Sierra began her journey home on Thursday, November 5. Naturally, a winter storm warning was wreaking havoc all over the central and northern area of the province, so I was anxiously keeping an eye on my phone awaiting updates. I hired my friends who have decided to go commercial when it comes to hauling horses, so I trusted their skills behind the wheel. They had previously advised me that it would be a late night, and offered to stall Sierra at their place for the night and bring her over on Friday. With a tiny human, I obliged because I wasn't keen to pack her up at midnight in a snow storm - plus I'm sure after a harrowing drive, Sierra would like to get tucked into a cozy stall.
As I anxiously waited to hear from them on Friday morning, I assured them not to rush as I was home all day - however secretly, I couldn't wait for her to get home. Their arrival lined up perfectly with nap time, so I put Eowynn in her crib and zipped outside 10 minutes before they were due to arrive to put some hay and water out for her. I had decided to keep Sierra in a paddock and away from the other horses since she was at two different barns with various different horses. Normally I wouldn't particularly care and would take the risk, but a friend has kept her horse boarded here through the winter and it's one thing to put my horses at risk, but unethical of me to risk hers. When I first got Sierra she lived in a paddock and did very well, but the following year she did not handle it well - in hindsight, it turned out she had ulcers but I eventually caved and turned her out. I wasn't sure what to expect this time around. My back-up plan was to bring one of my horses up into another paddock if need be, but if raising a child has done anything it's vastly improved my tolerance for things that would normally give me anxiety.
Sierra arrived and I fought back tears; as she poked her head out of the trailer she literally drug the shipper to me, and it melted my heart. I knew in that moment she was meant to come home.. I just genuinely hope it's for good - that's up to her. As she happily took in her surroundings, we quickly exchanged pleasantries before saying our goodbyes, and I took her to her paddock.
She whinnied at the other horses in the pasture, a mere 100 feet away, and wandered around her pen occasionally glancing back at her friends hoping to close the gap. Eowynn was in the house sleeping safely in her crib, but I still don't like leaving her alone so the dogs and I ventured back to the house. Conveniently, she was just waking up from her nap and so motherhood took precedence, but that didn't stop me from frequently peeking out my door to see how she was doing - something I quickly regretted because for some time, ever time I looked she was galloping up and down the fence like a loser. I can only see part of her paddock from my house and a windbreak fence blocks part of the view, but regardless I checked back a little while later to find what appeared to be her just chillin'. On my next "nap break" I snuck back out to give her some cookies and check on her. By then, I had convinced myself she ran herself silly and was about to colic and die, but I found her quietly staring longingly at her friends with one foot cocked.
While I continued momming, I secretly hoped my hubby would be home from work early and maybe I could pop on her before it got too dark (Thanks Daylight Savings Time), and much to my surprise - my hopes came to fruition. I had a feeling it wouldn't be a nice, casual, relaxing ride and I wasn't wrong - but felt grateful nonetheless.
I decided to chuck my western tack on because #lazy, and ride in the big field which is attached to her paddock and separated by a gate. As I went to mount, my flat, leather soled cowboy boots were extremely slippery on the bottom of the stirrups, but she stood patiently for me to clamber aboard and waited for me to ask her to walk on. She marched onward with excitement, so I did a quick check-in before going to the field because I was just riding in a sidepull. She's always responded really well to it, but I thought it was wise to make sure that hadn't changed in the 2 months she had been gone. She begrudgingly obliged as I asked her to turn in a circle right before the gate, so we ventured out to the pasture and she immediately began to get a little jiggy. My wishful, but unlikely, hoping of a nice relaxing trail ride was out the window, but we spent 15 minutes walking around on mostly small circles. My stirrup fenders were so stiff from the cold and my boots were still slipping around in my stirrups so I decided to just kick my feet out, it's No Stirrup November afterall, right?
I’m glad she’s home too.
ReplyDeleteGlad she made it home ok! You definitely timed it right - roads are super sucky this weekend.
ReplyDeleteGlad she made it home safely!
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