My big project over the past 6 months that my husband was deployed was to go through all of my stuff. Most of the things I own have been boxed up in storage off and on for the past several years. It was like Christmas, going through some boxes that hadn't been opened in 6 years or so.
One of the things I found was a package of old horse pictures, among them were all of Bo's baby pictures. I'm planning to scan them in and put them on my webpage to start a photo gallery of my big handsome boy.
Leah is back and looks fantastic. She gave us a scare though last weekend. I found her in her stall, drooling and unable to swallow. After a trip to the vet, some druges and a stomach tube, they still didn't know what was wrong with her. She was left there for a night of observation and she was finally able to eat with the help of some Bute. (an anti-inflammatory painkiller for those non horse folks who may find their way here)
When we brought her home, I discovered Bo sticking his tounge out and making faces, much the way Leah had been when we first found her drooling. He didn't let it stop him from eating though - not much ever stops Bo from eating.
We finally came to the conclusion that it was a strange type of grass that popped up in a bale of hay they shared. The bale was chock full of some type of fluffy grass seeds that were smooth when felt one way, but like sandpaper when rubbed the wrong way. Bo didn't finish his portion of that bale, whereas Leah did. I think the vet's theory of the mouth or throat being scratched up was right.
All is well now, but it was a tense couple of days wondering why Leah couldn't swallow anything she tried to eat.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Strangeness
"The strangeness of this life cannot be measured." - John Dunbar, Dances With Wolves
That quote pops into my head from time to time and this is one of those times.
Just two months ago I reduced my small herd of horses to just one. I've been enjoying only having one horse to fuss over - one horse to care for and worry about and make plans with. At the same time there has been times where it feels strange to be at the barn. Once I'm done with Bo, I'm... done. Several times I've stood at the gate to his pen after putting him away and finishing chores and I've thought,
"Now what? ... Well, now I guess I go... home."
I think I've gotten used to it and have been enjoying having just the one.
Tonight I came home from a get together at a friend's house and checked my e-mail. I found a reply from one of the ladies who had given a home to two of my horses, an Arabian mare and her weanling filly. We've been e-mailing back and forth about the "girls".
I was surprised to see that her message was asking if I'd be interested in taking the mare back. She said she's just not working out for what they wanted her for. Without hesitation, I knew my answer would be yes. This was the arrangement I had made with them, for both horses. I gave both of the horses to them, under the condition that they be given back to me if things didn't work out. I wrote back and we've arranged that they'll bring her back tomorrow afternoon.
I'm not really sure what to do. This mare means so much to me and it was gut wrenching to see her go. I had decided at one point to keep her and Bo. That way my husband and I could each have a horse to ride and I'd have my two extremes again - Bo is the calm, quiet, lazy, "safe" horse (even though he's a stallion) and Leah, the mare, is the one with more get-up-and-go. She is a sportscar to his luxury sedan. When I had thought of keeping both of them, I had considered gelding Bo so that they could stay together. She has always been "his" girl. She was the first mare he bred and all through these years, he notices her more than any other mare.
When I decided to let her go, my husband confessed that the idea of gelding Bo had made him sad. He had been hoping that we would have a couple of Bo babies to raise up later on when we have property and when Bo is older.
Now everything is up in the air again. All I know is that pretty little Leah is coming home to me again. Beyond that we'll just have to figure it out...
That quote pops into my head from time to time and this is one of those times.
Just two months ago I reduced my small herd of horses to just one. I've been enjoying only having one horse to fuss over - one horse to care for and worry about and make plans with. At the same time there has been times where it feels strange to be at the barn. Once I'm done with Bo, I'm... done. Several times I've stood at the gate to his pen after putting him away and finishing chores and I've thought,
"Now what? ... Well, now I guess I go... home."
I think I've gotten used to it and have been enjoying having just the one.
Tonight I came home from a get together at a friend's house and checked my e-mail. I found a reply from one of the ladies who had given a home to two of my horses, an Arabian mare and her weanling filly. We've been e-mailing back and forth about the "girls".
I was surprised to see that her message was asking if I'd be interested in taking the mare back. She said she's just not working out for what they wanted her for. Without hesitation, I knew my answer would be yes. This was the arrangement I had made with them, for both horses. I gave both of the horses to them, under the condition that they be given back to me if things didn't work out. I wrote back and we've arranged that they'll bring her back tomorrow afternoon.
I'm not really sure what to do. This mare means so much to me and it was gut wrenching to see her go. I had decided at one point to keep her and Bo. That way my husband and I could each have a horse to ride and I'd have my two extremes again - Bo is the calm, quiet, lazy, "safe" horse (even though he's a stallion) and Leah, the mare, is the one with more get-up-and-go. She is a sportscar to his luxury sedan. When I had thought of keeping both of them, I had considered gelding Bo so that they could stay together. She has always been "his" girl. She was the first mare he bred and all through these years, he notices her more than any other mare.
When I decided to let her go, my husband confessed that the idea of gelding Bo had made him sad. He had been hoping that we would have a couple of Bo babies to raise up later on when we have property and when Bo is older.
Now everything is up in the air again. All I know is that pretty little Leah is coming home to me again. Beyond that we'll just have to figure it out...
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