As of 3 weeks ago, I am back home at my parents place, awaiting my move-in date of July 1 at the acreage.
I decided to come home 3 weeks prior to starting work to have a chance to see friends, go camping, hiking, etc.
Luckily for me, my trainer, Keith Stewart, offered a spot to keep Bailey and Mesa in exchange for riding and working at his facility until I was able to move them to the new place.
Story time.
Bailey has never been good for getting her teeth floated, and has progressively gotten worse. She was due for a float, so, I took her into my clinic. We always start with max sedation, I'm talking sedation to the point where if she wasn't in the stocks she'd be falling over. She gets sedated, very sedated, UNTIL you go near her mouth. Last time she got floated she had a person twitching each ear and me basically sitting on her head.
So this time, we started out good for about 30 seconds, then all hell broke loose. She reared up, got one front leg over the front of the stocks, got the other front leg over, then proceeded to somehow get her entire fat ass over the stocks, all while she's still hanging from the halter with a speculum in her mouth. End of the float.
To make a long story semi-short, the next day I went to Keith's to start working. He had 3 horses that belonged to a gentleman who is LOADED. I'm talking makes millions. However he is a very green rider. So Keith wanted me to put as many wet saddle blankets on these 3 not-so-green-rider-friendly horses.
The first horse, Emma, has some skeletons in the closet. She's flighty and bracey when you get on her. But once she settles, she is a dream to ride.
So I jokingly said to Keith, (keeping in mind I was still mad at Bailey) "does he want Bailey and I'll keep Emma (laugh out loud)" and his response was "yeah, yes actually that's a great idea, he needs a horse he can trust for his wife and kids".
Hold up. I've had Bailey since she was 3, she turns 13 this year. 10 years is a long time to let go of. I'm sure he saw the look of panic on my face, so he then suggested how about switching horses for the summer. Then decide. It took a while but I decided I was okay with that idea. Firstly, because I love Emma, and she is started in the cutting, and Keith wants me to show her. Second, if Bailey can give some kids confidence than I know it would be a good thing. So, the deal was done, and Bailey left a few days ago. It's not forever, and I'm fairly confident I'll take her back after the summer because well, that's Bailey. She's my heart horse.
Onto Mesa! She had a wolf tooth that needed taking out, and I just wanted to check her teeth as she lost a bit of weight since being in Lacombe. She, as expected, was an angel, and the wolf tooth had fallen out on its own.
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| Such a good pony! |
All the staff love her too, pictured below is Dr. Dillon, a vet at my clinic having fun with her.
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| Hope everyone is staying safe! |
Lastly, some big news. A year and a half ago I lost my almost 15 year old toy poodle to kidney failure. She was laid to rest in my arms February 14, 2019 just 10 days short of her 15th birthday. I could go on and on about sweet Gracie, but I will say she is what made me fall in love with the breed. Smart (in fact, studies have proven poodles to rank #1 in intelligence out of many, many breeds), loyal, and active.
Next week I turn 25. Although the hole in my heart will never be repaired, I hope this black, 8 week old standard poodle will be a bandaid.
I have named her Faith, and she will be coming home this week.
Here's to healing a broken heart.
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| Faith. |
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| Gracie, my whole heart, Feb. 24 2004-Feb. 14, 2019 |
