One Person

So much for 2015 being a good health year. I've spent the last two and a half days sicker than a dog. My son managed to get pneumonia some time over New Years and we'd been dealing with that. I couldn't take it any more and went in Wednesday only to be told that I have walking pneumonia. It's the first time I've ever had pneumonia. Not something I'd wish on another being.

Least to say, absolutely nothing has gotten accomplished the last few days.

On the bright side, the weather is finally warming up. I had just enough energy yesterday to pull blankets while out doing chores. That's right. Even with pneumonia, the horses still needed to be fed and watered. Doesn't matter if you're sick, animals still need to be taken care of.

Of course, what would have taken me 20 minutes to accomplish took me an hour. But it was nice to get some fresh air. I guess the herd wasn't expecting me out so early. They were out in the pasture. I wish I would have had a camera. The sun was just right and it would have made for some beautiful shots. Maybe another time, when I'm feeling better.

I love knowing that the horses have their own blankets but I really do love seeing the bays, blacks, browns, sorrels, grays, and whites rather than a sea of green blankets. I know it sounds silly but I sometimes forget what they look like during the winter when they are sporting their blankets. Don't get me wrong, we check them to make sure the blankets aren't rubbing but I'd much rather see them wearing their own coats rather than blankets all the time.

I'm so ready to soak up some sun.

I was thinking the other evening (in my pneumonia induced sleep), that I haven't been on a vacation in years. Now, don't get me wrong. We go on our annual family vacation to the Black Hills. But I'm talking an all inclusive vacation some place tropical. Most people save up for a few years and head to Cancun or Mexico. I can't remember the last time I went on a serious (out of the state and somewhere tropical) type vacation or even on a vacation not within the surrounding states. The last time we sort of went on a "vacation" where there were beaches and salt water was March 2006. In fact, it might have been considered a vacation but it was really only to see family. In fact, Mike and I will have been married for five years come June. We didn't even go on a honeymoon. Our honeymoon consisted of renting a cabin at the local state park that's a few miles away from the house.

You know why...because of the Sanctuary. I wasn't going to rant but I guess I am. I'll blame it on being sick. I am the Sanctuary. I am one person. Oh sure I have a few helpers and volunteers from time to time but the day to day activities fall on my shoulders. The decision to bring in a horse falls on my shoulders. The decision to let one go falls on my shoulders. I see so often people telling me they can only afford so many horses and they want me to take one on so they can get a "useful" horse. How is it that that person can't afford another horse but expect me to? Because I sacrifice my life for each horse. I guess that's why. I had someone look me in the eye awhile back and said they had such and such a broodmare since she was a yearling and they loaded her and another they had since she was 2 and took them to the Corsica Loose Horse Sale. They didnt' bother doing anything. And then had the audacity to tell me that the hoped both mares found a good home. I'm flabbergasted. The owner signed these mares' death warrant. You don't take a horse to the Corsica Loose Sale and expect them to find a good home. That's the dumping ground for lazy horses. They served their owners for 16 years and that's the thanks that they get. Yet if this person's employer were to cut them after 16 years of service, they would make a bunch of noise and complain. I'm not sure if that's my bigger pet peeve or if someone asks me to take in their 25+ year old horse and when I put a stipulation on saying that they need to provide funds or hay, there's no response. How did I become the bad guy? Why am I being marked as bad for being willing to take in a horse that will be here for a short time, have to adjust to all new routines and horses, and ask for a little bit of help offsetting the major expenses that come with senior horses. I am one person. I am the single person taking care of 15 horses. I am the single person paying for the 15 horses (minus some fundraising). But I also work a full time job, and am a mom (which in itself is a full time job). Try to fit in three full time jobs into 24 hours and ask me how I am to manage. We all should do our part. I'm not saying that chores at the Sanctuary are easy. We don't have automatic waterers at all the pens. We have to haul back two to six five gallon buckets of water back to the mares' pen. It's not a short walk. Add to it, wind, snow, ice, it's not an easy task. We feed from a large square bale so there's individual piles. We could make it easier and are looking at ways to make it easier but we are also making sure that the individual horses are comfortable in their pens/pastures. It's an inconvenience to me but I do it because that's what I'm supposed to do. Would I rather have ALL the horses in one pen so I don't have to haul water. One thousand times yes!! But it's not in the horses' best interest so we separate a few. Don't tell me that it's not possible to separate your horses because one is picking on another. There's always a way. It's simply a matter of personal importance. Horses are a lifetime commitment. If you ask, and I offer but with a stipulation, don't give me a lame answer. I'm actually giving you an easy way out. I'm giving you the opportunity to not be the bad guy yet some how it turns into me asking for the world when in reality, I'm only asking for a small penitence of what is right. I am but one person. And one person can only do so much.

Ok... I'll stop. I'm sorry. I'll get off my soap box and go take some more antibiotics and sleep. Tomorrow will be another day with another horse that needs help.