DOG FACTS

Dogs are pack animals by nature and enjoy companionship.

A dog can hear sounds from 250 yards away.

Dogs are direct descendants of wolves.

The Basenji is the only barkless dog in the world.

There are 701 dog breeds.

HORSE FACTS

a stallion is a male horse
a mare is a female horse
a foal is a baby horse
a filly is a young female horse
a colt is a young male horse
a yearling is a foal after its first birthday
a sire is the word used for the father of a horse
a dam is the word used for the mother of a horse
a pony is not a baby horse. It is a fully grown small horse
a horse’s height is measured in hands. One hand = 4″

DOLPHIN FACTS

Unlike any other mammal, dolphin babies are born tail first.

A dolphin’s dorsal fin is as distinctive as a person’s face.

Some dolphin species can swim up to 25 miles an hour for long periods, more than three times faster than the best human swimmers.

Some dolphins can hold their breath for as long as 30 minutes, while others have to breathe every 20 seconds.

The largest member of the dolphin family is the Orca, which can grow to 30 feet long.

SEA TURTLE FACTS

There are 7 species of sea turtles:
Green
Loggerhead
Kemp’s Ridley
Olive Ridley
Hawksvill
Flatback
Leatherback

A sea turtle cannot retract its limbs, head or neck under its shell like a land turtle. The shell adaptations necessary for retractile limbs would impede rapid swimming.

Sea turtles can live up to 80 years.

During the first year after hatching, many species of sea turtles are rarely seen. This first year is known as the “lost year”.

Green sea turtles can stay under water for as long as five hours.

WHALE FACTS

There are 2 types of whales: baleen and toothed. “Toothed” whales include dolphins and porpoises.

There are 11 species of baleen whales:
Blue Whale
Gray Whale
Bowhead Whale
Fin Whale
Humpback Whale
Minke Whale
Narwhal Whale
Pilot Whale
Right Whale
Sperm Whale
Beluga Whale

Some whales have a lifespan similar to humans. The blue and the fin whales can reach up to 85 years old.

Blue whales are the largest creatures on earth and can be as long a 2 buses. They can produce sounds louder than a jet engine and communicate with other whales up to 1000 miles away.

GIRAFFE FACTS

For a long time people called the giraffe a “camel-leopard,” because they believed that it was a combination of a camel and a leopard.

Giraffes only sleep for a few minutes at a time, usually no more than 20 minutes.

A giraffe is able to clean its ears with its own tongue.

Giraffes can go without water longer than camels can.

Newborn giraffe calves begin their lives by falling 6 feet to the ground

TIGER FACTS

Most tigers have more than 100 stripes, and no two tigers have identical stripes.

A tiger’s roar can be heard up to a mile away.

Tigers walk on their toes.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

Tigers are largely solitary cats and are most active between dusk and dawn.

PENGUIN FACTS

There are no penguins at the North Pole.

All 17 varieties of the bird are found in nature only below the equator, primarily in the Antarctic.

Penguins in the Antarctic move quickly on the ice by tobogganing on their bellies.

Waiting For Rocky

The past week’s temperature had been in the 40s. Finally, yesterday was warmer and the sun was shinning. It has been a long time since I have gotten on Lady and I thought that since the day was gorgeous I would go up there before I fed and ride a little.

I have to keep my tack at my mom’s house because my house is too small for all of it. So I stopped by to gather my things, say hello to the pony, and head on over to the field where Lady is. I pull into the drive and noticed that Malin was there with her trailer. She is the woman who is helping me tremendously with Lady and she was the one who set us up three years ago. She told me that she was getting her horse Rocky to bring him to her house for a little bit because the dentist was there for him.

Rocky walked onto the trailer like a gem. The girls on the other hand where screaming. They didn’t know what was going on and why Rocky was leaving. I told Malin that I was going to ride but I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn’t going to happen now that Rocky was leaving. I knew that Lady was not going to behave and the fact that I haven’t ridden her in a long time; it wasn’t going to be a good mix.

Malin gets the trailer all set and ready to go and drives out onto the road. Summer, the other mare in the field with Lady was screaming her head off like it was the end of the world. Lady on the other hand was just standing there watching and listening to the truck. She knew where it was and watched it pass in the distance, she so very smart.

Once Lady could no longer see or hear the truck she flipped which got Summer going too. They ran and ran, bucking and kicking and farting and making a racket. It was fun to watch and it lasted for quite some time but once they calmed down I got Lady’s halter and lead and tied her up to the fence post.

