The Warmth of a Horse

This last month has been a hard one. I've barely been online at all, much less able to keep up with my blogs. The stable has officially closed, all of the horses and 90% of our personal stuff is moved and we are looking forward (albeit through a mist of tears...it's hard to say goodbye to a dream).

A large majority of our horses have found new homes. I hope we have been good stewards in finding places for them...I have done my best, and if everyone is who they appeared to be and if no references etc were forged, then all of our hooved friends should have very happy futures.

The crippled mule, Junior, was the latest to leave. He is the newest companion of a 13-year-old boy, home schooled so has lots of time to spend spoiling Junior the way he deserves to be spoiled. Jessie the Paso will be joining him as soon as we can find the time to load her and deliver her. All these holidays looming makes planning everything difficult.

We are left with six horses that appear pretty permanent. A couple of them would be available to the right home, but if one doesn't turn up, we will be happy to continue to share our lives with them.

Freckles is not doing so well....his esophageal tear or blockage is creating problems and I thought we had lost him a week ago. He was down and not breathing...but when I checked on him an hour later, he was standing up. A few hours later he ate supper. He is truly a "walking miracle" although I know that his time is very limited. He is a sweet wonderful boy and I wish I could do more to make his life better.

We are trying to focus on a new dream instead of dwelling on the one that is now passed. We are laying out the land readying for earth moving equipment to come and create the pad for a 20x95 greenhouse to be installed. We will be offering organic herbs and heirloom flowers and vegetables in late spring 2009. As if we didn't have enough to do already!

Our Thanksgiving Day will be spent building fences and getting the animals ready for the new pasture layout, making room for the new buildings. Five of the goats are about to burst with new life, and I'm dreading the bad weather that will surely hasten their deliveries. We've got to get some sort of shed built to house them when they get here. I feel VERY unprepared. A little like Prissy in Gone With the Wind. While I do know something about "birthing babies" I'm just NOT ready! Do you think I could talk them into waiting until spring to deliver? Nah, didn't think so.

I will try to keep up with my blogs better in the future, sharing things I learn as we use the herbs we're growing with our horses, rabbits and goats.

There are so many stresses in life at the moment, it's easy to get overwhelmed....when we started moving we found that someone had stolen over $1700 worth of tools from the stable. Only a handful of people knew they were there, or had access (it's back off the road, through a gate that is always locked when no one is there, and only a few keys) so it's been very disturbing to have to admit that it's very likely that someone we trusted is a thief. In a way, I want to know who and how and why, in another, I think I'd rather just not know. Sometimes knowledge is a bad thing.

With all the bad days that come along with bad weather, when you have a body that's riddled with arthritis and fibromyalgia, sometimes it's hard to find a reason to get out of a warm comfortable bed in the morning. I was sent this poem that brought tears to my eyes, with the realization that truly my horses ARE the best therapy in the world. When I was going through breast cancer treatments, there were many days when I cried into my horse, Story's, mane and afterwards saw things a little clearer. Story is in another home now, where I hope she is much happier than she was here once other horses started coming along, but I hope somehow she knows how much I appreciated her 'being there" for me. Now, Whisper is my "go to" horse, the one who listens when it seems that no one understands me and I am causing problems with absolutely no intention of doing so. He reminds me that my heart is in the right place and those who love me will continue to do so, and those that don't...don't count. I have had many offers to buy him, but he will remain here as long as he is happy here. And I hope that will be for the rest of his life.

Anyway, here is the poem, I hope you enjoy it as I did, and I hope it gives you reason to take your horse(s) a special treat and say thank you, just for being there.

The Warmth Of A Horse
When your day seems out of balance
and so many things go wrong
When people fight around you
and the clock drags on so long

When some folks act like children
and fill you with remorse
Go out into your pasture and wrap
your arms around your horse.

His gentle breath enfolds you as he
watches with those eyes
He may not have a PhD
but heis,oh so wise!

His head rests on your shoulder
you hug him good and tight
He puts your world in balance
and makes it seem all right.

Your tears will soon stop flowing,
the tension will be eased
The nonsense has been lifted.
You are quiet and at peace.

So when you need some balance
from the stresses in your day
The therapy you really need
Is out there eating hay!

- Author Unknown