Tana shows us how babies need to play and if there’s no baby available. She steps in

Natalie and Bob learn all about babies, afterall they will have two delivered any time.

Ain’t I all that? I know I am handsome, my mommy told me so, I’m eager to find a new home. Do you want to adopt me? Just call Tana, she’s my Mommy.

Tana loves and talks to little Bo Bo

Linda playfuly runs from baby Bo Bo, she lets out a loud scream, as he nips at her behind.

Tana and Linda introduce this elderly lady to Little Man

Day two of Mini boot camp , was off to an early morning road trip to Boerne, Texas, which is located  67 miles from Austin. We were all going to attend a day in the  beautiful rolling hills and country side of Boerne, and receive instruction by well known miniature horse breeder, Tana Fowler, of  Fowlers Hill Country Miniatures. We received instruction on the history of the miniature horse. We were each personally instructed on how to care for, train, and maintain a Mini. Tana was equivalent to an encyclopedia on the subject of miniature horses, if there were such a book. She was so knowledgeable and intuitive of her horses. If you had a question, she surely had the answer. Tana has a special bond and connection with all of her Mini’s and I believe there’s about 20 on property.  She also has a very special miniature dwarf horse, named Toy. Along with one called Little Man, who is barely taller than a dwarf. We called him “Dwarfish”.

Who are the ones attending this Mini Boot Camp you may be wondering and why? It was Bob and Natalie Arnold of Navasota, Texas , Linda Karney, of South Carolina, Myself, Sherry Montoya, and of Course our Co-founder, Sally Iwanski, and board member, Ellen, from Bellville. Natalie and Bob will take what they’ve learned back to Navasota and start up their own Mini program. They’ve just recently purchased two Minis who foaled in May. Linda recently moved from Jersey to South Carolina, where she currently has been running her program, called Bits of Love.

We learned about hoof care, teeth care, grooming, exercising, training using commands, lunging, feeding, medicines, first aid kits, breeding (Including a personal demonstration, which when asked on the spur of the moment, Medicine Man, was instantly all to eager to oblige). That was in all, about a 20 second demonstration on breeding ( I think they should have named him Minute Man, instead of Medicine Man)!  

Naturally doing farm work, we all worked up quite an appetite and thirst and we sat down and enjoyed a scrumptious lunch provided by our dear treasure of a person, Ellen (You don’t understand , she can’t be replaced)! and Minis and Friends. After we all filled our bellies, we were off to take Toy (The Dwarf) and Little Man, whose Dwarfish, to the local nursing home for a visit. We arrived at the facility, and the patients were ecstatic and elated to feast their eyes upon the Mini’s. The smiles on their faces and comments we received – Well there’s our reward, of why we do what we do. Simply for the pleasure of our forgotten citizens.

We owe Tana a million thanks for all she did for us yesterday. She is truly a gem for all she does and the tender loving care she shows all of her animals and for sharing all of her years of knowledge and experience with us.  Also, we have such gratitude for Tana’s supreme hospitality, in opening her beautiful elegantly designed ranch home with us, and for her willingness to give up her whole day to teach us,It was sure great getting to know her and her wonderful spirit.

We had so much fun at Tana’s in Boerne, as you can tell from the photos. We love you Tana.

Another session of Mini Boot Camp began on Friday morning and one of our first stops was in Georgetown, Texas, at The R.O.C.K. (Ride on Center for Kids). We were treated to a personal guided tour by The project Director, Joan Schroeder, An NARHA Registered Instructor.

R.O.C.K. is an Non-profit provider of therapeutic horseback riding and Hippotherapy for individuals with cognitive and physical challenges. We saw first hand the joy these kids felt, even as some of them suffer from severe pain, as they rode their horses. The well trained gentle staff were so attentive to each child’s individual needs.

We learned of many programs that take place there at R.O.C.K. One called Horses for Heroes, targets and honors Soldiers injured in the service of our Country.

What a great day we had in Georgetown. And we want to thank Joan, and the wonderful people there, at R.O.C.K. Our hats are off to the great amazing therapeutic work that goes on there every day.

