This is not my story, but one told to me by a good friend. It tells how deeply a new mare touched my friend's life. Roxie & Raffie will never be forgotten.
I like reading your new blog, it's pretty cool. Didn't want to post my Raffie incident but thought I'd tell you. Raffie was sick and I had just found a new mare and was taking her to be evaluated for her age (giant thoroughbred). I named her Roxie. Can't remember why but wanted to put Roxie on her saddle pad. But back to the story, somewhere between the house and the gas station Raffie fell in the trailer. I was there and it did not jostle the truck as expected. I knew he was not up to his normal strength and was worried so went to check on him when we stopped for gas. To my horror he had fallen down as I thought he might, and yelled for Mom. I was not too sure the giant Roxie would not step on him and hurt him, though she did not move an inch and his legs were between hers. So we ended up backing her out of the trailer and I can tell you I have NEVER seen a horse that was more careful then Roxie. She watched every foot she moved and never even touched my Raffie. I almost cried when we finally got her out of the trailer safely and got Raffie up. She was my "hero" of the day, and Raffie's riding buddy. He rode the rest of the way and did not fall again which made me feel better, however I did not draw an easy breath till we were back home. He was my best pal and I miss him. But I will never forget Roxie and her cool headed ability to not panic when getting out of the trailer,and being extra careful not to step on my "daffy-do" :) Just thought I'd share
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
How Zulieka Haunted Me
Chestnut mare of undetermined breeding, born early 1960s
I can't remember now if Zulieka came from Wyoming or Montana or some other rangeland state. What I do remember is that she was wild & everyone wondered why a parent would get their young girl a wild horse. It was said she was given to them so that might explain how Lorraine ended up her. Zulie was compact with a wild eye & she was actually a nice looking mare. I seem to remember very little white. It was a long time & a lot of work before Lorraine was able to get on Zulieka. That she managed to ride her at all was quite an accomplishment. She was never a reliable horse to ride, often spooking violently & unseating her rider. She was definitely not a "kid's horse". What I remember most about Zulie was the time she became very ill. The vet wasn't sure she was going to live. A fever raged, she refused to eat, was lethargic & mostly non-responsive. It was a Tue morning when the vet decided that she needed a blood transfusion if she was to have any chance of living. The donor was a beautiful Clydesdale mare named Teeny Bopper, who was owned by the stable owner. My mother assisted the vet by holding the IV bag. It was a long slow process that eventually proved to be successful. The vet told us to tell no one that Zulie had EIA (Equine Infectious Anemia), an often fatal disease. He cautioned that if word got out, the stable would be quarantined & horses testing positive for EIA would be euthanized. Never having heard of EIA, believing & trusting the vet, no word was ever told of Zulie's infection. I don't remember when Zulie left, but it was after throwing Lorraine yet again & hurting her badly. I heard her father had the stable owner trailer Zulie to the local slaughterhouse as a dangerous horse.
In 1976, Zulieka came back to haunt me. I was moving to Texas & part of the process was to have my mare Coggins tested. The Coggins test is used to detect EIA. As my vet drew blood I thought back to that day when a vet said Zulie had EIA & cautioned that all horses testing positive would be euthanized if word got out. I was terrified that my mare would test positive because she had been exposed to Zulie. I knew that the only option other than euthanasia was total isolation & lifetime quarantine. The days waiting for the test results were agonizing. I had formulated a plan in my mind to run & hide my mare if the results were positive. My grandparents owned some remote property & I would go there to live with my horse. By the time the test results came back, I was a nervous wreck. I suffered bouts of nausea, loss of sleep, & fits of anger. I was older & had more knowledge & knew Zulie's vet had been wrong in his advice. The stable should have been quarantined & all horses tested. As it was, I spent an agonizing week haunted by the memory of Zulieka. Fortunately the test results came back negative. I didn't need to run & hide my mare. My memories of Zulieka were laid to rest.
Today EIA is just as devastating. Fortunately there aren't a lot of positive horses because vets & owners are more responsible than Zulieka's vet. The tragedy of EIA is that a horse can not only be a silent carrier, infecting others, but some horses who have never been ill can test positive from just being exposed. It's a frightening disease that I hope is someday eradicated through vigilant protocols by vets & horse owners alike.
I can't remember now if Zulieka came from Wyoming or Montana or some other rangeland state. What I do remember is that she was wild & everyone wondered why a parent would get their young girl a wild horse. It was said she was given to them so that might explain how Lorraine ended up her. Zulie was compact with a wild eye & she was actually a nice looking mare. I seem to remember very little white. It was a long time & a lot of work before Lorraine was able to get on Zulieka. That she managed to ride her at all was quite an accomplishment. She was never a reliable horse to ride, often spooking violently & unseating her rider. She was definitely not a "kid's horse". What I remember most about Zulie was the time she became very ill. The vet wasn't sure she was going to live. A fever raged, she refused to eat, was lethargic & mostly non-responsive. It was a Tue morning when the vet decided that she needed a blood transfusion if she was to have any chance of living. The donor was a beautiful Clydesdale mare named Teeny Bopper, who was owned by the stable owner. My mother assisted the vet by holding the IV bag. It was a long slow process that eventually proved to be successful. The vet told us to tell no one that Zulie had EIA (Equine Infectious Anemia), an often fatal disease. He cautioned that if word got out, the stable would be quarantined & horses testing positive for EIA would be euthanized. Never having heard of EIA, believing & trusting the vet, no word was ever told of Zulie's infection. I don't remember when Zulie left, but it was after throwing Lorraine yet again & hurting her badly. I heard her father had the stable owner trailer Zulie to the local slaughterhouse as a dangerous horse.
In 1976, Zulieka came back to haunt me. I was moving to Texas & part of the process was to have my mare Coggins tested. The Coggins test is used to detect EIA. As my vet drew blood I thought back to that day when a vet said Zulie had EIA & cautioned that all horses testing positive would be euthanized if word got out. I was terrified that my mare would test positive because she had been exposed to Zulie. I knew that the only option other than euthanasia was total isolation & lifetime quarantine. The days waiting for the test results were agonizing. I had formulated a plan in my mind to run & hide my mare if the results were positive. My grandparents owned some remote property & I would go there to live with my horse. By the time the test results came back, I was a nervous wreck. I suffered bouts of nausea, loss of sleep, & fits of anger. I was older & had more knowledge & knew Zulie's vet had been wrong in his advice. The stable should have been quarantined & all horses tested. As it was, I spent an agonizing week haunted by the memory of Zulieka. Fortunately the test results came back negative. I didn't need to run & hide my mare. My memories of Zulieka were laid to rest.
