This week at the Rescue

Hi everyone, Mandi here.

Last summer, I discovered that the mysterious PGER sign on the fence down the road from where we were living was the Prince George Equine and Animal Rescue (http://www.pgequinerescue.com/).  Nicola, the woman who runs the rescue, was holding a fundraiser garage sale, and while I was there browsing I asked if I could volunteer.  She said "Yes, of course!", and I got my orientation that day.  I've been going as often as I can ever since (usually once a week) and I can say that the rescue is my 'happy place'.  It doesn't matter what else is going on in my life; I don't worry or stress about anything while I'm there.  Nic is very good with us volunteers; she's never asked me to do something I truly can't handle, but there are often days when I am doing something new or working with a new horse.

This week was my first chance to head back after a long break this summer.  There is a photographer who donates her time to the rescue, and she will be coming this week to take some photos for a fundraising calendar.  As such, it was bath time.  Nic asked me to bathe Shaw (his registered name is Qar Shawinago Bay) to get him cleaned up for this photo shoot.  Shaw is very sweet, and although he didn't like getting a bath, he was more or less well behaved.  The part that bothered him the most was when water dripped off his belly and on to the tops of his back feet - he'd lift his foot until it touched his stomach, and if he was getting upset he'd then give a little kick (which got him in trouble, and he would put his foot down politely afterwards).  It took me about two hours to bathe him, but afterwards he was looking very handsome indeed:

What a dapper looking fellow!

As soon as I released him in the field, he started trotting down to the back fence, no doubt in an effort to warm up (even though I was using warm water, he was starting to shiver a bit by the time I squeegeed him off).  He'll have forgiven me by the time I see him next week, I'm sure - and an apple or two will definitely encourage this forgiveness!