Just got home and saw this terrific note from Slideshare -  (it was from midnight Thursday ) – but exciting to know the presentation is being viewed. 

“Minis And Friends 2009” is being tweeted more than any other document on SlideShare right now. So we’ve put it on the homepage of SlideShare.net (in the “Hot on Twitter” section).

Well done, you!

- SlideShare Team

Rudy Meets Rocky

On Sunday October 11th we thought we would give Rocky a chance to meet his new brother Rudy for a couple of minute to see if they would bond. And bond they did. As you can see it was love at first sight. They got so excited to meet each other that we had to separate them after just about 2 minutes. Rudy was under Dr.’s orders to be on light exercise for a few days, so we had to cut their visit short. They acted like they were two long lost brothers. Although their visit was cut short, you could tell that these two little guys are going to be buddies for a long time. I was so happy for both of them. Bravo tried to play along but I don’t think he caught on to the concept of “horse play” like he should. He watched Rocky & Rudy go at it for awhile and tried to join in but just couldn’t keep up. When the weather gets better and Rudy is able to be set free out back, I think the three of them will be very happy together. I am so happy for Rudy finding a good home where he can run & play & be happy. His happiness shows with his actions.

Rudy Meets Rocky

Rocky meets Rudy

At the crack of dawn we were awoken by the strong winds and pouring rain. That didn’t stop us from the task at hand here at Rancho Montoya. We were to take our newly acquired rescued stallion Rudy, to Buda Vet, to be gelded. Rudy jumped right up into the van without having to be coaxed on his second attempt ever. Not too much training involved on our part, as far as getting him into the van. We learned and got our training by loading Rocky, Bravo, and Stardust. Once we made it through the rain to the clinic, we had a 25 minute wait in the dark until they got there to open the doors. Let me just share these thoughts with you about our experience on the ride over there, and on the wait until the clinic opened. Rudy, is the sweetest horse in the world. He is so grateful to be a part of our family now and to have someone showing him so much love, affection, and attention. He is so proud of it and thankful to have been adopted and he shows it by the love he gives back. His heart is so big, I am surprised it fits in the state of  Texas. Just like they say, “Everything is bigger in Texas,” Well so is Rudy’s heart. He just has so much love to give you and it makes him happy to share his awesome  self with you, How great of a therapy horse he will be? Well we can just imagine, until he completes his formal training, and officially joins Minis and friends. But he is wonderful  therapy for us and everyone he meets. If you have had a bad day, just come home, to Rancho Montoya, and our minis will help you forget all those problems. They will seem insignificant after Rudy,  Rocky, and Bravo, give you their unconditional Love! Come on over to Rancho Montoya, see for yourself, Relax, and hang out with the mini’s. At 10 Am I received a phone call from Buda Vet, stating that Rudy is freshly gelded, already awake from the surgery, and up and moving about. If he is such a great stallion, with such a great disposition, how spectacular will he now be as a gelding? Stop by Rancho Montoya, and get acquainted with Rudy, and see for yourself.

On Sunday 10/4, Rocky Montoya received a new red headed step brother. Meet Rocky’s new step brother- Rudy Montoya.  Rudy is a registered stallion, who will be gelded this week. We brought him to Rancho Montoya this morning and introduced him to his new room-mates, Rocky and Bravo.  He was a little nervous to load up into the van, but after just a couple attempts, he was coaxed in with some fresh green grass. He rode in the van perfectly and was very excited to get home to meet the boys. Although, they will be separated by a fence for a while, the three of them were anxiously running back and forth greeting each other. We will be giving him a lot of love and tender care, as well as training him to come into the organization. We think he is going to be a great addition to Minis and Friends and he has a very gentle nature about him. It seems like he will love working with children. We told him he is going to have a lot of new friends and he can’t wait to meet them. He is very anxious and anticipating the beginning of his new life working and helping in our community.

Visit the YouTube link to see our “We Are Austin” segment with the minis. Don’t miss it to see what the minis do when they are working in the community!

