Friday, January 28, 2005

Owning a horse

I'm scared.  I want a horse, and now I have a horse.  Yeah, it's great.  He's a registerd Arabian, and he's great.  Here's the rub:  He's an expense.  My dad loves me very much, and he loves my kids.  If they asked to keep an elephant there, he'd reluctantly build a higher fence, and tell them to bring the elephant over, to see how it works out.

I now own a horse.  Mom and Dad are boarding him with Mom's horse, Blue.  If something happens or needs to be done, they'll see to it that things are taken care of.  A horse means buying feed, buying wormer, paying for vet visits, putting up hay in the heat of July, mending fence, healing cuts, and avoiding illness. 

A horse also means fun rides, grooming time, the "look" you get when you feed him, and the soft nose against your hand.  Am I blessed? Absolutely. Am I scared?  Oh yeah.  But I'm prepared to do what it takes to keep the monetary burnden off my parents and be realistic about how much we *need* this horse. 

No other parents I know would take this on.  Here's to my Mom and Dad.  The greatest when I was growing up, and more so today.  Here's to the folks who do the real work, while the grandkids swoop in on Saturday and claim to "care for" the horse.  Here's to the man who maintains the tractor to pull the bailer that bales the hay that feeds my horse.  (sound like the house that Jack built?)

I love you, Mom and Dad!  You let me realize my dreams as a girl, and now you're helping me let my girls realize one of their dreams!  I owe you....BIG!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, that was so sweet...  and so nice of you to say it out loud... (crimeny...I'm far too emotional today.  I'm all crying... <g>
~Amy

Anonymous said...

Your dad said that's really all he wants of you, for you to appreciate what he does.  

Anonymous said...

Just make sure you help with the hay.

Anonymous said...

It is so nice of you to appreciate your Mom and Dad so much.  They truly must love you and your children very much.  I am 62 years old and from the time I was 8 years old I always wanted my own horse.  I have been a widow now for 19 years and when you live by yourself it gets pretty lonely.  Well, one day I just picked myself up and decided to go to our race tract in Philly.  Smarty Jones was our favorite.  He won all the majors except his last race.  He had injured his leg and his owners decided to retire him.  I felt a big loss when this happened.  I decided to take my 8 year old granddaughter for a ride one day to our local tact shop.  Well, she had picked up an advertisement of a girl that was teaching horse training.  Now , myself and my granddaughter are taking horse riding lessons. It is really a thrill for me to see my granddaughter doing so well with her lessons.  I really would like to purchase this horse, after we are done our training.  I know there is alot involved but we both love it so much.  I feel like a queen when I sit up there on that saddle and ride this quarterhorse around.  Do your children help with any needs of the horse?  It teaches them responsibility.  Oh the fun that you can have with a horse.  I just love it when they walk up close to you and bury their big head in your chest, or when they have their head on your shoulder.  It is an everyday chore that you don't get a break from, not even if you are sick.  The horses still have to be tended to.  Yes,  you are certaiunly blessed for having lloving parents that want to help you fulfill your dreams.    Take the time to enjoy your horse and try not to consider him a burnden,  he was meant to be in your loving care.   Thank You for taking the time to read my comment.

Anonymous said...

Yes you are lucky indeed.  I too had a registered Arab named Star.  I had her for a year before she escaped her pen and was killed by a car.  She was a dream I had had since I was little and realized it in my 40 s. Now I have no horse nor a place to keep one but I still love everything about them.  My arab was a bay but she had the same proud way about her as Brat does (I think you really do need to change his name like your mother says).  God has a plan for everything and your getting your horse is just another piece of the plan.