Yard Sale Report!

Drum Roll, please...........

At the end of six hours of selling and repurposing your donated treasures, Traveller's Rest was able to add $1,077.89 to the bank account!  Not bad for half a day's work .  I'm also happy to say we sold all the large items which means, in addition to the boost that gave to the coffers, we don't have to store them. 

What a great crowd. Some shoppers came from as far away as the Virginia Beach area, just to support the Geezers.  I can't tell you how much that means.  We saw a lot of old friends who can't get to the farm as often as they'd like.  It was wonderful to see you all again.  Some friends were Facebook "fans" whose names were familiar.  Putting names to those faces means a lot, as did hearing that FB readers enjoy our educational posts.  Since education is a big part of TREES mission, it was gratifying to know we're making some difference in that way.

We also met several exciting new friends, many offering to support TREES' future endeavors with their time and services.  We'll be in touch!  There are some who feel yard sales are not the best fund-raising method for growing organizations, but I have to say you can't beat it for community networking opportunities.

Thank you to everyone connected to yesterday's sale.  Carole, Janet, Helen, Trish, Carol, Deborah, and everyone who donated such "sellable" items, put up flyers, shared on your FB pages or contributed in any other way.  Some of you snuck in and dropped off bags and boxes without waving us down. and we want to make sure you know how much every treasure was appreciated.

Thanks, too, to Carol, who came back early Sunday to help catch up on the general farm cleanup.  Whew. 

Hope got some rest today - you made a great contribution to the geezers yesterday in more ways than you know.

Don't visit us at Tractor Supply tomorrow!! (Sat Dec 19, 2009)

Adoption Day event cancelled due to impending snow storm. Thank you, TSC, for your support this year. We hope you continue these events in 2010. If so, see everybody next year!

Meanwhile, thank you Gene, Carol and Jeanelle for helping with storm prep.  Stalls and sheds are cleaned and bedded, water tanks full, hoses drained, paddocks picked, sufficient feed and hay on site........I think we're as ready as we can be.  As long as Mother Nature keeps her sense of humor under control a little.

Thank You, Jeanelle!

I cannot say enough about volunteers who come early on mornings like this one.  "Thank you" just doesn't feel adequate. 

The ground was frozen, wet bedding from the most recent flooding was frozen, poop piles were frozen..............

Thank you so much, Jeanelle, for coming out and for drying out Sherman and Henry's stalls as much as possible when everything is so completely saturated.

Jeanelle didn't quite fill Big Sam, the old JD spreader, but she came darn close and, considering the weight of the wet sawdust, we're counting it as a Golden Muck Fork Award winning day.

Round of applause!

We Are Thankful......

(In no particular order, for TREES only functions if ALL the pieces, large, small, and in between, are in place……….)

We are thankful for all the support, moral, financial, physical and spiritual, that allows TREES to fill its niche in the world of horse welfare.

We are thankful for being able to work with a veterinary practice, Rappahannock Equine Veterinary Clinic, that not only understands the needs of geriatric equine, but also offers TREES’ residents the same level of customer service that is offered to show barns and top of the line breeders.

We are thankful for every single individual that offers TREES the gift of time, whether he or she comes to the farm weekly, monthly, or occasionally, or staffs special events, spends time researching funding or PR opportunities, works at home, hauls horses, picks up supplies, photographs residents, you name it. You ALL make it work.

We are thankful for Meredith Barlow, of Equidentistry, for her skill in finding whatever loose, fractured, infected, or oddly formed tooth might be causing an otherwise healthy resident to “go off his feed.”

We are thankful for students of all ages, who choose senior horse issues as the focus of field trips, community service or research projects.

We are thankful for animal control officers in surrounding counties who see the line “he’s skinny because he’s old” for the myth it is.

We are thankful for owners of elder horses who ask for advice rather than fall for that same myth.

We are thankful for Ernie Haynes' weekly farrier visits, and his patience with residents who may not be able to lift a leg as high as they did when younger, or who need a little break between feet.

We are thankful for continuing support from “non-traditional” care providers like Jill Deming of Integrated Animal Therapies, Janet Dobbs of Animal Paradise Communication & Healing, and the many volunteers of our Shelter Animal Reiki Association program.

