Immense Sorrow

It is with immense sorrow that I write that last week I had to put my horse of 22 years to rest.  I have had Maggie since I was nine years old.  Maggie was an amazingly well broke horse that was far from tempermental acting and was reliable.  Every time you rode Mags it would be the same.  No surprises.  That was one of my favorite features of her aside from her stunning beauty.  She had gorgeous eyes and was talkative.  She would greet you in the barn, in the trailer or in the field with a soft nicker. 
Maggie got me through those uncomfortable teenage years.  Those times when I was sure the world would end or should end I would take off out the back field bareback on Maggie and return refreshed.  I would cry, sing, laugh and swat spiderwebs on Mags without her ever flinching. 

I always think of the time when laying down in the summer sun on her back, she  took a few steps for different grass and I fell off.  She didn't move but just looked at me as if to say "what are you doing down there?" 
In the last years of her life she lived in La Harpe with my mom and dad.  She became quite close to my dad as he fed her grain daily.  She would just nicker and talk to him often.  She would talk even more when something new happened around the farm. 
The past few weeks her arthritis in her knees had gotten much worse and was significantly limiting her ability to walk.  When the pain medicine didn't work anymore she stopped eating or drinking and it was her time.  The wonderful ability we have with animals is to keep them from suffering.  I have said my entire life that I would always have Maggie as my horse and I would never let her suffer.  So, last Wednesday October 5th I drove to my parents.  My dad had dug an amazing grave and together we placed straw bedding in the bottom.  I went and got my horse with my dad.  We both cried as she nickered when we walked into the barn.  I placed her halter on her walked her out to the yard so she could have some grass. Dad had given her extra pain medicine so she was doing a little better.  I gave her an apple and as the vet arrived my Dad left for the house.  This was something I needed to do alone.  We walked her closer to the grave and as quickly as the clouds covered the sun my horse was no longer in pain.  The vet silently took his tools and left me. 
A girl buried in the head of her horse. 
My dad and I proceeded to place her in her grave cover her with straw and bury our friend.  I have shed many tears over a horse that has been such a silent but strong, reliable member of my family.  She seemed to be one of the few strands that tied so many changes in my life together.  My last tie to Abilene as that was her birthplace (like me), She lived with us our entire stay in McLouth, and finally resting in La Harpe with my parents. 
There are few people that have the privilege of owning a truly wonderful horse that you can always trust.  She was my friend and will always have a piece of my heart. 

We've wintered well!!

So I know some of you may think this post is coming quite late in the season as it is May but my horse adds hair that could easily stretch to the moon and back.  He resembles a woolly mammoth in the winter minus the tusks. 

So after 2 baths and lots of brushing I have found a horse underneath all that hair!  He has shed out beautifully!  I'm thrilled.  He looks so healthy and his coat is very shiny and dark. 

He is kinda like the horses on the Wizard of Oz.  He changes colors a lot.  He is technically a blue roan but he turns silvery colored in the late summer, red in the winter and after his hair sheds out he's a beautiful dark blue roan. 

The farrier came out this past week and gave his hooves a good trim.  We continue to leave him without shoes a decision we made last fall.  His hoof wall was weak and he had some fungus in the nail holes from his shoes so we decided to add a hoof supplement and see what 6 months without shoes would do.  It's well worth it.  His hooves look healthy and strong.  I'm hoping we can go barefoot this summer with riding but if not maybe we can utilize hoof boots while on the trail.  We will see.

I was able to make it to the saddle shop last week too!  Wahoo!  I got the breast strap reattached to my saddle after a mishap last summer with a branch broke it off. 

(Blue didn't move while there was a really large branch caught in his breast collar!) 

I also picked up a new gaited horse bit exactly like the one he has now so I can return the bridle I have to the original owner!  After a whole year...(oops/embarrassment!)    I also picked up a snaffle bit like Clinton Anderson uses.  I am hoping this summer to get through some more of Clinton's training with Blue.  Not that he needs a lot of work but it's fun to play around with it! 

Hope ya'll are having good rides!