Pluckers Gives a Hand (wing) through September

 

For the month of September if you go to the Pluckers Restaurant at 3909 South Lamar, 20% of your food and non-alcoholic purchases will be donated to help Minis and Friends continue our work in the community. If you have never been to Pluckers and you like to eat Chicken Wings, this is the place to go. Best wings in town by far. They also have a full menu of other items for those of you that do not care for wings that much.

The important thing is to tell all your friends and take the family out for dinner one night or two and help out our Organization. 20% of all our purchases is a huge gift if we all contribute to this deal they are offering us.

Thank you to the Pluckers ownership for giving us this opportunity to raise money for our totally Non-profit organization. Once again, it’s businesses like this that keep us ticking.

So what are you doing still reading this…. Get on over to Pluckers and spend, spend, spend.

Sherry hold check from Sam's Club.

Bonnie Barrington happened to be in the right place at the right time when she went to Sam’s Club to buy supplies for last weeks Mini play day at Paul & Sherry’s house. While there, she happened to speak to a Club Manager (Randy Wright) about a Turtle Cheese Cake she had seen while shopping that was calling her name. While talking to the Manager, Bonnie mentioned that she was part of a Non-Profit Organization and gave him a brief description on some of the things that we did. Randy thought that maybe Sam’s Club could help us out in some kind of way so he gave Bonnie a business card and told her to give them a call. Bonnie passed the business card on to Sherry who is our Fund Raising GURU and that started the ball rolling. Sherry contacted Marie Flenoy who is Sam’s Club’s Marketing Director and gave her all our info needed to check us out and to see if we qualify to receive funds from Sam’s Club.Marie contacted Sherry a few days later and gave us the good news. We were eligible to get these funds and we had to show up at Sam’s Club on I-35 north in Austin on Friday 8/28 to give a presentation and to receive a check.

We set up a display table with our brochures for all the other Non-Profit groups help them selves to. It was great to meet with some of these other groups and to see how much people really do care for the well being others as we do. Sherry and Sally gave the Presentation to explain what we are all about, Rocky and Bravo represented the herd and Paul was on scooper detail. Sounds like a winning team to me. Rocky and Bravo were a big hit with the Sam’s Club shoppers and their children. Sherry and Sally gave a great Presentation and Paul scooped like he never scooped before.

Sam’s Club presented Sherry with a check for $1000.00. They have no idea how much that amount of a check helps us out. Sam’s Club is forever in my heart and I pray for good thing to happen to all those involved. Good thing happen to good people. A special thanks to Randy Wright & Marie Flenoy.

Randy- Thank you for taking an interest in what your customers have to say. Without that, this wouldn’t be possible.

Marie- Thank you for taking our call and taking time to check us out and having the confidence that we were worthy to receive such a great gift.

If our Mini’s could talk, they would be speechless.

From all the Mini owners- God Bless you all.

On Sunday August 23, 2009 we were asked to help out one of the many businesses that reached out to us in times of need. Hooters donated Chicken Wings to us to help us out for our most recent Fund Raiser. Thanks to Hooters and many other companies like them our Fund Raiser was a huge success. So of course when they ask us for a helping hand, we were fast to do whatever we could to help them out. They were having a company party at their location on 183 north (just south on Lakeline Mall). Their party theme was Country/ Western. They thought it would be a good idea to have the Mini’s there to add to their theme and to have as an added attraction for the kids. We brought Mastercard, Sean, Rocky, Stardust and Bravo to meet the Hooters girls. The Hooters girls LOVED our boys and so did the kids. If I were single, I would take a Mini out with me at night. They are absolutely babe magnets. You have to love these little guy’s.

There was a good handful of little one to enjoy the Mini’s. All of the Horses were so sweet with the kids. There was even a couple that had 2 big white dogs that were great with the horses. I think Sean wanted to play with them. He was so cute.

We would like to thank the Manager of Hooters (Paul) for including us for their party and we look forward to a long lasting relationship with him and Hooters. Paul is a special person. They had bails of hay around the parking lot they used to add theme to their party that he let us take with us when we left. We all would like to thank Paul once again and wish him luck with whatever he does in the future. It’s people and businesses like that that help us survive.

Minis and Friends thanks you all,