Focusing on What Matters

I've been so stressed out this past week. As mentioned previously,  I've been sick, and life has chosen this same week to throw all sorts of demands and curve balls at me. I've also been feeling all the anxiety that goes along with not being able to check in on the ponies in over a week. I know they have excellent care, but I still worry!

Finally, this morning I couldn't handle feeling stressed and guilty anymore. I cancelled out of a bunch of the life related stuff I was worrying about, and basically gave myself permission to put my life on hold for another week or two until I'm better. More importantly, I hopped in the truck and took a drive out to the barn :)

Missed this face!

I don't think I've ever seen the horses quite so happy to see me! Possibly they were actually very happy to see the treats I brought, but I'll take it :) I credit peppermint horse treats as the only reason that Ginger was willing to be domesticated way back when. I haven't found the same ones again since, until I lucked out and found giant bags on sale the other weekend. Ginger hasn't forgotten them and is one very happy girl. I'm glad I made it a priority to go see her today! She's looking wonderful at the moment, her super dark winter coat has come in and she's a nice weight. As always, it was impossible to get a nice picture of her because she is constantly either in motion or right beside me. She got a good grooming, some keratex on that foot and lots of hugs.

Best I could get, but at least shows the nice dark winter coat!

This is her more preferred distance from the camera/potential treat bearer.

Bridget was also very excited to see me. I think she's quite bored - she basically put her halter on for me and seemed quite excited at the prospect of doing something. It's been 10 days and counting since our last outing off the farm! She's a bit misleading when you meet her, since she seems so laid back and nonchalant about life. Really though, there is a wickedly intelligent little mind in there that likes to be occupied. Ginger and her are very similar in a lot of ways - both being easily the most intelligent horses I've ever worked with, and both with a very similar work ethic.

Little Miss Bridget unfortunately has two wounds across the back of each hind fetlock. I'm thinking she kicked out and cut herself on either a fence or gate. It looks like it must have happened near the beginning of my absence, since it's all well scabbed over and there is a bit of proud flesh already.  I trimmed of the feathers that were hiding it and scrubbed it all pretty good. I have some of the 'magic' Dynamite Wound Balm left over that did such an amazing job on Lainey's leg wound (I'll spare you the graphic pics, suffice to say it was bad and now you can barely feel where it happened), so here's hoping we can replicate those results on Bridget's way more minor injuries. Bridget of course, was not concerned about it at all and just wondering why I was so fascinated by her back legs and whether I was going to share any of Ginger's treats with her.

Please refrain from kicking things!

At any rate, I'm glad I cancelled the real life things that can wait and made it out for a short visit with the ponies. A bit much at the moment, but I do have all afternoon free to sleep and not worry :)