I am a worrier. I learned the trait well from my mother and grandmother. I have passed it on to S. Worry, worry, worry - about everything, but mostly the horses. Why is Gunner out on the pond bank by himself? Why is Catfish holding his tail like that?
Most of it started when Gunner contracted EPM. After that whole fiasco I worried about Sierra colicing. One summer she coliced three times! Then there was Kelzon. He was too fat, he was too skinny. Sometimes I worry about whether the girls remembered everything when they feed. I think it's important to learn the responsibilities of their horses, so at night they are in charge of feeding. Did they shut the gate?
More than once in the morning I have looked out and NOT seen the horses. I run out to find they are all packed into the furthest little corner around the side of the building so I can't see them.
Not today. Today I didn't look out. Today I just casually walked out to feed, turned the corner and saw an open gate. I swiftly walked into the pen to find them missing. All three gone! Following tracks out to the road (thank you mud) I determined which way they had headed, got three ropes and halters and jumped in the car.
At the first intersection (1/4 mile) I pulled over and again looked for tracks. In the distance at the top of the hill I could see our neighbor's horses. I let out a wolf whistle on the off chance it was my trio and watched as slowly one, then two and finally three horses turned and headed my way. I found a way into the pasture they were in, haltered them up and walked them home praying that the daily hog truck didn't choose this time to come barreling down the road.
We made it home with out a single car passing us by me leading them. Catfish on my right, Classy on my left and Gunner slightly behind Catfish. It was one of the many times I have been thankful for my older well broke horses. Gunner is such a freak sometimes a car would have scared him to death, but Catfish and Classy just plodded along like we did this every day. Catfish half the time had Gunner's lead rope around his hocks. At one point I felt some resistance from Gunner's rope and turned to see him chewing on it.
For some reason throughout this entire incident I didn't panic at all. I think it is what made the return so uneventful. I was calm the entire time. I didn't let myself think that Gunner was going to take this instance to resist being haltered or act crazy. Catfish also can be hard to catch at times. I would have expected running and chasing because the field they were in was very large. Instead he came right to the gate, licked his lips and stuck his nose in the halter as if to say "take me home!"
So, for today, my worrying is done. Tomorrow someone will cock a leg and I will find a whole new reason to worry.
Monday, March 12, 2007
The Worrier
Posted by
Kathy C
at
10:36 AM
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2 comments:
Supermom to the rescue! I wish you had taken your camera. :)
LOL yes you should have taken your camera. I have had two fillies who were escape artists, very creative fillies. They can be a nightmare, just forget to turn the electric fence on once and zoom they are gone. Glad it ended well.
Lori
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