Update on Tommy!

Ok, let's do a photo trip through the rehabilitation of an emaciated horse... Remember, Tommy, the 12 year old Quarter Horse? The first picture is taken the beginning of May...



Now, in the middle of June, here is what a few groceries and a good worming does for him...

Here he is in September, the day he came to me. He looks much better!



Well, a new year has begun, and with it a new life for a horse! Tommy is totally recovered and ready for riding. Here he is January 1st!


He's doing so good! And is such a sweetheart! He has gained about 350 pounds.

I Hung Up My Bridle Today

by Kris Garrett

Yesterday, for the first time, I was too tired to ride.
Yesterday, for the first time, I was afraid I would be hurt if I was thrown.
Yesterday, for the first time, I heard someone say my barn was too shabby.
Yesterday, for the first time, I let someone tell me I was too pudgy to ride.
Yesterday, for the first time, I realized I was old.
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to face that I could no longer keep up.
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to let go of my dreams.
Yesterday, for the first time, I felt my heart break.
Yesterday, for the first time, I turned my back on my friend.
Yesterday, for the first time, I knew I was done.

Today, for the last time, I felt warm, braided leather in my hands.
Today, for the last time, I ran my stirrups up so they wouldn't bang my mare's sides.
Today, for the last time, I released the buckles on the girth and watched my girl sigh.
Today, for the last time, I slowly dropped the bit so it wouldn't hit her teeth.
Today, for the last time, I gave my mare a cookie to thank her for the ride.
Today, for the last time, I buried my head in her soft, warm neck.
Today, for the last time, I inhaled the sun and the dust in her long winter coat.
Today, for the last time, I closed the gate and trudged to the muddy porch.
Today, for the last time, I tracked hay and horse hair into my house.
Today, for the last time, I pulled off my boots and felt the sting of warm blood returning to my cold toes.

Today, for the first time, I cried after my ride.
Today, for the first time, I felt my hands shake as I set the saddle on its rack.
Today, for the first time, I hugged my young trainer a final goodbye.
Today, for the first time, I waited for the new owner's trailer to arrive.
Today, for the first time, I set my boots in a box to go to the Goodwill.
Today, for the first time, I sighed at the wear on my riding gloves.
Today, for the first time, I had no hay in my hair.
Today, for the first time, I did not hear nickering when I opened my back door.
Today, for the first time, I felt worse leaving the barn that I did when I entered.
Today, for the first time, I had no one to check on before going to bed.

Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't have to buy hay.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I can stay in bed longer.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't see the poop pile grow.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't be able to fly on four legs.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be sorry I listened.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will regret letting her go.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at God.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at myself.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will cry the day away.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be glad to die.

Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will awaken in tears.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will know I was wrong.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will defy all the judgment.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will ignore my old bones.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will return the buyer's check.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will bring my friend home.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will take my boots out of the box.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will be reborn.

For the rest of my life, I will have a horse in my yard.
For the rest of my life, I will ignore the ignorant judging.
For the rest of my life, I will watch the poop pile grow.
For the rest of my life, I will have hay in my hair.
For the rest of my life, I will track mud in my house.
For the rest of my life, I will bury my face in her soft neck.
For the rest of my life, I will let my soul fly.
For the rest of my life, I will never be alone.

Houdini no more

Fixing fence in the snow :( electrical tape, lowered the top strand, keeping an eye out... he's been outside for 2 hours now, but still in the fence. Mingo is picking on him every time he tries to find a way out... keeps him from thinking about escaping too much.

Winter and snow in vermont. Brrrr, it's cold and there is just enough wind blowing to make it a little bit worse. The bird tucked her blanket inside her cage and was shivering under it, so started the wood stove in the living room. GOing to finish plasticing the windows today if the tape will #*^%@&& stick.

Ohy, vey, it's a never ending battle....

Smokey-Houdini Contained....

Ah, the great escape artist, Smokey, is cooling his heels in the barn, under barn arrest. He is NOT staying where he belongs. Which is INSIDE the fence. So, the best thing to keep him safe from the road that runs along one lllooonnnnggg side of the property is to keep him contained where I know he will be safe. In the barn.

Poor Smokey. He keeps sticking his head out the window and hollering to the other horses about how mean his Mom is... I don't have any sympathy for him. Even though the fence is zapping him - he has a couple of small marks on his front legs where he zapped himself getting out - he continues to crawl through the fence.

So, the boys are hanging their heads in the stall window to keep him company and, I swear, laughing at him as they run around the field. Even letting him out for a few minutes while I clean his stall leads to an escape. So, into the other stall during cleaning time. Different four walls, but four walls just the same.

Short of putting up a wooden fence, and we know how well construction is this time of year with the weather, etc, or putting another strand of electric fence up around the whole field, which I probably will need to do, h e is driving me to distraction...

Another day, another great escape...

Ah, Smokey is at it again.... this time, when I let him out, I stayed in the barn where I could see him but he could not see me. And I watched him for about an hour... torture, I know. Sitting in the barn in the warm sun, watching my horses graze on what little grass there is left and the hay I threw out for them... then, it happened. Smokey went over to the corner of the fence, got on his knees and went under the top strand. The bottom strand was broken. Either by him or the deer or moose that cross the pasture in the middle of the night. (One of the main reasons I put my boys in every night.)

So, went out to get the little sunshine... put him in his stall. And fixed fence. And fixed more fence.

Then let the little turkey back out. And zapped him with the fixed fence. Ok, okay, before anyone calls the Constable, I just let him go up to the fence and he zapped himself. But I made sure it was a good one.

SO, after another hour or two, he was still in the fence where he belonged. Crisis averted. For the meantime, at least... so, no little pony running up the road in the middle of the night.

Sleep good, Smokey. And Stay in the FENCE!!!

The Great, Amazing Escape Artist... Houdini? No, SMOKEY!

Smokey, the amazing escape artist, has done it again... He was in for a week while I fixed fence and got the zapper stronger. Came home this afternoon, and he was at the neighbor's house mowing the lawn. Thank God the neighbor is in Maryland until December 2nd. So, he's back in the stall with access to the other horses, but not in the electric fence. Sigh. Back to the drawing board. I'm going out to clean stalls later so will hook him out on a long lead rope. Little bugger. Going to have to figure this one out sooner rather than later. He had been running up the road at night so don't even want to think about letting him out after dark.

Sigh. Nothing better to do with my time than try and corral a little pony who can scoot under the fencing. And his hair is long enough to make the zap seem not so bad. You would think with a 20 acre steer fencer on 2 acres of land that it would encourage him to stay in, but I guess not.

Off to the barn I go - again...

What a Great Weekend!

Equine Affair was WONDERFUL! There was so much to see and so many things to learn. And shopping... was there ever shopping to be done. I wasn't looking for anything and just enjoyed walking aroudn, seeing the clinics and the Versatile Rider Competition. Four days with NO kids, NO animals, NO husband, NO work, NO schedule... it was my four days of vacation!!!

So, after watching a few of the clinicians, watch out Mingo... I have new ways of training and working with the horses.

Am looking foward to next year already....