My Pets

[Kiarra]

All of the horses were adopted from the Bureau of Land Management's Adopt-A-Mustang program. They are all wild-born Mustangs adopted legally through the BLM.

Abby Rose, our 3-year-old Mustang Filly

Abby Rose & Nikki (show name of To Helen Back), both 3-year-old Mustang fillies. When we got Nikki, she had just had a surgery to remove an umbilical hernia, and had contracted strangles. She was so thin that there was no meat on her, just skin stretched over bone. That was last December. This photo was taken today, May 29, 2005.

Abby Rose & Nikki again

Casey, our 7-year-old Mustang gelding

Casey again

Nikki, Abby Rose, Ryssa, and Shiloh

Nikki again

Ryssa, my own personal 6-year-old Mustang mare. I trained her myself, and show her in the Mustang shows held in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nevada.

Ryssa again

Ryssa yet again

Shiloh, our 5-year-old Mustang gelding

Shiloh again

Just Shy's head

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Now the cats! All three (and one more) cats pictured here were feral-born and were brought home from near my mother's office. They have been living with us since they were babies and are now (mostly!) tame. Our other cat was adopted from Petsmart's adoption program, making all five of them rescue kitties.

Cali, our 1-year-old runt

Molly, our 1-year-old sister to Tommy, aunt to Cali (though only two weeks separate their ages)

And Tommy, another 1-year-old, brother to Molly, uncle to Cali. He's looking quite smug in this one.

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And the hamster! She's a Russian Dwarf Hamster that I just bought, and I haven't named her yet.

 

[Bloo]

Oh wow, some beautiful looking Mustangs you have there ! And love your hammy and kitty pics too
You are very fortunate to be able to have so many animals !

 

[Kiarra]

I don't know what I'd do without them.

We have:
5 Horses
5 Cats
1 Dog
a BUNCH of fish
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Fire-Bellied Newts
2 Fire-Bellied Toads
1 House Gecko
1 Hamster (soon to be more!)
6 Mystery Snails

I had some pictures of the dog, but they came out very blurry, so I'm going to try to get more.

 

[mm_simb]

Wow...that's a lot of animals I wish I was allowed that many.
They're all beautiful though

 

[Jessica13]

Beautiful horses!! I love Casey Do you ride them all?

Oooh, and your other pets are gorgeous too, but im a horse person!

 

[Kiarra]

Well, Casey was beaten by a trainer, and has some SEVERE confidence issues, so we don't ride him. We're going to start trying again with him this summer, building his confidence and getting him to accept a rider. He has a tendency to buck people off. Broke my mother's arm one summer.

My mother rides Shiloh, and I ride Ryssa. Both of us show our respective horses, and we are actually both involved in an all-Mustang drill team to help promote the Mustang adoption program through the BLM. We're also on the Utah Wild Horse & Burro Festival Committee, that holds shows in May every year (just got done with our show last weekend, as a matter of fact).

We'll be working with Abby under saddle this summer, as she's just old enough for such things now. She has been ridden, but not much, and we wanted to wait until she was old enough for heavier riding before we did any.

Nikki probably won't be started under saddle this year, due to her health problems this last winter. My mother did show her last weekend in In-Hand Trail and Lungeline, and she got 5th and 6th place ribbons in those classes. But she's still really thin, and we don't want to hurt her, so we probably won't be riding her until late fall at the earliest, but more likely spring next year.

 

[Annastasia]

Gorgeous Pets Kiarra!

I love all your Mustangs! Especially Ryssa.

 

[Kiarra]

More photos!

This is why the hamster is NEVER left unwatched...

This is Charlie, who is the older brother to Tommy and Molly. He is the littermate of Cali's mother. He's only 1 1/2 years old, turning two in August. He weighs in at a whopping 17.5 pounds.

This is Kit, who didn't come out to take photos like the rest of them, so I had to attack her in my parents' bed. Doesn't she look disgruntled? This is her saying, "Go away, Mom! I'm sleeping here!" She's about 9 years old now. Something like that. Not feral like the rest of them, but still a rescue from Petsmart's adoption program.

And another one of Cali...because she's just SO photogenic.

And this is my dog. His name is Riley. He's an Australian Shepherd/Cocker Spaniel mix. He's 2 years old. We got him from a rescue organization when he was 10 months old.

 

[Mariah]

I love your horses! You are sooooo lucky to be able to have that many horses! Im assuming you keep your horses at home? I have a horse to, but I have to board her at a stable.
I especially like Shiloh If I lived out where you lived I would adopt a mustang too!
I will have to post pics of my animals too!

 

[Kiarra]

Yeah, two of our horses live in our backyard. Two of our horses live in the backyard of the house we own (and rent out) next to us. Then Casey lives in the yard next to that, where we pay the property owner a small amount to house him. All of them close to home, where we can feed, play with, and keep an eye on them.

 

[Mariah]

Your just so lucky!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Lovely pets you have there and great horses too, you are very lucky
I wouldn't keep the hamster around the cats though as she probably won't be enjoying it like in the plastic tub- be careful the cats don't eat or try to grab her!

 

[Kiarra]

The hamster is well-watched, I assure you. I'm always right close whenever she's out of her cage. The cats were actually somewhat afraid of the hamster ball, and what you don't see in the photos with the hamster in the tub is the squirt bottle right at hand. Cali's nickname is the Imp, because she is mischief incarnate, so she's quite familiar with the squirt bottle. She sees it and runs.

 

[xanthianacid]

Oh wow you've got some animal friends!
How do you ever keep them? We find it hard providing for our fishies and our children (ok they are spoilt shamelessly!) We did have a kitten up until last week but I'm just not able to give her the love she requires so we gave her to another loving family. She was rescue too... but she had problems like weeing on our bed! it was getting a bit difficult, but her new owners just got her done so maybe that won't be a problem anymore.
I would love to have lots of animals, but I have to be alot more organised first. It takes some time and loving. I just have a small amount of time (uni, 3 almost 4 children and MTS).
Anyways, Cheers on all your rescues, you obviously love animals very much. I'd love to see all your fishes too...
Xan

EDIT: We would have hamsters too, but we can't have them here in Queensland. My daughter loves them, and I won't keep guinea pigs as they have a bad reputation for dying easily here, and wouldn't like the children to be faced with that in a hurry!

 

[wrs]

wow , you have alot of horses, or is that the same one in all the pics?

those cats are adorable, and so is that little hampster.