Hi, I'm Ev. I'm training to become a horsewoman. These are my adventures and misadventures. I'm green as hell, but so far, so good. I'm now learning from Bo (and sometimes his wife DeDe) at D&D Ranch in Pope Valley. I am extremely lucky to have this opportunity, I feel quite blessed, and I feel that they, and horses, have really turned my life around.
Solomon is my baby- a big old flea bitten grey Appendix gelding who is very kind and way too smart! I love him so very much. He is a rescue and was meant to be co-owned rehabbed, and maybe rehomed to a good home. He turned out to be over 25 years old with injuries that ultimately do not make him riding sound, so he is retired.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Massive update

First off, I want to apologize for the 15 days of no updates!
I got really stressed about a number of things and I let things fall by the wayside. I also went out of town for 9 days. I have a lot of pictures and some BIG NEWS though.
First the news:
You all prolly saw this coming.
I now own Solomon.
I'm panicked and scared but elated and relieved at the same time, if that makes any sense. The barn owner and her boyfriend (who owned Sol) had a bog blowup and he was told he had to leave and get the horses out of there asap. BO's ex was getting ready to sell him off to a not-nice at all buyer for yet another charro rodeo.
I wasn't really ready, I didn't have everything set up, but there was no way I was going to let him go off to a shortened life of pain and fear. He has given me so much of himself. He trusts me to protect him. I can't betray that trust. I look at his sweet, scarred face and that look in his eyes that says "I am so glad your found me, mommy," and I know I'll move the world for him if I can.
So a friend of mine rushed me out to the stables before he could get shipped off, contract printed out from the BAEN site in hand, and it was done. Now I'm alternating between smiling and thinking "oh my gods what have I done, oh GODS I own a HORSE."
I will do all I can to keep him safe and happy and healthy. I hope that I can keep him around here. I have found friends who really want to lease him part-time. Good people that I have known for many years, people whom I trust. I'm getting so many inquiries right now. I hope good, solid, caring people can come through.
If I cannot keep him and keep in WELL, there are good people who would happily take him. Joe from TB Friends is full right now, but if it comes down to it, he'll help me get him a forever home however he can. Some people who are known to be good folks are also willing to take him, though I would probably have to fundraise to get him shipped out there. Minnesota, for example, is pretty far away!
I really am hoping that I can keep him here, however. He is my baby and we have bonded quite a bit. So we shall see. I'm scared as hell but I love him so much. And now he is mine. It still hasn't really sunken in yet. Except when I get all panicked. Heh.
But I have photos for you!
15 July:
http://www.niceboots.org/~evergrey/horsestuff/Solomon0708/MenSol.jpg

The image “http://www.niceboots.org/~evergrey/horsestuff/Solomon0708/newhalter.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

17 July:
http://www.niceboots.org/~evergrey/horsestuff/Solomon0708/conformation.jpg
Our second ever ride:
http://www.niceboots.org/~evergrey/horsestuff/Solomon0708/riding3.jpg

One day I showed up and found this. Non-toxic paints. Heh. All the white horses were decorated by the kids one day at summer camp. Solomon did not seem to mind, thankfully. Oh and yes, that hay is terrible. They're getting better hay again, which makes me glad. I'm also having him fed an extra flake each day on top of the senior feed.
http://www.niceboots.org/~evergrey/horsestuff/Solomon0708/tagged.jpg

And finally, this is the day I bought him. He was very very unhappy with me because I was gone for 9 days and he was stuck in that awful pen with all those horses, some of which beat up on him. He had some nasty new bite wounds and his hooves were thrushy again. There was something that looked a hell of a lot like a boot mark on his rump. Instead of coming over and stickign his head into the halter, he faced the fence and made me reach up to secure it, heh. He went into an empty stall and I had to drag him back out again. He doesn't like that pen and he probably thought I'd abandoned him since I was gone for so long.

http://www.niceboots.org/~evergrey/horsestuff/Solomon0708/Myhorse.jpg

He didn't know he was saved from charro yesterday, but today all of my absence was forgiven, with the help of some slices of watermelon. <3

4 comments:

The horse lawyer said...

I am so glad you bought him. Now, can you get him the heck outta there?

Evergrey said...

Looking into it.
Right now the place is undergoing a major overhaul, if all goes well. I have high hopes for them, but I will not rely on it. Am researching other boarding possibilities. Maybe we will get lucky and get turnout AND a stall!

The horse lawyer said...

OK, I'll take off my worry hat. He looks about a million times better than the poor thin thing that we saw originally.

And, I have to admit, I think he looks kyoooot all painted up by the kiddies.

Evergrey said...

Yeah, haha, I had a moment of shock, but I spent the rest of the time laughing my ass off, I'll admit. He had a happy face on his other side!

The problem, well one of the MANY problems, with this place is that while you pay for full board, you have to pay more and do more stuff yourself to ensure proper care. They don't have enough shavings to go around and they don't clean the stalls very well. I paid for an extra flake of hay a day, and I supplement his diet with senior feed, too.
Of course other places cost way more. It might be worth it, though. If we can swing it.