him when he does this. I end up behind him with him standing on his back legs. I could hold on to Wildairo because he'd face me and I'd jerk the rope, scold him and bring him back to me. Echo just spins and rears when he feels to rope. It's an all out effort to escape.

Here I re-catch him and you can see by the look on his face he doesn't trust me or my kind.


He's fine when it's just me and there's nothing at all to scare him. If he's scared like this in his own corral I can't imagine what would happen if I led him around the farm. I had plans to lead him behind Foxsun when I rode him around the corral and then to pony him in the big pasture once Echo was familiar with it all.

Echo learned his lesson when he hurt his head while trying to escape from the squeeze chute. Now he stands rock steady even when Brad was helping me get his halter on. He needs to be jerked hard or something when he bolts so he stops these shenanigans. I'm not sure how to do it. My lead rope is pretty long but I was thinking of a longer one like a lunge line. I know he'd learn a quick but hard lesson if I tied the rope to something secure. But he zips off so fast he would hurt himself.

When I swung the end of the lead rope just a few inches he took off. So it's not just the sight of Brad that does it. I can't even attempt to desensitize him while he's this spooky. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

The end of an era.

I really miss him. I keep expecting him to nicker when he hears me open the door, but he's not there. He'll never be here again.


Even though he was eating so much better he didn't put on any weight. Friday we had a long talk with the vet about his treatment. The vet had been very concerned about the edema and had told us not to get our hopes up. But because he was eating good we decided to give it a few more days before doing something else.

Then came the morning he didn't come over to the house to eat his grain. I called for him and he poked his head out of the shop. (It's nice and warm in there). I never saw him walk to our house but Brad saw him as he walked over and said he looked weak. The edema had got very bad and I realized we had to do something different, but it was too late. I also had to admit to myself that even though he was eating pretty well, he was loosing weight not gaining any. He ate some grain and like always took a nap by the honeysuckle. After a while he sat down under the birch tree and never got up again. He never even tried. He was tired and weak. Bobby cried inconsolably and had to be shut in the basement. Funny how animals know something is wrong even though Fox was just sitting with us eating apples and nibbling grain.

When Brad went inside to call the vet to put him to sleep, I was laying with Fox on the lawn and he started to go on his own. His pulse was very weak and I knew he was going into that other place. I went inside to tell Brad maybe he should tell the vet not to come because Foxsun may not be here when he arrived. (The vet is 50 miles away and because it wasn't an emergency it might have been a few hours before he arrived). Brad said he never got through anyway because the line was busy.

It was the last full day of summer and it was a beautiful day. So warm and still. Not a leaf stirred in the trees. Not a cloud in the sky. Birds were singing. And I lay with my horse telling him he was a good boy and I loved him. I kissed his nose and stroked his face. I rubbed his legs and sprayed the flies.

I was inside the house getting a cup of tea when Foxsun left us. I looked out of the window and noticed how still and empty his body looked. His ears were motionless. I covered him with blankets and asked Brad to bury our boy under the apple tree.



Foxsun was gently laid to rest in one of his favorite places under the apple tree. Funny thing... after he was buried I looked out at Dandylyons standing under the cottonwoods and my eyes played tricks on me because in the dappled sunlight I thought I saw the familiar sight of Foxsun standing by her side.


I got in my little pool and swam. There was ice on the water buckets that morning and so the water was very very cold. I swam around on the bottom to maybe drown my sorrows and numb my sad thoughts. I watched Brad remove all Fox's blankets and grain buckets etc off the lawn. After I walked along our dusty farm road, which are still covered in Foxsun's hoof prints, to the corrals to see the mustangs. We initially got our first one, Wildairo, to keep Foxsun company when his elderly cow wife died. I never guest she'd outlive him. Within a short while little Echo had me smiling and laughing as he applied for the newly opened position of most endearing lovable horse on the farm.... and a new era begins.

Indulge me one last time.

First time I saw Foxsun.


Foxsun as a youth.


Foxsun and Dandylyons.


Apple Pi Foxsun Bay was a Morgan horse born in Moorcroft, Wyoming on April 24th 1986. His mother was the sweet Foxy Triton and his dad was the beautiful dependable cow horse, Sunup Phaon.

Foxsun.

Apple Pi Foxsun Bay
April 24 1986 - September 21 2009

Foxsun still has the dreaded lurgy.

Foxsun's kidneys seem to be working OK according to an urinalysis we did earlier this week. The vet also told me that he got a call from the lab that ran the pigeon fever titre to tell him there had been a mix up. It turns out Foxsun tested positive for pigeon fever antibodies. It wasn't high, 64 I believe, but it was enough to show that Foxsun maybe walling off internal pigeon fever abscesses. Foxsun has been showing some improvement so we are continuing the massive doses of antibiotics.

The odd thing is all the edema he has. The edema comes and goes on his belly. I believe it's called ventral edema. His hind legs are also swollen. During the last week he has been having edema in his chest... some days worse than others. The latest development was puffy swelling in his throat latch area. I think this is edema also because it comes and goes. Because of all the grazing he has been doing lately the edema maybe from having his head down a lot. I hope he doesn't have something going on with his heart.

Foxsun has become very skinny and I was hoping he'd start to put on weight now that he's eating more but if he is I can't see it. If I don't see an improvement soon as far as his weight goes, I'll ask the vet if we can switch to another antibiotic.

Meanwhile Foxsun is having the time of his life although I gave him bute yesterday because he was stiff and a bit sluggish. It perked him right up. It was the first time for almost two weeks he'd had any bute. He hangs around me enjoying watching me do stuff. He followed me over to the mustangs last night and insisted on following me in to Echo's corral. Even though he can go the other side of the fence and eat all he wants from the bales of hay he marched right up to Echo, who was enjoying his dinner, and tucked in right next to him.


Fox is 14.3 so I think Echo must be 14.0 or 14.1 at the most. Echo was OK with it but after awhile Foxsun, who's used to bossing cows around, went snake face.


Echo, being a tough little mustang, thought a fight was starting and spun around to show Fox his business end. Foxsun spun around and showed Echo his puny business end which made Echo back off and come over to me for a carrot. Even though I was impressed with Foxsun's determination to eat Echo's hay I called him to me and we left Echo to enjoy the rest of his dinner.

Foxsun is still wearing his little blanket at night. The feed stores don't have the fall and winter horse fashions in yet so I'll have to order him one online.

I leave grain outside the back door and he comes over in the mornings to eat it. Last night, when I was locking up to go to bed, he gave me a bit of a fright by looking at me through the glass of the back door. This morning he found another place to keep an eye on me.


And I found another way to give him treats.


I just took this photo of him and his dog.


He had a quick nap and came back for more grain. Right now his favorite food is oats. I also have bowls of sweet cob and senior ration in case he gets a taste for those. I try to keep the bowls full. I can't put chopped apple or carrots in his senior feed to get him to eat it because he knocks the bowl over to get at the treats and makes a mess.

Here's a picture of Fox when he was 10 years old. As you can see he's a very sturdy Morgan horse.