Confessions of a Horse Lover: More Than A Vet Check

Horses are funny animals. Certain horses- nothing phases them. You could take them to a mountain top, in the freezing cold and they'd eat their hay and grain just as well as they do at their own barn. Other horses need time to adjust.

After a few days at our barn, my new fella still wasn't quite adjusted. It concerned me- with his already thin frame, that a few days with no grain could be a tell-tale sign of a bigger issue. What do you do when you have a concern like this? You call for backup.

My backup arrived and we discussed possible issues as to why he may not be eating. Everything from ulcers to the simple- he just doesn't like his old feed from his old home. With horses, the issue is almost never as simple as they just don't like their grain...but this time- it was! While discussing the grain issue, we noticed some serious weakness in his hind legs. He wouldn't fall over when tugged on- but he was far from resistant. This is a key symptom in horses who have Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis or EPM. I was devastated. I couldn't even research it b/c it made me so sick to think that someone could sell a horse with this disease...especially to someone who'd be riding this horse with a child.

Conversations with the previous owners flooded my mind almost like a dam breaking. But they said he was shown hunt seat? He was a jumper? How could he do all those things with all this weakness? Is this why they traded me?

The following day I went for a ride with some of my favorite girlfriends, on one of their extra horses. The talk was mostly about my new horse...and what our options were. (I say our because that's how horse-people are. If you're in a funk, they're going to be in the funk with you...until you find a way out of the funk.) We discussed possible treatments, other diseases that could cause the weakness and even that it could just be from malnutrition. I don't think any of us really thought it could be malnutrition- that's just way to simple right?

One of my other good friends called me daily. She worried just as much as I did about my new fella. On the morning of the vet visit, I got a call from her...which I thought was just to tell me the ETA of the vet b/c he was coming from her place. 

"So, we'll be heading over in a few minutes," she told me.

"The vet will be?" I asked.

"Well, yea...soon- but we're coming for support...for you. And because, you know- we just really want to hear the vet say he's ok!" she said.

What can I say? I'm blessed with some amazing friends.

The vet arrived and started right in with the shot giving, teeth checking exam. I hesitated mentioning anything about EPM- I guess I didn't want to jinx it. I told the doctor that I'd noticed some weaknesses here and there with my new boy and he stopped me, told me to walk him in several small circles. My heart was in my throat as we circled tightly. I held my horse's face, as if that would change the outcome in my favor.

"What he has is like this...he's very thin, with very little muscle. So it would be like you standing on stilts. There is not muscle connected those stilts to your actual leg, right? So you'd be a bit wobbly at times...that's how he feels with those long legs," he told us.

"So it's not EPM?" I asked with tears in my eyes. (covered by large sunglasses)

"No. I'll tell you why..." he began explaining.

I could hardly listen to why it wasn't EPM because the words 'he's fine' kept ringing in my head. I hugged my horse, I hugged the doctor, I choked back tears until the vet left...and then the happiness flowed right out my eyeballs.

That afternoon (per doctor's approval) I took my new fella, Broadway "Mr. Big" Braunstein, out for his very first ride around town. We brought along our friend, Cindy, who shared in prayers and support through the two weeks of unknown. Mr. Big and I took it along slow, just walking the streets of Manteo together. I could literally feel our bond growing with the sound of each hoof hitting the pavement. Mr. Big is not all about other horses, which is a welcome change. He sniffed noses with my friend's mare, Dice, but quickly pinned his ears back- as if to say, "don't get to close...I won't share my food with you, no matter how pretty you are." He is a wise man, another welcome change. He wants to protect his rider- so long as they protect him.

As soon as our ride was over, I was ready to ride again. However, the weather didn't so much cooperate with us until this weekend. We set out for our first trailered-ride together. My friends, Cindy and Mary joined us...and we had the most amazing time. Mr. Big did a phenomenal job. We ran into several obstacles that would've sent me up into the treetops had I been on Storm- but Mr. Big stopped, looked and carried on- like it was no big thing. (Because a go-cart really isn't a big thing!)

Thank you all so very much for the thoughts and prayers for a healthy vet-check. It was so much more than just a clean bill of health to me- it was the gain of a new best friend and companion. :)

Confessions of a Horse Lover: Decisions

The act of becoming a horse owner is possibly the cheapest and easiest decision an equine-lover will make. That's not to say that being a horse owner is a cheap or that the decisions that follow the initial purchase of your new equine friend will be extremely easy. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The decisions that follow are always complicated, costly and sometimes, heart-wrenching. 

