Today, 26 July 2013, marks the first anniversary of Bonnie Blue coming to live here at our little farm. Much has changed in these twelve short months.
Bonnie Blue looks and acts so different now. She has made a wonderful transition from a horse called "Bones", nearly starving and with injured right front leg, to the beautiful, strong, healthy, confident and sassy Bonnie Blue she is today.

Bonnie Blue looking slick and shinny

Feeling Sassy

Bonnie Blue feeling good and running strong

Not only has she changed, but she has changed us and our lives also. We have been blessed with new friends like Dori Thompson with the Trails End Horse Haven, Vernell Falgout the trainer and George Lupper the farrier. We have learned from from all of these fine folks and Bonnie Blue. For me, Bonnie and the other horses have added a whole new dimension to every day and my life. Grooming the horses in the morning is a meditation and a way to touch nature in a very special way. These wonderful creatures are always their authentic selves. No pretense or politics with them. They have their own ways and social structure, not always gentle or polite but very consistent. We can learn a lot from observing these creatures.

Socretes (Sox), is doing well and is slowing on his weight gain. His body is filled out well and he has lots of energy. His girth has not increased in the last couple of weeks but he continues to round out in the hips and along the back. He is rapidly approaching ideal weight.

Sox looking confident and filled out

Our daughter Santha and her children, Cai (13), Truett (10) and Noah (6+) visited with us for the past couple of weeks. They enjoyed the horses dogs and cats here at the farm. It was great to see them and have them interact with these creatures. All seemed to benefit from the experience.

 We had had two yard dogs for the past two and a half years. They were litter mates and had always been together. We took them in when a neighbor could no longer care for them. We named them Bonnie and Clyde. Being cure dogs they loved to hunt. It was a joy to watch them for they did everything together. Sadly, this past week we lost both of them. They left Sunday morning and Clyde has not returned. Bonnie (dog) returned Monday morning seemingly poisoned. We took her to the vet but too much damage had been done. We had her put down and buried her Wednesday morning. May their dog spirits find peace. We loved them and will miss them greatly. May those who do such foul deeds find peace and forgiveness.

Blessings to all.

Bonnie Blue and Sox 7/6/2013

Bonnie Blue and Sox (Socretes) are doing well and enjoying the mild summer we have been having. We have been blessed with adequate rain to keep the grass growing and fresh.

Sox and Bonnie Blue enjoying summer grazing.

Vernell Falgout is Bonnie Blue and Sox trainer. She comes to the farm once a week to train them and us. The horses are the better students for it is hard to teach old humans new tricks. But we are all trying and are making some progress. Bonnie Blue has been working on ground training while Sox has been focused on adjusting to being sprayed for flies and not resisting having his hooves cleaned. The horses seem to enjoy the challenge of doing something new and know that Vernell is a good, fair but firm teacher. We have all benefited from her working with us.

Vernell and Bonnie Blue working on ground training with Sox in the background.

Sox has been with us for three (3) months and continues to gain weight and confidence. His estimated weight is 779 pounds and his Body Condition Score (BCS) is a 4+. With an additional 30 to 50 pounds, he should be nearly ideal. His coat has nearly all turned brown with the lower legs, mane and face remaining black. His coat is slick and shinny and he has started running for what seem to be the joy of running. Thanks to all of the kind folks that have helped him since he was found abandoned in a cemetery and left to die, he is now in very good condition and far away for that cemetery and deaths door.

Socretes (Sox) three months after adoption.

One of the cash crops here in south Mississippi is watermelon. The crop is good this year with the regular rains and relatively mild summer temperatures. We have been purchasing and enjoying good melons for about the last two weeks or so. We have been sharing some of the meat of these melons with Bonnie and Sox. The first time they tried them their response was interesting. The taste was great but the texture was strange. When they would chew the melon, the juice would run out into their mouths and this was a lot different than the dry foods and carrots they were accustom to eating. Bonnie, who eats carrots much faster than Sox, eats watermelon very slowly and keeps all of the juice in her mouth. Sox, on the other hand, chews  fast and has juice and slobber dripping every where. Both of them love a juicy, sweet, cold slice of melon on a hot summer day. (Please don't think we would ever spoil these horse. We don't even take the seed out for them :). Life is pretty good these days.