Looking Back

Looking back on my day at the ranch, I am happy, excited and tired. As I was leaving the ranch today, I decided to stop and say hello to Moose before I left. As I wandered towards his new pasture, (he is now in the big pasture with the other horses) filling water troughs on the way. I called out to him, he did not turn but continued grazing, ok, I kept going up the line to fill the troughs. Next thing I know, there he is right up at the fence. I never knew for sure if its my hosrsie charm or the apples they think I might have. Sorry, Moose no apple buddy, I left them home in the garage by mistake. I petted him and figured he would go back to eating, he did kind of wander off, but he wandered back and followed me as I filled the water. It was nice, we chatted, I petted him and yes tears did try to spring to my eyes, and second thoughts about not adopting him, but as quickly as the thoughts and tears appeared they left. He is so cute, I bid him farewell, I will bring you an apple tomorrow big guy.

Today was one of those days that starts and ends perfectly. I spent time with Willie Nelson, yes Willie Nelson, but not the Willie Nelson of music fame but Willie Nelson of the horse type. Willie is a nice horse, I like horses that fall asleep when their legs aren't moving. Granite was like that we got a long great, I think Willie and I might get along great too. We had a nice day together, we wandered Shiloh. But not before he got to roll in the soft sand in the turn out. I have been advised that Willie, before he does anything, likes to roll in the soft sand before starting his day. I like a horse with a routine. Roll he did on both sides, that's good. Someone told me, when a horse can roll all the way over, that's a good sign. I like good signs, thanks Willie. Willie and I went for a walk and I groomed him, he was a very good boy and fell asleep during his super spa day service. Now, feet, different story, am I doomed when it comes to feet? My feet aren't so great. I put my back out trying to take the nail polish off my toes Thursday, are you really kidding me? Who puts their back out taking off their nail polish? Me. Back to Willie's feet, yeah not so great lifting up his feet, sort of ok, but not really. As I stood their, I proclaimed, really this horse came from a farrier and he doesn't lift his feet. Jill, gently advised me, it was probably not the horse but the person picking up the feet. Oh, yep that would be me. Jill helped me and we got the feet cleaned, whats a spa day without clean feet? I must work diligently at the feet thing. I think I am scared that their going to plant their giant hoof on my face, kick me in the shins, or somehow cripple me for life mentally or physically. Thought to self, spend more time doing things you do not like to do or are afraid to do, but must do, and it will get easier, that's my plan. Jill advised me I should ride Willie tomorrow, so tomorrow, I will ride Willie, speaking of those limbs, my face etc., Ok, well spend more time doing things you might be afraid to do, so your not afraid any more. that's my plan. All in all Willie is very nice, I walked him back to little vacation village and he was happy to return to continue his lunch. Willie is a 17 year old appaloosa, gelding and he is very sweet, laid back and loves to be brushed, and have his mane and tail combed. Not so happy about feet, but not bad, oh or is that my fault, yep, its my fault. I think Willie might do nicely, he reminds me of the type of horse Granite was. Willie is much smaller but that's good, compared to Moose he is a pony and maybe a hand or so smaller than Granite. I like Willie. By the way, I was completly exhausted after grooming and picking up Willies feet. Out of shape is an under statement, but I am working on it. Spend more time doing things you do not like and it will get easier, exercise defiantly falls into this category, "THINGS YOU DO NOT LIKE". Although, believe it or not, I have been exercising and I do like it. Prop up my kindle and read while I use my elliptical, not bad and time passes quickly. I actually did it for a whole 25 minutes the other day before I put my back out doing my nails. Backs fixed, so I will be back.

After all this hard work, I wandered in to the Cherry Pie area to relax ( little house and yard area used by volunteers and visitors and the breakfast club {older critters who get a special treats each morning hang out here every day)}. Sat out on the patio with Jill, Sally and fellow volunteers and horse owners, nice, chatted for a while, relaxed and then it was time to go.

Oh, by the way Aztec the young Llama has decided I look good to him. Yep, he keeps coming up behind me and well never mind. He needs to find one of his own kind that's all I can say, me and Mojo, a little pony of at Shiloh are tired of Aztecs advances. Good thing he is a big puffy ball. He always startles me and then it makes me laugh. Its a little embarrassing when your chit chatting and Sally yells look out and you turn around and he is poised to attack. Bad Aztec, but he is cute, he is young and oh well, I will continue to be wary of the silly Llama case he sneeks up on me when I am not paying attention. Sally says they are going to have him neutered, or gilded, I do not know what they call that when they are conducting this type of surgery on a Llama, but it will not come too soon for me. Actually its funny, and I like Aztec, who could not love this puffy little fellow who fell off a truck and ended up at Shiloh. I do not think it was a turnip truck, though. Oh, their goes Aztec following behind Mojo, sorry Mojo I gotta go. I love Shiloh, funny, sad, exciting, tiring, educating, I love all of it. How lucky can I be to have found this little bit of heaven. Yep, pretty lucky.