When you're down and troubled
and you need a helping hand
and nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
and you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
all you have to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend.

If the sky above you
should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
and soon I will be knocking upon your door.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
all you got to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you.
Well they'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don't you know that,
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will.
You've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
                                 ...LYRICS - Carole King

Grace had been off her feed and not feeling well for a couple days. Temperature was normal. Vet was called and banamine administered. She still wasn't up to snuff and when she did poop, it was very dry. Vet came out an administered laxatives and stool softners. The next morning, Saturday, she still didn't seem good and was lying down with her head up. We made the decision to send her to our vet's clinic for full blood work, etc. Blood work showed very low white cell count. Normal temperature. Vet began tube feeding her as she was not eating and not drinking enough. Antibiotics were administered also. I visited her Sunday.

When I arrived she was lying down, head up. You could tell she really felt bad. Of course, being the Amazing Grace, she got up when I entered the stall. She was weak. She allowed me to hug on her and encourage her to get better. She would walk away slowly and kinda stand off to the side. She came to me twice and put her head in my chest. I told her to get better as we missed her and loved her very much.

Blood was tested again on Sunday evening.......white count = 0. Heart rate was up. Monday, 1/26/04 she was somewhat dehydrated and weak. Vet began admistering liquids. She was not interested in food and there were small deposits of soft/runny stool. Not alot. As the vet began to administer I.V. liquids, Grace went into convulsions and died.

We don't know why. I am still reeling from shock and grief. I just couldn&amprsquot /can't believe it. The vet had asked if we wanted to send Grace&amprsquos remains to the State Lab to find out what had happened and we agreed. Once those results are known (possibly a week or so) I will let you all know. - Thank you to Carol D. for donating funds to have testing done.

Gail - I'm just kinda feeling flat and empty. I&amprsquom just not sure of much right now I just don&amprsquot get it. I don't understand. I keep seeing her beautiful face..........

Grace came to TIER May 25, 1999. On January 26, 2004 The "Big Guy" called her name and she went running across the Rainbow Bridge to see him again. Grace was our friend and we will miss her more than words can express.

Grace has no back teeth and requires a special diet which includes Pawier Vitamins. She was rescued from a feedlot where she was literally starving to death because she could not process her food. Someone spent alot of time with this mare at some point in her life. When being groomed or tacked up, she will stand perfectly still. Due to her kind and loving nature, Grace is the horse that beginners and children that visit TIER are able to work with.

This is Grace now!

Living proof of what food, love and care can do!

Wow!

Here we have a picture of the Amazing Grace Slick as she is training for the newest Olympic Event. Yelling at Food! If you yell at your food, it will jump in your mouth, thus avoiding soiled and unsightly lips. Grace has developed her own technique of YAF (Yelling at Food) wherein she moves in close to the attendant carrying the tub of food which lets the food know she is near. This causes the food to tense which results in high jumps into the mouth once Grace starts yelling. She moves quickly along with the attendant, and as the attendant bends to place the tub of tensed up food on the ground, she pivots smoothly into position for when the tub is set upon the ground. Once the tub is placed on the ground, Grace moves in fast, barely giving the food time to realize it has been set down. She then commences to yell at the food. The food is so startled by the sudden approach of Grace's looming body and loud yell that it literally bounces down her throat. An amazing technique that has won Grace gold medals from every maker of alfalfa pellets and senior feed. Of course, the addition of 1/4 cup oil assists the food is its ascent.

As an added threat to the food, Grace does the patented toe tap. This  toe tap is done while the food is being conditioned in its tub for its ultimate placement before Grace. While the food is having its water and oil and flax seed and A&M added in readiness for the event, Grace can be heard in the background stomping her foot-toe tapping. This is always done with the left foot as she faces the gate. The reasoning behind this is that her right foot is stable and bearing the weight in anticipation of the first pivot into the attendant as they come through the gate with tub of food. The food hears this in the background and tenses up in anticipation.

A fast paced and grueling event that the Amazing Grace Slick has demonstrated time and time again with 100 results. There ain't no food left when Grace is through yelling!

Thought ya might like a little 4th of July fun. Let freedom ring! And let the games begin!

Well, thanks to several loving and caring folks,  Mr. Bones is sitting in a pen right out my back door! And, hang on to your hats folks, Mr. Bones is a Mrs.!!!  That's right, the poor old horse rescued by these folks is a mare! HA! I have no excuses. I guess I was just so appalled at her overall condition that I never thought to bend over and double check. I'm such a stickler for detail! HA!  Anyway this lovely old soul is now going by the name of Grace. She arrived literally on my doorstep. The hauler brought her right to the front door last night. The first words out of the hauler's mouth (other than Blairmy husband wouldn't let me bring her in the living room! were "Did you know she is gaited?" Well, I knew she was gaited, but I didn't know she was a she. One out of Two isn't bad...is it?   I fed her some A&M with a little Senior and threw her some nice leafy hay. This morning, when I was spraying her for flies before I went to work, I noticed wads of hay on the ground. So, I will schedule the vet to come float her teeth (if she has any) and if she has no teeth we will be doing the pellet mush thing. Thursday she will have her feet done along with all the other kids here. I think Moses and Callie are planning to go out dancing after they have their manicure, so I imagine all the others will want to go too! I noticed Shiloh practicing the Arabian polka and Chance was counting off to himself as he did the Saddlebred Waltz. Skippy was bouncing around doing the Paint Conga.  Kids! Hope they don't stay out too late and tire poor old Grace out! Just so Grace would look her best for the dance, I brushed her out this evening. Her whole pen is now lightly carpeted with dingy black hair.  The hair on this poor girl came out in handfuls! I started with a soft brush, went to a shedding blade and ended up just removing the hair by hand and then brushing. She is even skinner without that wad of fur!  Her skin is terribly dry (corn oil on its way!). I used Corona ointment on all the horrible scapes on her back, rear, chest, thighs, sides, neck, face and legs which came from another horse beating her up. During all this party girl fix-up, she stood quitely and when I was near her front she would rest her precious head against me.  This is absolutely the sweetest mare! She is alert and loving. When someone appraches the pen, she looks up with interest and comes over.  When you step inside the pen, she comes to you, but is respectful of your space. She is so kind. A very gracious mare. We are already in love with Grace.  Moses was out practicing the Thoroughbred Tango for the festivities and came over to her pen. Although she is a docile, ancient lady, she sure let Moses know she would take no guff from some youngster! Yelled at him and struck out at him. Needless to say, Moses was somewhat surprised (he is the bully of the bunch), so we sent him to practice his dancing in his pen.  I cannot thank those folks who are helping Grace enough. No horse deserves what had happened to Grace. Whether they be young, old, stubborn, fearful, broken, crippled, unattractive (haven't seen one of those yet), highstrung, cowed, bright-eyed, etc., they deserve a chance to be the very best they can be. They give to us willingly and unconditionally (unless harmed somewhere along the line sometimes).  Because of the wonderful folks that are helping Grace, we are able to give back to her a little (a very little compare to what she has given to humans). Thank you to all of you for what you do, have done, and continue to do for the horses!