Don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled about finding a snake under a hay bale, or under a tub, or even under the manger in Nic's stall (which has happened) but I'm also NOT one of those folks who finds a snake and then wants to wake up the neighborhood, light the torches and burn 'em out!! Everything has a reason for being and I feel a snake is so low to the ground he can find the mice quicker than I can.

This little guy just crawled across the trail and then disappeared into the grass. He didn't harm me. I let him go. I didn't follow him either.  So we both went home to tell our story another day. Safe and sound.

A few years back up on Mission Peak I came across a really BIG rattlesnake. He was mad! Really mad. Houses were being built below the Preserve and he could feel all the ground vibrations. (Snakes feel ground vibrations through their body and smell with their tongue which is why it's constantly flicking in and out). He was coiled in the middle of the trail and about 3 feet long. Every once in awhile he'd rattle, rear up his head and strike at nothing. He was just plain MAD!!  Sam (my horse then) and I just stood there looking at him. Sure, I could have gotten off, thrown rocks at him which would have just made him more mad, but instead we worked around him. Sam and I detoured up the side of the hill about 10 feet up and left Mr. Rattler in his spot. When we came back, he was gone but I did remember him the next time we scrambled up through the rocks.

What I'm saying here is that everything has a purpose. We may not know what it is or why but it does. So with snakes, I just leave 'em be. More people get bit trying to move a snake or catch a snake or get a better look at a snake than they should. If they'd just go on by the snake, no one would get hurt.  Human. Horse or snake.

If you've got a dog, you can get an anti-venom shot for your dog. Vet's give 'em.  Just ask your vet the next time you take your dog into his office. For those of us (like me) who have a dog, it might be a good investment.  But again my dog NEVER goes out onto a trail with me and if camping, always stays in camp and leashed.  We'll go into dogs on trails and camps someother time -- I have to dump some mail from my e-mail before we go there.....   :)

But I do have one question for all you guys. Everything has a purpose to be. And I've thought long and hard on this. But I have never come up with an answer and I still haven't figured out: What IS the purpose of ticks and mosquitoes?????

Safe trails (minus snakes),

Bonnie

If you're in a sudden heat area, be sure to check on those water pails, tubs and troughs to make sure they are FULL, and clean. If you have a horse that won't drink, try adding some apple juice or some Thirst Quencher (comes in different flavors). Both will help keep horses drinking.

Judine, my e-mail address is horsecamping@comcast.net. I've sent a couple to myself and it's worked everytime. Try my other e-mail address, bonnie@horsecamping.com and see if that works for you.  Would like to hear from you. And anyone else who wants to e-mail.

Dean in Ellicott, Colorado. You're right on those hobbles. I had a horse that could 'rabbit' faster with front leg hobbles on than some horses could gallop!! So I went to the three-legged hobble you described. I have also used a Sideline -- bring the horse's head around in a slight curve and tying to the end of the tail. No, it doesn't hurt the head, neck or tail but it sure confuses the horse! All he can do is go in a circle!!

About emergency care, I didn't have any ideas so I'll tell you what I've been doing. First I have a big metal garbage can. It is like metal because it doesn't crack and mice can't chew into it. In the bottom are two horse blankets, the heavy, water proof type. Each is 'shrink wrapped' so I don't have to worry about it getting wet or dirty. On top of them are two halters WITH ID tags attached (on the stall door with halters are also ID tags). On top of them is a folding water canvas pail, a small first aid kit (just enough stuff to stop bleeding, bandages) with basic medications. Aspirins. On top of that is a 50 pound bag of complete pellets. (I feel there's always grass around and if not, the pellets can be used to tide 'em over till I can get grass or hay to 'em.)  Next, 2 6-packs of apple juice.  So they keep drinking water. Then on top of that is a hammer, small saw, nails, pry bar, wire cutters and about 50 feet of rope. In case I have to fix something or pry a horse out of somewhere. The whole can sits outside stall door. Covered with dust but once about every six months I open it up to check the feed and rotate it every year (along with the apple juice).

The idea with emergency supplies is to keep the horse alive. He may lose weight. But if he has to be gotten out of a stall, you've got a hammer and saw to use. If you have to fix or repair a stall, there's nails. The pellets will help feed him and the first aid kit has the basics to keep him healthy, stop bleeding until you can get a vet. I like aspirins because they work like bute (not as fast) plus I can take an aspirin if I need it!! Blankets to keep a horse warm. And can even be used to dry a wet horse off.

