Horse Life Lately

 

Happy December, everyone! I'm back after an unplanned hiatus. It's been a stressful few weeks, but things are feeling much more settled, now, as am I, after making myself quite literally sick with anxiety. 

Things look different around the farm lately. If you follow me on Instagram (@hppress) then you've seen me post about saying farewell to Max, and hello to the newest addition, Bambi. 

I blogged a few weeks ago about my mini, Lily, passing away. It wasn't wholly unexpected; her health had been declining slowly, and then took a swift downward turn, and there really wasn't another option but to help her cross over. In the wake of her loss, Max, who I found as a companion for her last year after her brother died, was alone in their paddock. Going out with my full-size mares wasn't an option - I tried it, and it did NOT go well; thankfully I got everyone separated with no harm done - but he was completely distraught if he couldn't see and touch them through the fence. That meant I had to keep the girls cooped up in a small paddock so they couldn't venture out of his sight... which meant that Kit Kat had too much energy, and AB's hoof health suffered as a result of the lack of circulation. 

I started by searching for a mini or small pony to be Max's pasture companion. That proved an unsuccessful endeavor. I had a hard time finding Max last year; it was chance, fate, and the kindness of a stranger reaching out in response to an "in search of" Facebook post I made as a last-ditch effort. The best option I found this time around was a yearling, but I had to ask myself: What if he and Max didn't get along? They would make it work, obviously, just as Max and Lily made it work. But more than making it work, I wanted Max to be happy. He was a wonderful blessing to have for a year, helping Lily through her final days, but, ultimately, what was best for Max was to go home to his owner, Amy, and that's just what he did two Saturdays ago. The look on his cute little face when he got off the trailer and saw where he was, when he saw his old friends: so very rewarding. 

Thank you, Max. You were wonderful. 

Because my barn has three stalls, and we've always had minis, we've only ever had two full-size horses at a time. That means that when you lose one, the other is alone, and then you're in a mad scramble to find a replacement friend. We decided, then, with a free stall, to introduce another horse. I love my AB, and hope she lives forever, but she's turning 24 this spring. 

Enter Bambi. 

She's a 2yo Quarter Horse/Appaloosa filly I actually looked into buying when she was a foal. The breeders decided to keep her, and I wound up with Kit Kat the next year. But now, Bambi's a part of the Riddermark herd. 

Look at her little spots! I've got her on a high fat/protein diet in an effort to put some more meat on her bones, but after a stressful couple of weeks, she's settled in nicely, and is learning the ropes from my other girls. She's really sweet, and became instant friends with Kit Kat. 

I'm *hoping* to get back to something like a more normal schedule, but between having two project babies and holiday craziness, I make no guarantees. 

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, and hope to be around again!