California Rocks!

Hi Fans!
Last night, I was like, you know, hangin' with Jen's herd in Chico, where the big truck left me on Thursday, when I recognized familiar voices. Like, whoa, it was Mom and Mister Albino! I was like, hey, Dudes, they finally got here!



Mom was like, "Hey, Winnie, whatcha doin'?"



And Mister Albino was like, "Winnie, Winnie, it's Albino!"

They gave me smooches and hugs and STUD MUFFINS! I was like, Whoa! Stud Muffins! Mister Albino liked my anklets with the rhinestone detail. Mom admired my new sunglasses and tried them on.

Then today they came back with Mom's filly, JayaMae. She was, like, you know, driving a white trailer with shiny new tires. Mom led me out of Jen's paddock and told me I'd be going to my new home.



We drove up a butte and into the hills, and Mister Albino entertained me with stupid jokes. "How many Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb?"

I said, "Dude, that's too easy. Three. Like, you know, one to screw in the light bulb and two to share the experience."




When we got to the ranch Mom unloaded me and JayaMae introduced me to her horse, Asali. And I was like, "Whoa! Howdy!"

And Asali was, like, "Whoa! I've heard all about you!"



Then Mom turned me out to experience the California beach sand they've got in the round pen. I said, "Dooooooode, I think I like this place. Rock and roll!"



After my roll, one of JayaMae's colts brought me water and gave me a nice pat. I think I'm gonna love it here, you know? Like, you know, Dude, California ROCKS!

Mister Albino Finds a Tumbleweed

Click the link below to follow Mister Albino's latest adventures!

Mister Albino Finds A Tumbleweed

It's a BOY!

HI FANS!

The mare I told you about the other day had a frisky little colt! He sure is cute. His momma is very proud. She asked me to be his Godmother and to send her a postcard from Paradise after I get there. They are doing well in Kansas. I am on the trailer again, traveling West. I earned a couple of stud muffins by getting back into my stall here without a fuss.



Mom and Mister Albino sent me some photos of their adventures yesterday. Seems they visited Mom's five acres in Colorado and then toured a fort nearby, where my ancestors stayed. That's right, some of my ancestors were Calvary horses!



Mom got Mister Albino to look over the edge of the cliff at Wolf Pass. He called me first to ask what I thought about it. I told him he should trust Mom. After Mom got her picture he called me again, all excited because he thought he saw a herd of wild horses in the meadow below. Later I got a third call. He found out they were from the dude ranch down in the valley. I told him to stop calling me so much.

Winnie's News from the Trailer

Hi, Fans!

While Mom and Mister Albino were raising Cain in Dodge City I was having an adventure of my own. As we were driving along and I was enjoying some hay, one of my traveling companions started to act like she was going to have a baby. I understand they call it "going into labor." I didn't know what to do. We had to detour to find a vet so she could get some help. My transporters found a vet and she's in good hands. They took all the horses off the trailer so we could stretch our legs. I'm resting tonight west of Kansas City in a big stall with a nice turnout area. We start heading west again tomorrow.

Mom and Mister Albino have left Dodge and are now ahead of me in La Junta, Colorado. I'm not worried. Since Mister Albino likes to look at everything interesting along the way, I'm sure I'll get to California before them. He wants Mom to detour tomorrow so he can see the world's largest ball of string. Today he stopped to look at a fiberglass dinosaur and then called me to tell me all about it. Here's the picture he took with his camera phone and emailed to me. Love, Winnie

Rolling In and Out of Dodge City, KS

Yesterday, before we left Eastern Kansas for Dodge City, Mister Albino and I attended a "de-spooking clinic" presented by the Midwest Mustang and Burro Saddle Club. Horses navigated through obstacles and kept their cool even with cap guns firing around them!



Linda showed off her foster mustang and Amy ponied hers beside her horse, proving their suitability for adoption.



Then Mister Albino and I headed for Dodge City, Kansas, to tour the famous wild west town. Winnie and I had hoped to walk there before winter snows stopped us, but her lameness ended our journey much earlier than that!

After visiting the Boot Hill Cemetery and Museum, we watched a gunfight re-enactment in front of the Long Branch Saloon.



Mister Albino got blamed for starting it all and ended up in jail. Lucky for him I bailed him out and we got the heck out of Dodge before the sun set!

Road Shots

For the first time ever, Mister Albino saw the St. Louis Arch! Once we drove beyond the city limits, I spent the day scanning the horizon for those famous Missouri Mules. The "show me" state didn't show me a one, unless you count the two pictured on a billboard advertising the fair in Sedalia.



Tonight we are in Wellsville, KS, hosted by Kristy and Randy Billinger of the Midwest Mustang and Burro Saddle Club, a hard-working couple with a herd of beautiful mustangs, some rescue horses, dogs, cats and an adopted burro or two.


Winnie sends kisses from the road. She's traveling through Missouri and we are just over the Kansas line. By the way, shortly after we crossed into Kansas, I finally caught a glimpse of several mules munching grass in a field. I think they wandered over from Missouri!

