On Sunday May 9th our wonderful Genie moved to her beautiful new home at Down To Earth Designs with new mom Katherine Ritter of Deerfield, Illinois.

TPDR members Renee McCammon, Jackie Timmerman, and Sharon Windsor made the trip north of Chicago to see our girl off and to wish her a fond fare well as she was very special to all of us.

Genies new home in the lovely gardens

Renee, Jackie, Genie, and Katherine walking
 up the drive to meet her new companion, Doc.

       Handsome new gelding boyfriend Doc

Genie with new mom Katherine

Happy mothers day Katherine from all of us at TPDR. And a great big Thank You for the lovely Clematis that you sent home with us!!!

Before Genie left fro her new home, she had
a dental appointment at Kern Road Veterinary Clinic.

Here is an update on Genie.

On April, 27, 2010 I removed 2 supernumery teeth from Genie for Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue. The procedure was performed with standing anesthesia as well as a mandibular nerve block. The tooth socket was packed with dental wax and she was started on oral antibiotics and banamine.

Dr. Pete Esterline D.V.M.

Kern Road Veterinary Clinic

***UPDATE 5-27-10****

Hi Sharon,  I hope that you are feeling much better and out doing your good work.  Genie and Doc are doing better all the time.  Sometimes they are together and sometimes she is in the back with some of the mini's.  And yes, she has found her voice!  Much deeper than the other two but very much like a heavy, rusty door hinge.  Still waiting for her to shed out so I can see what the brand is on her neck.  Regards, Katherine

Air Zip has been adopted by Katherine Allen and family of Loganville, Georgia. Congratulations!

Zip left his friends here at TPDR yesterday May 11 in a great big C & W Horse Transport van to join his new family down south. I am sure he will miss his "foster brother" Danby that he became fast friends with while being fostered with Craig and Darleen Horton of Fowlerville, Mi. Little does he know that there is a very fetching little donkey girl named Granola waiting in Loganville to meet him!!!

Good luck to you Little Zipster!!!

Zip`s foster mom Darleen Horton saying
goodbye as he gets ready to board his ride to Georgia!

****UPDATE 5-13-10****

Zip arrived here in the lovely peach state to much warmer weather and a new miniature mule named Granola.  He sure thought she was pretty, he ran right up to her and stuck his nose out to say a long eared hello.  It didn't take long for her to swish that thick tale and give our little boy a small reminder that he had to earn the right to be her boyfriend.  :) 

They are frolicking around the field and Zip is enjoying the fact that he gets his grain morning and night and the mighty plump Ms. Granola stands and watches through the gate.  We have discovered Zip loves being brushed, hates green buckets, and is not a fan of fly spray.  However, I lifted his feet and he was such a gentlemen. 

He'll get some hands on ground manner work everyday with butterscotch rewards when he finishes.  As hoped for, Granola's love for people has lent itself to Zip in that he comes running when we come out in the pasture too. 

They have only explored a small corner of the new farm and as they both lead better and gain their trust in us, we'll venture out to the other corners to look at the neighboring cows, goats, and horses. 

All in all it's going very well.  He unloaded just beautifully and is a true gentleman. 

Again, a huge thanks to Sharon, Darleen and Craig, and the crew at C & W Equine Transport.  We have our very own happy tail right here in the southland. 

I'll send photos as soon as the moving truck arrives with my equipment.  *Cross your fingers*  Take care and I'll email soon!

The Allens

****UPDATE 5-15-10****

Ok, I'm sorry for yet another update but I had to send a few photos of the Zipster and his new girlfriend.  I caught them in the field on video running like the wind with their thundering little hooves bucking and playing.  This went on for almost a half hour!!!  They were having so much fun I just couldn't help but take video.  They now nap together all the time and Granola has reduced the amount of times she kicks out at Zip for getting too close.  She is already warming up to our handsome little fella.  They go explore everywhere together and where Granola goes, Zip is sure to follow.  We just opened up the laneway behind the waterfall to the other side of the farm and their other paddocks.  So far so good and Zip has gotten the hang of fly spray...well, sort of.  It happens twice a day and always after he eats his grain.  At least now he doesn't take flight with front or back legs.  :)  This gives me a great chuckle at the look I get from both of my minis.  Almost like they are saying "Seriously?  The dirt we roll in has us covered Mom"  It's so fun to watch them getting along like a little married couple already.  She wears the pants and he's happy to let her.  It's a match made in heaven.  When I figure out how to download videos off of my new camcorder I'll have to send their video.  Hope all is well there and Sharon is back to rustlin donkeys soon.  Enjoy the photos, more will come. 

***UPDATE 5-27-10***

Dear Friends both two legged and four legged,

Zip is doing so great!  Would you believe I have him to the point where he will stand for fly spray?  Yes, you read that right...he STANDS for fly spray.  Just the small day to day lessons of ground work are paying off big time!  Today, he and Granola had a small sample of a bath.  I used a spray nozzle and set it to a gentle shower and started with just their front hooves, then their back hooves and worked up to one shoulder.  Zip also had the joy of a wash mitt and shampoo.  He didn't know what to think but he wasn't terribly impressed.  After a few minutes he started to relax and realize, wow, it's nearly 90 degrees outside and this feels pretty darn good. 

