About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Rest in Honor and soundness, my sweet Lazarus.

 Laz is in heaven.

If there is a heaven, he is surely in it, swishing his tail and mowing down plush Spring grasses that hopefully tickle his fat shiny Blood Bay belly. 

I hope he has full function of all four legs and is able to reach his sides with his neck and mouth to itch them. Something he didn't have for many years of his post racing, arthritic life. 

Laz, you were the best boy. 

You had innate kindness and wisdom in you. You would spook in place. One of my favorite traits. You would stop, analyze and then we would take our time to consider what it was. Such a smart and alert boy.  Curious and brave, we enjoyed most of our time just field hacking or when lucky with time and soundness, to enjoy a long trail ride. You were a water baby who loved puddles and splashing in the river and even tried to roll with me which was hysterical. 

You were never a naughty bad boy. EVER. If anything seemed naughty it was because I was being a dumb human and missed your communication. 

You gave me your trust and you fought very very hard and willingly as I tried my best to learn about your hooves and brought in countless professionals and tried my hand at trimming, booting, casting, dim, glue on shoes and more. For years, fumbling around and trying and trying and trying. You always gave me silly lips of play and encouragement, and sighs of relief or tiny kicks of "try again." 

Until the day you said, "enough." 

I'm so so glad, I decided to come back to the barn that evening. I was there to hear you and see you asking to go. I'm not entirely sure if it was only hoof related or not, but it doesn't matter. Whatever it was, it was enough and I know you never gave me that sign before. You were laying down with a face I have never seen before. I knew immediately it was time. My hands were shaking as I called the vet. At that point, it was so completely decisive as to what you needed.

On June 8th 2021 around 9:30 pm, as you were laying down by the barn with your two herd mates watching over you and knowing what was to come somehow, we were able to sedate you and hold your head and pet your face, cheeks, and eyes and neck and withers, and send you into a fast and peaceful death. 
It was honorable and peaceful. The sun was setting into a pink and lavender sky, the birds were quietly chirping slow evening calls and there was no other sounds as you heaved your last breaths....which ironically sounded exactly like when we would canter on the trails and you would blissfully exhale. I felt your soul leave your body. I felt the change. It was a whoosh. Your eyes changed. 

I hope it was easy and surrounded in love for you. You only deserved the most honorable death as such a gorgeous beast. You had myself, the barn owner and the vet--three caring females all around you. All who knew you and cared for you. I stayed with you alone for a while...until almost dark. I stepped away, and your buddy, Pito, whom you have been with the last 10 years, came immediately to stand over you. Thank you, Pito, it made walking away a lot easier. 

Laz, you were the very best horse.  

A Breyer who came true for a horse obsessed girl who was finally able to rescue a horse as an adult. You carried all my love with such honor like a Royal Calvary horse.  You taught me so much more than riding. You literally taught me how to be a Mom, an advocate and a care giver. You were so gentle and silly, and smart. You took care of me while riding pregnant, and you always gently nuzzled Stone from inside my stomach to his 6 years of petting, brushing and riding you. 

I know nothing about your life in your 7 racing years, but when you were brought to place I was summer riding at, along with 40 other Thoroughbreds...you struck me with your kind eye. There was just something about you, I didn't know but you seemed sensible and wise and kind. You looked like 7000 other Bay horses, yet you didn't. I am so glad I took a chance on you. Even when the vet check failed and he said "he's got a lot of old injuries and arthritis" I was like "blah blah blah, he's going to be mine!!!!!"  I wanted a horse who could pop over X's and play on the trails with. We did pop over a few X's but soon our fate turned into something different and it was ok to let go of any goals outside of "I get to enjoy MY HORSE." I really cherished our time together, Laz, whether it was riding you, grooming you, smelling you, bringing you treats, helping out at the barn or just watching you enjoy your mostly retired life with a 24/7 turnout and open Kentucky style barn stalls. You never said "No" when I wanted a quick hack especially in the last few years. I like to think we took care of each other in many ways. I know you especially helped my heart and mind for years. 

Losing you is intense. It still feels unreal even though, I guess I've been preparing for it for over a decade. I almost lost you to laminitis, after only owning you 10 months. We fought hard my boy.  My friend, my horse, my pet, my riding partner. My passion and hobby, my time in the car even....all my free time went to you. I'm honestly a little lost currently as to where my horse love will go, but I will give it time. I am finding I wake thinking about your hooves, or plotting out my week for when I can sneak to the barn...but then, I remember. That's a bad and odd feeling. It's a new role, to have had a great horse and to have lost him.  I haven't even cleared my things from the barn yet...my car still smells like you. 

I'm forever grateful you came into my life, and in your last day made the decision for me. You were exactly the first horse I needed. I hope you knew how loved you were and are. I think you did, Bubba. 

You were a gift. Thank you.






