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Monday, June 17, 2013
Palomino's Miracle Mustangs & Other Friends Dear Readers,  For lots of us, it's the center of wild horse rescue. First, I visited Palomino Armstrong's Miracle Mustang rescue and became reacquainted with: Romeo and Collins, rescued mustang orphans HONEY BANDIT -- after his tough start, it's hard to believe this beautiful, glossy, friendly 3 year old was heartbeats away from death many times Donk, burro head of cougar control Bear and Soldier, rescued Dobermans Magic, rescued black Arabian A piggy whose name I missed (but I did snap his photo) Snickers, sweet Aussie TRAVIS -- Palomino's son! One of the coolest things at the rescue is the wild horse nursery. I thought I was walking into a bedroom -- and there is comfy bed, but there's also a cozy corral in one corner and a wall opens so that threatened foals that need food and care through the night can be "inside" where Palomino leaps from bed to tend them with round-the-clock care. Talk about dedication! More later, Terri Labels: Honeybandit, orphan foal, Palomino, Romeo Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:55 AM 0 comments  
Monday, March 11, 2013 Hearts Wide Open: Patches & Palomino  It takes a special heart to love and let go.Palomino Armstrong, rescuer of all things 4-footed, has allowed her pinto mini-horse, to leave for a new home.Patches has been a love-and-therapy helper to both people and animals, even teaching mustang orphans -- like Honey Bandit, below -- how to be a horse, when he was without his "real" family.  Now, Patches will share his affection with scads of foster children. "I can only imagine the heartbreak they go through," Palomino said of the parents who welcome kids into their lives, "I am broken-hearted every timed we place one of the foals that we help, and they are all going to wonderful homes. " Patches has no misgivings about his new life. After a "last minute mani/pedi," the plucky pinto walked up a ramp into the back of an SUV, happy and relaxed to begin his next adventure.  Happy trails, Terri Labels: foster children, Honeybandit, Palomino, Patches, therapy horse Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 1:02 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 Palomino's Amigos  HoneyBandit with Palomino's husband Matt Palomino's love-stable keeps growing and HoneyBandit's world does, too! Besides the dogs and cats and mini horses, he's sharing his four-leggeds with some big horses. The other two "large horses" want to smash the mini's, so it is awesome that Honey Bandit not only gets to hang out with a full size horse, he still gets to keep his brothers. It is so important that he learns, gently and in a manner that wont' hurt him, how to be a "horse". He still carries those scars inside though. Pete apparently did something that made him flashback, and Honey Bandit panicked and missed me by a hair as he bolted away. I am thinking though, that he missed me on purpose! But in all reality, I am much less scary than Pete. ha ha. so running over me would be merely survival to him. We put up some temporary (?) perimeter fencing so the guys have more room. Although moving was definitely not the first choice, I think that it will be wonderful once we get everything set up for the rescue. The animals are all happy and I think they enjoy being farther away from the noise of the highway. Seth, Manager at Home Depot, in Red Bluff, California, is one of our heroes. He started out our "WINTER, WARM AND DRY - DRIVE" off in a wonderful way. We have a list of items we are looking for and he was the first to donate. He donated 12 2x6's and some cement. This takes care of one of the "steps" we have to take for winter. We are extremely grateful for his help and the way his store supports the community. After all, Honey Bandit is a huge part of our community, as has been proven time and time again. If you are in the Red Bluff Area, stop by and say hi to Seth and thank him from you and Honey Bandit. Whoever said the "box stores" are not personable and community oriented have obviously not been to the Home Depot in Red Bluff. God bless you Seth, and your awesome crew. You guys rock!! It looks like one of the two main foal "angels" in Nevada is finally going to retire. After many years and thousands of babies lives' saved, she and her hubby are calling it quits. She took in 21 (approx) orphan, critical foals this year and my friend Shirley had about 19. So it looks like we need to "git er done" and be ready to pick up the slack. That is the focal point of our rescue, although we have dogs, cats, etc. So it is even more urgent that we are prepared with the rolling foal hospital and some "hospital rooms/pens" etc. God Bless and come and visit Honey Bandit in his new digs and meet the new guy. We truly enjoy all the visitors. We will be putting the "WINTER, WARM AND DRY - DRIVE" on the website (as soon as possible) and you will be able to see all the stores that are stepping up and helping to keep HONEY BANDIT, AMERICA'S POSTER BOY TO STOP THE ROUNDUPS! alive and well so he can continue the fight against the roundups and the inhumane treatment of our beloved wild horses. We hope to continue visiting schools and educating our youngsters about what is going on. They are the next leaders! Visit us at www.chillypepper.weebly.com, and if you'd like to buy raffle tickets for our fabulous 2 night stay at the BAILEY CREEK LODGE, send your checks to Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088 or call 530 474 5197 or 530 339 1458 to come and visit. Palomino & the gang!  Labels: Honeybandit, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 2:04 AM 2 comments
Monday, August 29, 2011 Honeybandit & friends wish you'd been there! 
