Posts Tagged ‘retired horses’
Retired Life
The last day of August dawns innocently enough, unaware that yesterday was the second-to-last day and that tomorrow will be September. It’s just today. A Monday, for those of you keeping track. Cyndie and I currently belong to the category of humans (retired) for whom weekdays hold no significance over Saturdays and Sundays. It’s something we share with the horses. They are retired, too.
Not everything that happens is ever timed to perfection, even when it has been written in advance. Plots thicken and also drag on for longer than necessary.
Can you tell we have been watching a binge-worthy series again? We have found ourselves enjoying “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” on Netflix. I’ve needed to rely on the closed captioning, and even then, I struggle to keep up with some of the faster dialogue deliveries.
I’m always grateful when Asher accommodates our two- and sometimes three-episode sittings around our dinnertime. Occasionally, Cyndie will have me pause between episodes so she can take him for one last walk, but he has grown comfortable with lying down nearby to snooze to the noises of whatever strange activity is happening in our programs.
In preparation for an upcoming bike adventure with four friends, I have pulled out the camping gear and begun making lists in my head of things to consider. Nothing functional at this point, but just enough to feel like I’m not being entirely neglectful of getting ready before it’s too late. I’ll be leaving home on Friday in advance of our actual departure on Saturday morning. It feels a little like a plot in a drama series. Missouri, here we come.
I found all four horses pausing beneath the shade sail yesterday morning. It is deeply rewarding to see them taking advantage of the shadow even if it’s only for a moment or two. It’s pretty clear that they don’t recognize any difference between days of the week; there is no planning going on for what they intend to do next week.
Heck, they don’t even care if it’s August or September. Is it hot or cold? Are the flies bothersome? What is there to eat? Should I lie down and nap now or later?
A retired horse pretty much thinks about the same things I do.
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Excited Anticipation
The day has come for us to receive a new batch of horses to graze our fields for the summer. Everything appears to have fallen into place right on schedule, including a delivery of bags of feed, stacked neatly in the barn a day in advance of needing them.
I have looked at the photo of the horse’s faces for a couple of weeks now and learned to identify them by name so I can make a proper introduction when they arrive around noon today.
We will have our Wintervale flag planted down at the driveway entrance to welcome the truck and trailer.
It’s a little intimidating to find how much we’ve gotten out of the mode of daily caring for large animals. Our chickens are no comparison.
Luckily, Cyndie is very thorough in thinking through details like remembering to ask about restocking our cabinet with medication for treating potential emergency situations.
Between the professional level of detail already shared by the good folks of This Old Horse and Cyndie’s ability to ask pertinent questions about the nitty gritty details of responsibly caring for horses, I feel able to relax and focus on the simple joy of immersing myself in the magical energy of glorious equine beings.
I anticipate it will be an interesting mix of ‘brand new’ and ‘same old’ in the days ahead. I look forward to getting to know the difference between the Arabians we had here previously and the Thoroughbreds that will be here now.
I hope to be an open vessel to whatever messages they might wish to convey as we mingle together when I am scooping manure for the compost pile.
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Relative Something 