Monday, June 6, 2016

Mason

How quickly things can change ....our sweet boy Mason was having cluster seizures this evening and we rushed him to the emergency vet to euthanize him. He was done and we didn't want him to fight or suffer through these seizures. He started having infrequent seizures after Pudgie passed in early October. He's been on medicine to curb it and we maintained a happy life for him and his seizures popped up once every couple of months. I don't know what triggered the cluster tonight, but it became clear, quickly, we were not going to let our boy suffer. 
I have had this gentleman for over 13 years. This is strange, sad and quiet. 
He was the best, very best loyal friend and family member. 
I am trying to focus on all the fun we had. We did have years of it. 
Resting on my pregnant belly in 2015...

I miss you my sweet baby boy. Your soul inspires me to live a full life happily as you did. I hope I will get to see you again somehow, my best boy. I love you. We love you. 

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Spring catch up


Hello! (Yikes, it's been so long....I'm not sure there is a reading soul left but if you are reading...thank you! And Hi!)
Things are going well despite my lack of allowing time to blog about us
Recently, I've been able to carve out once a week trail rides with my best Bay, Laz. Once a week for some of you daily riders (awesome and I'm jealous) is as great as it gets for me/us. It's part of my daily juggling act; which no complaints...I'm lucky!! It's working full time, being a mom and the barn being 35 minutes away (it actually is closer to me since we moved in December which is a huuuuuuuge perk)
What's also A.M.A.Z.I.N.G is having a beautiful Michigan recreational park, that I can ride to. No trailer involved. Easy and thank you! I am so so so so thankful I moved to this private residence barn, now almost 5 years ago, right near Kensington. I'm the only boarder currently and it's been great. Laz has done so well since the day we moved here and is very content in his free turnout life. His has another OTTB gelding and a welsh pony mare to play with. 
Below are some photos from our recent trail rides:
Swimming in the river
He splashed in the water for 15 minutes. I have videos of it on my FB and IG

Oh, below is a photo of Stone my son (now almost 17 months) and his best dog brother, Mason who is now 13!!! No more barn time for Mason as his arthritic body can't tolerate a car ride anymore or walks longer than several minutes. It's been an adjustment and he is in daily support and care until we see he isn't as happy anymore. It's not far away, as heart breaking as it is for me...he is my Regal boy and I want to do his loyal heart justice with a happy end. 
In the meantime my heart is so happy that Stone gets to love on him. I'm happy Stone is a Mason lover

A quick work lunch, time enough to run and kiss my pony face! Sometimes my clients live close out towards the barn so I will always sneak in a quick visit and a snuggle and an inhale of "ponyatherapy"
Trail ride out in one of the big fields. This is always when Laz squeals and tries to pull a naughty act of "let's goooooo!" 
Trail along the river. So so lovely
The best area to canter through...
One a quick road ride where we work on touching all things. Garbage bins?! Sure. Touch it. He's awesomely curious. I love this horse. 
Around a narrow bend of a trail 
The glossy spring coat in full effect
My nugget. Sorry not sorry. Can't help it! He's my lover. 
Ponying the pony on one of our trails. It's amazing how well they all get along as a herd. 99% of the time. Laz was GREAT as letting me pony her. I was super super proud. We had some tight maneuvering at times on the trail or times where the lead line snuck under his tail and he was my steady eddy. 
Riding in the pasture with spring daisies. 
"Jumping" aka walking or trotting over the pole. I do miss jumping. One day. I keep hope. His hoof is still changing for the better. The wedge is almost all gone and I am wolfing on building the heel buttress up vs being so underrun. 
My sexxxxxxy guy. I luv him. He truly is a fantastic soul. 
And I do post on Instagram way, way more often....so I'd love to have you follow along there. Below is a screen shot of my IG name 

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Hoof update for Laz


For those of you who don't know, Laz foundered a billion years ago (7 to be exact) and I/some amazing trimmers have been working on rehabbing his right hind hoof since. We have gone through 5 trimmers and back to our favorite who works with us long distance and helps correct/maintain and I trim in between. So Laz may get trimmed 4-6x by them in a year and I whittle every few weeks in between. 
Anyhow, it's been a long while since I posted about it. Here are OLD photos from October 2014....

Soft crushed sole with so much bar issue/damage

Laminar wedge. Yikes. And off bi laterally big time  
Crushed heels
Wedge and bruising oh my

And now some comparisons from this past week:
Some positive growth. Currently using silversol spray 
Seems like toe can still come back a ways BUT I get nervous to bare too much off so I will discuss with my trusted trimmers 
Much better connection happening in hoof wall as it grows down and out
The sole is still soft in parts but the wall in beginning to develop a bit better. Heels are still crushed and forward/long toe but I'm slowly pulling back allowing the sole some elevated protection-it's so flat. Hard to tell from sole shot photo! 
Thoughts?!