God doesn’t give us want we want, He gives us what we need.  We may not see eye to eye on this, but in the end, He is always right.

Do we want to go to the dentist, no, but do we need to go to the dentist, yes!  Do we want a bigger TV, probably yes, but do we really need it, no.

I both wanted and needed eye medication for my horse.  I waited two weeks and still didn’t receive it,  then we ordered another one, and what was supposed to be a two-day delivery has now taken a week.  Last time this happened, my horse lost her eye.

We see things we want in life, but do we really need them?  Not usually.

What about our horses.  What do they want as opposed to what they need; and do we really know the difference, or more importantly, do we care?

When I was a kid, the barn I grew up at always had a radio playing.  The owner said that music soothes the savage beast, or in this case calmed the horses and gave them something to listen to when they were in their stalls.  I somehow don’t think that rock and roll is what, whoever came up with the savage beast thing, had in mind.  But as teenagers we really appreciated hearing all our favorites.  I used to always play music in the barn, but one day I noticed the horses didn’t appreciate my choice of music.  I put on the sound track from Phantom of the Opera.  As soon as those first notes played, they all went running out of the barn.  I got a good laugh out of it, but they weren’t buying into it.  Years later while I had music playing in the barn here in Florida, my vet said “why do you have music on all the time?”  I explain the savage beast thing.  He came back and gave me pause with his opinion.  “Horses don’t want to hear that kind of music, they want to hear the breeze rustle the trees, they want to hear the birds singing, that’s what gives them pleasure.  They want to hear the sounds on the wind, and what they may need to pay attention to so that they can flee from danger.”  I never thought of it that way.

So what else do horses really want.  Well they do want food and water.  They want a place to get out of the sun, wind, and rain.  The want a buddy.  They do want a grooming.  If you don’t do it, a tree, fence, or a buddy will oblige.  Do they need the Christmas decorations we find so cute on them, I don’t think so.  Do they need a saddle and bridle that fits properly?  That’s one of those want and need things.  Do they want a sheet or blanket.  Most times no, unless we trick their coats into thinking they don’t need more hair, or we shave them.  If they are young and healthy they can usually take care of themselves.  Although I sleep much better if they have their wardrobe.  Do they need treats, no, but do they want them?  Yes because we’ve spoiled them, and we love doing that.

Just a game to play with our minds.  The next time you go to buy something, or do something, ask yourself is this a want or a need, and how does my horse see it.  You’ll be surprised at the answer you might give yourself.  I guess the real question is does my horse want this, or is it just all about me?

I know I wrote about this when it was all happening, but seeing the outcome and the statistics really blows you out of the water.  Just makes me mad and that’s when I get out my soap box.  Hang on it’s a bumpy ride.

I was just reading about the fires in California.  The title of the article was “Worst ever Ca. wildfires have killed 88 people, untold number of pets, horses and livestock”  Well if that doesn’t get your attention and make your stomach lurch, nothing will.  It goes on to say that it was the worst in the state’s history.  It was finally contained the last week in November.  They compared it to the Chicago fire in 1909.  Over a million and a half acres, some 400,000 more than last year.

“Death-defying efforts by animal lovers to rescue horses and pets left behind by fleeing owners are still making headlines.  Brave animal lovers risked life and limb doing what fleeing owners had no time to do.  They rushed back into already burned areas to try to salvage whatever was alive; there was mixed joy and tragic sorrow at what they found.  Scorched hooves and burned hair were good injuries, if the horse was standing.  The search for victims in the smoldering ruins continues… but cadaver dogs can not yet walk in some hot spots.  Hundreds of people are still missing.  One fire alone took 153,000 acres, destroyed 14,000 homes and another 5,000 barns and garages.”  This was taken from an article in Horse & Pony News December, 2018 issue.

Animals have been relocated to vet facilities, rescues, shelters and barns in the area.

We hear about it on the news, see a few pictures, but do we really grasp what happened here.  People just left their animals.  Some were turned loose hoping that they would find a safe place or a way out for themselves.  Yes I know that sometimes you think your safe and then the fire changes direction, and there is no time, but really couldn’t they have done something?  Made arrangements before they ran out of time?

