Tag: Sultry

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I miss my horse

Sultry

Five years ago today, I lost my big beautiful brown Arabian horse. It was, and still is, one of the worst things I’ve ever seen with these eyes in my entire life.

I still miss that big beautiful horse. She had health problems that forced us to give up on trying to breed her (which, for most folks, eliminates the only reason you’d own a horse of that age), and she wound up becoming a great big pet.

I remember her laying down and letting me sit next to her and lay my head on her belly on sunny days. Or just strolling around with her following me. She knew I was “her person.” I only had her for seven years, but you’d swear we’d grown up together. I had never owned a horse before. And the way it all ended… I can never own a horse again. I love horses, but this just broke my heart.

I wish she could’ve stuck around long enough to spend time with Little E. I think they could’ve had a special bond too. I would’ve trusted her with him – she was always very gentle around me.

In a way, her replacement showed up the same day – we weren’t even taking applications yet. And the boy loves that cat. There’s some small consolation.

I still miss that big horse.… Read more

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Oh God

I’m bundled up in a bunch of blankets writing this at the farm.
Oh God.
I just saw my horse die.
She’s been almost blind for quite a while, but here lately she’d gotten worse. The rest of the herd would leave her to her own devices and she’d circle until some outside stimulus could get her to move in a straight line toward or away from it. She’d always come to the sound of my voice.
I came up to the farm today to feed and saw she was circling, unattended, way the hell away from everyone else. She ran into the fence a few times and cut up her legs. Then she walked up on the earth dam and fell into the pond on the deep end.
She circled for almost half an hour, treading water, while I ran to get help; the guy who trains our horses happened to be working with the babies up at the barn, and I ran up there to get him to help. We tried to get out to Sultry in a boat to get a rope around her and lead her back to shore. Then the boat started taking on water (hence me sitting here without my clothes on, bundled up in blankets – I’m soaked to the bone). We had to get back to land and try to talk her to shore, but she didn’t make it. She got tangled up in something and started thrashing around and her head went under repeatedly. We started seeing legs kicking, but no head.
And then she stopped.
I’ve loved this horse since I first met her. She was supposed to be Jan’s horse. Then, of course, she picks me instead. I think it’s probably not much of a stretch to say I’m perhaps a little less overbearing than the rest of the family, so she gravitated toward me. Love at first sight. There were times when I’d have to be there for her to get shots, or an ultrasound, because she wouldn’t trust someone to do those things unless I was there. When she lost her last baby, she wouldn’t let the vet get close until I was holding her on a lead rope.
I thought maybe my being there would help her this time. But she was panicked, and too far gone.
Sultry
I’m going to miss my horse.… Read more

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Silly fillies x 2.

Whinny and Emma and their babiesQuick, how many horses can you spot in this photo? Look very closely. Both of these mares had babies this week, and now we’re up to our hips in silly fillies, which is just the way we like it. Be forewarned, clicking on the “more” link below will flood your screen with cuteness, because these little horses aren’t just cute, they’re almost full-on kawaii. (Also, be warned if you’re not on broadband, as there are nearly two megs of cute baby pictures within.) … Read more