Speak, Memory

My last post made me reminiscent about my horses. They have changed so much in the years I've known them. I got Sam in 2002 as a 3 yr old coming 4 and now he is a month shy of 14. We got dash in 1993 as a 15 yr old coming 16, and now he is 33.

Samwise in 2002


Samwise today


Dash in 1994


Dash today

It has been almost 4 months since I've visited Terre Haute to see my family and my boys. Traditionally I spend Easter with my parents and I get to cook (lamb. And it's delicious! I love cooking for Easter). This year we came down to Terre Haute and Jeremy and I spent this afternoon walking around the farm, ending with the horses in their pasture.

Dash has wintered especially well this year. He turned 33 in January and today the weight tape said he was at 1275 pounds. Back when he was still well muscled I could count on adding at least 100 pounds to anything the weight tape said. Now that he doesn't have much muscle, I'm not sure how inaccurate the tape is, but 1275 is a damn good number for my big liver chestnut! I can't tell you all how pleased I am with his condition. To have him only barely ribby is just amazing! And there is a little meat on his backbone too. I don't think we'll ever see much of a top line again, but he's looking pretty fine for his age.

Sam looks pretty good too. We had to give him a pretty ghetto roach job today. The only scissors I had on hand were a bit dull, and I forgot to bring my clippers along to do a proper job. He was looking pretty...rugged though (lol), so I didn't feel like waiting. As such, we have a bit of a Stegosaurus look going on, but he is otherwise fine. His eyes continue to recede. Eventually I should have them removed, but they don't seem to bother him and he doesn't get infections, so I'm in no hurry. He turns 14 next month. I can't believe where time goes. I got him as a 3 year old that was unbroke.

All in all, they are very happy, retired (or mostly retired in Sam's case) pasture puffs. Mom and Dad's farm hand has taken to brushing them daily. He has always enjoyed the horses, even though he doesn't know much about caring for them. When Mom and Dad hired him ages ago he didn't know a thing about horses, and now he cares for them daily. Dad tells me that if you sneak into the barn, you can hear Phil talking gently to them as he brushes them. Makes my heart melt. I also hear they are spoiled rotten by the dry cleaning delivery guy. He apparently loves the horses and brings them a bag of carrots anytime he stops by! Like dogs who learn the sound of the UPS truck, my horses have learned the sound of the dry cleaning truck and coming running to the fence, eager for their treats! I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I do.




( Happy Horses )

I made it out to the barn today for the first time since Monday. There is still ice everywhere. It's not yet safe to turn the horses out in pasture, but I was able to take Doc up to the indoor so he could stretch his legs. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to ride him.

I also enjoyed snapping a few photos today and thought I'd share them here.



( A Day of Ice )

Here. Here is my place. Here among the grasses and the breeze and the rolling storm clouds that bear down upon us. Here, where the scent of horseflesh fills my nose and I can feel their hooves impacting the ground even as I stand across the field from them. Here is where I belong.





I am beginning to feel closure here in this city. I can’t really say that I will miss it, though I’ve had a good time here and wouldn’t change the last three years for the world. Without it, I wouldn’t have Ann or Robin or Jeremy. I wouldn’t have had many other experiences, including growing closer to my big brother and his family. But I am ready to go to a smaller city with more rural spaces, fresh vegetables, cows, buffalo, and horses. I look forward to our yard with the small garden patch and the clothesline and the large deck that I want to refinish and stain. I will need curtains and floor rugs. Linseed oil. I will need Linseed oil. The counters are made of wood and they have no seal coating, so we have to oil them every so often.
( Invitation: Into the Garden of Eden. No RSVP required. )

My cool pic of the day. I was out on an interview and I saw this family in the front yard raking leaves. Isn't she cute?!?

Back from the burning house scenario with Brownsburg Fire Department. Fire is fun! *grin*

This is my cool photo of the day.