Horsey Ramble
September 9th 2008 02:21
Ah. So much is going on in my head.
I should be in full on find job mode. You Know. New resume, on the seek sites and out there canvessing. Looking into things. Since Ive been home all Ive done is clean house and chop wood and cook....I want my house back, my place. Kman loves it. We are both wishing this could just go on and on. Its amazing how when Im here, all falls into place lovingly and beautifully. As if timed by a wizard.
The musical horseys is going well. Tesh is, at this present time, taking her morning nap. She looks so old. She's only 14, and in human years thats only between 35 and 45 years old. Horses dont age like people and its not exact, they all age differently. Zayf, at 2 and a half, is between 15 and 20.
Tesh is a problem. I know somethings not right, by the fact I can catch her. Have you ever heard, in relation to a wild animal, that if you cant get ahold of it, it will be ok? If you end up catching it, it was too sick? Tesh is like that.
Have I told her story?
I had Chester and Jill. Dad had bought Jill for me when Chester broke down, and now Dad needed a horse. On a sales day afternoon he saw a magnificent white mare get off the truck. She spun in circles, coat gleaming in the failing afternoon light, looking disdainfully at the tired sweaty beasts she found herself sharing air with. Dad had to have her, but a week of constant, cajoling phone calls got him no where. The boss of the property wanted her for himself.
At the end of the week when dad had admitted defeat, they called us. You can have her.
Just for the record, its never good when people do this.
When we arrived to purchase her, the glorious spirited animal we had seen was gone. In her place was a blood soaked skeleton, barely able to raise her head. From one end to the other, deep marks scored the perfect, iridiscent white coat. We asked in a flurry - What the fuck happened to her?
It was patiently explained to us newbie horse people that she had been released onto the main body of the property - 600 acres of it - and had been unable to fend for herself against the other horses. That her fine breeding had left her prey to quick starvation, as she had lost all her fights for food.
That made sense. To us newbie horse people.
Until I got a good look at the scars. Theres a big difference between hoof marks and whip marks. The slender lines criss crossing under her lovely neck can only be a thin cutting whip, and some of the scars on her rump were made by a rider. There is an ugly scar on her cheek that looks like it was made by a ring. Also, upon releasing her into the herd, we saw Teshan is QUITE capable of fighting for her feed, is always boss horse, no argument. We also found that on minimal rations she will continue to gain weight. The torture they must have put her through was horrific, to get her so thin, so fast.
Teshan became my horse - the first time I ever had a horse fast enough not just to keep up with the other kids but WIN! Teshan is wild, dangerous, and refuses to lose. I still remember her soul wrenching speed.....No matter how fast you were going, if another horse came up by her shoulder, she found another gear. Magnificent.
We assumed Tesh to be the 7 years old we had purchased her at, and progressed into shows and all sorts of horsey horrors. Being dragged out of your comfy paddock to be crammed on a truck, go somewhere stinking and noisy where you have to WORK is not the idea of a perfect horsey weekend. It wasnt until years later when I was preparing a stallion for her that I had her age checked. I believed her to be 13.
My farrier, after looking at her teeth, said, "How old did you say this horse was when you bought it?"
"Seven" I replied.
"Thats a bit impossible" He giggled, "This horse is seven now!"
Even though I was angry Id been lied to - and that trick couldnt fool me now, I read teeth - it was like being given a great gift. Wow, years more of Teshan!
Teshan had three babies and proved herself a very good broodmare. All aspects of the stallion she enjoyed, although her pregnancies were a mixed bag, sometimes good, sometimes bad, she coped well. I decided to retire her. Teshan has remained the perfect horse her whole life - doesnt get sick, doesnt need the vet, doesnt injure herself or need extra food in rough patches.
Then the flu came.
Tesh didnt do well throughout the flu. She actually hadnt done well the year before when Zayf came off her, but when the flu hit Ive never seen her so sick. If only it had ended there, but after the flu she has suffered colic and hoof abcesses - things she has never had her whole life - and other small problems. A few weeks ago she made it clear she wanted into the house yard (theres bedtime hay) and after Magnus thrashing the house, I agreed. I started catching her to brush her, and put a rug on her at night.
She looks like a horse of 20, not 14. Oh, she's Teshan. She's alert, she's sassy, she's not takin no crap, but her movements seem slow. She's not gaining weight - something she does SO well - and she's not arguing with me anywhere near as much as usual.
Its quite a common thing for older horses to have trouble coming out of winter, but she's got a good few years before she hits that age. I could have just left her - no doubt what most horse people would have done - but a little bit of rugging, extra care and TLC will in the long run lengthen her life. Plus, she's my girl. I'll look after her weather she wants me to or not!
Im watching her carefully investigating the feed bin for breakfast leftovers. She seems so frail. Definitely not the same girl who carried me fearlessly and tirelessly over the mountaintops. She doesnt even look like the same girl that hot headedly took on 3 sons one after the other. She just looks like a tired old woman.
Much more of this rubbish, and I call a vet. Sigh. Horses are so hard. I know the vet will do what Ive done. Check this, check that, walk around her, and say "keep an eye on it"
Maybe shes just enjoying her retirement - her rugs and extra attention. Stranger things have happened. I suppose.
I should be in full on find job mode. You Know. New resume, on the seek sites and out there canvessing. Looking into things. Since Ive been home all Ive done is clean house and chop wood and cook....I want my house back, my place. Kman loves it. We are both wishing this could just go on and on. Its amazing how when Im here, all falls into place lovingly and beautifully. As if timed by a wizard.