Several months ago, I began noticing a change in my equine friend. He was more aggressive and just generally annoyed at well...everything. I felt totally responsible. I'd been busy with everything...Little Miss, work, life, etc. I thought with a little time and some extra love, he'd be back to normal in no time. I thought wrong. On several occasions, I hopped onto his back & after about 15 minutes of calm, cool, normal horse- he turned into a bucking, rearing bronco. I still felt like with some more time, he'd snap out of it. Again, wrong. (Probably because at no point during those riding experiences did I have to propel myself onto the ground.) The thought of 'giving up' on my boy wasn't an option...but then he began exhibiting the rowdy behavior when I wasn't even on his back! Even though he was getting progressively worse instead of better, I was sure we could work through it. A few weeks ago, I decided to saddle him up and take him for a spin around the block. I vowed to ride him around the block every day for a week, in hopes to 'get the funk out'. We got about 5 houses away from the barn when he reared so high I thought he was going to flip over backwards on top of me. This is no exaggeration, folks. I asked God to please...let me be able to walk again...please, don't let anything be broken that won't heal quickly. I was sure I'd be a pancake. Thankfully, he didn't flip over...oh no, he came straight down with roughly 15 bucks before I dove off into someone's front yard. (Thanks for the padded-sod, neighbors!) He stopped when I landed and looked me right in the eyes. There was no fear or embarrassment in his eyes. He had a look of accomplishment...like he'd gotten what he wanted. I got back on his back and felt like I was sitting on top of a ticking-time-bomb. His body felt like a cork, getting ready to shoot out of a champagne bottle.

My whole body ached the next day...but what hurt the most was my heart. I've considered my horse my best friend since the first moment I saw him. We've come so very far in just a year and a half to go so far back. I took it personal. I work very hard to keep him safe, healthy and happy for him to work so hard to hurt me. I knew, no matter how much time passed and how many great rides we had, I would never ever trust him around Little Miss again. The relationship between a horse and rider is much like a marriage, once the trust is broken...what's the point? 

I have had to say good-bye to horses in my lifetime...horses that meant the world to me. But when I said good-bye to them, it wasn't my choice...it was God's choice. If I could've kept them forever, I would've have never said good-bye. So, I knew this decision to say good-bye wouldn't be easy. Naturally, only the good times flooded my mind...but the trust-issue rang louder than a gong on a cable television show.

I found a place I thought would both be able to handle my bipolar horse and would keep him safe, well-fed, sheltered, etc. They trained horses and then sold them...which I was fine with- as long as no one would get hurt, particularly my equine friend. In conjunction with finding him a new home, I also found a horse who seemed to be absolutely perfect...who was ironically, boarded at the same barn.

My dad and I set out for the 5 hour drive to take my old friend, Storm to his new home and look/pick up a new friend. Storm proved he was aptly named by refusing to get into the trailer, almost trampling me numerous times and taking his halter off not once, but twice on the westward drive. My nerves were shot by the time we arrived....in the dark...in the rain. It set my mind at ease that the new owners were excited to meet Storm & weren't nervous about his spirited personality. They had a beautiful barn, filled with horses who seemed well-fed and content...all except for one. 

The largest of the stalled steeds, who was the only one wearing a blanket, was walked into the aisle way to be introduced to me. His kind eyes and large body reminded me of my Brandy- the horse who still holds my heart, even from heaven. I blew in his nose, his ears perked up- as if my story was flooding his brain. He nuzzled my vest as his current owner took his blanket off of him. My heart sunk. He was incredibly underweight. I could tell he'd been eating something but not what he should. I stopped hearing what his owner was telling me and started hearing him...I need you. 

As much as he needed me, I needed him to need me. Storm stopped needing or wanting me- I had become old news to him. Maybe he needed a herd? Maybe he needed a cart-job? Maybe he needed...something else? This new boy just needed love...and someone who really cared. Someone who cared enough to research what food he needed and not just chalk his weight-loss up to 'he's just not hungry'. He needed to be treated like a pet a little more than just a horse. 

I climbed onto the new boy's back and rode him around the barn in the rain. He did everything I asked him to do, almost before I asked him to. I heard a horse holler from the barn as we rode- it was Storm. At that moment, I wished I knew what he was saying to me. He knew he was being traded. He knew he wasn't mine anymore. It broke my heart.

I got the new fella into the trailer and walked back into the barn one last time. I had to fight back the tears- God knows I won't cry in front of a perfect stranger...they have to think I'm tough as nails. I grabbed his red halter one last time, kissed him and told him good-bye. He looked at me with his wild eyes and sighed. I walked back to the truck alone and the tears flowed down my face.

"That was hard," I said as I climbed into the driver's seat.

"Why, honey?" my daddy asked.

"Because...I love him," I told him, hardly getting the words out before my silent tears turned into sobbing.

"He's going to be safe here. This is the best place for him. You can't get hurt on him, baby...you have Riya to think about." 

"I know...I know...but it's still so hard, Daddy."

I cried until we got back out to the main road. I knew I made the right decision- and I felt like, no matter what kind of people these folks were (b/c I'd gotten the feeling they were a little shady) they'd be able to handle Storm. 

The days that followed were difficult. I kept slipping up and calling the new boy, Storm, instead of his actual name. (Which I'm changing...to something. Ideas?) Along with the weight issue, I noticed some weaknesses here and there with him. I attempted to call his previous owner...interestingly enough, she refused all my calls. (All that is a post in-itself. Let's just say...I hope the previous owner takes a ride on Storm.;-)

The vet will be coming to the barn on Tuesday to check out my new fella. I'm praying that everything will be fine, but am prepared for the worst. Well...maybe not the worst but I'm prepared for a less than perfect report. Say a prayer for us? This new fella and I are already fast friends...his kind eye and calm heart have stolen mine. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us...but for now, I'm praying just for healthy.