Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

It's that time of year when I am most impatient! You can actually feel the sun! You can hear the birds as they busily set up housekeeping for another season! And if you are very quick with keen ears and eyes, you can see a robin in the trees asking for help finding food! It is the season of new beginnings - of new starts - of new growth!

It's just about Spring in the North Country. And I love Spring! And so I want Spring. Now!!

To calm my nerves and reset my attitude, I did what always works for me - I spent time out in the fields amongst The Herd. At times when I'm feeling most jittery inside, I play a game - The Touch Game. I walk the pastures and touch all of their bodies. Every one of them. And it refreshes me completely.

So here are my thoughts as I played The Touch Game early this morning, the 19th of March...2 days before the Spring Equinox.....

Unit is sleeping after a night of eating more than her fair share of a round bale. She is plump and is so serene while she stands there and sleeps. This live wire is still just a little unit of a horse...doubt she will ever be full sized. But I am happy to have her and grateful for the sight of her eyes.

Babee Joy is downright huge for a yearling. Her large Fresian head is handsome and as she is shedding this spring, I see yet another coat color coming in! The story of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes back in to my mind...what a blessing she is to us here at THE FARM.

Jeri-Ann is snoring. Such a little lady!? Truly snoring as she lays totally spread out in the hay. Jeri-Ann is exactly what you see. No pretenses. No tricks. No gimmicks. She's here and she's the gift I really didn't know I needed. But the wheelchair accessible wagon is calling to her.... Wait until we visit our first Nursing Home with Jeri-Ann in the harness! Wait until I hand the lines to a farmer who hasn't been around a horse in years! Wait until I say, "Take us for a ride, sir!". I am waiting for that day of smiles.....The day that only the presence of Jeri-Ann can bring!

Blaise is sleeping, too, in the hay. She is resting on the ground which is unusual for her. So I check her breathing and see that she is just fine. The laying perhaps a sign, I think, of age creeping in to her aging rodeo legs. It's okay, girl. You can grow old here. We'll care for you.

PONY! is standing with his night blanket on - the blanket that he loves. Sleeping. I go over and awaken him and begin to unhook his blanket so he can get the full benefit of today's sun. Now, how do you think I know that PONY! loves his blanket? I know because as I take it off of him, this horse is licking me. He's loving me and saying "thank you" for the nightly blanket. Oh, PONY!, you are a character indeed!

Sweet Lady Grey has been standing by the barn this entire time and watching me. In order to play the game, I must touch her, too, and herein lies the challenge. So I walk past Sweet Lady and pause only when I am by her hind hips. I'm not a threat there. I cannot halter or grab her there. So it is here that I pause and say good morning to the whirlwind we call Sweet Lady Grey.

Off to the other side of the barn, and I am greeted by "The Old Man", Cole. Cole learns quickly. You see this past week, we have been battling pneumonia in his old lungs. These late spring snow storms that bring winds and moist, heavy snow also bring high humidity. A perfect time for Cole to start to cough and create fluid in his lungs. And this week, he actually fell off of his feed - now that was unnerving! So I put him on hot, wet beet pulp twice a day with daily penicillin doses. He loves beet pulp and so today he is standing in the barn and awaiting his breakfast. As he eats, I give him his meds and observe his body. He's down about 80 to 100 pounds - he's skinny, at best. But his 36 year old body has a good coat on it and once the pulp is gone, he's pushing on the gates to get back outside with his girlfriend, Beauty. Somebody tell him he's just too old for all that stuff! I am hopeful he will eat summer grass again this year.

Jimmer wanders in the barn to see if, by chance, he can get a treat out of me. Sorry, Big Jim, but you must lose a bit of weight. It really wouldn't hurt Jimmer to lose 300 lbs! My eyes desperately search the pasture to find Jimmer every single time I pull in to the yard this time of year. The sun is getting warmer and his big legs are getting tired, I'm sure. I am cautious of being away from home longer than 6 hours just in case he decides to lay down and rest. It would be critical to get him up after only a brief rest, so I am on guard until June or so. And I am sure to keep fuel for the Allis on-hand. I pet Big Jim and challenge him not to lay down this Spring....maybe????

