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Jul. 30th, 2012 04:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancinghorseThere comes a time in the life of a horse barn when, for one reason or another, one or more of the horses will move on to a new home. Fora the barn owner it's an ambivalent experience. When the move is in general a good thing (as in this case it is), the feeling overall is of rightness. Acceptance. But also sadness. Usually a little. Often a lot. End of an era. Change--which always has a slightly scary component.
So tomorrow Carrma is moving to River Valley, where S keeps her horses, and where horse yoga also happens. It's a very good place, with very good people. Good things happen there. It's only 20 minutes away--so quite easy to stop in and visit.
Carrma was never My Lipizzan. We've been friends and colleagues, have collaborated in raising foals and grandfoals, and have seen each other through a succession of trainers and boarders and lessons and Camps. She's mostly been aloof, I'm not your Lipizzan, just put the food in the tub, please. And that's been comfortable for us. When she's wanted a personal human, she's had one. She even spent three years on a ranch in Dragoon, until her person sadly died and she came back to DHF.
In recent months however she's undergone a change. She's engaged me much more. She's asked more of me--and acted as if she had an Agenda and would I please speed up my slow human brain and catch up with it. She's even been imperious, and for the omega mare who gets her way through the mastery of passive aggression, that's kind of remarkable. And frankly adorable. She's always been an awesome horse, but she's finally deigned to show me her sparkly side. I'm sure that if she could fit into a pink frock, she too would parachute into the Olympic Stadium with Agent 007.
Then last week lines were drawn and choices were made, and the hauler was booked for tomorrow.
Now when the hauler is booked, the barn owner usually goes through a process that other animal folk are also familiar with. We withdraw emotionally; we prepare ourselves for the separation. Especially when there's an emotional bond, that is essential; a departure like that can be incredibly painful. The worst for me was when Gabriella left the first (and believe me, the last) time. There were excellent reasons for that, and excellent things came of it. But it was like ripping my heart out. It hurt for years--never fully healed until she came back. (Yes, that horse is that important. I can't help it. It's how it is.)
This time is different. Weird, really. As soon as the decision was made, Carrma went from cheerful to seriously sparkly. Smug, for a fact. Happy song. Finally! Stupidhuman got the clue!
And now she's more There for me than ever. Happy ears. Full engagement. "HI! I'm HERE! Snuggle Me! Worship Me! Aren't I AWESOME? Don't you ADORE Me?"
She's not trying to convince me to keep her. At all. I'm more than fine with her going. It's one of those "feels right" situations. She's just including me in her plans. Whatever those are. And letting me know that wherever she is, she's still, in her way, here.
Kind of like having a tutelary spirit, but she's alive and breathing and full of her own wonderfulness. Quite like her son Pooka. He does come by it honestly.
So there's a new chapter starting. I have no idea what Carrma has in mind, but I'm very much looking forward to finding out.
So tomorrow Carrma is moving to River Valley, where S keeps her horses, and where horse yoga also happens. It's a very good place, with very good people. Good things happen there. It's only 20 minutes away--so quite easy to stop in and visit.
Carrma was never My Lipizzan. We've been friends and colleagues, have collaborated in raising foals and grandfoals, and have seen each other through a succession of trainers and boarders and lessons and Camps. She's mostly been aloof, I'm not your Lipizzan, just put the food in the tub, please. And that's been comfortable for us. When she's wanted a personal human, she's had one. She even spent three years on a ranch in Dragoon, until her person sadly died and she came back to DHF.
In recent months however she's undergone a change. She's engaged me much more. She's asked more of me--and acted as if she had an Agenda and would I please speed up my slow human brain and catch up with it. She's even been imperious, and for the omega mare who gets her way through the mastery of passive aggression, that's kind of remarkable. And frankly adorable. She's always been an awesome horse, but she's finally deigned to show me her sparkly side. I'm sure that if she could fit into a pink frock, she too would parachute into the Olympic Stadium with Agent 007.
Then last week lines were drawn and choices were made, and the hauler was booked for tomorrow.
Now when the hauler is booked, the barn owner usually goes through a process that other animal folk are also familiar with. We withdraw emotionally; we prepare ourselves for the separation. Especially when there's an emotional bond, that is essential; a departure like that can be incredibly painful. The worst for me was when Gabriella left the first (and believe me, the last) time. There were excellent reasons for that, and excellent things came of it. But it was like ripping my heart out. It hurt for years--never fully healed until she came back. (Yes, that horse is that important. I can't help it. It's how it is.)
This time is different. Weird, really. As soon as the decision was made, Carrma went from cheerful to seriously sparkly. Smug, for a fact. Happy song. Finally! Stupidhuman got the clue!
And now she's more There for me than ever. Happy ears. Full engagement. "HI! I'm HERE! Snuggle Me! Worship Me! Aren't I AWESOME? Don't you ADORE Me?"
She's not trying to convince me to keep her. At all. I'm more than fine with her going. It's one of those "feels right" situations. She's just including me in her plans. Whatever those are. And letting me know that wherever she is, she's still, in her way, here.
Kind of like having a tutelary spirit, but she's alive and breathing and full of her own wonderfulness. Quite like her son Pooka. He does come by it honestly.
So there's a new chapter starting. I have no idea what Carrma has in mind, but I'm very much looking forward to finding out.
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no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 01:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 01:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 02:57 am (UTC)Holler if you need anything.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 05:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 04:23 am (UTC)It's like being back at the stable.
Thank you so much for writing these things. And yay for Carrma!
no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 05:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 06:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 06:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 10:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 11:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 03:05 pm (UTC)I'm excited to see what her plans are!
no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 07:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-31 07:58 pm (UTC)She's just 20 minutes away. Easy to swing by and visit. There are some great people there--very experienced and knowledgeable. And my workload is down a bit, which I've been needing. I have a stall or pen for each horse now, instead of having to double up.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-01 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-01 04:54 am (UTC)