Ladybug luck?

So in preparing for tomorrow's 3rd round of xrays, I wanted today to be just relaxing and enjoying Lazarus. Nothing to stress him out (ie changing his Styrofoam shoes, which was a total struggle yesterday that we just couldn't do it) and to try to keep him calm and happy. I'm not sure what my gut is telling me. It doesn't feel great, and it could be because I'm nervous of a dismal outcome, or could be I don't want to jinx any good luck we may have. So, I thought, I can't do anything until I have any sort of news from the vet, which I will get in a couple days anyway...so today, we will just hang out with each other, in his stall.

Quietly to enjoy his company, his smell, his breathing, his chewing, his being.

So that is what Lazarus and I did.

When I arrived, he was just fed so he was mowing on his grass hay happily. Could that chewing sound be anymore soothing?

This is how his back looked when I arrived!

Did I mention, I groom this fine beast everyday. EV-ERY-DAY! He loves to roll in his bedding (actually anything) and it made me happy that he is rolling and able to roll/get up even with his laminitis. So I happily brushed him clean again.

I got this shot by accident. I try to bring my blackberry camera in with me to snap photos as I see fit. Being I keep my phone in my vest pocket, and usually carrots in the other, Lazarus usually nose bumps my phone just making sure it's not a carrot. This resulted in this photo, but actually turned out to be a nice capture of his perfect little 'star' which, is clearly a crescent moon!

I know I said, I was there to not stress him out, and just enjoy him, but OK, I did cry a little. Maybe a lot even. I'm just dealing with this roller coaster of this laminitis and it's tough. I'm trying to be positive and prepare myself at the same time, and all it really does is make me empathise with my little bay man and him trying so hard to get better.

So then, this happened.

A ladybug out of nowhere (well the sky I presume) flew into his stall and landed on Laz's ear. He quickly twitched it off while face first in his hay, and the little ladybug flew onto the side stall door..which I was able to capture below.

See that little lump above the wood grain knot?

It was this little Lady!

Now, I have to say it made me SMILE and think, "come on, that has to be good luck!" And didn't we learn as kids that the more spots the bugs carried, the more power to their luck! I swear I recalled that in a flash second. At any rate, I'm taking this as a good sign!

So back to loving sweet Lazarus. His ears are one of my favorite parts. I love love love the black tips and how they are getting so furry right now.

I love that Laz loves when I rub his ears. He is not the least bit ear shy, like so many TB's can be. He leans into the ear rubs and I often would rub his ears from atop his back, when riding him.

After giving him a gentle grooming to remove the shavings, I snapped this photo of his shoulder. One of my favorite blogs/blogger pals, KATE, had taken a photo up close of one of her mare's coat and I loved that shot. So, I attempted our own. His coloring has so much orange, red, brown to it making him a true blood bay.

Even though Lazarus is 100% TB (ottb), I think he has Arab-esce eyes. They are big, round and so curious and kind. He has had his days where those eyes are bratty, menacing and wild, but certainly not today where he was just a sweet baby boy.

This shot below, is a favorite (other than our good luck ladybug) and was taken while I was re-wrapping his leg wraps. Lazarus just gazed happily out of his stall door and let out a huge content sigh. I think he seemed happy to have some company inside his stall and I'm taking this time for our bonding to grow stronger.