Today EIA is just as devastating. Fortunately there aren't a lot of positive horses because vets & owners are more responsible than Zulieka's vet. The tragedy of EIA is that a horse can not only be a silent carrier, infecting others, but some horses who have never been ill can test positive from just being exposed. It's a frightening disease that I hope is someday eradicated through vigilant protocols by vets & horse owners alike.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Whitey vs The Truck
Grey gelding of unknown breeding & I no longer remember his age.In Dec 1979, I went to North Carolina to visit with friends for the holidays. I arrived as the sun was coming up & the first place we went was to the stable where my friends kept their horses. Now how many people do you know who'd travel over 3000 miles to spend the day at the stable? While we were there we saw a grey gelding, Whitey, get out of his pasture & run down a dirt road. Judy & I took off in hot pursuit. Of course we were on foot so not nearly as fast as Whitey. Every corner we turned we could see him up in front of us. Sometimes he'd stop for a bite of grass & then off he'd go again. It's a good thing this happened 30 years ago when I was younger & in pretty good shape. We ran over 2 miles before we saw Whitey run out onto the highway. We were still 100 yards or so away, but just in time to see him get hit by a water truck. What a sickening feeling as we heard the impact & saw him go under the truck. Fortunately it was the corner of the truck & Whitey's hind quarters that collided. By the time we got there, Whitey was on his feet. He had blood covering his hindend & he had tire marks up over his hip & croup (look close & you can see the rubber mark behind the blanket). The truck driver was uninjured & his truck only suffered a badly dented bumper. A vet was called & it wasn't long before he got there. The vet determined there were no broken bones so he cleaned & doctors all the contusions & road rash, gave Whitey a lot of tranquilizer & pain killers, & told Judy & I to walk him home. That was the longest 2 miles I've ever covered. Judy was pulling & I was prodding with a stick to keep Whitey moving. He was a little shocky & in a lot of pain so didn't want to move. Finally we got him back to the stable as the sun was setting, just as his owner arrived. I have to say that I was glad the rest of my visit wasn't nearly so exciting. I hope I never see another horse get hit by a vehicle. Whitey was very lucky & made a full recovery. I'm not so sure about my nerves.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Apache Dream
Registered bay, arab gelding, born 9/22/2003
(DreamCatcher Rajiyyah x Waraja Flashdance)
In 2002 some people I knew bought a pregnant mare from me, bred to one of my stallions. In 2003 the mare had a gorgeous, bay colt. I saw Apache almost daily as I drove by to & from work. He grew to be a flashy gelding. When he was 2 years old he injured an eye & spent a few weeks at UCDavis. I was there with one of my horses one day so stopped by his stall. What a personable youngster & the vet students said he was a favorite. As a 3 year old he was gelded & started under saddle for 30 days. As a 4 year old he went back for another 60 days of training. The people never did anything with him & he just sat in a paddock. It was such a shame because Apache's not only a pretty horse, he's athletic with a fabulous trot. As I drove by, I occasionally wondered if they would ever do anything with him. I did know that he was more horse than they needed.
It had been almost 2 years since I'd talked to Apache's owners. Then about a month ago I had a phone message that had an urgent tone. I called & spoke with the wife, who told me that they had tried to sell Apache but no one was interested. They'd also tried to give him away but no one wanted him. They wondered if I knew anyone who'd take him because they were going to euthanize him. I later found out this was because they wanted his paddock for another horse. To say I'm still furious is an extreme under statement. Anyway, even though I wasn't in a position to add another horse on my checkbook, I told them to bring him to me. I spent the next couple hours rearranging my pastures so I could put Apache by himself to settle in. It was very hard to bite my tongue when they dropped him off. I had so many things I wanted to say, starting with "WTF do you mean you're going to kill him so you can bring a new horse home?" I still can NOT believe that's what they said. I bit my tongue for Apache's sake. He needed to come to me to be safe.
I was on the phone to friends before Apache was even dropped off, & I'd already found him a home. Who wouldn't want a 6 year old, gorgeous, under saddle horse with a super personality? Once he goes to his new home in S CA, he'll begin conditioning to start his endurance career. It's going to be so fun seeing him go down the trail. He has such a fabulous trot & I love watching him fly across the pasture. And some day I'm going to take endurance ride photos by to show those people the horse they were going to euthanize so needlessly.
(DreamCatcher Rajiyyah x Waraja Flashdance)
In 2002 some people I knew bought a pregnant mare from me, bred to one of my stallions. In 2003 the mare had a gorgeous, bay colt. I saw Apache almost daily as I drove by to & from work. He grew to be a flashy gelding. When he was 2 years old he injured an eye & spent a few weeks at UCDavis. I was there with one of my horses one day so stopped by his stall. What a personable youngster & the vet students said he was a favorite. As a 3 year old he was gelded & started under saddle for 30 days. As a 4 year old he went back for another 60 days of training. The people never did anything with him & he just sat in a paddock. It was such a shame because Apache's not only a pretty horse, he's athletic with a fabulous trot. As I drove by, I occasionally wondered if they would ever do anything with him. I did know that he was more horse than they needed.
It had been almost 2 years since I'd talked to Apache's owners. Then about a month ago I had a phone message that had an urgent tone. I called & spoke with the wife, who told me that they had tried to sell Apache but no one was interested. They'd also tried to give him away but no one wanted him. They wondered if I knew anyone who'd take him because they were going to euthanize him. I later found out this was because they wanted his paddock for another horse. To say I'm still furious is an extreme under statement. Anyway, even though I wasn't in a position to add another horse on my checkbook, I told them to bring him to me. I spent the next couple hours rearranging my pastures so I could put Apache by himself to settle in. It was very hard to bite my tongue when they dropped him off. I had so many things I wanted to say, starting with "WTF do you mean you're going to kill him so you can bring a new horse home?" I still can NOT believe that's what they said. I bit my tongue for Apache's sake. He needed to come to me to be safe.
I was on the phone to friends before Apache was even dropped off, & I'd already found him a home. Who wouldn't want a 6 year old, gorgeous, under saddle horse with a super personality? Once he goes to his new home in S CA, he'll begin conditioning to start his endurance career. It's going to be so fun seeing him go down the trail. He has such a fabulous trot & I love watching him fly across the pasture. And some day I'm going to take endurance ride photos by to show those people the horse they were going to euthanize so needlessly.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Joyful Tiers
Before & after pictures. The first picture was taken at Animal Control. The 3 small pictures to the right were taken after Joy became an arab. :)
Sometimes horses enter our lives in the oddest ways. I never thought I'd get my very own pound pony, & then Joy came into my life. My original thought was to just pay the $100.00 pound fee if someone would rescue her. When I was asked why I just didn't take her home, I told everyone I was 500 miles away. A group of wonderful people stepped up & made sure that Joy came to me. Animal Control told me she was found roaming the streets. They call these horses Dandilions because they just "pop up". It's so sad to think that someone starved Joy & then just turned her loose. I hope there's a special place for those people in Hell. Joy touched my life in a such a wonderful way. She was so appreciative of her good fortune & was very expressive in her need for attention. Every now & then I remember her wonderful ol' head pushing into my stomach & watching her run with her arab friends. She was such a kind mare who didn't deserve what life had given her. I'm so glad she spent her last years with me. Below is our story:Joy
5/10/01 - TIER was contacted today by Norco Animal Control in regard to a mare that was found running the streets. This mare was horribly thin and weak in the hind end. She is a sorrel mare, large/oblong star, white on left rear, appx. 17 - 20 yrs. old, appx. 15 hands. High withered.
Animal Control has put a good amount of weight on her in the month or so she has been with them, but she is still in need of groceries as you can see from her picture. No one has contacted Norco Animal Control regarding this mare. In the beginning, she was very weak or loose in the behind, but seems to be much stronger now....although you can still see weakness in her rear movement at times. She is pushy and willful and does not seem to care too much for other horses. While we were taking her picture, a deer wandered into her pen (there are many different beautiful animals at Norco's facility in need of homes!!) and this mare is definitely not a deer lover. She chased the deer out and even kicked at it!
ONE WEEK!This mare needs a home NOW! If a home is not found within a week, this mare will in all likelihood be euthanized. Due to the fact that she is not rideable because of her weekend back end, she would be a companion only horse. Her adoption fee is $100.00. Adopters would need to sign an adoption agreement with Norco Animal Control.
City of Norco Animal Control - (909) 737-8972
Update 5/14/01 - Yipppeeeeeeeeeeee! This strong minded mare has a new home with Dianna C., a new name Joyful Tiers, aka: Joy and she will also have some new buddies who are anxiously awaiting her arrival at Dianna's!
I would like to personally thank all of those who expressed interest in helping Joy. Hats off to the caravan ladies who will be assisting with transporting Joy to her new home in the lap of luxury, love and fellowship. Thanks to all those who offered advice and support for this neglected, abandoned mare. Thanks to the TIER webmistress for putting Joy's information and pictures up as quickly as she did (even though she had 15 guests at her home when I sent her the info.....she took the time out from her hobnobbing (HA!) to make sure the mare's plight was on our website!). Thank you to new mom Dianna for really reaching out to help a horse in need.And........
A special thank you to Norco Animal Control for making us aware of the situation so that we could hopefully assist in finding this girl a home!
