It has come sooner than I thought it would. Spirit is leaving tomorrow, headed to a trainer about 30 minutes away for a month-long trial to see if she will work in her program.
I envision Spirit getting loved on by lots of horse-crazy girls, popping over little crossrails, doing ETI shows, and heading out on trail rides. I sincerely hope that it works out.
My emotions have been up and down and all around today. Right now I'm very sad. I miss her. She is a really wonderful horse.
Here she is in her fancy new leather halter with custom nameplate from one of our GLAPHC championships. She'll be getting off the trailer tomorrow in style!
Our final ride today was "long and low." Lots of stretching downward, lots of stretchy trot, and we worked on our walk-to-canter upward transitions, since I remember that being required in ETI shows. I know we've done it (we've got a bucket of ribbons to prove it!), but it's been a while.
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| Spirit's sideways ears, surveying the ring. |
We popped over a few little jumps, and called it a day. She was calm and relaxed, happy to be out.
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| She was perfectly behaved in the wash rack. Even when a horse next door tried to kill us. Repeatedly. |
Her birthday is on May 15th (turning 7!!), so I decided to make her an early birthday/going away celebration treat!
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| $10 of horsey joy. |
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| Happy early 7th birthday and going away celebration, Spirit! |
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| She enjoyed every bite! |
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| She's looking at me from the back of her stall. |
I don't know why but this last picture is making me tear up. Okay, okay, I'm completely balling right now. She's just looking out at me as I'm over by the barn, and I know that she loves me just as I love her. I've been her human for over 2 years. Wow this is so hard.
Deep breath.
Okay.
Farewell, beautiful Spirit! I wish you every happiness.
Today was also Day #2 with my new horse. I realize that in my crazy day yesterday and extremely late post I forgot to include some pretty basic details.
Bay gelding, ~16-2 hands, Jockey Club registered name: Bohemian Spirit. Barn name (for now): Bohemian. Born: May 20, 2005. Raced 12 times, but never broke his maiden (never won a race).
We interpreted his name as a very good omen. My first horse and absolute love of my life was named Bo, and of course there's fabulous Spirit. A good omen indeed.
Today hubby got to meet our new baby. We have a farrier appointment Tuesday morning so we can't do much until Tuesday night. Some pictures for your viewing pleasure:
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He was introduced to cross ties for possibly the first time, and was a total rockstar for getting hosed down. We also gave him some medicine for an inflamed cut on his forward left armpit, and a huge bucket of a tasty smelling feed concoction of beet pulp, rice bran, senior feed, SafeChoice Perform, canola oil, carrots, apples, and mints. And a cookie. He figured out what to do with the bucket right away.
I gave him a salt block yesterday evening and this morning there was a lovely little indent horse-tongue sized. He knows what to do with that too. Good boy.
Tomorrow he gets another turnout in the sandy round pen, then Tuesday the real fun begins.
It gets easier. Spirit will get to do things she loves and you get to play with your new guy. Hope you love him!
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