Bye bye Sparky

As a final insult, the pony's owner showed up today without calling, though we were told they would call first. My man and I were rudely interrupted - we'd been told 4-6 PM and it was 3. (In this photo you can see our hay rows, and the black pony standing down there in the lower strip.)

Oh no, wait, I mean this final insult. I asked, the owner, "Can you please let me get Baasha out so he can *see* the pony go into the trailer so he won't be looking for him?" The girl answered, "Oh, I parked so your horse can see." But no, she didn't. As we approached I saw that Baasha could not see where they were taking his friend. He was freaking out, of course. At that moment my man and I just stood next to Baasha, watching the pony be led away by the two women. I wanted Baasha to make a connection - it's someone ELSE taking him away, not us, and we're here with you. My man was saddened to see Baasha running back and forth, crying. It's not easy on me either.

Baasha called plaintively every 15 minutes for a few hours, and listened to the silence returning. I knew I had to distract him and thankfully we'd not let the horses on the hang (paddock by the stall) so it was full of new grass. I put him there and he went in the stall and I could see him scanning the mares across the street intensely. He was wondering if the pony joined them. How sad, I wish so much I could go back in time and say to her, "No, wait. Let me show my horse that he is leaving in a trailer!" *sigh* I also wish I'd said a list of other things.

But it was awkward. My man talked to her, "It's a shame it didn't work out." She seemed cold and perhaps was annoyed that her pony was not on the big field (I'm guessing), even though it lay in tractor stripes of cut hay. Her pony was given the larger grazing strip, and 2 flakes of hay this morning - I pointed to them.

The girl had completely forgotten about the medicine so I reminded her. OK that was me trying to do the right thing, when I could have just kept it, cuz chances are, it will never be used on the pony - he seems to be a relic to them, not a treasured pet.

I talked to the black one this morning, I call him Sparky for some reason, lamenting that he seems to have no one that loves him dearly. He has a good life, but he is lacking in some areas (hoof care) and that they say the flies are no problem really bothers me, because today I saw him fighting his swarm, fidgeting and nodding. That's no way to live in Summer.

Here is Baasha trimming the hay field edges, and the black pony watching.

Everything's changed

Baasha had forgotten about dinnertime. See when the pony was here, I thought I'd just give them one mash per day, instead of the two. Well tonight I called him and he came to his pear tree and looked at the bucket (tied to the tree) and his face lit up, "OH!? Another meal!" and I said, "Remember? Yah, it's good to have you back."

He is back. He's in his stall again, which he used to love, and he's noticing all the fresh grass growing next to it.

I owe him some attention. His feet are newly trimmed, and his coat is shining in the sun, each hair is glistening.

I washed his tail this morning and my man captured it on film. I love this photo how he's so politely standing ground tied, although he hates water. I am also amazed that he stood there for my while the pony was crying for him down below.

I bought him a kilo of carrots tonight and he did his tricks for me to earn them. My man keeps going out there to stroke him and talk to him, it's so sweet.

He's completely calm. That means I can be too.