Till Next Time...

After the long trail yesterday, Madeline got a break today while big brothers Gus and Earl went off on another ride. My horse was limping so I was also grounded... and neither of us was real happy about it! I started packing up my campsite so that I would be ready to head home when my friends returned from their ride. I could hear Madeline braying from time to time up the hill. I did go and sit with her for a bit and trade some more horsie treats for hugs {grin}. She was wearing her surcingle and hobble contraption for continued therapy while in her pen.

Later just before we left I went back up to say goodbye to David and Linda. David was scooping poop and got interrupted by another camper, and I turned around to find Madeline with the poop rake in her mouth... Linda says she "helps" dad all the time at home. And of course the camera was already packed up!

Have a safe trip home lil darlin'!!!

Trail Ride Up Spruce Mountain

Can you spot Madeline?

There's our girl!!!

Good morning kisses for Grandma! {Actually, it was more like "what treats have you got for me granny?" and she was right, I did bring her a couple of horsie cookies!
She looks SO MUCH like her dad in this picture! {And no I don't mean David lol}

Big brother Gus wondering why all the fuss over lil sis?

Bye for now Madeline, I have to go get breakfast and tack up my horse for the ride! See you in a bit...

Waiting at the gathering spot for the slowpokes to be ready to go...

Reggie is wondering what kind of dog IS THAT that Linda has?

And off we go down the trail...

I could really see the locking right as we left camp but within a minute or so Madeline was moving along nicely! I wish I had thought to video both so that you could see too...

I did get a couple of videos and once they have been processed through my computer I will add them here :)

We did quite a bit of chatting as we rode about Madeline's condition and her treatment. I wish I had a better memory... one thing that did "stick" in my mind (no pun intended) was that if the surgery to cut the ligament is done, the equine can no longer stand up to sleep. With Madeline's young age, that is one reason that the vet felt strongly about trying the injection treatment, and the exercise and stretching, before jumping right to surgery.
Switched off to dad and Earl...

Madeline much happer NEXT TO Earl instead of behind him - see that tail swishin'? When she was behind him, it kept getting my lil darlin' right in the face! You could almost hear her say "Hey I am NOT a fly!"

Lunch stop on the trail and I got someone else to take my camera and get a couple shots of me and my grand-donkey - thanks Vikki!

David saw me doing this and said "Uh oh, BAD HABITS!" But Madeline took her piece of carrot very nicely :)

Coming down the hill on the way back to camp... Madeline did great all day! You can tell she really enjoys being with her folks!!


I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this trail ride with our girl! The stories and pictures that Linda is so good about sending are wonderful of course, but being there was fantastic! I love all of my grand-donkeys, of course, but this one is just extra-special!!

Hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did!

Donkey Hugs!

I was already at camp when Madeline and her family arrived... once we finished our dinner I went over to say hello but it was almost dark so didn't take the camera. I went right into Madeline's pen to fuss over her and crouched down to give her a hug. She hugged me back as donkeys do, putting her chin on me and leaning... wow she almost knocked me down! She is a STRONG hugger! She also tried to "shake" - her aunt Susie Q asks for attention the same way, and I never thought of doing it, but Linda says that David has used that to teach Madeline to shake. I sat down because of my knees and she was about in my lap, so that didn't last long! It sure was good to see her though! Pictures tomorrow I promise!!

Great News!!!

LAST NIGHT'S MESSAGE FROM LINDA AFTER SEEING THIS BLOG:

It turned out good, and as I cruised through it, I once again laughed at my little girl and all her antics. Your web-site looks really good. You know we'll keep pictures coming your way!!

Linda

I HAD TO WRITE BACK AND TELL HER IT WAS THE SAME FOR ME IN CREATING IT, BROUGHT BACK SUCH WONDERFUL MEMORIES... AND NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS, IN THE SECOND MESSAGE (I HAD COMMENTED TO HER THAT I HOPED SHE WASN'T UPSET THAT I COPIED ALL HER PICS AND STORIES):

I absolutely did not mind at all...... You are part of the reason I put that on there (AzBCR), so you and everyone could see how she is doing and watch her develop as she goes.

She is a wonderful little donkey.

I am glad you did the blog thing. To be honest I flat do not have the time to sit and do a blog, its hard enough sometimes with my day to check on this forum to see what is up.

Madeline is doing great with her leg treatment. Right now with how she has been doing it's looking like I might not need to do a May injection on her leg. And that is good. She will be stiff with it from time to time, but that is expected right now, but she is doing really well with it much more now than she was doing. So that is a plus. The exercise of me or David ponying her on a ride, is just going to help her that much more. It is already showing improvement in her movement with just the few times we have done it. I honestly believe, and I believe Laura her vet does too, that if we continue in this manner with her, she will get past this. I'm sure little Madeline hates having to wear her surcingle and elastic band and hobble, but the little stinker is learning she has to walk and bend the leg. She knows, as she knows it when you talk with her and tell her to pick it up and get a moving........she does it immediately. She is no dummy, she even backs up for however long I want her to these days just by a verbal "Back", "Back", "Back".......she knows exactly what you want her to do, and not physically having to move her backwards. I swear sometimes she fully understands EVERYTHING I say to her.

She is something else, that is for sure.

Have a good eve, we will see you this weekend, we still plan on going.......there has to be some sanity in life.........and that will be it!!

Linda

TO HEAR THAT MADELINE MAY NOT HAVE TO HAVE FURTHER INJECTIONS IS SUCH GOOD NEWS!!! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND KEEP THEM COMING!!!

JUST FYI RECEIVED THIS NOTE FROM A FELLOW DONKEY PERSON IN TEXAS:

"Cool, keep us posted on Maddie. We've always cut."

Two More Days!

...and Grandma can't wait! I am so excited to be seeing Madeline this weekend! I keep wanting to get over and visit but the distance between Painted Promise Ranch and Madeline's home, not to mention the busy schedules of all the people, have kept that from happening. Funny that we both have to travel a couple of hours away from home to be able to spend time together!

You can be sure that there will be LOTS of pictures of Madeline after this weekend!!!