Our new adventure has started the year out FUN! Eric, my amazing husband that he is, has the most sensitive heart when it comes to children and animals. He was looking on our new addiction of crag's list at a bookshelf...when he wondered off to Farm and Garden category. It only took one look and he ran in to get me. I just smiled and told him it was a nice dream, but we have to think REAL ... you know, fence, food, care, and of course...we don't have a clue what to do! Eric then had the great idea of just emailing the family to talk about the horse. That was a mistake in the makings....this amazing family (about our age) has a field of RESCUE animals. You see, the dad is a FARRIER and when he cares for people's horses he will run into many sad situations where animals are starting to be neglected because of the economy. Many people will ask if he will just take them with him to find a good home. Now that our heart strings were being pulled, we let it go for a couple of days while we quietly researched Miniature HORSES. We then kept our contact with the family... and they were keeping the mini horse on hold for us, while we were figuring things out. She said there was quite a list of waiting families to take him, but she wanted to give us a try.
As time ticked away, we thought we had things figured out....with the little research we put into it and the encouragement from our Farrier family, we took a drive JUST to meet the mini horse and see the children around him. At that point, our hearts thought for us. We took about 3 hours to play with him, brush him, ride him, get more advice....and he was ours! It was sad to see the all of the goats and horses that were in 'foster care', but the amazing part was the family really only charged what they have had to spend for the upkeep while they were there. To put that into perspective, we payed almost 1/2 for a horse as what we payed for our Labrador DOG! (which we got a very good deal on as well!) We may turn into a 'rescue refuge' once everything is said and done with how adventurous this has been!
It is all in the NAME....SMALL ONE! On the way home, the kids were brain storming the perfect name....and this is what they came up with. Our neighbor's (the Sidwell's) have a very special book about the Donkey that Mary rode on (with baby Jesus in her tummy) while Joseph let them to Bethlehem. It is a sweet story of this strong donkey that took care of them through their many adventures. Hence....we may be going through many adventures our selves, and that is a fitting name for our MINIATURE HORSE ............. SMALL ONE!!!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Loading and Unloading "SMALL ONE"
Sequoyah is ready to to take him home!
O.K. Small one....take a walk up the plank! NICE TRY
1-2-3- LIFT... they say little, does not make him light!
Unload was much easier! We just pulled down in a dip on the side of our drive way....and Small One just jumped out! Lucky Eric =)
Fun
Isaiah is great at taking care of Small One. The kids love to ride him. He does very well with them even though he is only 2. We walk around the house with the kids on his back....not all at the same time. Don't worry....he can take it. He is over 200lbs himself.
What a mess! This is the back of the car after we brought the horse home. The kids are smiling because they did not have to clean it up.
Hello there!
Dragon's first encounter with Small One.
Part of the family on the way home. It's interesting to discover how Adonyah's hair looks like hay.
Our New Addition
This is Sequoyah leading our new addition to our family. This is Small One. He is a 2-year old mini horse.
This is how we got him home that first night. We lifted him into the back of the Expedition. He fit alright. We placed a tarp underneath him but there was still some "cleaning" to do when we got him. He rode in the back for 90 minutes to get home because of the wet and slippery roads.
Adonyah is helping to manage the leaves after a wind storm!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Christmase Eve ..... Complete!!!
Letters written, carrots for the reindeer, cookies for Santa (there were more), fireplace open to make sure he can get in, new P.J.'s on, all the kids sleeping in the tent, and rocking chairs set up....for his delivery!
Adonyah working hard to write her thank you to Santa...for an umbrella.
Sequoyah thanking Santa for her new shoes, Isaiah thankful for his new motorcycle helmet.
Dad helping the kids set up the tent in the play room....what a fun traditions for Christmas Eve!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)