Many, many thanks to all of you who are there for the horses! Your support, advice, guidance, caring, understanding of the desperate need of the horses and willingness to act have helped so many horses to find homes with loving humans. Because of YOU....these horses are more than a memory of a picture and wording. They are living, breathing, loving friends with homes that truly care about them for who they are....rather than what they can give. Because of YOU!
Now this is TEAMWORK! Wooooo Hoooooo!
5/18/2001 - 8:47 amJoy will be leaving the pound today at about 11am. Lisa will have her over for a slumber party tonight and then drive her to Fresno tomorrow. Joy will take a 2 night vacation at the Sunnyside Ranch, her own personal horsey hotel, and then Dana will bring her to N CA on Mon. Guess I better get out a map to find how to get to Galt. That's where I'll pick Joy up Monday afternoon. A hop, skip & jump and she'll be home in Oroville! Well, maybe not hop, skip & jump as that would be a bit rough on the old girl. The excitement is building.
5/18/2001 - 11:43 amJust wanted to let everyone know Joy is hear with me know. I just pick her up from animal control. She is so sweet. She loaded great. I know she will be ok for her journey tomorrow. Dianna what a perfect name you gave to her. She was such a Joy to load and the kindest eyes. I will let you all know how our journey goes tomrrow. we are going from Norco to Fresno. Have a great day all. I know I will with Joy in my backyard.Lisa
5/19/2001 - 7:47 pmHi all I just got back from Fresno. Joy is at her first destination. We got her their safely. She made the trip with no problems. She gets to rest for 2 days before going too her 2nd stop. Thanks for everyones support. She is partway home.Lisa
Joy Makes 2nd Leg of Trip!!!5/21/2001 - 6:09 pmHi everyone! Just thought I'd give a little update on Joy. Sandy and I picked her up in Fresno at Sunnyside Ranch this morning and headed to Galt. Joy was a pleasure to load and a wonderful trailer too! We stopped half way through the journey to give her a little rest before we continued on. Then we met with Dianna in Galt to make the final leg of the journey. After a quick rest there and a nice cool drink of water (Not to mention lots and lots of carrots and pictures from her new mom) she loaded into the next trailer like a trouper and off she went to her new heavenly pasture!!! I am so glad I was able to help out in rescuing this cute little girl! I will have to see her in a couple months when her feet are trimmed, her teeth are floated, and she has a couple hundred more pounds on her! She'll bebeutiful!!!Thank you so much Dianna for taking this little girl into your home and your heart!!!Dana
5/22/ 2001 - 10:54 amWell, Joy is home. I have to say that if I'd known she was in such poor condition, I wouldn't have risked the trip up to me. She tapes at 745 lbs and my vet says she should be closer to 1200. Big, big, girl. I cried for a good part of the trip from Galt to Oroville at the thought that anyone could do this to any animal. Joy's in a pipe barn, airy & cool and out of the flies, with tons of shavings so she her bedsore hips will heal. She was rolling before I had the halter off! She immediately got a sloppy mash of beet pulp with a dash of grain for flavoring and some much needed electrolytes. So far she's gone through every blade of a bale of grass hay and the vet says to keep it coming! My vet will be out next week to float teeth, vaccinate, etc. He took a quick glance at Joy's teeth and thinks she's closer to 13-15 yrs. He also thinks the hind end weakness is from starvation and should continue to improve with feed. He actually likes her and said she should make a really nice riding horse once she's back in good health. It was nice to see her eyes sparkling and perky this morning since they were dull and forelorn last night. I think she knows she's home! Thank you for all that you do and for sending Joy my way! And Lisa's right, I did pick the perfect name.Dianna
Joyful Tiers has come home!5/22/2001 - 11:27 amFirst, I would like to thank all the wonderful people who made it possible for Joy to come home. Joy's in a pipe barn which is airy and out of the flies. She was rolling in the shavings before I even had a chance to remove the halter. It was a good thing I happened to have a large halter because she's a big girl. Really looks big with all my arabs. She got a very sloppy beet pulp mash with a little grain and some much needed electrolytes as soon as we got home. She's had her head buried in grass hay and has gone through an entire bale. My vet took a look at her and said to keep grass hay in front of her at all times. He really liked Joy and said she'll make a nice riding horse once she's healthy. He says the hind end weakness is from starvation and won't be a problem as she gets fed and stronger. A quickglance at her teeth has him thinking she's not as old as it was thought. He puts her at 13-15. Next week he'll be out to float & really check her teeth and to vaccinate. I was a little worried at the dull eyes last night but she was bright, perky and calling to my other girls this morning. I think she'll be just fine and I'm sure she must know that she's home!
Update 5/29/01 - Joy's Surprise!No, she's not pregnant. She's GAITED!!! That's right, Joyful Tiers is gaited. Had her hooves trimmed Sat. morning and she no longer trips over herself. Turned her out in the arena and away she went at a gorgeous running walk. I kept wondering why she looked like she was sorta pacing with a dash of trot and now I know. Her hooves were so long with such bad angles that she couldn't "do her thing". Taped her on Sun. and she's at 807 lbs. A gain of 60 +/- lbs!! Boy can she pack away the groceries. Found out yesterday that she loves watermelon. She's finally settling in and getting comfortable in her new home. She put her head in my stomach for the longest time yesterday while I stroked her face. When Joy first home she had no ground manners and would either try to drag me along or walk over me. Her behavior did a turn around on Sun. She walked quietly beside me and gave me space. I think she finally realized she was home and had no reason to fear what was happening next in her life. The vet will be out tomorrow to float Joy's teeth, vaccinate her and give her a thorough checkup. As soon as he gives the ok (after quarantine period), Joy will be able to go on pasture with a buddy.
Update 6/5/01 - You can tell that somebody (a young girl?) loved this big girl at one time. She loves having her head held, body rubbed, ears pulled, etc. She lowers her head for the halter and flymask. And she's such a beggar for ANYTHING anyone is eating. She's a real talker. She's settled down and is no longer in a frenzy to eat, get out of her stall or to return to her stall. She just meanders around the arena every evening like no big deal. Her ground manners have much improved. She no longer tries to drag me or walk over the top of me. Kinda nice! Everyone who sees her thinks she's a wonderful mare. She LOVES the attention. One more week and she can go in a bigger stall where she can meet her future herdmates over the fence. Joy's still a stick horse but her belly is rounding and her ribs are getting less sharp. The sores on her hips are healing. She might get her much needed bath this next weekend. We're going slow with everything so as not to shock her and her system. But she did get her teeth floated, rabies & other vacs, and 1st worming. My vet says he's positive that she's no older than 14. What a great surprise as I have hopes for a full recovery knowing we aren't battling time, as well as starvation.
Update 6/11/01 - Here's Joy right after we got home. She was rolling as I was emptying the shavings bags. She's doing great.
Update 6/28/01 - Well, here I am in the middle of a herd of arabs and what do I hear? Some friend of mom's saying he sure likes that big red mare and wants to be first in line if she's ever for sale. He he, I'm the big red mare! And I'm never going to be for sale again. But what an ego boost to hear someone wants to buy me. I'm making sure that all these little arabs know that I'M MISS POPULAR!! Oh, life is good.
Update 7/18/01 - Joy's doing great. She's gained a little over 200lbs, 1/2 of what she needed, and is looking good. Her hind end is starting to look rather large (potential for huge is there) and her gaskins are getting quite muscular. She's no longer weak in the hind legs and trots quite sound when keeping up with her herd. Keeping up with her best friend (3 yr RueCeska) on 15 acres is toning her up quite nice. I call Joy my "other arab" because she's learned to twirl her head at feeding time, tries to raise her tail while running and last night she was snorting & popping her eyes out at the unseen goblin RueCeska was snorting at. I'm thankful Gail has the reputation she does so that animal control contacted her about Joy; I'm thankful to all the people on this board who encouraged and supported me in getting Joy; I'm extremely thankful to Lisa and Dana for their efforts in getting Joy to N CA; and I'm especially thankful to Joy for coming into my life.
