Honey Bandit goes to school, and Suri is hanging in there 5-26-11

Hi all,

It has been a busy week.  On Wednesday, Honey Bandit made the long awaited visit in person to Manzanita School in Redding, CA.  David Gilstrap's fourth grade class was working on a state mandated project which required them to find an issue in the newspaper and respond to it.  They read Honey Bandit's story and boy did they respond.  I wish that we as grownups, could be so driven and work so hard, instead of just complaining about what we don't like.  The kids cowboyed up and "got er done".  They raised money for HB to have feed and medical care.  They also made posters that we took to Sacramento and pictures of those posters went to Washington DC and Phoenix, to the BLM Advisory Board.  I told the kids,  "they are my heroes.  What they did for Honey Bandit has helped him to get strong and carry on his message to try and stop the roundups, or at the very least change the way that some of the issues were handled".  This has happened, and BLM has made an effort to remove newborns immediately with their mothers away from the general population so the babies won't get stepped on or stolen.  I believe they are also trying to tag the newborns, which will also help them identify the babies and the proper moms.  So by helping to save Honey Bandit, they have started a ripple effect that will help change many areas.  And after seeing the before and after of Honey Bandit in the flesh, NO ONE can tell these kids that one person cannot make a difference.

It was an awesome day and the Record Searchlight wrote a wonderful article about HB's visit.  http://www.redding.com/news/2011/may/25/the-return-of-honey-bandit-healthy-as-a-horse-to/?partner=newsletter_headlines

Terri Farley also drove hours and hundreds of miles to be here for the celebration.  She gave a presentation for the kids and answered questions and gave each child a  personalized, autographed copy of her book.  The children were as thrilled with having Terri visit as they were having HB there I am sure.

As far as Suri goes, she is hanging in there.  She is still exhausted, and completely without energy, but she reminds me of HB in the fact that she LOVES TO EAT.  She still has temperature issues.  Today she was out in the sun, warm as can be, and all of a sudden her temperature dropped to 96.  So we took her back to the stall and she was in her blanky and enjoying the heat lamps.  Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of this with HB.  Her little legs have been like ice cubes, which is very dangerous for her.  So once again we put her in leg warmers.  But, finally I used my brain and we put a light strip of vet wrap at the top of her leg warmers, which helped to hold them on.  She was very sheik, matching leg warmers and pretty red vet wrap at the top.  I look back at the pictures of Honey Bandit and it makes me wince.  He has different colored leg warmers on and they are all sliding down around his legs.  He looks like a mess compared to the little princess with her pretty matching leg warmers.  Suri is still having trouble getting up and down, but we are pretty sure it is just from exhaustion.  But we are expecting her to eat her way to lots of energy.

She whinnies every time you go near her, and for a couple of seconds showed that she is a wild foal and can be quite feisty.  She is learning to lead a little bit though.  Normally I wouldn't start with a halter on their head, as pulling on it can remind them of a mountain lion that would pull down their head to kill them.  But we had to improvise with her, and she is doing well.  Like all the rest of the mustangs, she is extremely smart.

There was a question as far as BLM paying her bills.  Suri is NOT A BLM BABY.  She was not born in the areas that BLM manages.  But she is fabulous and just a total sweetie. She will make someone a very wonderful horse some day.

Take care and God Bless!  Palomino, HB, Suri and the rest of the critters.  (Sure love my husband - what he puts up with - :)  He also makes a good "feeder")

www.chillypepper.weebly.com

p.s.  Anyone who wants to donate for her by credit card can contact the local feed store - Hawes Ranch & Farm Supply as they have an account for Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang.  They have pretty much everything she needs ie. milk powder, milk pellets, pen, leafy green alfalfa, wormer etc. Credit Cards can also be used at Crossroads Veterinary to go on account for her upcoming expenses.  Their phone number is             530 365-3685      .   Donations can also be made at Dr. Farrell's in Palo Cedro             530 547-5757       or at North Vally Bank.  Just tell them you want to donate to Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang (our contact is Janet Carr, the Branch Manager).  Janet is doing everything she can (and so is North Valley Bank - yeahhhhh ;) to help save this little girl.)   All donations are tax deductible and much appreciated.