Saturday, April 23, 2016

Midnight snack

I had a scary adventure with Lynn last night--a breathless midnight call, "Leave your dog at home. The horses are out and I might need help. Don and Mom. . ." If she continued I don't know she said; I either just breathed out, "Okay," and hung up on her or I simply wasn't awake to process the rest. Maybe it was that I was freaked out and heading to find clothes.

Ziva had eaten three pairs of my underwear earlier in the week (I know!! Three!), so in my panicked state, that was one of the things I focused on. I ran to the dryer and pulled out jeans and frantically pawed through until at last I found some. I also found my riding bra. All I could think of was we would be running in the tall grass and I need support.

I ran out to the garage barefooted and grabbed my muck boots where I sat on the front seat and put on socks and stuffed my jeans down into them. I had grabbed my bright orange rain jacket as well, thinking it was probably raining and I would be more visible than in my black feeding slicker. So it's obvious that I was awake and cognizant. But I couldn't get the car started. Then I realized I need to slow down. I was putting it in gear too fast and it was dying. Before I realized it, I was at the top of my driveway. I don't think I truly was completely awake and functioning until I hit 299, where I did not even pretend to stop at the stop sign.

Through all this, Ziva was laying on the bed. Barely one eye cracked open. That girl is a sleeper!

As I flew toward The Place (also know as Ten Firs), all I could think of was foundered horses. I could hear Shirley's voice in my head. I couldn't imagine how they got out, but I could imagine my horse especially, eating himself into being dead. The closer I got, the more questions peppered my brain. How did they learn that either one or all of them were out? What if they were eating next to the highway instead of the field?  I stopped freaking myself out with questions and prayed the rest of the way. Not only was I concerned about horses, but Shirley and Don's safety and health. I desperately worked on my breathing. My heart felt like it was pounding through my chest and I couldn't breathe.

I slowed down as I started up the passing lane--scanning, scanning. No lights in the field, no big, dark bodies near the road. I parked and then Lynn was on the four-wheeler next to me. "Get on!" She handed me the big spot light and we headed to the green gate. Shirley pulled up behind. After I unlocked the gate, dropped the chain that locks it, and dumped the grain bucket Lynn handed to me, Shirley hollered at me to go with Lynn, she'd get the gate.

As we drove up the hill to the "trailer court," dark shapes stirred. Eyes flashed. One, Two. Three. Four. Oh God there's four--I knew it, it's Jupiter out eating too much and missing--Lynn said she could hear me sucking in my breath with each count--FIVE!  At the same time, both of us saw that last dark body move away from the other one, "They're all here!" She breathed. "Our horses are all here! And they're sleeping." I breathed. They were calm and although surprised and circling toward us, they were acting as if nothing untoward was going on. They were happy about a snack, that's for sure. Although Jupes and Star probably thought that we were going to try to catch them to go out for a ride. Brady probably told them we must be going someplace new and fun to leave this early! But they settled down for a quick bite of grain (albeit a small one, since someone dumped the bucket earlier! Sheesh.).

So we patted all of them and told them to go back to sleep and headed out to find this other "small, red horse." Now that I could hear over my beating heart and prayer loop playing in my head, I heard Lynn's story. A truck driver saw a horse by the east driveway. He stopped and blocked the driveway and walked up to Bev's house to tell her. She went to her neighbor's house to call Shirley, who called Lynn. Lee was dispatched off to Hawkins Bar and 299 in general to put on the flashers to slow and warn people. We drove to the bottom of the driveway, Shirley jumped in with Don in the truck, Lee pulled up and said he saw nothing--no horse between The Place and Hawkins Bar. Lynn and I drove both 4-wheelers up the highway to the east driveway. Lynn flashed the spotlight all through the trees. No horse. We drove across the highway to Suzy-Q side. Again, no horse. We went home and put all the halters and 4-wheelers away.

I hung out with Lynn and Haley (who was over the top excited!) for about half and hour and then drove home. Shoooo. Breathe.

When I got home, I was wide awake of course. So I put on my new Tony Lama's and clomped around the house. Ziva got up to see what in the heck I was doing! (I'm trying to see if they are going to rub. I truly hate sending stuff back. It's such a hassle AND I need boots!) Finally, I went back to bed and read for a bit.

Adventures in horse ownership. Like they say, "It's always something!" Thankfully it was something with a positive outcome. Hopefully that other horse is safely home, too.


3 comments:

  1. So glad I called you, you came a flying. Fast considering it's 10 miles. All I could think of was 5 horses down in the bluffs and having to lead them home on the highway in the dark with the bar about to let out. Lee was going to run interference. BUT with them on the "Hill" they would have went for grass first unless they started acting stupid... they are horses. :) The only thing worse is what Alisa went through thinking her new horse was stolen! All's well that ends well! I was so happy to see five bodies. Yes... :) Like I say never at dull moment. :))))

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  2. Wow reading V blog, It was like I had to catch my breath, love her stories, and so so glad everyone if all ok.

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  3. Now we know that it was probably Jupiter out there! That scares me to death. I'll have to add the three in the yard coming up for a granola bar! So thankful for whoever put them in yard and closed the gate!!! God Bless them!

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