October 6, 2021: Happy Horse Haus, Rapid City, South Dakota - 550 miles from Ramsay
Apparently, there are horse motels and then there are horse motels. This is one of the latter.
It is situated right on a very busy road (How did I not catch that in my research?), and is a small, crowded property. Leo has to stay in another box stall with Sugar. (They are doing their very best to break out.) Can’t possibly let him loose.
Considering that he hates being indoors and gets claustrophobic, this is torture for him. There is a small fenced ring we can put the goats in and can keep Leo on a leash with us as we circle around and around the ring getting some exercise.
The owner, however, is fabulous and it is a good property for horses used to traveling. But not ideal for our travel-weary animals and humans.
Trout has not eaten or drank much of anything for days. This does not bode well for him. Goats are browsers and need to eat frequently. We’ve been force feeding him water with electrolytes and squirting probiotics into his mouth morning and night to stimulate his rumen, but there is no change. He has peed a couple of times, which is an encouraging sign. But I doubt that he will make it. I don’t want to lose Trout. But I will probably not be able to save him. That’s a sad reality.
The flies are horrendous. (Yeah, I know, a horse place…I get it). But I’ve spent a lot of time with horses in the past. This is way over the top.
And I need to mention my love, BillyBob (BB to the grandkids). He did not sign up for this. He was not a fan of bringing goats and a livestock guardian dog 2300 miles across the country. And with good reason. I understand. He is sane.
But he has jumped into the fray holding a 255-pound goat still while I force feed liquids and probiotics, and held goats down while I injected them with thiamine to help with the stress of traveling, and he has never complained. He did not want to take the RV, but he did. He has always been there. That’s pretty outstanding.
One thing I did not figure into the equation was the enormous traffic and noise on I-90. Droves of huge semis, super large (loud) RVs, etc. We have been living in the quietude of Pine Mountain Lane, where the loudest noise is a lawn mower or leaf blower. Traffic has been stressful for the animals as well as the humans hauling them.
So, am I a fool to bring them with me? Probably. I have this innate belief that when you accept an animal into your life, you are responsible for it until one of you dies. In my younger more energetic years, I had horses, goats, chickens, ducks, and geese. I had to give them up to move and I just didn’t want to ever do that again. Trout and Salmon are wethers (neutered). Generally, most people will harvest them. Columbia and Sugar are female. Generally, people will breed and milk them. These goats have all lived a charmed life as weed eaters and the pets of a Helicopter Mom. I could not leave them behind.
So, it has been an adventure. Mostly good until today. The camera my son installed in the cargo trailer has helped enormously and allowed me to worry less. I don’t think it helps the goats any, but it gives me peace. Leo can’t tolerate an enclosed car for very long, so I drive with windows down, the heat on high, the seat warmer on, wearing a sweatshirt and listening to the symphony of the semis as they roar by. Leo rides with his head out of the window.
Tomorrow, we spend two days on a large farm in Mitchell, South Dakota, with several fenced fields and (I hope) better times for animals and humans. Hopefully we can all kick back and chill. After that, it’s on to Des Moines, Pontoon Beach, and Lexington.
And the journey continues.