It's funny that with all the time we have spent revering the horse, there is still the option of mistreating and neglecting this magnificent animal. The question of self worth comes to my mind. Does the abuse, neglect and the refusal to care for and protect a living being come from lack of respect for the animal and,or the lack of self worth of the human being? I am not sure...and, I suppose, that is a question that has to be answered by the human being. What about the horse? I wish I could say I knew for sure what Indy was thinking, and, there are times, as most horse owners will agree, I have a pretty good idea, but I do know this, self worth in a horse is the whole ball game! Dagobert D. Runes once said, "You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper". Kinda rattles your cage a little bit, doesn't it?
Still Skinny, But Looking Better
Everyday, since Indy came to Fieldstone, it has been an adventure. Over the last five weeks, he has gained 70 lbs.! His hives and thrush are both gone! He has been under saddle, no riders over a 115lbs, please, and he has been given a daily exercise program. He is weak and still needs a lot of walking and trotting. His left rear leg, the one that was so swollen when he came to us, has continued to present a problem. Dr. Kevin Smith, DVM, has evaluated it and has given us a few options in treating the problem. Once the physical challenges have been dealt with, we can continue to get Indy back to work and keeping him happy with the job he wants so badly. He has been telling us he is so wanting to get back to work. Indy loves being out with the other horses. In the turn out he rolls and then pops up and rears while boxing with excitement. He is excited to get out of the stall and has shown us some beautiful things while being lunged. Being worked with a Paseoa Lunging System, he has shown that he has quality strides, moving in the frame and just more than we had hoped for. He did brilliantly for about the first two weeks of having his shoes, probably because he felt so good. Then we started to see some of the physical quirks that had been there prior and that have slowly started to present themselves. No matter, Indy is still moving forward!
He loves spending the night out with Slim Shady and Princess Dixie and long walks in the farmland fields. Recently, the farm next door finished harvesting all of their root vegetables and left hundreds of carrots exposed in the dirt. On a walk one morning, Indy spotted all of the carrots about him and stopped, turned his head and looked at me. As if asking for permission, I told him to go ahead and help himself. He lowered his head and sniffed a few and looked up at me again. I picked up a carrot and dusted off the dirt and offered it to him. He ate it and that was all it took. I think we were the for the better part of ten minutes as moved about and feasted leisurely on the carrots at his feet.
Indy is having to regain his ground manners. I have to admit, I haven't really held him to it and all it is doing is getting him in hot water. The treats that he loves so much have made him mouthy and he has had to learn that that is not acceptable. So...no more treats. He has had to remember that I am walking him and he is not walking me.
The dark, cold winter of Indy's life has given way to Spring. It is time to be that horse that he has started to show to us. Who Indy is has slowly started to surface. He is healthy again, full of himself and becoming a horse that wants to work. We know that he is happy with a job and having a job makes him useful and raises his self worth and his dignity. That is the way it is intended to be. Indy is off on yet another adventure, regaining his honor, majesty and relearning the importance of his own self worth.
When God created the horse, he said to the magnificent creature: I have made thee as no other. All the treasures of the earth shall lie between thy eyes. Thou shalt cast thy enemies between thy hooves, but thou shalt carry my friends upon they back. Thy saddle shall be the seat of prayers to me. And thou fly without any wings, and conquer without any sword. ~ The Koran
