In Treatment-Equine Edition

Thank you, again, everyone, for your sweet comments and emails. Every single one was lovely. There is still something...not quite right about day to day life without the dog I've had since I was 19 years old, but it's getting there. A new normal and all that.

Anyway. Tonight I rode Miles for the first time in a week. A year ago that was par for the course, but there's usually a reason if I don't get on him at least 3 times a week these days.

I've still been going out to the barn, though. I know you all know how amazing horses are for healing after something rocks your life. This is the first...life altering thing I've faced with Miles though. Tough times? We've done them, and he helped me then, too. There's something incredibly healing about Barn Time, though. I think it messes with the space-time continuum or something. Anyway, here's what it does for me.

It's been great the last few days to just go out to the barn, warm water in a gallon jug in tow. Mix up magikal beet pulp/alfalfa mash. Go out to the pasture where Miles (and usually LaShore) is waiting, ears up, nickering softly. The last couple of days chores at the barn were done early, and Miles had his nose deep in 2nd cutting hay-and he STILL walked over to me when I opened the gate. Sweet boy. I'm sure it has nothing to do with what comes next...

I bring him in and he slurps down his mash, some days with more gusto than others. I pull his blanket off and do our grooming ritual. I love the difference between his slick coat beneath the blanket and his fuzzy, teddy bear fur on his neck. I laugh when he takes breaks from his mash to sniff my hand for something yummier, or to snorfle my hair, leaving a big wet goober trail behind.

This ritual is better than medication, meditation, yoga, or just about any kind of therapy I can think of. I don't exist in my head when I'm at the barn. I'm very much in the moment. Even when doing something that comes automatically, like picking out his feet, I swear my mind is either calm and blank or thinking about that hoof-is it clean and smelling good? Was that crack there last week? I should probably do his thrush treatment just in case since it's been awhile....on and on. It may sound monotonous, but it's not. There is something wonderful about caring for a horse that lets you block out everything else without even trying. There is no world outside the barn. Let's put it this way-it's literally the only place I go without my cell phone, unless of course I want to take grainy pictures or video.

So, it's been nice just existing in peace with my pony. Last night I lunged him and tonight I rode. He's been great-a little ouchy yesterday after his recent trim, but much better with his Cavallo boots on tonight. He takes awhile to warm up still, but we ended the ride with him moving forward and relaxed, happy that a little mare came to join him for a lesson in the big scary nighttime indoor (daytime indoor is apparently completely safe).

A little birdie told me that we will be getting a couple plastic Block-type standards for ground poles to continue our quest to be Best Cross Rail Jumpers Ever. Until then, I'm happy to just Be, in the one place I'm able, with my favorite Furry Thoroughbred Goober.

If he was smart he would start charging me by the hour. I think the least I can do is bake him some of his favorite horse cookies for Christmas, to thank him for his services.

Professur Milez sayz ur tyme is up.