Grateful for what we have...

Cadfael&Coffee

Cadfael&Coffee

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A bit of a pointless post really, but everytime I read or hear about somebody who has lost a horse, or something equally horrible, it puts everything in perspective.

There are so many sorrowful tales I read on here on a regular basis, and yet I see an equal number of people complaining about trivial things and issues, and whilst I am not aiming this at anyone or any thread in particular, I think sometimes we all need to think about what we DO have.


For example, until last year i had the most wonderful little horse, who would do anything I asked of him and more, and we were starting to look at competing BE and BSJA seriously for the coming year.

Then came the year from hell, he broke his knees, had a serious fall in the ice, had another horse trying to kill him (resulting in a leg and bad stifle injury) and has developed a partial blindness.

He was a wreck.

He was on box rest for a good 6 months, off and on, and still didn't come right.

He was bullied at the livery yard he was on, so much so that he was half the horse he should be, and acting a lot older than he was.

I decided eventually to send him 400 miles away, home to my mums, where now he is strutting around the field like an idiot 4yo and being a general nuisance. :) he is having a year off, and then I will reassess whether to retire him permanently or bring him back as a light hack.

Anyway, as I say, no point to this really, merely that no matter how bad things are, they can usually get a lot worse!!

I've been to hell and back with my little horsey this year, and it breaks my heart to think I'm having to retire him at least 10 years before I wanted to, and I've had to send him so far away to recover...


BUT

After a truly horrible year he's finally starting to feel himself again, and reading all the sad tales on here, I regularly remind myself, and would like to remind others,

AT LEAST I STILL HAVE HIM.

And that Things can always get worse.

:):)
:):):):)
 
good post :) Im usually a very positive person, but sometimes if something happens i get very wrapped up in the heat of the moment and it's only when i stand back and see that iv got a bit worked up for nothing. nothing as big a scale as you though, glad your boy is on the mend :)

Im very grateful for what I have, Im glad you are too!! x
 
I totally agree - I wish I had been more grateful for having Maiden when I had her in full health, five years ago, for eight wonderful months. After that she tore a hole in her tendon, had 18 months off, could only hack again, kept going lame/iffy, had nosebleeds, choke, all manner of things until it ended this week with her final colic.

I tried my best to appreciate just hacking her out (I thought I'd never ride her again after vet told me to cut my losses and shoot her when she did her tendon :mad: ) and it made all the difference - I will always remember our last ride, out in the sunshine, riding past two combines, three tractors, a bloke with a gun, a herd of deer and loads of pheasants - Maiden was wired and we had the most wonderful canter :)

Although the new "family pet" pony is not mine, I am responsible for riding her next year and whether she is my cup of tea or not, I am determined to appreciate her and make the most of having her. I also want to make the most of having a ride for the winter - I am only allowed to school him, but he's such a sweetheart and so rewarding when he gets it right that I want to really make the effort to appreciate every ride :)

Losing one does change your views - I hope it doesn't take everyone losing one to help them appreciate what they have, though. Take it from me and the countless other people who have lost horses!
 
certainly not a pointless post hun - actually a really nice post and yes we should be grateful - my mare at 13 is retired and we are on borrowed time due to blindness but hey I would rather have had the years I have had with her and have to say goodbye as she goes to sleep then never had her in my life :) yes we should always look to what we have not to what we havent got :) lovely post and big big hugs to you - very brave and rationally person :) xxxx
 
Very well said. Reading about the sad losses and difficulties that others go through has definitely helped me appreciate my boy for who he is. So what if he chucks a fit at hacking out alone - he's mine, he's wonderful and we'll get there. Glad your boy is getting better, fingers crossed for both of you in the future x
 
Oh Silmarillion I'm so sorry to hear that- such a shame :(

She was obviously well loved, and I know what you mean about the last ride- my last ride on my old girl has haunted me- we only lost her in may, but she was retired years ago

I an glad you have such a lovely memory of her :) (amongst others obviously!)
 
I totally agree with you:)
Last year was perfect for me i found a lovely pony to loan and everything was going great until 2011 when she got sold. I brought a tb and she was perfect at the time her only issue was, was that she crib bites. Which wasn't a problem because she was going to be kept outside 24/7. But she started cribbing and wind sucking on the wooden posts in the field. She started to lose all her weight so in the end i had to put electric tape around the feild. Then we discovered lumps under her belly and a lump on her face. She had sarcoids. Then she started to put on weight and the sarcoids was getting treated, then she bucked me off on the road. I had lost a lot of my confidence so i focused on schooling her and then she starts head shaking. We have tried a nose net and it seems to be working but the seasons are changing so when next summer comes i'm gonna see if i can manage her head shaking if not she might have to be pts:(. But i still really appreciate that i have her:)
Sorry for the long post.
 
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I sooo agree...in the last 3 years i have had a severed artery in my leg - lost 4 pints of blood, 3 x broken feet various, fractured skull, dislocated jaw and 2 broken fingers.

My horses have been lame and injured innumerable times - including a crap vet telling me one horse would never be worked again.

I've lost my job and done all kinds of stopgaps including cleaning loo's, mopping floors, anything to keep my horses!!

BUT I still have my babies and I love the life they give me and I would never change a thing
 
Silmarillion - so sorry for your loss, I remember speaking to you on here and your helpful advice and experience as my mare had a tear in her DDFT too. Thankfully she has recovered from this though injured her compensating leg this year so shes having a year off now to recover properly. Shes sound at the moment, in the field at least, but I did lose a mare nearly 6yrs ago and the memories never go away. I am grateful that Izzy is doing so well at the moment, just need to remind myself now and again how much she has been through, especially after all her box rest.

Good thought provoking post x
 
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