I got her all clean and shinny and looking like new. She’s so beautiful. Her winter coat has come in which has made her super soft. Once she was clean I just stood there with her and we hugged. I was waiting for Malin to come back with Rocky so that I could feed him and while I was waiting Lady and I were bonding.

We stood there for quite some time just cuddling and she started to dose off on my shoulder. I was just petting her softness and telling her that I love her and she’s a good girl. After a while there was a dog in the upper field that ran over and the girls and to go investigate. During this time I thought that it would be a good idea to get Lady’s dinner and get her blanket on for the night since I knew that the temperature was going to drop again.

The grain was in Lady’s bucket and Summer was doing her normal routine of trying to steal it. I had to get Lady’s blanket on and I knew Summer was going to push Lady away from her grain so I got a handful of the tasty stuff and put it in a separate bucket for Summer just to keep her occupied for a moment. I always talk to Lady when I go to put her blanket on because she likes to have an attitude but the most that she does is pin her ears back. But to my surprise she goes to kick me. I was leaning on her hip to get the blanket up and around her back and she kicked. Luckily it was only her hip that got me but I was so mad! This was the first time she has ever even tried to kick me in the three years that I have had her. I ran after her and yelled and screamed at her letting her know that kicking is not acceptable. I told her to go eat and to stop the nonsense. Once she was eating I again put the blanket on her. She tried to have attitude but I made her snap out of it.

Once that whole ordeal was over I was still waiting for Rocky to come back. The girls went up to the round bail at the top of the field and I got Rocky’s grain ready for him for when he arrived. I checked the water and filled it but still no Rocky. I then went up to sit with the girls and finally after another hour Rocky showed up.

Malin and I fed him and she told me how well he did. It was dark out by this time and I was a little tired. Luckily it wasn’t cold yet. Rocky is a great boy. I put him back in the field, locked up the gait and went on home. Maybe today will be a better day for riding.

Feeding Time

Now that Lady is at her new place I have to go feed her and the other horse there named Rocky at night. I like to get there around 6pm but now that it is getting darker earlier I think I have to start getting up there a little sooner.

It’s not just Lady and Rocky in the field, there is another horse there named Summer. She is a trotter and is, well let’s just say she doesn’t need any cookies, she is a little big for her size but she is a darling. All three of the horses there are bay in color. It is funny when you drive by; you have to really look to figure out who is who. I can usually spot Lady right off since she is the smallest at only 15.2 hands. Summer is that size but again, she is much more round in the belly. Rocky is taller and pushing 16 hands.

Due to the fact that Miss Summer is bigger and she could use a diet she doesn’t get any grain. I only have to feed Lady and Rocky. It is sometimes quite difficult with Summer being around. She is always trying to get at Lady and Rocky’s grain and I end up having to chase her away the whole time which is not something is enjoy doing.

I was talking to Summer’s mom about how I always end up chasing Summer away the whole time while I am there and she suggested either tying her up to the fence or just hopping on her back and riding her around the field while the others are eating. I thought to myself “ahh yeah, I’m gonna ride her.” Her mom said to just grab a halter and two lead ropes and jump on. I was a little skeptical at first but I had a good feeling about it. I got the halter and lead ropes and brought Summer over to a stump that was just the right size for getting on her. She was so good for me. She stood right next to the stump and waited for me to hop on.

Once I was on I was still a little nervous because I new Summer wanted to be with the others who were eating, she always tries to steel their grain, she is sneaky. But I made her stand there while I gathered myself up and then I gave her the smallest of smallest squeezes and we walked on. I knew that if I gave her any more of a squeeze or a click she would take off but she was great. I was telling her to teach Lady how to be as good as she was being. We walked around the other horses while they were eating and I gained my confidence with every second that passed. I was having a good time even though we were just walking around.

Lady and Rocky were done eating so I hoped off Summer and told her she was good and as always she ran over to the grain bowl to see if there was anything left that she could munch up. I just watched her and thought “ok, I’m going to do this every time!”

The next day, there I was, on the back of Summer. This time I had more confidence and we walked over to the water buckets to see if they were full enough. I knew on the way back that she was going to go faster to get over to the others who were eating and she did. Her being a trotter it felt like I was sitting on my couch at home, she was so comfortable. Normally a horse’s trot, well at least Lady’s trot, is bouncy but Summer’s is like I was flying. I can’t wait to go tonight to feed them!

Pony’s Time to Move

The very sad day came way too fast! I had Lady in the stall resting her hoof due to her hoof abscess and the pony was not happy about being alone. I knew he had to get used to it so I just ignored him.

