The reality, or horrors, of loving a horse person

I ran into someone I know at the grocery store this evening. She was a fellow horse person that I rarely saw outside of a barn environment. While we were standing there, each in our respective lines, she reached up and found hay in her hair and remarked about the same. I was just glad to finally see someone in line, aside from myself, with hay in her hair! It's a common theme if you're around horses, so is mud and smelling like horse poop (I personally don't think horse poop smells like much but some people obviously disagree, who knew?!). I suppose it's no fun to cuddle up to someone that has hay in her hair, mud on her shoes, horseshit on her gloves, and doesn't even care! However, that doesn't touch the true horrors of being a friend or loved one of a horsey person, by that I really mean...

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He figured she'd gone back to Austin

I haven't written much about Austin, I really should have introduced him properly. Austin is a Walker, has a beautiful chestnut coat, the best mane and tail ever, and a very large nose :-) He's also got the best personality this side of the Mississippi. Austin came up to Diamond Hill on a care lease for a couple months, he was to be my "confidence builder" because I was feeling low. Austin is about the most laid back guy on the planet, Cindy used to joke and call him Austin Power Nap because he was forever sleepy faced. Austin and I played an awful lot, Austin and I talked a lot, Austin and I hung out a lot. He was/is just that cool. Austin figured out pretty quickly that I not only believed he had an opinion I also wanted to hear it, and we talked more. I am aware that Austin doesn't...

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Why I am proud (or my hero carries a rasp)

Joe, the farrier, was out today. I was pretty excited because it was Brody's fourth go round and his foot was very close to looking downright handsome. I was pretty sure we'd walk away from today's appointment with photo worthy tootsies for Mr. Brody. Rev was going to have the benefit of Joe, that also excited me. He's got some cracks that concern me, had a mild to moderate case of scratches, and was definitely long in the toe. I knew Joe would do a few things, all of them hugely important to me. I knew he'd introduce himself to Rev and not just manhandle him, I knew he'd ask me where he was from, what he had been through, what my concerns were, and I knew he'd follow all that up with talking me through every move he made on Rev's feet. Yes Miss. Katie was done however, her feet are pretty...

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Mother Nature must be Bipolar

I try to stay positive. I succeed more than I fail. Today I am just sick sick sick of the cold and rain and snow and every other yuck weather thing Mother Nature has decided to toss our way, she's bipolar I swear! The days are lasting longer and I all I wanna do is hang out in the barn and since I can't...I'm whining on my blog. Stupid rain, your making a mess of the gate area. Stupid rain, we had to put a tarp over Brody's favorite look out spot and he is bothered cause well that damn thing might just eat him. Stupid rain, the ponies can't play all day like they want to. Stupid rain, Leo is going nuts! Stupid rain, you are making me cranky! I was inspired earlier to write something more to my liking, lovey dovey, kissy faced, and all that but not now. Stupid ra...

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Spoiled, you know kinda like curdled milk.

Leo is spoiled, or so I have heard. Katie and Brody as well. I'd almost bet that you could attach that label to a variety of animals, including those at the barn (Diamond Hill Ranch). I really dislike the term. No matter who says it, no matter who is being referenced, I instantly think of curdled milk. I admit that I give more weight to personality then the average Joe. I admit that I indulge the same. I do not do it to the detriment of (insert name). Leo has his own couch, yes couch. No one really sits there but Leo and it is referred to as Leo's couch. Katie gets warm beet pulp cause she loves it, she does not need it. She is the opposite of a hard keeper however watching me prepare everyone's meal and leaving her out is not something I have the heart to do. Does Katie get an excess,...

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Brody and his fifteen minutes of fame

Q13 has a pet of the week contest. I watch every week and wish I had submitted Leo, I think Leo is the cutest dog on the planet! However Brody is more deserving of fifteen minutes of fame; he's been through more than most and makes my heart swell each morning. So Brody is entered! Please give him some love!...

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9,670 Days

I've been a mom for 9,670 days, sounds impressive doesn't it? I could have just as easily said, my son is 26, a touch less dramatic really. Over the years my son has chosen a path that is completely baffling to me, harmful for him, and painful for everyone connected to either of us. I've often related the feeling to watching him ram his head into a brick wall, bring himself back to me for bandaging, only to ram into the very same wall he just recently walked away from. The most recent events certainly don't need to be detailed on here, the core issue is the same. How do you function when your child is hell bent on a path that can lead to one, of a few, bad ends. Coping is really all it comes down to because you can't make it not hurt, you can't remove the worry, you can only try to cope....

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Deceptively strong and/or my affinity for hard keepers

Brody came to the farm in July. He was quite the mess, through no fault of his own. He needed a lot of weight, I am a horrible judge however, I think it is safe to say a good 150, if not 200, pounds were necessary. He also had issues with his foot, it's better now. He was also very sad. He was barely there, and the little you could see had only come out in the few weeks he was with Drea right before he came here, we'd barely touched the surface. I think the best illustration of where he was and how far he has come is in the picture below. I tend to want to wrap Brody up in bubble wrap and tuck him in safe so nothing in the world can hurt...

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