Update 11/5/01 - Joy's doing great. What a sweet mare. You should see her following me around the pasture like a big dog. And you should see her run with the herd now. She feels so good that she can keep up with the front of the pack. Although she really would rather mosey. She's sooooo laid back. I just love the big red girl.
Update 3/25/02 - I thought you'd like to see Joy 10 1/2 months later. Her self-appointed protector, RueCeska, is never far from her side. It's really fun to watch Joy run with my herd of arabs. And sometimes she leads the pack!
Update 11/10/04 - Most likely Joy suffered heart failure or aneurysm 'cause there was no sign of struggle, rolling, etc. As far as her age, she was somewhere between late teens & mid 20s. AC in Norco had her as 21 & the first vet to look at her here thought she was mid teens. Not all that old either way, but life was none too kind & I'm sure it took a permanent toll.
Sometime late Friday night/early Saturday morning, my "other arab", Joy, crossed the rainbow bridge. There were no signs of struggle or rolling, so I know she went peacefully in her sleep. Everyone called her my "other arab" because she really thought she was little & dainty like her arab friends. It was always fun to watch her, trying to fly around the pasture in her gaitedness, pretending she too was arab. She never did master getting her tail up over her back though. Joy was loved by not only me, but all who met her. She was quite amazing in her ability to forget the cruelties & neglect, and always sought out petting & attention from anyone who came into her pasture. I'm going to miss that big ol' stubborn mare slamming her big ol' head into my chest. Run free Joy.
5/10/01 - TIER was contacted today by Norco Animal Control in regard to a mare that was found running the streets. This mare was horribly thin and weak in the hind end. She is a sorrel mare, large/oblong star, white on left rear, appx. 17 - 20 yrs. old, appx. 15 hands. High withered.
Animal Control has put a good amount of weight on her in the month or so she has been with them, but she is still in need of groceries as you can see from her picture. No one has contacted Norco Animal Control regarding this mare. In the beginning, she was very weak or loose in the behind, but seems to be much stronger now....although you can still see weakness in her rear movement at times. She is pushy and willful and does not seem to care too much for other horses. While we were taking her picture, a deer wandered into her pen (there are many different beautiful animals at Norco's facility in need of homes!!) and this mare is definitely not a deer lover. She chased the deer out and even kicked at it!
ONE WEEK!This mare needs a home NOW! If a home is not found within a week, this mare will in all likelihood be euthanized. Due to the fact that she is not rideable because of her weekend back end, she would be a companion only horse. Her adoption fee is $100.00. Adopters would need to sign an adoption agreement with Norco Animal Control.
City of Norco Animal Control - (909) 737-8972
Update 5/14/01 - Yipppeeeeeeeeeeee! This strong minded mare has a new home with Dianna C., a new name Joyful Tiers, aka: Joy and she will also have some new buddies who are anxiously awaiting her arrival at Dianna's!
I would like to personally thank all of those who expressed interest in helping Joy. Hats off to the caravan ladies who will be assisting with transporting Joy to her new home in the lap of luxury, love and fellowship. Thanks to all those who offered advice and support for this neglected, abandoned mare. Thanks to the TIER webmistress for putting Joy's information and pictures up as quickly as she did (even though she had 15 guests at her home when I sent her the info.....she took the time out from her hobnobbing (HA!) to make sure the mare's plight was on our website!). Thank you to new mom Dianna for really reaching out to help a horse in need.And........
A special thank you to Norco Animal Control for making us aware of the situation so that we could hopefully assist in finding this girl a home!
Many, many thanks to all of you who are there for the horses! Your support, advice, guidance, caring, understanding of the desperate need of the horses and willingness to act have helped so many horses to find homes with loving humans. Because of YOU....these horses are more than a memory of a picture and wording. They are living, breathing, loving friends with homes that truly care about them for who they are....rather than what they can give. Because of YOU!
Now this is TEAMWORK! Wooooo Hoooooo!
5/18/2001 - 8:47 amJoy will be leaving the pound today at about 11am. Lisa will have her over for a slumber party tonight and then drive her to Fresno tomorrow. Joy will take a 2 night vacation at the Sunnyside Ranch, her own personal horsey hotel, and then Dana will bring her to N CA on Mon. Guess I better get out a map to find how to get to Galt. That's where I'll pick Joy up Monday afternoon. A hop, skip & jump and she'll be home in Oroville! Well, maybe not hop, skip & jump as that would be a bit rough on the old girl. The excitement is building.
5/18/2001 - 11:43 amJust wanted to let everyone know Joy is hear with me know. I just pick her up from animal control. She is so sweet. She loaded great. I know she will be ok for her journey tomorrow. Dianna what a perfect name you gave to her. She was such a Joy to load and the kindest eyes. I will let you all know how our journey goes tomrrow. we are going from Norco to Fresno. Have a great day all. I know I will with Joy in my backyard.Lisa
5/19/2001 - 7:47 pmHi all I just got back from Fresno. Joy is at her first destination. We got her their safely. She made the trip with no problems. She gets to rest for 2 days before going too her 2nd stop. Thanks for everyones support. She is partway home.Lisa
Joy Makes 2nd Leg of Trip!!!5/21/2001 - 6:09 pmHi everyone! Just thought I'd give a little update on Joy. Sandy and I picked her up in Fresno at Sunnyside Ranch this morning and headed to Galt. Joy was a pleasure to load and a wonderful trailer too! We stopped half way through the journey to give her a little rest before we continued on. Then we met with Dianna in Galt to make the final leg of the journey. After a quick rest there and a nice cool drink of water (Not to mention lots and lots of carrots and pictures from her new mom) she loaded into the next trailer like a trouper and off she went to her new heavenly pasture!!! I am so glad I was able to help out in rescuing this cute little girl! I will have to see her in a couple months when her feet are trimmed, her teeth are floated, and she has a couple hundred more pounds on her! She'll bebeutiful!!!Thank you so much Dianna for taking this little girl into your home and your heart!!!Dana
5/22/ 2001 - 10:54 amWell, Joy is home. I have to say that if I'd known she was in such poor condition, I wouldn't have risked the trip up to me. She tapes at 745 lbs and my vet says she should be closer to 1200. Big, big, girl. I cried for a good part of the trip from Galt to Oroville at the thought that anyone could do this to any animal. Joy's in a pipe barn, airy & cool and out of the flies, with tons of shavings so she her bedsore hips will heal. She was rolling before I had the halter off! She immediately got a sloppy mash of beet pulp with a dash of grain for flavoring and some much needed electrolytes. So far she's gone through every blade of a bale of grass hay and the vet says to keep it coming! My vet will be out next week to float teeth, vaccinate, etc. He took a quick glance at Joy's teeth and thinks she's closer to 13-15 yrs. He also thinks the hind end weakness is from starvation and should continue to improve with feed. He actually likes her and said she should make a really nice riding horse once she's back in good health. It was nice to see her eyes sparkling and perky this morning since they were dull and forelorn last night. I think she knows she's home! Thank you for all that you do and for sending Joy my way! And Lisa's right, I did pick the perfect name.Dianna
Joyful Tiers has come home!5/22/2001 - 11:27 amFirst, I would like to thank all the wonderful people who made it possible for Joy to come home. Joy's in a pipe barn which is airy and out of the flies. She was rolling in the shavings before I even had a chance to remove the halter. It was a good thing I happened to have a large halter because she's a big girl. Really looks big with all my arabs. She got a very sloppy beet pulp mash with a little grain and some much needed electrolytes as soon as we got home. She's had her head buried in grass hay and has gone through an entire bale. My vet took a look at her and said to keep grass hay in front of her at all times. He really liked Joy and said she'll make a nice riding horse once she's healthy. He says the hind end weakness is from starvation and won't be a problem as she gets fed and stronger. A quickglance at her teeth has him thinking she's not as old as it was thought. He puts her at 13-15. Next week he'll be out to float & really check her teeth and to vaccinate. I was a little worried at the dull eyes last night but she was bright, perky and calling to my other girls this morning. I think she'll be just fine and I'm sure she must know that she's home!