3pm rolled around. I could hear the loud roar of the truck coming up the driveway. Malin, my old trainer, had her two horse trailer with her with a big smile on her face. I had a frown. My mom pulled up after her and hopped out to help Malin turn around. I had gotten Lady out to eat some grass and to be around for when the pony was leaving so she could say goodbye.

My mom grabbed his red halter and clipped it on him. He was so happy to be out it the grass and with Lady but he had no idea what was about to happen. I walked Lady up to the trailer so that the pony would fallow. He has only been on a trailer once in his life which was when we had first bought him. He walked right up onto that trailer like he had done it everyday of his life.

I put Lady back in her stall, locked up the door and ran to my car. My boyfriend Jim and I then fallowed my mom and Malin up the street to my mom’s house. The pony was not having a good time. He was jumping and whinnying, he was so upset. Malin had to pull over to make sure that something wasn’t wrong with the trailer; she didn’t know that it was him jumping around.

When we pulled into the driveway of my mom’s that poor pony was exhausted. We unclipped him and backed him out of the trailer. He was soaked in sweat. He nose was flaring from breathing so hard, the poor little guy was so scared. After walking him around for a minute or two to let him cool off we brought him over to the back of the house where there is a patch of grass. He had no interest in it. He was circling around me looking for his Lady. I walked him around to see the place and show him that it was ok.

After leading him around for some time to get him used to his surroundings I brought him over to his new paddock that my mom built for him. It’s a nice small little area, plenty of room for him to walk and run if need be. I let him go and he took a couple of step a shook. Poor little guy. He then walked around the perimeter of his new home and checked it all out, calling out for Lady once in a while but there was no one to call back.

The next day I called my mom to see how he did over night. She said that he did great. He was still calling out for Lady but was doing fine otherwise. He made a path around his paddock; my mom calls it his “merry-go-round” spot, very cute. Lady was also very upset. She ran around looking for him when I put her back out into her paddock. She yelled and yelled for him, hoping that there would be a response but there was nothing. It’s very sad to not have my cute little pony right out back but I know I can go visit him when ever I want or need to get a pony fix and that makes me happy.

I pulled this news article from Statesmanjournal.com. With today’s economy I am noticing that people are having to get rid of their beloved animals and are facing hard really times. The impact HAS to be showing with the healthcare of animals at the vet’s office as well. I have three horses and two dogs…and I treat all injuries/sicknesses that I can myself, but I do still take my animals to the vet when it is needed…however, there have been many times I cringe when I get the bill! Are fewer checkups the answer to spending less? Or does it create more problems in the long run?

Financial hardships can extend to animal care
Veterinarians schedule fewer annual checkups as clients spend less.

As U.S. Census data released Monday confirm, the economic downturn is altering Americans’ lives and behaviors in many ways, from homeownership trends to commuting habits.The pinch even extends to the realm of veterinary care, and some Mid-Valley vets are reporting a change in demand.

Dr. Kim Erbes of Salem Veterinary Emergency Clinic said traffic is down about 10 percent to 15 percent in the past year. More clients also are capping their expenditures; when they do come in with a sick or injured pet, they also come with a clear idea of how much they’re willing to spend, Erbes said.

The clinic treats 200 to 300 animals per month and has the equivalent of three full-time doctors and about a half-dozen other staffers.

Erbes said she has noted a trend of pet owners waiting longer to seek treatment for their animals. “They’re thinking and hoping their animal is going to get better,” Erbes said. When they finally come to the clinic, the animal’s illness or injury often is worse than if the owner had sought treatment earlier, Erbes said. “People think they’re saving money by nursing the animal at home, but they’re not,” Erbes said.

Still, she emphasized that pet care remains a priority for many people. “It’s something people have (some) budget for,” Erbes said. “People will always care for their pets.”

Dr. Julie DeMarco of Whole Pet Veterinary Care in central Salem said what people are willing to spend on their pets in a tough economy depends on whether they see animal spending as discretionary or not. “For some people, their pets are like children,” DeMarco said. But overall, her clients are spending less, she said.

VCA Salem Animal Hospital reports that during a period of about four months earlier this year, fewer clients were coming in for annual wellness care for their pets.
The clinic reports more stable traffic now, however.

