​​It’s been a relatively quiet and snowy winter here in northwest lower Michigan, and most of us - horses, cats, and humans - are awaiting spring. (Farm Security Agent Jake, a real fan of winter, enjoys his own take on “snowplowing” every time we get a fresh fall. He’s only sad that his humans don’t embrace snow-rolling with the same enthusiasm he shows.) There has been some snowshoeing, some basic groundwork, and some grooming as we wait, but in general winter is a time for planning - garden, training, and program - and catching up with everything set aside during the busy summer. The horses wait, welcoming their occasional human visitors as they dream of spring grass and summer fields.
 
A Sad Goodbye
As many of you know, we lost our lovely Arab, Shadows of Mahogany, in mid-January. He was 26 - a significant age for a horse - and developed probable pneumonia with incipient kidney failure after an esophageal choking incident.  Aging horses sometimes experience significant decay in their back molars, necessitating removal of those teeth if infection and pain result. This was the case with Shadow some years back. This is one of the harder aspects of managing an older herd, as many equine therapy-related facilities do. Our older horses have wisdom and calmness, but like any aging population, they are more prone to health issues. We are proud, though, that Shadow lived such a long and interesting life. He was very much loved, and he is greatly missed. (For those who wish to donate in his memory, we will soon be offering a keepsake made from the hair of his mane. Check back here for more information, coming soon.) 
 

​​As you may know if you visit our website frequently, Manistee Habitat For Humanity approached us not long ago regarding a replacement mounting block and wheelchair ramp for our arena. The ramp is now a reality! HFH volunteers first helped us raise the cost of materials, and then worked on site for several days, during which time staff from the Manistee News Advocate visited for photos and a report. (See story link here.) The ramp is now complete, and has been tested by horses and volunteers alike.

We just recently completed our Safenet season, which brought twenty-three children out to the farm over a six-week period. Our Safenet kids are divided into two groups: GALLOP for girls, who came out each Monday during our program period, and BRONCO for boys, who came out every Wednesday. They rode horses, played with kittens (this summer we have fostered cat-moms from Homeward Bound and Repo’s Rescue) groomed and walked ponies, hit golf balls, and whizzed around on golf cart rides. An accompanying grandparent recently wrote to us “What a wonderful program you provide for these kids. It’s a joy to see the excitement on their faces as they’re learning about the horses!” One of the Safenet workers also told us that meeting our horses helped overcome her fear of them. ("Now I'm comfortable around those giant, beautiful beasts, thanks to all of you!")