Oh my God, your day was heart-breaking!!!! To see Val thrashing like that, and helpless would undo me. There's no way you could have lifted him, I'm so thankful he was able to free himself. Should you be boarding up the slats, so that he doesn't do it again? He's feeling good to be rolling in his stall!

And how devastating to see your elderly mare fall. I'm surprised and so glad that she didn't break a leg!

Ok, you've had enough excitement and worries and stress in one day!!! What can we do do help? ((((( Marilyn, Val, TueLo, and her many possums)))))

Well.....you can come get a few possums.. ;)

Yes, I am covering the gate with some chain link fencing that I have.

Wow..... Marilyn....I've just had to take my heart out of my throat from what you just wrote:(. I always look for your posts since I read about you getting Val and how you care for orphan animals. I'm so glad both of your horses are okay. You are one amazing woman......Robin

Oh Marilyn, that must have been so upsetting on top of what happened to your friend's horse. It's a horrible feeling to be all alone when something like that happens. So very glad that both horses are ok and hope you have recovered as well.

I agree that Val must be feeling his oats!

:-)

Dawn

I'd wondered what was going on yesterday. How'd that come to be you had problems with two in the same day. I'm so glad it worked out, and wish we were closer and could help - even if possums are not my favorite little critters, I can just about handle 'baby anything'.

That must have been really frightening to have Val and TueLo down, hope both are doing well today. My plumber/friend lost his horse the week before Christmas, had to be euthanized even though the vet got there within minutes. Similar to Val, he had gone into the paddock, gotten down to roll and tangled a leg in a cable that ran around the bottom of the fence. All that room available to him, and he rolled into the fence getting up. My friend was heartbroken, he said he'd lost animals to old age, but never young and otherwise healthy.

I hope the rest of your week goes better...now get those last three babies eating from a dish too so they aren't taking up so much of your time.

I'm glad no one was seriously hurt. Any way to put screening on the lower level of the stall so he can't get his legs through?

Yes, will do that today when Jody gets home. I had bedded him on deep shavings but he is shedding and I am sure it felt good to roll. Normally I brush him after he eats his feed, while eating his hay but after TueLo's episode, I just wanted to sit quietly for a little while.

I knew that you had a bad day but I didn't know what had happened. It was bad for sure. But at least it had a good outcome no one was seriously injured. So sad about the other horse your friend got.

That's a lot of possums!

Take care of yourself!

Marilyn you are so good with animals. Have you shared with us how you got started?

Oh, my! What a day! So glad to know that you and your critters survived those scary times.

Who was it that used to say "What a revolting development?" For you and the horses. You sure have a heart of gold for your animals. So glad things turned out so well under the circumstances.

My heart was racing just reading your post. These guys sure a lucky to have you (and you them).

Glad that Val isn't hurt. I would have been freaking out. Sad about your friend's horse. Love those baby possums. You're a saint.

Wow! That's a lot in one day! I am so glad that Val is up and although scraped, he's not broken. Also relieved to hear that TueLo got up on her own. She probably appreciated the 'mommy time' while you were soothing her. Your friend's story is just heartbreaking. Her dreams gone in a moment.

Next time someone calls with baby possums, you have to say no. That is just too many at one time. Practice saying no in the mirror. It'll feel weird at first, but you can do it!!!

Oh Marilyn,I was afraid to read on after the first sentence or two.

Thank God that all turned out better than it looked at the time...take care of the caretaker my friend.......thinking of you,always...."R"

Thanks just given that both of your horses weren't injured. My heart goes out to your friend.

Hugs, Marilyn!

I'm happy things had a positive outcome. I hope today was a better day for you.

Marilyn, your an inspiration, you care so much about animals and put so much of yourself into their good care. Imagine if everyone in the world could spend only 5 minutes of what you do to to help the hungry, sick, and homeless animals...

So glad your horses are ok after what they went thru. And Glad your ok..take a rest when you can.

I was just about to start a post earlier today asking about Val, but got distracted by something I had to do at that time and hadn't gotten back to it. And now I see your post... Oh, how terrible your day has been!! I have been wondering about TueLo; the last I heard you were wondering if it was time. I'm glad she is better and REALLY glad she got herself out of the mess this morning. Some of the worst things happen in a flash--poor Val and POOR YOU! I am thrilled to know they both appear to be not too much worse the wear after their ordeals.

Did the squirrels survive? And now that many possums! (I sure am using a lot of exclamation points, but how can I not?) I guess spring is your busy season, with the babies. I hope the rest of the week is much calmer for you, Marilyn.

And who is going to rescue Marilyn one of these days?

I have a friend who tells me her first response to ANY request is always, "No." She says it's helped. Later, she'll think about it and decide if she can take on the 'whatever'.

My goodness, a 30 yr old horse! Isn't that ancient for a horse? You must be doing something magical and wonderful.

That is old, but have had one older....35. She is not a very personable horse....she would rather be left alone, but I do think she appreciated me being with her her yesterday.

Erin, have had trouble with my laptop, and typing on my phone is a pain. I will send you the other Bayou Tails as soon as I am up and running again.

I am good at saying no, but possums have specific dietary requirements and most people won't raise them right and they get crippled and then they send them to me to save, and you can't. So I would rather take them and raise them right and be done with it.

I have a mama possum and she is raising nine babies. All of mine are off the tube now and eating from a dish.

Nickel, you asked how I started doing this....I guess you mean rehabbing wildlife. Not because I wanted to. I felt sorry for the babies. Also I get free food for my dogs, cats, and raccoons. I raised waterlilies and had two hundred varieties and to keep the raccoons out of my ponds, I fed them. I live in the boondocks on a bayou, and there are lots of raccoons here.

who this going to rescue Marilyn? No one. I will probably die and the possums will eat me before anyone realizes I am gone. :)

Erin, the squirrels are doing great. Growing like crazy.

I hope today's a better day! That kind of stress would make me so sick. I'm glad the horses are OK and those possums are lucky lucky lucky to have you, Marilyn.

Oh, that's wonderful, Marilyn! I was a little afraid they might not have made it since you didn't mention them. You do indeed have the magic touch. You absolutely don't need to send me stories if it's a pain and/or you don't have time; I hope you know I returned your last email (a couple of times?) and don't want you to think otherwise, because it took me awhile to reply.

I have to say, it must be really nice to wake up to sweet babies who are looking forward to seeing you. Except for the lack-of-sleep part.

When it rains, it pours Marilyn. So glad that you and your animals survived without much trauma. You must be wrung out after that ordeal.

Dang! That's a LOT to handle! You got through it....keeping up is the struggle...eh...

Yes....never getting finished is the struggle. I got a pigeon today that was supposedly injured by a cat but I can't find anything wrong with him, except he is very skinny. I will keep him until he gains weight and release him, and he will fly home. (He is a homing pigeon, and wearing a band, so he may have been released somewhere to fly home, and he was too exhausted to make it.). i've raised and cared for a lot of pigeons. They are easy. I also got 3 more possums.

Three more possums who need a bottle? Oh, I'm feeling so very tired for you. They are lucky animals, indeed.

They are big enough to eat from a dish. I am getting ready to go to Galveston shelter to get two more squirrels. And to get some more possums that are little and need to be fed from a tube. They don't take a bottle....but the squirrels do.