Dr. Richard Hillmer of Oak Hills Veterinary Clinic said this is the first year in his career — which spans more than 20 years — that he has noticed a downturn. “People used to say veterinary medicine was recession-proof,” he said. “It’s a little different this year.” Oak Hills cares for about 120 dogs, cats and birds each month. He said his clinic hasn’t seen growth this year, and clients are looking for cheaper options and holding off on treatment such as diagnostics.

Alternative savings

New office Whole Pet Veterinary Care puts the focus on alternative treatments, but DeMarco cautions against the thought that naturopathic treatments are always less expensive. She said in the long run, alternative treatments can reduce medical bills because animals are healthier.

Whole Pet integrates modern technology with acupuncture, herbal therapies and other Eastern remedies. “People want options; they don’t always want a pill,” she said.

Dr. Don Howard of Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital in southeast Salem said some clients looking to save money seek animal acupuncture as an alternative to surgery. The cost for a series of three to five treatments is $500 to $700, Howard said, which he said can be a savings of thousands of dollars over surgery options.

Second Teen Arrested in Horse Killings

AOL News..
A second arrest has been made in a recent spate of gruesome killings of at least 19 horses in Florida.

According to the Miami Herald, Santiago Cabrera, 19, of Hialeah, Fla., was picked up by police on Monday night and charged with armed burglary, animal cruelty, killing a registered breed horse and breaking a fence.

Police said Cabrera confessed to helping butcher two live horses. Horse meat is sold on the black market for as much as $40 per pound, according to CNN.

Equine meat brings such high prices because some people believe that consuming it can cure diseases like cancer and AIDS.

Cabrera’s arrest follows that of 18-year-old Luis Miguel Cordero, who was picked up by police last week. Undercover police officers approached Cordero, who stands accused of killing a horse at Lazy L Ranch in North Maimi-Dade County, and offered him $2,000 to slaughter another horse. Cordero agreed and was promptly arrested, the paper said.

Animal protection groups such as the ASPCA point out that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that eating horse meat helps fight AIDS or cancer. South Florida’s multicultural community, however, is made up of many residents who come from countries where it is customary to eat horse meat, CNN reported.

Lady’s Hoof Abscess

Seeing Lady everyday makes a big difference. I can see her every little movement and see if anything is wrong or has changed.

One day when I was out feeding her and the pony I noticed she was doing what is called “pointing,” which is when she takes her front foot and points it forward so that there isn’t any pressure on it. I was a little concerned because in the past she has done this before and it ended up being a hoof abscess. So I just kept an eye on her to make sure that she was ok and to see if there were any physical changes, I was hoping that she just bruised her hoof and that it wasn’t anything serious.

The days go by and nothing has changed. Lady was hobbling around and it was very clear to me that there was something wrong. I was getting really nervous because I needed to move her to a new place due to some landlord issues. When the pony was scheduled to move to my mom’s house I had my old trainer look at her foot to see what she thought. I knew that it was either an abscess or a bruise. I didn’t want to mess with it if it was a bruise because it would just make things worse for poor Lady.

Malin my trainer said that it was an abscess which I was a little relieved about because I had an idea of how to treat it due to her having one in the past. I remember what the vet did but I still called to make sure that I remembered it completely and that I wasn’t leaving anything out. He told me to pare it out with a paring knife, which I had when I was in school for my farrier class, and get all the nasty goo out and to make sure it is fully drained. Once that is done, then soak her hoof in warm water and Epson salts. This will help any more draining that needs to be done and will bring the abscess closer to the hoof sole. If the abscess does not get treated in time it can form at the top of the hoof where the hair meets the hoof and this causes much more pain and is harder to treat. After soaking her foot for about ten minutes, then wrap it up tight and make sure that there is pressure on the wound to help it close up.

My horse is the best horse to have when a situation like this occurs. She is amazing! I got the paring knife and pared out the abscess, she just stood there. I got the warm water and Epson salts and soaked her foot, and she just stood there. I then got a diaper, some duct tape, and made a “potion” out of Epson salt and bag balm. I put the “potion” on the diaper, put the diaper on her foot and duct taped it on, and she just stood there. She didn’t move and inch! I did this twice a day for a week and she was awesome every time.

The day came to move her to her new place. Her hoof was still ouchy but I had to move her and she did fine. I knew she would. It has been about two weeks now, the diaper booty has been off for a couple of days and she is walking fine. She still has a small limp once in a while but I think it’s just because she is a big baby, but I love her any way!

A Bad Day

I was outside yesterday getting some gardening done. The week had been way too hot for any type of outside activity so I was taking advantage of the cloudy weather. I had the pony out eating some grass as I always do and also had the dogs out just playing around, as I always do.

