Fog, Fate & Two New Faces at the Ranch

There were a couple of wake-ups through the night for me — first around 2:30 and then a much longer one at 4:30 when I heard noise on the deck. I peeked outside to find the entire world wrapped in a thick blanket of fog. As I lay there staring into the grey, my mind wandered to Hank. How would he ride in our trailer? How could we safely set up the arena area for him? So many questions running through my head.

Eventually I drifted back to sleep, only to wake again after 6. The fog was still socked in, and from the bedroom window it almost looked like freezing snow clinging to the glass. Thankfully, by the time I officially started my day after 8, the focus shifted from foggy thoughts to exciting plans.

Renn says good morning

I text with Erin from Saving Grace to confirm our meet-and-greet with Hank and the young filly. Coffee was next on the agenda, followed by finishing Tuesday's blog post. Once that was done, Roo was turned out with the herd, and Harley helped me move everyone into the middle and far paddocks before we got ready to hit the road.

The plan was to leave by 10:30, heading first toward Bashaw to meet the yearling and then on to Stettler for Hank. The girls arrived about ten minutes behind schedule, but by 10:45 we were heading north. Shaina set up shop in the back seat and worked during the drive,  she's lucky to have a job like this and it helps keep motion sickness at bay as long as she takes the occasional break.

After an uneventful two-and-a-half-hour drive, we arrived at the summer pasture where the filly was being kept. Erin, the owner of Saving Grace, was already there—and she had thoughtfully brought Hank along so we could save ourselves another stop. Thank you, Erin!

The moment we saw Hank, it was impossible not to smile. He was every bit as adorable as we'd hoped. Shaina had said beforehand that if the filly was overly skittish, it would probably be a no. Being young, she was understandably a little nervous, but there was something about her. Adding to the significance of the day, it marked exactly four years since KD passed. Shaina felt it was a good omen and a sign that this young filly should be given a safe and loving home. With that, it was time to load up.

Hank had a fairly big step into the trailer, but he loaded like a seasoned professional. I stayed inside with him while we worked on loading the filly. She wasn't quite convinced that the trailer capsule was a good idea—even with her buddy Hank already inside. With patience and quiet encouragement from Shaina, she eventually stepped aboard, and before long we were rolling south again just before 2.

Both horses came from an RCMP seizure involving a rescue operation that had gone terribly wrong. Fifteen horses, four cows, and an astonishing 300 dogs were seized. It's hard to imagine. Based on a veterinary estimate, Hank is thought to be around 16 years old, although our vet will give us a better idea once they've met him. He's a chunky little fellow with a wonderfully calm disposition, though we're told he'll need some work on trust and being easy to catch. The filly is considered a long yearling and has all the curiosity and uncertainty that comes with being young.

The drive home was filled with name discussions as Shaina tried out possibilities for the filly. B managed to catch a few naps along the way, interrupted only by fuel stops in Trochu and a very late lunch in Three Hills after 3. The weather couldn't have been more different than the morning. It was only 19 degrees and smoky on the way north, but sunshine greeted us on the trip home, with temperatures climbing to 28 and 29 degrees.

 Shaina took these videos as I fuelled us up, check out below how tall he is in the trailer

We rolled into the ranch shortly after 4 and quickly backed the trailer into position to make unloading easier. The filly stepped out nicely, and before long both newcomers were standing in their new surroundings.

S and Harley were more than a little eager to meet the latest additions to the ranch. B grabbed the bug spray and headed off to feed the herd before leaving for ball at 5. Meanwhile, I turned on the air conditioning and changed into shorts after discovering it was 29 degrees inside the house.

loving my new door color

Not long after, Renn and Kaylin FaceTimed to meet the new ponies. We all stood watching as the pair settled in, while Shaina and I hauled out a tub of fresh water for them.

S had mowed the round pen earlier in the day so it would be ready for our new arrivals—thank you! He also spent time tidying up around the pit and even gave Harley a bath. Not that it lasted long. Harley had already managed to get dirty again after making what felt like a hundred laps around the round pen, completely thrilled about her new friends.

pit work

Later, I watered the garden and sent Shaina home with fresh herbs, onions, and some of our twenty pounds of potatoes. S put together a delicious potato packet to go alongside sausage for supper, while Shaina handled the salads. It made for a pretty tasty meal after a long day on the road.

As evening settled in, Shaina and I headed out one last time to say goodnight to the new arrivals before she made the drive back to the city around 7:30.

S settled into bed with Big Brown and his laptop while I worked on today's blog and yesterday's. The robot vacuum busied itself around the house while S and Craig jumped on a phone call that somehow stretched to nearly two hours. I spent the evening deleting photos from my phone to make room for the hundreds I'd taken throughout the day, then curled up with a book for a while after S finally called it a night.

It was a long day, but seeing Hank and the filly safely settled into their new home made every mile worthwhile. ❤️