Good News From the Road

Hi Fans!


Guess What!
I am riding in style on a big 18-wheeler! Mom told me her friend, Joyce Anderson, raised money for my trip to California and WOW, have I got it made. First, Kay from McLemore's Horse Transport rolled out a carpet to cushion the ramp and then rewarded me with stud muffins for walking into my celebrity box stall. I am knee deep in shavings and hay, loving it! Mom loaned me her netbook and Mister Albino his wi-fi so I could send emails to my fans and blog from the road.

Tonight Mom forwarded me an email from Dave at Wyandot County Equine Rescue, to tell me two of my girlfriends, Phoebe and Dove, were adopted! Then I found out my pal, Blake, got his staples out, and is feeling great! Here's what Dave wrote:

Hi Ann,

Thought you might like to know that the nice people that were there this morning have decided to adopt both Phoebe and Dove.





I also removed Blake's staples tonight and his wound is looking good and there is no sign of lameness at this point. Tomorrow we will let him out in the arena for a while and hopefully in two weeks we will remove the shoe and put him back in with some other horses.



Hope your trip is going well.

Dave

With that kind of good news, of course my trip is going well! Thanks, Joyce and friends, for donating to my trailer fund. I am having a lot of fun!

Love, Winnie

My Pals Need Someone to Love Them Forever

Hi Fans!

Winnie here, feeling a bit melancholy as I say good-bye to my friends at Wyandot County Equine Rescue. Mom says an air ride truck will be picking me up tomorrow and taking me to California because my legs hurt and I can't walk all the way there.

Today Mister Albino took pictures of all my friends here so I can make a scrapbook. Mom sent the pictures to the webmaster at the Wyandot Rescue website, who will put them on the internet in hopes some humans with horse experience will come to adopt them.

All my Ohio friends have been telling me how lucky I am to have someone who loves me, someone who won't give me away even though I am lame. All the horses here are looking for someone like that to love them forever and ever. A few are lame like me, but they might get better. Some had cruel owners who mistreated them and they have a few problems with people but they will get over that if someone who understands horses adopts them. Others had pretty good humans and there isn't anything at all wrong with them, but their caretakers got sick or had to give them up because they lost their jobs. Here are the photos of my Ohio friends who are looking for homes. I am going to miss them!

Love, Winnie

I Go to College

Hi, Fans,
Today I went to the prestigious Daniel M. Galbreath Equine Research Center at Ohio State University. Dave Balz, from the Wyandot County Equine Rescue facility was kind enough to drive me down to Columbus in his trailer. It was a very smooth trip. Mom and Mister Albino rode up front with Dave while I ate hay in the back. As we were approaching the Galbreath Equine Center I could see the Ohio State football stadium out my trailer window. Too bad there wasn't a game today.



After we parked, Mom went inside to find out where she should take me. While she was doing that Mister Albino climbed into the trailer to keep me company and reminisce about his college days. He spoke very enthusiastically about his college experience. This made me think I was in for a fun day.

Mom came back and unloaded me and led me into the beautiful equine center. I met some vets and some students studying to become vets. One of the first people I met was Mallory. She read on my web site that I like Stud Muffins and bought some for me. I was loving college already!

Then I met Dr. Williams and Dr. Yvonne Elce. While the doctors asked Mom questions about me, I ate hay and enjoyed some water. Then Mallory led me outside for some tests. Dr. Williams held one of my legs off the ground for a minute and then asked Mallory to walk me back and forth. While I was walking the doctors watched me and explained to the students what they were looking for. At the end of each trial I got a Stud Muffin. Isn't college great?! I happily repeated the test at a trot. After the flex test the students petted me and rubbed my nose.



Later on, I met Dr. Catherine Kohn, who explained to the class how to tell if I had a nerve problem. She showed them my pretty face, my pearly whites, my tongue and what she described as "doll eyes." She also pushed me around a bit, and pulled my tail. I figured out she was testing my balance and trying to see if I knew where to put my feet. Of course I know where to put them--how do you think I got into college? I must have passed the test because I got another Stud Muffin!



By now it was time for lunch. While Mom, Dave, and Mister Albino were eating, the doctors took me down for x-rays. They gave me something that made me sleepy. When I woke up, there was Mister Albino, looking at me. He told me that Mom was discussing the results of my tests with the doctors.

When Mom came back she told me that I have bilateral hind limb lameness localized to the stifles. I think that means my back legs are sore. I have been trying to tell her this ever since New Jersey! Mom said the doctors want me to rest for four to six months after I get to California. She said the prognosis is good for me to return to normal activity after the rest, and it doesn't look like I have nerve damage.

Before I left college, I got another Stud Muffin. Mom loaded me in the trailer and Dave drove Mom, Mister Albino and me back to Carey.

What a great day! I got to eat hay in the trailer, I met lots of new friends, and I earned lots of stud muffins with my PhD (pretty happy Day). I can understand why people go to college. I had a great time! Go, Buckeyes!

Thanks to the doctors and students for taking such good care of me.
Love,
Winnie