What you pray for…….. Another lesson from the Pen

There are days that among the lessons that Sis has brought to me, is the reminder to laugh. I don’t mean to just chuckle and go on my way. I mean doubled over, tears and snot running, belly laugh, kind of laugh.. the kind that is surely something we should do more often.

My morning started out, just as I had planned it, down the t – – —  I was pulling into the Beaver’s Ranch 9:00 am on the dot.. and secretly, just a little proud of the fact. I had gone over in my head how today’s “lessons” would happen. First; I would grab the training halter that ranch owner/ friend/ sister/ Danette was gracious enough to lend me, put the “Clint Anderson” training stick along the fence, along with my camera and a bottle of water, and cell phone ( you know for 911). All was going well. So, I quickly went and gathered up Sis and we did a couple backing up exercises as we made our way to the round pen… So far it was all perfect.

As I swung open the round pen gates, Sis trotted in like an old pro – – – no negative attitude that I could see, today was going to be a GREAT day…. Then out of nowhere… as I lunged her around the perfectly constructed round pen, courtesy of son Matthew and hubby Tom, the coughing began… Her… not me….

Now, it is only fair that I interrupt this little tale to explain… having things “sick” that cannot TELL me what is the cause, is…. well… NOT my strong suite. I can best explain by sharing with you, how truly neurotic a mother of infants I was… Cause and point… Baby #1, my sweet little Thomas.. a more perfect baby there could never be… He wasn’t fussy, he slept all night early on….didn’t stick weird stuff in his mouth or up his nose…..He was text book, everyone said so. So, why then did I FREAK OUT every-time something went wrong…?  well, great question. There is just something about being responsible for another breathing thing, when they cannot tell you what is wrong, well.. it is just unnerving for me. Like the time he had his shots and went into seizures….. I called 911 and sounded like a crazy women who needed to be locked up.. thankfully (not) the dispatch had me on over the airwaves so that ALL the EMS in the county could share in the experience.

Or the time when Thomas went down the stairs in his stroller, I scooped him up, throw him into the car.. drove to the ER, handed him to the on duty nurse and I passed out cold…. It all came flooding back to me today I again had the need to scoop up this 1200 pound “baby” and rush it to the ER…..thankfully, my friend and amazing horse woman came around the corner just as I contemplated how exactly I was going to not only pick Sis up but cram her into my jeep……

Danette calmly felt around Sis’s neck and looked in your mouth and up her nose and  quietly suggested (as I was wigging out), I think she might have allergies, lets try some cough medicine. What? I could hear my head bursting….. NO ambulance, no ER, ?

With that, she sent me off to get some “Cough Free,” and pig food (that is another story). Upon my return I quickly read the directions and opened the container to scoop up the meds. As I found out a few moments later, Sis and I had the same reaction to the way the stuff smelled.

Having been conditioned that ANYTHING coming from her little blue bucked was a “good” thing, a treat really, Sis’s nose dove straight into the bucket.. her tongue swiped up a mouthful, only then to jump back, look at me as if I had betrayed her in the worst way, let the grain literally fall out of her mouth, shaking her head from one side to another to help is repel faster….and …..I . KID YOU. NOT …. that silly mare then dragged her tongue in the dirt to get the “cough free” taste out of there…..

Now it probably didn’t help when I started laughing so hard that I snorted.. reminding her of the pigs that she is terrified of.. but, truly… I had never seen a horse work so diligently to remove a taste from your taste buds… and may I delicately add.. that when a horse will drag her tongue over a place where she poops to remove and herbal solution from her memory.. something is well… wrong.

I am sure that there is more than one neighbor who is no longer wondering about MY sanity. After watching me convulse in the pen, I am guessing if they were on the “fence” on that issue, they aren’t any longer….

I am not sure how it happens… Out of all the horses in the entire world, I managed to find the ONE that is my equal in every way. her temperament, her inability to put up with too much nonsense, and her lack of subtlety is well…. priceless.

I guess we should all be careful  what we pray for.