Greetings!

We faced the summer as a Team with Volunteers, Mark and Billy taking over all of the care and decisions for the horses (and mules and donkey) because Katharine sustained a spinal injury in February. After a couple of months in bed, then Osteopathic care, an Orthopedic doctor and physical therapy, she is recovering.

This experience showed us that the Dharmahorse "village" can take care of all the equines at both stable yards and see them through a brutally hot season, day in, day out, with skill and compassion.

Teddy came up on our radar in August. He had been rescued by a kind man in our area. Teddy's condition was dire. He had been starved. Of course we took him in, we have the hay chopper and Teddy needed chopped, soaked alfalfa hay!

He is a sweet, small, 30 something year old gelding. Dr. Heather floated his teeth and they were a disaster. Corwin got his hooves trimmed (they were not good, but are balanced now). And he devours not only the chopped, soaked hay, but also flakes of soft alfalfa.

He gets daily "medicine mashes" with mineral salt and psyllium (his poop float had sand...). He is getting some Uva Ursi for now because his urine was scanty, but he is drinking more water and even trotted around, looking stronger the other day. We all adore him.

Our very sad news is that we lost our precious Comet. He laid down one afternoon and no matter how we helped, he could not get up again. It was time. We had him euthanized. It was a kindness and it was soul-crushing for us.

We had him with us for 5 good years. He was the kindest soul and he was cherished by everyone. Corwin had finally balanced and supported his hooves so he could even canter around with Murray! The Equioxx helped keep him pain-free (he had serious arthritis) and we believe his last couple of years were extra happy for him.

Murray is doing okay. He has Chinquapin beside him and Darjeeling on the other side of his pen. Comet would have had a much harder time than Murray, had it been the opposite way.

An important daily afternoon task was misters!

The days all seemed to rise into 100+ degree temperatures. Keeping water tubs FULL, salt blocks and shade available and mashes fed regularly (even extra mashes!) kept everyone safe.

It was daunting heat for everyone (equines and humans!). The nights did cool down, compared to the days, but mornings heated up quickly.

We needed the quarantine pen for Teddy... Sage had been living in it. So, we divided the main track and Sage is in the smaller half with the new shelter. The 4 Sisters have the larger "half" with the 3 shelters that have "quarters" for them.

We moved the big blue feeder - we could not have Sage anywhere near it! He gets into feeders, all four hooves when they fit! And he fell into a blue feeder way back - had to use the tractor to get him out!

We had an amazing donation of a lovely horse trailer! Now we have three fine trailers, for all sizes of equines.

Darjeeling is doing well. He is healthy and his hooves are improving. He still finds humans a bit worrisome...

And Sugar is doing well. Corwin has rubbery glue-on shoes on her front hooves. She gets Myo fascial release body work with Richard. Billy buys a remedy for eye health for her (she is blind) and her mashes have medicine for her possible metabolic issues.

We did get some monsoon rains. We needed the moisture and "flash floods" soaked into the ground quickly. We have been so dry for so long.

The weather cools down quickly with rain, the horses get perky!

So many different horses (and longears)... we learn to adjust to each precious equine in our care. There are many ways to care for and handle them...

We're having our annual Hay for Horses Fundraiser in November! Hay is certainly the most important item we have to buy regularly for both stable yards. Watch for details on our Facebook page. It is always a day of good food, good people and a good cause.

We see each horse here as an individual with physical, mental and emotional needs that are dynamic and fluctuate with the weather, the seasons, their changing bodies as they age and who they live with as a herd.

A good herb to feed to prepare for winter:

We wish you well. We hold this planet and all who fly with her in love & light.

Mahalo!

Katharine, Mark, the DH Team & the Dharma Horses.