We are thankful to Snow Hill Farm for delivering what seems like a mountain of Triple Crown Senior feed and forage cubes.

We are thankful for the Equine Rescue League (who will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year,) for inspiring the founding of TREES.

We are thankful for area businesses like Tractor Supply Company and Dover Saddlery, that support horse welfare efforts.

We are thankful for Scarlett Grove Stables for retraining a returnee and networking to find the prefect family for her.

We are thankful for all of TREES’ Facebook fans, and blog and web site visitors who help spread the word

We are thankful for Greg Flynn, at Desyne.com for hosting our current web site and for the new layout.

And we are thankful for all of the new friends we meet every year, whether human or equine, veteran horseman or beginner, young or mature. You inspire us with your ideas, motivation and support.

Thank you all. Happy Holidays.

Kids Today......

We'd like to thank Caroline B. and her family for dropping by for a visit today.  For her senior project, Caroline chose to do a presentation on senior horses.  As part of that project, she built a display which featured some of TREES' residents (Miss Mona in particular) to take to local horse shows, and also collected donations and used tack for Traveller's Rest to use in fundraising efforts.  Today TREES was presented with 8 saddles, among other items, that will be used to generate funds for residents' care.  Caroline will also be building a PowerPoint presentation as the final phase of her project.  We hope she'll send us a copy! 

As a side note........Sherman - (formerly) timid, detached Sherman - thoroughly enjoyed Caroline's company and I think would have stayed right next to her as long as she stood in one place. 

Thank you, again, Caroline.  Hope you enjoy your holiday weekend in DC!

Santa's Elves Sneakin' Around

Gifts continue to arrive no matter what time of year it is!

Thank you, Tim, for the muck bucket full of goodies:  Five new breakaway halters, cotton leads, ivermectin, a complete grooming kit, Swat ointment, Vetwrap and a clock almost too nice to put up in a barn.  It may need to go on the porch or in the room used for small tour groups.Thank you, too, for your generous contribution directly to TREES' account at REVC.  We look forward to seeing you again soon as a volunteer.

And Trish!  Toothless Wonders, one and all, thank you for 50 lbs of alfalfa cubes as well as the grooming supplies.  The extra soft brush and curry are perfect for new arrivals like Sherman that may be carrying little flesh over their weary old bones. Since we've seen more bot eggs this year than we usually do, the bot knife is particularly welcome!

At the risk of sounding a little repetitive, we could not offer TREES' residents the level of care we strive to meet without community support.  Every gift, big, small, cash, goods, or time, adds to the sanctuary's ability to execute its stated mission and goals. 

Thank you, everyone.

Senior Spa Day!

Thank you to all the members of the University of Mary Washington Pre-Vet Club who spent the day grooming geezers. Other than a slight wind, the weather was perfect.  Most of the horses loved the attention, though a couple  of grumps would have been perfectly happy keeping their hard earned dirt.

Perhaps most importantly, our new resident, Sherman, was partially bathed to remove evidence of a light digestive upset from his hind legs.  The New Guy seemed completely relaxed during this procedure, a far cry from a few other residents who declare they've never seen anything resembling a water hose or sponge in all their 30+ years.

Here's Sonny, age 38, following his spa session:

And Rienzi, who is in his mid 30's:

Lizzie's (24) new coif:

Fitz, 26, absolutely ate up the extra attention, looking like he might take a nap during his grooming session:

Miss Mona, 30+, from neglect to diva in just 3 months:

Jubal, 29, also made some new friends:

And our last photo for this post............NATE!  (who was one of the grumps, but did a little of his signature "scampering" afterward, so the experience must not have been as tortorous as he let on in the beginning.)

Thank you, all!  Please come back any time.  We'd love to see you again.

Welcome, Sherman!

Here he is!  Our  new resident, Sherman (29,) is quite thin, but happily not as underweight as either Mona or Liz upon arrival.  It also appears, judging by the thick curly coat, that TREES may be adding another member to the Cushings Club.

Sherman, shortly after a small (too small in his  estimation) meal of Triple Crown Senior.

For now, Sherman seems a little disturbed by the camera, but we were able to catch him peeping over the door at us.

.

