Wednesday, January 4, 2012
My days start at 5am, I take care of the dogs, then the three horses, then the kitty. Then I get coffee for me and the hubby. First let me say, he (hubby) is still recuperating from previous injury!
This morning didn't start unusual. I don't generally go into the pasture to feed the horses, I unplug the fence and reach their food in. I then chat and love on Cloud some at the gate where he eats. So this morning was no different, never opened the gate. That is a very important part of this story.
Paul had to leave early that day, he was on his way out of town, (nothing unusual there either) and PaulPaul was not home, (again, nothing unusual), so it was just me and Grace who was still upstairs sleeping. I have been sick for over a week, so I was laying in the bed..
Let me stop here and say - I don't have time for the Nervous Breakdown that I truly deserve to have after the last few months - I long for calm and peace.
Anyway, I hear what I thought was a car door, impossible, I live in the boonies, Its about 540 am, Neli starts carrying on, I go to the side door and low and behold see my horses on the wrong side of the fence. You did get the part I was alone.
I turn around to grab my coat and boots, by this time Cloud was in the front yard, didn't see the other two at that point. To say my heart sank would be an understatement. I have become very attached to Cloud. I ran to get a lead rope and in the dark could only find one. Now I don't see them at all. Let me say, I'm learning as I go along. I had a pony as a child and my daddy had a few horses, but I'm clueless. AND still learning to not show any fear and be assertive.
I grab my keys and phone, did I mention it was very cold outside. Window frosted, all the good stuff.
I call Paul Ray who is to Columbia by now, you could hear the displeasure in his voice, I told him to call my daddy. I went to the head of the road, afraid I'd see them on the highway. He couldn't get them to answer so I stopped and woke them up. I then rode back towards the house. I was beyond panicked! I then call our horse ladies (as I call them) (talk about good people - !!!!!! they are awesome) I called them both at 6ish and explained what happened and to see what I should do. Do you know they dropped what they were doing and came! Again, I cant say enough nice things about them!!!!!!!
About now my parents have made it to the house, Paul told me to look for prints, (did I say it was DARK) while I'm looking my cousin mary jo came to tell me they were in her yard. I got there but they were having no part of me catching them and OFF they went through the woods to a Neighborhood with paved roads. They were heading to a main road, instint took over, I drove on the side of the road, praying to God to not let them get hurt, got in front of them, slammed my car in gear (I'm surprised I didn't tear the car up that day, I went through the woods in it) Anyway, I jumped out ahead of them and got them turned around. At that point I was able to put my hands on Sam man by some small miracle! The other two kinda came back and first chance I had I grabbed Cloud with my left hand. So Picture me, Sam in right hand, he is not happy I have him and is showing his displeasure, Cloud in my LEFT hand. Cloud is a 9 month old Quarter Horse. This is a STRONG horse, he's put my dad on the ground, Pauls brother on the ground. At this point he's biting me and kicking me and pushing me into Sam. God gave me strength I didn't know I had! My parents got there about that time, I was yelling for my dad to come get cloud and my yelling only scared him more. Sahara, the 3rd horse (One that Santa left Grace for Christmas) didn't have a halter on. Thank God she stayed with the horses. So my daddy has Cloud, I have Sam and Sahara is following. Told my mom to park my car we'd come back for it. We Walked them back (one thing - having horses is helping me loose weight) down the paved road, through the woods, up through Mary Jos, down the dirt road and into my yard. I have never been so happy to see people in all my life. Both the horse ladies, Debbie, Jen and Bubba were there, they had come to help. My this point it had hit me what had happened and what could have happened. I need that break down!!!!! Bout that time, Paul Ray shows up, he turned around as soon as I called him. A few minutes later, PaulPaul got there. Needless to say, I went into work late and Grace went to work with me.
