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These are some of my animal buddies:
Pix: I adopted this mixed breed dog from Dalmatian Rescue, a wonderful organization that places dogs very carefully with homes they're suited for. She was maybe 10-12 months old at the time and the fastest, most hyperactive animal I've ever seen. She is also obsessed with birds. I put her in obedience and agility training right away to bond with her and get her to focus. She loves work, loves being part of a team. Five years later, she gets as many compliments for her manners as she does for her athleticism.
The Little Red Mare (LRM): My friend has several horses and not enough time to exercise them all, so I get to ride them. LRM was one I initially had last on my list to ride, because she's hot, had a reputation for being pill and made me nervous. She's the boss mare in the field and has twice sent big geldings over a fence to get away from her. Granted, those were bad decisions the boys made. We're talking about the equivalent of Bernadette Peters telling Arnold Schwartzenegger where to sit in a theater, and having him freak out and jump off the balcony. With people, she's sweet and cuddly.
But my friend always said she was loads of fun and I should ride her. When I did, she pranced sideways and tossed her head in impatience. Once she gave me a bloody nose. It was obvious she thought I was boring, so for fun I took her over some little jumps. She had a cute jump, as it turns out, but would get so amped up at the sight of a jump she couldn't contain herself. After one session with the instructor, she stopped freaking out and has been on a mission to jump like a pro. She has a new career and a place to focus her energy, and my friend was right - she is a blast to ride. She came from a rescue, so we don't know if she'd been a jumper before. I think she was a barrel racer.
The Off-track Arabian (OTA): This 6 year old mare came from FAWOR Foundation (http://faworfoundation.org), another reputable rescue that retrains, evaluates and rehomes Arabians that had been racehorses. She is the LRM's pasture mate and her polar opposite. Although energetic and spirited, she is sensible and ladylike beyond her years. She was adopted by first time horse owners who are kind enough to let me ride her regularly. She has also started jumping; this video is of one of her very first sessions:
Animals resting in peace:
The Kitty: she is no longer with us in the physical sense. I got this kitty over a decade ago when my roommate, who adopted her from the Human Society, wanted to travel for a year. Long story short, she was with us until recently when her kidneys failed and I took her to the vet to be euthanized. It was not traumatic for her. I have not been very good at explaining it all to EG. He knew she was sick and that we would try to get her to eat, and he would pet her and be very gentle. Once, at breakfast, he paused and pointed to the air to make a point. "The kitty," he said between bites, "is my favorite pet." He wanted to know, physically, where she was the day after I took her to the vet. I said she was at the vet and he asked if she were still sick. I said she was not sick anymore and he was satisfied. He still talks about her but knows she isn't coming home.
The Pony: I got this little grade Arab/pony mare from a family that had gotten her as part of a BOGO deal, meaning they bought an Arab mare and the seller dumped the little filly on them because he didn't want a project. They didn't either and sold her cheap. She was my buddy. By the time she was 4 1/2 she was a fun pony to ride and I started her over crossrails. I got a call one morning from the barn owner that she's gotten out of her paddock and was standing, injured, near the hay. I don't know how she got out or what she injured herself on, but took her sedated to the University where they determined the damage to her hind leg was, in short, extensive. I had her put down that day.
The Boxer:
When I was young and naive I got an adorable puppy from what I now recognize as a backyard breeder. Unlike the dog we have today, she did not get the benefit of professional training and a stable home. She moved across the U.S. with me and then from rental house to rental house until I finally bought my own. She was a good sport and charmed everyone with her sweet nature. At the age of 13, way too young IMO, she was peacefully put to sleep at home after a short battle with a brain tumor.
Pix: I adopted this mixed breed dog from Dalmatian Rescue, a wonderful organization that places dogs very carefully with homes they're suited for. She was maybe 10-12 months old at the time and the fastest, most hyperactive animal I've ever seen. She is also obsessed with birds. I put her in obedience and agility training right away to bond with her and get her to focus. She loves work, loves being part of a team. Five years later, she gets as many compliments for her manners as she does for her athleticism.
The Little Red Mare (LRM): My friend has several horses and not enough time to exercise them all, so I get to ride them. LRM was one I initially had last on my list to ride, because she's hot, had a reputation for being pill and made me nervous. She's the boss mare in the field and has twice sent big geldings over a fence to get away from her. Granted, those were bad decisions the boys made. We're talking about the equivalent of Bernadette Peters telling Arnold Schwartzenegger where to sit in a theater, and having him freak out and jump off the balcony. With people, she's sweet and cuddly.
But my friend always said she was loads of fun and I should ride her. When I did, she pranced sideways and tossed her head in impatience. Once she gave me a bloody nose. It was obvious she thought I was boring, so for fun I took her over some little jumps. She had a cute jump, as it turns out, but would get so amped up at the sight of a jump she couldn't contain herself. After one session with the instructor, she stopped freaking out and has been on a mission to jump like a pro. She has a new career and a place to focus her energy, and my friend was right - she is a blast to ride. She came from a rescue, so we don't know if she'd been a jumper before. I think she was a barrel racer.
The Off-track Arabian (OTA): This 6 year old mare came from FAWOR Foundation (http://faworfoundation.org), another reputable rescue that retrains, evaluates and rehomes Arabians that had been racehorses. She is the LRM's pasture mate and her polar opposite. Although energetic and spirited, she is sensible and ladylike beyond her years. She was adopted by first time horse owners who are kind enough to let me ride her regularly. She has also started jumping; this video is of one of her very first sessions:
Animals resting in peace:
The Kitty: she is no longer with us in the physical sense. I got this kitty over a decade ago when my roommate, who adopted her from the Human Society, wanted to travel for a year. Long story short, she was with us until recently when her kidneys failed and I took her to the vet to be euthanized. It was not traumatic for her. I have not been very good at explaining it all to EG. He knew she was sick and that we would try to get her to eat, and he would pet her and be very gentle. Once, at breakfast, he paused and pointed to the air to make a point. "The kitty," he said between bites, "is my favorite pet." He wanted to know, physically, where she was the day after I took her to the vet. I said she was at the vet and he asked if she were still sick. I said she was not sick anymore and he was satisfied. He still talks about her but knows she isn't coming home.
The Pony: I got this little grade Arab/pony mare from a family that had gotten her as part of a BOGO deal, meaning they bought an Arab mare and the seller dumped the little filly on them because he didn't want a project. They didn't either and sold her cheap. She was my buddy. By the time she was 4 1/2 she was a fun pony to ride and I started her over crossrails. I got a call one morning from the barn owner that she's gotten out of her paddock and was standing, injured, near the hay. I don't know how she got out or what she injured herself on, but took her sedated to the University where they determined the damage to her hind leg was, in short, extensive. I had her put down that day.
The Boxer:
When I was young and naive I got an adorable puppy from what I now recognize as a backyard breeder. Unlike the dog we have today, she did not get the benefit of professional training and a stable home. She moved across the U.S. with me and then from rental house to rental house until I finally bought my own. She was a good sport and charmed everyone with her sweet nature. At the age of 13, way too young IMO, she was peacefully put to sleep at home after a short battle with a brain tumor.
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