Update 5/29/01 - Joy's Surprise!No, she's not pregnant. She's GAITED!!! That's right, Joyful Tiers is gaited. Had her hooves trimmed Sat. morning and she no longer trips over herself. Turned her out in the arena and away she went at a gorgeous running walk. I kept wondering why she looked like she was sorta pacing with a dash of trot and now I know. Her hooves were so long with such bad angles that she couldn't "do her thing". Taped her on Sun. and she's at 807 lbs. A gain of 60 +/- lbs!! Boy can she pack away the groceries. Found out yesterday that she loves watermelon. She's finally settling in and getting comfortable in her new home. She put her head in my stomach for the longest time yesterday while I stroked her face. When Joy first home she had no ground manners and would either try to drag me along or walk over me. Her behavior did a turn around on Sun. She walked quietly beside me and gave me space. I think she finally realized she was home and had no reason to fear what was happening next in her life. The vet will be out tomorrow to float Joy's teeth, vaccinate her and give her a thorough checkup. As soon as he gives the ok (after quarantine period), Joy will be able to go on pasture with a buddy.
Update 6/5/01 - You can tell that somebody (a young girl?) loved this big girl at one time. She loves having her head held, body rubbed, ears pulled, etc. She lowers her head for the halter and flymask. And she's such a beggar for ANYTHING anyone is eating. She's a real talker. She's settled down and is no longer in a frenzy to eat, get out of her stall or to return to her stall. She just meanders around the arena every evening like no big deal. Her ground manners have much improved. She no longer tries to drag me or walk over the top of me. Kinda nice! Everyone who sees her thinks she's a wonderful mare. She LOVES the attention. One more week and she can go in a bigger stall where she can meet her future herdmates over the fence. Joy's still a stick horse but her belly is rounding and her ribs are getting less sharp. The sores on her hips are healing. She might get her much needed bath this next weekend. We're going slow with everything so as not to shock her and her system. But she did get her teeth floated, rabies & other vacs, and 1st worming. My vet says he's positive that she's no older than 14. What a great surprise as I have hopes for a full recovery knowing we aren't battling time, as well as starvation.
Update 6/11/01 - Here's Joy right after we got home. She was rolling as I was emptying the shavings bags. She's doing great.
Update 6/28/01 - Well, here I am in the middle of a herd of arabs and what do I hear? Some friend of mom's saying he sure likes that big red mare and wants to be first in line if she's ever for sale. He he, I'm the big red mare! And I'm never going to be for sale again. But what an ego boost to hear someone wants to buy me. I'm making sure that all these little arabs know that I'M MISS POPULAR!! Oh, life is good.
Update 7/18/01 - Joy's doing great. She's gained a little over 200lbs, 1/2 of what she needed, and is looking good. Her hind end is starting to look rather large (potential for huge is there) and her gaskins are getting quite muscular. She's no longer weak in the hind legs and trots quite sound when keeping up with her herd. Keeping up with her best friend (3 yr RueCeska) on 15 acres is toning her up quite nice. I call Joy my "other arab" because she's learned to twirl her head at feeding time, tries to raise her tail while running and last night she was snorting & popping her eyes out at the unseen goblin RueCeska was snorting at. I'm thankful Gail has the reputation she does so that animal control contacted her about Joy; I'm thankful to all the people on this board who encouraged and supported me in getting Joy; I'm extremely thankful to Lisa and Dana for their efforts in getting Joy to N CA; and I'm especially thankful to Joy for coming into my life.
Update 11/5/01 - Joy's doing great. What a sweet mare. You should see her following me around the pasture like a big dog. And you should see her run with the herd now. She feels so good that she can keep up with the front of the pack. Although she really would rather mosey. She's sooooo laid back. I just love the big red girl.
Update 3/25/02 - I thought you'd like to see Joy 10 1/2 months later. Her self-appointed protector, RueCeska, is never far from her side. It's really fun to watch Joy run with my herd of arabs. And sometimes she leads the pack!
Update 11/10/04 - Most likely Joy suffered heart failure or aneurysm 'cause there was no sign of struggle, rolling, etc. As far as her age, she was somewhere between late teens & mid 20s. AC in Norco had her as 21 & the first vet to look at her here thought she was mid teens. Not all that old either way, but life was none too kind & I'm sure it took a permanent toll.
Sometime late Friday night/early Saturday morning, my "other arab", Joy, crossed the rainbow bridge. There were no signs of struggle or rolling, so I know she went peacefully in her sleep. Everyone called her my "other arab" because she really thought she was little & dainty like her arab friends. It was always fun to watch her, trying to fly around the pasture in her gaitedness, pretending she too was arab. She never did master getting her tail up over her back though. Joy was loved by not only me, but all who met her. She was quite amazing in her ability to forget the cruelties & neglect, and always sought out petting & attention from anyone who came into her pasture. I'm going to miss that big ol' stubborn mare slamming her big ol' head into my chest. Run free Joy.
Friday, July 24, 2009
A Few Old Horses
I grew up at Los Cuervos Academy, an exclusively english stable. Los Cuervos means The Crows in Spanish & it was an appropriate name with all the crows flocking in the trees. I don't know anyone who ever called it Los Cuervos though, we all just called it Mr Harris'. I like to say it was an exclusively english stable but have to admit that I rode english & western, although english was my favorite. Not long after I began boarding my horse there, a few other girls moved in who also rode western. You might say we corrupted a snobby stable. There were quite a few old horses that belonged to the stable owner. Many were lesson horses but a few had reached favored status & were no longer ridden.
There was a palomino thoroughbred (yes, there are palomino TBs) named Trout. He was said to be almost 40 & because of his advanced age, he was allowed free roam of the stable. He was a mealy color but in the summer you could see a hint of dapples. He was a rickety old horse but every now & then he would thunder through the stable as fast as his old legs would carry him. I had seen pictures of him when he was a young horse, flying over fences so large I could have walked under them. He really was an impressive horse when he was young, with an almost white mane & tail against his dark gold, dappled coat. It was said that he'd won many ribbons, & many high dollar offers for his purchase had been turned down. He was a lucky old horse because he lived out his aged years doing whatever he pleased. Unlike so many who were trailered to the local slaughterhouse, Trout was always held in high regard & quite pampered. He must have been close to 45 when he colicked & died. I can still see the pictures of that golden horse flying over those huge fences.
Aintree was another old, thoroughbred jumper who had earned his right to a good retirement. He was a chestnut horse with long legs & a greyhound body. After his jumping career he became a young girl's first horse. He served her well for many years & when she out grew him, he was traded to the stable owner for a younger horse. Aintree was used as a lesson horse for a while but proved to be too high spirited for most students. After Trout passed away, Aintree became the stable roamer.
Charlie was the best lesson horse & allowed anyone to ride him. He was a small bay & white pinto, probably only standing about 13.2 or 13.3. He was the first horse my youngest brother ever rode. Every kid at the stable wanted to ride Charlie. He was always being groomed & hand grazed, basking in the attention of all the kids. For about 6 months he had bouts of unexplained diarrhea. Today we know it was probably parasites, but 40 years ago horses were tube wormed once a year & that was thought to be sufficient. It was finally decided that putting him down was for the best so he was loaded in the trailer, never to be seen again.
