Helping Jak jak

This is Jak jak, he's the most recent Hithger rescue. Shortly after acquiring him it was discovered that he had chemical burns on his penis. I know you're thinking 'how the heck' or 'are you sure' , ya, whatever it is, it needs help to heal. He's been on antibiotics for some time now.

I had mentioned to his foster home that I had an idea for a 'fly mask' but really it's a 'cod piece' LOL!!
something to help keep that whole area cleaner and keep the flies off of it!!

So with my limited supplies that I have on hand, I constructed Jak jak the first ever donkey cod piece!
I already have plans to make another one, I need to get creative with what i have on hand, as I am not in a position to purchase more supplies. Although if anyone would like to donate or send supplies please leave a comment or contact me through the blog.

Some of the things I'll be needing are:
1.5" rings
1" D rings
1" heavy elastic
1" strapping - any kind - cotton, poly pro or nylon

Ok, so I know this looks soooo ridiculous, but it's doing it's job, keeping the flies off of his sheath area. and YES he can urinate LOL the material is Phirtex+ that I accidentally bought for fly masks, but the weave is too tight for the 'eye' area. I'm happy I ended up keeping it.

Jak jak did not seem to mind, he even seemed calmer, not as much stomping and swishing while wearing it.
I'm fabricating  a whole body fly sheet for him and the listed supplies will also help get that in the works. Right now I'm 'recycling' hardware since I've used the last bit of bigger stuff on Jak's cod piece.

Jak jak's protective cod piece before I trimmed the straps

Just got an update that Jack jack managed to itch himself bloody overnight ( the cod piece is removed - night time, less flies!)

so now I have been requested to make a donkey neck cradle!
because obviously horse size would not fit him!
So now we have to prevent the flies and HIM to from doing damage. This all just needs to heal! ACK!

Daisy's britchen is done!! WOO!!

Finally finished Daisy's britchen, or breeching!! I think it turned out awesome!!

Hoof cleaning, all of the time

After the girl's trim the other day my trimmer informed me that they're a little thrushy!!
in the middle of summer!?! ( actually the end now)

I take full responsibility, I had not been cleaning their feet enough.
So now they get their feet cleaned everyday, just like they're supposed too!!

I read someplace the best thing for thrush is a hoofpick!! and man what a difference of keeping their hooves clean has made!

I still went ahead & got some thrush treatment. I decided to go with 'no thrush' made by a farm in California. I don't like the idea of putting super caustic chemicals on the girls, ( I always try got keep everything to a minimum like fly sprays etc. - but with Daisy's front legs being eaten alive I have to apply it, until i make fly boots!)No thrush is a dry treatment, made of natural compounds.

I recieved my 'no thrush' yesterday and got it applied, this stuff does really 'sucks up the yuck'!! before I even put the foot down I could see it being absorbed into the thrushy areas.

IF you wanna check out no thrush I'll post a link - also it was in this month's Western Horsemen magazine, I thought that was cool

http://www.nothrushshop.com/index.html

The girls don't have much thrush, each have a little spot on about 2 hooves, but I need to make sure it gets taken care of. They don't really like me cleaning it out either, but each day I get more & more out. so eventually we'll get there.

Also my other plan of attack has been to keep their pasture spotless! And I have!
in an earlier post i posted about how clean their pen was, it's still like that! I clean their pen twice a day, especially right after I clean feet. That was the only wet thing in their pasture that has been causing their thrush! POOP! they find the one pile & go step in it!

so somehow, amazingly, i get up ( yes in my pajama's!! LOL) and feed, then pick up all the poop in the morning -yes you heard right, BEFORE COFFEE!!

LOL
then in the evening I clean feet, pick up poop, then feed again.

I've been experimenting with their feeding situation ( while the weather is still good), I've been placing their hay in little teeny tiny piles all over the pasture ( I weigh both rations together). That way it's a big hay easter egg hunt. they nibble on a pile, walk to he next, nibble, walk. Almost like real grazing!! LOL

This morning Daisy tried to mob me while i was distributing the piles, i wasn't having it!!
she got nothing! Little brat, I made it clear to her she is not allowed to come up and bully me while I'm putting out hay. Martha is respectful and just waits for a pile to be dropped and starts eating, no bullying.

I have plans to do a pasture paradise setup in the pasture this winter, so when spring grasses come they can't have access to ALL of it all of the time. I believe this is what made martha a little chubby - also i shouldve fed less during those months.

I imagine when it rains I'll have to set up some slow feeders in the shelter. But for now this is working out well.

Britchen Progress!!

I'm about 75% Done!! WOO HOO!!

I'm halfway done with the first cinch tug, and have to braid the other one and then that's it!
This is quite the project! I love how it's turning out, I love that it's gonna be super adjustable and strong!!

Keep track of your donkey's health records with this free form!

Found this today, and it's great for anyone who is looking for an easy way to keep track of your equine's health records!

I personally made a spreadsheet for Daisy & Martha :)

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/media/pdf/horse-health-record.pdf

Daisy skids a tire!

recently acquired a singletree & got it all hooked up to Daisy, used some twine to put it back further than the tugs on the breastcollar.

As far as I know this is her first time actually pulling something!!

Poop Free

Spent almost 5 hours cleaning the pasture/run. I had been seriously slacking on it, so I just went and did ALL of it!
I'm beat, but it least the girls have a clean place to hang out

they both got their feet cleaned twice today!

the pen and the alley way all got scraped and scooped. part of the pasture got the same, but I started running out of steam, so it just got picked up. the only thing thats left is lots of dead grass and really old poo. I noticed when I got to the pasture I was picking up a lot of fluff, the wheelbarrow was significantly lighter than what came out of the pen/alleyway