Joy's Diary

*All About Joy* *Please click on the thumbnails below to see a larger image.* *Photos may not be copied without written permission of a BHFER BOD member.
06/18/09: Here are some pictures from Sammi and Joy's mom, Kara. They make me laugh and cry. Our little Joy is growing up! She is going to be a powerhouse like her mom! Sammi looks so content. I wish we could find homes for all of them like this. Sammi even lets Kara doctor her back leg up now. She really is an awesome mare and I miss them both, very much.


05/08/09: It's a bittersweet day today. Joy and Sammi left for their new home this morning. I keep telling myself that this is what we are supposed to do: rehab them and find them good forever homes. But when they go, each one takes a part of my heart with them. To read the entire story and see more photos, please click on thumbnail at the right.
04/22/09: Just a short update -- Joy is like the Energizer bunny. She runs and runs and runs! She eats a little grain and eats alfalpha leaves in her momma’s hay. Sammi eats the stems, so it works out perfectly for them. The new shelter is almost done. Half of the roof went up today, and the other half will go up tomorrow. There was a delay due to weather.
04/01/09 "I wanna go in the big paddock to play. Maybe if I kick the gate I can get it open."		"Ok, kicking didn't work. Maybe if I try moving this chain thing I can get it open."
It wouldn't open! Temper tantrum!		"Now come over here right now where I can keep my eyes on you - I told you that you can't open the gate!"
03/30/09 "Listen mommy - I hear the human mommy coming this way with the picture taking thing again!"		"Take the picture now - I'm posing just for you!"
"Somebody said it looks like I have "The Cat in the Hat" on my face. Is that a good thing?"

The 3-board fence around and behind the barn is being replaced today with no-climb wire with a top and bottom board. We truly appreciate the quick response we received in our request to help with funds to make the paddocks safer for the babies. Thank you!
		"I like to play "Peek A Boo!"
03/29/09: What a beautiful face! She's very inquisitive and makes us laugh. She already knows what to do to get us humans to pay attention to her. And she loves attention!


She worked on her coordination quite a bit today. She's getting better with quick turns and putting the breaks on. She's a real looker!
She's looking around - trying to figure out what she can explore next. Trying to calm mom (both human and horse) and baby after the baby got terribly stuck under the bottom board of the 3-board fencing.		We had a horrible incident that involved the baby today. She was out with her mom, exploring. She knelt by the fence for some reason and when she did she slid right under the bottom board and got stuck. She was on both front knees with her shoulders and head were on the other side and her butt on this side sticking up in the air. I slowly walked towards her while praying for a solution of how to get her unstuck. Sammi just froze. The baby started screaming and all of a sudden the sand under her knees gave away - she dropped down a little and scooted back into the barn paddock. Thankfully, she was unharmed but it scared her terribly. What would have happened if she hadn't been able to get unstuck? I don't want to know. We need to replace the 3 board fencing around and behind the barn with no climb wire. We have some no climb wire but need help with another 260' which will cost $315, posts and tension wire that will cost $90, and installation $200. Total should be about $615.
03/26/09: I received a call from someone on Mare Stare -- Sammi had gone down and it was thought the time had come. I got to the barn in less then 3 minutes and arrived just as Sammi's water broke. She laid down and the baby was born in no time! I only provided a little assistance. In no time at all the baby was bright eyed and bushy tailed. Sammi did well and we were very relieved that she wasn't pregnant with twins. Once the baby got up and going it took her awhile to figure out how to lay back down again. She's so cute!
Sammi nuzzling her newborn baby.
		Watching her explore the outside was fascinating. Mom was on guard the whole time.
		"Wow mommy! Look at all of those other big horses! Can we go out to play with them? I think I like being outside."

Both mom and filly enjoyed being out today. Sammi would start to graze and the baby would sneak away. She didn't care if her mom was with her or not. She just wanted to explore. It wouldn't take long for mom to go round her up.

For a change, Sammi took a rest. Baby was very curious about her mom and smelled her all over. She finally curled up next to her, and they both rested for a bit. It was really cute.
"Mom - look! It's the human mom with her picture taking thing again. Smile!!"		"OK, enough smiling - let's play! There are bigger babies over there that keep watching me. I'm going to show them my moves! I heard something about a cricket dance but I haven't learned that yet."
We don't know anything about the sire except that he is a paint. The baby has a dished face though. She's very beautiful.		"Mommy stop! Let me up here in front of you so mommy human can use that brush thing on me. It looks like you really like it - I wanna try!"
"Look mommy! There ARE lots of goodies in there!"

Velvet's baby is due anytime. The paddocks behind and around the barn will be the area that both mom's and babies will share until we can get a shelter built in another paddock. We have a contractor that can install the fencing as soon as we raise the funds. Please consider helping. Click here to donate.
01/09: Samantha is a 15 year old rescue that arrived early this month. We're not sure when she is due - we were told likely June - but she has been bagged up now for days. We ran a Predict A Foal test strip on her on March 17th and it indicated she would deliver in 48 hours. On March 18th we ran another test and it indicated she would deliver in 24 hours. If the tests are accurate, we should have a baby anytime now. The vet was not able to rule out twins. Sammi is huge!