Mustang Saga

First of all, Soxy, the fatty fatty gal. Nikki asked what we feed. She's always just on grass. Grass hay in the winter and green grass for the short period that we have it between May and July. She's an ultra easy keeper, and the grass is so lush that a nursing & growing mama can stay too fat on it, so it's really not good for Soxy. Normally I keep a grazing muzzle on her a lot of the time through the spring. It has a 1 inch hole in the bottom that she can crop short grass through. But this spring I've been lazy. So she's got a cresty neck and fat pads on her back, belly, and butt. I think she's insulin resistant, but I haven't had her tested. She tested negative for Cushings before I got her, but that's a different test and a different disorder, although they're often confused.

For lots of good information on feeding, insulin resistance, cushings, sugar levels in grass, etc, visit www.safergrass.org. Did you know that sugar levels are highest toward the end of the day? Or that they're low after a rain? Or higher when weather stays sunny and cold? All kinds of good info there, especially for horses that can't handle being fed up like cows.

Now her feeding regimen is that she'll be locked in the large stall and run as soon as my daughter is up and about in the morning. She'll get bits of timothy hay throughout the day. Timothy is a grass hay, although some people seem to class it separately. It's just another grass. Then when the sun goes down she'll go back out with her muzzle on. Having Soxy in during the day will give me a space of time when I can give Coda some alfalfa too. I normally don't feed alfalfa in large amounts, and I question the wisdom of it still, but the old man seems to do well on it. He's looking pretty good for being 30.

It's been a while since I've posted pictures of Scout and Bella. They're both doing just fine.

Poor Mack gets left out a lot of the time, so I figured I'd have to include a picture of him today. He is an incredibly good-looking horse, but for some reason he doesn't photograph well. Not that this is an ideal picture anyway... Mack makes such a great "daddy" for Scout. Firm, yet gentle. Now, some interesting news about Levi, my sister's horse. He seems like he may be getting better? His urine is looking concentrated, which apparently can't happen unless his kidneys kick into gear and start working right. Which is possible, but very unlikely. My sister is very excited. I'm worried that she's going to have her hopes dashed when she has him tested again at the end of the month. But it would be so wonderful if he really is going to be okay. Here's a rather fuzzy picture of him from last August at a trail competition.

I'm headed out to play in the sun. Happy father's day to all you dads out there!