Carrot cake, anyone? Dear readers, Most of you had to miss the wild horse birthday party in Shingletown, California. Thanks to Palomino, though, you can pretend. Hi Ya'll, We just wanted to say thank you to everyone who came and shared our day. It was absolutely fabulous, and although Honey Bandit wasn't too sure about his birthday cake, he posed for pictures like a pro as usual. Chilly Pepper, on the other hand, loved her cake, and scarfed it up as fast as she could. She didn't even wait for the pictures. We were truly touched by the wonderful turnout of guests, and Honey Bandit & Chilly Pepper truly appreciated their birthday presents. When I saw the tears in the eyes of the people looking at photos of Honeybandit's first rocky days, and then looking at him today, it reminds me again why we do this. Take care and God Bless! Palomino & the critters. Labels: birthday party, Chilly Pepper, Honeybandit, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:52 PM 1 comments
Thursday, June 30, 2011 Honeybandit's Band  Dear Readers, Here's a note from Palomino. Honey Bandit finally has his "BAND," his own little "family", made up of the two minis and Suri. It is wonderful to see the four of them playing together and watch the interaction as they each find their own place in the pecking order. It won't be long before Princess Suri rules, as she will definitely be the lead mare. She is quite comical when she gets her milk. I have to distract DaBubbles, as he thinks that he should have it, and would take it away if he could. At the very end he gets to help "clean up" the bowl. The other night I went out to give her more milk and DaBubbles was on the floor, with his feet stretched straight out in front of him, the milk bowl firmly in between his hooves. [Readers, I can just imagine this, can't you?] When Suri gets tired of DaBubbles, she backs up, nearly sitting on him. Then she bottom-bumps him. That little girl has attitude and she's recovering energy. For a baby her age, she is as fast as lightning. Honey Bandit is amazing. He is so beautiful and just continues to improve. His big strong neck is almost "studly". When he arches it and does his little prance, you can feel the power he has as he moves beside you. He has come so far from the pile of bones and carcass, and continues to grow bigger and stronger daily. He is going to be a very solid horse. Wouldn't it be great if, someday, we're able to ride him as he runs across the land. For now, he is safe and happy and well, thanks to all of you. We are still trying to raise funds for Suri's surgery, and I want to thank everyone who has helped our rescue and these beautiful babies. God Bless you so much! P & the critters Labels: DaBubbles, Honeybandit, Palomino Armstrong, Suri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 2:51 PM 0 comments
Thursday, June 23, 2011 Suri & HoneyBandit: growing like weeds :)  Here's the newest update from Palomino: Suri is doing fabulous. She is getting more energy, growing like a weed and becoming fast friends with DaBubbles. Had a scare the other day when DaBubbles grabbed her hernia in his mouth. Not sure whether it is instinct that told him not to bite hard or just angels from above. Suri has gotten stuck in the panels twice. She simply rolls over when she is getting her "sun bath". She was so good though. She had her top and bottom hind legs quite a ways under and through the panel, (she was on her side) but she just hung out quietly for a couple of minutes while she waited for us to get there. Shows what a smart little girl she is. Her cough is getting much less noticeable and she is doing better and better letting us lift her feet with very little fuss. For those of you who are not too familiar with horses and why this is a big deal, the reason is this. When a horse doesn't "have it's feet" (all four on the ground) they cannot choose their option of flight. Horses have two options when their lives are threatened or they are scared. "Flight or Fight". If they can't leave, their instinct is to fight. It is not as much in the forefront of the domestic horse's mind, but the mustangs live by being smart and their survival skills, which means "keeping their feet" on the ground. The mustangs survival skills are obviously much more honed and quickly acted upon. This is one reason why people should not turn their domestic horses out to survive on their own when they cannot afford to feed them, as they are not equipped. Their survival skills are buried under years of coddling. Another difference that I have been told about and have witnessed, is that while a domestic horse might give you a "little warning kick" if they are irritated or frightened, a mustang kicks for real the first time. This is why they survive. In the wild, it is the first kick that will save their life. (Just a tid bit of info that I find interesting and painfully true). (long time ago) Honey Bandit is doing very well, although I think he misses all the time we spent together. (Or maybe that is just me hoping that he misses it as much as i do - ha ha). He is a very healthy guy, although his brain is still finishing up the rewiring process. He & Patches are hanging out together. As soon as he can kick a bit better and is a little more sure footed, he will get to start hanging out with Chilly Pepper and Dakota. After talking to the vet, we decided to let him get a little more surefooted and the ability to "let fly" before we put him in with the big guys. That way he can boot scoot out of the way if he needs to. Labels: Honeybandit, Palomino, Suri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 3:26 AM 1 comments
Monday, April 18, 2011 IMPORTANT Horse Trailer Loading advice from Palomino Dear Readers, Palomino just sent an update & though HoneyBandit is doing well, one of his wild cousins isn't. Please READ and LEARN about horse trailer psychology from Palomino: We need some prayers for a very special horse that belongs to a friend of mine. Her horse was severely injured when a neighbor used a "butt rope to try and force her into a trailer". There is a very good chance that her withers are broken. She was in severe pain after she flipped over backwards onto unforgiving ground. We are grateful that she wasn't killed, but this is so unnecessary and every one out there can learn from this. It isn't worth it to try and force a scared horse into a trailer. Many times they end up with broken necks. Take the time (or have someone who knows how) to train your horse to safely load. There are many ways to let the horses find out that trailers are not that scary. But it can take time. If they put two front feet in, let them "settle and think about it". So what if they back out a couple of times? Most of the time if you give horses a few minutes to think about what they are afraid of, they will figure out the trailer isn't going to eat them. * * * It is kind of interesting