A Blink of an Eye

My heart is still aching for the loss of Madison, Ike, and Sophie. Rocky is still calling for his friends. Rocky and Madison were born a month apart on the same farm. They both traveled to me together when they were 4/5 months old. They have never been apart for 9 years. But that is how life goes. In a blink of an eye things can change.

I found this quote in the past few days:

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. ~Kahlil Gibran

I realized that I am sad because those three did bring me such delight.

No more watching Rocky and Ike play fight. Oh yes, miniature stay much more playful that big horses. Ike and Rocky would chance each other, rear up and and bite at each other and then take off for the chase again. Madison and Sophie would join in on the racing all around the pasture. That is all over now.

Madison was very much a mama's girl and would often come running up to me if I were in the pasture. In fact all of them were very much pocket ponies. Ike would wait until I have him a scratch on his butt before he would go out to pasture or when he came in from the pasture. Sophie was always waiting for her ears to be itched.

It is all of those little things that I think I miss the most: Listening to the call each other or for Sophie's bray or watching them graze in the pasture. Playing with them or taking photos of them or grooming them for photos, I miss those things.

On the farm it just seems like something is missing, a huge something is missing. I can not even begin to telling what a hole in the place those little guys left, not to mention the hole in my heart. But if I had never had them, so many delightful moments would never have happened.

Corrie out with the herd

PICTURES!

Corrie was really cute today. I thought she would be totally trying to be alpha mare. Instead she is acting like the new kid at school. If I got out to the pasture she is right there with me. Otherwise she looks a little lost. I think she wants to make friends, especially with Ike and Rocky ( she is in heat). It will be interesting to see how she fits into the herd.

I want Corrie to become comfortable with the pasture areas as that is where I will ride and drive her at first. I already did some ground work out there with her and she was fairly focused. She looked around, but mainly stayed with her attention on me.

Then she went out with Ike, Sophie, and Madison.









But she has to wear a grazing muzzle and the flies are awful so she wears a fly mask too. Looks like she is into bondage or something doesn't it?





She had a good roll.









And looks at how much weight she has lost! Looks pretty good huh?!



Pretty good second day I'd say.

Too Excited . . . Corrie is home

"To many, the words love, hope, and dreams are synonymous with horses."
~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

I got up at 4 am this morning. I just could not sleep. You would think this was my first horse and I was getting her new today! I am just so excited to have Corrie home.

Corrie is truly a special little horse. I felt an instant bond to her the first time I drove her. It is amazing just how you can click or not with a horse. Kinsey never felt like my horse. From the moment I wrote out the check for her I felt like I bought her for someone else, and maybe I did. But even before I wrote a check I knew Corrie was my horse. Never during the time that I was trying her out did I feel she belonged to anyone but me.

Now she is on my property. She is getting along with the minis. Well minus Rocky, stallion ya know. I keep him separate, but they see each other over the fence. She is not as found of Sophie, but Corrie used to be kept with young jack colts to teach them some manners. Apparently she was enthusiastic about her job, too enthusiastic. So she does not like donkeys, but I am hoping that she will warm up Sophie. Madison is still alpha mare so far. Kind of funny that little Madison tells big ol' Corrie to get out of the way.

Sensei gave me a mini ground lesson before he left. Corrie was very up, more up than I think I have ever seen her actually. Her feet definately were not hurting her at all. At one point she leapt and pulled away from me. I was a bit shocked, she has never done anything like that before. The girl has some spirit after all.

Now she is just chilling out. I wanted to do more with her today, but as soon as I got home from work the the thunder started. Damn it! Tomorrow a bath!

Picture to come soon.

Corrie! Corrie! Corrie!

That is what Madison and the rest of minis are thinking right about now. Every post is about Corrie! Corrie! Corrie! They insist that they are important too!

I have to agree. Although I am not doing a whole lot with them right now.

So this post is about the minis.

The minis are in seventh heaven right now without a "big" sister around. They have way more grass than they can possibly eat, just looks at them!

Even Rocky who is always a skinny mini:

They honestly are enjoying their new little band. Madison and Sophie, Ike and Rocky. Perfectly matched up. Not chased around, well Madison chases Sophie, but then they are back to grazing together again. I think Madison is really liking being able to be boss mare. Like it while you can kid!

