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Welcome Rocket, my mothers new riding partner.

Rockets name dosent fit his personality at all… instead of being a Rocket he is more like a ROCK as in solid and steady and very very gentle.

Rocket comes from Virginia and spent 6 long days in a trailer to get to California. Rocket stepped off the trailer and into our hearts forever.

Thank you Debbie Smith for parting with this spotted treasure.

Wendy LeGate

Old Growth Oak Morgans

As it turns out my mother has been an undiagnosed  diabetic for a minimum of 5 years but more likely closer to 10 without ever knowing it. Due to her already good eating practices and her very active lifestyle she was able to keep it on a level that allowed her to continue to operate in a normal way but this last year has been very stressful on her… the loss of her equine partner, Buddy, ( Higuera Bandido x FarWest Justina) hit her the hardest. Thats likely when she transitioned from Type 2 diabetes that can be controled with diet and excercise to Type 1 where the body no longer produces insulin to handle the blood sugar correctly.

When she arrived at the hospital her blood sugar was over 700 she was severely dehydrated had a potassium level so low her heart shouldnt have even been beating and a septic bladder infection that had spread to her blood. In all respects and purposes the doctors all concured she shouldnt have been alive.

A week in ICU helped her out of the woods and she is now living with me until she can get back on her feet. Her life is forever changed. She is now insulin dependant and will need to gain her muscle mass back. She was under 80 pounds when entering the hospital but after 10 liters of liquids to rehydrate her and some good food she left at a meager but nonetheless better 106 pounds. Her eyes sight was affected and she has lost some feeling in her hands and feet.

 It was my moms desire for me to put this post on my blog, the purpose  was to inform and warn all those that might be following along with the events at OGO Morgans to pay attention to thier health.
Looking back my mom had many signs of diabites but because there was no one in her family that had it she never once considered herself at risk.

Regular physical exams with blood work will catch diabites and many other problems before they become a risk to your life. If you suspect a loved one may have diabites or any other health problem dont hold back, urge them to get checked out early it could save thier life.

 Wendy LeGate

Old Growth Oak Morgans

 My fingers are crossed for a FILLY!!!!

Wendy LeGate

Old Growth Oak Morgans

Well folks for those of you that have been waiting and waiting and WAITING for OGO Bellota Del Oro to have her foal by RanchBoss Cortez I have some dissappointing news. Bellota was confirmed in foal about 20 days after she was bred to RanchBoss Cortez but somewhere along the line she absorbed or slipped it. She was due Oct. 9th, I waited until Nov 9th before I had her palpated to see if she had something in there or if she was empty and she indeed turned up empty.

OGO Bellota Del Oro will likely be bred to Vining Lamar or OGO Higuera Rio Bravo sometime down the road but for now she is off to saddle training for about six months.

Wendy LeGate

OGO Morgans

Golden Wintermist is due the end of Sept of 2007. My fingers are crossed for a filly.

 Wendy LeGate

Old Growth Oak Morgans

Toughie had over come each hardship that was put in front of him with good humor and plenty of spunk. To say that ToughStuff had personality was an understatement he was so much like his Dam WoodRose Katrina in that respect.

This morning I heard a noise that just didnt sound right so as always up I got with the flash light to make the rounds to make sure everyone was doing well. As I came to Katrina and Toughies space I saw that Toughie was cast and with all the signs of an impaction or a twisted intestine.  I got him back on his feet and observed him and could tell that he was in discomfort. I checked his gums and they seemed ok but when I looked at Katrinas udder I could see she was engorged so I knew Toughie hadnt been nursing as he normally would.

I gave Toughie some pain meds and called the vet they said to watch him and see if he would pass any manure nurse or drink water until they could get there. Although Toughie did seem to feel better after the pain meds he didnt eat or nurse or drink any water or go to the bathroom and as time went on became painful again. Another call to the vet and they were out in a matter of minutes. After the initial exam it was what I had feared, a severe impaction or worse yet a twisted intestine. The vet said that Toughie might have the best chance if we got him to the hospital and did surgery but at the very least he needed to come to the hospital and be on IVs and be tubed with liquids and oil for any chance at all which in her opinion was really no chance at all. Her professional opinion was that he wouldnt make it and even if he did this would happen again.

I faced the decision I had been trying to avoid or at least delay and that was what to do for Katrina, without her foal she would grieve for months weaning her foals had always been an agony for her but in her current condition it would have just been torture as this wouldnt be weaning it would death and without a doubt I knew Katrina would not be able to withstand it.

 I had been nursing Katrina along day by day knowing full well her time on this earth was short. Katrina loved being a mother so much that before I got her she once stole a calf away from a momma cow. She fought the cow for her calf and after she won she nursed that calf as if it were her own. When the calf was taken away they both had to be roped and dragged away from each other when Katrina was released she promptly broke through fences to get back to her baby calf and by then the Momma cow knew what she was up against so didnt even put up a fight. The mother cow and calf had to be trailered away in the end. For Katrina having a baby was her best joy in life and to take Toughie from her would have been inhumane.

I had Katrina sedated and put down before her foal was so that her last sight and smell would be of her foal and the last things she would hear is me telling her that I loved her, Toughie was already sedated and was put down right afterwards.

WoodRose Katrina holds a very special place in my heart forever as she was the center of my breeding program and produced what I would consider the ideal but more than that her intelligence and personality was in a nutshell delightfully entertaining and amazing. She was not a mare that trusted everyone she took each persons measure and made her decision slowly. She loved and trusted me with no reservation what an honor to have such a thing from such a grand and beautiful mare, I will never forget her and I will always miss her.

Goodbye my beautiful girl.

Katrina had the following foals in her lifetime.

SandDollar, bay, Gelding, by Higuera Bandido.

Bandidos Silly Salle, chestnut roan flaxen, mare, by Higuera Bandido.

 Ursulas Higuera Bandita, Chestnut Sabino, mare, by Higuera Bandido.

Bandidos WindSwept Son, Black Chestnut, gelding, by Higuera Bandido.

OGO WindSwept Soleil, Palomino, Stallion, by CanDon Joshua Danny.

OGO Bellota Del Oro, Buckskin, mare, by Primavera Valdez.

OGO Tejon De Oro Hermoso, Buckskin, Stallion, by Primavera Valdez.

OGO Primavera ToughStuff, Buckskin, colt, by RanchBoss Cortez.

Wendy LeGate

Old Growth Oak Morgans

 AKA ” Shaman” is by RanchBoss Cortez and out of RanchBoss Black Star leaves today to make his way to his new home in AZ at Singing Heart Ranch.

Here are a few pictures I took today of OGO Primavera Black Gold and his buddy OGO Luna Illuminati who is a Caduceus Denver son and out of my beautiful STK Black Velvet.

Shaman is on the right and Illuminati is on the left.

Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.

Wendy LeGate

Old Growth Oak Morgans

OGO Primavera ToughStuff and my dog Wrangler having an affectionate moment.