LittleRibbie
Well-Known Member
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I should attempt to explain the meaning of the holiday to all the barn kids. When I finished telling them about The Indians, Plymouth Rock and the big feast. I told them to think about it for the day and in the morning I wanted to know what each of them were thankful for. I did hear some snickering when I left the barn but I knew they would all ...come up with at least one thing that made them happy horses...or at least that was my hope. I started with Skillet, he's the oldest and wisest of them all and although he comes across as a big ole' meannie to the others he really has a huge heart. He had a question for me before he would answer. He asked again what the Indians and Pilgrims shared at the holiday table. I answered "oh, lots of vegetables, turkey, cranberry sauce and pies, lots of pies, all sorts of goodies, just like we do today ". He stopped eating for just a second then replied, "well if that's the case, Im sure Thankful that there were no miniature horses on the dinner table"....I think all the older horses snickered and also had a sigh of relief. Then I figured Holly, the drama queen should go next. "Pleeeze, I'm eating right now, ask someone else, I want to go last, that's my story and I'm sticking to it" and with that she turned and showed me her "tail end". Its no use trying to talk to her when she's in one of her moods so I went to Popcorn. " Well this is easy for me", she said, " I'm Thankful that for the past year Peanut has been in the other pasture and she's no longer making me move from one pile of hay to the next..."geeze Louise, the minute I would start eating she would make me move somewhere else...she's a big fat hay hog and Im thankful she's not bugging me anymore." S'mores tried to get out of this whole thing and thought it rather stupid, I knew he would, he didn't like it when I made him tell me his New Years resolutions either. He's really not much of a thinker. Finally he mumbled something under his breath. "Smores, I cant hear you and please look at me when you talk"....finally very quickly but still with his head down in his pile of hay said, " Im glad I can walk". I was a bit confused and when I asked him what he meant. He repeated the same thing. Now I was really confused and had to take him aside to ask him to explain. " for a long, long time every once in awhile I couldn't move, it happened really fast, it was my back leg, I always wanted to run away cause the others would laugh" he told me. "Now I'm all better and it never happens anymore, no one laughs and I can run faster than anyone here". Ah, I get it now, his locking stifle disappeared, "oh, I understand now " I told him, "well Im thankful for that too and I'm glad your doing better ".......that's the thing with rescues...you just never know what your going to get, but I'm sure glad we got him. Peanut didn't have to be asked what she was thankful for, "the camera!!! I'm just glad you didn't have the gosh dang camera hooked up in the barn for the last foaling...do you have any idea how embarrassing that is...the whole world watching me pushing this alien out of me, for weeks we had this stupid camera ...thats just not right..its gross too.They don't have MareStare for humans do they?..well they shouldn't have it for horses either" with that she turned and charged to the far end of the pasture. I cant say I blame her but I never realized she hated it that much....sorry peanut. I think that's what gave Holly her idea. " Well Im thankful that I got to have my baby in the dirt pile and no one bothered me " ..."no cameras, no cold hands, feeling my boobies to see if they are full or warm"...."how can they be warm when you put your cold hands on me"....for the love of God just let me be"....That, mommie dearest, is what I'm thankful for". There is no argueing with the drama queen so I let it rest right there and thanked her for taking such good care of her baby even with out my help. Moving on to my baby boy Sneeker, he too had a question first. "What are my jewels and where do I keep them" he asked. I knew Cameron put him up to this. With out missing a beat, just like he rehearsed it, he said "Im thankful that I still have my jewels even if I don't know where they are." Of course I busted a gut laughing, and Cam, not wanting to get in trouble, hid behind old Skillet. I didn't have the heart to tell him his Dr. appt. was next month. "Cam, get over here, your next and it better be something good". Slowly making his way around Skillet while still filling his mouth with hay, he tried to talk, but not before Holly told him he was gross for talking with his mouth full. Taking his time and with much thought he proceeded to tell me what he is thankful for. " Im no longer a baby, and now Im not the one that gets treated like a kid...I get to exercise Scarlet and Sneeker and I love watching them run...Im not thankful however about Sneeker using my jaw as his private chewing ball...I hate it when he follows me while chewing on my tail and I especially hate it when he Scarlet pees in the water bucket"!! "Cam, Cam, wait, this is not about what you hate this is supposed to be about being thankful for something. "oh, in that case" he said, "I'm sure glad I have a new brother and sister" I'm happy about that too I thought to myself and let it end there. It was difficult to get the velcro off Scarlet and my leg, she's turned into such a puppy/horse but I was excited to hear what she would come up with. " Mommy, not being so cheap and finally buying some cowboy Magic to get the burrs and tag- alongs out of my mane, tail and my whole body, that's what Im thankful for...I have so much fun getting them all stuck on me but I hate when she has to wrangle me and pull them all out and she says bad words while she's doing it"..."its really fun seeing her get soooo mad at me for playing in the no play zone but then she gives me lots of peppermints to make me stand still while she yanks them all out". So yeah, actually i'm thankful for peppermints and a big bottle of Cowboy Magic detangler." I cant argue with her, she's just too cute. The love of my life, my stallion, Nick was last and I was honestly a little worried about his answer...he is my thinker, little Freud or Einstein and smart as a whip. He said he gave it much thought, I knew he would. " I'm thankful, that I have the stall closest to the house, which always means I get the most treats and Im the first to get them" Im glad too that Holly has moved to Florida and we got to roll in the hay last year again...although Im not sure where Sneeker got his color...that cant be from me!!" I had to assure him it was most definitely from him and that she was not cheating. He's also thankful that he gets to keep his jewels for a bit longer and that Holly gets to be his neighbor again, even if its only thru the fence. He also mentioned his other Mom, Marty. " I'm thankful that I can still remember her and see her in my dreams, she will always have a special place in my heart" ...he's such a good little horse...and me, Im so Thankful to have a great husband that puts up with me and my little horse addiction. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Never Too Mini FarmSee More
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