Sky Ranch Sanctuary

A Horse Rescue Organization

Merry Christmas! Merry Everything!

We want to wish all of you the Merriest of Holidays! Whatever you are celebrating, go all out!

Our horses are all doing well, and that’s enough for us to celebrate. Thanks to the rain, there is finally some grass peeking up in the pasture. Those of you who live in more northern regions might wish for a white Christmas,  but we on the Central California Coast are very happy to have a green Christmas!

Having older horses is another reminder to try and enjoy each day. It’s all passing way too fast. I think one of the greatest gifts our animal friends give us is calling our attention to the reality that each day is new; that what might look at first glance to be the same scenery you looked at yesterday, is filled with new smells, colors and possibilities. The horses trot out to the pasture each day looking around and checking out what might have changed. Each day, look more closely at your surroundings. You may be surprised!

Have a great, safe holiday, and look forward to the New Year. Might as well. It’s going to be here!

Feeding Horses

 

These before and after photos of Digger demonstrate what a good, edible diet can do for a starving horse! He had his teeth done and then became healthy and robust on a diet of soaked alfalfa cubes, senior horse food, and Platinum Performance (a supplement.)

A neighbor commented on seeing us weigh the hay and measure the senior feed, that doing those things seemed like “overkill” when many people just throw out some hay and the horses seem fine. I’m sure throwing out some hay works for many horses, but at Sky Ranch we believe weight control for our horses is critical to their health and without weighing and measuring it’s impossible to make adjustments to get to a healthier more desirable weight, whether that’s up or down on the scale.

Actually Digger has become a bit too heavy, and we’ve cut back on his alfalfa cubes a bit. He’s still happy and healthy!

I came across a website that has some sensible tips on feeding horses. Check it out of you’re interested and enjoy the summer!  https://www.thesprucepets.com/common-horse-feeding-mistakes-1886500

It’s Giving Tuesday!

Giving TuesdayHello friends of Sky Ranch Sanctuary!

After a long weekend of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping deals, cheap electronics and bargain hunting fun comes a relatively new day – a day to give back.   A movement of generosity you could say.

So what is #GivingTuesday?   Now entering its sixth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.

Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.
(visit givingtuesday.org for more information)

Giving Tuesday provides an opportunity for everyone to consider how you can give back in your own way, whether you give to a specific charity or simply by donating your time to a great cause.   Happy #GivingTuesday everyone!

If you would like to support our friends at Sky Ranch Sanctuary, they are always happy to receive some treats and extra care!  Visit out Donate page to learn more.

Starlight

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Our delicate mare, Starlight, died yesterday after a long day of battling colic. Our vet, Dr. Troy Osborne, came and went and came and went and came one last time, treating her for the pain and trying to get her system moving in the right direction. She would stand and walk around briefly and then lie back down again. The colic seemed manageable early on in the day, but it progressed to unmanageable as day drifted into evening. Starlight was in her 30’s, and we didn’t feel that hospitalization and surgery were humane options for her.

Starlight came to live at Sky Ranch Sanctuary from Animal Control a little over a year ago. We don’t know much about her history, but she had scars on her legs and was abandoned, so she surely had life stories to tell.

We buried Starlight today under overcast skies. We are so sad and only wish her the peace and freedom from pain that all of our horses deserve.

Digger Update

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This guy is sweet and handsome…he has put on enough weight that we’ve had to cut him back a bit on the alfalfa cubes! That’s good news.(Digger and Starlight eat soaked cubes in addition to their senior feed because they don’t have good enough teeth to chew hay.)