Carson turns 4

In April, our young man turned 4 and is as mischievous as he has ever been. Learning from his mentor, Rebel, Carson took over the herd when Rebel moved to his forever home. However, not quite as full of machismo as Rebel is, May dictates when Carson gets to be the boss.

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Stormy left…

Stormy got adopted out and today he went to his new home.  Me & Brian are sad.  We always ran and played and reared and bucked together.  Brian took Stormy up on the hillside last night for the last time but I stayed in with Grandma & Grandpa cuz I don’t like the rain.  Me & Brian stayed in the barn all day together and when the trailer came  back I went to see if Stormy was there, but it was empty.  I still have Brian to nap on though.  Mom says both of us are her boys and we’ll never go anywhere

That’s my boy!

I was awakened, again, to the dogs telling me that Carson was in the driveway.  Oh that boy!  I looked out, barely focused, to see him busily eating the snow off the hood of my truck.  Moving his head back and forth he was making little piles that he could snatch up and enjoy.  After a cup of coffee and a little more focused, I had to look out, again, to be sure he wasn’t spending his mischievous time taking the trash that was loaded for the dump out of the back of the truck!  Nope, it was still there and as I was making sure his cute head popped up over the top of the cab.  Trying to figure out what he was doing and how he could look so tall, I made my way outside to find that Carson had climbed up on the flatbed trailer and was busy making his little piles and eating them.  The boy is not afraid of anything!  He loads himself in the horse trailer, climbs the stairs to the tack room, gets in to whatever he can.  He most definitely needs a job to put that inquisitive and fearless personality to work.   I love my boy!

Carson turns 2 this year!

It’s hard to believe that Carson will be 2 in April. Time has gone by so fast and I haven’t updated his life for quite some time. Carson is still Carson. In to everything he can get into and wreaking havoc everywhere he goes.

Carson was moved out to live with the big herd of mustangs in hopes to have him learn not only some manners from the leaders, but some mustang ways since he was born in captivity and raised by hand. Nope. Didn’t work. Carson managed to anger the older gelding leaders by playing rougher than they cared for and challenging them to romps over & over. He’s settled to rearing and playing with Princess from time to time – another young mare from his original herd – as well as with Brian. Stormy has no time for him and with the pin of the ears and a quick snap of a hind hoof, Carson submits. He does have a special bond with Sugar, our first mustang mare, and she tolerates him well. He’s allowed to bite on her for just so long, though.

Although being moved to the open areas, Carson still manages to get in to places he shouldn’t. He has no regard for hot wire. It’s just a nuisance. He and Brian have managed to take down the New Zealand fencing, again, at the top of the hill, and can be seen eating side by side with the cows and forgetting how to get back out the way they came in. Those 2 are our bobsy twins of terror! However, Carson has learned to come up the back stairwell now to get back into the driveway and hasn’t taught Brian the secret passage, yet. In the middle of the night we are more times than not awaken to the dogs throwing a fit at the fence. Too tired to get up, or too cold, we usually just let Carson be until morning. Not always a good idea. We still keep Sr & Emma (grandma & grandpa) in a stall in the hay barn across the drive because Sr has had a couple more TIA’s (mini strokes) and it’s easier to monitor him. However, Carson feels his security with them, regardless of his age, and wants to be where they are. We have also had to bring Pawnee and Josie in and made a 2nd stall for them because Josie – my retired drill team mare/Appy – has uveitis and is going blind, and Pawnee is still having issues from his cancer. They are a couple, so that makes things easier. Pawnee and Carson are best friends now. Pawnee has always loved the younger horses and it seems to calm him when Carson is in, despite the Carson activity.

Carson (left) and Pawnee

Last week the dogs were doing their usual “Carson’s in the driveway” barking while I was busy on the phone. I looked out the window but didn’t see him in his usual spot at the front gate so I finished my call and went back to work. The dogs started again and this time I went outside to see where HE was. Standing outside the tack room (where Carson was raised) was Josie, eagerly waiting for something – usually treats. But, Tom wasn’t home so I knew immediately what that meant! Carson had opened the door to the tack room and had gone inside. He was busy pulling all the drawers out of the cabinets and throwing things around the room. 2 bags of treats stood opened and handfuls were strewn across the floor. One “Carson!” and he was popping his head out looking at me with those big innocent eyes. Didn’t take him long to jump down the 3 stairs and trot over to me.

