Shortly after I arrived home from work yesterday, I got a phone call from my neighbor, Karen.  "Did you get your horses back?" she asked when I picked up the phone. "Huh??" was my puzzled response. Turned out we'd had a few nags go walkabout, as the Aussies say--Bessie and Rusty, to be precise--and I had not yet been informed of the fact. Since I could see them out the window in the paddock as usual, I was able to assure Karen that yes, indeed, our horses had returned to us... before running downstairs to ask whatintheHECK had happened?

The answer: no one was sure. Their departure was discovered by our other neighbor Brian, who called the house to let Thomas know that he'd spotted them wandering up Haines Meadow Road. Since Mark was off getting wood chips from Colonial Tree at the time, Thomas ran down Hemlock Hollow Road looking for them, stopping first at Karen's (which is how she knew before I did about my free-range equines) and then going to the end of the road to seek them out. Somehow they slipped past him and got back onto the property, because when he returned, they were munching on the grass by the septic mound. From there, they tore up most of the lawn we put in last fall--it look like someone lobbed a few small rounds of short-range ammo at them--left a few hoofprints in the back by the play park, and then went quietly back into their paddock. None the worse for wear, apparently. 

Mark blames Rusty, who has a habit of chewing on the chain that fastens their gate. I, however, think it was Bessie--she has a history of getting her gate open when no one is looking. Guess we'll never know, but we WILL be securing their gate a little more carefully in the future.

I mean, I REALLY shouldn't do this. But I'm gonna. Some of my horsie friends are going to kill me, but...

So an acquaintance sent me the link to the Nicker Network, which is a web-based video option featuring all horses, all the time. I was browsing through one of the channels when I spied a banner ad for something called EquiBaby. It SEEMED to be a site that offered products for baby horses, which is something we're expecting in—YIKES!—a mere 5 weeks. (More on that in a minute.) Against my better judgment, I clicked on the banner ad and found myself at www.equibaby.com. Which is NOT a site selling products for the owners of pregnant mares, it's a site selling products for new parents—and, you guessed it, all of the products have a horse theme. There are horsie teethers. Horsie PJs. Cowboy and Unicorn BooBoo Bandages. Horsie blankies, playmats, and baby towels. All so incredibly cute, you darn near wanna melt... but if you happen to have a horse-mad little boy or girl, it's the answer to a prayer. They're not bargain basement, but they weren't nearly as pricey as I rather expected.

So there you have it. I've turned to the dark side and blogged about a retail site. Forgive me... 

Oh, and... on the foal front... Mist is so huge, she's waddling. She looks like a big black penguin from behind. I'm starting to wonder if she's expecting twins. Maybe Rainman is really a Clydesdale and no one told me. My pelvic ligaments ache in sympathy every time I look at the poor dear creature. We have GOT to get a security camera in the foaling stall or else we're going to have to take turns sleeping in the barn with her. I might get more sleep out there than I do in the house, at that... it would be one way to wean Eric...

On a more serious note, one last thing before I call it a night. Word is that the two QH mares we helped rescue back in March are going to make it. That's the good news. The bad news... This from my aunt in NC:

adoption placements and rescues are doubled in the past year - drought has destroyed the horse hay crop, and bermuda is going for $4.00 a bale - which is about 50% more than usual.  Some people are abandoning their horses, just turning them loose, and others put them out on pasture that isn't.  Prices are feed um and take um -  really disheartening - the rescue orgs have had to beg for donations -  don't know where it all will end, but glad you and yours are still healthy and happy -

I know we're all strapped right now, but if you have any spare change to offer, the North Carolina Equine Rescue League could use the help (www.ncerl.com)