Unfortunately I am not driving Ike because I have no shafts for my cart. Sugar Rock Farm cashed my check for a new pair of shafts, but now won't respond to phone calls or e mails. So I am out the money for the shafts and I can't use my cart. Sort of annoys me, but they are located in AL so I can not really just run over there and demand a refund. Anyway.

I have been doing working to get the pasture ready for, er, well just in better shape. :) Last fall I had plans to split to pasture into some smaller pastures and put in the T posts in. Then I broke my wrist, and then it was winter, finally they all knew where the posts were so I didn't bother to take them down. I was still planning on putting the electric tape up but, well plans change. I plan on doing my first several drives out there with, er, well just out there. It is enclosed and a fairly safe placed to drive and ride too. So with all the rain softening up the ground I was able to pull the last of the posts up. I would also like to put the goats out there some so I have been putting up that snow fencing that has wooden slates on the three rail part of the pasture so the goaties can't escape. Also there are some trees that needed to be trimmed so I don't hit my head on them while riding or driving. I have been very thankful for the cooler temperature to start on this work. Still not done, but good start.

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.

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.

Sunday Stills

Sunday Still this week is a day in the life of . . . me.
We could only choose 4!! Well that is tough, it has been a long week.
It started off with this. Morning and night for a goat. She is doing well now. Thankfully I am done giving shots for now.
Every morning starts off with hay, it ends with hay, and has some hay in the middle. I drive the lawn tractor and deliver hay to the horses and goats.
No matter what I do I have diet coke. It is a bad habit, I know but it is every where. Here we have some in the barn. I would love to say that I had to go in the house and bring the coke out for the picture, but no, it was already there.

Finally I had to do some work in the pasture. I got lots of help from Abby, Sophie, and Dominick. Dom is trying to figure out how to spread the seed, Sophie is checking to see if I have enough seed down. I think Abby was making sure that the lawn tractor was working properly. LOTS of help from those three.

Wordless Wednesday

KINSEY IS HOME!!

Yippy!
I am so excited to have Kinsey at home. It was like I bought her today.

First of all. She loads so well. I love a horse that loads. There is nothing as horrible as thoughts of, will my horse get on the trailer or not. Kinsey was a champ. Like everything she needed a few seconds to check the trailer out and then she just hopped on.

As every good trailer ride should be, it was uneventful. I rode over there and back to show the way, and normally I am not very loquacious with people I don't know well. We talked about Ray Hunt, and a variety of other horsey topics and the trip went by quickly.

Once home she was a little jiggy. I was hoping that she would just walk like a nice girl. I still don't trust my wrist 100%. My barn is behind the house, no actual walkway, just head off through the snow. I walk this way a lot so the snow is a bit more packed down. In the back of the house is a large play construction that has been turned into a goat pen. As we rounded the back of the house and they goat came into view Kinsey stopped dead.

She started at those goats, who were bleating to me. Little black and white creatures making strange noises and leaping about. Kinsey stopped and looked, almost like a donkey, she thought about it for a moment and then tentatively walked past them. Good Girl!

Meanwhile out in the pasture there were 3 minis, 2 donkeys, and a big black horse wonder who the hell just came on their property. I have my property in two parts, a dry lot and behind that a larger pasture. Right now the pasture is covered in snow. Before I went to retrieve Kinsey I put all the other equines out in the pasture. Now those little ponies and one big black horse were prancing up and down the fence line. Let me tell you, Abby is really pretty when she prances.

Kinsey took all the sights and smells in time. Once in the paddock she ran to the fence. Squeals cantering down the fence line. Stop. Sniff. Squeal and canter up the fence line. Kinsey, who had not been turned out today, started prancing and cantering around the paddock. She is a beautiful mover when loose, just beautiful. There were a few moments I was worried about my fence as Abby spun and bucked, but it held up fine.

Finally after an hour or so, everyone went back to normal. Still a little fence play but nobody seems to hate anyone, that is always a good thing. I put Sophie, donkey, in with Kinsey.

What happens next? Well Kinsey and I are going to do some ground work. Then I may send her over to R. to be evaluated. If she looks like she is not the horse for me, I'll sell her. Same thing for Abby. Time will tell for right now.