A New Look to the Blog

After three years, it was time for a "face-lift" for the blog. I found this cute background at the cutestblog site.

Tetanus information

Trooper's symptoms were:

• Unable to get up by himself
• Normal temperature
• Startled easily
• Walked with head and neck extended
• Eyes "rolled back"
• Rapid breathing
• Sweating

Here is the description for Tetanus from Merck website (http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/50715.htm):

Tetanus toxemia is caused by a specific neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani in necrotic tissue. Horses are the most sensitive of all species, with the possible exception of humans.

The incubation period varies from one to several weeks but usually averages 10-14 days. Localized stiffness, often involving the masseter muscles and muscles of the neck, the hindlimbs, and the region of the infected wound, is seen first; general stiffness becomes pronounced ~1 day later, and tonic spasms and hyperesthesia become evident.

The reflexes increase in intensity, and the animal is easily excited into more violent, general spasms by sudden movement or noise. Spasms of head muscles cause difficulty in prehension and mastication of food, hence the common name, lockjaw . In horses, the ears are erect, the tail stiff and extended, the anterior nares dilated, and the third eyelid prolapsed. Walking, turning, and backing are difficult. Spasms of the neck and back muscles cause extension of the head and neck, while stiffness of the leg muscles causes the animal to assume a “sawhorse” stance. Sweating is common. General spasms disturb circulation and respiration, which results in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and congestion of mucous membranes.

Usually, the temperature remains slightly above normal, but it may rise to 108-110°F (42-43°C) toward the end of a fatal attack. In mild attacks, the pulse and temperature remain nearly normal. Mortality averages ~80%. In animals that recover, there is a convalescent period of 2-6 wk; protective immunity usually does not develop after recovery.

Not colic...

Bob just called, Trooper has lockjaw... tetanus!

That is a first for us, we've always heard of it and we give all of our animals tetanus shots if they have surgery or such. The lambs always get a tetanus shot when they are banded. But Trooper hasn't had one. Guess we will have to include those on foals from now on.

Dr. Edwards says if he keeps eating the prognosis is good. He will have to have 5 shots today and tomorrow.

Trooper is sick!

Trooper has been hurting really bad, apparently colic, which is a bad stomach ache. Since horses cannot vomit, stomach aches can be very serious. We could not reach our vet until this morning. He finally called and apologized, his phone did not alert him to Bob's calls last night.

Bob and Trooper are now on their way to the vet so I will update the post as I find out more info. I had to come to work.

Trooper - 5th Week Update

Bob and I sure do appreciate all the support and well wishes from all of Trooper's "fan" club.

He is still improving though it seems so slow. But when we look back at the photos we can see how far he has come. He was five weeks old yesterday.

Lucky thirteen and the last lamb for now

Raquel had her lamb early Thursday morning. The baby monitor that we had placed in the barn really did work. That first little "baby baa-aa-a" brought me straight out of bed about 4 a.m. I had worried since Raquel is our smallest Tunis ewe, but she had delivered her nice little ewe lamb all by herself.

If you look close, the little girl has a white tip on her tail. I think we will name her "Tippi" after Tippi Hedren, a movie star like her mom's namesake. Of course her tail tip will be gone soon, since she was banded yesterday.

We are pretty sure that is the lamb crop for now. Lilly and Grannie don't appear to be pregnant, so our count ended up 8 girls and 5 boys. Not bad for our ram, Ralph's first lambs.

Another ewe lamb

We were blessed with another ewe lamb and an easy delivery. Reba had just had her little girl when Bob went to feed this morning. Bob came up with a great name for her, a "country music" legend like her mom... Trisha!


Score is now 7 girls to 5 boys...

Reba's twin sister, Raquel was moved into the "nursery" pen and should deliver this week. She is our smallest ewe and we pray that this first time lamb will be easy for her.

Reba and Raquel (named after two famous redheads... McEntire and Welch) are daughters of Mudpie, who is still in the jug (pen) nearby. Her little ewe lamb (right>) is doing fine, though she is very petite. I haven't come up with the perfect "T" name for her. Maybe Toy, Tiny, Teeny or something like that.

Her mom, Mudpie needs extra groceries since she is "elderly" so we are keeping her separated from the big flock for a while longer. She doesn't seem to mind.

Trooper's 4th week update

We are experimenting with leaving the splints off more of the time. At this point we think he needs to exercise his pasterns more and he is starting to come up on them now.

He is very curious about everything, including his Tunis neighbors who were in the yard grazing when we took him out for a walk.
After exercise he got lots of good scratches from Bob while mom Jasmine watched enviously. (She got some too later).