Duchess was big, Belgian mare with a back like a couch. She was a lesson horse for those older girls who had the strength to control her. She was extremely headstrong & had a penchant for running away. She had a wicked disposition & would kick at any horse getting near her. She would even bite people if she decided she didn't like them. I can remember one time when she was being leased by a movie actor's daughter (don't ask because I can't remember his name but did see him on tv). All of us girls were racing our horses under an aisle of bamboo. Some of it was pretty low so we had to lay our horses' necks as we galloped. When we got tired of just racing, we decided to run under the bamboo while riding backwards. Yes, kids can do the craziest things! That girl got on Duchess backwards (we were all bareback) & that mare just ran away, knocking the girl off on a branch. The poor girl was a bloody mess & an ambulance was called. We later learned she not only broke her nose but had a broken collar bone. She never did come back. I don't know what became of Duchess but I imagine she was her ornery self to the end.
Daisy was the most flea bitten grey I've ever seen. She was so flea bitten she looked fiery red. She had a sway back that was as broad as she was tall. Her head looked like she had some arab blood, but she was just a grade mare of unknown heritage. She was close to being the nastiest mare I've ever seen. I don't know why she was a lesson horse because she was just plain nasty to ride & no one wanted to ride her. One day she wasn't there & I'm sure she took that final trailer ride.
I don't know if any of the stable horses were under 20, but I doubt it. It's amazing to think that those horses were that old 40 plus years ago when the average age was 15 years. Maybe they lived long lives because of the girls who loved them. As much as young girls need horses, horses need young girls.
There was a palomino thoroughbred (yes, there are palomino TBs) named Trout. He was said to be almost 40 & because of his advanced age, he was allowed free roam of the stable. He was a mealy color but in the summer you could see a hint of dapples. He was a rickety old horse but every now & then he would thunder through the stable as fast as his old legs would carry him. I had seen pictures of him when he was a young horse, flying over fences so large I could have walked under them. He really was an impressive horse when he was young, with an almost white mane & tail against his dark gold, dappled coat. It was said that he'd won many ribbons, & many high dollar offers for his purchase had been turned down. He was a lucky old horse because he lived out his aged years doing whatever he pleased. Unlike so many who were trailered to the local slaughterhouse, Trout was always held in high regard & quite pampered. He must have been close to 45 when he colicked & died. I can still see the pictures of that golden horse flying over those huge fences.
Aintree was another old, thoroughbred jumper who had earned his right to a good retirement. He was a chestnut horse with long legs & a greyhound body. After his jumping career he became a young girl's first horse. He served her well for many years & when she out grew him, he was traded to the stable owner for a younger horse. Aintree was used as a lesson horse for a while but proved to be too high spirited for most students. After Trout passed away, Aintree became the stable roamer.
Charlie was the best lesson horse & allowed anyone to ride him. He was a small bay & white pinto, probably only standing about 13.2 or 13.3. He was the first horse my youngest brother ever rode. Every kid at the stable wanted to ride Charlie. He was always being groomed & hand grazed, basking in the attention of all the kids. For about 6 months he had bouts of unexplained diarrhea. Today we know it was probably parasites, but 40 years ago horses were tube wormed once a year & that was thought to be sufficient. It was finally decided that putting him down was for the best so he was loaded in the trailer, never to be seen again.
Duchess was big, Belgian mare with a back like a couch. She was a lesson horse for those older girls who had the strength to control her. She was extremely headstrong & had a penchant for running away. She had a wicked disposition & would kick at any horse getting near her. She would even bite people if she decided she didn't like them. I can remember one time when she was being leased by a movie actor's daughter (don't ask because I can't remember his name but did see him on tv). All of us girls were racing our horses under an aisle of bamboo. Some of it was pretty low so we had to lay our horses' necks as we galloped. When we got tired of just racing, we decided to run under the bamboo while riding backwards. Yes, kids can do the craziest things! That girl got on Duchess backwards (we were all bareback) & that mare just ran away, knocking the girl off on a branch. The poor girl was a bloody mess & an ambulance was called. We later learned she not only broke her nose but had a broken collar bone. She never did come back. I don't know what became of Duchess but I imagine she was her ornery self to the end.
Daisy was the most flea bitten grey I've ever seen. She was so flea bitten she looked fiery red. She had a sway back that was as broad as she was tall. Her head looked like she had some arab blood, but she was just a grade mare of unknown heritage. She was close to being the nastiest mare I've ever seen. I don't know why she was a lesson horse because she was just plain nasty to ride & no one wanted to ride her. One day she wasn't there & I'm sure she took that final trailer ride.
I don't know if any of the stable horses were under 20, but I doubt it. It's amazing to think that those horses were that old 40 plus years ago when the average age was 15 years. Maybe they lived long lives because of the girls who loved them. As much as young girls need horses, horses need young girls.
FV Farrubi
Registered arab mare born 5/4/1992
(Ibn Farlane x Carubi)
When I originally saw Rubi's sale ad, I was looking for an endurance prospect. She was pregnant at the time & the seller wanted to retain the foal. I didn't want to buy a horse & not bring it home immediately. I also didn't want to foal out a mare if the foal wasn't to be mine. I decided not to purchase her & told the seller I'd be interested in her after her foal was weaned if she hadn't sold by then. A few months later I received an email from the person who bought Rubi. This person was a small time horse trader & offered Rubi to me at 1/2 her original price. That piqued my interest so I contacted the original seller for more information. It was then that I learned Rubi had a reputation as a dangerous horse under saddle. The seller had no other details so I did an owner search & began contacting previous owners. One owner had given her away because Rubi went crazy in the stocks while being vetted. She flipped out over the stocks & almost landed on the vet. I've spoken with this vet many times over the years & she still maintains today that Rubi is a dangerous, crazy horse. Another owner told me how Rubi would just freak out under saddle & how unpredictable she was. She even put that owner in the hospital needing surgery. I did find one previous owner who had actually ridden Rubi without getting hurt. He said he was the only person ever to successfully ride Rubi but that he wouldn't actually call it a success. He said Rubi reacted explosively to situations with no seemingly reason. He also said that the normal soothing voice & pats just served to exacerbate Rubi's explosive nature. He was yet another former owner who warned me not to buy the crazy mare. I imparted all this information to the horse trader, declining to buy the mare because I was looking for a riding horse.
Another month went by & I received another email from the horse trader stating Rubi was now for sale at close to auction price & was being offered as a broodmare only. With her pedigree & substantial size, both of which I loved, I couldn't resist the offer so bought Rubi. I was her 8th owner, as far as I could tell, & she was only 10 years old. When she arrived she had a body score of about a generous 2. She was wild eyed & spooky & I wondered what I had gotten myself into. The previous owner was right when he said soothing words & pats didn't work. I also found out rubbing the crest of her neck didn't work either. It just seemed to panic her. I wondered what the poor mare had endured at man's hands to get her in such a state. I know I've been told the extreme sensitivity runs in her pedigree, but her behavior was beyond sensitivity.
After a week of groceries & no handling with just me hanging out in the stall, Rubi began to settle down. It wasn't long before I could groom her, I just had to move slow & be ready get out of her way. There came a day when I could clip her bridlepath & she'd stand quiet for the farrier. Eventually she learned that pats were good & crest rubs felt wonderful. In 2005, Rubi had a premature colt. I was so worried that she'd be panicked by all the people & activity in her stall. I was prepared to tranquilize her to keep everyone & her foal safe. She proved to be the most wonderful of broodmares, trusting me to handle her colt & allowing me to milk her so I could bottle feed her foal. She never needed to be tranquilized. Not once did she panic, spook or act aggressive. She was calm & seemed to know that I was helping her baby. When her colt was 4 hours old I had to rush him to the vet for an umbilical hemorrhage. Rubi loaded & road quietly in the trailer with her newborn between her feet. She never moved a muscle as the vet worked on her baby. She remained the well mannered mother over the next few months as she & her colt made numerous trips to UCDavis Vet Hospital. I couldn't have asked for a better mare to work with or around. She'd come so far & was no longer the crazy mare.
A friend of mine loved & coveted Rubi. Finally I gave in & Rubi had a new home. Today Rubi is a prize treasured by her owner. She's loved & pampered & doted upon, getting the attention she's always deserved. She's someones best loved horse & there are no indications that she was ever a crazy, dangerous horse. It's amazing how far a little TLC will go.