We have been taking the blankets off the horses as it warms, and hanging them on the fence close to the house so I can begin cleaning them and putting them away for summer. It never fails. Every morning we have to pick the blankets back up off the ground where Carson has pulled them down to either lay on them or just make a mess. My vote is for the latter. Day before yesterday when Tom went out to feed, ALL the lead ropes that we tie to the panels for easy access had been untied and strewn from one end of the driveway to the other. There is just about nothing this guy can do!

As the weather warms a little longer and the round pen and training pen dry, Kindergarten starts. Carson, Brian, Stormy, April and Little Gray will all begin school shortly. My arm is almost completely healed and I’m so looking forward to teaching these guys some ground manners. Storm & Brian will start under saddle this year as well.

Today is a new day. The sun is out. The 3 muskateers have eaten and are off somewhere (Carson, Brian, Storm) and it’s time to turn the old ladies back onto the hill. As much of a monster Carson is, he’s our monster that wasn’t suppose to survive.

Carson – Our Little Spirit of the West

Born in the early morning hours of April 21, 2009, to one of the Virginia Range fertility study mares currently residing at our ranch, Carson has had a terribly difficult start to life.   On morning rounds this young guy was found running from mare to mare trying to nurse, and being kicked & rolled over and over again.  Mom wanted nothing to do with him, and without immediate intervention he would have died. 

We led the little guy in to a holding pen that we immediately bedded down for his comfort and began our search for colostrum, believing mom’s rejection included not receiving the vital antibodies for this youngster to survive. After locating a similar formula the feeding routine started.  However, by the middle of the night on the first night we noticed that there were problems.  After a call to our vet Carson was rushed to the clinic where he started plasma transfusions and antibiotics.  After blood results it was discovered that the little guy must have been several hours old when we gave him his colostrum and it wasn’t quite enough.  After a few more blood tests it was then discovered that the mare, for some reason, had developed some type of infectious condition that had been transferred to Carson during the 3rd trimester.  Although not toxic to mom, Carson’s survival odds quickly declined.

2 bags of plasma and strong antibiotics our vet suggested we take Carson to the closest Vet School for more intensive treatment, giving him little chance of making it through the next day, at best.  After we discussed all options it was decided that we would rather take the chance at home where we could guarantee 24 hour hands on care and more love than he could ever receive elsewhere.  We believed if Carson’s life was going to be short, it would be with those who love him.  We converted our tack room into a nursery, brought in a heater, ran a cable for the IV bag, and took turns doing all we could to assure Carson’s survival.

(Thank you, Ms Janet, for the foal blanket)

The directors, ranch managers, and even the dogs, are pulling their shifts.  Although we are blessed another day with this loving guy, we are still not out of the woods.
As of August 1, 2009, our vet bill is still over $800.  If you can help at all donations can be made through paypal to whisperingwindsequinerescue@msn.com, or directly to the vet’s office:Carson Pohlman,  Bailey Vet Clinic 248 N.W. Garden Valley Blvd Roseburg, OR 97470

Please help us, so we can continue helping Carson.

View Carson in action  here

Carson’s mom – taken the day before foaling

Carson’s dad – gelded and living just outside of Reno
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Carson – Spirit of the West on Facebook

Carson’s Thank You

 

Carson is free & clear and has turned the corner to a wonderful, healthy life.  We try to let him hang out with many of the horses during the day, but most of the time he has his own agenda. 

 Although he is socializing with the horses much better, he has also learned to knock on the door when I’m in the house – seriously.  Life is all about Carson right now.  The 24/7 health watch has turned in to a 24/7 keep him out of stuff time!!!

That being said, he wanted to share this with you  

Carson’s Personal Thank You

 

 

 

Special thanks to Dr Barry for all his care and attention to assure Carson’s recovery