More Arabs Tues. Dec 29,2009

The year is drawing to a close and the animals have been busy making their resolutions. Be sure to check the upcoming blogs to see what they have decided.

Chardonnay is nearly 30. She came to Home At Last as an evacuee in the Summer of 2008. The fires were burning in Concow and she needed a safe place to shelter. She was rather thin when she came, but was much fatter when the fire danger was over and she went home.

She became depressed and stopped eating when she went home and her loving owner realized that Chardonnay wanted to be with her friends here. She made the tough decision to let her go.

Chardonnay is a beautiful grey and loves to show off by racing around the turnout with her best friend Sunny. (We call them Sunny and Char-I've Got You, Babe).

We know how hard it is to give up a beloved pet, and greatly admire all folks who put their animals first.

Sunny (in the middle) is about 20 years old and was a broodmare. She supposedly had no training and did not like people. She was scruffy and timid. Last Spring we turned her loose in the yard to help with the tall grass, and spent some time with her. Soon she was following us all over, wanting rubs and scratches. What a love she is.

Her best friend is Chardonnay. They do not like being separated for even a few moments. Where one is, you'll find the other.
The girls spent the summer in Margaret's pasture across the road. Thanks, Margaret, for the yummy grass.

Aurora is a beautiful flea-bitten grey (a color designation, she doesn't have fleas) with almond shaped eyes. She's about 10 years old. She and Cajun were seized by authorities because of severe neglect. She was so thin all her hipbones, ribs and backbone could be seen. She was about 250-300 pounds underweight.

When we saw her at NorCal Equine Rescue we thought she was pregnant, as she had been used as a broodmare. There didn't seem much hope in saving her, but her beautiful eyes and trusting face made us want to try.

We thought maybe we could at least save her foal. When we brought her to Home At Last and had the vet check her, he thought he felt a foot. It turned out to be concrete hard manure packed inside of her. The vet felt ahe had eaten nothing but mud and manure for years.

It took weeks of intensive day and night care and she came close to dying on occassions. One time when she was down and in pain, and we could feel her life ebbing away, Cajun came in and stood with his nose on her saying Good-bye. Oh, did the tears flow then.

Jim gave her a shot to ease her pain and the vet was called to end her misery. When he arrived she was up and eating. She's not a quitter.

She still has her big belly, but now it's full of good sweet hay. Her back is a little swayed, but her spirit is strong. She holds her own in the herd and knows she is loved.