September 19, 2018 – Horses, a lot of them

Joyce had to talk to a friend of hers about an event that’s coming up. That friend, Caroline, owns a farm where they bread racing horses. Not the racing horses with jockeys on their backs but the ones that pull a sulky. I think you humans call it trotting race. The farm is called “Oak Knoll Stables” (http://oakknollstables.com/index.php).

My mistress was very exited about this because she loves horses and it’s a long time ago she was near a horse. She grew up with horses and the first time she sat on a horse she was 6 month old. Yes, she told me everything about her childhood. When she was 11 years old she was finally allowed to take horseback riding lessons. But long before that she was allowed to sit on the horses while they were cooling off after being ridden. Her grandfather was the CEO of the Hessen Horses (https://www.petmd.com/horse/breeds/c_hr_hessen) in his leisure time and when my mistress was a little older she even was allowed to ride a stud from a stud farm for Hessen Horses.
Later she rode the three-year-old horses that were hardly broken and she rode them when they went outside with a rider for the first time. One of the horses was named Harmonie.
She had the pleasure of riding an Arab a couple of times. He was very tall and his name was Tamir.
When she was 17 years old one of the horses she was sitting on during a riding lesson slipped in a corner and she fell with the horse. Luckily her legs weren’t under the horse but she had a bad concussion. She didn’t know and went back on the horse, finished her lesson but couldn’t remember where the stable of that horse was. The horses name was Heidi. My mistress had a black out for a couple of hours and nobody noticed. As she felt sick the next day the grandmother called the doctor and she said it’s just a small concussion and just rest for 24 hours. My mistress was at her grandparents and her aunt at that time and if her dad and her stepmother would have heard about the accident they might have my mistress to do horseback riding. So she decided to not tell. She continued to ride horses for a couple of years until she moved out from home and couldn’t afford it any more. After that she could only ride when she visited her grandparents and her aunt as her aunt had a horse. The aunt sold the horse and there was no possibility to ride any more for my mistress. Since then she has never been on a horseback again – sad. I know how much she loved it and when we were at the horses today I could feel how much she enjoyed just being around them and grooming them.

Sorry, I got side tracked again. Ok, where was I? Ah yes, we arrived at Caroline’s Oak Knoll Stables. I had to stay in the car first. Caroline carried a kitten in her arms that just tried to escape. After they said hello and introduced themselves they walked into the stables and Caroline showed them around. My master made a balloon flower bouquet for Caroline and gave it to her. She loved it!
There were two yearlings in the stable. We just arrived at feeding time but before the horses could be fed Caroline had to bring in a mare, Lindy, because she was supposed to be picked up by her owners.

My master put me in the office so I could wait for them. The humans went to get Lindy, which is with the other mares. They had to wait for her because she was the last one to approach. Her foal was just in the other field. The humans walked back to the stable with Lindy and her foal was very upset to not be able to be with her.

After they put Lindy in a box they went and fed the other horses, along with farm manager Murray. Caroline’s horse looks different than all the others, as she is grey. I couldn’t really hear her name but I will find out and tell you. She is beautiful. With her on the field is Speed. She is a two year old racehorse and was injured on the track. Her injuries were so bad that she can’t race any more. Now she will be a broodmare. Speed is very tall although she is only two years old. My mistress fell in love with her.
Well, my mistress loves all horses but that one felt a little different to her, I could sense that.

That one mare, called Hazel, is always late when the horses are fed and the other horses eat her food. As she is pregnant and needs her food and the other mares are pregnant too but they get fat by eating too much. That might be a weird explanation but that’s how I got that. Remember, I am a dog and what do I know about breeding and pregnancy. I am a proud, unfixed male dog.
What happens to Hazel could never happen to me, I would never be late for my food. Especially not if it is something extraordinary.
Back to Hazel – Hazel has guardian angels, one of the humans around, that take care that she gets her food and can eat without being disturbed by the other mares. Today my mistress could be her guardian angel.

When they got back from feeding the horses my master took me out of the office with him and my mistress groomed Lindy.
While I watched my mistress grooming Caroline’s daughter came with their dog called Velcro, a Vizsla. I could run and play with Velcro for a while, that was fun.
I could feel that Lindy was very nervous in her box. She knew something was going on. All the other horses beside the two yearlings were outside and she was the only one that was inside and groomed. She wanted to be outside with the other mares.

Joyce had another appointment in the evening so we had to leave but I am sure my mistress will be back at Oak Knoll Stables and visit Caroline and the horses.

I was a little sad, as I could not play with the big dogs. For me horses are big dogs and I would love to play with them but my mistress said it might be to dangerous for me if I play with them as I am not used to them and if they kick me that might injure me. I think she is over protecting me but I love her and I don’t want her to be scared.

Thank you Joyce and Caroline for making my mistress so happy.

Professional Reader

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Buffalo farm, herding dogs and living in Serrone - February 9, 2022

Mogli. loves joggers - September 15, 2021

Our new home – January 4, 2022