Here is an update on the two mini/pony mares we are fostering.
They are well adjusted to their paddock and to spending a couple of hours per day on grass. They will come to the fence when we bring hay, water or treats and both take treats from our hands as long as we don’t make any sudden movements. I can touch both their faces and stroke Spice’s neck, chest and upper legs a bit more. I try to spend time every day just sitting in or by their paddock. They do usually approach me and sniff at my hand but any movement on my part and they jump away.

One of the girls is very clever — they figured out how to open the latch to the sliding door that goes out to the outdoor arena where Nick had been hanging out most of this week. Kent woke up at 5 a.m. the other day and happened to look out the kitchen door to see Nick zooming around in the outdoor with two small shapes also running and realized they had gotten in there. He thought he had forgotten to latch the door that goes into Nick’s half of the shed and out into the outdoor. Then it happened again a couple of days ago. When he closely looked at the latch he saw some reddish hairs on it and it was flipped up. He now has a clip on the latch so it can’t be flipped up by anything lacking hands!

Last night there was an incident with Chryssy (our almost 3 year old mini donkey). I went to turn them in and Chryssy wasn’t coming. I could see a dark shape running near the fence and realized she was on the other side of the fence (as in the neighbor’s yard). I had Kent run and get a flashlight and sure enough she had gone through the fence (which was a barbed wire fence in that spot and we are slowly getting rid of barbed wire as I hate it). She actually broke a strand and there was hair everywhere so I was worried as to what I would find. Kent cut the other 4 strands of wire so we could get Chryssy through the fence and we got her in the barn. She was very calm and only had a few scratches and scrapes which is amazing for having gone through barbed wire. A horse would have panicked and been all cut up. So at 7 a.m. today Kent was out stringing new electric fence to the inside of the barbed wire.

Not exactly sure what happened but Sugar and Spice had been out grazing with the donkeys and I am speculating that Spice chased her, it was dark and Chryssy ran through the fence. Although the donkeys have been out in the same pasture with the mini/pony girls for a couple of hours a day for a little over a week, they are still afraid of them and Spice is in heat which is making her more dominant. We have seen her chase Sugar, too. Needless to say the two groups are being kept separated for now. However I am able to let them out with Nick, who is still lonesome for Cookie and is happy for a little company (he chases the donkeys so can’t be with them).

Both girls have “worm bellies” but Spice doesn’t look too bad overall. They are shedding their winter coats. Poor Sugar is so skinny except for that round belly and I am hoping she isn’t pregnant (no signs of heat in her so far). I have dewormed them with small amounts of Strongid 3 times now but only use about 1/4 of their dose. There were various stallions left loose with them at the farm they were surrendered from so it is a possibility that she was bred. They were surrendered in Oct. so if she is bred a foal could be due as late as Sept. Only time will tell as there is no way a vet could get near her to examine her right now.

We accept that progress will be slow with them and just have to keep slowly building up their trust. I promise to post updates when anything interesting happens with them and once they have shed more will take more photos.