Big Guy comes bonging in to the barn to see what's up? He is all legs and head and now big body. A good weight gain of about 200 lbs has helped fill this young man out a bit, but he has another 200-300 lbs to go before his hollow spots are gone. He is just a huge version of Jeri-Ann. He's just there. No hidden agendas. Just pleasant and ready to eat whenever the opportunity presents itself.

As I wander outside, Beauty is standing on the corner of the barn and has already been joined by her little shadow, Cole. She is gleaming in the sun and watches me closely. No lead rope or collar in my hands, so she allows me to touch her shoulder and work my way up to her neck. Then it's time for me to move on to someone else...A little at a time, I remind myself. Even though I would love to throw my arms around that big head of hers!

Josephina is a bit snorty again this morning. No more than usual, but audible as she tells the others of the predator (me) that has entered their field. She would be a great watch dog in the wild! You could sleep like a rock! I'm sure if even a squirrel wandered in to your camp, Josephina would snort and alert you!

Miss Bette is laying down and this causes me concern. I go over to her and she gets up as I work my way across the field to her. Bette is very aware of me and won't be caught off guard. She, too, has legs that are weary from years of work in the fields and perhaps a bit overworked now due to her overweight condition?

Lanna is resting quietly and sleeping. So happy to be without a baby this year, she sleeps and dreams of whatever big, blind Belgian mares dream of....mares that know they are safe and finally home. Really home.

Miss April is up. I'm happy to see that. And her feet are somewhat under her where they should be. It's been a tough 2 weeks for April. Her feet this winter are giving her much trouble and just 5 days ago, she moved to only grassy hay and water for food. No feed or treats of any kind. We must find the culprit to her sore feet. She seems better but still ouchy. But at least she's up! In the last 2 weeks, I put her in her stall for the 2 worst storm nights thinking I was doing her a favor... Keeping her out of the winds and the wet snows and rains - especially since she was not being able to move very quickly. Each time, I came in to the barn in the early morning to find her cornered. She had laid down and gotten so close to the wall that her legs were up against the wall and she couldn't get up if she had to. Each time, I tied ropes to her under legs and, using barn posts and muscle I didn't know I had, I got her rolled over so she could get up. Each time she nicked her right front ankle and each time I felt very guilty. Even the best of intentions..... So now she's outside and I will blanket her if the weather gets that icky...I must find the secret to her feet!! Time to call Dr. Jen....

Bonita is up and standing at her feeder. She is strong this Spring - separating her from the majority of the herd was a good move. She has gained a bit of weight and is ready for her morning feed with MSM. What a giant she is!

Halima is tender bodied this morning, but I am pleased to see that she is also up. Like Miss April, twice this past week I have had to get this dear mare up from the ground. The first time she, too, got herself cornered trying to lay in the barn too close to the wall. And just last Friday, I came home from work to find her in the field laying in the mud and rattling - the fluid in her lungs was accumulating fast. She had decided to rest in the sun a bit and when it was time to get up, her body just couldn't do it! I used all my muscle, but she did not help in trying to get up...she was too tired. So I went out and stood in the middle of Highway 29 and waved down a man in a pickup and asked if he would help? He did, and we righted Halima. Her hips are impacted by the tumors and the arthritis in her knee is aggravated by the weather. She loves the heat of summer and I pray that she sees those coming summer days.

And then my final touch is for our little Gracie. Dear little gift, Gracie. Dear little kind one. Her head high! Her eyes wide open even though no sight results! Little Gracie who has befriended the giant mare, Bonita. Gracie who is the size of Bonita's head! Gracie, who has no judgments in her. Just acceptance and an unending willingness to try.

I sigh. The Touch Game is done...or so I thought. I stand in the field and assess my attitude. It's is righted. My heart is good again. And then I get the nudge that tells me that the game isn't over yet - I'm not quite done. Lady-The-Dog is standing next to me in her K-9 Cart and reminding me that there is one more touch to be had - her. So I kneel and hug this little creature who struggles with a body that just doesn't work anymore. And again, I am rewarded with a lick of gratitude! Oh, it is so good to be here! It is Spring here! Every day!

Enjoy the journey of each and every day,
Sandy and The Herd