Our Animal Family consists of three dogs, two cats, a horse and a donkey. I’ll start with the oldest on the farm, which is our mare, Baby Sister, who was born here at Blue Creek Ranch. She is a registered Quarter horse and is now 24 years old. She was born May 24, 1992. Her father’s name “Kellys Showdown” and mother’s name “Dungeons N Dragons”, so her registered name is “Kellys Dragon”, however, the Hammons family gave her the name “Baby Sister” and that’s what she knows. There were actually two colts that folded at the same time. The family chose Baby Sister because of her friendly disposition, while the other colt was more standoffish. No regrets to this day! She is a real people horse, you don’t catch her, she catches you!
Over the years she has acted like a mother hen to the Black Angus cattle we had, standing guard around them and their calves
Baby Sister is such a sweet horse and loves everyone. She has given horseback rides to our children, grandchildren and friends. She is especially attentive around children and does not move when they are walking around her.
The grandchildren love to feed her and give her treats such as carrots, apples and watermelon.
Baby Sister loves to be brushed, bathed and groomed. Oh and she loves a cool shower spray, with the water hose on a hot summer day.
Most of the time Baby Sister is good for our fairer to trim her hoofs, but she has her moments.
About five years ago we were really scared we would loose Baby Sister because she was foundering, caused by eating too much rich green grass. She couldn’t stand to put much weight on her front two hoofs. Thanks to a wonderful veterinarian, Dr. Amy Walton, here at the time, we got her some special shoes, which we called her Nike shoes, to relieve the pressure on the part of her hoof called the frog.
She recovered and has been doing well ever since. We do watch her diet, make sure she doesn’t graze too long in the pasture, gets fresh hay and slow protein feed.
Horse rides with Pops pulling her lead. Baby Sister loves running along with the golf cart.
Baby Sisters sidekick is our miniature donkey, Merlin. We bought this Miniature Mediterranean Donkey in the Spring of 2005, to help protect our cattle from coyotes. He was born July 14, 2004 and we purchased him on April 10, 2005. We named him “Merlin the Magic Bullet” on his registration papers.
The reason behind the name really came from his mother and grandmother not his father whose name was “758’s Bounder”. Merlin’s mother’s name was “Magic Someday’s” and grandmothers name was “Abracadabra Someday’s”, so between “Magic” and “Abracadabra” and him being a jack we named him “Merlin the Magic Bullet”. We shortened it to “Merlin” in 2007 after we had him neutered, because he started biting at the baby calves necks, causing abscesses. That took care of him!
Merlin loves and trusts children more than he does adults.
The grandchildren love to go up and pet Merlin, feed him and give him carrots and apples.
We pinned Merlin up in the corral to halter train him and had aspirations of him pulling a cart to give the grandchildren rides. Well, Merlin had his own aspirations, acted out like a real little jack ass and was going to have none of it! Ever since that time he just doesn’t trust adults much, not even the fairer to trim his hoofs.
Poor Greg Gold has to deal with that little jack when it comes time to trim his hoofs. Thankfully, Greg is very experienced and has a few of his own tricks
Baby Sister and Merlin are buddies for each other. Wherever one is you’ll find the other. They are never too far apart.
Well, that’s the first post on Our Animal Family. I have the cats and dogs to go and our grand-pups! Oh, and my niece pup, so endless posts to come. Our lives are never dull! We get so much pleasure and unconditional love from our animals. I hope you have an animal or more that gives you joy. They are our gift from God. Until my next post….. God Bless You!
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