BARN MANAGER Wow where did the summer go! So much has been accomplished over the summer months. Our 20’ x 60’ run-in is near completion, we are waiting only for the last of the roofing to arrive. The new fencing is up, and the horses are very happy with their new digs. Thanks to Warren construction, our drive has been extended the length of the pasture and a pad completed for the storage of round bales. We are now concentrating on raising funds for the ground work for the outdoor arena. We are in hopes to have the finances to get the arena up and running in the spring. We continue to count on folks like you for our success and thank you for your generous contributions. We wish you all healthy and happy holidays. GETTING INVOLVED Make a Donation We at LCR sincerely appeciate those who so generously give financial support to our program. LCR has recently obtained approval from the IRS as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We have kept track of donor contributions and will send a statement at the end of the year detailing your gifts. Gifts given within 15 months of the application for the non-profit status are deductible now that the IRS has granted us our nonprofit status. In an effort to be a progressive nonprofit, by virtue of having our own website, we now have a donation processing service to accept credit card gifts online. All donations will be acknowledged on our "Thank you" page by first name and last initial or business name, unless you request anonymity. If you would like to donate by check or money order, please send to: LAST CHANCE RANCH 379 Bangor Rd. Troy, Maine 04401 Volunteer Your Time Contact us by e-mail or call 207-948-3440 to become an active volunteer. There is something for all age groups to become a part of LCR. HELPFUL HORSEY HINTS Tip # 1: Emergency Substitute for Trailer Lights Hauling horses is always a nerve-wracking chore. It is hard to be prepared for every emergency but there are some things you can do to prepare for when things go bad. If you lose your taillights, use red LED headlamps designed for hiking and other outdoor activities (in the camping section at Walmart) as an emergency substitute. The LED is bright enough to be seen at some distance, which not only keeps you from getting rear-ended, but also keeps you from getting pulled over! Keep in mind, these do not light up when breaking so they are not intended as a long-term replacement for regular working lights. But they work nifty-neat in a pinch when you can't just stop and fix things. Tip #2: Foiling Houdini Do you have an escape artist that knows how to pull the pins out of round-pen corral panel assemblies? To nip this in the bud, use tie-wraps to secure the chain to the joint of the corral panels so the little darling can no longer lift the chains! Tip #3: Preparing for euthanasia/death This is not a topic that horse people generally like to discuss but probably one of the most important. At one time or another, most horsemen will have to face the possibility of having to decide to put a horse down or having a horse die on its own. These events are painful enough without having to worry about how to "take care" of the body. I urge those of you reading this who have horses to select a method of disposal that is both legal and feasible for your situation (economically and physically). If you are going to bury the horse on your own property, select a spot away from wet areas or near bodies of water. Once you select a spot, be sure you can dig down to a depth of at least 6-8 feet (10 is better). If you do not own the backhoe necessary to dig to this depth, make prior arrangements with one or two local contractors who can be available on short notice to do this. Cremation is possible in limited areas and is worth considering if you have limited burial spots, however it is also very expensive. We were recently caught off guard by the unexpected death of one of our horses and found it stressful to get the burial taken accomplished. I hope this prevents others from this difficult situation.