Thank you, Janie for helping bring this together, Amanda for filling in some details, Karol for the extra careful ride, Lori for offering Reiki when Sherman arrived, George, Heather, Catie and Jeanelle for helping to prepare Sherman's apartment, and everyone else following Sherm's arrival. 

Our new man was a little tired after his short trailer ride, so we're trying to give him some privacy for the evening.  We'll try to get more photos and post more information in the next several days.

Above and Beyond

Thank you, George and Heather!  There are very very very few volunteer teams who have been able to top off a partially full JD manure spreader, then completely REfill it to the brim all in one morning.

Ladies,

You are, hereby, with all the honors hereto pertaining, officially inducted into the Order of the Golden Muckfork, Spotsylvania Chapter 20OH.  Congratulations!

Christmas, Birthday and the Fourth of July!

Yesterday felt like all three rolled into one.

This area is absolutely crammed full of wonderful people who really love horses. Foals, show horses, race horses, trail horses, polo ponies and yes, retired "pasture puffs." Virginia's horse lovers want to see them all well cared for.

Yesterday we saw that love of horses represented, again, by the staff and customers of the Charlottesville branch of Dover Saddlery. Thank you Heather, Amanda, Wendy, Michelle, Beth, Jules, Lisa and everyone else who donated anonymously.

The bed of a large pickup was fairly well filled with goodies for the geezers. Rambo blankets, fly masks, wound ointments, bandaging, leg wraps, hoof picks, snaps, manure buckets, sponges, ivermectin, grooming and first aid supplies of every imaginable sort, mineral bricks, and more. It truly felt like Christmas at TREES!

Every now and again, when we run into a horse like Mona, we wonder what goes through someone's head that allows him to let a horse fall into that condition. The good news, however, is that people like our visitors from Dover far, far, outnumber those that don't appear to care. We know that because we meet more of them every week.

Thank you, all. We couldn't do this without you.

Our day at Tractor Supply

Thank you, again, Fredericksburg Tractor Supply Company for hosting several local animal welfare groups for the day. We always enjoy talking to your staff and customers. "Everyone has a story." We were especially thrilled to meet so many people describing keeping elder horses at home as part of their families.

Thank you, too, TREES volunteers. The items you made to help raise funds were just beautiful. Your creativity grabbed the attention of store customers, though we did not sell as many goodies as we hoped we would. No worries, though. TSC plans another event in December. Think " 'Tis the Season." We're open to any and all new ideas.

We did distribute a good number of brochures and other literature and, since education is part of TREES' mission statement, we can consider the day a big success on that front alone.

We actually had more people stopping to read about the sanctuary (table facing left in the background) than to sample goodies. That's a good thing!



The end to the day. Thank goodness we were inside!

Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

Merry Christmas to TREES,
Merry Christmas to TREES,
Merry Christmas, in October...
Merry Christmas to TREES!

Two more whisk brooms and dust pans, (remember an earlier post about how excited we get about "small" things?) two water hoses and news that a whole stack of new muck skips is on the way. What that means to TREES' Mad Muckers is that you won't have to stand around waiting for someone to gather up the full skips and tote them back to the manure spreader to empty them. (wink, wink)

Thank you Gene and Carol.

Now the bad news....just ordered new chains and bars for Big Sam, the 1947 JD spreader. The current set broke twice today under fairly light loads. Ah, the ups and down, yin and yang of farm life!

More unexpected gifts!

Traveller's Rest is overwhelmed at the support this community gives our geezers. When we first opened a sanctuary for elder horses, we truly didn't know if this was something people would get behind. Because there are so many types of horse welfare facilities in Virginia, we had to ask ourselves "Will people see the need for an Elders sanctuary when there are many other equine "causes" to support?"

The apparent answer is Yes! Today we were thrilled to receive visitors here to deliver a donation of funds collected at the Belmont Horse Show, held August 15. Sponsored by the Belmont Club of Women and the Belmont Ruritan Club, this looks like a really fun show. In addition to traditional classes like halter, Leadline and hunters, they also hosted classes like the Old Timers class, egg & spoon race and "Ladies and Gentlemen Riding Horses Together in Couples."

Thank you, Peg & Jay, for the personal, hand-delivery. Hope to see you at next year's (70th anniversary) show!