that when we brought that wild mare back to California, we did not "force her" into a trailer. We simply showed her that there was less pressure if she went towards the trailer. Pressure in this case = a moved arm or hand -- NOT yelling or screaming or hitting, simply giving her an "out" in the direction we wanted her to go. You can move a wild horse (or any horse for that matter) just by your body language and the tiniest movements of your hands. If we had tried to "force" her into the trailer, all heck would have broken loose and she would have been injured, and so, most likely, would we. There is not a horsey person in the world that has not made a mistake, me included, but let's all remember not to try and force any horse into a trailer. So please, ya'll say a prayer for this beautiful mare. She needs all of them, and so does her "mommy". I actually think her "mommy" is suffering worse than the horse, because it is so hard to see our beloved animals in pain. Good news: Honey Bandit now has about twice the room to play off of his "nursery". He, Patches and DaBubbles had a blast. They love to play "ring around the tree", and now they have another one to play around. They're having galloping good times! Labels: Honeybandit, horse trailers, loading advice, Palomino Armstrong Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:52 AM 0 comments
Sunday, April 10, 2011 HoneyBandit: Getting to be a Big Boy  Dear Readers, As I write this, Palomino Armstrong and her husband Matt are helping yet another wild horse. Photographer Cat Kindsfather rescued a beautiful wild mare (a Medicine Hat like my GhostDancer) she named Oshunnah and Palomino and Matt are helping Cat move her mustang to the Wild Horse Sanctuary in Shingletown,California, where she'll soon be roaming free with Ghost Dancer, Sage, the real Phantom and many other wild horses, on 5,000 fenced acres. Last I heard, Oshunnah was none too happy about being back in a horse trailer, but her human helpers think she'll feel it was worth it when she's set free. Here is a HONEYBANDIT update Palomino wrote earlier this week: Tuesday was an absolutely fabulous day here. The sun was shining and warm and the horses were kicking up their heels. The mustangs in the upper field were running and bucking and chasing each other up and down. You could actually feel their joy and excitement as their feet pounded up and down the hill, their tails flying, their necks arched as they chased each other. Honey Bandit thought he should do that to. He was striking out and prancing around his pen. He started chasing DaBubbles and they were flying and kicking and I got a little bit nervous that one of those feet might connect and send DaBubbles to China. So we put Honey Bandit, Dabubbles and Patches out in their "play area". All the way to the corral, Honey Bandit had his neck arched, and it was tight. He was ready to panic if he could only find something. He searched side to side, arching that neck like their was danger. But mean old mom kept making him stop and stand every time he was about to "explode". I took all his fun out of it. So he had to walk over there like a gentlemen, and if something scared him he had to stop and check it out until he calmed down. But he really really wanted an excuse to "freak out". So the three of them ran their little butts off. They bucked and kicked and chased each other and skidded to a stop and had the absolute best time. After awhile, we had to go inside, and they didn't think we needed to end their time yet. So we got Patches and Dabubbles and walked over to the gate and started out. I knew HB wouldn't be able to stand being left behind, and sure enough about 30 seconds later he ran to the gate and skidded to a stop right in front of me, almost as if he was asking me to bring him back. I love it when they do that. But one of these days he will turn into a big shot like Chilly Pepper and won't be so dependent. Then it will be trickier. Labels: Honeybandit, Palomino Armstrong Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 2:38 AM 2 comments
Monday, March 14, 2011 Update from Palomino & HoneyBandit Dear Readers -- Palomino is back from the Wild Horse and Burro advisory board meeting in Arizona. Here's here message for all who care about our wild horses. Terri Hi ya’ll. Sorry it has taken so long to get out an update. We are actually in the air on the way home right now. It was a very intense couple of days. I would say it was a success in the fact that many different groups came together as one to try and save our wild horses. People came with different messages and suggestions, but all with the same need in their heart, to save the horses and stop the roundups. We had some good interaction with the BLM Advisory Board Members, and heard some really valuable recommendations. We don’t know if they will be followed, but hopefully it is a good start. Many of the items were things that we as advocates have been trying to get accomplished. A few of them were simple, common sense items, if you understand the way a horse thinks. When you hear people talk about a horse “spooking” they are usually talking about when the horse moves quickly away from something that frightens it. It may jump away, take off running, whirl around or stop, rear up and turn around or start bucking. One of the hazards for the mustangs has been the contractor’s coolers, sweatshirts etc. left near or on the fences where the horses are being run in. The horses are already panicked, they see this “predator” in front of them and naturally they freak out and turn around, often trampling or smashing smaller horses or babies. Correcting this problem was one of the recommendations BLM received. Steps like this may not seem important, but it would greatly reduce the stress and injuries that the horses receive and could even save lives. Simple solutions to tiny steps in this huge problem are available and have been brought to not only the Advisory Board’s attention, but BLM as well. There was heartfelt testimony by the advocates and the ranchers told their side of the issue also. It is always difficult to measure the value of attending a meeting like this, but we definitely feel the financial stress incurred to attend this are worth what was accomplished. Nearly all the Advisory Board Members and the personnel from the BLM were extremely familiar with Honey Bandit’s story. Because of this, members of the Advisory Board invited me to submit my proposal for improved orphan and critical foal care, as well as my comments. We submitted Honey Bandit’s written story, along with a detailed proposal outlining procedures and solutions that would save more foals. This proposal recommends more public access, a visitor’s observation card, which would allow the public to notify BLM personnel of any animal in distress. This will create a record that cannot be altered and will facilitate systematic