The question of the day

I was up at the barn cleaning stalls, pondering, musing, thinking; it's what I do! As I was cleaning the stalls and trying to figure out how to convince Patch that the shelter was a good idea tonight I remembered a good friend of mine relaying what someone else had said about her and myself; they claimed that we "spoiled/babied" our horses. I knew it came into my mind because I was standing there shoveling horse shit trying to convince myself that Patch would be fine in the shelter for one night; I wanted some one on one time with Amber...

Now the shelter isn't just a loafing shed, it's four sided, completely bedded, gated (taped) off. It's a rather large "stall" that is honestly in better shape then the barn considering all the work that went into building it up from a "shelter" into a "stall". There is absolutely no reason why anyone would be uncomfortable in there, still I feel guilty cause whomever is up there is relatively alone considering the "main" barn is not connected.

Repeating that over and over convinced me that Patch would be fine, so long as he didn't worry of course. We can't have the old guy worrying, if I saw signs of worry we'd let Amber go back up there and bring Patch back to the main barn. Decision made right?

Well this is how it went....

I went to the bottom gate, the top is blocked cause there is mud and we can't have them walking through mud can we?! So I go to the bottom and go about bringing everyone in for the night. Patch sees me first and knows what's up; he's at the gate looking as handsome as always and the guilt starts...I'm thinking "Damn it he knows what time it is and he's gonna be disappointed". Right about then Texas sees me, Tex is always first so down the hill he comes to push Patch out of the way. Then comes Katie she's second and she knows it. Amber stands up toward the top of the hill and watches, she's seen this before. Patch scatters away and as he does I glance down, there is blood on his foot, right above his hoof. There isn't a lot mind you but it's there.

So I halter Tex and get him ready to come in, Katie inches her nose to his butt (just in case he forgot she was SUPER IMPORTANT TOO), Tex glares at her and snorts a bit at me as if to tell me "Ummm we've discussed this!". With Tex in the barn and munching away happily I head back down debating what to do. I have to look at Patch's foot and while there is light up at the shelter the barn is better lit so he can't go up there tonight, I really want to spend some time with Amber tonight in the barn, Tex can't be up there cause well cause he's Tex, hmmm maybe Katie? Katie is our little princess (Sarah and Missy can attest to Katie's Princess status)...will she be ok? The decision was not an easy one but I thought ok...let's see if Katie will cooperate and head up to the shelter. She of course trots her cute little self up there no problem; eating away, all is well.

I grab Patch and he's safe and sound, so far so good.

Now to deal with the girls....

Amber is eyeballing Katie who is in her "house" and refusing to leave. Katie is sticking her head out the window threatening to bite Amber right in the butt. It took me five minutes to convince Amber that it was ok to come with me to the barn; Katie was not stealing her house...

I walk back to the house to check Beet Pulp (Patch needs it and everyone else well loves it so everyone gets a little); as I am walking back to the house the girls realize what has just happened and boy oh boy is the Princess Pissed!

There will be no "house" for mom, Katie is upset. So I walked up and talked to her a bit reminding her that she is fine, there is no cause for worry. Pet her, stroke her mane, finally getting her blanket back on. She's fine now; not that she wasn't fine before :-) In my mind though...

So, the question of the day is this....Spoiled or well loved? I hate the term "Spoiled" when applied to animals or people; milk spoils, vegetables spoil, meat spoils. How can a person or an animal "Spoil"?! It really makes very little sense to me.

I love each of them so very much; Katie, Tex, Patch, Amber and of course Leo. I would probably eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a year rather than see them suffer (note I did not say Top Ramen, that stuff is poison!). Does that mean they are spoiled? I don't think so.

They did not ask to come live with me; I asked that of them. How can I, or anyone, in good conscience not provide the best possible care when you look at it like that?

Spoiled...nope; well loved...you bet!

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