Why I Am Thankful...

I am thankful for my wonderful family who joined me to be test subjects for my first batch of dressing. (it WAS good)

I am thankful for my non-horsey husband who supports my very expensive equine addiction.

I am thankful for my children, who bring light to my every day.

and I am thankful for my special horses.

Misty, who has packed my butt around for years. Taught me how to be a good horsewoman and an innumerate amount of children to be confident riders. She is the reason I have the others and after 25 years, she is going strong.

For Rusty, Bonnie, Trace, Tanner, Moon who all have Misty to thank for their easy lives, endless grass, and warm blankets.

For my darling Sammy. The little piece of Misty I will have with me for the rest of our lives. The one who I had waited so long to bring home.

I am thankful that she is filling out, that her mind is coming out of the shell she built to protect herself; and that she finally feels at home with the others.

This is Sammy's first thanksgiving with a full belly, clean water, and a warm barn.

And finally I am thankful for those of you who read my ramblings, who care how she is doing, and root for her continued success. I hope this day has found you and your family safe, and healthy. Many happy returns.

A New Routine

The weather around here has turned wet and cold. A sure bet that Fall is over and Winter has arrived. Because of this all the horses have started their wintertime routine. In at night and out in the day. It gets dark early so they are in the barn by 5pm. I worried that Sammy would become anxious with the longer hours in a stall. However, she is showing no signs that the change in her routine has bothered her at all.

Quite the contrary actually, she is one of the first ones to the barn at night. I have also discovered that she is a fantastic stall keeper. I would say it came from her time of confinement but I don’t think so. She is more like her mother than I ever imagined. Misty has never been one to be dirty. She will roll in the dust but hardly ever has mud on her. For years my friends thought I was insane about grooming Misty because she was always clean, but it wasn’t me. Sammy is always clean looking, she doesn’t roll in the mud and she keeps her stall so neat. She doesn’t mess up her water, and she eats with her nose in her bucket, so she doesn’t drop a piece.

Houdini

With 22 acres of pasture, (even after a frost we still have some good grass), you would think that Sammy wouldn't go looking for more.

Well apparently she decided yesterday she needed to go for a stroll. Thank god the other 7 horses did not follow her through the hole she made under the fence.

Thankfully the neighbor noticed my little black and white Houdini and as he started his four wheeler, she proceeded to the barn. When he caught up to her she was standing in the hallway, so he shut the door and closed her in the barn. He then let my husband know Sammy was awol.

On panicked phone call from the non-horsey husband, I was on my way to the barn to find the problem. They (hubby and neighbor) went around the field to find the hole but didn't find one. So apparently she just magically appeared in the yard. Yeah Riigghhtt.

Since I have two other escape artists, I know what to look for on the fence. It just so happens that the two horses that Sammy is hanging out with are apparently good teachers. I found the exit point. She walked right out under the three strands of fence. Apparently my husband had unplugged the electric fence and since Rusty, Bonnie, and now Sammy know how to find all the weak spots when the fence is not hot. She just went exploring.

I swear, I have more than my share of smart horses. I just hope that someone else has to deal with creative horses too. Lord knows I shouldn't have all the fun. :-)