Let it Pour

Yesterday it rained and rained. It was coming down pretty good and when I mentioned to Matt that I wanted to go over there to get the horses out of the rain, he looked at me funny. My mom thought I was nuts. But she knows that rain wouldn’t dare stop me.

The horses had blankets on, but not shelter yet, and if it was just drizzling I wouldn’t push to go over to the barn. My dad is supposed to be building a shelter for the horses, but the rain is already here. I’m tempted to go find supplies and build my own shelter until he does. So Matt and I went over there, put our boots on, ponchos and all and walked out in the pouring rain to the back fields to get the horses. Ink immidiately came to the fence, but Errika stood still towards the back watching. I walked through the muddy, mucky mess and started walking her out. We got to the barn and at that time I had to say goodbye to Matt because he was off to work. I put each of the horses in a stall across from eachother, closed the front and back barn doors and prepared their grain. I added hot water to their grain so it would make it warm and mushy. Good on a cool, wet day.

That night that stayed in the barn. I wasn’t about ready to turn then back out in that weather and without the right shelter.

There are two horses that lived next door in the neighbors pasture. The owners of the horses were getting ready to move over a week ago, they took down their horses shelter and packed up all their belongings. I saw them, not just this last Saturday, but the Saturday before that packing up. I haven’t seen them since. One of their horses I wrote about before, he is a little chestnut Arab gelding. Very skinny. He was a rescue from a local ranch. The other is a dark dark bay almost black mare. She is very spirited, can be agressive, but shy. They were both in the pasture together, but as the people were getting ready to move they asked if they could put them in one of our fields. The owner, of where I keep my horses, agreed and told them they had until Sunday (12th) to pick them up. Since that Saturday (4th) I haven’t seen anyone. The owner of the barn I keep my horses at, hasn’t heard anything from them. You would think that they would take their horses first, put up their shelter, and get them settled first. The two horses don’t have any blankets on, and no shelter. The gelding needs at least a blanket, because he is already soo skinny. The mare though looks healthy and fine.

Today I went to turn Errika and Ink back out. The skies are blue and no rain is to come until Wednesday. They both were a little swollen in their hind legs. I cold hosed both of them and the swelling went down. I lunged Errika and we did some work with Ink. Errika hasn’t been herself lately. But today she was better and happy.

I’ll Love You

Sneezing like no other. I have been sick the past days, a cold and sore throat I think is strep. It’s not as bad as other times. So no horse news for a bit, at least not current. Instead I’ll greatly like to share with you stories. It’s always a good time to write.

Ink is my boy. I love him like no other. I share a different kind of love with him than Errika, all love but just different. Everyday you can see the happiness in this horse’s eyes. He is happy and enjoying life. Just by looking at him you can tell he wants to love. I’ve always knew this guy was more of a lover than a fighter. He is very sweet, wanting to rest his head and fall asleep in your arms. Just a simple caring love is all he wants.

Each day when were over there with the horses they are ready to please. Errika has become more involved with her work, listening and enjoying. While her and I jump around over some fences Ink is walking around with my mom having simple fun. It’s all very positive, verbal encouragement, and he understands it. Very curious about what Errika is doing, and what he is being asked. Sometimes he will be lazy or stubborn and not do something, but everything is kept positive. If he is asked to walk over a small cross rail in hand and he refuses to do it, things go down a step and build back up. Always keeping in mind his confidence, trust and ability. That is in a way his own way of telling us to go slower. Other times you can tell he is just being stubborn and unwilling. In that case we continue at the same level and be correct when asking for what we want him to do.

Keeping in mind that, Ink was a race horse. He has some of the habits of one and behavior. None of that is pushed because it’s hard for him to easily transition, as with every horse. That goes for habits and enviorment. Ink does kick, sometimes, and will sometimes pin his ears. But he is getting better and better. You can’t get mad at him for it, because he doesn’t always know better. And you can’t make the situation worse. We have to give him the reasons not to do such things. He is not a dangerous horse, he is gentle, kind and loving. But you have to know his personality to understand that. I believe in him and I know what he is really about. So I give him reasons to trust me and understand that there is no need to do that here. And with him it’s not about being the “boss” yet working with him and being his leader. When we first got him he didn’t care about a leader, he was his own. Now he will listen and let his curiosity guide him. A big step if you ask me.

I just want him to be happy, to have a fulfilling life. It’s incredible to be able to be apart of a horse’s life and witness changes. Ink’s future looks bright. In time I think he will be one of the most amazing horses I have ever had a chance to be around. Heck I already feel like that now :).

More That Meets The Eye

Everyday it seems there is a battle. A battle to know just what route or step to take, the right direction is never a real answer. Anticipating your next step because you are afraid you won’t live today as good as you should. It’s hard thinking about the future. How do you know when you’ll be ready? When will be ready to spend forever with someone? When will you know that this is the life you want? From experience it’s a daily odyssey.

For me the larger things in life are easier for me to grasp. My horses have always been my main passion and from day one I wanted my life to be apart of theirs. I’m not afraid of making mistakes, not choosing the right path in life, nor am I afraid of the future my life holds. I am confident in the horses because they are always giving me the drive to achieve anything and everything. Even if it’s not with the task I am doing with them.

Love has been hard for me and at exactly the same time the strength. At so young is it possible to know true, forever love? You live by what society tells you. You are taught and through others’ eyes shown opinions and outcomes. Love can drive you to the last drop in your mind, heart and soul but also can produce the strongest precipitation. I fight constantly with tomorrow. I worry about what the next moment holds. I fear that one day someone will wake up and decide their is something more. The horses bring me back down. They teach me simplification. You cannot answer life’s questions by constantly searching, they come in the journey when you least expect it. Horses will humble you, relax you, invigorate every part of your soul and mind in many ways. Why are horses so much more understanding, different than humans? Because they know the world in a way which we don’t.

The goals, responsibility, dedication, honesty and diligence comes with everyday life around horses. You don’t ask for certain things that happen, they just do. Each little thing that happens with horses can be easily translated into your time outside of them. It’s a different perspective and understanding.

The older, wiser people tell you when you’re young, you will never know how important childhood was until you no longer have it. But maybe we are not supposed to know what we have until it’s passed? Maybe that is part of life and understanding it. How can you possibly know how great childhood is when your five years old? You know no other way of life until you have experienced adolescence and adulthood. That is one thing I will always love about horses. They guide you, teach, love, humble all in the moment. They never forget and because of this you learn to treat each day with respect around them.

Meet a conceded person and they may teach you nothing, but meet a conceded horse a they will teach you things you never knew.