Unexpected gifts!

Huh.
Yesterday, our vet clinic called and said there were two boxes of rabies vaccine there with our name on it. We didn't order any rabies vaccine.

As it turns out, the vaccine was shipped directly from Intervet/Schering-Plough, one of the sponsors of the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign. TREES applied for free vaccine last spring and was granted doses sufficient to vaccinate the whole herd, but did not apply for anything for this fall. We're assuming this gift is something I/S-P is doing in observation of World Rabies Day, which was September 28.

At any rate..we never look gift horses in the mouth here. So, whatever the reason, thank you Intervet/Schering-Plough!

Draft Show - Day 2

What a weekend! We're tired, but so grateful to the VDHMA for allowing us to sneak into a vendor space on short notice. It must have been meant to be. Folks, if you have a chance to attend next year's show, I encourage you to go out and support this organization. From our vantage point this show was well-run and professional and everyone we met seemed to be not only passionate about horses, but also supportive of fellow exhibitors. All perfect ambassadors for the draft breeds and their talents.

Thank you, as always, Gene and Carol, for two days of set-up, staffing, lunch and cleanup. Thank you, too, to everyone who stopped by and offered support and resources for everything from electrician services to sources of reasonably price hay to donations of used tack. And finally, thank you, Polly - your vendor coordination was flawless from our standpoint.

Once again, a few photos of the day:

If one more person calls me cute........what I lack in height, I make up in willingness and manners.

Sizing up the competition.

A shire mare navigating the obstacle course.

Not too many Belgians in attendance, but here is a beautiful pair.

Multiple mule working hitch

Six-horse hitch

And this was the "Feel The Thunder" moment. When these big horses trotted by, I could feel the drumbeat in my feet, right up through my teeth. It made my hair stand on end.

Draft Show - Day 1

Today was the first day of the Virginia Draft Horse and Mule Association's 2009 show. What a perfect day. The weather was ideal and the organizers, exhibitors and vendors were the friendliest bunch of people anyone could ever hope to meet. Many stopped by TREES' booth to chat about the elder equine, past and present, and pick up a Golden Horseshoe for luck. We'd like to thank everyone involved in this incredible weekend. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, here are just a few photos from today.

The mule classes were very popular. Seemed like they attracted a bigger crowd than the draft horses for much of the day.

An Appaloosa mule!



Is it my turn yet?

This rare fellow, if we understood the Virginia-ized pronunciation of the name, is a Poitevin.

Chillin' between classes.

Do Fjords always travel in packs?

Sunday should be a lot of fun, with the driving classes, log skidding, and more "work related" competitions. Hope to see you there! Thank you to all who stopped to visit and dropped a little change in the jar. The Elders thank you , too.

The Little Things

It doesn't take much to get us excited. Yesterday, Gene & Carol brought two new whisk brooms and that's about all it takes. (We use whisk brooms to sweep up the Toothless Wonders' feeding stations so other horses don't try to vacuum up the leftovers and swallow a lot of dirt or sawdust in the process.)

During the past few weeks, there has been some discussion on several Internet forums about how a specific medical crisis was handled at another horse welfare organization. We're not going to discuss the details or opine on who was "right" or "wrong" but, eventually, the discussion turned to criticism of the farm's appeal for donation of bandaging materials. "If they can't afford bandages, how can they afford feed, hay, vet care, etc etc etc?"

If you've visited the Traveller's Rest web site, you know we also appeal for donations of "little stuff." And here's why:

Not many people are able to donate, say, $1,000 for a load of hay. But most people that want to help can manage a bottle of fly spray, several rolls of vetrap, or a few tubes of antibiotic ointment. Now, if only 100 people donate one $10 item, that's $1,000 not coming out of TREES checking account for "little stuff." $1,000 that can then be spent on hay, vet bills, senior feed, etc etc etc.

In addition to allowing TREES to not spend money on small items, those donations very often cost the donor little to nothing as well. The item might be something they've had sitting on a shelf for months or years. It might be something that was on sale, or even a BOGO deal. Maybe its something that just didn't work for the donor's horse, but is perfect for one of TREES' residents. (We also have to note the benefits of recycling/repurposing in these cases.)