The musical horseys is going well. Tesh is, at this present time, taking her morning nap. She looks so old. She's only 14, and in human years thats only between 35 and 45 years old. Horses dont age like people and its not exact, they all age differently. Zayf, at 2 and a half, is between 15 and 20.
Tesh is a problem. I know somethings not right, by the fact I can catch her. Have you ever heard, in relation to a wild animal, that if you cant get ahold of it, it will be ok? If you end up catching it, it was too sick? Tesh is like that.
Have I told her story?
I had Chester and Jill. Dad had bought Jill for me when Chester broke down, and now Dad needed a horse. On a sales day afternoon he saw a magnificent white mare get off the truck. She spun in circles, coat gleaming in the failing afternoon light, looking disdainfully at the tired sweaty beasts she found herself sharing air with. Dad had to have her, but a week of constant, cajoling phone calls got him no where. The boss of the property wanted her for himself.
At the end of the week when dad had admitted defeat, they called us. You can have her.
Just for the record, its never good when people do this.
When we arrived to purchase her, the glorious spirited animal we had seen was gone. In her place was a blood soaked skeleton, barely able to raise her head. From one end to the other, deep marks scored the perfect, iridiscent white coat. We asked in a flurry - What the fuck happened to her?
It was patiently explained to us newbie horse people that she had been released onto the main body of the property - 600 acres of it - and had been unable to fend for herself against the other horses. That her fine breeding had left her prey to quick starvation, as she had lost all her fights for food.
That made sense. To us newbie horse people.
Until I got a good look at the scars. Theres a big difference between hoof marks and whip marks. The slender lines criss crossing under her lovely neck can only be a thin cutting whip, and some of the scars on her rump were made by a rider. There is an ugly scar on her cheek that looks like it was made by a ring. Also, upon releasing her into the herd, we saw Teshan is QUITE capable of fighting for her feed, is always boss horse, no argument. We also found that on minimal rations she will continue to gain weight. The torture they must have put her through was horrific, to get her so thin, so fast.
Teshan became my horse - the first time I ever had a horse fast enough not just to keep up with the other kids but WIN! Teshan is wild, dangerous, and refuses to lose. I still remember her soul wrenching speed.....No matter how fast you were going, if another horse came up by her shoulder, she found another gear. Magnificent.
We assumed Tesh to be the 7 years old we had purchased her at, and progressed into shows and all sorts of horsey horrors. Being dragged out of your comfy paddock to be crammed on a truck, go somewhere stinking and noisy where you have to WORK is not the idea of a perfect horsey weekend. It wasnt until years later when I was preparing a stallion for her that I had her age checked. I believed her to be 13.
My farrier, after looking at her teeth, said, "How old did you say this horse was when you bought it?"
"Seven" I replied.
"Thats a bit impossible" He giggled, "This horse is seven now!"
Even though I was angry Id been lied to - and that trick couldnt fool me now, I read teeth - it was like being given a great gift. Wow, years more of Teshan!
Teshan had three babies and proved herself a very good broodmare. All aspects of the stallion she enjoyed, although her pregnancies were a mixed bag, sometimes good, sometimes bad, she coped well. I decided to retire her. Teshan has remained the perfect horse her whole life - doesnt get sick, doesnt need the vet, doesnt injure herself or need extra food in rough patches.
Then the flu came.
Tesh didnt do well throughout the flu. She actually hadnt done well the year before when Zayf came off her, but when the flu hit Ive never seen her so sick. If only it had ended there, but after the flu she has suffered colic and hoof abcesses - things she has never had her whole life - and other small problems. A few weeks ago she made it clear she wanted into the house yard (theres bedtime hay) and after Magnus thrashing the house, I agreed. I started catching her to brush her, and put a rug on her at night.
She looks like a horse of 20, not 14. Oh, she's Teshan. She's alert, she's sassy, she's not takin no crap, but her movements seem slow. She's not gaining weight - something she does SO well - and she's not arguing with me anywhere near as much as usual.
Its quite a common thing for older horses to have trouble coming out of winter, but she's got a good few years before she hits that age. I could have just left her - no doubt what most horse people would have done - but a little bit of rugging, extra care and TLC will in the long run lengthen her life. Plus, she's my girl. I'll look after her weather she wants me to or not!
Im watching her carefully investigating the feed bin for breakfast leftovers. She seems so frail. Definitely not the same girl who carried me fearlessly and tirelessly over the mountaintops. She doesnt even look like the same girl that hot headedly took on 3 sons one after the other. She just looks like a tired old woman.
Much more of this rubbish, and I call a vet. Sigh. Horses are so hard. I know the vet will do what Ive done. Check this, check that, walk around her, and say "keep an eye on it"
Maybe shes just enjoying her retirement - her rugs and extra attention. Stranger things have happened. I suppose.
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Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
strange things happen all the time.
People like me make comments on your blog.
Hey Kleo. Hey K-Man. Hope all is well in your world.
Ramble on. Neigh, whinney and snort. Just don't dribble too much. You have to wipe it up.
That song, "They shoot horses don't they?" ??? Someone should put me down, I reckon.
Alive and kicking till God turns out my lights.
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Ive missed you, and thankyou for the visit. Your email adress is not working for me, so Im glad to see you here.
What an old time word. Glad. Is anyone ever glad?
Im fine. Kmans great. I dont deserve it to be though, Im a treacherous woman. Sigh.
Isnt it a movie or a book? I think I read it sometime...They shoot horses dont they...Hmm. Seems familiar. Dont worry, Id be shot too. Unfortunately we humans dont get it that easy.
Comment by Ash
Flashes of memories
Hopefully all will be well. Teshan is obviously a fighter.
Ash
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
She's good. I just cant work out if she's having me on or if she's really got something going on...