Going Out With A Bang!

Fortunately,or maybe magically, things have been "medically" quiet this year. The vet. hasn't had to come to the farm since July. My horses must have been aware of the boredom in their lives, and decided to start causing trouble. Last Thursday, my daughter alerted me to the fact that there seemed to be blood in one of the stalls. I hobbled out to the barn, and yes, there was blood in C'est Bon's stall. My surgeon has told me not to walk on uneven ground,run or jump, but off I went to the back paddock where Fancy and C'est Bon were spending the day. I saw some blood on the inside of CB's back leg, but there wasn't any visable injury to her leg. I moved her tail aside and saw blood and a cut near her labia. She would not allow me to inspect the wound, so I asked my daughter and son-in-law to bring her in the barn, wash off the wound, and advise me if the vet should be called. Ten minutes later I was informed that "Yes, there was a tear, about 5 inches long and it definately needs stitches. As it turns-out, the tear required 7 stitches, and was about 2 inches deep. OUCH!!!
The second event did not require a vet, but still got my heart racing.
I'm lying in bed, all snug and warm, when there is a frantic knock on the front door. By the time I got to the top of the stairs, the door opened and someone yelled "There is a dead horse in your paddock". As I descend the stairs, I am saying "It can't be, they just went out 15 minutes ago". As I run across the driveway, I am thinking "heart attack". I see Eva and Trick munching on hay, so know it must be DB or Mudslide. Please be DB (she never recovered completely from her knee surgery and is 20 yrs old). Alas, I see 8 yr.old Mudslide laying on the ground next to a large boulder. As I get through the gate, Mudslide moves her head, so I know she is not dead, but now I see that she has cast herself against the boulder. Before I could get a rope to roll her off the boulder, she manages to get herself over and onto her feet. I let-out a sigh of relief, and relize that I am standing outside in the snow,have frozen barefeet, and am wearing my pajamas. My surgeon is going to kill me if she finds out what I have been doing. Isn't it amazing the things we will do for our horses!

Merry Christmas

Whats wrong with this ad?

Every now and then, I browse Craigslist to see what people are selling. Needless to say, I always check-out the ads for horses. Read this ad and tell me what you think. Belgian for Sale A STALLION that is 3 feet wide at his shoulder!!! And he's not registered!! What in the world would anyone do with a unregistered stallion? Breed him to your unregistered mare? Are there not enough unwanted horses in the US? If someone wants to raise a colt/filly, go to the auctions, where you can buy one for $125. You could probably get a registered colt/filly for $225!! Not only would you get your "baby", you would save one from slaughter. Yes, foals are slaughtered. The meat is like veal, and the Europeans pay top dollar for foal/baby meat!! I sure hope the other horse next to the stallion, in the ad photo is not a MARE!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! PS. Whats with the logs? Does that look safe?? Good Grief!!!

Christmas Photo

Every Thanksgiving I bribe my family into participating in a group photo. My goal is to get each of the nieces and nephews, holding each of our horses. One year I had each of the kids riding each of the horses, but when I mentioned trying that again this year, i got lots of dirty looks. So here is this years' Christmas photo. Shown from left to right are: Kayleah with C'est Bon; Erin with Fancy; Laurel with DB; Nick with Mudslide; Matty with Eva; and Kayla with Trick.

This is Fashion?

I have been thinking about this subject for about a week. A flyer in the mail from Horseloverz.com prompted me to immediately sit down to write this blog. On the cover is a young girl holding a horse, with a yellow Lab sitting by her side. This would be a cute photo except for what everyone is wearing. The print is called "animal print". It is what I would describe as a very small "leopard print". Envision the irregular shaped brown circles on a leopards' fur, but inside each circle put the colors pink, light blue, or light mint green. Now make this into a blanket for your 16 hand high horse, add a matching halter, and leg wraps. To complete this picture, put a matching coat and collar on your dog, and have a very large stable tote slung over your shoulder. I will admit to buying Zanita a dark lavender rain sheet, and Fancy a hot pink and black, very small checked rain sheet, but to me, this outfit is funnier than Jeff Foxworthy. You can also buy a coordinating hay bag, hanging accessory bag, saddle bag, and Western or English saddle pad. Inside the flyer's back cover they even sell leopard pattern socks. At least these will be worn under your boots! So if any of my readers receive something like this for Christmas this year, think twice before you re-gift it for next year-especially if you're sending it to me!