When I originally saw Rubi's sale ad, I was looking for an endurance prospect. She was pregnant at the time & the seller wanted to retain the foal. I didn't want to buy a horse & not bring it home immediately. I also didn't want to foal out a mare if the foal wasn't to be mine. I decided not to purchase her & told the seller I'd be interested in her after her foal was weaned if she hadn't sold by then. A few months later I received an email from the person who bought Rubi. This person was a small time horse trader & offered Rubi to me at 1/2 her original price. That piqued my interest so I contacted the original seller for more information. It was then that I learned Rubi had a reputation as a dangerous horse under saddle. The seller had no other details so I did an owner search & began contacting previous owners. One owner had given her away because Rubi went crazy in the stocks while being vetted. She flipped out over the stocks & almost landed on the vet. I've spoken with this vet many times over the years & she still maintains today that Rubi is a dangerous, crazy horse. Another owner told me how Rubi would just freak out under saddle & how unpredictable she was. She even put that owner in the hospital needing surgery. I did find one previous owner who had actually ridden Rubi without getting hurt. He said he was the only person ever to successfully ride Rubi but that he wouldn't actually call it a success. He said Rubi reacted explosively to situations with no seemingly reason. He also said that the normal soothing voice & pats just served to exacerbate Rubi's explosive nature. He was yet another former owner who warned me not to buy the crazy mare. I imparted all this information to the horse trader, declining to buy the mare because I was looking for a riding horse.
Another month went by & I received another email from the horse trader stating Rubi was now for sale at close to auction price & was being offered as a broodmare only. With her pedigree & substantial size, both of which I loved, I couldn't resist the offer so bought Rubi. I was her 8th owner, as far as I could tell, & she was only 10 years old. When she arrived she had a body score of about a generous 2. She was wild eyed & spooky & I wondered what I had gotten myself into. The previous owner was right when he said soothing words & pats didn't work. I also found out rubbing the crest of her neck didn't work either. It just seemed to panic her. I wondered what the poor mare had endured at man's hands to get her in such a state. I know I've been told the extreme sensitivity runs in her pedigree, but her behavior was beyond sensitivity.
After a week of groceries & no handling with just me hanging out in the stall, Rubi began to settle down. It wasn't long before I could groom her, I just had to move slow & be ready get out of her way. There came a day when I could clip her bridlepath & she'd stand quiet for the farrier. Eventually she learned that pats were good & crest rubs felt wonderful. In 2005, Rubi had a premature colt. I was so worried that she'd be panicked by all the people & activity in her stall. I was prepared to tranquilize her to keep everyone & her foal safe. She proved to be the most wonderful of broodmares, trusting me to handle her colt & allowing me to milk her so I could bottle feed her foal. She never needed to be tranquilized. Not once did she panic, spook or act aggressive. She was calm & seemed to know that I was helping her baby. When her colt was 4 hours old I had to rush him to the vet for an umbilical hemorrhage. Rubi loaded & road quietly in the trailer with her newborn between her feet. She never moved a muscle as the vet worked on her baby. She remained the well mannered mother over the next few months as she & her colt made numerous trips to UCDavis Vet Hospital. I couldn't have asked for a better mare to work with or around. She'd come so far & was no longer the crazy mare.
A friend of mine loved & coveted Rubi. Finally I gave in & Rubi had a new home. Today Rubi is a prize treasured by her owner. She's loved & pampered & doted upon, getting the attention she's always deserved. She's someones best loved horse & there are no indications that she was ever a crazy, dangerous horse. It's amazing how far a little TLC will go.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wraff Tales- part I
Farwraff
reg 3/4 arab/TB cross, bay gelding with 4 socks, May 1, 1973- Sep 1, 2000
reg 3/4 arab/TB cross, bay gelding with 4 socks, May 1, 1973- Sep 1, 2000
(HA-Farwa x Molly B)
Wraff was in my life for 16 1/2 yrs & what a life we had! In Jan 1984, I moved to a new stable & saw Wraff for the first time. He was in the arena with a redhead trainer (unaffectionately called Big Bird by some) trying to ride him. He was fighting every step of the way, rearing & even throwing himself on the ground. This was definitely the result of someone trying to do a 90 wonder job on a 10 1/2 year old, unstarted horse. Unfortunately the trainer didn't win & after 3 gruelling hours, the horse was put away in frustration. The first time I set eyes on him it was the proverbial love at first sight. I remember telling my boyfriend that if that horse was ever for sale, he was mine. Chuck's Crazy Horse, the only name anyone knew him by, put Chuck in the hospital. No one had actually been successful in having a good ride on him. Finally everyone gave up. One day the arena gate was broken & I was told Chuck's Crazy Horse ran through it. It wasn't long after that I overheard Chuck telling someone he was taking Crazy Horse to the Chino auction. My heart sank because I had no money & that horse was mine. I approached Chuck on a Sunday & told him I wanted his horse, but first I wanted to work with him for a week. At least I wasn't so blinded by love that I'd buy a crazy horse without knowing if there was any chance of salvation. This was a horse that had to be thrown to the ground for shoes & clipping. Could I even get through to him? I spent Sun & Mon just hanging out in the stall, out of teeth's way because he would try to get anyone who went in his stall. I groomed & fed treats. I told him of all my plans for him. I had a dream to one day ride Tevis (100 miles in one day) & I told Wraff that I thought he was the horse I needed. I also told him of my dreams to ride cross country jumping & with the way he jumped out of the arena, I knew he was the horse for me. On Tue I decided to see if I could push one of his buttons & have him respond positively. I got the clippers out & he allowed me to lay them on his shoulder. Next I turned them on & he again allowed me to lay them on his shoulder. That was it! I borrowed the money & wrote Chuck a check. That's when I found out his name, Farwraff. Everyone thought I'd lost my mind but I knew we'd be ok. He'd given to me when he allowed me to touch him with the clippers. On that first Sat together I decided I was going to not only ride Wraff, but to take him out on trail. Two friends went with me. We'd only gone a couple of miles when I found myself sliding down the trail with Wraff on top of me. We had been doing a slow trot & my friends said his legs just tangled & down he went. Guess he wasn't very coordinated under saddle yet. My boyfriend wanted me to get my check back. Chuck even offered it back. But I knew Wraff & I were meant to be together. Even though he'd fallen, he didn't get crazy & he let me back on him with no problem. This from a horse who reared when mounted. My faith in Wraff proved to be well founded because we truly were partners. We shared many years & many miles together. I still miss him today & am going to enjoy sharing his many stories with everyone. It's not often that someone is lucky enough to have such an incredible horse. They say horses like Wraff only come around once in a lifetime. Some people never find their once in a lifetime horse. I was extemely lucky. Wraff was my once in a lifetime horse.
