Horsy News, Views and Attitudes

Vol. 1 Number 9 -- September 11-23, 2007

Pumpkin Time These fall squash are ripening in local gardens but can you feed one to your horse? Find out in this week's Learn to Speak Horse on page 2.	Festival Dates Set Annual Autumn Celebration Benefits Volunteer Fire Dept. This years' Fall Festival will be on Saturday, October 27 from 10am to 4pm on the Wiggins Town Green. Proceeds from the annual fundraiser benefit the Wiggins Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Captain Roger Edwards spoke about how the town's efforts have helped the small Department. "We were able to purchase a new fire engine with proceeds from this year's Summer Fair. But the Fall event is our biggest money source, since so many out-of-town visitors attend." The event will offer pony rides, fresh-squeezed apple cider, great local food from the Off-Main Diner and arcade games, all to benefit the local Wiggins VFD. "Our biggest challenge is in fall and winter, when fireplaces and heaters unused since last year can cause chimney fires when they are first ignited," Chief Edwards said. "We want everyone to make sure and have their furnaces checked and chimneys swept before our heating weather arrives."
Youth Art Contest Announced, Entries Sought This year's Fall Festival will feature an art show and sale to benefit the Wiggins VFD. Young talent is encouraged to enter by sending their drawings to: Club Pony Pals Art Contest, 16654 Soledad Canyon #382, Canyon Country, CA 91387. Winners will receive a gift certificate sponsored by Klein's Hardware. Drawing courtesy of Sara Lauren
	Winter's Coming Specials Caulking Guns 50% off Storm Windows Repaired Chimney Cleaning 15% off Chainsaw Repair & Sharpening Full range of Art Supplies Discounts for students with ID Hand knitted wool socks are available again! Get yours while our supply lasts! If you need it to get ready for Winter, we've got it. Klein's Hardware Main Street, downtown Wiggins 555-1652
Subscribe today! 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 or email WebMaster@clubponypals.com

Page 2

LEARN TO SPEAK HORSE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q. What kind of food is it safe to give my pony? No matter what I am eating, she seems to want some. Ponies and horses will eat surprisingly weird foods, from hamburger sandwiches to ice cream or beer. Historically horses have been fed some strange things and survived, including foods like fish, nuts, dates, cornstalks, turnips, rutabagas and beets. Equines are herbivores, animals whose digestive system is geared to handling vegetable matter. Although some horses can eat many things with no apparent ill effects, it is always better to give them food like their natural diet. For example, pumpkins were one of the many vegetables farmers grew to feed livestock in the winter. If you want to feed your horse a small pumpkin, cut the top off like you were going to carve it and carefully remove all the seeds. You can then fill it with treat ingredients like: up to a cup of grain, sliced apples, sliced oranges, pitted peaches or nectarines, a few pitted dates, a few raisins, small carrot pieces, a few small tortillas, or small sized unsweetened breakfast cereals. The pumpkin does not need to be full. If you replace the top your pony will have fun squishing the pumpkin to get the treats out. Most horses will even eat the pumpkin! Treats that are close to a horse's natural foods are healthiest but a very small amount of almost any food item is safe to feed as a treat. That said, some treats can be a choking hazard. Apples and carrots are best cut into small pieces. Greedy or excited ponies may not chew foods completely when they gobble down their treat. An item can become lodged in the horse's throat, creating a life-threatening condition called 'choke' which can be fatal. Just like humans, some horses have a sweet tooth and love peppermints or sugar cubes. Some prefer carrots or apples. Many horses like soda, beer or even other alcoholic beverages. I don't recommend any sugary treats or alcohol for horses – they just aren't healthy! There are also a lot of things you should not feed to horses or ponies, like lawn or garden clippings; "brassicas" like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower Brussels sprouts and kale; cilantro; potatoes, especially green potatoes; peanuts or peanut butter; tomatoes (their leaves and all green tissues are toxic); some kinds of acorns; and chocolate (if you are competing it may cause a positive drug test.) To get your question answered, send an email to WebMaster @ clubponypals.com

Virtual Riding Lessons Local Instructor Assembles Team This week saw further progress as local riding instructor Jane Crandal of Crandal's Stables began to put together her development team to build an electronic version of Wiggins' Crandal Stables. "Every week we are getting closer to our riding lessons," she reported. "We spend our days talking to experts and financiers. It's very exciting!" Everyone Crandal contacted about the game has responded positively. "Horseback riding is such a great sport. It teaches riders to care about their animals and gives them a feeling of mastery when they can do it well." Crandal continued, "Pam my daughter can't wait for the chance to show riders from all over the world what wonderful trails we have here in Wiggins." Once construction of the online stable begins, it will take about six months before the riding experience will be ready for testing. Wiggins Weekly subscribers will be the first in line. "We know that these riders are impatient, because every week more sign up for the mailing list and for a chance to be the first to test our riding experience." Crandal laughed, "The only problem is that with all this work on the electronic stable I don't get as much time to ride as I would like!" For further updates, subscribe to the Wiggins Weekly by sending an email to: WebMaster@ClubPonyPals.com.

This week's guest artist is Katie Barrett of Cupertino, California. Katie enjoyed her stay in Wiggins earlier this summer. She sends a "Shout Out' to all of her Wiggins Pony Pals!

Thought for the day

No hoof, no horse.