Friday, February 27, 2009

Birthday cake for breakfast

Mmm-hmmmm! I had cake for breakfast this morning. After all, it's my birthday, so why not? We celebrated some last night because I am leaving in a few hours to go on a writer's retreat for the weekend. Poor me, having to spend most of my birthday away from my family. I'm so distraught. Just ignore the completely packed suitcase in the background.

I have to admit, I'm not used to eating tons of sugar first thing in the morning, and I feel a little sick after the sugar rush from all that icing.

On a totally depressing note, one of the other horses at our barn died this morning. She was colicing yesterday, but they thought she wasn't that bad. D hauled her to the vet for the owner, and the vet thought she just needed fluids and some red blood cells and pain relief. Ruby's condition deteriorated during the night and she was in extreme pain that couldn't be controlled, so the decision was made to put her down. D was distraught when she called this morning since she was the one who cared for her on a daily basis.

A bad month for the barn.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Don't open the door, moron!

I've decided that the world is full of idiots. Nothing new there, but I had another encounter with one last night.

If you see a small child with no adult in sight running for the door of a restaurant, would you open the door and let him out? I hope you said no, or I'm going to smack you. DON'T OPEN THE DOOR! Small child running + open door + no parent = small child in parking lot potentially getting hit by a car.

Several times a year, this happens to us. Ellie and Emma did it and now Sam does it. The running child would slide out of the booth and take off for the door before I could even get to the edge of the seat and stand up (one reason I don't care for booths). Said kid would be out of sight in a flash. Pretty much every damned time it happened, some moron opened the door for the kid.

Most of the time it isn't the restaurant staff. We eat out often enough that most of them around here recognize us and won't let the errant child out the door (the teenaged hostesses at Logan's are the main exception).

It is almost always a man that opens the door. Maybe it is just so ingrained into them that it is rude not to open a door that they can't help it. But when the person you are helping is three feet tall and doesn't weigh enough to push the door open by himself, maybe, just maybe, it could occur to you to not let the kid escape? And then perhaps I wouldn't have to look like a dumbass running pell mell through a restaurant trying to catch my kid. Please?

On the other hand, I could just put a leash on all the kids so they can't run away from us. It might save us all a headache.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Syber bullying

Yes, that "S" is deliberate. If you know what it means, fuck off the whole lot of you.

Clearly, I have invested way too much time and emotional energy in a bunch of faceless bitches on a message board since the shit flinging I've attracted over all the stuff with Maggie and now our interest in buying Hope has cut entirely too deep for my own liking. Time to find something else to do with my time for a while.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

My Hopes and Dreams



So, we've been horse shopping. Yes it has only been a week and a half since Maggie died, but I could see no reason to just sit on my thumbs and wait some indefinite length of time. Besides, looking at new faces has helped me to deal with my grief for Maggie. She isn't forgotten and never will be, but it is time for me to move on.

I miss riding, as it had been several weeks since I had ridden Maggie before she died. I miss having a velvety soft nose to rub that is mine, not borrowed. I miss having those ears that perk up when I come around and eyes that light up and that nicker that says "Hello! Where have you been?" Hell, I miss Maggie. I hate that I will never get to see her shed out this spring, that I will never take her trail riding. But she is gone, and tomorrow is another day.

So, we went horse shopping yesterday. D and I had 3 stops on our list with 5 horses between them. I rode some very nice horses and had two that I could have brought home and been thrilled with.

One was a little, short black 14 yr old Walking Horse gelding. Very laid back, kid safe, been there-done that. He responded nicely, but nothing seemed to bother him. He's had a lot of years of teaching kids how to ride.

The other was a taller, pale dappled gray Walking Horse mare. A smidgen less laid back at first, but she also had a bunch of dogs running in circles around her. That's enough to make any horse antsy. But, the dogs were put up and she quickly calmed down. Beautiful ride, nice energetic walk. She's had 2 yrs of professional show level training and several years of trail experience. She is very sensitive in her mouth and seat and was just a pleasure to ride. And I think she would force me into being a better rider, whereas the other fellow is so laid back that my skills could never improve and I'd be just dandy on him.

So, I really dithered over it. I was seriously thinking that I wanted a shorter horse this time. I was a'hint the do' when legs were being handed out, as my grandmother would say. In other words, I've got short legs, even for being short. I don't think I'll ever be able to mount 16 hands without a step. But 14 hands, now I could probably do that.

So, of course who have I decided to make an offer on? The taller mare. She is about Maggie's size, so I figure that I'll be able to mount without the step at some point. But I just really enjoyed the ride and really am looking forward to improving my skills with her. She's not more than I can handle, but enough to make me pay attention and not just hang on for the ride. And the girls just love her color.