follow through actions and feedback. There will be no more he said / she said, all concerns will be documented in triplicate with carbon copies. If a foal dropped, was orphaned or simply thought to be at risk, it would be immediately moved to an appropriate and qualified rescue. Our purpose in attending this meeting was twofold. To join all advocates in sending the message to Stop The Roundups until appropriate scientific studies prove how many horses are actually left, and to establish a better system for the foal rescue. We accomplished this, at least the first steps, and now we need everyone to contact their Senators and ask them to stop the roundups with the exception of those in emergent situations. It was hard to be away from Honey Bandit so long. I had a horrible nightmare one night and I called and woke up my poor hubby. I told him about my dream and he looked over and said not to worry, he was just fine. So all is well back in Shingletown. Each small step is a tiny victory in Honey Bandits journey to Stop The RoundUps! God bless you and thank you for your prayers and support. Palomino & the Gang p.s. I was given the opportunity to share and submit a proposal to set up We presented a proposal for the foals to be immediately released to the proper care facilities upon discovery as opposed to waiting for their condition to worsen. No more Honey Bandits. Labels: BLM, Honeybandit, Palomino Valley, wild horse advocate Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:10 PM 0 comments
Friday, March 11, 2011 No $$$ for Mustang Round-Ups  photo of Antelope Valley foals in BLM corrals by Karen Hopple Dear Readers, Yesterday BLM officials announced that they're out of money to round up wild horses. THAT'S GREAT NEWS! It's what we've been talking and arguing and scheming to accomplish. Now we have to keep Congress from awarding BLM more money to fund more round-ups. With your help, helicopters will be grounded. There will be no more HoneyBandits, no more traumatized foals ripped too early from their mothers and mustangs will live as God intended -- running free. Keep up the good work, Terri Labels: BLM roundups, helicopters, Honeybandit, orphan foals, wild horses Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 6:52 AM 2 comments
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 A Tough Little Life  photo by Cat Kindsfather Dear Readers, Each week, America's mustangs are killed with our tax dollars. They're run to exhaustion by helicopters. They crash into metal fences and trucks. They contort their bodies into leaps they can'tmake, trying to reach their families and freedom. Some of us can't stand to see the photo or hear the terrible true stories. Some of us grit our teeth, take those photos to our legislators and tell them real-life horror stories that must stop. Last week, Palomino Armstrong took Honeybandit's story to Washington, D.C. Her testimony -- and that of other wild horse advocates -- helped spur a vote to take $2 million dollars from BLM's mustang round-up fund. But we want to make sure BLM takes the hint. So, many mustang advocates will attend the March 10-11 BLM advisory board meeting in Phoenix, AZ and speak out for wild horses. Palomino wants to attend and tell BLM to STOP THE ROUND-UPS until a scientific investigation is done. She wants to make sure there are no more HoneyBandits -- foals taken from their mothers and left to starve in BLM custody. I've helped Palomino document HoneyBandit's tough little life so that BLM cannot deny their mistakes, can't dismiss her as the equine equivalent of a crazy cat lady .Palomino's photos and journal entries have shown us a foal's life of BLM-inflicted pain and confusion. Honeybandit was rescued, but most babies in his situation are shot. Almost every day, people ask me how they can help the mustangs. If you want to stand up for wild horses, but can't be in Phoenix next month, consider donating a dollar or two to Palomino's Miracle Mustang foundation so that she can afford to feed the horses at home, and travel to the meeting. Donations are tax-deductible and you can check out the Miracle Mustang Rescue here. Happy trails, Terri Labels: Honeybandit, Honeybandit'S MOM, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 4:52 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 Palomino Rocks the House -- of REPRESENTATIVES  from Palomino: Today we had meetings at the offices of Calvert, Young, Serrano, and Garamendi, in the House of Representatives. All the reps that we met with were very open to our ideas and the meetings were a great success. HONEY BANDIT ROCKED THE HOUSE! of representatives. Honey Bandit's story had quite an impact, bringing tears to the eyes of more than one person. It is amazing how many people do not realize where their tax dollars are going. You can see Ginger Kathren's video on you tube; it also had a huge impact on the people who saw it. "Many Thanks to Ginger Kathren". It is so hard to be away from the guys, but I am so glad that I have the privilege of sharing Honey Bandit's story. I sure miss hearing him whinny at me when I go to bed, and drifting off to sleep while he munches away. I know Matt is taking good care of him, and the rest of the gang, but I will be very glad to be back home again. Tomorrow is another big day. Will keep you posted. Thanks for all the support and prayers. God bless! Labels: Honeybandit, Palomino, Washington DC Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 3:55 PM 0 comments
Monday, February 07, 2011 HONEYBANDIT update Hi ya'll It's been a couple of days since the last update. Honey Bandit is starting to get more energy. Not all of the time, but definitely more than before. :) He runs and prances and makes it very clear that he is something special. With his head up high and his tail flowing behind him, dancing over that cute little butt, he is stepping out and making waves. He still manages to get cast nearly every day/night. However, in spite of banking the walls and trying all sorts of different situations,the only thing we have found out for sure is this. PAYBACK CAN BE A REAL BUMMER....... DaBubbles has decided to send a message loud and clear. However, we are not sure which message he is sending. DaBubbles was trapped several times between HB and the wall. He was quite frightened, and rightfully so. His position was precarious to say the least. He is also the one that gets pushed around the most, being he is about a third of the other's size. So, the last time HB was cast, DaBubbles stepped right up to the plate. He very gently (ha ha) leaned over and bit Honey Bandit over and over in various places. Was he encouraging HB to get up, trying to "help him", OR Was he getting his payback. I have to say that at one point it was very clear that HB was physically unable to get up. That would be about the time that DaBubbles took a rather large mouthful of HB's skin right around