Snitch has been hinting that he needed a chiropractic treatment; doing lots of stretching and moving his neck around. Sheldon was showing some stiffness in his hind legs. So, we were all pleased when Dr. Greg Ugarte said he would be doing treatments up in our area. On Monday both Snitch and Sheldon received chiropractic care which included acupuncture. Snitch, who is a horse in constant motion, stood still and seemed to relish it. Sheldon was curious and a little surprised when his neck was adjusted but behaved himself and seemed to relax with the treatment. Horses seem to sense when we we’re trying to help them.

Though we’re not all lucky enough to receive a “spa” treatment this week, we at Sky Ranch are going to try and relax and enjoy the holiday. We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and good health as we head into the winter holiday foray!

We finally got some blessed rain here on the Central Coast of California! We love the rain and the horses love to roll in the mud it generates! Party Girl seems to love it a lot and getting her pretty white coat filthy does not seem to bother her at all. It’s quite easy to surmise that Sheldon isn’t crazy about rain. By the look of his stall he never “left the building” while it rained. (The stalls have walk-out paddocks.) I wonder if he recalls his time out in the elements when he was turned loose to wander and scrounge for food the best he could? He seems to love shelter and I’m glad he has the option. The rain has stopped (though there’s a chance of more early next week), the horses have been groomed, and they’re ready to go out into the sunny pasture again. This is such a beautiful time of year (my favorite), and wherever you live, in whatever climate, the Sky Ranch family hopes you can spend time outside and enjoy it fully.

Starlight, our most recent resident, goes out first every morning when the horses are turned out into the pasture. Horses appreciate order and routine, as order and routine suggest safety. And being prey animals, horses are always looking for safety.

Once she is turned out, she anxiously waits at the gate for the other horses to join her. Party Girl goes out next, and the two of them amble comfortably toward the lower pasture. The other horses join them, one by one, and all is well.

When Starlight was at animal services for two months prior to coming to Sky Ranch, she was alone in the enclosure there. She was fed, watered, and tended to with care, but she was alone, without a community. For a herd animal, alone is hard.

I think many of us humans can relate. I love my alone time and am a bit of a hermit by some folks’ standards I’m sure, but I join the “herd” at our local Starbucks almost daily, and though I sit apart from others there and read my book while enjoying my coffee, I like knowing there are other similar beings nearby.

We’re glad Starlight has a home with the food, medical care and tending that she needs. And we’re glad she isn’t alone now and can live her life with her companions.

Invest in rubber matting for your stall(s). This matting is initially very expensive but will reduce the amount of bedding needed, save time and money, and reduce the size of your muck heap. If you live in a colder,  harsher climate, you may need to replace the matting every ten years, but in milder climates it will last for years beyond that. (The rubber matting in the stalls at Sky Ranch is fifteen years old and still in great shape.)