Snacks Eats

It’s Wednesday so here’s another water buffet! Spritz took his job as Official Taste Tester very seriously this week. He had 2 favorites- bet you’ll be able to figure out which ones he liked best!

This week we have:
•Rosehip powder, on repeat from last week since the horses all loved it plus it’s fantastic for joints, the immune system, and digestion
•Ceylon Cinnamon, for metabolic and insulin support (I was hoping Snacks would be into this since he is insulin resistant, but he said no thanks)
•Carrot powder, which packs a lot of beta carotene and can support healthy immune function, along with being highly palatable
•Chaste tree berry powder, for hormonal support and metabolic health

Instead of dumping the herbs directly into the buckets of cold water, I first dissolved them in a little bit of hot water, and then filled the buckets with cold water once everything was thoroughly mixed and dissolved. I

If you’ve tried a water buffet, I would love to hear what flavors your horse likes best!

I had 2 weeks off work and did nothing except hang out at home with my horses all day. It was glorious. Why would I want to go on vacation when I’ve got all this right in my backyard? (Also cannot afford to go on vacation because of said backyard but that is not the point 😂)

I asked Penny how she feels about being the mother figure to two incredibly annoying pony geldings 😂 She does such a good job tolerating them 😂

Penny ended up with ulcers AND an infection after our little vacation to get away from the fireworks 🫠 $647 in vet bills and 24 syringes of meds later, she is finally feeling better! 🙌🏻 I am so glad I had 2 weeks off work to monitor her and make sure her meds were properly spaced out. She’s 29 years old so I am extra cautious when it comes to her health. Next time we have to travel, I will definitely be giving her more intensive ulcer and immune support.

Can’t get anything done around here because I’m spending all my time scratching Penny’s belly 😂 She is very persistent when it comes to asking for belly rubs 😂

Spritzy has figured out that he can sort of reach Penny’s alfalfa if he goes full giraffe neck mode, so I’m adding some height to Penny’s side to see if that works 🤞🏻

Latest (but not greatest 😂) addition to the track! Is it fancy? No. Is it pretty? Also no. But it’s functional, it’s cheap (under $100!) and easy to install, and the horses appreciate having a little extra shade in the summer.

I noticed that in the afternoons, my horses like to hang out in this very hot, sunny corner 🥵 I figured they might appreciate having some shade here, but I really didn’t want to spend a ton of money and time to build something permanent for them. This setup works great and my horses love shading under it. If you need a cheap and easy way to add some shade to your horses’ setup, I highly recommend grabbing 4 t-posts, a shade sail, and some baling twine!

I interviewed Penny to ask why she felt the need to sunbathe at 2 pm on the hottest day of the year so far. Here’s what she had to say about it 😂 Hope all of our friends are doing ok in this heat 🥵

The water buffet is expanding! I stopped by the feed store yesterday and I’m pretty sure it’s a rule that you aren’t allowed to leave the feed store without buying at least one bucket 🪣 …right? 😂

The heatwave finally hit us 🥵 and Penny is still recovering from the infection she picked up on vacation 🤒 so this week’s offerings are all about hydration and immune support.

This week we have:
•Salt, which the horses usually enjoy when it’s hot out (they also get salt daily in their feed)
•Nettle powder, which has anti-inflammatory properties and detoxifying effects in addition to packing a ton of nutrients
•Rosehip powder, highly palatable and offers immune, digestive, and joint support, plus a good source of Vitamin C
•Turmeric powder, which supports the immune system and joints

As you might be able to see in the video, some herbs work better when you mix them in hot water or steep them like tea before adding to the bucket- I’ve been lazy and just putting them directly into the cold water. The rosehips got a bit clumpy so next time I’ll try mixing them in hot water first.

Oh Spritzy… he’s a very special little Shetland. He was put up for sale because he was trying for a second career as a rodeo bucking horse. When I met him for the first time, I watched him try to crawl into a stroller with a small child. I was immediately smitten. I hired an animal communicator who said Spritz has a hard time fitting in with other horses because he doesn’t quite understand social skills. That’s kind of an understatement 😂 He is such a character, and even if he does have a few screws loose, I’m so glad he ended up with me 💖