Coming from another angle, we never want visitors to feel their gifts are "too small" or "not much." Every - and I mean every - donation contributes to the overall well-being and happiness of TREES' resident geezers. That includes donation of "stuff," time, services and good old moral support.

Celebrate the "little things." We do!


(PS......we owe quite a few people thank you notes for gifts received during Nate and Mona's rehabs........we acknowledge being very behind in that department. We haven't forgotten your kindness and are grateful for your patience. )

Thank you, Tractor Supply Company

We thoroughly enjoyed our day at the Fredericksburg TSC store today. We met a lot of very nice people, some horsey, some not, but all interesting to talk with. We also very much enjoyed meeting the dogs of Bully Paws (and the humans in tow) that were hangin' out right next to us. Several of these beautiful, affectionate dogs stole our hearts. Please consider this organization when looking for future canine family members.

One of several highlights of the day was finding possible accommodations for an elder we've been trying to help the owner place for some time. Please keep your fingers crossed, hold your tongues just right and we'll try to work out the details in the next few days.

TREES also won a drawing for two bags of Blue Seal Performance, a fairly new low NSC, high fat formula that looks promising for elder horses. We'll let you know how our "trial" goes.

Mike, one of our co-founders, later won third prize in the TSC raffle, winning a TSC gift card, goodies from Smokey Bones, a Carhart wallet and maybe a couple other items I've forgotten.

And as I type, a faint rainbow in the eastern sky.

Over all, a pretty good day!

Tractor Supply is considering hosting animal rescue/ adoption events on a regular basis. These doin's are a little work for them, since they move a lot of their inventory aside to make room for our tables and displays. Next time you shop at TSC, please remember to thank them for supporting local animal welfare charities.

And thank you! to everyone who came out to visit, stopped to chat, and offered support of every kind. See you at TSC again soon!

Building a Horse Care Library

Checking email this morning, we found an ad from Amazon.com promoting a sale on new and used textbooks. Eureka! A chance to build our horse care library.

But, alas. Even "on sale" textbooks on equine subjects are a little out of range of our normal budget.

Soooooooo.........seeking donations of used textbooks. If anyone wants to let go of those they have, that is.

Here are some examples of books we thought looked useful on Amazon's list:

• Equine Neurology, by Martin Furr & Stephen Reed
• The Horse in Motion: The Anatomy and Physiology of Equine Locomotion, by Sarah Pilliner & Samantha Elmhurst
• Equine Wound Management by Ted S Stashak, DVM
• Equine Nutrition and Feeding, David Frape
• Equine Respiratory Diseases, Bonnie Rush and Tim Mair
• Equine Veterinary Nursing Manual, Karen Coumbe
• Equine Dentistry: A Practical Guide, Patricia Pence.

There are probably dozens more we could list, but you get the idea. Any books that might help us further educate ourselves about the care of our residents would be most welcome. Do you have any collecting dust?

Just in case, our mailing address is:
TREES
PO Box 2260
Spotsylvania, VA 22553

If you prefer to use UPS, FedEX or another freight service, please contact us for our street address.

The Geezers thank you!

Ferrell Hollow Farm Fly Spray

Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary recently received two bottles of Ferrell Hollow Farm Natural Fly Spray. Now I will admit, I was more than a little skeptical about this product since it smells more like salad dressing than like fly repellent. I beleived that something that smelled so yummy to me would smell yummy to flies as well. However......as of this morning, I highly recommend this spray to anyone seeking alternatives to chemical repellents. We tried the spray during hoof trims, and the farrier himself commented on the results.

We also received two bottles of coat spray, which we haven't tried yet, but after what we saw with the fly spray this morning, can't wait to try it out. According to the product description, "Natural Coat Spray is wonderful to brush off sweat and grime, condition the coat, soften dry manes and tails, soothe itchy skin and insect bites and leave them with a beautiful shine." We have just the guinea pig.......Josh! He's had problems with dry coat and itchies since he arrived. We'll see what happens. If it works for him, I'd have to say it would work for most any horse.

Ferrell Hollow Farm is a Tennessee facility that "specializes in Full Pasture Boarding for Senior and Special Needs Horses." For more information, please visit their web site and be sure to check out the "Products" page.

Thanks, Cindy!