Bye bye Old Lady!

I went out to the barn yesterday morning with my head all set right. I spent a week getting it that way. It's perfectly okay to miss her, but she's going home.



I've always liked this mare from the time my friend DW bought her about ten years ago. This is actually the third time she's had a little stayover at my mom and Dad's farm...back then the King was crazy about her. He acted like she belonged to him.



DW loves her because she's so consistent. You can let her graze for two years and then saddle her up and go on a trail ride or take her to a show. She also has beautiful coloured foals. Sadly, she has had a few miscarriages and stillbirths. Hopefully this little Long Legs will turn out fine. I have a good feeling about this baby.

It's been a challenge keeping the weight on her with Baby Long Legs in there sucking up the feed!

As winter has turned into spring I've felt the dread of letting her go, just because I adore her. She's kinda grumpy, especially at feeding time, but she really is a sweet mare under the crusty attitude. I hated to part with her. However, I really don't want to leave my folks with the responsibility of the foaling. Those little guys are nothing but legs and it amazes me that any come out right, with all those legs to get aimed in the right direction...




But we did have fun with her. The Girl and I had a few nice little rides in the pasture field. I've never felt safer putting a kid on a horse. I can't see the Old Lady ever bolting or bucking. In the last couple of months, the kids and I have had fun brushing her and seeing that little Baby Long Legs moving around under her rib cage.

Yesterday morning DW teased me for my foaling paranoia. "You guys are supposed to be farmers!"

We have had horses all my life but never had a pregnant mare.




Pigs are different. Half the time they don't even lie down to farrow- they just squirt them out and get back to the feeding trough. Keep in mind, it's been twenty years since there were piglets on our place. There used to be litters of kittens all summer but for the last seven years, our only barn cat has been a neutered male! We're totally out of practice with the critter babies.

That's why sending the Old Lady home was a relief. DW is an old hand with foaling; this year she'll have at least three foals due.

I spent about an hour with Suzy before they came to pick her up. She lies down a lot in the barn and I wanted to have her all cleaned up for her owner. I curried the loose winter hair off, flicked off the dust with a hard brush, and smoothed her all down with the soft brush.

Before

After



I remembered how she looked in her prime...how elegant with her long neck and pretty face.


I marvelled at her colouring.

Speckles on top of spots on top of freckles!

She had been a show horse ages ago, until an injury ended her professional career. Even now, after a much longer career as a top notch mother, she still has all of her training intact. She's one of the softest horses I've ever ridden.

I rubbed her forehead, blew in her nostrils and wished her good luck with her baby. I thanked her for being here for us. I told her next time I visit DW I'll come out to the paddock and visit her too, just like I always do.

When it was time to put her in the trailer, she put two front hooves in and then literally hopped all the way in. Just like a pro. The two young horses were in the pasture, watching. I told them to learn something.

I thanked DW for letting us have Suzy for nine months. That horse really helped heal my soul after Champ's death. She was a good, if somewhat boring, companion for our Little Lady. She calmed the whole vibe down out there in the pasture. My Dad adored her because as long as you kept the food in front of her, she was happy.

After the hugs and goodbyes, and promises of baby pictures in June, the rig went down the road and I closed the gate. The young horses stood in the pasture, looking a little bit lost.



But they quickly figured out a way to get over it.

RUN!


And that is our new normal out at the farm.