It is our horses that have it right!
I apologize to all for being delinquent in my posts for the last several weeks. We all go through it; a period of time when the to-do has no end to it plus the days and your energy level gets shorter and shorter. For me that was December. Although I love the holidays with my family, I often make it more of a burden than a joy. I angst over getting all my shopping done, how much money I am spending, wrapping presents, cooking holiday goodies, decorating and every other little neurotic detail related to the season.
This coupled with the fact that I picked up 6 new clients in November and December and the numbers of horses at my ranch went from 9 to 16, all led to the perfect storm of being overwhelmed, under-motivated, and stressed to the gills. After it was all said and done; I had survived the holidays and finally had a brief moment to myself, I got to thinking. Boy do I have it wrong and do the horses have it right. I truly want their life. They work maybe an hour or two each day, except at shows when they work a bit more. But in exchange for that “heavy” work load they are pampered and fed and cleaned up after and blanketed and coddled and cared for and, and, and, and! I think I am very jealous! They don’t worry about buying Christmas presents and not over spending and entertaining, they just wait to be served their meals, worked when it’s time, be turned out for play, blanketed when its cold and checked on several times each day. That is the life we should all have.
They take and enjoy each day as it comes and don’t differentiate between Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year Day, or any other day of the year. They just enjoy each day for the simple pleasure of what it is – a 24 hour period to breathe in the fresh air, eat, sleep, hang out with their friends, play, and yes, that little bit of work. What are we thinking? How many of us waste a portion of each day stressing over how much we have to do rather than just getting done what we can or worrying about things over which we have absolutely no control. That would certainly be me.
So along with losing 5 lbs (ok maybe 10), having better eating habits, getting organized, and sticking to my to-do lists, in 2010 I also resolve to be a lot more like my horses. I will work a little less, stress about it a lot less, enjoy each day for what it offers, enjoy those simple pleasures and love unconditionally. Because we all know that is the one thing that horses and dogs really have right, they love, unlimited, unabashedly and unashamed and unconditionally. They just love and they don’t hesitate to show it.
How many of you have New Years resolutions? It is the time for it. Any related to our four-legged friends. I would love to hear them. Did anyone else stress about the holidays like I did? I just had the hardest time relaxing and enjoying them this year.
I do hope that everyone had time to relax and to spend time with family (2 legged and 4 legged) and to enjoy life. I also wish everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful year of enjoying those simple pleasures like being in the company of a horse.
Also as an addendum to this post, I have already broken a little bit of my own resolution by staying up most of the last two nights stressing over a colicky horse. The impaction colic was brought on by this 3yr old eating the tails of two of his neighbors. As of this writing he is finally passing oil and should be fine but both his owners, his vet and me have been quite worried and were on the verge of taking to a referral hospital for surgery last night. Yikes, that is not the way to start the New Year. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent him from chewing/eating any more tails. We have been spraying the tails of his neighbors with “no-chew” spray but it has been only marginally successful. I could go to hot-wire to keep him away but then I also deny him social interaction which I hate to do. He is practically free fed so his motivation is not hunger. We are going to get him some stall toys and a “lick-it” treat to see if that helps but I am open to any and all suggestions. I look forward to everyone’s comments.
11 comments:
Enjoy! That's my word for 2010. I have everything I've ever wanted, now I get to appreciate it every day.
As for the horse is a tail eater - is he bored and needing more turn-out?
Hey, Teri,
Great to see you back. I do have NY's resolutions. I'm going to ride my horse at least 4 days a week. And, yes, as of tonight I'm back in the saddle. I rode 20 minutes. My mare seemed fine. Her leg is still swollen, but she was rarin' to go.
I'm all for slowing down and enjoying life.
As for the tail chewer, I wonder if he's lacking something nutrition-wise. You could try adding kelp to his diet in case it's minerals that he's craving. If nothing else, it will improve his overall health.
Yes, horses do have the right life, don't they?
That makes me worry about my filly because she chewed her mother's tail off. A couple of weeks ago I separated them for weaning and she hasn't touched the other horse's tails so I hope it was a passing phase.
Thanks for the ideas on the tail chewing, the colt gets daily turnout but we are getting him toys in case its boredom. He seems to do it primarily at night.
Great idea Susan on the Kelp. We are going to try that. Do you have a particular source/brand that you recommend?
Glad to hear you are back in the saddle Jami, that is something I take for granted. I assume you are iceing her leg? Do you know anyone in your area with a Game Ready machine. It is an ice/compression machine for leg rehab in horses. I have one and it works incredibly well. You can rent them, I think, as well.
And Fantastic Voyager, I would give your baby a bran mash loaded with mineral oil just in case. I would also spray the tails on her new neighbors because I have been tod that once a baby starts chewing, they will do it again if given the chance. Evidently in can be like cribbing and release and endorfin response.
Make it a great day all!
I ended up sick throughout the whole holidays and new year...bummer! maybe too much stressing over having everything holiday perfect...new year resolution: live in the moment, celebrate even small achievements & have fun...i need to stop taking life so seriously....
Tail chewing is relatively common, but this is the first time I've heard of a horse colicking because of it. Usually all the concern is for the horses that got "chewed", and who look awful (!) That said the only cure I ever knew was to deny the chewer access to tails. Sometimes it seems to be a phase--they do it for awhile and then they quit. I hope your colt is doing OK, Terri.
We use Thorvin kelp and feed it to our horses, cattle and goats. I believe mineral supplements are really important in human diets as well.
My mare is a tail chewer. I had an animal psychic give her a reading and asked about the chewing. She said, at least in my mare's case, it's like nail chewing - a bad habit that she probably won't stop. Right now, she's in a box stall. I'd rather have her in a pipe stall, but she can't have neighbors. It seems no one wants a horse with a bald tail - go figure!
My boss swears the irish spring soap is the nastiest stuff and you can use it to keep a horse from cribbing on things. Maybe it would work for tails?
Great suggestions on my tail chewing problem. The colt seems to be over his bout of colic but still, last night made a further attempt to redecorate his neighbors tail. We are starting to think he was a barbor in his former life. We have his neighbors tails doused in "no chew" and he now has stall toys, but we are moving to "hot wire" this weekend if the other things don't work. I really hope this is just a phase, he is only 3 and 1/2. I have also suggested the kelp supplement to his owner. And I am also going to try the Irish Spring Soap idea.
Geeze maybe he needs a teething ring! Here is to a relaxed, peaceful and happy 2010 filled with the little joys and simple pleasures. And no more tail chewing!
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