EASTERN CAPE HORSE CARE UNIT
Victoria Drive, Walmer, Port Elizabeth OR P O Box 15053, Emerald Hill 6011
Landline and Fax: 041 3661594
Cellphone: 0723572505
Well, 1 down and 11 more to go to next Christmas! It has been a peculiar month, exacerbated by the fact that one bakkie, having flattened its battery, was totally unusable as the remote locking system would not unlock and, as we all know, PE closes down completely over the Festive Season! However, a very kind man who came to adopt a donkey rallied to our aide and found an open auto electrician who resuscitated the system after the donkey adoptor had towed the bakkie to the shop. Thank you, Paul!
Having just got this sorted, the other bakkie decided to blow her gasket, literally and still our garage was not open!
So, we are still one vehicle down, but with the likes of Treloar who made herself available for emergency calls when Stanley was out of town, we are still ‘up and at them’!
We ended 2012 with a day of hooftrimming with Ayanda and bunch of vaccinations topped up with a generous donation of oathay from Dave and Cathy. Unfortunately the Landy they were using was not part of the donation, but I guess we can live with that for the moment!
Thank You!
A complaint was received of horses standing in a humid 39 degree heat in ‘horseblankets’, probably sweat sheets of some description, with sweat running down their legs. We all know how we feel on a humid, very hot day with our clothes on!
Please be aware of this and watch the weather.
And then there was an outbreak of African Horse Sickness in the East London area, bringingdea th to many much loved horses. AHS vaccination is a Law, not a request, and should be done once a year, every year. In light of the above, the Unit was asked to take our supply of vaccine for the as yet not afflicted horses for a blanket vaccination program initiated by the State Vet in that area.
So, that was how WE started 2013.
I can’t help but wonder what the rest of the year will be like!
Stanley and Ayanda sorted out the hooves in Kruisfontein, Humansdorp as well as a whole slew of other areas, on some very hot and humid days over the past month.
Our beautiful boy Pythagoras came back to us but shortly afterwards was adopted out again and I am sure Rachel will have a wonderful time with this gentle soul.
Sometimes, when we get notified of horses in trouble, we have difficulty in explaining to the complainant what constitutes abuse/neglect/condition. Lucky for us, we have the HHCU Visual Weight Estimate book of pictures giving a good idea of what is acceptable or not, as the case may be. Some of the cases are already in place and are being monitored or assisted with sorting the problem, some have turned out to be just plain nasty or made in ignorance, and many just concern for the animal.
And sometimes the owner has already been in contact with his Vet and is working towards solving the problem or other organisations are assisting and it is bad manners to go in without a please and thank you – such important words in this country at this moment in time.
There is also the situation where other organisations call us for assistance, and this month, a poor mule that had been hit by a truck was attended to. As his back was clearly broken and he was unable to stand, the kindest thing was to euthanase. Sorry boytjie.
A concerned Kwanobuhle owner requested assistance for his two lame donkeys that appeared to have jarred their fetlocks. Sorted. Tick^. His next next problem donk died before we could get to him. A very rapid Colic indeed. Carcass loaded and removed to our ‘Recycling Plant’.
In May 2011, Alison & Kirsty adopted our Ntombi and Crayon, the very young foal, paralysed due to what we think was incorrect hobbling but who, with a lot of physiotherapy and hard work, regained the use of her forelegs. At the time we were not aware that Ntombi was preggers, but in due course she produced a foal jack. This was not good as we did not need him serving either jenny!
In due course, his ‘nuts’ descended, the phonecall and appointment made, the gelding done and Gift returned to his anxious parent. Thank you, Alison and Kirsty, for the loving, caring home!
Left: A groggy Gift coming around from his op. Right: Pinky Ponky at her new home.
Because donkey owners know that the Unit is alerted to ‘stray’ donkeys, Moses kept checking to see if his one donkey had been reported. He was also very quick to phone and say that he had found the donkey – at the harbour!! Not the first time he has found his way there.
Perhaps he wants to go on a fishing trip?
The magnificent Hashimoto was brought in and is available for Adoption. However, only very seasoned riders should apply – definitely not for novices!
A very worried landowner phoned to say that there were some blokes ‘outside’, saying that his regular donkey carter was sick and had died and they needed money to bury him and did we know about it. A quick phonecall to the carter’s neighbour established that no such thing had occurred, so Atlas Security Company then took charge of matters. Of course, the other Carters on being warned about this, were outraged!
