Bye Dominique

I'll miss you!

I got a call this morning for Dominique. One of those, can we come by in an hour types. I was taken off guard because I could not remember where I put it an ad. I had and this couple have been looking for a donkey but didn't want to drive all over the country.

If you don't remember Dominique is the son of Sophie. I got Sophie for my mom and when we went to pick her up the conditions were really bad. Sophie was tied with a horse rope halter to a trampoline. She hid when ever the owner came near. There was loaves of bread all over the ground and when I got home Sophie's bag was really full. Dominique was only 3 months old I figured out. So the next day I went back to get him. Of course over night the price had changed. It was never my intention to actually keep Dom.

So I was actually really happy that I finally found him a home. Even better because the people who bought him live just up the road and I can drive by and see him at any time! Isn't that just perfect. I actually drove by this afternoon to see how he was. He looked very happy. His compamny hasn't changed much. He used to live with goats and now it sheep. The people raise quarter horses and in addition to riding they drive. They are hoping to drive Dom in the future.

Even sweeter when I asked the guy if had trained donkeys before he admitted that he had not but wanted to try. I was thinking of Sophie because I want to do something with her. I am really hoping that my mom can drive her. Dom's new owner said he'd charge me next to nothing to train Sophie to drive. Sure it will be his first time with a donkey, but they have had mules in the family and train horses for a living so it might really be a good deal. I don't know anyone else local that trains donkeys.

Poor Sophie has been looking for Dominique this afternoon. She even tried to go into the goat pen. Poor dear, she really was a very good mother.

Selling Horses

Selling horses sucks!

Flashy red dun mare. . . blah blah blah.

Photos just so~ That I can never do very well alone. And always the left side. I don't know why. I love taking photos but I hate to get that perfect conformation shot. One foot is always off, or I didn't get down low enough. Or she looks just pissed off.

Wording what she does do, not much. Putting a positive tilt on everything, but not hiding the problem. Even harder when her biggest problem is me! "It's not her, it's me" doesn't go over any better in an ad than it does when ending a relationship.

Now R's assistant (DH) will be riding her for the next two weeks but that isn't going to do much. I need to find someone who will keep riding her and show her for me. Or at least let me video tape her riding Kinsey because I don't think I will be getting on her. Unfortunately that makes Kinsey looks bad too. (Again it's not her it's me.)

Then the tire kickers. I already got a response. I think that it was a scam. I got a response about Dom too, but get this. She called while I was at work. I called her back within a few hour and left a message. She works at a local home and garden place so I dropped by today, I wanted some plants anyway. Meet her and introduce myself. She already found two other donkeys because I "didn't get back to her." It had not even been 24 hours!

I did manage to get some video. Not the best, my first attempt at video:

Rain Rain. . . comes our way.

I have to be honest. I have not been working with the horses this week. I have been cleaning the house. Then today when I could work the horses, it has been raining all day. It comes back to this balance thing. Sometimes my personal life has issues I have to deal with and sometimes its the horses. I would love to have the resources to devote to the horses all the time, but like most people, I don't.

Since I am being honest, I will be a little more. I was in a bad place for a few years, a really bad place. I was very depressed. My life got very out of whack. My career, my emotional and physical health, all took a hit. I had no control and just felt so alone. I know that I am not alone feeling alone. A lot of us feel that way. Isn't that sad? So many of use all feeling alone? Anyway. . .

I am still getting back on my feet, but the one thing I realized about 3 years ago is that horses are my therapy; they are my antidepressant. Unfortunately they are expensive therapy and are not covered by insurance.

I tried to do things the cheapest way possible. One of the things I did was "ride the horse you have." I really shouldn't have. When I fell off Abby, I fell so hard. Not just physically either. I was trying to make a positive change and landed flat on . . . well my wrist! It was good though, all I could think about was how to get back in the saddle. It really showed me where I was and what was important to me. Horses are the thing that give me bliss and allows the rest of my life to made sense.

