I have a friend, for many years, and in all the years I’ve known her, you can’t tell her anything. She will come up with every reason known to man not to agree or take your advice. She has horrible back pain, but will she listen to the doctor and take pain pills, no. She’ll come up with many reasons why she can’t. So for 30 years I listen that her back is screaming. You kind of lose compassion when you know she could do something about it, and doesn’t.

Now when people are paying me for my knowledge of horses and riding them, they usually will listen and at least try. If for some reason they, like my friend, come up with reasons why they can’t do it or just won’t try, I suggest they might try working with a different instructor or trainer. I tell them that another person might be able to explain things where they can grasp, and apply it. It’s very frustrating to an instructor to see a problem, know that it might be dangerous, explain how to correct it, and have the person just shrug it off. I always tell them that we don’t say “I can’t” here, but rather that “I’ll try.”

Now when it comes to a purchase of a horse, that’s a whole different ball of wax. (Now where did that saying ever come from.)

I know that vets are not supposed to tell a person to buy or not buy the horse the client is looking at. They are just supposed to supply the facts of their findings. If you explain what your intention is for this horse, they can say that the horse is physically capable of doing that particular job, or no it would be unable because of certain findings. If a horse has side bones it’s not a good idea to barrel race them, or do any other discipline that would require them to make sharp turns consistently.

As for me, I’ve always tried not to get involved with the sale or purchase of a horse. First of all I’m too honest, but I usually do have an opinion, just keep it to myself. I will make an exception if I feel there is going to be a dangerous situation involved. Most times I go by my gut feeling. Of course I’ll listen to the vets report, if there is one, but unless you’re paying big bucks, most people don’t get a full vet exam.

One of my lesson kids was buying a horse. First red flag was her name, Luna. (I’ve mentioned this before) I asked if it was short for lunatic? Her answer was no Luna as in moon. She really wanted this horse. I was just brought in to trailer this horse. I didn’t feel good about this horse, but went along with it. Second red flag was when the horse kept running away with her. Now she was a good rider, so we worked with the horse for quite a while. Still not good feelings. Then when the horse started running through the fence with her on board. I told her the horse had to go. Of course she felt she could work the horse out of this. I went to her parents and said that the horse was dangerous and needed to be sold. It was.

So when another friend went to purchase a young filly, you know, the one of your dreams, and the deal just kept falling through I told her that I didn’t have a good feeling about it and she should pass. Her reaction was “no, I know this is right, I want this filly.” Well she’s taken it slow with the training for a year or two now and the mare keeps losing it. She’s afraid of any loud noise, like rain on the roof, has to wear ear plugs in the barn, and when she is being ridden. Now she kicked my friend and broke several ribs. My friend is contemplating selling her. She has a habit of not making wise decisions when purchasing horses, or keeping them. I recently found out that two other people were not on board and thought it would be a better idea for her to pass on this filly, one being a vet, the other an animal communicator. I’m glad I’m not alone in my feelings. If she doesn’t believe me, that’s one thing, but when you don’t listen to a vet or communicator, there’s not much I can do or say.

I get the whole idea of not believing a friends concern, but if you are paying someone for an opinion, and they are knowledgeable, I think you should listen, or at least save your money and their time, and just not ask at all.

So why don’t people listen? Why do they ask at all? I guess it’s because they just want someone to agree with them, and if you don’t, you’re ignored.

My theory – Don’t ask me, I may tell you what you don’t want to hear.

I know I’ve recently written about the insane heat we’ve been having this summer. A lot of you are leaving summer for the wonderful days of fall. But there is always Indian Summer to go through, and for those of us in the South, summer is alive and well.

We talked about horses that aren’t sweating and the possibility of over heating, and a friend just had this happen.

Now let me tell you she is a very knowledgeable horse woman. She’s an animal communicator who works with a vet. Her horse stopped sweating. The horse was also a 29 year old. She set up a sprinkler for the horse to stand under, but the old saying “you can lead a horse to water…..” didn’t work. The mare would just stand outside of the sprinklers reach. My friend would try to get back by 11:00 a.m. to make sure she could hose the horse down, but sometimes work, or traffic, just didn’t allow it.

The horse did overheat and it hit the brain. She was alive, but the brain suffered damage. She knew it and realized that it was probably time to let her go. Just like with the rest of us, it was a hard decision. She called her vet and the vet confirmed the fact.

We try to do the best for our horses, but sometimes we fall short. Just be aware that this can happen, and does happen.

I also want to throw in something that is going on, just for you to keep in the back of your mind. I’m not going into great detail, but I do want you all to be aware. There is a force, atmospheric, demonic or otherwise that is affecting some animals (not only horses). They are reacting in strange aggressive ways. Animals that have always been kind and gentle are now reacting without cause or reason. I’ve heard this from several different people in different areas. Gee my quiet mare just kicked me and broke my ribs. My two dogs, who are older and have been together since birth, got into a major fight and ended up at the vets. My Peahen, who never bothered anyone, is now attacking people. A filly who was totally normal, now can’t stand any noise and has to wear ear plugs.

If and when I have more information on this I will get back to you, just observe your animals for odd behavior and be careful not to be the recipient of their actions.

We are just crazy (fill in the blank – horse dog, cat, bird)____________ people. That’s how some people view us. We love our animals like our children. We care more for them, than we do ourselves, in most cases. My animals see the vets more than I see my doctor, dentist or whoever. What they really don’t get is when we lose one of them how much we grieve. I don’t always understand how much I can grieve.

I’ve buried 20 horses, 9 dogs, countless cats and assorted other animals both wild and part of the family. It never gets any easier.

Now I board older retired horses and horses that have been injured, and will never be sound again. I love each of them as though they were my own. They are all my children. So when I lose one it devastates me.

I lost one a week ago. The youngest of the bunch. No reason. I run a series of emotions – pain, hurt, sadness, anger, confusion. You know the big old WHY? Most times I think I take it harder than the owners. They know their horses are done with their useful lives and just want them to be comfortable until they cross the Rainbow Bridge. They all have new horses to play with and when the one horses crosses the Rainbow Bridge, they are sad, but can put more into their new horse.

Of course I have all the others to care for and love, including my own, but there is still a hole. There’s one less bucket of feed, one less horse to care for and love. In this case one less horse to nudge me for “just one more carrot” nuzzle me and lick me. He was a happy horse. Loved to play, loved his buddy, he spent his days rejoicing in life. His celebration of life always lifted my spirits. He was also the bad boy of the bunch. He loved attention whether it was caused by positive or negative means. My instant reaction was no! but I couldn’t help but smile and love him anyway. It’s just who he was.

His owner will miss him because he was up front and in your face for attention, after a really bad start, but now she can afford to give her new baby the attention and help she needs.

Oh sure I know another one will come my way, but just like all the others, he was special. They are all special in their own ways. I will always smile when I think of him, and he will always be with me.

There is nothing in the Bible which says that our pets will be there in Heaven, but I truly believe they will. God knows every sparrow that falls. God does not tell us everything about Heaven, but as Pastor Cole once said “when you get there whistle and if Rover comes running, you know they are there. If the animals were in the Garden of Eden, why not Heaven? We know there will be animals in Heaven, why not ours?

In Honor of Lou.