This past week just flew by.
With the two new boys here keeping Sophie company, it was appropriate timing for B to leave for her lease home. That happened Saturday and is sad and happy all at the same time. Despite how perfectly it’s all worked out and how thrilled her little girl is with her, I’ve had 10+ years of daily Bridget so it definitely feels weird to not see her in the barn. There have been more than a few tears here and there.
 |
| Best pony |
In one of those moments where the stars aligned perfectly, a lovely lady who was visiting the area just happened to be an equine performance vet. She had interesting feedback about horses movement in relation to being sore somewhere vs it being a straightness/training issue. A friend of mine mentioned B, she was interested, and so she volunteered to take a look. And FINALLY we have some answers for the minor off/on lameness I’ve been feeling. It’s real, it’s a thing. I’m not crazy. It’s nothing alarming and B gets the green light to keep on keeping on (and was valued at “priceless” for our ‘PPE’ ;), but also it was felt that this is an appropriate time for her to step down and have a lighter workload (we all want her to last forever). So, this is the right decision and I don’t need to harbour any doubts. I can wish I’d met this lady a few years ago, but also can we appreciate how perfect the timing was to meet her now?
 |
| Baby horses have no personal space requirements |
The baby horses are doing baby horse things…they sleep, they eat (a lot), and then they sleep again. G’s is a bit shy, but an absolute sweetheart. He’s steady and quiet and just the nicest little dude. He’s good for grooming and handling his feet. Haltering and leading need some more work so that’s something to keep playing with. He reallly wants to do the right thing, he’s just a little unsure. He finally decided to try eating grain last night so I can stop worrying about him getting his vitamins. If you can’t guess I absolutely love him…like G can pick out all future ponies, he chose a good one.
 |
| How is he so cute? G has decided Bakari —> Buck and yes I am letting that happen. So, hi Buck(y)! |
My little guy is the troublemaker of the two, and also the more opinionated one. He’s outgoing and willing to test boundaries. I say that, but he’s also really quite sweet, just compared to his little buddy he’s a bit more your typical weanling colt. He’s not so much of a fan of standing still for grooming, and we need to work on handling his back feet. I’m very happy with him and think he’s going to be something special. They’re both settling in very well and it’s super amusing to be that they’re happy to be the calming safety net Sophie looks for.
 |
| Looking a lot more grown up than his brother |
 |
| This little guy (Trademark) is going to have the barn name of Reggie…I’m so sorry I forget who suggested it but it totally suits him and thank you for the suggestion. |
Because, yeah, as you can imagine it’s been a tough week for Sophie. She misses B a lot. She’s in heat because baby ponies. It rained non stop so pasture time was limited. She’s having a lot of confusing feelings. Obviously she can’t share space with the boys (she’s weird, and also they are tiny in comparison to her) but I notice when she gets agitated and starts looking for B, one of the little guys (usually Buck/Bucky) goes and stands quietly near her along the fence and she seems be comforted by that. I had concerns they’d possibly match her energy, but so far they’re the opposite and just up the calming vibes. “hey crazy lady, calm down!” They both had higher maintenance moms who were pretty protective so I imagine they’re programmed now to go and be little angels when the mares are unhappy :)
 |
| The sun came out today so she went and had a good play (while the baby horses ignored her attempts at showing off, lol) |
 |
| It’s a one stride |
We’re diving back deep into the world of house renos in hopes of finally moving on site November 1st. So on one hand, it’s been a tough week seeing B off on her long term lease. On the other, there’s so much to look forward to. I especially look forward to getting back to a normal riding (and living) routine.
 |
| The view from the back deck won’t take too much getting used to :) |
I can definitely understand your shedding some tears and imagine it is difficult to not see B every day, even though she is close by. On a different note, how interesting to get confirmation about your periodic lameness concerns. Those "on again off again" issues with our horses can be difficult to diagnose and manage, especially when no one else seems to share our concerns. And how sweet that your new boys provide Sophie with some comfort during this time of transition. That is good to hear.
ReplyDeleteYes, it felt like a very tough week, I've been dreading B leaving for months now, so it feels good just to be on the other side of it. That extra confirmation I am doing the right thing by Bridget also made things easier, and of course the new boys are getting friendlier every day and provide a great distraction.
DeleteI am curious as to what the vet found with B , but understand not needing to share it. The boys are adorable and I don’t know how you’re going to leave for work once you move in.
ReplyDeleteYes! Hocks! Which just feels like one of the most basic, obvious, non mystery things out there, and so disappointing I couldn't get it addressed sooner. She was right away suspicious after palpating her lumbar area. She then looked at trot/canter/trot transitions and changes of bend. She was very good about explaining what she was seeing and it was things I've felt off and on under saddle for a long time now (pesky 'slight loss of balance' in changing bend, sometimes overenthusiastic canter departs, feeling a little crooked/uneven as we warm up). In future, she recommended if you're ever questioning your horse's soundness, find a vet that will watch your horse go under saddle (or force them to!). My experience has always been they do flexions and trot up and maybe watch me longe, all of which show a pretty sound Bridget. With the further step back in work, she felt good about just keeping her on some joint supplements and maybe we'll revisit the idea of injections next fall if needed. It just felt nice to be immediately validated, especially as this vet went in pretty 'cold' as far as B's history and my concerns.
DeleteThank you!
DeleteThose baby faces!! SO CUTE!!! And how interesting that their early months mean that they're all set up to comfort Sophie.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely just throwing that out as a guess, but if she's upset and calling they immediately drop whatever they're doing to go stand quietly near her. It's pretty cute.
Deletethe boys look like they are settling in nicely!! :D
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and update! Especially love the last picture. A dream view and you made it happen!
ReplyDeleteAn unbelievable amount of work went into that view! :)
DeleteI love your new babies! I can't wait to watch them grow up. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm so excited for them both.
Delete