I always knew that February was a ‘short’ month, but this past month has flown past like a gale!
Pardon the mixed metaphor!
Point of Order: It does not matter how well you know the person/friend you are selling/leasing/half baiting your beloved horse or donkey to, please ensure that you have a piece of paper stating who is getting what for how much and for the time term and make sure your equine will be looked after for the remainder of his life.
This is a living animal that you are parting with and sometimes things go pear shaped and you are then left with a ‘difficult situation’.
I think it is also in this difficult economic climate for Livery Owners, especially when Liveries do not pay their dues.
So please ‘make a plan’.
Jenny (abandoned donkey jenny) moved to her new habitat and Jack (abandoned donkey jack) admitted for gelding and when ready returned to Jenny. Both dewormed and now happy in acres of grass. Go well, kids!
ISON surrendered to the Unit and Available for Adoption. Been dewormed, comfortable with a nosebag and ready to go. A four day visit to a Transkei area by Stanley for Primary Health Care and a nearby Race. Whe n the village racehorses are brought to the ‘track’, mostly now checked and readied for the Race by the Organisers, all the ‘salt fetchers’ (crossbreeds) come along as well. With the villagers accompanying ‘their’ horse, singing and ululating his praises.
This gives Stanley the chance to Pre Race Check the Thoroughbreds and then the Crossbreeds, seen here waiting their turn.
And….there was a lot of rain, hence the green grass. Which is a blessing! Rosalind visited and because she does not have the facilities to actually adopt a donkey and keep it at home, decided to ‘Sponsor a Donk’ at the Unit and donated money instead. We told her she was most welcome to visit and groom the donkeys when she felt the need to give her heart and head a massage and this she has done, bringing in munchies for all the equines at the same time. Thank you, Rosalind!
A Painting by Helen Saunders arranged by SallyB and donated to raise funds is going on Auction soon. Be sure to get your bid in early! And Thank you Helen and Sally! Go to ECHCU Auction Room on Facebook.
An entire donkey owned by a Pensioner admitted for gelding. Costs met by Pensioner! Thank You, Sir!
Regular reports of stray horses in Colleen Glen and Greenbushes received. The necessary phone calls made to the owners to get them off the road and behind a fence made.
A threat received about a stray horse that was taken in off the road and left in a front camp where any searcher would have seen him.
Unfortunately, it is not the only stray horse found in that area that we have had dealings with.
Suffice it to say, for the safety of your equines and that of other motorists, the Municipal Bye Laws state that you MUST keep your animals IN your property.
And if they are straying because your grazing is down because of the drought, best to buy some fodder from the feed merchant.
Early one Monday morning, on arriving at the Unit to start work, Carla was belayed by 4 donkeys on Victoria Drive, waiting to come in. That started her day off well!!
Our local Cartie, Jackson, was perturbed by the fact that his donkey would not stand and asked for it to be collected and admitted. Probably ate something that jammed him up a bit but nothing that a bit of Epson Salts couldn’t fix. Wish all our problems were so easily solved.
A discussion with the Stipendiary Steward about somebody who had delivered to the Maranatha Street Children’s Home behind the PE Airport, two Thoroughbreds ‘for the children’. Well it did not take long before the ‘children’ and organisers at the Home realized that they were ‘in trouble’ and requested the deliverer to take her horses back. OMW!!!
Talk about irresponsible!!
Various Complaints received during the month visited and reports made and which kept Carla busy.
DONATIONS RECEIVED FOR WHICH WE ARE EVER SO GRATEFUL:
- Cathy - 2 donated rolls Eragrostis.
- Antoinette– donated 4 lucerne
- Anne – bread via 9th Avenue Clinic
- Tana – donated 2 bales of lucerne
- Carol – donated tack.
- Philippa – donation of horseblankets.
- Sue – donated tack.
- Carla - donated ¼ bag shandy chaff
- Volker – donated bakkie load of mielie stalks for donks
- BLUE GRASS STABLES – bales of teff and leavings.
- Elaine - 30 lucerne
- Rosaline – carrots, watermelons, sweet potatoes
- SallyB – tack
- Wendy – 60 bales teff
- Bridgette - donated teff, shavings and ½ bag cubes
- Lauren – adult size long boots donated
- Galansky – dntd riding hats
- Robyn – donated 1 bag shandy chaff
- FEED N SEED - 6 big bags of lucerne sweepings
- Tracey V Tech – dntd vitamins and treats
- Barbara – donated headpiece
- Antoinette – donated teff roll
- Suzie – donated carrots and apples.
VOLUNTEERS– Philippa, SamW, SallyS, Erin, Nicole, Courtney, and Eugene Carla and Treloar reseat broken stable gate.
Well that was February! Appears to be a little slower than normal, but the break in ‘freneticness’ is much needed by all Staff, so we are not complaining!
M
Banking Details:
Standard Bank Current Account Number: 080733875
Universal Branch Code: 051001
Account: Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit (all donated monies are used by us in the Metro and beyond!)
Landline: 041 366 1594
Cellph: 072 357 2505
Fb: East Cape Horse Care Unit