his groin area. I have no doubt that HB would have jumped up in a flash if he could. It was cute though, because DaBubbles really didn't bite very hard. That is what makes you wonder, which is it really, payback or "assistance" to help him get up. Once again the horses can teach us a lesson. No matter what the inspiration for all the "bites', there was really no real malice involved. Too bad we all couldn't play so nicely together, even when we are "getting back at someone". HB is growing like crazy. Not too long ago, we had measured him for a new blanket. He was 51 inches from the middle of his chest back to his tail. Only a little over a month has passed and his measurements are more like 55/56. He outgrew his beautiful blanket. (I am sure that we will have another foal soon to wear it though, so it wo'n' ever "go to waste".) He is taller and gaining pounds quickly. He definitely has some more attitude. I forget he isn't like Chilly Pepper. She was only 3 days old when we rescued her, but Honey Bandit (according to BLM's best guess) was 6 weeks old. So he had 6 weeks of living in the wild, learning to be a wild horse. Sometimes it is surprising to me when that behavior sneaks out. But that is awesome, because that means more and more of his brain/memory is coming back. We are looking into "anti-cast rollers". Please contact me if you have any experience with these. I talked to the vet today and he said he has heard of them but is not sure if he would be comfortable with them or not, as he has never used them. So I would appreciate any info you might have. For those of you (like me) who don't know what an "anti-cast roller" is, it is a device that you strap around the horse's girth, and it has a big ring on the top which prevents the horses from rolling all the way over. I finally got my email addresses re-entered, and am hoping that I have all of Honey Bandit's friends back in his group. If you know anyone who is "missing" their email updates, please have them contact me at Palomino.honeybandit @gmail. God bless and thank you for all your help. Palomino & the Gang Labels: Honeybandit, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:03 AM 5 comments
Friday, January 14, 2011 Honeybandit Update  Look at those eyelashes!Dear Readers, Here's an update from Palomino & the Shingletown Miracle crew :) Enjoy, Terri It's Thursday night, and I am sitting here thinking about how far Honey Bandit has come. From that tiny little guy who could not stand up or lift his head for the first three weeks, to the amazing eating machine that he is today. We have been through so much, and sometimes it seemed hard to see anything better in the future. It is amazing how you can just put your mind in limbo when the outcome is too scary. I know probably most everyone out there knows what I am talking about. When the future looks too scary to acknowledge, you just focus on the now, the right now, and nothing else. When I look back at the pictures, and especially those wonderful videos that Sue made, I am truly amazed at the amount of heart this little guy has. I guess I have been especially lucky to have such fighters in my barn. Starting with Chilly Pepper, then Honey Bandit and then DaBubbles. I guess God sent them to me to remind me not to give up the fight, and to remind me that you should never give up, no matter how much pain you are in. (If I was a good horse, I would have been put out down a long time ago)  slumber partyAs most of you know, Honey Bandit still has some neurological issues. Tonight I came home from town, and the boys were inside getting dinner ready. Matt had been outside about 45 minutes earlier and everything was fine. I came into our "barn", (carport) and said hi to the cat. As soon as he heard my voice, Honey Bandit let out a cry for help. He kept calling me in a manner I have never heard from him. He was so stuck. He was actually in a position where it was physically impossible for him to flip over or get up. It is weird though, because I am here night after night when he gets cast, and he always stays quiet. It was so weird for him to be calling me like that. I went into his stall and he lifted his head and looked at me, kind of like, "mom - get me out of here". I called Matt and the boys came out to help. He was in a weird position, and I was afraid that when we flipped him he would be stuck again on the back door. But all is well. We got him "unstuck", helped him over and when he got up, had a good shake, and walked over and started to eat. On a good note though, we have been giving him lots of time to "figure things out on his own". Two out of the last 7 or 8 times, he has managed to "git ER done" and get himself out of his little pickle. So that in itself is a good thing. A little bit of progress at a time will eventually be a lot of progress, as he has show so well. We keep as much straw as we can around the edges of his stall, but can't put too much due to the size of the stall. Hugs and God Bless P & the gang Labels: Honeybandit, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:24 PM 3 comments
Thursday, December 30, 2010 End of the Year HONEY Update  Dear Readers, Here's a new update from Palomino and I think you'll enjoy the image of all of these Shingletowners cuddled up together. Palomino mentions HoneyBandit's Christmas photo and I got a copy in my Christmas card, but I'll have to locate it online so that I can share it with you! Have a wonderful New Year's Eve! Terri I'm sitting on the bed, looking out into Honey Bandit's stall. We just switched DaBubbles over to hang out with Patches. The other stall was too small for Honey Bandit and Patches, and it is easier to watch Honey Bandit with him right next to me. DaBubbles had been next to me prior to this. Since the three of them have been playing together, we thought that Patches and DaBubbles would be okay together. Honey Bandit needs special feed, and Patches has been gaining too much weight, so this will be easier. However, I feel bad because DaBubbles wants to be back closer to us. Honey Bandit is stoked though. He is thinking that he is the bomb and is really liking being inches away from us again. I have to brag a teeny tiny bit about our guy. When you pour his feed into his bucket, if you tell him to "wait", he will. He bobs his head up and down until you tell him "it is okay, good boy". He hates it, but is pretty good about waiting. Well, I have now spent the last half hour getting Patches settled in his little stall, away from DaBubbles. He was not playing nice, so he is on "time out" and sleeping where he cannot thrash on the little guy. Tomorrow he will be able to come back and play, but for now he has to learn better manners. On the way he got a little "pedicure" and got his feet trimmed. My son thought I was a little bit nuts to be trimming feet after 9 PM, but hey, you gotta "git ER done" when you get a chance. When