Great Spring Day

Today was a great spring day. I spent the morning finishing up my classes for the semester! I'm so happy to be done with those. ugh.
I spent the afternoon giving my horse a bath, cleaning his hooves, brushing him out and braiding his mane and tail. I called the farrier and he'll be out on Monday! It is already riding season but it's late for me because I need to get my saddle repaired and a new bit. I'm still using the one that was loaned to me. I went to get a new one and naturally they didn't have one in stock and the guy that could have fixed my saddle wasn't in that day. Ugh. wasted trip. Anyway, Blue didn't enjoy all the pampering because he was just eyeing the green grass his buddy was munching on. My friend and barn mate put eachothers horses out to the pasture when we are at the barn. Our horses get along great so they like to go out together. This has been a great thing but they do get buddy sour a bit. I might have to split them up when I put them out from now on.
Blue looked pretty with his mane all braided. I'm sure he will be caked in mud on Monday when I go out for his farrier appt. His mane is so thick it took forever to braid but it was nice to just hang out in the beautiful weather at the barn.

Vet day!

This is Blue drugged! It was vet day at the barn and the vet recommended he have his teeth floated. While he was sedated I figured he may as well clean his sheath while he was sedated. So he ended up with all of his shots, teeth floated and sheath cleaned! A whole new horse for spring.

I'm not sure how thrilled he was about this but either way he doesn't remember much.

He did have tons and tons of hair that he is shedding out! One of the ladies at the barn was nice enough to let me borrow her shed comb and a plastic bag to catch all the hair. She said she had a friend wanting to spin it down to make something....ok...weird.

So a full grocery bag of hair later and he still looks like a mess. His hair is actually matted. I had to cut some of it withs scissors. Matted! I couldn't believe it. I've never had a horse that's hair matts! (Is matts a word?) Hmm.

Well anyway I think he's ready for spring riding weather...me too!!

creature comforts

Last night while sitting in the "lounge" I said to my sister and husband..."Is it odd that we sit in this room more than any other room in the house and it has the oldest, crappiest furniture and we are using tv trays for our laptops?"

My sister replies "well, the dogs are happy."

and it's true. The lounge which used to be an office but now has a couch and chair, 3 tv trays and bookshelves was solely created so the dogs could hang out with us. I spent a lot of money on new furniture and trying to make my living room nice. Well, I made it too nice. We don't use it. I also dislike for people to walk into my house and to see my living room with laptops, books, and cups all over it. So, lounge it is.

Now that we have 2 dogs it's a necessity that we keep them out of my living room. I don't like the dog hair all over the couches. Especially when company comes over.

OK....so my house is operated for the occasional visitor and the dogs.

spring must be coming

Blue had the most impressive winter coat this year. Now it's hit 40 degrees and he's shedding. Probably best. It will take him until mid June to get all the hair off even if he starts now. Here's a picture of him. It's just coming out in clumps!
He's going to need a lot of brushing.

Snow, Snow and more Snow

Well, it has decided to be snowpacked. It's been about 3 weeks of snow covered ground and cold temperatures. It warms up a little but never enough to get rid of the snow and then it snows again! We had another couple of inches last night. I did get an e-mail from the boarding facility and they were giving extra hay and the horses were all doing well. With the 10 inches of hair on Blue I'm sure he's toasty in the barn! He is in the barn with a run that goes out the south side of the barn so he is always blocked from the North wind. I did go out to pick up my saddle and bridle a week ago. I need to get the breast strap fixed on my saddle (a casuality of South Dakota) and I need to get a new bridle and return this one to his previous owner. I simply must do this ASAP! I have been a couple of times to try to get the same bit but the places I've been don't have the right one and I'm not expert enough to order one online. I'm hoping this summer to play around with the bits and get him in a mellow snaffle bit but we'll see.

I hope you are having a nice winter and you are able to get a little riding in. I hope we have a nice spring without too much rain!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year.
It is really cold here in the midwest. 11 degrees to be exact. I know to some that's not too bad but to me...it's freezing!! Too cold to ride. Major bummer. It was 68 degrees 2 days ago! I didn't ride that day because the wind was terrible. No better way to get thrown from a horse than a windy day when they can't hear. It makes them spooky and I will fully admit I'm not a cowboy. I don't want to ride a spooky horse, an unbroke horse or a horse with a couple issues that need worked out. I like to enjoy my rides and be goofy. I definately don't want stressed or worried or hurt.
So, I'm just hoping for either a little snow to make this cold weather pretty or some warmer weather to ride in!
Hope ya'll had a great Christmas and here's to a New Year with memorable rides, great mounts and fun friends.