What Do You Do

...When, after a nice day at the barn, you get in your car and check your email, to find a message from the owner of the barn where your very first horse, very first Love, resides. The email says that your Love "has been abandoned, physically and financially", and asks if you can take your Love back?

...When you talk to your Love's barn owner, to find out her "owners" haven't been to see her in a few years, and haven't paid her board in a year? The barn owner has exhausted her contact with these "people" (I use this term loosely). They don't want her. The barn owner understandably can't continue to pay for her upkeep, with her own financial difficulties, and knows you have offered her a home before.

...When, further into the conversation, you learn your Love has little to no turnout. She is given the basics...food, water, vaccinations, hoof trimming, occasional hand-walking. She is arthritic. Barn owner does what she can, but it is not enough (her words). No bute, no supplements, little exercise. She hurts.

...What do you do, when you have no job (and no certain promise of a job, beyond a second interview in 2 days), and your husband is working part-time for a University?

...What do you do, when the fact is when you WERE working, you barely had enough time for your horse (you know, what's-his-name), your dogs, and everything else? Not to mention barely enough money?

...When you have not yet spoken to YOUR barn owner, or other barns in the area, or rescue groups, or explored retirement barn options? Or even your husband?

...What do you do?

...You agree to take your Love. You will make it work. Because if any horse deserves it, she does. Because you have to be the anecdote to the pond scum who abandoned a 26 year old horse with a heart of gold. Because there is literally no. other. choice.

Mama's coming, my Love. I'll see you tomorrow, and I can't wait. It will be ok.

It will be ok.