And her name? Hopes and Dreams. Hope is her barn name. I thought it fitting in a way, because I had felt so much like my hopes and dreams had been shattered when I lost Maggie. And now I have Hope.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

I'm bending my own rules

I don't do antibacterial cleaners (I do use antiviral tissues, though) and don't, as a rule, use cleaning wipes. I use a dilutable cleaner and a cloth. But, I've had 3 colds back to back, we've had that strange stomach bug, the girls have been coughing their heads off for weeks, so the rules are out the window.

Today I'm scrubbing and cleaning and wiping everything down with Clorox wipes, which are antibacterial and antiviral. Rules be damned, I'm tired of being sick.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

This and that

We have the crud. (Mostly I'm just jabbering to get Maggie's picture to move down. I cry every time I look at it.)
I'm not sure exactly what kind it is, but we have it. The three of us girls are coughing. Sunday night I started running a fever and had the godawfulest stomach cramps. I would have been quite happy to throw up if it would have made it go away. Never puked, though. Stomach cramps continued off and on yesterday. I woke up feeling 90% better today.

Last night, Em had a fever and she's home with me today. She was complaining about a stomach ache Friday and Saturday. Ellie had a fever a week ago and she has complained about a stomach ache in the last week, too. I talked to the manwhore earlier and he's planning to come home from work because apparently he's got it now, too.

So far, Sam is the only one who hasn't come down with it, although he fussed about his stomach hurting late last week, too. He never had a fever, though.

On the horse front, we are slowly looking for another horse. I know it will make it easier to move on if we have another long face looking at us over the fence. I'm still reeling and guilty and grieving and pissed and just all around missing my sweet girl. I know she wasn't so sweet towards the end, but I know I will spend the rest of my life wondering if we did the right thing, even though the vet told us we were making the right decision.

I confess that my house looks like I've spent a week curled up crying over my horse and curled up holding my stomach. Eek!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

In Memorium Sundust Maggie

April 20, 1991 - February 12, 2009

Though we knew you but a short time, you were so loved. I had been waiting for you for so long. Three short months wasn't enough time. You'll be missed for the rest of my life.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Tomorrow is Vet day for Maggie

We will be trailoring Maggie to the vet tomorrow morning. Her appointment is at 10:30. Please keep us in mind, send some good vibes, whatever.

I'll update when I know something.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

From the biggest horse to the smallest

So usually when the girls are having a riding lesson, they ride Random, who is a 16H tall paint quarter horse who is a retired hunter jumper. Translation: she's pretty damned big. I have to stand on a barrel to get on her. Even the step isn't tall enough.

Today, Emma had a lesson on Random and then we hung around to watch H work with one of the mini horses, Knee High. Knee High is coming 4, unbroken, never had a person on her back, ever. And she only like 8 or 9H, I guess? H flapped a bareback pad, stirrups, bridle in her face and Knee High just stood there. Put it on her, Knee High just stood there. Did some walk, trot, canter work, and Knee High just did her thing and paid no attention to the stirrups banging or the bit in her mouth.

So, I asked Emma if she wanted to ride Knee High and she took off running for her helmet. She hopped up on Knee High and we went around the round pen several times with Knee High on the lead line and me holding onto Em. Soon I was standing in the middle taking pics and eventually we had Knee High off the lead line.

She really didn't know what to do with the signals from the reins but she walked along pretty as you please around the edge of the round pen and never batter an eye at having a rider. She is such a fabulous little horse.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Small update

So, we've got an appointment to take Maggie to the vet. It's not until next week, though. Such is the thing when you deal with a large equine hospital. She's safe enough for the time being. She has been separated from the other horses to protect the other owners and D. I went to see her briefly today and cried all the way home. This on top of crying all evening yesterday.

The vet has said that the only thing he can think of that could cause this kind of behavior is an ovarian tumor. The fix is surgery. There is the slight chance (based on my own research) that it could be an ulcer or hypothyroidism. Of the three, well, I don't know what to hope for.

There is the chance that they won't be able to find anything wrong with her. This I am not hoping for, because then she is just a dangerous horse and we could be faced with the prospect of having her put down. I would not sell her knowing that she is dangerous. Even if the person I sold her to could handle her, there is nothing to prevent that person from selling her to someone with kids and someone could be hurt or killed. I won't take that chance.

Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

I guess I jinxed myself

Shortly after I wrote the last post, D (the barn owner) called and told me that Maggie attacked her again. This is beyond her experience and I don't know what we are going to do.

Looking better

The weather being what it is, we've only been able to work Maggie twice since she attacked two people. She's doing better. Hasn't attacked anyone else since then. Two lessons in the round pen of "You will move your feet when I say move or else!" have done some good, but we have plenty more to go.
She's lost 200 lbs since we got her in Oct, too, and she is at a good, healthy weight. Now she needs some muscle and that will come with exercise. You can tell she has hips, ribs and withers now.

The aren't the best shots, because she moved just as I snapped the pics both times.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Higgy Birthday Bad!

Happy Birthday to the Manwhore! Here's some birthday card love from Emma to him.

Ellie made him a card, too, but I can't find it. I'll add it when I find it.