If you have been following this blog, you will have read about my effort to "re-home" my two horses. I bought them about 4 years ago and my daughter was still a regular visitor. She graduated from college and moved about 3 hours away and I developed some hip problems so they need to find new homes.
Last summer I sent them both to a trainer, hoping that she could get them sold. When winter came, the board bill had to increase and no one was looking...too cold...so she brought them back to me.
Even if I am willing to ride with a bit of pain, trying to ride one of them was always difficult. They became so bonded that when you take one horse out the other runs back and forth along the fence line whinnying for the whole time. This causes the horse I am attempting to ride to whiny back. And try to run back to her buddy. Any relaxing of hyper vigilance causes the horse under me to whirl and try to dash back to the barn. No fun.
Then there is the issue of maybe falling off and breaking an essential bone. And, by the way, I consider ALL of my bones essential.
So I have been trying to find them good home. I have advertised and put them in a sale barn. I have put up flyers and tried to use word of mouth and this blog. All to no avail.
Yesterday Lee asked the painter, who is painting our basement ceiling, if he knew any one that would like a free horse. The idea was to get rid of one of them and the other would settle down and I could get her ready for sale. Plus, she wouldn't be a nut when someone came to ride her. They were actually doing pretty good up at the barn where they were for sale. The trainer was able to separate them and there were tons of other horses and they did great.
The painter just happened to know a guy. He has lived here all his life so he knows lots of guys.
This guy has a bunch of horses and had shown them with his now-grown kids for years. One of his now-grown has a son that was hoping for a quarter horse. He just had a birthday. Doesn't that sound great? Instead of hanging around in the pasture she will be with a young kid that will brush her and give her special treats. I picture them riding for hours with Western movies running through his head. This is a way better life for her. I am happy for the young man and for Libby. I am even happy for me, sort of. But kind of sad for me, too.
So I took some last pictures.
The last time I put Libby in my pasture.
The last I put her best friend, Claire, in the field with her.
The last time of hanging out at Shenandoah Gateway Farm.
Her last time driving away.
The last time I cleaned her stall.
OK. I won't miss that little chore.
I hope she'll be happy in her new home. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteGood decision, but sad too! I know you miss her. But imagine the look on the kid's face when he sees that beautiful horse! You just made that family very happy.
ReplyDeleteTough decisions often wind up being the best ones and giving away what you have loved is always sure to bring joy to the recipient and donor. That certainly seems true in this case and maybe you can visit Libby in her new digs. Now, to find Claire a good home.
ReplyDeleteLast night's supper was sour cream pancakes and sausage, thanks for the recipe post.
This is the first winter our field is empty of horses. We sold and gave away our daughter's two. I miss seeing them out there, but I don't miss feeding them in the rain/sleet/dark. I'm sure our field will have horses in it again one day, but it's a nice little break for now.
ReplyDeleteIt's reassuring to know that they go to a good home. That's the bottom line.
This is the first winter our field is empty of horses. We sold and gave away our daughter's two. I miss seeing them out there, but I don't miss feeding them in the rain/sleet/dark. I'm sure our field will have horses in it again one day, but it's a nice little break for now.
ReplyDeleteIt's reassuring to know that they go to a good home. That's the bottom line.
That sounds like a tough day! Hugs.
ReplyDelete