12/20/2025
Said no farm owner... EVER. 🫠
Sorry we haven't been posting much. When our water bill for the farm arrived for this past month, it was massive. Like over $400. We confirmed it was a leak causing this but it wasn't at the house, it was at the barn or it's surrounding land. We worked for a week to try and locate by systematically turning on/off all main valves and water units; nope! So it was underground. On 350 acres it was quite the project! So in come the plumbers and water engineers; this was NOT a cheap adventure.
We started in all horse pastures closer to all the auto water units; that were preexisting cattle waters (all Ritchie units). We already concluded ourselves that no waterer was leaking but way underground was another story!
After a week, they found it! Mid- pasture (11 acre pastures) from the road to the main drinker in that pasture, then up to our home. It was bubbling so far underground there was no way to have found it without tons of equipment a general handyman would have or could even rent.
Well that means that our "Christmas present" to the farm this year was spending multiple thousands to have engineers spend the time locating, diagnosing and repairing the leak. Think over $5,000. 🫠
To add to that, we had to purchase $1800 in lumber for repairs due to such extreme weather and sanctuary horses that seem to be quite destructive and hell bent with their fencing. We also paid extra to now wrap every wood plank in these specific horses pastures, with extra Ramm hotwire so this doesn't happen again. So insert several more thousand for this project too.
We are now getting less that $100 a month guys. We have to pay for everything personally. It's getting tough, especially with how high hay prices have risen and again, not one donor for hay this year. Oh, we also got another alfalfa square bale delivery last week, that was $1450 we personally paid.
Yes, we are blessed hence why we started the sanctuary but that doesn't mean we can opperate this way forever. We continue to pray for the Lords intervention for these ponies and residents.
If we don’t post much, it's because we are still working on these massive projects before my husband deploys again.
If you feel moved to donate or can share, please share far and wide. We need it for these residents!!!! Visit our website to donate and learn more...
www.themagicalmenagerie.com
