Hello friends....
this weary traveler has just returned from Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Jose, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Moss Landing, and all point in between. Our family put on 5,000 miles in the past nine days.
I have lots of tales to share about our adventures, and HAD tons of pictures. Unfortunately, my digital camera was taken off a restaurant table at Moss Landing in California the last night of our stay. I spent the entire drive from there through Yosemite National Park crying, having lost all of my memories from that trip.
Fortunately, my daughter took a few pictures with her digital camera that I am hoping will turn out so I can share them all with you.
Good friends and good times and, most of all, we all arrived back safe and sound.
I will write more later!
URGENT NEED: Shipping from Sparta WI to the ASAP farm for three Standardbreds.
Call me on my cell if you can help 608-792-5126
Susan
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Life's Journey
Life changes constantly, and our ability to change with it and adjust to the ebb and flow of life is crucial to our emotional well being. During the past week I have had a lot of ups and downs, but nothing life-threatening.
Rachel dug her heels in about going to 4-H camp in Galesville last weekend. She has been all about softball and being with her friends, but horse camp was met with flat-out refusal. After a long day at work I came home to the pressure last Thursday of loading up two horses and their supplies and equipment and getting them up to Galesville. While we did that (Alyssa and Jess and Judy and I), Rachel was off playing ball.
On Friday Rachel did not want to go to horse camp but went anyway with Alyssa (our college intern) while I went to work. I can honestly say that went pretty well. My son Zach had a ball game in Coon Valley (hideous name for a town) and we were joined by my oldest son Jordan and his girlfriend, Rachel, who came home from Florida for a week. My oldest daughter, Cherie, also came to the game with Julien. Later, my sister Heidi and her family and my mother also joined us at the ball park. Looking back, I don't think I have felt so complete and content in a very long time. We all were there watching Zach pitch and play, shouting our support, and just enjoying being together. After the game we all went out to eat at the Hideaway in Chaseburg - a big, long table awaited us. I sat across from my grown son Jordan and next to my mother and daughter, surrounded by love. I have captured the time in my heart, soul, and memory, but did not take pictures. I hope my sister, who always carries a camera, remembered to get some!
Saturday I convinced my daughter to go back to the horse camp. We attended a veterinarian's clinic and made some beads for the horses to wear. When it came time to saddle up and join a group, the heels once again dug in. I do not claim to know my kids well enough to understand all of their emotions and reasons behind them, but I do know that if I push my kids too hard they will come to resent the very things I long for them to love. I didn't fight it. We just rode alone and spent time together, then put the horses away and had a girl's day out shopping. Saturday night Jordan went out with friends. Cherie made plans to move some of her things to Phoenix where she is hoping to teach. Changes again.........
Sunday we needed to go up to Galesville again to pick up the horses and load up our things. Thanks to Judy and Jess for cleaning up the stalls and some of our tack. Back home, horses happy, house is full of children now grown and their girlfriends and friends, some new friends and my kids' friends. Full house, full heart.........but messy house too! A pipe broke in our basement which flooded the bedroom which forced three people upstairs for showers and bathroom use. Towels on floor, piled high, dirty clothes sprawled, but still a very warm fuzzy feeling inside.
Unfortunately, Monday came. More ballgames, and everyone spread in all directions. Horses are part of our everyday life - who do we ride, who do we work with, who needs extra feed, which horses in the herd aren't a good fit, and the routine feels good. Mix all of this with my work and the ballgames finding us split between two communities that are fifty miles apart, and you get the picture.
After waiting for my son to come home to go trail riding at Duck Egg, we gave up the wait after 6 pm Wednesday. I was sorely disappointed, but friends and the attraction of hanging with them were probably a lot more exhilerating than a trail ride with old mom. Still, Jordan suggested it.
That's okay - Alyssa and I saddled Magnus, Taser Gun and Fargo. I rode Magnus for a time, until people pulled into the driveway for rabbits......then saddled Taser and Fargo and took a well-deserved trail ride and road ride which Taser enjoyed more than we did! He is in my heart forever - it feels so great to have a horse who seeks me out and wants to come out to be with me. After three years, the magic and the bonding has happened! Another great change.
