Dude

Last night as I was doing my rounds during chores, I took a few moments to stand and simply watch the horses. Everyone is wearing their gorgeous slick and glossy coats. I much prefer their shiny summer coats over their wooly winter coats. There's just something about a healthy shine to a horse that makes me happy.


As I was standing there looking at Chaos, Maverick, and Dude, I started to look hard at Dude. While the younger geldings are a bit on the plump side, I noticed Dude isn't carrying as much weight. My initial thought was "that's good cuz too much extra weight will bother his hips". But then I started to wonder. Normally he gets fat on grass but he doesn't seem to be getting as fat as he should. We stopped graining him (which is the norm for summer months) but we may need to return to graining him throughout the summer. Oh he's not bad by any means but I may very well need to put him on my watch list.


This winter I grained him every day to ensure he got his Buteless but he looked good during the summer. Maybe not plump but a good weight. This summer I figured he'd beef out like the other two geldings but he's not. It could be the light or it could be that he's going to be a bit more trim these days. I'll need to schedule an appointment to get his teeth floated to make sure that it's not his teeth that are causing him pain and not eating.


If it's not his teeth, we'll be starting him back on his daily soaked senior and see if that helps. He's not skinny by any means but I want to head any weight loss off as soon as possible if he's now turning into a hard keeper. Very rarely do the seniors leave this earth without turning into hard keepers at some point in their twilight years.


As I looked at Dude, I started to think of all the years we've been together. Dude has actually been with us since before the Sanctuary started and it was just a dream. He's been the horse that has been around the longest. Of course I can't remember dates but if I remember right (and my memory is starting to get a little shady), we bought him as a personal horse in January 2001. I thought he was a 6 year old when we got him but I swear his papers said he was a 1997 model. I think he's 23 (makign him a 1997 model for sure) but sadly starting to show his age.


I know Dude will enjoy his nightly grain and be standing at the door waiting to get in. He was like that all winter and I had to be very cautious about opening the door. He started getting into the bad habit of charging the door even if I was in the way.


We have a bit of a love/hate relationship and we both try to respect each other and not push each other's buttons but when he charges me to get into the barn, he's got another thing coming. We've gone round on many occasions and both have stories to share from those times.


But seeing him not fat but trim made me take a step back and realize that he too will not live forever. I'm struggling with knowing I'm losing Jessie and now I'm having to put Dude on the watch list, where Jim is already. I knew this day would come but had turned a blind eye to it. But that is the reality of life. I am happy that I can offer him a permanent home and know that he is safe and cared for even into his old age. That there is no threat he'll be shipped off to slaughter after he's bucked one too many people off (due to pain). But knowing that he's growing older is still a bit hard to take. I guess that's the reason why I should pamper him as much as possible. Every day is a gift and we should use that gift wisely.