Over in the garden I was doing my thing, when all of a sudden I heard Dude attacking the pony. I ran over to Dude, who was already in submission mode because he knew he did something wrong. I yelled at him, telling him he was a bad dog and then ran over to the pony to make sure he was ok.

The way that the pony was shaking his head I thought that Dude had gotten his ear. I felt it and it was bloody. I was furious. I walked him into the barn and tried to cross tie him, which he’s not very welled trained with yet. When I was hooking up the cross ties I noticed his eye was rigorously bleeding. I freaked. My day had already been a mess and now I have to deal with this poor pony and the fact that his eye might be severely damaged. I was so upset and shaking. I knew what I needed to do and I usually can handle things like this well but everything was going wrong all at once and I just couldn’t handle it anymore.

The pony finally stood still enough for me to hook him up to the cross ties and I ran over to get something to wipe the blood away. His poor eye was all bloody and dilated and I feared that it was really damaged. I called my mom, because we share custody of him and told her the bad news and of course she freaked which made it even worse for me. But once again I calmed myself down and told her I would call the vet.

By the time I got the vet on the phone the bleeding wasn’t as bad but I still wanted to know what else I could do to help my little man. The vet said to keep pressure on it and once it stops bleeding to flush it out and then cold pack it and give him something to keep the swelling down like bute. I was so relieved! I thought that I would have to have the vet come out and that there was gong to be a huge bill and the pony was going to need some serious attention but it was all ok.

I really have the best pony ever! He was amazing. He just stood there and let me do what I had to do. I knew it had to hurt but he was doing his best at staying still. I took a look at his ear because I wanted to make sure that Dude didn’t get that too. It was bloody but not too bad so I checked the other one just to be sure. Come to find out it was dried blood from the terrible amount of flies that we have. I can’t find the proper fitting fly mask for him so unfortunately he gets eaten.

Once his eye looked alright I let him back out in the paddock. Usually something like that with my other horse I would have put her in a stall but the pony, he would do more damage in the stall than out in the paddock. I felt that he would be just fine in the paddock and he was. I walked up to the house and got a small ice pack and grabbed a towel.
When I got back down to the paddock he was standing in the lean to being a great boy. I placed the ice pack on his eye and that pony just stood there. He rested his nose on my shoulder, letting me do what needed to be done. After a couple of minutes he would move, I think it was getting a little too cold and he was like “ahh it’s cold!” But after a few minutes he let me do all over again.

Once everything that needed to be done was done I walked up to the house and flopped onto the couch and just took a big, deep breath. What a day! It’s a little swollen today but it’s nothing he can’t handle, he’s one tough little man!

Walk in the Woods

It was a nice day out and the dogs were getting frisky. There is a little stream out back in the woods with a trial running along side of it that needed some exploration.

My boyfriend and I decided to investigate it to see where it leads. We were heading down to the back of our land where the stream is when he said “why don’t you bring Lady along?” I thought, hey why not. She is a good girl and she needs to get out and see what the woods are like. She has never been on a trial before and I wanted to see how she would react. Would she freak out and not want to go and try running home or would she just come along for the adventure? I grabbed her halter and walked her out of the paddock. Pony of course tried escaping but lost the battle. He hates being left by himself; he ran back and forth trying to get to us.

To get to the stream you have to climb down a steep hill. I wasn’t sure how Lady would do so I kept talking to her, letting her know to go slow. She did great. We got to the stream in one piece but I had forgotten that she is not trained to go in water. I walked her up to the stream, I had a feeling that she was going to try and jump it so I moved off to the side. Not to my surprise, she jumped. Mud and water went flying and all in one second she was on the other side of the stream with the look in her eye as if she had just seen a ghost. I walked over to her and patted her on the neck and told her she did well.

Dude went running around as he always does. He loves the water! Charlie on the other hand, not so much. He tries his best to find a way across without getting wet. Then Dude runs up next to him and splashes him with a big wet wave. Lady was just standing there taking everything in. Again, this was her first true time being in the woods. We kept walking up the trial. She stayed right next to me and not once did she try and take off. Out in the distance, there is the sad sound of the pony whinnying.

We walked and walked. The dogs would run up ahead then run back. They were having a grand time. The trail then forked. Jim and I wanted to fallow the stream to see where it led but the trail didn’t go that way. Jim went ahead and made sure that there was a way for us to get through. Lady and I followed, walking under and around trees. She was so good. A couple of times me and her had to stop and wait for Jim to clear a path for us. Lady wouldn’t stand still; she wanted to go be with Jim.