you look at this picture, remember that we brought Honey Bandit home on September 2. As of January 2, we will have had him 4 months. I forget how tiny he was, but this picture shows what all of us have worked together to achieve. He went from about 120# to about 300#. We cannot ever thank everyone who is part of this miracle enough. Your generosity, donations, time and love make this possible. I will be posting some more photos. I have to say that Honey Bandit is ecstatic to be back next to us. He is laying down as close as he can possibly get to us. More photos should be on Chilly Pepper's website or on Facebook in the next few days. Sorry it took so long to "get back". Ha ha. Am still trying to get every thing set up on the computer. I do have to set the record straight, once again. I cannot take credit for Honey Bandit's Christmas photo. One of his wonderful Aunties, took the photos and printed them all for us to put in the remaining Christmas cards. Without all of the wonderful "aunties" that Honey Bandit has, we would not be getting much done except taking care of him. So I have to send out another thank you to his aunties that made the all the Christmas cheer happen. God Bless! Love Honey Bandit & the Gang! Labels: DaBubbles, Honeybandit, Palomino, Patches Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:54 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, December 14, 2010 Update from Palomino Dear Readers, You are the absolute best! Not only are my emails full of love and concern for a mustang foal you've never met, but readers of all ages approached me at my last booksigning (two with tears in their eyes) to ask how HoneyBandit was doing. Foals growing up without mothers' milk have a tough time developing like normal horses. Though HoneyBandit has human friends, people I've talked with who've raised motherless mustangs say that the ups and downs that HB is experiencing are to be expected. It's still sad and worrisome, but I know Palomino. Believe me, she is giving these at-risk animals all her best. Thanks for having open hearts! Talk with you again tomorrow, Terri From Palomino: Honey Bandit is still exhibiting a low energy level, but his bodily functions are pretty normal now. He is just a big bundle of sweetness. Unfortunately, he is still getting cast nearly every night. (For those of you who wanted to know what I mean by "cast", he simply lays down and is unable to get up due to being "stuck", usually against a wall.) He will end up with his legs folded and smashed against the sides of the stall etc. He seems to be on the same side about 99 % of the time, so we are still hoping it is a neurological issue that he will outgrow in time. If not, well it looks like we will be sleeping together the rest of our lives. Hee hee. Although I use the words "sleeping together" extremely lightly. He gets to sleep, but I still hear every little noise they make. My hubby said "I am the worst sleeper ever". Part of that is due, of course, to the fact that I have chronic pain, and sleep very little anyway. Boy does that fact come in handy with these guys. Patches decided to surprise me and jump up into the "raised" part of the carport. It is about a 22" jump, and he just hopped into our area. Of course he managed to wreak major havoc in the few minutes he was up here. What a mess. But he was very cute and thought that everything was here for his entertainment. There is never a dull moment here. All three of the guys are hanging out together during the day now. (When they are outside.) We are staying busy taking care of the gang and trying to get ready for Christmas. Labels: Honeybandit Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 1:51 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, December 07, 2010 Tuesday: HoneyBandit & Da Bubbles Dear Readers, Here's the most recent news from Palomino and the critters: Finally, a day that wasn't too wet and too cold for the babies to go outside. Today we were letting DaBubbles play with Honey Bandit. We opened the big door and DaBubbles was off like a shot. Bucking and twisting, running sideways, speeding around like a big furry ping pong ball. Three days of couped up energy blowing off all at once. Man was he happy to be "free", and outside in the fresh air with a little bit of room to run. Honey Bandit looked outside, sighed a little bit and proceeded to stand still in the doorway. Eventually he moved out. He was in slow motion, and his eyes were kind of dull. Honey Bandit was not feeling so well. Kathy, one of HB's aunties, had come to visit and bring some goodies for the horses. What a wonderful thing for her to drive down from so far away. We took HB outside for some pictures. He walked along calmly, stopping, backing up and doing just what he was asked. His spark was no where to be found. He has also had an upset "system" for a few days. We have been watching him closely, wanting to make sure that nothing bad was really going on. But today, his energy was so low that we wanted to take him to the vet to make sure nothing serious was going on. Right away the vet could tell that he didn't feel well. However, aside from his gums being a little bit "too pink", and his lack of energy, nothing obvious was showing. His blood work looks great. PTL for that one. His lungs finally sound good, really good, so she was thinking it must be some type of "tummy" thing. So we brought him home with some meds to make his tummy feel better. It's hard when they don't feel well. I kept trying to tell myself he lacked energy because he was growing so fast, but the little guy doesn't feel well. Guess I just didn't want to believe it. But I do have to remember, when you are recovering from being ill or weak, it takes time. So say a prayer that HB feels better, and that I remember to be patient. Click Me! He is still eating, of course! He is also in the mood for extra loves. It's like he just wants us to "hold him".... When we got home he didn't want to get out of the trailer. It was like he was saying, "I just want to chill in my favorite place.". So I left him there for awhile. I took out a blanket and put it on him so he wouldn't get cold, as the temperature was dropping quickly. After about 1/2 hour I went out and he came back inside. He was pretty happy by then to go in and eat. I am sure he will be okay, but it is so scary when he starts acting like that. We will just watch him and love him and make sure he doesn't feel worse. We could certainly use lots and lots of prayers that he will feel better. On a little lighter note, DaBubbles surprised us today. When he was running and playing, he decided to try and fly over the 6 foot chain link fence. He kind of "bounced off it", (it has a lot of give), looked at it again, and went merrily on his way. The next time he ran up to that fence, he put on his brakes, slid right up to it, nosed it and ran off, bucking and kicking. He had such a good time. I have to tell you though, it was quite entertaining watching him. So all in all the day turned out okay. Hopefully Honey Bandit will feel better soon and we are thankful that his blood work and lungs are good. Hope all is well with ya'll. Labels: Da Bubbles, Honeybandit, vet visit Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:25 PM 0 comments
