I've crossed that proverbial line -- I've given up my horses. I wasn't going to do it forever, thinking that I was just in a slump financially, things would look up, I could afford to spoil a 1000+ pound animal again, but no. It's over, it's not going to happen here on this planet. I can wait to get to Heaven to have my new and last horse. Done. I guess that would make Ava my last horse officially. I think that's right. I've had 26 I think altogether, and some I really don't even remember much about them at all because I'd get one and then lose my job, or the barn would be sold, or there was this issue or that issue, and I just couldn't for whatever reason, keep the animal. With Norman, the one that got away, it was just a terrible mess, and if I had to do it all over again I would NEVER have done what I did. He didn't deserve to be put through the wringer. God has a way of fixing my boo-boos, so I know it's going to be fine. I've been told that Norman has landed on his feet well now, and he'll be in his forever home for years to come. That makes me happy, but I could have handled it so much better. I'll stop beating myself up over it, but still.
Let me walk you through just using an average range, to show you how expensive it is to keep a horse, if you don't have your own land. The average rescue horse or auction horse from Bowie is about $900-1500. That's just the horse. Then there are things like quarantine, vet check, teeth floating, chiropractic check and well being, a farrier to trim, transport to the barn, and that's before you pay board. Board in this area is about $350-500 depending on pasture and/or stall, and yes, that's every month. You don't have to do the maintenance that often, but there are shots, worming, supplements for joints, calming supplements and of course there's the tack. The saddle I've listed on Marketplace recently, cost me $400, I'm selling it for $250. The saddle pad cost me $200, I'm selling it for $100. The headstall was about $100, I'm selling it for $50. So you can see where just starting the process can be a bit overwhelming. You pray that your horse doesn't get sick or have an accident. You pray someone else's horse doesn't beat up your horse and cause a vet bill. You pray your horse doesn't run through a fence during a storm, get into the street, and cause an accident. It's just been a roller coaster, but again, it was a wonderful ride. I love and appreciate every animal I came in contact with, I can't say that about the people.
I typically tell people that the best thing about horse people are their dogs. I mean that too. We'll go to the state fairgrounds to see a show, watch a parade, or just hang out with dozens of animals that are either showing or hanging out in the barns and when we do, we come across some really sourpuss owners and trainers, but their dogs are usually pretty docile. You can reach down and pet a mutt pretty much every other stall, but often times the owners aren't even worth speaking to. They either know more than you'll ever know, or they've been bothered just a bit too much by the lookers, and they don't want to even acknowledge you're the reason they can show in the first place. It's almost as if they forgot they are the entertainment, we are their audience. That's the show folks, it can be better with rodeo and competition folks, but not always, again it depends, and again, their dogs shine. Dogs always shine.
I don't even want to think about how much money I've poured out in the past 15 years on the animals, the vets, the boarding, the feeding, the maintenance, the upkeep, and just the traveling back and forth. I don't want to try to remember who all I sold horses to, gave horses to, rescued horses from, or just helped with something that someone needed done and yep, I was their last resort. I typically went, I usually have a soft heart when it comes to an animal needing assistance. I've driven over 100 miles one way to help load a horse. I think that's the one that I put into the "Nope, just say no next time" category. I've sold horses for next to nothing, I've rarely ever made a profit, and I know I've given away thousands of dollars of tack over the years.
Laura and I have been to about 7 or 8 boarding facilities in Indiana and again in Oklahoma. We're well well versed on the ins and outs of the idiots who own and operate barns. Our friend Ellin Daum in Plainfield, Indiana is the ONLY one who has survived our backlashing and that's because for the most part she did it right. There was a moment when I was riding my horse and she (a very trained trainer) tried to instruct me on my riding abilities. I remember riding closer to her and bopping her on top of her head with my closed (gently) fist. She got the message. I love Ellin. I can't say that about all the others. One left kids in charge. One left kids running around thinking they were in charge. Too many didn't feed correctly, on time, or enough, and there's just so many others who know more than you, do more than you, have more than you, are more than you, and you will never be enough. It's just that way with horse people. Thank GOD, I am no longer associated with horse people. This is it. No more.
Knowing that we'll have horses (white horses) in Heaven, I've asked God to allow me to have either Bedtime Hero if no one else claims him, or my Norman. I understand fully that Norman is a 15.3 hand tall bay Mustang, not white, but maybe they only turn white when we go into battle with Jesus, who knows? I want my Norman if I can have him again. If God was to be so kind, I would never, and I do mean NEVER let my boy go again. He would be mine until - well, eternally. Such a boy, such a good good boy. Still, he's a horse, and I was a horse person, and the best thing about me could be my dog(s) Just saying.
Today I am selling the last of it. It will be gone. I was going to keep the saddle in my new living room, but no. I need to be done. I will likely not hang the horse paintings either. I'll just give it all a rest and start new with new art, new thoughts, new new. Memories are great, and mine are. We'll go with that. God knew what He was doing when He made the horse. That's for damn sure.
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