We got to the part where the stream met the river. It’s a big river and Dude was in his glory! He jumped right in, no questions asked! Lady was just staring at it with the look in her eyes as if she was saying “please don’t make me go in there!” Charlie just hung back with Lady and me while watching Dude fool around in the rapids. We got to part of the river where there was a patch of grass. I tied Miss Lady up to a fallen tree and she just hung out and ate the grass. It was so nice to see her out and about in the midst of all the nature.

It was time to head back home. The bugs where thick and it was getting late. We got back to the stream near home. I took my shoes off and went in the water to try and help Lady understand that it’s not going to hurt. Again, I stood off to the side to avoid getting squashed by her if she were to jump. She tried, but I stopped her. I tried walking her in over and over and eventually she got it. She didn’t jump it, she ran through it but at least she went in. We walked up the steep incline and headed home. The pony was so happy to see us! Jim and I let Lady stay out on the lawn to eat some grass because she was so good. Jim has never really bonded with Lady before this day. They both did really well!

Lady in the field

My friend Calli came down to visit me from Maine one weekend. I thought that it would be great fun to take her riding. We had never been riding together before so it was something we “needed” to do. My horse Lady, I don’t trust her with anyone due to her crazy, flip out moments. But my landlord had a horse, Moe, at the house that I knew was safe for her.

Moe was the type of horse that I could but my five year old sister on and not be worried. He was one big lug. He was a chestnut with a star and was about 16 hands tall; a big horse but with no worries. I had always enjoyed riding him because he never gave me any lip. If I wanted to jump he would jump, if I wanted to canter he would canter. He also had breaks, which is key. He was a great horse to ride, comfortable too. He was so good that when it came to dinner time, all I had to do was open the gate and he would run right into his stall without any problems.

Lady on the other hand, she is a whole other story. She was a rescue and an ex-racer so she came to me with only one thing in mind, to RUN! She doesn’t know much about anything when it comes to commands and keeping things slow and that’s why I don’t trust her with anyone else. I have been trying to train her to jump but when we get up to the rail she rears. Even if the rail is just simply sitting on the ground she freaks. If I want her to trot, it turns into a canter and ears back in I want to run mode. She really needs an experienced rider, someone who has the confidence and knowledge. Now, I’m not saying that that is me but it will be if I keep riding her.

There is a field at the end of my road that I have always wanted to ride in. Just hop on and take off! So, Calli got Moe ready and I got my crazy girl ready. We walked them down, I didn’t want to ride them because I was unsure of how they would be with all of the traffic. The field has a small wooden fence with a couple of breaks in it so that people can get through. There is a base ball field on one side and a soccer field on the other. We walked them through the break in the fence and hopped on.
Moe was great of course! Lady…not so good. She freaked! She was rearing and wanting to run, run home that is! I tried and tried to calm her down but she got so scared that she took off running toward home which involves crossing a busy road. I realized what she was thinking so I made an emergency dismount. The second I hit the ground she stopped, looked at me like she was asking “what are you doing down there?” I was so mad! This was the first time I have “fallen” off of her.

Calli came over to make sure I was ok. I got up all in a huff and got back on. I rode her around a little bit more just to make sure she knew that I was not going to give up. Eventually I really wanted to take off. So I jumped off of Lady, handed her over to Calli and hopped on Moe. When I got on him I knew it was going to magical. He took off running, moving like he was flying! It was beautiful! I had never been that fast and in control before. Having such a big animal under me, I could feel his power. My hair flying in the wind, the breeze on my face, it was amazing! I came back around to where Calli and Lady were and got off of Moe with a huge smile on my face.

It was time to go home. The horses were tired and we were tired. On the way back out of the field I knew there was a little brook in the woods and I thought that the horses would like to get a quick drink before heading home. I walked Lady down to it and she, of course, didn’t like the idea of being there. I turned around and walked us back out of the woods. When we got to the edge of the tree line I stopped just to get my bearings. I stopped, but Lady didn’t. One moment I was looking over at Calli and the next I was looking up at my horse’s feet and belly. It all went in slow motion. I curled up in a ball, trying to get out of the way. Her feet never touched me. I got up, Calli ran over to me to make sure that I was ok yet again. Lady just stared at me again like she was asking me “how did that happen?” I was ok, no cuts, scrapes, bruises, or broken bones. I was lucky! By this time, I was furious with her. We walked back home and I didn’t let her miss one step. I put her back in the paddock and that was it until dinner time.