What happened today was really my fault. When I put the horses out this morning, I led Silk out through the back door of her stall. I forgot to fasten the door back against the wall, the way I usually do. I had some good excuses. I’m sick with a wicked cold and flu. I was rushing because my mom had a small operation today, and I was trying to get everything done early so I could take care of her.
I hung the horses’ blankets on the fence of the back corral so they could air out in the sun. My husband offered to help me out. While I was with my mother at the doctor’s office, he put the horses back in the barn and fed them lunch. When I returned, I noticed the blankets were still on the fence but I was too busy to go out and pull them off.
Many hours later, I glanced out the window and saw Siete in the back corral, dancing all over her blanket. Cursing myself, I ran out and discovered that the back door of the stall had blown closed. Poor little horse had been trapped out there for hours without anything to do. No wonder she decided to play with the blankets. She had her nose caught in the leg strap of Silk’s when I reached her. I managed to extricate her and open the door so she could run through her mother’s stall to freedom and hay and all those wonderful things in her own stall that she had been missing.
I was left with a filthy, wet blanket. Siete has outgrown all her other clothes, and Silk’s are still too big for her. So, tonight, when it goes down to 18F degrees, she’ll have to eat some extra hay to keep warm. The blanket is drying in the basement. Luckily, it’s strong as iron, and she didn’t rip it. Sneezing and coughing, I cleaned it with a stiff brush. Tomorrow, it will most likely be too cold to dry it outdoors if I washed it. It will still be dirty, but at least she’ll be able to wear it.
There are probably some clever Zen thoughts about awareness and acceptance, but right now, my head hurts too much to think of them. I’m just going to crawl under my blanket and try to get some rest.
7 comments:
They always seem to get into something at the worst times, don't they. Hope everything went well with Mom, and try to take a rest, feel better.
Ah the love we hold for our horses...and what we get for it! =P Sorry to hear you are feeling off, eat lots of soup!! =D
I hope you feel better soon.
Sounds like she found her own entertainment.
Take good care - sounds like you have a LOT going on this week.
When we had just my horse and the pony, I had single weight and double weight blankets (bought on sale in the off season) for both of them, in case one got wet/damaged/etc. I'd have a back-up.
But when we got the third horse, Keil's back-up went to him, and when we got the fourth, I couldn't afford to double all of them, so now only the pony has those options. One thing I do have is a very cheap fleece liner that I can use in the barn (it is not waterproof) in the event I have to bring someone's blanket inside to dry out overnight.
I suspect lots of hay is the best remedy and what the horse prefers!
I just love your blog. A horse lover from birth, a collector of Breyer horses throughout life, a reader of all kinds of novels that involve horses, Roy Rogers and Trigger were my childhood heroes. These four legged beauties defined me as a person growing up. Unfortunately, they scare the dickens out of me when I get on one so riding is OUT. But I do love to pet their silky noses when given the opportunity! Thanks for letting me enjoy horses vicariously through you! I've linked to your blog from mine and hope that's okay.
Hope you feel better Victoria!
Sorry to hear that you have a bug. That's not good.
No miracles from me about blankets. Sometimes I think they are their own kind of beast. lol
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