It’s easy to sit here and think about that in warm sunny Florida, but we have hurricanes to deal with.  I’ve lived in areas where the woods were set on fire every spring break.  The neighborhood had a plan and we did something about it.  Yes people lost everything, and some even their lives trying to save their homes.  But I’m sorry, the animals look to us to protect them from harm.  I can’t bear to think of so many animals, wild or owned, being burned to death.

Things happen, sometimes unexpectedly, but where has common sense gone to.  Don’t let this happen to you or anyone you know.

Plan, prepare, and follow through.

One of my boarders came by last week for the first time since April.  This is not uncommon when people retire horses and move on.

She was so happy and excited to see her horse.  The horse on the other hand was not interested at all.  She kept calling him and he kept napping.  I, once again, went down with a lead line and a carrot and retrieved him.  Trying the whole way up the hill to explain that this woman pays his board and that he was being rude.  So we went through the hugs, kisses, and I’ve missed you so much routine.  I know she did.  She been going through some personal problems and just couldn’t find the strength to come up and see him.  She does live over an hour away.

The horse wasn’t buying into it.  He graciously took the carrots from her and then put his head in my arms.  Oh I hate when they do that.  Her comment was simply “Well I can see he likes you.  You are good to him and I really appreciate it.”  I know that should have made me feel good, but I felt rotten.  Then after he finished the carrots she had brought, he walked away.  Now this is nothing unusual.  Every horse will do that, but it kind of blew her out of the water.  She believed he had missed her and couldn’t wait to see her.  “Then she said “He really seems to like carrots now.”  She used to buy him the German horse cookies.  I feed carrots.  It’s really better for them especially if they are Insulin Resistant.  I told her yes, I can’t walk by his paddock with out giving him a carrot or he’ll follow me around until I do.  Oops! Did I say that.

He slowly walked back down to the bottom fence where his friends were waiting for him.  They discussed what just happened and then went back to eating hay.  She just stood there watching.  Kind of sad.  Finally she said “Well I can see he’s happy here.  He has friends.  It makes me feel better knowing that.”

Now this is the horse who told the communicator, when asked if he was depressed because he hadn’t seen his owner, “I’ve had so many, what’s one more.”  I understood what was going on through this whole situation, but she had no idea.

How sad.  People just don’t get it.  Horses don’t dwell on things the way people do.  They move on.  If he leaves here I will be just one more of those people who he will never see again.  I’m going to try my best to keep him here even if I have to buy him.  I want this to be his forever home.  I want it all to stop here.  I thought he was going to be 28 this year.  According to her she believes he is in his 30’s.  According to his teeth, I have to believe that to.  His tattoo is unreadable.  I want him to live out his life knowing that someone loves him and won’t send him on his way again.  I want him to die in a home he has known and felt safe at.  In his own pasture with his friends around him.  Although they are also old and may cross the Rainbow Bridge first.  I want him to have a constant in his life at the end.  I don’t know if he needs it as much as I do for him.  I want to be there at the end telling him to go across that bridge and rejoin all his old friends.

Call me silly or crazy, but this is what I have to live with, and want to.

So how do you explain all this to an owner who has just had her horse walk away from her?  I just simply say, he’s happy, don’t worry about him.  Feel good knowing that you did the right thing for him, and come and visit whenever you want.

That is the best I can do for all involved.

I have owned or worked with hundreds and hundreds of horses over the years.  Every one of them was special in their own way.  Each one was teacher, a confidant, a partner, a friend.  But there is always one who stands out to be more special, more loved, more loving than all the rest.  Desert was mine.

Somehow I stumbled onto a site with a saying that totally ripped my heart out.  It touched me so much that I had to purchase it.  It made me cry, but was so much of what I truly experience.  I will post it here, many of you have not gotten there yet, but so many more will relate and shed a tear.

I have no idea who the author is, but I’m thankful to him or her.  It had a beautiful picture with a white horse on it.

“I thought of you today, but that is nothing new.                                                I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too.                                I think of you in silence, I often speak your name.                                          All I have are memories, and your picture in a frame.                                  Your memory is a keepsake, from which I’ll never part.                              God has you in His arms, I have you in my heart.

We must embrace the past, but look forward to the future.

Happy New Year!