Wiggins Weekly Horsy News, Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number 3 -- July 29- August 3, 2007
Local Sheepdog Finds Lost Flock Stephen and Cynthia Stewart of Wiggins came home last week to discover that their flock had broken down a fence and escaped into the woods behind their house. "We couldn't find any of the sheep, so we called over to the Firehouse to see if the firemen had seen our sheep" Stephen Stewart said. "There's a big meadow on the other side of the woods that backs up to the Firehouse." The firehouse dog, Sandy, was already hard at work. She had the sheep rounded up and was keeping them contained in the fenced back yard of the firehouse. "When we got to the firehouse, all we could see were the sheep peacefully grazing and Sandy the dog sitting in front of the gate so they couldn't escape. We just had to drive a truck and trailer over to pick them up. We didn't even lose any lambs, so it was a happy ending for everyone." Stewart concluded. Sandy the dog lives at the firehouse and is a border collie Australian shepherd cross. Her owner, Fire Captain Roger Edwards, says that she's never had any formal training to work sheep. "She must just have the instinct. We know she likes to chase things, she's always barking at the squirrels around the firehouse," laughed Captain Edwards. When Sandy's not rescuing sheep, she likes to sleep on the Firehouse couch and play 'fetch.'	Internet Riding Lessons One Step Closer to Reality This week Jane Crandal of Crandal's Stables announced that there has been progress in putting together the technical team to build the new virtual riding school. "We met with a game expert this week," she reported. "She worked on one of the best old console style riding games, Horse Adventure Mystery Ride." "With her advising us, our next step is to find a game designer who can do the computer programming work to build the game," Crandal continued. "We know that this will be totally unique on the internet and we are getting more people every day who want to sign up for lessons." No date is set yet for the internet riding lessons site being completed. For further updates, subscribe to the Wiggins Weekly by sending the webmaster an email at Webmaster@ClubPonyPals.com. West Nile Virus Update -- Sick Horses Recovering The two horses that were reported ill in last week's issue are slowly returning to health, according to Dr. Bob Crandal, Wiggins Veterinarian. "Both of these horses were healthy and I am optimistic that they will recover," he reported. "Sadly, this disease is preventable and their illness could have been prevented with vaccination." The West Nile Virus vaccine must be given in a series of two shots, about three weeks apart, and then horses must receive boosters every six months.
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A Loss to the Riding Community-- Local Horse Taught Generations of Riders At every stable there is one horse that leads the herd. Usually an older mare, she knows the routines and shows every other horse and human the 'way it's done.' At the Golden Spot Stables, southwest of Wiggins, that horse was Banjo's Fancy Miss, an aged paint pony mare.
Banjo's Fancy Miss Beloved lesson horse June 6, 1984 – July 27, 2007 Being ridden by Elizabeth Allison, The Wiggins Weekly Publisher		"She was the bedrock of my beginner's riding program for over a decade, teaching young people how to ride. Dependable, steady, unflappable no matter what and trained so well that she made even inexperienced riders confident," said Elizabeth Allison. "When I got her she was already well trained in cutting and reining. I barrel raced with her for a couple of years and then we started competing in hunter over low fences." "Fancy and even I went through classes to learn how to do law enforcement work. She loved to gallop, but she was also the pony I'd hop on when I just wanted to relax." Allison spoke wistfully, "No matter what I asked of her, she gave a hundred and ten percent. She was my best horse and will be sorely missed." According to Allison, Fancy's end was sudden. "She was fine for the early evening feeding, but when we went out to check on her a couple hours later she looked like she had colic really bad." Dr. Bob Crandal came out to the ranch, treated the pony with intravenous fluids and painkillers, standard veterinary treatment for colic. Despite the best efforts of Allison and Dr. Crandal, the valiant old pony did not get better. She had to be put down the next morning. "Fancy was always in a hurry. We used to joke that when you rode her, you had to be ready because she was the only horse on the ranch that made gate opening a speed event." Allison wiped away a tear and continued; " I guess that was true when she decided to leave us, too. But Fancy always took care of her riders, carefully going slow when someone who was inexperienced was on her back." Riders who want to remember Fancy are encouraged to make a donation in her name to the St. Francis Animal Shelter.
Subscribe today! The Wiggins Weekly Is the only source for news from the world of Pony Pals, based on the books by Jeanne Betancourt. To subscribe, go to www.clubponypals.com