Missed the Gypsy Vanner Birth

I have been trying to catch the birth of a foal on Mare Stare the last few days and I missed the two Gypsy Vanner foals I wanted to see.  When I checked the other day, the mares weren't doing anything and then I received a "low alert" email this morning telling me things were changing but not "high alert" status.  So I went to the web site to see and both foals were already on the ground. 

It's amazing how well nature works, isn't it?  While we have half the country disagreeing with the other half on what our health insurance industry should be and what government involvement should be acceptable while the animal world just does what nature intended them to do.  You don't see horses worried about whether they are covered by Blue Cross NC, deductibles, and how long they can stay in the hospital.  (Which reminds me, I have to contact our insurance company because I haven't been able to log on the last couple of weeks.  I have really random thoughts.)  Nature is amazing when you stop to appreciate it. 

I just love the Gypsy Vanner.  Here is a picture of a Gypsy: 

*picture from blog.freepeople.com/yentle.jpg

They are just magickal aren't they?

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Look at the New Foal

I missed the birth but look at the little baby:

Freelands Gypsy Horses

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Weight Loss Reviews

Have you ever watched those weight loss commercials and wondered about the results they claim?  Me too!  I would actually like to talk to real people and see if their claims are actually true.  What I would REALLY like to know is what side effects they had and how bad were they?  Sometimes the side effects just seem hideous!

I guess I can look up xenadrine rfa x reviews and see what people online are saying about specific weight loss products.  I'd definitely rather hear it from a real person rather than a celebrity spokesperson.  You know the celebrities are either getting paid very well to do it or not so well (and they are using the publicity in the hopes of bringing back a career in the tank) so I don't trust celebrity endorsements.

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I Want a Do Over

My eight-year-old has been sick all day today with stomach pains and she has dark circles under her eyes. She just does not look well at all and spent the day laying around and alternating between moaning and having little tears slip out of her eyes.  I hate seeing her sick.

My head has been pounding non-stop all day long. My daughter's school project that is due Tuesday is nowhere near being done and the schedule over the next few days is crazy busy so that is another headache I am just now hearing about.  Ack!  It's been one of those days. 

It started out pretty good.  We found a $50 dress for $9 today for my daughter's school dance.  Then the rest of the day took a dive. I'll be glad to go to bed in a bit and wake up tomorrow to start a new day.

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Overcoming Thyroid Disorders

I just finished reading Overcoming Thyroid Disorders by Dr. David Brownstein.  I've been trying to get a good handle on my thyroid disease (and the added weight as a result) and this was a book I had been wanting to read for awhile now. It talked about thyroid hormones but it also talked about detoxing, iodine, and testosterone.  I don't think I am in need of any testosterone cream but a little natural progestone cream wouldn't hurt!

I own several of Dr. Brownstein's books and I may have to purchase this one too.  He seems like a very knowledgeable doctor.

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JeeNee Turning 6 This Year

My mare turns six this April.  This summer will be our four year anniversary of how long we've had her.  She's had it pretty easy so far being part draft horse. We didn't see any reason to inflict damage or joint pain on her just so we could ride earlier. She had ground training and then light saddle training with our trainer at age four and five and that was it.  She's been a pasture pet pretty much.  We wanted her growth plates to have time to do what they needed to first. 

Her dam is Holly Berry (Clydesdale):

Her sire (Dominant Jeans):

Here's JeeNee as a little one with mom:

She's a sweet girl (usually).  She's allowed to get moody once in awhile too.

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Horses Starting to Shed

I went to see our horses this morning at the stable.  With the lengthening of the day, JeeNee's coat is starting to shed a little bit.  I had long white hairs flying everywhere.  The little feathering she has on her big clydesdale legs looks pretty right now.  They're always a little longer in the winter.  I love burying my cold fingers in her winter coat...it's toasty.

She is looking good.  Usually she gets a bit overweight and looking like she needs diet supplements but she doesn't look like a lard. She definitely needs exercise to tone up after having the winter off though.

I took a bunch of pictures but none of them turned out.  The lighting was bad in the barn. 

So, to heck with that groundhog.  My horse's shedding says spring is just around the corner! 

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Another Sign of Spring

Another sign of spring is that my eczema is getting better.  I get it every winter but this winter was worse than ever before.  I even had it on my face which was the worst.  I should have taken eczema pictures and posted them on my health blogs but they were so raw and ugly that between intense itching and feeling gross, I forgot. 

Actually, this time I think is was hormonal and not weather-related because we're still snowed in here (literally...kids have had 7-1/2 snow days so far the last week and a half).  My doctor raised my natural thyroid medication dosage on Friday and it started clearing right up on my chest and arms.  I have a little more around my waistline but I'm SO happy that it's starting to go away. It's about 70% better.  I wish there was a way to tell the world that most doctors don't treat thyroid hormonal levels propertly to get rid of symptoms because there can be relief.  I'm hoping for some myself and I've already seen a little (with eczema going away and weight loss). 

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Shedding Horses First Sign of Spring

Forget the groundhog!  Shedding horses means we're going to see spring, right?  Who needs a rodent when we have big, beautiful horses to tell us how close we are to winter being over!

Three storms in less than two weeks is enough to make it seem like spring is forever and a day away when in reality, we'll start seeing a warm-up by this time next month.  Easter is coming but who knows whether we'll have a snowy easter egg hunt or a nice easter egg hunt?  Where we live, we don't know until right up to the day.  The horses start shedding out, then spring break from school, proms, receiving a first communion invitation, and then end of the school year and riding lessons all summer long. It really isn't that far off.

Hard to believe when we've been looking at this for the last couple weeks:

Despite what I see in my backyard right now, spring IS coming.  Our two mares get really furry so they'll be shedding out good in no time at all.  If I keep saying that, eventually maybe I'll believe spring is almost here.

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Flying Changes by Sara Gruen

I just finished reading Flying Changes by Sara Gruen (it's the second book in the two-book series).  Like the first one, it was good.  The second book deals with the mother's fear for her daughter competing due to her own accident when she was younger. If I had to sum it up, it's about letting go and moving on. Something a lot of us have a hard time doing I think.

I'd like to move on - right to Florida.  The kids were out of school four days this week because of the snow storms we had. Our area of Ohio got hit good.  It doesn't seem like they were able to get the roads clear with all the snow drifting across the roads.  This ice and snow has me wanting to look up vacation rentals Florida Keys. I could be a snowbird and fly south every winter!

I'm thinking one more month of this and it should be time to get to riding again.  I need to get back on a horse.  Rex has been gone now for 1-1/2 years and my heart went out of it after the big guy passed away. He was an amazing horse.  A once in a lifetime kind of horse.  Still miss him but I need to get back on so my draft cross can finish her training and become a good riding horse.

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How Many Acres Per Horse?

What is the standard acreage per horse?  I'm planning our future home (several years into the future) and am wondering what we are going to need.  I've seen a couple horses on LOTS of property and then saw one horse on a small lot (wonder if she's lonely).  Is there a good standard to go by?

Thanks!

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Mane Tangles

My mare's mane can tangle itself into a mess quickly.  I'm not sure why it is that one of our horses always has a nice mane and the other looks like she's been tying knots in it over and over.  Does anybody know why that is and what can be done to change it?

Do I need to look for some type of leave in conditioner or hair vitamins or something like that?  I love long manes, especially on her because she has a black and white mane.  It's very pretty.  I've found the only way to reduce tangling though is to keep it shorter which is definitely not my preference.  Anybody have any ideas?

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