Monday, November 29, 2010 Thanksgiving letter from Palomino's herd, pack, etc.  Dear Readers, I'm stretching out your Thanksgiving weekend by sharing Palomino's update a little late! Palomino Enjoy! Terri Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! We have so much to be grateful for this year. Although we didn't expect to bring home a horse the day we went to observe the round ups, we are eternally grateful that the staff at Litchfield had pulled Honey Bandit out to care for him and let us bring him home. He is doing well, thanks to all of you, and to them for letting us help him. He has grown about a foot taller and a foot lengthwise since we brought him home. He has gained probably 80-90 pounds since then also. That is definitely thanks to all of you! He (and we of course), so appreciate that. THANKS is something that cannot be said enough when people show kindness. We have met so many wonderful people through this whole thing. I have heard from so many people that wanted to make a difference, but couldn't do it "by themselves". But we have come together as a community and one big world to not only make a difference in this little horse's life, but at the same time to witness the generosity and love that is out there. His story has touched the hearts of people as far away as Finland, Australia, Alaska and throughout the United States and Canada. It truly warms my heart to know how many people can simply respect the "gift of life" that God has given us, even if it is one of his four legged creatures. We are also extremely grateful for your support and prayers for DaBubbles. He is doing better, but still has a long ways to go. It was very difficult to go out and treat him, knowing he was in pain. The little horse that jumped on my bed to see me, was running away. He was not happy with me. At all! However, he seems to be improving and I finally started using my head and we have "happy" times after the treatments, ie. I brush him and take more time just to love on him. So now he doesn't hate me anymore. Yeahhhhh!!!! Also, he had been pretty lethargic, and had very little interest in his surroundings. Now he seems to have passed that point and is starting to play, whinny and just getting into mischief again. Believe me, that is something I am extremely thankful for. I could not possibly begin to list all the wonderful things that have been done for our rescue and Honey Bandit. We have received food, $ donations, items to help winterize the carport we are living in, blankets, hay, love, prayers and the ongoing emotional support that was necessary to make this happen. I was just the one that was lucky enough (I think that 98% of the time ha ha) to be able to do the hands on care of Honey Bandit. It was ALL OF US together, that made it possible for this little guy to flourish and thrive. It was very cold here in Shingletown last night. The forecast was for zero degrees. We are a little bit lower so usually about 5 or so degrees warmer. Without everything ya'll have done to help, we wouldn't have made it safely through temperatures like that. While we are no where near finished making this warm enough, it is survivable and we will be eternally grateful. The best news I have right now though is this. Honey Bandit has gone a full 2 NIGHTS WITHOUT getting cast. So we are very thankful for that. It could mean that his wires are coming back and we won't have to keep dealing with that. The last time he did it, I got him unstuck and he rolled back over immediately 5 times. Then he got his foot stuck and panicked and I was afraid he was going to break his leg. So NOT getting stuck is huge. My husband and one son are on their way to Washington State for Thanksgiving. We were all supposed to go, but Honey Bandit and DaBubbles still need the 24/7 care and it is too cold to take them in the trailer that far. Also, there are too many crazy drivers out there - hee hee. So although I was pretty bummed when he drove away, I am still thankful we were given this opportunity to experience this. (He has to pick up supplies for HB and the rescue and there was also some family stuff they had to attend to). Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope ya'll get to be with your families and loved ones, in spirit if not actually there. Labels: Chilly Pepper, Da Bubbles, Honeybandit, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:03 PM 0 comments
Friday, November 12, 2010 There is no safety at the edge of the frontier  After cougar attack: DaBubbles with canine guard Dear Readers, I've written about the risks of living in the real West. Not just in the past, but today. I wasn't there and I can't imagine how Palomino and her family are feeling tonight, but I hope you will hold them in your thoughts and prayers. Best, Terri from Palomino: I sit here with a breaking heart as I write to you. Honey Bandit is fine, PTL, but we had a horrible incident today. At about 1:30 p.m., today, DaBubbles, an approximately 5 month old miniature that was receiving eye care, was attacked in broad day light by a mountain lion. We did not see the mountain lion, only the havoc wreaked upon this poor baby. Now we always prepare for cats around here. We put in the tiny, young or vulnerable animals at night. We know that we have moved into their territory. We personally know people who have lost animals to the mountain lions, but actually having it happen in your own yard is scarier and more horrible than you can prepare for. In the past month or so, we have lost 3 cats. The last one I was witness to. I heard the poor thing screaming and at first thought it was a dog chasing her. But I had ALL OF MY DOGS with me. Whatever was after my cat, and I am assuming it was the mountain lion, came through even though there were 4 dogs outside. Unfortunately these were wild feral cats that lived outdoors. I know that up the road a few miles, there have been 5 dogs or so killed by a mountain lion with twin cubs. I also know that mountain lion's cubs were seen down in Manton this last summer. (I am assuming they are the same twin cubs.) Mountain lions have a 10 mile square radius they call their territory. Several months ago, a large one was tracked up behind our place. An injured one was spotted on property near Shingletown Ridge Road. We know they are out there, and we share this land with them. Although they have been known to eat upwards of 20 or more foals yearly in this area, we go about our daily lives, trying as best we can to take the precautions to keep our animals