Thursday work, then race home to play with horses, fix fences, clean out water tanks, watch Sid the llama get sheared and feet trimmed, deworm the llama, and contemplate how much else we could fit in our day before the storm rolled in or the sun went down.........now I sit at 10:00 at night eating vegetarian pizza and trying to suppress the sadness I feel because my oldest son, three hours ago, said "so long" to head back to Florida. As we speak, the horse trailer is loaded with furniture and belongings that my daughter and two of her friends will have us drive to Phoenix tomorrow. Something in me wishes I was dreaming and that she was not leaving me, too. To top it all off, my two youngest kids don't want to go on this vacation.......because they will miss ballgames! AAAAAAUUUUGHHHHHH. We will laugh about it someday (?).
I'll post some pictures from Cherie's college graduation party and a picture of Alyssa on Taser for the first time yesterday, among others. Pray for our trip - we have people here holding the fort down but it is never the same and I am never totally at peace. Still, we have to go! My kids still need me............if you need me in the next week call my cell at 608-792-5126.
Wish us a safe journey on this very bittersweet chapter of life.
Susan
Monday, June 7, 2010
Updates
We want to sincerely welcome Alyssa W. to the ASAP farm and Wellman family! Alyssa is a student who will be attending Kirkwood College in Iowa in the fall, and wants to intern at a horse farm or with a rescue or adoption group. Alyssa brings experience in horsemanship and training, and we look forward to a full summer with lots of adventure. Alyssa will assist with day camps, lessons, refining saddle training on ASAP horses, and more. Her week is busy already, working with Cricket, Timesareachanging, and Taser Gun to name a few. This weekend she will travel with us to 4-H horse camp in Trempealeau, WI. She will assist three gals from our area and their horses! We are happy to have her on board with ASAP.
Earlier in the year ASAP served as a place for Globe University students to come to complete clinicals in certain areas related to veterinary technology. We are pleased that the community and beyond finds ASAP as a welcoming place to learn and grow.
We'll be giving shots this week thanks to the donation from Lori H. W. of Iowa. Lori, you are a saint to make this possible!
Thanks to Ms. Dudkowski for her recent donation of $500! What a gift! And to think that we will also receive a matching grant from her place of employment. We are excited to meet her later this year when she and her boyfriend come to spend a few days with the horses.
We had another blessing when I responded to a bulletin board ad on the internet offering to pick up unwanted items and even junk that people don't want. Art and his wife Robin came down last Monday and looked through our donations of horse tack and supplies and took home a huge tote full of new bits and spurs - and all of our old worn out saddle blankets - and left us a check for almost $200! Sometimes things just go so well for ASAP - we count it all blessing.
To top it all off, when we were so grateful, yet another GREAT thing has happened! A group from Wisconsin who have been watching ASAP's activities and even paid a surprise visit to the ASAP farm unannounced when we were not home, sent us a large donation today. It arrived in the mail and Craig asked me if I was sitting down - with this gifting we are able to care for larger numbers of horses who may come to the farm - we can vaccinate, trim hooves, and purchase adequate GOOD hay for the horses for an extended period! Thank you Jan! Thank you Lisa!
This is amazing, unexpected, but very much appreciated. We want you to come back and meet us and spend time with the horses!
So our summer begins. There must have been 15 people in our yard both Saturday and Sunday. Most of the ASAP horses are being ridden on a regular basis by people who happen by the farm. No one is paying to ride - and we have not, thus far, charged to ride. HOWEVER, with the numbers growing, we feel we need to ask for donations from families who come to ride on a regular basis. Remmie, Chief, Honey Fitz, Lakehills Texas, King's Royal Fella are all getting regular workouts. Many beginner riders are riding well-seasoned and well-trained horses, but this could also be a real problem if allowed to continue regularly. We'll let you know how our revision of riding policies pans out shortly.
Sponsorships available:
Brandy - has side bone and requires wedge shoes on her fronts to keep her from rocking back on her heels
Arne- old racing injury resulted in rear hock whose scar tissue is the size of a baseball or larger. He is growing progressively weaker on his good leg that is compensating for the big hock. He also is developing a roached back. We would love to get him more comfortable with massage therapy and/or orthopedic supports. Need $$$ to do this.
Bob Cook - old racing injury on front results in a limp on the affected leg. His good foot is taking much more weight than the injured foot - resulting in a hoof which is noticeably larger and more panned out than the other. Bob needs regular hoof care to keep him walking on all four legs.
Strawberry - her hips are sore from having been bred back-to-back for several years before coming to ASAP. She needs supplements to keep her joints as healthy as possible.