A weekend ‘off’ with family outside of Port Alfred was much needed and enjoyed! Thank you, Lesley and Roger (who saved a catfish that had a fishing gut with 3 hooks, one of which was in his mouth and was finding it very difficult to move!). Thank you to the Unit staff who handled all at home without too much difficulty!
Our cat Liquorice who has been ‘roaming’ was really out of sorts but a quick visit to Dr Dave at Animal Welfare Society had him sorted. It appears he was either going into or coming out of Biliary.
After a good year and a half of loving and caring by Treloar and Ayanda (and the Late Gina Crisp, Rhoda and many genteel ladies from the Home for the Aged), the decision was made that our Kolbooi/Colby/Col B should be released due a serious problem with his hind leg. One does not like to make this type of decision, but we MUST do the right thing by the animal, however much it hurts us.
Special boy, now with the Late Gina, galloping over green hills and eating apples fresh off the tree.
An emergency call from the SPCA Humansdorp Inspector led to us collecting Wellington the donkey from Arcadia one morning. After a bit of blade work by the Vet, he is recovering rapidly. Thank you, Mariska!
Rhoda dropped of a magazine that had an interesting snippet of information: Novak Djokovic, international tennis star, was in the process of buying the entire supply of Serbian donkey milk cheese at a staggering $1280.00 per kilo for his restaurant chain! Now there’s an idea! And, No, I do not have the recipe!
What is becoming a ‘norm’ (if you can call it that!) is Stanley’s once a month visit to the Transkei areas. People ride from miles around to have hooves trimmed, deworming, Horse Sickness vaccinations, replacement of bits and dispersal of tack. He always arrives back absolutely finished and is rewarded with his day off to ‘catch up’. Well done, Stanley!
Left: Patiently waiting for their turn with Stanley. Right: A Pair of hooves that needed a serious Stanley makeover! The Unit Fund Raising Committee had their first meeting for the year and, because we know that people like different things, we try to ensure that while you ‘support’ us, you have fun doing so. At the moment, we are having a Golf Day and another Race Day in March. A Persian Carpet evening is on the cards, as well as the Fun Trail Runs run by Sharon Jessop.
We hope you enjoy one of these, either as a sponsor or as participant!
On the way home from the Fund Raising Meeting, I popped i n at the Unit and there she was!
Avid donkey watchers worldwide welcomed Domino on Face b ook. She is the only donkey I know that was named by another do nkey, Skeeter, who lives in he USA! Our very special Ponky, a true cross breed having a pony as a dad and a jenny as a mum went from being unhandleable to a total love bunny! A worldwide debate on East Cape Horse Care Unit facebook page was had over her parentage/heritage/genetics that was most interesting.
But, bottom line, she has gone to a beautiful home in a green valley with three of our other donkeys and we know that she will be greatly loved and cared for, just like the original three donkeys. Thank you Deborah!
The Unit assisted with one of our other adopted horses who had a snack on Cynanchum with the normal results. Sorted. Tick^.
Ulrich who arrived at 5 one afternoon bringing in a boot full of dog food as a donation to AWS was happy to leave the food with us and these were transferred in the morning. Thank you, Ulrich!
We finished the month with the collection of Red Scent who is now available for adoption and a follow up visit to Higgins and friends for vaccinating. Higgins used to be at Livery with me many, many years ago and it is nice to see how well he has aged and become a real gentleman.
SO! Into February we go…..
Donations (Tack and Feed)
- Lee – carrots
- Peter - Eqvalon Gold
- Carolyn – 4 bags fresh cut grass
- Horse and Hound - giant bag lucerne leavings plus 3 smaller bags and 45 bales lucerne
- Alison - 20 bags dried cut grass and tack donation
- Gretchen – 12 bags lucerne leavings
- Anne - bread and toast from the boarding school (We’re glad School’s back!)
- Vanessa – numnahs and feed bag
- Stripes’ Antoinette - readymix leavings (Lucerne, teff, oathay all ready mixed!)
- Mike – 2 bales lucerne
- Nadine – brand new tack and a saddle
- Kirsten – 2 grass rolls
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
- Jeff & Judy from Australia, Carol and family, Lesley, Tish, Ansa, Alison, Kirsty,
- 30 bales grassmix in payment for vaccs, Poshpaws Cattery,
- Joachim Althoff,(a journalist I was interviewed by a year ago and who I introduced to KKGP), sent R100 with Sonja Hausmann who also gave a donation of R100.
Banking Details:
Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit
Bank: Standard Bank Account 080733875 Universal Branch Code: 051001
Landline and Fax: 041 366 1594
Cellph: 072 357 2505
Website: www.echcu.co.za
Facebook: East Cape Horse Care Unit.
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