I look forward to the days I get to ride or drive with such a longing. Then I return home and look at a pasture of horses. None of which can be used for one reason or another. Kinsey needs a saddle and maybe some training. I would like to drive Abby but that is another harness and wagon, besides the training she would need. I need a safe environment to ride either of this horse as of right now and I don't have that either. My cart needs shafts. Madison needs a harness that would fit her and training. Ike really needs a new harness, one that has breeching. Sophie need training, she may need a harness or she may be able to use Ike's.

"Inch by inch, life is a cinch. Yard by yard it is very hard." Sometime when I try to focus on all of these things and get great grandiose plans I need to remember this. Focus on a few small things and then I can move on.

Thanks to a very special person, I am getting support to get things in a little more order. Kinsey leaves tomorrow to go to R. I am really looking forward to just seeing what he says. She maybe my next riding horse or she may be on the market. She is a good horse either way. I just want her to to be used and not sit through her prime. Thanks to R I am not as self conscious about my weigh, so Ike is just waiting until I get shafts. I ordered them this week, my reward for slaving away getting 1/3 of the house in order. Then I will have a horse that I can do something with finally. I think I can make his harness work for now, I just can't go very far because of the breeching problem and the terrain around here.

So as the rain comes, it makes the earth muddy. From that mud grows beautiful flowers, wholesome food, and life. I'll wait to see what will grow from this rain.

Relax in the Pasture

After reading some of the blogs ( seen on the right) I decided to just sit out with my horses. The barn can wait. I took Laura Crum's Going, Gone out in to the pasture along with a folding chair and just sat down.

The reactions from my horses was funny and not exactly what I expected. Kinsey treated me with the normal indifference, she seems no more or and maybe a little less upset that she normally does. Abby on the other hand was not sure what the heck to make of me. She looked up from her grazing, stared, and snorted. Walking around, giving me a large berth, she continued to snort and blow. Eventually she tired of watching me and went back to eating. Madison was the brave little girl, man I wish she was large enough to ride, she came up and sniffed. She wanted her scratched and searched me for treats. Ike was a little more nervous but eventually came over for a few scratches. Sophie would never come over and Dominique was nervous too, but he did stop by to sniff me.

I sat out there getting more and more engrossed in the mystery set out west surrounding the murder of a brother and sister. The story features horses as a central focus and it is so nice to read a story about horses where the author actually knows what she is talking about. No making love the back of a horse with the lover's heads on the horses flanks~ never figures out how that was possible. Anyway I will be a better review of the book when I am finished which I am sure will be in the next few days.

Abby and Kinsey spooking and came running around the field. With the minis out front, Abby was following up behind. They were headed straight for me. Abby, I don't think, still realized who I was. As I watched her massive chest and legs pounding the ground heading toward me I thought, "gee, I wonder if she'll stop." Of course she did. Stopped, and snorted, then continued on with her grazing.

In the pasture, the sun shining down, and my horse grazing around me I realized this was just about as perfect as it could get. It was a very nice way to pass a few hours.

Sunday Stills- Happy Easter!

Sunday Stills this week's challenge is what makes you think of Easter or how you celebrate Easter.

The Legend of the Donkey's Cross

Everyone knows that the little donkey carries a cross on his back. Most people don't know the legend of the donkey's cross. The story is told that the little donkey that had been Jesus' mount on Palm Sunday, came to the hill of Calvary.
Seeing the tragic event occurring, he wished with all his heart he had been able to carry the cross for Jesus, as he was the proper one to carry heavy burdens. The donkey turned his back on the sight, but he could not leave, he wished to stay until all was over because of his love for Jesus.In reward for the loyal and humble love of the little donkey the Lord caused the shadow of the cross to fall across his back and left it there for the donkey to carry forevermore as a sign that the love of God, no matter how humble, carries a reward for all to see.