Stylish Sharon - needs sponsorship to maintain a good weight during fall and winter months. Although she is looking good now, she will require supplements and extra feed when she no longer has longer supple grass to eat.
Steelin Apples - needs sponsorship for diagnostics to determine where his lameness is coming from. We know he has nerve damage in his front legs as side affect from injections done while racing, but his rear legs have some abnormal things going on that we are not able to determine without going to an advanced equine vet clinic. We have been wishing for $$$ for Apples for over two years to help pay for xrays, tests, but thus far no funds have come in.
I will write more very soon with pictures from this past weekend!
Sue
Thanks to Ursula C. for the donation of a 20+ acre pasture for Bob, Arne, Strawberry, Steelin Apples, Little John, and Stylish Sharon this summer. They think they died and went to heaven!
Earlier in the year ASAP served as a place for Globe University students to come to complete clinicals in certain areas related to veterinary technology. We are pleased that the community and beyond finds ASAP as a welcoming place to learn and grow.
We'll be giving shots this week thanks to the donation from Lori H. W. of Iowa. Lori, you are a saint to make this possible!
Thanks to Ms. Dudkowski for her recent donation of $500! What a gift! And to think that we will also receive a matching grant from her place of employment. We are excited to meet her later this year when she and her boyfriend come to spend a few days with the horses.
We had another blessing when I responded to a bulletin board ad on the internet offering to pick up unwanted items and even junk that people don't want. Art and his wife Robin came down last Monday and looked through our donations of horse tack and supplies and took home a huge tote full of new bits and spurs - and all of our old worn out saddle blankets - and left us a check for almost $200! Sometimes things just go so well for ASAP - we count it all blessing.
To top it all off, when we were so grateful, yet another GREAT thing has happened! A group from Wisconsin who have been watching ASAP's activities and even paid a surprise visit to the ASAP farm unannounced when we were not home, sent us a large donation today. It arrived in the mail and Craig asked me if I was sitting down - with this gifting we are able to care for larger numbers of horses who may come to the farm - we can vaccinate, trim hooves, and purchase adequate GOOD hay for the horses for an extended period! Thank you Jan! Thank you Lisa!
This is amazing, unexpected, but very much appreciated. We want you to come back and meet us and spend time with the horses!
So our summer begins. There must have been 15 people in our yard both Saturday and Sunday. Most of the ASAP horses are being ridden on a regular basis by people who happen by the farm. No one is paying to ride - and we have not, thus far, charged to ride. HOWEVER, with the numbers growing, we feel we need to ask for donations from families who come to ride on a regular basis. Remmie, Chief, Honey Fitz, Lakehills Texas, King's Royal Fella are all getting regular workouts. Many beginner riders are riding well-seasoned and well-trained horses, but this could also be a real problem if allowed to continue regularly. We'll let you know how our revision of riding policies pans out shortly.
Sponsorships available:
Brandy - has side bone and requires wedge shoes on her fronts to keep her from rocking back on her heels
Arne- old racing injury resulted in rear hock whose scar tissue is the size of a baseball or larger. He is growing progressively weaker on his good leg that is compensating for the big hock. He also is developing a roached back. We would love to get him more comfortable with massage therapy and/or orthopedic supports. Need $$$ to do this.
Bob Cook - old racing injury on front results in a limp on the affected leg. His good foot is taking much more weight than the injured foot - resulting in a hoof which is noticeably larger and more panned out than the other. Bob needs regular hoof care to keep him walking on all four legs.
Strawberry - her hips are sore from having been bred back-to-back for several years before coming to ASAP. She needs supplements to keep her joints as healthy as possible.
Stylish Sharon - needs sponsorship to maintain a good weight during fall and winter months. Although she is looking good now, she will require supplements and extra feed when she no longer has longer supple grass to eat.
Steelin Apples - needs sponsorship for diagnostics to determine where his lameness is coming from. We know he has nerve damage in his front legs as side affect from injections done while racing, but his rear legs have some abnormal things going on that we are not able to determine without going to an advanced equine vet clinic. We have been wishing for $$$ for Apples for over two years to help pay for xrays, tests, but thus far no funds have come in.
I will write more very soon with pictures from this past weekend!
Sue
Thanks to Ursula C. for the donation of a 20+ acre pasture for Bob, Arne, Strawberry, Steelin Apples, Little John, and Stylish Sharon this summer. They think they died and went to heaven!
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