Keep cool.......  

Bonnie

"A winter weather warning for Kentucky had been issued, and all the horses were in the barn for the night as a precaution. After all, how often have the weather forecasters been overenthusiastic about 'catastrophic' storms?

"Overnight the electricity went out, both landline and cell phones were dead. Trees, limbs and telephone poles were down, blocking roads and causing major damage to buildings, vehicles and equipment.

"Throughout the state 760,000 electrical customers were without power; some counties had water supply issues due to the power outage and broken water lines. People could not communicate with first responders;emergency rescue teams were unable to respond due to blocked roads. People learned that satellite telephones or ham radios (both battery-powered) were the only means of communication.

"The average temperature was 20 degrees F, and 1/2 to 1 inch of ice glazed everything in sight, including the underlying snow.  On several nights, the wind chill was below zero.

"This was the situation in later January, with the western half of the state hardest hit.  Fence lines were down because of fallen trees or power poles. Farms dependent on electrical pumps for well water had no water for livestock. Farmers with generators could get their water flowing again, but they didn't know for how long. First responders' priorities were primarily human health and safety, with animal health and safety and preservation of property running a distant second and third.  Resources went to highly populated areas first."

After reading the above, I thought about 'emergency care' for my animals. Nic, my horse.  Holly, my dog, and even my two cats, Beau and Missy. What did I need for them in the way feed?  Water? First aid?  Medications?  And how would I handle such an emergency?  We have to be ready to take care of our OWN stock because if we don't, who will?

But the one line in the whole story that really got my attention was:  "Failing to plan is planning to fail." Basically I felt I had failed my animals because even though I have a 'basic' emergency supply for them stored in my backyard, it wouldn't be enough. Especially when I thought of getting those emergency supplies up to the barn for Nic. If roads were closed, how would I get pellets to him? If he was hurt, how would I take care of him? So I've been working on my emergency supply.

I'd like to hear how some of you guys are preparing YOUR emergency supplies for YOUR animals. Let's share our experiences and see how we can help each other. I don't want to feel like I failed my other family members -- my animals -- because I didn't plan for their safety!!

Next week I'll share some of the things I've done and pass on information and tips from you guys.  So e-mail me at horsecamping@comcast.net and let me know.

To help you get started, go to website www.aaep.org.  They have information on emergency care and needs.......

Bonnie 

Nic gets a shot from Dr. Jodi Chadim of Tri-County Vet Hospital in Gilroy, California. 

Nic got his shots last week.  He gets just about every shot known to vet kind: Rabies, Strangles, West Nile Virus, and PHF. Plus he also gets the normal variety: Tetanus, Flu, etc.

Usually I give my own shots, but here in California a vet has to give  Rabies and since a vet clinic was being held at Diamond W, it was a good day to have the Rabies shot and not have to pay the call fee.

When I give shots, I like to give 'em over about a week. Giving one a day allows me time to see if there's a reaction to a specific injection. Giving all the shots at one time and then having a horse suffer a reaction makes it difficult to determine which variety may have caused the reaction.

After each shot, Nic gets the day off. Which means he's off for a week. He gets a shot then I turn him out into the round pen so he can roll and do what a horse normally does in a round pen -- find a 'corner' and stand in it. But it's not lost time because over the course of the week we work on little things that Nic may have forgotten over the months of not being ridden on trails.

I'll saddle him and lead him up a narrow trail in back of the barn. Nic has to walk behind me, back about 3 feet so I don't worry about him stepping on my heels. Since a horse's front feet don't normally reach past their nose with their head down, he doesn't step on me. He's not allowed to push past or breath down my neck. If he does, I pop him on the chest with a little riding crop. On wider trails or on a road, Nic walks beside me with his head even with my shoulder or about a foot in front of my shoulder -- no more.

We'll also stand in a patch of grass and Nic will give me dirty looks.  He's not allowed to graze when bridled up. He's working.  And he has to remember to keep his mind on walking on the trail and not trying to grab a mouthful of grass.

There are all kinds of little educational projects one can do when a horse is laid up. It's not lost time and in those moments, you can really bond with your horse!

Once all the 'work' is over, Nic gets a treat. I take the bridle off, halter and let him eat some of that grass he couldn't before with the bridle on. Nic gets to graze about 15-30 minutes each day for being such a nice guy........no more.

Remember, if your horse is on dry feed suddenly letting 'em eat green grass can result in colic! So feed green grass sparingly over a specific time and increase the time limit day by day.

Bonnie