Two Mustangs and a Morgan.

Saturday we went to visit our son William in his new apartment in Ellensburg. He attends Central Washington University there. He just turned 20 on the 10th! Wow, my youngest is 20! He is putting himself through school and has a part time job in the theater department building stage sets. He wants to become a teacher. He has two roommates and a little tomcat called Phoenix, who badly needs to be gelded! My oldest son is 33, married to Nicky, and father of a cheeky little 18 month old girl. He's making me so proud. He's been in the air force for 14 years. He's been deployed many times to various hot spots around the world. I very concerned because he is being deployed to Iraq in February. Better stop now and talk about horses before I go nuts.

Thursday was the first time I could even feel a new abscess developing under Foxsun's belly, and it grew fast. Saturday when we returned home it was already leaking. These abscess's grow so quick that they can burst and be contaminating a pasture in just three or four days.

This is a picture of the new abscess.



The abscess is like a long ridge just in front of his boy parts. He's eating well and seems otherwise OK, besides the weight loss, dull coat, and swollen fetlocks.


Saturday night the temperature got down to 12 degrees F! Sunday morning I put carrots and Foxsun's feed in my backpack and went on my bike to see the boys. The Mustangs were lying in the warm sun fast asleep. I gave them carrots, hay and then went on to give Fox his breakfast. Later on Sunday we turned on the electric fence and let Foxsun out into his old horse pasture. It was kind of sad because he thought we were all walking back to the cow corrals together, so when we walked through the pasture he walked behind Brad like a good boy. When I couldn't keep up he looked back and waited for me to catch up, like he does with Dandylyons. When Brad opened the gate, he started to go through as well and we had to tell him he couldn't go with mum and dad but had to stay there. He was OK with it and went for a walk about. I love that horse so much. I think Foxsun and I are going to hitch a ride to the vet in Ritzville this week with a local horse owner who has been stricken with Pigeon fever as well.

I feel like Wildairo has been neglected since we adopted Echo and Foxsun has been ill. So I brushed out his beautiful mane and made a general fuss of him. I had to use some Cowboy Magic to get out a knot. He rubs his mane in one spot and gets a knot there.





I gave him lots of treats including a rum nut muffin. Brad picked up his feet a few times. He still doesn't like it but held still pretty good.

Echo considers himself a fully trained horse now. Echo has no idea there's more to being trained than standing in the warm sun munching carrots with your mum.

Dear little Echo is no closer to being halter broken than when we first adopted him, yet he steps up nice to me when I ask him. He will have his nose up over my shoulder and we'll be eyeball to eyeball. I can get him to stand straight on four legs, all without a halter or putting a hand on him. I was showing Brad what he can do and how gentle he is. Brad was impressed. We both agree he needs 'total immersion' training, as Brad put it. I know one thing, Echo is going to be a wonderful horse to train. He is so responsive, gentle and sweet. He will stand with his nose touching my belly as he eats his carrots with his eyes half closed. Not once has he put his ears back, tried to bit or kick. I think that's the reason why I can't bring myself to force the issue as far as getting a halter on him again. I can't bring myself to scare him and he really does get scared. I'll have to call a pro in to do the job.