Now of course, he wouldn't be my beloved Zipster if he wouldn't have gone and rolled in his good dirt patch right after.  I just chuckled and told him to get ready for a half body bath next time.  I took them for a walk and he is happy to follow our ever adventurous Granola.  I also cleared my whole five acres in the back except for by the creek and they ran and jumped, bucked, and all around had a great time.  Then they settled in to have a nice lush snack on all the tall grass and delicious weed varieties found by the creek in the shade.  :) 

They were not so convinced they needed to come in for their grain and hay but finally they did after a lead line was attached to my little leader, Granola.  They are both such a joy and are always together now.  They don't even like being separated during graining.  They both love to take naps in the cool dirt under this huge shade tree in the corner and both of them seem happy and well adjusted. 

Zip even lets my four year old pet him and he comes to my husband.  I think he finally figured out that not all men are farriers.  The gal who adopted Ruth lives about an hour away and suggested her farrier to me and I'll take her up on it.  :)  Someday I hope to meet Ruth and have Carol come meet Air Zip.  Here are a couple more photos and I'll update again soon.  Take Care!

**UPDATE 6-9-10***

Hey all, 

Just wanted to let you know that life on the farm here in Ga is starting to settle in.  Zip and Granola have been loving the new fan I mounted for them so they can nibble their hay and take an afternoon siesta in the breeze when they are too hot.  They have also enjoyed the fact that I opened up my back pastures and they are allowed to roam around and sample all the delicious roughage varieties that Georgia has to offer.  They always come back in their main paddock on their own as if they have their own timer to say "that's enough." 

I sure hope my horse that was delivered last night follows suit.  Now Zip has been fostered with big paint horses, however, Granola hadn't been around anything that big.  It didn't take her long to find her vocal cords and her back legs and remind the "newbie" (my 16 hh paint) that he was the new kid and she was in charge. 

They are all three getting along just beautifully and Granola and Zip now have a kindred spirit who also enjoys kicking up his hooves and cantering around the pastures and playing.  Zander is a high energy horse and he is loving having two high energy pals.  (Well Zip has to at least keep up or he gets left behind!) 

Zipster is also putting on weight finally and looks much more rounded and less bony in the backend.  I have cut down their grain to minimal now as it appears they are plump enough and I don't think they have donkey treadmills if I continued to grain them everyday.  Now it's only a few days a week but BOY do they love those days!  I'll let you know how they are doing, and I'll get you a picture of all three...WHEN Granola decides to let Zander stand that close to her and Zip.  :)

**UPDATE 7-5-10**

It's been a little while and we just wanted to update all our friends in Michigan about how little Zipster is doing.  Carol Huff who adopted Miss Ruthie from TPDR suggested a wonderful farrier and I gave him a try.  Well boy oh boy, we knew Zip hated the farrier, but I've never seen that sweet little guy angry...until then.  He and the farrier had to have a few conversations, however, the job got done and with patience and talking nicely to him, the next go around should be better.  To Zip's surprise, he survived, and his new trim felt much nicer. 

How about the good stuff?  He still stands for fly spray, in fact he is the BEST of the bunch for getting his spray.  He no longer fears his green bucket and has joined in the festivities of "talking" to me while I prepare the grain buckets and hay bags.  It's so funny...this little donkey who was so shy, a little wall flower is absolutely blossoming.  The horses adore him, they must sense his kind soul and he is often found napping in the soft sand under a big shade tree with my big paint gelding.  He still loves his mini mule and partner in crime Ms. Granola the best, however, he tends to shy away from her naughty ways. 

All I can say is that there is no gate, no treat bag, and no grain sack that is safe from the cunning ways of this mini prankster.  Zip just walks away shaking his head and saying "I'm not a part of this."  He is my good boy.  He loves his brushings, his treats, and of course, his hugs and kisses.  He is finally nearly shed out and I'm positive he'll never get that much hair on him again with the heat here. 

 He used to be afraid of my rather boisterous children, but he loves to stand and the fence and look into the back yard and watch them swim, scream, and giggle.  He is fascinated by their array of noise.  Now when they come out to the pasture with me, he runs up to them to get scratches and pets.  This is light years from where he was when he was still terrified of them.  :) 

He is really coming along nicely.  He and Granola are always interested to see us saddle up their buddies and go riding.  They love to stir up a ruckus and run around like crazy as if to tease the horses by saying "ha,ha,ha, you have to work."   Zip has also made friends with our barn cat Squirrel who looks a lot like the Puss in Boots.  Often old Mr. Squirrel rubs up against Zip's legs and purrs and Zip just sighs happily and munches his hay.  Every now and again Zip decides he wants to snitch some of the horses nice rich hay but he also knows Mama will catch him before he can and sometimes he gets a handful and a scratch for the braveness he shows.  All is well down here, hope Sharon is feeling better soon and MUCH luck with the big sale!  Happy and safe Fourth to all of you.