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Our Special Horse - Sage |
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I recently was taking pictures of all of our horses. After looking at them closer, I realized how special this horse really is. The short story version first.
Our family already had acquired a mustang the year before, “my wife’s personal horse”. I thought that I should have one as well, and we subsequently picked out this little lady, “my personal horse”. Then the price went up too high for us at the time, so we had to pass on her. Then a month or so later we received an urgent call, she was down; “malnourished”, injured and expected to die. The caller indicated that, if we wanted to try and save her, to come and get her ASAP before it was too late. She weighed less than 100 lbs, I was able to pick her up, and carry her to our truck. She was so weak that she could not fight me at all; she just lay in my arms like a sack of potatoes.
The picture is the second time she had a saddle
on, and the first time with a rider in it. She is so happy and relaxed
she is asleep. Thanks for the experience!!
Once at our home, we figured out how to get her up on her feet, which we did every 3 hours, to feed and water her. Every ounce of food that she received for the first 2 months of our ownership passed through our hands. I should also note that our two youngest children, then 9 and 5, took their turn assisting with the duties of caring for the sick, and did a fine job. Our 5 year old daughter provided the much needed love, of course! Watering a sick horse required some finesse, but we got-r-done. After 2 months I started to walk her out and let her chew on the grass. Roughly 2 weeks after that I started to jog with her a few yards daily, trying to build her strength. Then about 1½ weeks later, to the whole family’s great joy, she was able to get to her feet on her own.
Well the rest is history she is 2 now and loves people. She especially loves to have someone riding her, even though she has not been trained. A couple of weeks back, I put my 11 year old son on her back, “no saddle, no halter”, and she started prancing around our pasture, as if to say “look at me I am the most loved horse in the world”. She was so pleased to be in that position, I wish I could have had my camera for that moment. It was truly a Kodak moment.
She really is a “kids” horse.