The Writer Buys Another Horse

After Mocha, who bucked me off and gave me the concussion (but is happily with her new family in California)  and Molly, whose attitude to anything adults want her to do is “Make me, sucker!” though she goes kindly for children, I am now the happy owner of Kallie (barn name) who is a 15 yo registered Arabian with a lovely personality and attitude.   And mismatched front feet with some navicular issues.  Oh, well.  Lovely walk and trot, even with the mild lameness (which was aggravated at her former home by keeping her barefoot with a bad trim.)   Her X-rays don’t look horrible, but they are definite: she has navicular issues, always will have them, but they should be manageable with the right trim and the right shoes and avoiding activities that would aggravate the problem.   (No hard stops, hard turns at speed, much running under saddle, jumping.  Should be fine at walk, trot, and canter if not too much trot and canter on dirt or grass, OK on a hard surface at a walk if not too prolonged.  Crossing the ditch on the gravel crossing, fine.  Riding her on a paved road or gravel road for miles…no.)    There are no pictures of me riding her yet (I won’t ride her until she’s got shoes on) but here are a few of her being tacked up in crossties and a badly fitted halter and fly mask, and being ridden by my trainer, Laci.

She’s not a tiny horse; she’s just under 15 hands.  Laci is six feet tall.

 

13 thoughts on “The Writer Buys Another Horse

  1. She’s beautiful, and I hope she and you develop a good relationship and enjoy each other’s company. I always wanted an Arabian when I was a horse crazy little girl.

  2. Good for you. I hope that the two of you have a good relationship, and the horses feet difficulty will keep you from trying anything too dangerous.

    Jonathan up here in New Hampshire where the leaves are beginning to turn.

    1. Universes has decided I can’t be allowed in even w/username and password. Not sure why, but I can’t get in as Admin. So responses will be late (sorry) and brief (sorry) and appear as if I’m a visitor (mild grump.)

      A little over two months in, things are going well, though she’s still in boarding with Trainer Laci since though she’s a lot healthier, I’m not progressing as fast as we hoped in the abilities I used to have and still need in managing a horse myself. The eye surgery was only part of it. But we’re getting there. (Oh, and her hoof abscess appearing on Thanksgiving didn’t help either.)

  3. So glad your new mare is kindly and intelligent – lovely to have a horse you’re in tune with. Glad the concussion’s easing off too, that’s a tough one.

    Also delighted you’re back to writing. Really looking forward to reading Vatta’s Peace when you’re ready – so far I’ve had the willpower to not read the first two til the third arrives, but temptation may well be too much to resist!

  4. So far, though I haven’t ridden her (the horse & the eye surgery came too close together) she’s been sensible and Trainer can ride her bareback in a halter and shank. She didn’t have any difficult standing tied to Trainer’s trailer with two other horses, seeing the vet at a big busy practice, or having shoes put on for (I was told) the first time ever…at least, for years. I did have to hold her tail so she didn’t swat the farrier in the face while he worked on her front feet, which is where the shoes went. I won’t see her for two weeks now, to protect the operated eye from horse dander, manure dust, hay dust, and the general dirt that occurs in a stable.

    1. Kallie is now much healthier, has transitioned from wedge shoes to flats, has gained muscle in the right places from her therapy. In the meantime I’ve had eye surgery and have discovered that my riding skills have slipped enough that Trainer says I need a few more weeks before she’ll be confident I can do everything I need to with Kallie here at home. (And we just lost a week of riding to Kallie’s hoof abscess that showed up Thanksgiving afternoon.)

  5. Just finished a reread of the last 5 books in the Paksworld. I still get teary at the end. Keep wondering if the horse Dorrin gets is Arvids lost horse.
    And I still love the Girds cow scenes – though for some reason this time through I kept flashing to Terry Pratchett’s “Where’s my Cow”. On reflection I decided that Gird probably wouldn’t mind!

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