Horsy News, Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number 29 February 4 - 10. 2008

Lucy and Henny in snowy Boxford, MA

Photo courtesy of Pony Pal Nancy de Marco

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ClubPonyPals.com Website Redesigned

This past week the Club Pony Pals website was completely redesigned. Jane Crandal, local horse trainer, talked about her goals for the site.

"Anyone who comes to Club Pony Pals can find out about the books by Jeanne Betancourt, " Jane Crandal said. "They can learn more about what's going on if they subscribe to the Wiggins Weekly. Last but not least, that’s the place to sign up for our planned virtual riding lessons."

The new logo is based on the way Pony Pals books look in the United Kingdom.

Town Council Hears Coyote Committee Report

Traps Already Set

Saturday evening the Town Council met to hear the Wiggins Coyote Committee's plans about the best way to handle the town's newest arrivals.

Tom Sanders spoke first. He told Council members and residents that coyote relocation has already started.

"In the past week we have placed four traps," said Sanders, a wildlife expert. "We put out bait. The coyotes are getting used to them."

Large wire live traps were set in the woods north of town. Wilhelmina Wiggins was glad to let these cage traps onto her land.

"Coyotes are very hard to catch," said Wiggins, a local artist. "It takes a while before a coyote will even come close to trap. Unlike regular leg traps or snares, live traps do not hurt an animal."

Park Ranger Jack Stranton told reporters he got these traps from Connecticut Department of Natural Resources.

"Live traps take more time but the animal is not hurt by being caught," Stranton said. "Coyotes get very worried when they are trapped, so we will check these traps twice a day once they are set."

"When we trap these coyotes, our plans are to take them upstate," Stranton continued. "We will move them to the Green River Reservoir wildlife area. If we just took them a five or ten miles away, they would come back in a few days."

Dr. Bob Crandall, a local veterinarian, offered his services to the Committee.

"I'll take a look at each coyote and make sure they're healthy," Crandall said." We want them to have the best chance to do well in their new home."

One of the local coyotes was struck and killed by a truck on Crosshill Road a week ago Wednesday. Stranton has a local taxidermist preparing the animal for exhibit at the Mt. Morris Ranger Station.

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Horsy News, Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number 29 February 4 - 10. 2008

LEARN TO SPEAK HORSE

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q. My pony makes a really funny noise when he sniffs something new. It sounds like somebody blowing out through their lips to make a "raspberry." It kind of sounds like my dad when he snores really loud. What is my pony saying?

A. That snort is an alert sound to any other horses around him. Your pony is saying "Watch out, this could be dangerous!"

Q. What does it mean when a pony drags its nose across the ground and then paws?

A. When a pony or horse does that, it means that they are looking for a place to roll. The exact right place to roll is hard to find, you know.

Looking for a good spot ….

Photo courtesy of Pony Pal Mary Mc Hugh

Pony Pals Letters

Dear Wiggins Weekly Readers,

Hi everyone. This is Anna. It is cold here. Snow White and Acorn are always glad to see their breakfast of hay and a handful of oats. Sometimes I give them two if it is really cold.

Every day this week we rode out with our horses on Pony Pal trail right after school to the Wiggins Estate. Lulu's father put live traps out to get the coyotes to eat the ~~meet~~ meat. They look like this

We saw tracks every day since Tuesday. The wild coyotes are getting used to the traps. Now they come and take the bait.

Our horses still do not like the traps or the smell of the meat. My pony Acorn is the most brave, though. He will walk right up to the trap and sniff it now.

We saw coyote tracks near the traps. We also saw skunk and raccoon paw prints, too.

Lulu's dad says that those animals will sometimes get caught. If that happens he will just let the animal go.

On Friday it was raining too hard to ride. Lulu and I just brushed our ponies and then went inside. On Saturday morning there was lots of fresh snow. We rode to the traps and there was no meat. I got off Acorn and saw there were a lot of coyote paw prints.

We think the coyotes are not afraid of the traps any more.

Pony Pals,