Wraff was in my life for 16 1/2 yrs & what a life we had! In Jan 1984, I moved to a new stable & saw Wraff for the first time. He was in the arena with a redhead trainer (unaffectionately called Big Bird by some) trying to ride him. He was fighting every step of the way, rearing & even throwing himself on the ground. This was definitely the result of someone trying to do a 90 wonder job on a 10 1/2 year old, unstarted horse. Unfortunately the trainer didn't win & after 3 gruelling hours, the horse was put away in frustration. The first time I set eyes on him it was the proverbial love at first sight. I remember telling my boyfriend that if that horse was ever for sale, he was mine. Chuck's Crazy Horse, the only name anyone knew him by, put Chuck in the hospital. No one had actually been successful in having a good ride on him. Finally everyone gave up. One day the arena gate was broken & I was told Chuck's Crazy Horse ran through it. It wasn't long after that I overheard Chuck telling someone he was taking Crazy Horse to the Chino auction. My heart sank because I had no money & that horse was mine. I approached Chuck on a Sunday & told him I wanted his horse, but first I wanted to work with him for a week. At least I wasn't so blinded by love that I'd buy a crazy horse without knowing if there was any chance of salvation. This was a horse that had to be thrown to the ground for shoes & clipping. Could I even get through to him? I spent Sun & Mon just hanging out in the stall, out of teeth's way because he would try to get anyone who went in his stall. I groomed & fed treats. I told him of all my plans for him. I had a dream to one day ride Tevis (100 miles in one day) & I told Wraff that I thought he was the horse I needed. I also told him of my dreams to ride cross country jumping & with the way he jumped out of the arena, I knew he was the horse for me. On Tue I decided to see if I could push one of his buttons & have him respond positively. I got the clippers out & he allowed me to lay them on his shoulder. Next I turned them on & he again allowed me to lay them on his shoulder. That was it! I borrowed the money & wrote Chuck a check. That's when I found out his name, Farwraff. Everyone thought I'd lost my mind but I knew we'd be ok. He'd given to me when he allowed me to touch him with the clippers. On that first Sat together I decided I was going to not only ride Wraff, but to take him out on trail. Two friends went with me. We'd only gone a couple of miles when I found myself sliding down the trail with Wraff on top of me. We had been doing a slow trot & my friends said his legs just tangled & down he went. Guess he wasn't very coordinated under saddle yet. My boyfriend wanted me to get my check back. Chuck even offered it back. But I knew Wraff & I were meant to be together. Even though he'd fallen, he didn't get crazy & he let me back on him with no problem. This from a horse who reared when mounted. My faith in Wraff proved to be well founded because we truly were partners. We shared many years & many miles together. I still miss him today & am going to enjoy sharing his many stories with everyone. It's not often that someone is lucky enough to have such an incredible horse. They say horses like Wraff only come around once in a lifetime. Some people never find their once in a lifetime horse. I was extemely lucky. Wraff was my once in a lifetime horse.
A Parent's Regret?
I sometimes wonder how often my parents regretted ever taking me for that first pony ride. If I ever find the picture I'll post it here. It shows a tiny little girl riding a pinto pony with her haggard father following along. There was a pony ride concession just outside the gate of Irvine Park way back then. The rides were set in an oval with three tracks for fast, medium & slow, the slow being for toddlers who had to have a parent walk along beside them. The walking job fell to my unfortunate father. My mother used to tell me how I LOVED that first ride. Pinto ponies became my new obsession (can a toddler even have an obsession?). After my one lap around the track it was time for my father to lift me from the saddle. I hear that didn't go well at all. It seems my penchant for temper tantrums hit full force, me screaming at the top of my lungs & throwing myself on the ground. YIKES! What's a young parent to do but put that squalling toddler back on the pinto pony. Ahhhhh, smiles & giggles & off that pinto pony went carrying the happy toddler with the poor father following along once again. There was no better luck getting the screaming, kicking toddler off the pinto pony after the second ride so once again that pinto pony headed around the track. I'm sure at this point my poor father was wishing he'd never had a child, let alone wishing he'd never put me on that pinto pony in the first place. After many promises of coming back another day, & after finally convincing me the pinto pony was tired, my parents took me home.
Over the next few years there were any number of rental horses. As much as I loved them all for the short time I was with them, they didn't satisfy my need for a horse of my own. Finally my parents gave in to my longing for a horse. I can remember hearing my father tell my mother that it was a waste of money because in 6 months I'd lose interest. What were they going to do with a horse then? Nevertheless my father worked 2 jobs, & sometimes even worked at the stable, to keep me in horses. I'm sure there were times he wished he were right & that I would lose interest. But he never complained. There were many times over the years that my mother would tell me I'd be better off financially if I'd just sell my horse. She would remind me of all the things I dreamed of doing, like world travel, & tell me that I could do them if I didn't have a horse. My reply was to tell her my horse was cheaper than seeing a shrink. Maybe both of my parents regretted that first pony ride for different reasons. My father for all he had to do to keep my horse, & later my mother because she saw I was always struggling to keep my horse. Both did eventually come to accept my obsession for horses. In fact, there's never a day goes by when my father doesn't ask how the horses are doing. He often speaks of them by name, even having his favorites. It was even my father who recently came up with the design for a special hoof device for a troubled filly. As I rethink the past, maybe my parents never did regret taking me for that first pony ride. Maybe they just had to realize that horses are me, & that to me horses are my world.
And to this day, I still like a pretty marked pinto.
Over the next few years there were any number of rental horses. As much as I loved them all for the short time I was with them, they didn't satisfy my need for a horse of my own. Finally my parents gave in to my longing for a horse. I can remember hearing my father tell my mother that it was a waste of money because in 6 months I'd lose interest. What were they going to do with a horse then? Nevertheless my father worked 2 jobs, & sometimes even worked at the stable, to keep me in horses. I'm sure there were times he wished he were right & that I would lose interest. But he never complained. There were many times over the years that my mother would tell me I'd be better off financially if I'd just sell my horse. She would remind me of all the things I dreamed of doing, like world travel, & tell me that I could do them if I didn't have a horse. My reply was to tell her my horse was cheaper than seeing a shrink. Maybe both of my parents regretted that first pony ride for different reasons. My father for all he had to do to keep my horse, & later my mother because she saw I was always struggling to keep my horse. Both did eventually come to accept my obsession for horses. In fact, there's never a day goes by when my father doesn't ask how the horses are doing. He often speaks of them by name, even having his favorites. It was even my father who recently came up with the design for a special hoof device for a troubled filly. As I rethink the past, maybe my parents never did regret taking me for that first pony ride. Maybe they just had to realize that horses are me, & that to me horses are my world.
And to this day, I still like a pretty marked pinto.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
In The Beginning
I used to think my beginning in horses started with that very first pony ride. Later I realized the real beginning was with an appy mare named Sugar. Sugar was born sometime around 1940 & belonged to a man named Mr Ourtley. I might have seen a picture of Sugar years ago, or maybe she's just a photo in my mind from stories told to me by my mother. I no longer know. She was a blanketed 2-3 year old filly when my mother first met Sugar. She was ornery & Mr Ourtley always told my mother to stay outside the fence. Being a young girl with the love for a horse, my mother didn't listen & was kicked when she went inside the fence. While this might have taught my mother to stay out of Sugar's pen, it didn't lessen her want of a horse. Unfortunately there was never to be a horse for the young girl who was my mother.
Fast forward 20 years when that young girl grew up & had a daughter who was obsessed with horses. That daughter was me. One of my very first words was my rendition of horse. I knew I'd never have a real horse because my parents didn't have the money. I had plastic horses & stuffed horses & every book about horses I could find. I breathed & lived with my dream of having my very own horse. Then one morning my parents came to pick me up from my grandparents, where I'd spent the night. My mother's first words were "let's go find a stable". When I asked why she replied "to board you new horse". "WHAT horse?" "The one we're going to buy." No words could have been sweeter to my ears. By the end of the day, a Sunday, we'd not only found a stable but I had my first horse.
Sugar & my mother are both gone now, but I'll never forget either of them. The appy who drew a young girl's love made it possible for me to live my dream. The dream of having a horse of my own. The dream of living my life with horses. It's because of them that I've been Touched By Horses.
Fast forward 20 years when that young girl grew up & had a daughter who was obsessed with horses. That daughter was me. One of my very first words was my rendition of horse. I knew I'd never have a real horse because my parents didn't have the money. I had plastic horses & stuffed horses & every book about horses I could find. I breathed & lived with my dream of having my very own horse. Then one morning my parents came to pick me up from my grandparents, where I'd spent the night. My mother's first words were "let's go find a stable". When I asked why she replied "to board you new horse". "WHAT horse?" "The one we're going to buy." No words could have been sweeter to my ears. By the end of the day, a Sunday, we'd not only found a stable but I had my first horse.
Sugar & my mother are both gone now, but I'll never forget either of them. The appy who drew a young girl's love made it possible for me to live my dream. The dream of having a horse of my own. The dream of living my life with horses. It's because of them that I've been Touched By Horses.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)