A video update on our "twisted" mini

Here is a little video in honor of our special miniature horse baby...

Credit to ABBA for their Super Trooper song.

Tunis sheep family

This is Rickrack and her lamb, Tailor. That's dad, Ralph in the background. We will have Tailor for sale later, we have left him as a ram... so far.
The grass is greening up now that we had some good rains last week. And the sheep and horses are loving it!

Great sheep video!

They aren't Tunis sheep, but this is very entertaining!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I didn't know that... at age 16 (around A.D. 400), Patrick was kidnapped from his home on the west coast of England and carried off to Ireland. After 6 years, he escaped; upon returning home, he received his call (in a dream) to preach the Gospel. He spent the next 15 or so years in a monastery, preparing for his missionary work. It was Patrick who spread Christianity throughout the land and brought an organized church into existence.



The shamrock is a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day because Patrick used its three leaves to explain the Trinity.

Well done, Mudpie!

Mudpie is our oldest ewe, she turned 12 years old last month. She had her lamb last night, a precious little ewe lamb with a white spot on her head.

RickRack is proving to be a great mom, here is a photo of her and her little boy.

Number 10 is here!

Good girl, RickRack! Another of our first time Tunis mothers delivered a little ram lamb this morning. She apparantly had no problems since she popped him out while I was getting ready to go to work.

I will try to get photos later, it was quite dark in the barn this morning. We are getting more rain, Praise the Lord!

Semi-retired.... or an opportunity?

I was just told that my work schedule will be reduced to 4 days starting next week. Sure beats being laid off completely like some folks!

I guess that I will now have time to ramp up the web design business. I already have a website in place at http://www.unicornerweb.com/ and if anyone is interested in some web work, please let me know!

Bye, Bye, Boomer...

Our last remaining colt from 2008 has left for his new home with the Kembell family of Denton, Texas. Here is a photo taken this week of Unicorner Rowdy Boomer with his mom, Robin in the background.

We hear that he and his new buddy, Sienna are best friends.

Bob's New Venture

Here is Bob's new business card for his photography business. we will be setting up a website soon at http://www.unicornerphoto.com/. The gorgeous mini model shown is our friends, the Cox's stallion, Dragon. We are expecting a foal sired by Dragon from our gorgeous palomino mare, Locket. Dragon is super special to us because we now own his mother, Easter Acres Midnite Satin and she is one of our top producing mares.

Another Trooper Update

Trooper is two and half weeks old now and we are seeing small improvements each day. He is getting stronger and his legs are doing much less twisting. We are allowing him more exercise now and here he is exploring a larger paddock next door to one of the Tunis sheep pens.

Spring is springing

The redbuds and pear trees are blooming, and finally today we are getting some RAIN! Thank you, Lord!
The draft girls are starting to shed off already. This is Xena and Freda enjoying a spring day before the front came in this morning and brought cooler weather and the rain.

More Beautiful Gypsy Horses

Bob had a really neat photo shoot last week (that I missed). He was invited to be the photographer of some more beautiful Gypsy Horses at the Texas Agri Summit on March 5th. The Houston Stock Show invited international VIPs to the historic George Ranch in Richmond, Texas. The event drew 300-400 international visitors from Latin and South America as well as throughout Europe. Attendees were invited to learn about Texas cattle and how to select the best and perhaps expand or improve their herds with Texas bloodlines.

Additionally, the attendees were entertained and educated about horses too. Linda Brown of A Wizards Spell Ranch and others presented Gypsy horses to the visitors and to the management of the Houston Stock Show. They are hopeful the breed will be invited to show at next year's Stock Show.

Daylight Savings Time - Yeah!

Cute email....


Wise old Indian reflects on Daylight Savings Time

"Only white man would believe you could cut off top of blanket, sew it to bottom of blanket, and have longer blanket."


I still prefer it though...

More Boys at Unicorner Farm

Ruse had a darling little ram on Monday. I was a bit under the weather with a nasty virus and Bob had to help with delivery.

It has taken me several days to feel better so I'm trying to get caught up on some posts.

Early this morning as we were about to go on a photo shoot near Houston, Ruffles decided to go into labor. Bob had to go on without me. After 2 1/2 hours of hard labor and assistance of me and the good Lord she delivered this beautiful, big red boy... backwards.

Birthday Time for the Girls

It is hard to believe it has been a year since my two great nieces were born.

Grammie and the moms had a great time decorating with the flowers and colors of pink, purple, yellow and green.

Don't you love the cupcakes?




Lots of friends and family came to celebrate Avery and Rylie's first birthdays.