safe. Last year there were full grown miniature horses, goats, cats and dogs killed by mountain lions. But today, in broad daylight, the little miniature known as DaBubbles was lying quietly near the barn after playing and running around. Apparently, from what we can tell from the injuries, a cat came and grabbed him by the neck. He has deep slices that resemble knife wounds. He has scratches all over his neck, caused by razor sharp claws. He is torn up and only the fact that his mama, (and possibly the dogs and other mini out there) came to his rescue and scared the big cat away, caused him to survive. There was no sign of struggle or him being pulled to the ground. From what we can tell he was simply taking a nap. He has suffered hideous injuries and was immediately taken to the vet. The first words out of the vet tech's mouth were "this looks like a cat". He is home now, in the carport next to my bed, adjacent to Honey Bandit and Patches. He will require ongoing care for a great deal of time. The poor thing was just starting to do well after an eye injury. He is quiet now, and the vet gave him antibiotics, and some other medicines to help him stay comfortable while starting the long road to recovery. I was told by several people to keep this quiet, but felt impelled to let people know. A cat does not normally hunt during daylight hours. From what I understand, the cat that was recently spotted at some people's "camp" was injured. Nothing was done about the mountain lion, and that camp is only a few miles from our home. So there is a good chance that it is an injured cat that is struggling to stay alive and that is why he is hunting in daylight. Also, since he has an injury, he may have an infection or be ill from his wounds. These animals can be extremely dangerous. It could have been a small child that was attacked. I understand that we have moved into their territory, but this is obviously a cat with problems. We live near the school and every so often they have to put out signs when there is a "cat incident". Several years ago one of the neighbors by the school watched her cat being eaten by a mountain lion. So even though we are not strangers to "cat incidents", we need to take these very seriously. Please say a prayer for DaBubbles. He is such a sweetie. All is quiet as Ptatches, Honey Bandit, and DaBubbles sit quietly in the carport with me, safe from the scary bad things outside. We are looking at lots of ongoing continuous care and vet visits, but are expecting a good outcome. I am sorry this is not a happy update, but ya'll said you want to know what is really going on. So now we have DaBubbles AND Honey Bandit under 24/7 care. God bless and thank you for your thoughts and prayers. p Labels: cougar, DaBubbles, Honeybandit, Palomino Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:02 PM 1 comments
Thursday, November 11, 2010 HoneyBandit update in the cold On Wednesday night, the expected temperature for Shingletown were 20 degrees. Am so glad that we have some insulation up. It should only get down to around 25ish or so at our house. Patches and Honey Bandit are munching away and it is rather cozy in our little carport. The heater is blazing merrily away. I received an interesting email, commenting on the "negative aspects" of Honey Bandit that I am including in my updates. I answered, but thought that others might be curious as to why I include those tidbits of information. I was shocked and horrified when I first learned how fragile these beautiful babies are. I learned this during my first "critical rescue", when I was warned about not getting "too attached". I was told of stories where babies in Honey Bandit's condition, or maybe not even as bad, would be "brought back to health". They would thrive with the loving care they received and then start growing like crazy. Everything would be fine for a few months, and sometimes even a year. Then all of a sudden they would crash and die. This happens because sometimes their organs are so damaged that they cannot keep up and there is nothing you can do. As Honey Bandit's body was "eating itself" from starvation, and he had been brutally beaten, bit and kicked by the other horses, the true extent of the damage done to this courageous little horse is unknown. We have to remember that although he looks absolutely beautiful and is thriving, he is not out of the woods yet. He is doing wonderfully, but there are still some issues, ie. His lungs and a few neurological things. But we are hoping, and the vet feels that it is very probable, that his brain will continue to improve and his muscle memory will return. These are not unheard of problems when a foal has been through so much, but we are still monitoring him carefully. So long story short, I just want to let everyone know what is going on, good or bad. Since he is "America's Poster Boy to Stop the Roundups", and we are all a part of this rescue and his mission, I feel like you guys deserve the honest truth about what is happening with him. We couldn't have gotten this far with out everyone's help, prayers and support. It is truly a blessing to be a part of all this, especially since we are going to see some changes, (I believe) in BLM due to Honey Bandit's story. We have met some of the most awesome people, and I cannot express my thanks for all the prayers, help, and time spent to save this little guy. We hit a new first today. Usually Patches kicks HB and pushes him around when it comes to food. Of course they always have separate piles of hay, but Patches likes to run HB around for awhile and generally just show him who is the boss. But tonight for the first time they were eating quietly together. Ouch, .... poor Patches is lying quietly in the nice fresh straw, and Honey Bandit is walking over there and pawing him. He loves to take his front hoof and "smack" Patches on the back. Personally I think it is quite rude to do it when Patches is resting, but HB thinks it is great fun. Hmmmmmmmmm guess the eating together is over. After HB did his pawing, Patches got up and made him leave the food. So now HB went and laid down in the straw. We don't normally use straw, but since it is going to be even colder tonight, we figured a clean, deep, fresh bed of straw would be nice and warm. We are doing the best we can to get this place "winter-tight", but I sure hope that ya'll will say a prayer. I am supposed to make sure that HB doesn't breathe really cold air. So far we haven't had any "worse" problems with his health, and it would be awesome to keep it that way. Have a wonderful day, and if you haven't had a chance to see Honey Bandit's video, go to the following links. One of his new "aunties" made it for him. Enjoy... HB on YouTube more of HB on YouTube! Labels: Honeybandit Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 4:00 PM 1 comments
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