My Million Dollar Horse

So tomorrow is the big day!  Beau is going to TNT to have is 209 top molar pulled.  The estimate was $2,500 - $4,000, which was staggering, but not once have I even contemplated doing anything other than exactly what needs to be done.  

Yes, it's a lot of money.  Yes, he's an older boy.  Yes, he has other issues that limit his abilities.  None if these were factors for me. I rescued him when others had turned their backs on him.  To them he wasn't worthy, wasn't useful, wasn't worth the care.  I am here to show him that not all owners are that shallow.  He deserves to be loved, cared for & spoiled.  I've loved this boy since the first minute I saw his photo.  I knew we were meant to be together.

He will be at the vets for a total of 3 days, which will be extremely difficult.  What if he thinks I'm like the others & I'm abandoning him?  What if he thinks he's leaving for good?  My heart aches at the very thought.

My plan is to drop him off in the morning & head to work for a few hours & make it back in time to be there when he is done.

Leaving him there in the morning will be so unbelievably difficult, but I know in my heart that it needs to be done & he will be back home soon.

Some Times Too Much Padding Is Not A Good Thing!

In effort to protect my Morab's back and make the riding experience pleasurable for both of us I use a padded saddle pad along with a sheepskin pad with gel packs and a fleece padded girth.  I have cinched the saddle the same way for the past 4 months and have had no issues (even when she was acting like a crazy mare rearing up on me) until yesterday.

Feeling maybe a bit over confident from my productive riding lesson on Friday, I saddled Angel up as I typically would.  We took a few trips around the ring in a nice trot and then she was spooked by my husband walking through the woods near the riding ring in a camo jacket (Thanks Honey!).  She took a quick and unexpected right turn and the saddle went left and under her belly.  I was able to get off the saddle and had a semi gentle behind plant on the ground.

I removed everything and tacked her back up, determined to finish our ride on a positive note.  We took a few more trips around the ring trotting and a small amount of cantering and she spooked again in the same spot.  Same situation as before...she took a sharp unexpected right turn and the saddle slipped under her belly.  This time I was not as fortunate on the landing and landed hard on the ground on the base of my back and left butt cheek, I felt the back of my head bounce off the ground.

My first thought was...Damn!  The gate is open!  I called to Andy to close the gate & make sure Angel was ok.  My second thought was... Damn!  I just had my back adjusted!!  Once I got back on my feet I knew I would be feeling this one for a few days!  I tacked her back up and removed the sheepskin gel pad and pulled myself back on her for our last final trips around.  Although I was in a great deal of pain, I knew I had to get back on her in order to end in a good note.

This morning I woke to my backside looking like an Easter egg.  Swollen and sore to the touch.  I did my regular barn duties, but decided to give us both the day off.

Moral of this story..... 45 yr olds don't bounce like they used to.  Also, more padding isn't necessarily better when it comes to saddles!


PS. I have to thank my wonderful and supportive husband that tries so hard to help me when needed.  Even in pain I giggled when I saw that he tried to help by untacking Angel and put her saddle pad on backwards.  I love Andrew with all my heart and so grateful that he supports me regardless!  I am blessed!

My Fickle Mare

This morning I tried to beat the humidity by picking the paddock after Angel's breakfast.  She is not a terribly affectionate mare...only when she chooses to & when she's done, that's it.  

As I was picking the paddock she left her morning hay in her stall and came walking to the end of the paddock toward me.  She was walking with such determination that I assumed that she was in the mood for a rub on the neck.  Not a chance!  She squeezed herself between where I was standing & the fence and walked right past me.  She stopped by the wheelbarrow full of her poo, sniffed it and proceeded to poop next to it.  She then turned around and walked back to her stall to finish her hay.

Not sure if I should feel snubbed or grateful that she didn't drop a fresh pile across the other side of the paddock that I had just finished cleaning.  I'm going to assume she was just trying to be helpful!  ;)

Love my fickle mare & every little quirk that makes her who she is!  

My 1,000 lb toddler

I never dreamed that by owning a horse I would worry every waking moment about her welfare.  It truly is like having a 1,000 lb toddler.

I've baby proofed the paddock & she comes in with a cut in her head.  How on earth???

Hooves chipping and being cleaved off left & right... Does it hurt her??  More conditioner?  Supplements?  Shoes?  Boots??  Argh!!

Hives... From the new hay supply?  New supplement?  Bee sting??  Do I call the vet?  Benadryl?  

Not eating hay as fiercely as normal...  Teeth issues?  Bad crop of hay?  Stomach issues?

Water level in the stall is same as how I left it the night before.... Something in the water?  Illness?  Bucket too high on the wall??

Does the saddle fit properly?  Girth too tight?  Why does she turn to nip me when I slowly tighten it??

1,000 lb temper tantrums if feed time is late.

That is just a cross section of what runs through my head on a weekly basis.  Is it worth it?  Heck yes!  

Having her walk beside me in the paddock because she chooses to be with me.  How she winnies to me when she sees me.  How she has learned to trust in me, as I trust in her.

These are the things that make it all worth while....  

My 1,000 lb Furry Mid-Life Crisis

After growing up with easy access to horses most of  my life, I knew that owning one as an adult was a sure bet.  I along with my 2 daughters went through the jumping and show circuits for several years and really loved it at that time.  Unfortunately, life throws curve balls sometimes and interests turn from horses to boys or other things that seem important at that point in time.

We bought a small farm in Maine in late Fall.  It was the perfect set up for horses... attached barn, a few acres of flat grassy field and trails out back that led to a sand pit full of areas to ride.  I was adamant that a horse was out of the question since it's been about 10 years since we have owned a horse. The itch struck around the end of January when we visited the local tack shop that we used to frequent in hopes to pick up a job application for Jules.  It all came flooding back to me at that point. 

By February I was passively looking for a horse and then was informed that a young girl that competes in barrel racing is considering selling her 12 yr old MorAb (Morgan / Arabian cross) mare.  I really had my heart set on a horse that had a similar build to the warm blood that I had to sell years back.  16-17 hands high and she was so wide that it was like riding a couch!  Amazing!!  Knowing that she wasn't what I was looking for, I reluctantly went to look at her (Angel).  Just so I could tell myself that I didn't fall in love with and buy the first horse that I saw.  Boy was I ever wrong!  This little 14+ hand MorAb stole my heart and I was doomed from that point forward!